Rockefeller University scientists take on controversial 'vibration theory' of smell
... in the brain that, by a still mysterious process, leads to the perception of distinct odors. But the problem with the shape theory is that humans have only 347 different odorant receptor proteins dedicated to smell, as researchers working at Senomyx discovered in 2001. A strict lock-and-key mechanism woul...Research on inherited eye disorders uncovers new information about blood-vessel formation
...ssels, and a leakiness in those blood vessels that leads to scarring and ultimately blindness," said Nathans. The function of the Norrin protein was unknown before this new work, he said. The second disorder the researchers studied, FEVR, "tends to be milder and with a range of severity all the way from a ...'Protein-only' prions confirmed in FSU yeast study
...ereby becoming prions themselves. Invariably, this leads to the disruption or alteration of normal cell function, King said. Another key find in the FSU study is that prions formed in host cells are amyloids, a family of fiber-forming proteins that often are associated with neurological disorders in human...JCI table of contents, 15 March 2004
... ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. This enzymatic reaction leads to the production of higher levels of polyamines, which are critical for normal and neoplastic cell growth. As ODC activity is higher in BCCs than in normal human skin, Mohammad Athar and colleagues, from Columbia University, sought to evaluate the p...New approach limits damage after heart attack and improves survival, say Scripps Research scientists
...t common form of heart disease. This disease often leads to an acute myocardial infarction, the technical t...ses fluid to accumulate in the heart tissue, which leads to rapid cell death in the local area where the fluid accumulates. It also leads to further loss of ...Alcohol consumption can damage hearing
...ntioned brain shrinkage," said Smith, "but it also leads to defects of the central auditory tracks, which causes delays in neurotransmission time. These defects cannot be detected by commonly used listening tests for hearing performance." Interestingly, the study also found that the BAEP latencies of soci...Scientist works to interrupt early changes resulting in diabetic vision loss
...ng cells. While the specific initiating event that leads to late-onset vascular changes is not certain, the death of these neurons may contribute to the complex cascade of events that disrupts the beautifully organized retina over years; eventually, this back portion of the eye begins to grow new blood ves...Stress hormones and heart failure
...airment of heart muscle function, which eventually leads to a loss in the ability of the heart to pump blood. The known causes of congestive heart failure are multiple, and can be either acquired or inherited. In some individuals, the cause is unknown. Wylie W. Vale, Helene MacLoraine Professor of ...Crucial brain development gene identified
...hin and colleagues determined that Lgl1 deficiency leads to a loss of apical/basal polarity in neural progenitor cells, failure of these cells to differentiate into more specialized cell types, and an overall increase in proliferation by the neural progenitor cell population. The researchers believe that i...Research suggests new way to repair cartilage damage
...py, we could prevent end stage osteoarthritis that leads to knee replacements," she said....Common virus may contribute to uncommon bone disease in children
...system. An uncontrolled excess of Langerhans cells leads to LCH, with effects that range from a limited, spontaneously resolving illness to a chronic, life-threatening disease involving multiple organ systems. Although rare, occurring in approximately five children per million, LCH most commonly strikes bo...UN study shows environmental consequences from ongoing boom in personal computer sales
... tools," said Eric Williams, the UNU scientist who leads the Information Society and Environment Issues project and Ruediger Kuehr, who co-edited the book . "But it is exactly because they have become so ubiquitous that we must be aware of the negative impacts of the PC boom." Sales of personal computers h...Design of composite materials that detect terahertz discovered
...own is not magnetic, the geometry of the resonator leads to an effective magnetic response, so that the composite metamaterial can be characterized as magnetic. Therefore, these engineered metamaterials have properties that are not observed in their constituent materials. "Designing terahertz or optical d...Rensselaer awarded $2.7 million NIH grant to improve drug development process
...Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer, leads the research team that includes Shekhar Garde, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Rensselaer; Alexander Klibanov, professor of chemistry and bioengineering at MIT; Douglas Clark and Jeffrey Reimer, professors of chemical en...U Iowa study identifies damaging mechanism in transplants and heart attacks
..., keep NF-kB in an inactive state. However, injury leads to modification of the inhibitory proteins, causing them to release NF-kB. The activated master switch protein can then regulate expression of genes that mount a response to the injury. The UI team used gene manipulation to replace IkB alpha with IkB...UW study: Baby's face lights up emotional center of new mom's brain
...frontal cortex. This puts you in a better mood and leads to brain changes that correspond to feeling happier."...DFG establishes 14 new research units
...asing devastation of the Inner Mongolian grassland leads to serious ecological problems, the results should provide options for the ecologically sustainable use of the examined region. A new Research Unit at the University of Regensburg will study blue light receptors in plants and bacteria. Similar to the...Seeking a mechanical solution to nation's number-one children's illness
...an tube dysfunction," says Ghadiali. "We hope this leads to the development of novel treatment therapies that target the underlying cause of middle-ear disease." The eustachian tube is a complex system of muscle, cartilage, and fat tissue. In healthy adults, it opens and closes three or four times a day, a...Purdue chemists 'put the twist' on protein building block
...nderstanding of how serotonin binding in the brain leads to a change in mood." For the moment, Zwier said, such applications are a long way off, and the real achievement was for fundamental science. "It's more of interest to my professional colleagues than anyone else right now," he said. "But i...Capturing cell protein production in action could help fight antibiotic resistance
...lem researchers use a low dose of radiation, which leads to extremely poor image quality. "It's like trying to see in the dark," says Professor van Heel. "Cryo-electron microscopy uses a sample in solution which is rapidly frozen by plunging it into liquid ethane and maintaining it at the same temperature ...