Interaction of just 2 genes governs coloration patterns in mice
... shows how changes in just a few genes can greatly alter an organism's appearance," says Hopi E. Hoekstra, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Natural Sciences in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. "It also illuminates the pathway by which these two genes interact to produce distinctive coloration...Genetic variation helps to understand predisposition to schizophrenia
...is more abundant in fetal brains, DNA changes that alter the expression of this protein may contribute to schizophrenia by modifying the development and wiring of the brain, Law says. By understanding how this novel protein works in the brain, we may be able to target it in people with the disease. The ...Testosterone replacement therapy: How safe for aging men?
...pared with intact rats, whereas castration did not alter blood pressure levels. Testosterone supplemented SHR excreted more urinary protein than intact rats, and castration reduced proteinuria (urinary protein). The results suggest that testosterone supplementation of aging male SHR promotes renal in...UCLA scientists produce functioning neurons from human embryonic stem cells
... If we knew that, we might be able to tweak or alter whatever is driving the bias so that limitation in the stem cell line could be bypassed, Sun said. ......if we can identify potential regime shifts, we can alter our management to avoid them, says session organizer Bennett....New mechanism links smoking to lung damage
...Substances found in smoke and other pollutants can alter the electrical potential of the cells membrane. A small shift in the membranes electrical potential, which we know occurs in many oxidative stress situations, appears to open these channels and allow unregulated flow. This can weaken and kill cells."...Unlocking proteins from their cellular shell
...ylvania have demonstrated that everyday forces can alter the structure of proteins tucked within cells, unfold them and expose new targets in the fight against disease. The findings for both simple red blood cells and more versatile stem cells show that hidden and folded parts of proteins can be exposed by...ESA announces 2007 award recipients
...nta Cruz) for her paper Introduced rats indirectly alter marine communities. She found that marine bird abundance differed between rat-infested and rat-free islands, and that this resulted in significant differences in intertidal invertebrate abundance and algal cover on the two island types. W. S. Coo...Reading a face is tricky business
...heir way through the visual system. The effect can alter perception and the way other people are treated or judged, the study concludes. Even though our study subjects were not aware that they were viewing subliminal emotional expressions, their brain activity was altered within 200 milliseconds, said K...New model for autism suggests women carry the disorder and explains age as a risk factor
...taneous mutations are changes in a chromosome that alter genes. Germ-line mutations are newly acquired in a germ cell of a parent, and sometimes are transmitted to offspring at conception. Men and women are equally as likely to acquire a spontaneous mutation that can cause autism, but autism is three times...American Chemical Society's Weekly PressPac -- July 18, 2007
...ts at crime scenes, such as dusting, can sometimes alter the prints and erase valuable forensic clues, including traces of chemicals that may be in the prints. In the new study, Sergei G. Kazarian of Imperial College London and colleagues used a special gelatin tape to collect fingerprints from several dif...Nicotine rush hinges on sugar in neurons
...d. The water molecule may enable the receptor to alter its shape in counterbalance to the bending hinge, said Chen, who explained, Think of it as a lubricant. Previously studied homologs of nAChR proteins that share its structure but not its signaling function are entirely hydrophobic, Chen said, sup...Pediatric ritalin use may affect developing brain, new study suggests
... it is possible that chronic use of the drug would alter brain chemistry and behavior well into adulthood."...Research study describes the role part of the brain plays in memory
...e effects were not due to other aspects that could alter the experiment, such as lack of olfactory perception, motivation or social interaction. The results therefore suggest that the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, via the use of acetylcholine, regulates cognitive operations (e.g. flexibility in behaviour, a...The UAB heads a European research project on proteases and pathological processes
...f the proteases and its inhibitors (molecules that alter their functions) by monitoring their activities in situ and in vivo. This will then help discover where the proteases that the drugs need to act on can be found. With this aim, the researchers have developed substrates with fluorescent molecules th...Accident-prone? Scientists link brain function to knee injuries
...ed. It's hard to say at this point how much we can alter these characteristics with training, but certainly the brain has great potential for learning and adaptation. Controlling stress and anxiety must be considered, as both cause changes in muscle tone and concentration and the narrowing of our attention...Fat horses face health problems
...as a result of changes to metabolic processes that alter the delicate balances between the destruction and ...to any grain or concentrate consumption, which can alter glucose and insulin levels. Two independent body-conditioning scores (BCS), which assess the amou...Scientists identify 2 distinct Parkinson's networks
...s that the standard drugs used to treat Parkinsons alter the areas that are involved in movement but not th...dicines for Parkinsons dont seem to do anything to alter these networks and we need new ones to target these symptoms. He said that the networks could be ...Loss of hemlocks will affect water dynamics in southern Appalachian forests
...nt. We expect this will increase soil moisture and alter both the amount and timing of stream flow. The duration of these changes will depend on how other vegetation responds to the loss of hemlock. ...University of Cincinnati receives $1.7M to research molecular treatment of brain injury
... cells and immune system cells in the blood stream alter their function and essentially gather at the damage site, Strauss says. They can proliferate and release chemicals that cause the region to swell up. In their effort to either cordon off or repair the damage, they can also constrict blood vessels or ...