Oxygen responses of T cells alter protection against tuberculosis

In a new publication in Nature Communications, Martin Rottenberg and Ruining Liu, professor and Ph.D. student at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, explain how T cell protection against tuberculosis is controlled by their oxygen responses.

Teenagers more likely to vape if their parents smoke

Teenagers whose parents are smokers are 55% more likely to try e-cigarettes, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Barcelona, Spain. In a large study of Irish teenagers, the researchers have also found that the proportion who have tried e-cigarettes has been increasing dramatically and that although boys are more likely to use e-cigarettes, the rate of use among girls in increasing more rapidly.

Difficult birth stories can give people an appreciation for life

In the first study of its kind, researchers investigated the impact of stories around conception and birth and how they affect the individuals involved and their familial relationships. Previous research in this area has focused on the impact on the experience of difficult births and conceptions but not on how they were communicated to the child/adult.

Discovery of small molecule Gαq/11 protein inhibitors against uveal melanoma

Constitutively activated G proteins caused by specific mutations mediate the development of multiple malignancies. The mutated Gαq/11 are perceived as oncogenic drivers in the vast majority of uveal melanoma (UM) cases, making directly targeting Gαq/11 to be a promising strategy for combating UM.

Can 'random noise' unlock our learning potential?

Though many of us may seek a quiet place in which to study, "noise" may play a key role in helping some people improve their learning potential.

How changes in length of day change the brain and subsequent behavior

Seasonal changes in light—longer days in summer, shorter in winter—have long been associated with human behaviors, affecting everything from sleep and eating patterns to brain and hormonal activity. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a prime example: A type of depression related to diminished exposure to natural sunlight, typically occurring during winter months and more often at higher latitudes when daylight hours are shortest.