Sleep in early life may play crucial role in brain development
...nce-dependent changes in synaptic plasticity. "The significance of our study is that we examined a system in which we know a great deal about the neural inputs and the outputs - we know how information gets into the visual cortex from the two eyes, how it changes during normal development, and we know a lot about...Lipoprotein lipase: Location, location, location.
...glycans (HSPGs). In most cases, the physiological significance of this interaction is not clear. Lutz and colleagues previously identified a putative heparin binding site in the secreted enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LpL), and they have now generated a transgenic mouse line expressing a version of human LpL that is...New technique illuminates events obscured in the geologic record
...e new technique makes it possible to recognize the significance of single occurrences or short-term events. "When people do statistical analyses of the data and find a single point, they just throw it out because they can't analyze in terms of confidence levels, or they consider it just an artifact," he says. "...Penn researchers find proteins more dynamic than previously known
...ctions than we realized. This dynamism has central significance for how proteins may work." "People tend to think of proteins as static, because they see pictures of them as snapshots. But now scientists will have to start considering the effects of entropy and dynamics," Lee added. The new, more dynamic picture...What it means to be a mammal: New clues from tiny fossil described in Science
...ds of the Lower Lufeng Formation in China, but its significance was hidden under the sediments encasing the skull. After meticulous preparation to remove the sediments, the researchers finally realized that its anatomy was completely different from any other mammal known from the time period. The 25 May issue......PC2 channels. This finding holds potential medical significance because ADP-ribose is created in large amounts by the same processes that produce free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Free radicals and reactive oxygen species have been implicated in the cell damage that occurs with aging, stroke, and heart a...Penn paleontologists locate a new genus of colossal dinosaur along an ancient coastline
...land not involved with the Penn team. "Of obvious significance is the discovery of a truly gigantic sauropod dinosaur, closely related to but apparently distinct from the largest currently described dinosaur, Argentinosaurus. But beyond the dinosaurs and other animals, the work is significant in its study of th...Scientists share multidisciplinary discoveries at 'Earth System Processes'
...used by multiple, independent factors) and (2) the significance of 'feedback mechanisms.' Some of the highlights are as follows: Session co-chair Norman MacLeod will begin by taking a look at the identifying controls on Phanerozoic extinction and diversification patterns. (MacLeod is the Associate Keeper in the...Biologists discover protein's impace on plant-water balance
... edition of Science. "The potential agricultural significance is being able to regulate stomatal apertures," Assmann says. "From a farmer's perspective, finding a way to maximize photosynthesis and yield, and a way to minimize irrigation, which can be expensive, would be important." In Arabidopsis thaliana, ...Biotechnology promises major advances for U.S. Army
...offensive applications. To illustrate the dramatic significance of emerging technologies, the report includes hypothetical, but realistic, battlefield scenarios in the year 2025. "Although soldiers in 2025 may look much the same as their present-day counterparts, they will be drawn from a society that has been ar...High homocysteine levels are strongly associated with all-cause mortality among elderly
... accompanying editorial by Malinow underscores the significance of this finding, amd suggests that widespread screening of plasma tHcy in middle-aged and elderly persons be conducted to help identify potential candidates for therapy with tHcy-lowering folic acid supplementation....Researchers use computers to redesign protein folding
...he structure predicted bytheir computer model. The significance of these results is that they showwere making progress in understanding the fundamental principles underlyingfolding, said Baker. Also, he said, the ability to engineer proteins withincreased stability could prove useful. One might imagine re-enginee...New study shows normal-looking clones may be abnormal
...misexpression of imprinted genes likely has little significance for therapeutic cloning. Imprinted genes have defined roles in fetal development, but may serve no crucial role in the differentiated cells of the adult," says Humpherys....August media highlights GEOLOGY and GSA TODAY
...ern seawater than generally thought. Paleoclimatic significance of Phanerozoic reefs. Wolfgang Kiessling, Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 5734 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. Pages 751754. Reefs are thought to be very sensitive to climate change. In this article the autho...Survival tactics in bacteria - environmental conditions fit for mankind
...s. This adaptation would have global environmental significance - both for creating the levels of oxygen in the atmosphere that allowed the evolution of humans and maintaining them to this day. Professor Jim Barber, senior author of the paper and head of the Photosynthesis Research Group says: "This is a staggeri......morphisms, or SNPs - and expect them to have major significance in biomedical research. "From a discovery point of view, this is a very, very important advance," Cote said. Majumdar and his colleagues, including UC Berkeley graduate student Guanghua Wu; Cote and Ram H. Datar, PhD, of USC in Los Angeles; and Karol...Studies offer data on potential impact of Reminyl on caregiver 'burden' in Alzheimer's disease
... of acetylcholine. Research designed to define the significance of this finding in humans is underway....Bacterial communities found to follow water
...e one of the earthly ecosystems that may have some significance on Mars. If Mars had some water in the past, then these desiccation-resistant environments are probably going to be the last to have existed there. This is one of the most likely ecosystems to have left an imprint that we can find some evidence for,...Congressman Nick Smith (R-MI) receives commendation
...have found a voice in Congress who appreciates its significance as well."...NSF awards University of Georgia $8.7 million for crop genetics research
...nt improvement and seed production. There is huge significance in use of apomixis in agriculture, Ozias-Akins said. For example, a lot of self-pollinating crops such as peanuts must be selfed for several generations before a new variety can be released on the market. Apomixis would make it quicker for plant br...