Immune system contributes to evolution of a new fluorescent protein
...could control its activity in the cells. Since SHM affects only active genes, this technique allowed the researchers to also control the rate of mutation of the introduced gene. The scientists' objective was to induce SHM to evolve new versions of the red fluorescent protein that would be more useful in the...Shedding feathers early may enhance sex appeal, new songbird study shows
...the timing of a male songbird's reproduction cycle affects the colour of his feathers and may have important implications for his success in attracting mates. When migratory songbirds raise their young extremely late in the summer, many don't have time to molt (shed their feathers and replace with new growth...Growth of common skin cancer blocked in gene-switch mice
.../10.1101/gad.1258705 ). Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) affects over 1,000,000 Americans each year and frequently arises on sun-exposed sites such as the face. Surgical removal of BCCs is an effective approach to treating these cancers, which generally have a slow growth rate and seldom metastasize. However, un...Brain tumor study reveals why treatment efforts fail in genetic disorder
...ol of Medicine in St. Louis found that the disease affects only one member of the protein family, and it happens to be the one form of RAS that does not respond well to these particular treatments. The study, which will appear in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research, suggests where researchers sho...JCI table of contents, 3 January 2005
...ificity for soluble antigens mimic the therapeutic affects of intravenous IgG in the treatment of autoimmune disease? AUTHOR CONTACT:Alan H. Lazarus St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Phone: 416-864-5599; Fax: 416-864-3021; E-mail: lazarusa@smh.toronto.on.ca . A PDF of this article this arti...No blind mice, thanks to UF scientists
...ges the levels of a protein called occludin, which affects junctions between cells that line the blood vessels. It helps explain why the blood vessels become leaky and edema develops during diabetic retinopathy."...WSU geologist uses satellite imagery to study surface water quality within Ohio River watershed
...ization, agricultural expansion and deforestation) affects the quality of stream water." A faculty member since 1995, Agrawal has 15 years of experience in studying wetlands, water quality and groundwater contamination. He became involved in this project during a recent sabbatical research opportunity at NA...Research turning up the heat on fowl bacteria
.... Thompson says. "So we have hit on something that affects a large number of different processes in the cells. The genome of Campylobacter had been sequenced so CJ1461 was known, but there was only an educated guess as to what it did. What it appears to be is a DNA methylase, which means it adds methyl gr...Clam embryo study shows pollutant mixture adversely affects nerve cell development
... studies that may help explain how exposure to BCE affects human nerve cell development and how it might relate to neurological disorders. "We can clearly state that we found an increase in a component of PKA, and PKA is known to be involved in neural development. The BCE mixture is capable of altering neura...Individualized medicine emerging from gene-environment studies
...ate can vary across cultures. High blood pressure affects about 65 percent of African American elders between the ages of 65 and 74. When the Penn State researchers analyzed data from a recent twin study, the Carolina African American Twin Study of Aging, they found a large proportion of the individual var...Scientists detect probable genetic cause of some Parkinson's disease cases
...ers and Stroke (NINDS). Parkinson's disease, which affects at least 500,000 Americans, is a progressive neurologic disorder that is caused by the degeneration of nerve cells in the portion of the brain that controls movement. Scientists have long suspected genetics plays a role in the onset of the disease. I...Study identifies the most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease
... system that causes tremors and muscular rigidity, affects more than one million people in the United States and is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder second only to Alzheimer's disease in frequency. The Cincinnati Children's study focused on a group of 767 Parkinson's disease patients from 3...UCLA/VA researchers discover fat gene
...he capacity of cells to store fat lipin in muscle affects the rate at which the body expends energy and burns fat. "When we increased lipin in the muscle, the cells burned carbohydrates before fat. When lipin is absent, however, the cells burn fat before carbohydrates," explained Reue. "We saw a differen...Desertification alters regional ecosystem climate interactions
...ology, commented on the research: "Desertification affects the future prospects for hundreds of millions of people. Like many of the most important environmental problems of our day, desertification involves complicated interactions among climate, vegetation, and human actions. Unraveling those interactions ...Plant protein mimics hormone that mitigates diabetes and obesity
... presence or absence of these proteins in the diet affects us." Osmotin is a stable protein that is resistant to heat, acidity and enzymes, meaning it could circulate through the body without being broken down by digestion, he said. Whether osmotin plays any role in the health benefits attributed to diets hi...Chemical used in marine paint may damage hearing in whales
...ical Journal. The chemical tributyltin oxide (TBT) affects the mechanical activity of the outer hair cells, which modulate and boost incoming sound energy to the inner hair cells, according to senior author Joseph Santos-Sacchi, professor of surgery and neurobiology at Yale School of Medicine. TBT is known t...A new mechanism of regulating RNA degradation
...MD). Preliminary results suggest that SMD activity affects numerous transcripts and, therefore, is a novel mechanism of gene regulation. "We don't yet understand how SMD is regulated but it must be," said Maquat. "Both Upf1 and Staufen1 can be phosphorylated, so their activities could be regulated by cell si...Spectroscopy for the real world
...esence of water. They'll also examine how humidity affects the surface of silicon, which is used to make microchips and other electronic devices....Gene with broad role also causes prevalent, inherited nerve disorder
...as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). The disorder affects approximately 1 in every 2,500 people, making it one of the most common of all hereditary disorders, said the researchers. Their findings also reveal a previously unknown link between CMT and a deficiency of white blood cells, suggesting that defect......lankton blooms by observing the natural noise that affects them. Zhou and his colleagues also suggest that noise might usefully be used to control chemical reactions. They explain that random disturbances in industrial mixing tanks could be promoted to make a reaction proceed more efficiently and so reduce c...