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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 6 hours ago

Bacteria found in mouth and gut may help protect against severe peanut allergic reactions
One of the big mysteries in food allergy is why two people with similar levels of peanut-specific antibodies can react so differently. It turns out the answer may be in the mouth and gut's bacteria. A new study by researchers and published online in Cell Host & Microbe on March 3, 2026, shows for the first time how gut bacteria break down parts of an allergenic food and influence how a person reacts to peanuts.

Certain bacteria in the mouth and gut, particularly Rothia species, can break down peanut allergens and reduce their ability to trigger immune responses. Individuals with higher levels of these bacteria tolerate greater amounts of peanut before reacting. These findings suggest the oral and gut microbiome influences peanut allergy severity and may inform future prevention and treatment strategies.

Elisa Sánchez-Martínez et al, Microbial metabolism of food allergens determines the severity of IgE-mediated anaphylaxis, Cell Host & Microbe (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2026.02.013

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 6 hours ago

Faecal transplants from older mice found to significantly improve ovarian function and fertility in younger mice

Faecal transplants from older female mice into young mice led to improved ovarian function, reduced ovarian inflammation, and increased fertility in recipients. The findings indicate a direct link between gut microbiome composition and ovarian health, suggesting that targeted microbiome interventions may influence reproductive aging and overall health.

Estropausal gut microbiota transplant improves measures of ovarian function in adult mice, Nature Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01069-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 6 hours ago

Sting in the tail of scorpion venom accelerates blood clotting, could help save lives

A new study has shown that a deadly scorpion's venom carries an extra biochemical sting that could be used to guide future medical treatments and tests. The paper is published in the journal Biochimie.
Found in the Middle East and North Africa, scorpions in the genus Androctonus have a potentially lethal neurotoxic venom that can overwhelm the nervous system, leading to heart failure.
Their venom also causes rapid clots in human blood. Clinical reports had hinted that some scorpion sting patients had abnormal clotting, but until now the mechanism behind it wasn't known.
By introducing the venoms to human plasma, the researchers saw them accelerate clotting and then mapped the molecular steps responsible.
The research revealed that Androctonus venoms activate major clotting factors in blood, particularly Factors VII and X, and this process depends on Factor V being in its activated form.
While the available antivenom is effective against the neurotoxic effects of the scorpion venom, it did not affect the clotting.

Sam I.D. Campbell et al, The sting that clots: The Factor VII and Factor X activating procoagulant effects of Androctonus scorpion venoms are potentiated by Factor Va as a cofactor, Biochimie (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2026.02.018

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 6 hours ago

Synthetic gene medicines may disrupt DNA repair
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), used in gene therapies, can bind to key DNA repair enzymes and induce the formation of nuclear condensates, triggering DNA repair signals in the absence of actual damage. This may disrupt normal DNA repair processes and potentially lead to harmful DNA alterations, highlighting the need for careful safety assessment in the development of genetic medicines.

Linn Hjelmgren et al, Dysregulation of the DNA damage response by phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69980-2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 6 hours ago

High-fat diet accelerates triple-negative breast cancer growth in engineered tumours

A multidisciplinary team of researchers  conducted a study to find out what patients diagnosed with breast cancer should eat to ensure the best prognosis.

The interplay between the immune system, human tissues involved in metabolism, and the microbiome of trillions of microorganisms in the body affects how cancer cells behave.

In addition, cells in the body are bathed in a water-based fluid, called interstitial fluid, that flows continuously around cells.

The researchers engineered a tumor model using a human plasma-like medium to re-create a more realistic microenvironment around tumors. This allowed them to replicate the biochemical effects of nutrients from food. As a result, they could isolate specific nutrients and their effects and closely examine the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in cancer cells.
Their study focused on triple-negative breast cancer, a subtype that is particularly difficult to treat with standard methods. They carefully examined the structure, growth, and spread of cancer cells and how these characteristics differ in four different dietary conditions that can occur in a human body: high-insulin, high-glucose, high-ketone, and high-fat.

They discovered a high-fat diet accelerates tumor growth and invasion. They also found it causes an increase in the enzyme MMP1, which degrades the extracellular matrix, and is associated with a poor prognosis. Using their results, the researchers will be able to apply their method to other breast cancer subtypes and scenarios.
The study shows that tumor cells behave differently when cultured in media that matches the biochemical composition of human plasma.

Fat promotes growth and invasion in a 3D microfluidic tumor model of triple-negative breast cancer, APL Bioengineering (2026). DOI: 10.1063/5.0291646

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Monday

National Science Day, India

National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28 each year to mark the discovery of the Raman effect by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman on 28 February 1928.

Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery and was the first Asian to receive a Nobel Prize in any branch of science.

Presenting stamps featuring CV Raman 

(1971) and other prominent Indian scientists ;

Meghnad Saha (1993), Prafulla Chandra Ray (1961), Jagadish Chandra Bose (1958), Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (1993), D.S. Kothari (2011), Satyendranath Bose (1993), Srinivasa Ramanujan (2011), Vikram Sarabhai (1972), Samanta Chandrashekhar (2001), Guduru Venkatachalam (2010), Ruchiram Sahni (2013), M.S. Swaminathan (2025), A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (2015) and Homi Jehangir Bhabha (2009) released by India

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Monday

Deer Create Mysterious Ultraviolet Signals That Glow in Forests

Deer have the ability to see ultraviolet light, and a recent study shows they can also leave a glowing trail visible in those wavelengths, too.

The discovery casts a whole new light on the way deer are communicating with each other, and how they perceive their environment.
Male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are known for making their mark on the forest during their autumn mating season. They rub their antlers against trees and the forest floor, shedding antler velvet – the soft, blood-rich velveteen 'skin' that covers their calcified antlers as they're growing – and leaving scent marks in the form of glandular secretions, urine and poop.

These marks, known as 'deer rubs' (on trees and shrubs) and scent-marking scrapes (on the ground), act as signposts to other animals of a deer's presence: a warning to rivals, a catcall to potential mates.

But scent, it seems, is not the only language with which the deer communicate.
Scientists at the University of Georgia (UGA) in the US have discovered that these marks 'glow' in ultraviolet wavelengths, which previous studies have shown deer eyes are capable of seeing.

"The resulting photoluminescence would be visible to deer based on previously described deer visual capabilities," the team writes in their published paper describing the phenomenon.

This is the first time scientists have documented evidence of any mammal actually using photoluminescence in their environment, although UV-induced photoluminescence in mammals.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.72618

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

How a tick could help prevent autoimmune diseases 

A research team  has identified a tick-derived evasin that can bind to two major classes of chemokines, a discovery that is important for the development of therapeutics targeting inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The work is published in the journal Structure.

When the immune system detects a harmful or foreign agent, it triggers an inflammatory response. Small proteins called chemokines direct immune cells to the site of the injury or infection, resulting in the invader being inactivated.

More commonly known as parasites, ticks are able to attach and draw blood from us or our pets without triggering an immune reaction, because they produce proteins called evasins, which attach to these chemokines, preventing them from warning the immune system that it is under attack.

These chemokines can also "turn bad," overstimulating the immune system, resulting in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

Until now, scientists had identified only evasins that selectively block chemokines within a single class.

But this new study is important because a broad-acting evasin such as they have discovered is a potential therapy for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and cancer.

 In this study, the researchers have identified a naturally occurring evasin that can inhibit both major classes of chemokines.

The discovery opens up new opportunities to develop therapies that target chemokines driving inflammatory diseases such as RA and MS. 

Discovery of an evolutionarily distinct evasin with dual CC and CXC chemokine inhibitory activity, Structure (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2026.02.001. www.cell.com/structure/fulltex … 0969-2126(26)00043-2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Sunday

Could nanoplastics nudge Salmonella toward antibiotic resistance?
Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics prompts Salmonella enterica to increase expression of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes and enhances biofilm formation, indicating heightened pathogenicity. Prolonged exposure shifts bacterial behavior toward persistence rather than aggression. These findings suggest nanoplastics may contribute to antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens.
Researchers examined the physiology of Salmonella in response to nanoplastics, and they found an increased expression of virulence-related genes. The bacteria also formed thicker biofilms, which further indicates they are becoming more virulent.
Biofilm is an agglomeration of microorganisms growing together to form a protective layer, increasing survival for pathogenic bacteria under physiological stress. You might see biofilms as a slimy film in your kitchen sink or on your cutting board after handling raw meat.

However, while Salmonella initially showed increased virulence, prolonged exposure to nanoplastics slowed its stress response.

Jayita De et al, Polystyrene nanoplastics and pathogen plasticity: Toxic threat or tolerated stressor in Salmonella enterica? Journal of Hazardous Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141264

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on Friday

A tick bite can cause a deadly meat allergy

Tick bites can introduce the alpha-gal sugar molecule into the bloodstream, leading some individuals to develop IgE antibodies and become sensitized to mammalian meat allergy. Subsequent consumption of red meat or products containing alpha-gal can trigger allergic reactions, including potentially fatal anaphylaxis. Most cases occur in older adults, with incidence rising mainly due to increased awareness and testing.
There is no cure for mammalian meat allergy. So preventing tick bites is best:

wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when walking or working in areas where there are ticks
tuck pants into long socks
wear a wide-brimmed hat
wear light-colored clothing
use insect repellent, particularly ones containing DEET.

https://theconversation.com/how-can-a-tick-bite-cause-a-deadly-meat...

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