Further experiments determined that pTOS is a byproduct of the breakdown of tyrosine — an amino acid present in dietary protein — by bacteria in the gut. Treating the pythons with antibiotics prior to feeding abolished the eating-associated increase in pTOS levels. “We were able to work out a pathway in which pTOS is produced … Read more
Mary Beth Terry, PhD, a professor of epidemiology and environmental sciences at Columbia University, is a leader of the registry today. “She was the most thoughtful collaborator — she cared deeply about every methodological issue,” Terry said. “A lot of people wanted to emulate how she lived her life, because she was always trying to … Read more
There have long been hints that innate immunity can last longer in certain circumstances. The most-studied example is the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin tuberculosis vaccine, which is given to some 100 million newborns every year. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that it can decrease infant mortality from other infections, suggesting that the cross-protection could last months. … Read more
“The sequences of these immune receptors are highly variable,” Zaslavsky said. “This variability helps the immune system detect virtually anything, but also makes it harder for us to interpret what these immune cells are targeting. In this study, we asked whether we could decode the immune system’s record of these disease encounters by interpreting this … Read more