Memory formation follows a dynamic pattern, allowing for retrieval from different areas of the brain, depending on when an organism needs to remember, said a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine.
That is what Dr. Ron L. Davis, professor of molecular and cellular biology at BCM, theorizes, based on his most recent report on the topic that finds a memory trace in Drosophila or fruit flies is formed in a pair of neurons called the dorsal pair medial neurons, but only 30 minutes
A University of Oregon chemist has “supersized” carbon-rich molecules, enabling researchers for the first time to test theories about the useful properties of synthetic forms of carbon. The discovery by Mike Haley will be published as the cover story in the Dec. 9 edition of the Journal of Organic Chemistry (JOC). The article also appears on the JOC website.
Scientists have long predicted that unnatural forms of carbon could have many technologically useful properties, much like
Lake Superior has a new native resident. It’s been hanging around the shore for years, but until now it was regarded as an intercontinental drifter, not a homegrown local. So say Rebecca Bixby of the University of Georgia and fellow researchers Mark Edlund of the Science Museum of Minnesota and Eugene Stoermer from the University of Michigan. In the latest issue of Diatom Research, the scientists describe a new species of diatom, Hannaea superiorensis, found primarily in Lake Superior. Prior to
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that changes in the plasma lipoprotein profile of patients with severe periodontitis – a condition characterized by chronic infection and inflammation of the gums – may contribute to these patients’ elevated risk for heart disease and stroke.
The findings suggest that it may be beneficial to test periodontitis patients for changes in their plasma lipoprotein profiles, so that available medication can be taken if necessary.
Findings may help in development of new anti-inflammatory compounds
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers studying the enzyme that triggers inflammation have found that it may be a target for a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, lung and colon cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.
In the December issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, researchers examined the structural make-up of ceramide which is a target molecule for
From a Russian volcanic island, a hot new find
Take a pot of scalding water, remove all the oxygen, mix in a bit of poisonous carbon monoxide, and add a pinch of hydrogen gas. It sounds like a recipe for a witch’s brew. It may be, but it is also the preferred environment for a microbe known as Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans.
In a paper published in the November 27th issue of PLoS Genetics, a research team led by scientists at The Institute for Genomic Researc
Study Finds That Nutritionally Enhanced Rice Reduces Iron Deficiency
Breakthrough may lead to improved nutrition for millions of poor people
Breeding rice with higher levels of iron can have an important impact on reducing micronutrient malnutrition, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. The research, conducted by scientists from the Philippines and the United States, is a major step forward in the battle against iron deficiency, one of the developing world’s
The magnitude 9.2 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December of 2004 originated just off the coast of northern Sumatra, but an “energy pulse” – an area where slip on the fault was much greater – created the largest waves, some 100 miles from the epicenter. Seismologists have mapped these energy pulses for Sumatra and are trying to learn more about them to predict better when and where tsunamis may occur. They also hope these pulses will help them gain a more co
Against the backdrop of the Montreal Summit on global climate being held this week, an article on African droughts and monsoons, by a University of California, Santa Barbara scientist and others, which appears in the December issue of the journal Geology, underlines concern about the effects of global climate change.
Tropical ocean temperatures and land vegetation have an important effect on African monsoon systems, explains first author Syee Weldeab, a post-doctoral fellow in
A team of scientists at UCSF has made a critical discovery that may help in the development of techniques to promote functional recovery after a spinal cord injury.
By stimulating nerve cells in laboratory rats at the time of the injury and then again one week later, the scientists were able to increase the growth capacity of nerve cells and to sustain that capacity. Both factors are critical for nerve regeneration.
The study, reported in the November 15 issu
The catastrophic tsunami that struck Indonesia and East Asia almost a year ago has done much to heighten the interest, research programs and preparations in the United States for events of this type, but experts say there are areas that need more attention and challenges yet to be met.
Dec. 26 will mark the first anniversary of the tsunami that claimed the lives of about 275,000 people and struck with waves up to 100 feet high, one of the deadliest disasters in modern history.
’Genetic vulnerability’ likely in excessive caffeine use
A study led by Johns Hopkins investigators has shown that women with a serious caffeine habit and a family history of alcohol abuse are more likely to ignore advice to stop using caffeine during pregnancy. Withdrawal symptoms, functional impairment and craving were cited by the women as reasons they could not cut out or cut back on caffeine use.
None of the women had a current alcohol-use diagnosis, and none ha
The mutation was not found in patients’ parents’ DNA
Gene mutations in the HRAS sequence are present in most patients affected with Costello syndrome, according to a new study in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. The mutations occurred de novo in patients, meaning, they were not observed in their parents’ genes. The study is published in the December issue of the journal, which is published by John Wiley & Sons. It is also available online via Wiley Inters
Study sheds new light on this critical protein’s involvement in autoimmunity and chronic, corrosive joint inflammation
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints, which gradually erodes the cartilage and bone. The agents of destruction include inflammatory cells, cytokines, and protein-degrading enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The vicious cycle begins when inflammatory cells infiltrate the tissue
New insights into pain mechanisms; Practical advice on pain management
Long treated as a side effect, pain is now widely recognized as an integral part of patient care. While the last decade has brought extraordinary advances in the unravelling of pain mechanisms at the molecular level, evaluating and alleviating pain remains an ongoing challenge for physicians, particularly rheumatologists. The December 2005 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism offers a timely examination of pain as i
Ordinary chest x-rays show distinctive disease patterns of avian flu in humans that are good predictors of patient survival, according to University of Oxford investigators. Their findings indicate that patients with more severe x-ray appearances would benefit from aggressive treatment earlier, giving them a better chance of survival. The study was presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
“On chest x-rays in patients with avian flu, the mos
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