Smell Links Fruit Fly Brain-cell Activity and Behavior
Jun 19, 2013
In the fruit fly, the ability to distinguish smells lies in a region of the brain called the mushroom body (MB). Researchers have now mapped the activity of brain cells in the MB, in flies conditioned to have Pavlovian behavioral responses to different odors.
Circadian Clocks Regulate Metabolism in Mice
Jun 19, 2013
Researchers have discovered how one important protein falls under direct instructions from the body’s circadian clock. Furthermore, they've uncovered how this protein regulates fundamental circadian processes — and how disrupting its normal function can throw this critical system out of sync.
Interaction of Proteins in Brain Suggest Alzheimer's Cause
Jun 19, 2013
For years, Alzheimer's researchers have focused on two proteins that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. But for the first time, a researcher has looked closely at not the two proteins independently, but at the interaction of the two proteins with each other.
Colson Caster Expands Online 3D Modeling Program
Jun 19, 2013
Colson Caster, a leading manufacturer of caster and wheel products, has announced that it has expanded its free online 3D modeling program to include new brake and bearing options.
An 'Undruggable' Cancer Target Tested in Mice
Jun 19, 2013
Researchers have identified in the most aggressive forms of cancer a gene known to regulate embryonic stem cell self-renewal, beginning a creative search for a drug that can block its activity.
Parasite Infections Compete with Each Other in Wood Mice
Jun 19, 2013
Researchers studying wild mice – which typically carry multiple parasitic infections at once – found that when these animals were treated for one type of bug, other infections they had tended to worsen.
Mice in a 'Big Brother' Setup Develop Social Structures
Jun 18, 2013
How does a social animal — mouse or human — gain dominance over his or her fellow creatures? A unique experiment provides some unusual insight into the social behavior that enables a social hierarchy, complete with a head honcho, to form.
Peptide Protects Brain Function in Two Animal Models
Jun 18, 2013
A structure called "the microtubule network" is a crucial part of our nervous system. Now a researcher has developed a new peptide in her lab, called NAP or Davunetide, that has the capacity to both protect and restore microtubule function.
Memory-boosting Chemical Identified in Brains of Mice
Jun 18, 2013
Memory improved in mice injected with a small, drug-like molecule discovered researchers studying how cells respond to biological stress. The same biochemical pathway the molecule acts on might one day be targeted in humans to improve memory.
A Point Of View: Fly, Fish, Mouse and Worm
Jun 18, 2013
When I was a child, one of my favorite books was called Bear, Mouse and Water Beetle. Today I want to tell you a contemporary story, which you could call Fly, Fish, Mouse and Worm, or for the scientists among you, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio, Mus mus and Caenorhabditis elegans.
Artificial Sweetener Reduces Parkinson's Symptoms in Fruit Flies
Jun 18, 2013
Researchers have found that mannitol, a sugar alcohol produced by fungi, bacteria and algae used in gum and candy, prevents clumps of the protein α-synuclein from forming in the brain — a process that is characteristic of Parkinson's disease.
Shortage of Organs? Grow Them in a Lab
Jun 18, 2013
Growing lungs and other organs for transplant is still in the future, but scientists are working toward that goal. In North Carolina, a 3-D printer builds prototype kidneys. In several labs, scientists study how to build on the internal scaffolding of hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys of people and pigs to make custom-made implants.
Gene Strengthens Heart and Suppresses Breast Cancer in Mice
Jun 17, 2013
Researchers have found that a single gene poses a double threat to disease: Not only does it inhibit the growth and spread of breast tumors, but it also makes hearts healthier.
Feeding Neurons in Fruit Flies Identified
Jun 17, 2013
Scientists have developed a novel transgenic system which allows them to remotely activate individual brain cells in the model organism Drosophila using ambient temperature.
Obese Male Mice Father Offspring with More Body Fat
Jun 17, 2013
Male mice who were fed a high-fat diet and became obese were more likely to father offspring who also had higher levels of body fat.
Mechanisms Underlying Salt-mediated Behaviors Identified in Fruit Flies
Jun 17, 2013
Researchers have been studying the mechanisms underlying salt taste coding of Drosophila (fruit flies). And they have made some rather remarkable discoveries.
Changing Perspectives Propel Chimp Protection
Jun 17, 2013
Jane Goodall, a longtime champion of chimpanzee conservation, joined the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Daniel Ashe, in announcing a proposal to add chimpanzees in captivity to the endangered species list.
Programming Blood-forming Stem Cells in Mice
Jun 17, 2013
By transferring four genes into mouse fibroblast cells, researchers have produced cells that resemble hematopoietic stem cells, which produce millions of new blood cells in the human body every day.
Rats Tested for Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis
Jun 14, 2013
A medical test previously developed to measure a toxin found in tobacco smokers has been adapted to measure the same toxin in people suffering from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, offering a potential tool to reduce symptoms.
Brain's Recovery after Stroke Understood at the Molecular Level in Rats
Jun 14, 2013
A specific MicroRNA, a short set of RNA (ribonuclease) sequences, naturally packaged into minute (50 nanometers) lipid containers called exosomes, are released by stem cells after a stroke and contribute to better neurological recovery according to an animal study.
Stressed Male Mice Affect Offspring Brain Development
Jun 14, 2013
Sperm doesn’t appear to forget anything. Stress felt by dad — whether as a preadolescent or adult — leaves a lasting impression on his sperm that gives sons and daughters a blunted reaction to stress, a response linked to several mental disorders.
Cocoa Reduces Obesity-related Inflammation in Mice
Jun 14, 2013
Mice that were fed cocoa with a high-fat diet experienced less obesity-related inflammation than mice fed the same high-fat diet without the supplement.
Hearing Loss Clue Uncovered in Mice
Jun 14, 2013
Researchers have discovered how hearing loss in humans is caused by a certain genetic mutation.
Protein Protects against Breast Cancer Recurrence in Animal Model
Jun 14, 2013
Researchers have identified a key molecular player in recurrent breast cancer — a finding that suggests potential new therapeutic strategies.
Brain's 'Dark Side' is Key to Cocaine Addiction in Rats
Jun 13, 2013
Scientists have found evidence that an emotion-related brain region called the central amygdala — whose activity promotes feelings of malaise and unhappiness — plays a major role in sustaining cocaine addiction.