The discovery of an “off switch” enzyme that can help prevent heart disease and diabetes is a significant breakthrough in the medical field. Scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington have identified an enzyme called IDO1, which plays a crucial role in inflammation regulation. By blocking this enzyme, researchers believe they can control inflammation and restore proper cholesterol processing.

Inflammation is a natural response to stress, injury, or infection, but when it becomes abnormal, it can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. The team found that IDO1 becomes activated during inflammation, producing a substance called kynurenine that interferes with how macrophages process cholesterol.

When IDO1 is blocked, however, macrophages regain their ability to absorb cholesterol, suggesting a new way to prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol levels in check. The researchers also discovered that another enzyme linked to inflammation, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), worsens the effects of IDO1.

The findings are crucial because they suggest that understanding how to prevent inflammation-related diseases could lead to new treatments for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and others. The research team plans to further investigate the interaction between IDO1 and cholesterol regulation, with the goal of finding a safe way to block this enzyme and develop effective drugs to combat chronic diseases.

The discovery is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), indicating the importance of this research in advancing our understanding of inflammation-related diseases. With further study, it’s possible that we may see a new era in disease prevention and treatment, giving hope to millions of people affected by these conditions.

The discovery of ancient DNA in human bones has revolutionized our understanding of diseases that have plagued humans for centuries. Recently, researchers have uncovered evidence that leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, had a presence in the Americas long before European colonization. This finding challenges the common assumption that leprosy was introduced to the continent by European settlers.

Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by either Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. While M. leprae is the more commonly known pathogen, M. lepromatosis has been found in a rare form of the disease. The discovery of ancient DNA from 4000-year-old skeletons in Chile suggests that M. lepromatosis was present in the Americas thousands of years ago.

This finding is significant because it reveals a previously unknown chapter in leprosy’s history. Historically, leprosy has been documented in Europe and Asia for thousands of years, but its presence in the Americas before European colonization had gone undetected. The discovery of ancient DNA from M. lepromatosis in Chile provides evidence that this disease was present in the Americas at least 4000 years ago.

The study of ancient DNA has become a valuable tool for researchers to uncover the history of diseases that have affected humans over time. By analyzing ancient bone samples, researchers can identify the presence of pathogens and reconstruct their evolutionary history. In this case, the discovery of M. lepromatosis in Chile provides a fascinating example of how ancient DNA can shed new light on the history of a disease.

Further research is needed to understand the full extent of leprosy’s history in the Americas. The discovery of M. lepromatosis in Chile has opened up new avenues for research, and it is likely that more cases will be identified in the coming years. By studying ancient DNA from other time periods and contexts, researchers can gain a better understanding of how leprosy was transmitted and evolved over time.

Ultimately, the discovery of M. lepromatosis in Chile highlights the importance of studying ancient DNA to uncover the history of diseases that have affected humans for centuries. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of how these diseases were transmitted and evolved over time, and perhaps even find new ways to prevent or treat them.

The article describes how a team of Northwestern Medicine scientists has developed an innovative AI tool called iSeg that can accurately outline lung tumors on CT scans, even as they move with each breath. This is a critical factor in planning radiation treatment, which half of all cancer patients in the US receive during their illness. The study found that iSeg consistently matches expert outlines across hospitals and scan types, and also flags additional areas that some doctors may miss – areas linked to worse outcomes if left untreated.

The AI tool was trained using CT scans and doctor-drawn tumor outlines from hundreds of lung cancer patients treated at nine clinics within the Northwestern Medicine and Cleveland Clinic health systems. The study’s authors believe that iSeg can help reduce delays, ensure fairness across hospitals, and potentially identify areas that doctors might miss – ultimately improving patient care and clinical outcomes.

The research team is now testing iSeg in clinical settings, comparing its performance to physicians in real time. They are also integrating features like user feedback and working to expand the technology to other tumor types, such as liver, brain, and prostate cancers. The team envisions this as a foundational tool that could standardize and enhance how tumors are targeted in radiation oncology.

The study was published today (June 30) in the journal npj Precision Oncology.