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Eating Cheese Could Actually Make You Live Longer, Science Says

a woman eating a slice of pizza: A study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that eating cheese can lead to a longer lifespan. © Provided by Bauer Media Pty Ltd A study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that eating cheese can lead to a longer lifespan.

Every now and again, a study is released that makes our heart skip a beat.

Recently, research published in the journal Nature Medicine found that eating cheese can lead to a longer lifespan (and it wasn’t even satire!).

What universities can learn from one of science’s biggest frauds

Gunsalus agrees that the Sato case highlights some of the problems with misconduct investigations, and says that if shortcomings emerge, further reviews may be needed. She suggests institutional panels should include external members and that officials should also use a standardized checklist to strengthen their processes. “There should be some way for journals, funders, patients and others to be assured of the credibility and thoroughness of university reviews,” says Gunsalus.


Detailed analysis of misconduct investigations into huge research fraud suggests institutional probes aren’t rigorous enough.

Sensitive scanning technology for low frequency nuclear point mutations in human genomic DNA

Knowledge of the kinds and numbers of nuclear point mutations in human tissues is essential to the understanding of the mutation mechanisms underlying genetic diseases. However, nuclear point mutant fractions in normal humans are so low that few methods exist to measure them. We have now developed a means to scan for point mutations in 100 bp nuclear single copy sequences at mutant fractions as low as 10–6.Beginning with about 10 human cells we first enrich for the desired nuclear sequence 10 000-fold from the genomic DNA by sequence-specific hybridization coupled with a biotin–streptavidin capture system. We next enrich for rare mutant sequences 100-fold against the wild-type sequence by wide bore constant denaturant capillary electrophoresis (CDCE). The mutant-enriched sample is subsequently amplified by high fidelity PCR using fluorescein-labeled primers. Amplified mutant sequences are further enriched via two rounds of CDCE coupled with high fidelity PCR. Individual mutants, seen as distinct peaks on CDCE, are then isolated and sequenced. We have tested this approach by measuring N-methyl–N ′-nitro–N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced point mutations in a 121 bp sequence of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC) in human lymphoblastoid MT1 cells. Twelve different MNNG-induced GC→AT transitions were reproducibly observed in MNNG-treated cells at mutant fractions between 2 × 10–6 and 9 × 10–6. The sensitivity of this approach was limited by the fidelity of Pfu DNA polymerase, which created 14 different GC→TA transversions at a mutant fraction equivalent to ~10–6 in the original samples. The approach described herein should be general for all DNA sequences suitable for CDCE analysis. Its sensitivity and capacity would permit detection of stem cell mutations in tissue sectors consisting of ~10 cells.

Google backs a bid to use CRISPR to prevent heart disease

Ever wonder why some fortunate people eat chips, don’t exercise, and still don’t get clogged arteries? It could be because they’ve got lucky genes.

Now Alphabet (Google’s parent company) is bankrolling a startup company that plans to use gene editing to spread fortunate DNA variations with “one-time” injections of the gene-editing tool CRISPR.

Heart doctors involved say the DNA-tweaking injections could “confer lifelong protection” against heart disease.

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