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Scientists May Have Found the Blueprint of the Human Body in the Ocean

Scientists May Have Found the Blueprint of the Human Body in the Ocean

Yahoo8 hours ago
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One major division of the kingdom Animalia is Cnidarians (animals built around a central point) and bilaterians (animals with bilateral symmetry), which includes us humans.
A new study found that the sea anemone, a member of the Cnidarian phylum, uses bilaterian-like techniques to form its body.
This suggests that these techniques likely evolved before these two phyla separated evolutionarily some 600 to 700 million years ago, though it can't be ruled out that these techniques evolved independently.
Make a list of complex animals as distantly related to humans as possible, and sea anemones would likely be near the top of the list. Of course, one lives in the water and the other doesn't, but the differences are more biologically fundamental than that—sea anemones don't even have brains.
So it's surprising that this species in the phylum Cnidarians (along with jellyfish, corals, and other sea creatures) contains an ancient blueprint for bilaterians, of which Homo sapiens are a card-carrying member. A new study by a team of scientists at the University of Vienne discovered that sea anemones, whose Cnidarian status means they grow radially around a central point (after all, what is the 'face' of a jellyfish), use a technique commonly associated with bilaterians, known as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) shuttling, to build their bodies. This complicates the picture of exactly when this technique evolved or if it possibly evolved independently of bilaterians. The results of the study were published last month in the journal Science Advances.'Not all Bilateria use Chordin-mediated BMP shuttling, for example, frogs do, but fish don't, however, shuttling seems to pop up over and over again in very distantly related animals making it a good candidate for an ancestral patterning mechanism,' University of Vienna's David Mörsdorf, a lead author of the study, said in a press statement. 'The fact that not only bilaterians but also sea anemones use shuttling to shape their body axes, tells us that this mechanism is incredibly ancient.'
To put it simply, BMPs are a kind of molecular messenger that signals to embryonic cells where they are in the body and what kind of tissue they should form. Local inhibition from an inhibitor named Chordin (which can also act as a shuttle) along with BMP shuttling creates gradients of BMP in the body. When these levels are their lowest, for example, the body knows to form the central nervous system. Moderate levels signal kidney development, and maximum levels signal the formation of the skin of the belly. This is how bilaterians form the body's layout from back to body.
Mörsdorf and his colleagues found that Chordin also acts as a BMP shuttle—just as displayed in bilaterians like flies and frogs. Thi signals that this particular evolutionary trait likely developed before Cnidarians and bilaterians diverged. Seeing as these two phylums of the animal kingdom have vastly different biological structures, that divergence occurred long ago, likely 600 to 700 million years ago.
'We might never be able to exclude the possibility that bilaterians and bilaterally symmetric cnidarians evolved their bilateral body plans independently,' University of Vienna's Grigory Genikhovich, a senior author of the study, said in a press statement. 'However, if the last common ancestor of Cnidaria and Bilateria was a bilaterally symmetric animal, chances are that it used Chordin to shuttle BMPs to make its back-to-belly axis.'
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This Viral, At-Home Fitness Test Claims to Predict Longevity—but There's a Catch
This Viral, At-Home Fitness Test Claims to Predict Longevity—but There's a Catch

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time36 minutes ago

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This Viral, At-Home Fitness Test Claims to Predict Longevity—but There's a Catch

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NANOBIOTIX Announces Regulatory Harmonization and New Composition of Matter Patent Filed for JNJ-1900 (NBTXR3)
NANOBIOTIX Announces Regulatory Harmonization and New Composition of Matter Patent Filed for JNJ-1900 (NBTXR3)

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timean hour ago

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NANOBIOTIX Announces Regulatory Harmonization and New Composition of Matter Patent Filed for JNJ-1900 (NBTXR3)

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These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements, including risks related to Nanobiotix's business and financial performance, which include the risk that assumptions underlying the Company's cash runway projections are not realized. Further information on the risk factors that may affect company business and financial performance is included in Nanobiotix's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 02, 2025 under 'Item 3.D. Risk Factors', in Nanobiotix's 2024 universal registration document filed with the AMF on April 02, 2025,, and subsequent filings Nanobiotix makes with the SEC from time to time which are available on the SEC's website at The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and except as required by law, Nanobiotix assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly. Contacts Nanobiotix Communications DepartmentBrandon OwensVP, Communications+1 (617) 852-4835contact@ Investor Relations DepartmentJoanne ChoiVP, Investor Relations (US)+1 (713) 609-3150investors@ BhajunDirector, Investor Relations (EU)+33 (0)1 79 97 29 99investors@ Media Relations France – HARDYCaroline Hardy+33 06 70 33 49 Global – uncapped CommunicationsBecky Lauer +1 (646) 286-0057 nanobiotixteam@ Attachment 2025-07-07 -- NTBX -- Composition of Matter Patent for NBTXR3 -- FINALSign in to access your portfolio

Your dog is ignoring you and staring at nothing? It could be dementia
Your dog is ignoring you and staring at nothing? It could be dementia

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Your dog is ignoring you and staring at nothing? It could be dementia

Sometimes Jackie just stands there and stares. "He looks off into nothingness," is how his owner describes the state of her 15-year-old Jack Russell Terrier. The small white dog is physically very fit, but he suffers from dementia. Sometimes he seems not to recognise family members and growls at them. Or he goes from the house into the garden, immediately returns and shortly afterwards stands at the door again, wanting to go out. "And this happens 15 times in a row. As if he has forgotten that he was just outside." Pets are living longer in many parts of the world, and dementia is no longer uncommon among them. According to one study, 68% of dogs at Jackie's age are affected. "It can start from the age of eight," said Julia Hauer, senior neurologist at a veterinary clinic in western Germany. The disease develops gradually over months. Initially, the symptoms are so non-specific that owners often do not realise something is wrong with their pet. Moreover, these symptoms could also be signs of a normal ageing process. Affected animals may wander around a lot, especially at night. They no longer interact with their humans as they used to; some become incontinent, and they fail to understand common commands like "sit" or "stay." They may no longer be able to find food on the floor, get scared in familiar situations, bark or whine without any apparent reason, or repeatedly stare at nothing. "When animals suspected of having dementia come to the consultation, I often ask their owners if they try to enter through the wrong side of a familiar door," the veterinarian explained as another possible symptom. Additionally, there are questionnaires for owners to fill out, covering topics such as anxiety, sleep patterns and house training. Diagnosing dementia is not easy, as there are numerous possible causes for behavioural changes. "Ultimately, it is a diagnosis of exclusion," says veterinarian Klaus Kutschmann. Initially, the vet will discuss the symptoms and their progression with the owner, followed by physical examinations — general, neurological and orthopaedic. The eyes and teeth are also checked. "The decisive examinations are MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis," Kutschmann says. However, these require the animal to be put under general anaesthesia, which is not always advisable given their age. What happens if the diagnosis is dementia? "There is no pill you can give to make everything better," says Hauer. However, there are many ways to make life easier for the dog. The first question is how the dog is doing apart from the dementia. Does it perhaps have toothache or chronic pain from arthritis? Pain exacerbates dementia symptoms. Addressing this improves its quality of life. Or could the dog maybe have impaired vision or hearing? In such cases, the owner can adapt their communication, for example, by speaking louder or using visual commands. To help the dog sleep through the night again, melatonin can be given, but only in consultation with a vet. But melatonin approved for humans is not suitable for dogs, vets say. Treats containing this sleep hormone are also not recommended, as the dosage is too low. Studies have also shown that supplements like Aktivait or Senilife improve brain activity, Hauer says. The same goes for MCT oil. Additionally, there are medications like selegiline, although not all animals respond to them. A stable daily routine is essential for four-legged dementia patients. Everything should happen at the same time each day: waking up, walks, feeding and sleeping. However, some variety should also be included, says Hauer, suggesting taking walks in different places or hiding treats. New toys, like a sniffing mat, can also provide mental stimulation. Kutschmann also advised "lots of attention and activity." "Interestingly, there are many parallels between dogs with dementia and human Alzheimer's patients," says Hauer. As with humans, dementia progresses very differently in animals. It's entirely possible for a dog to live well with the condition until its death. In some cases, however, the disease progresses rapidly, causing the dog to suffer from confusion, sleep deprivation or constant wandering. In these cases, some vets may give you the choice to euthanize the animal to end its suffering.

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