News tips from the Journal of Neuroscience
...micpituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Diazepam blocked the increase in both HPA markers and pain sensitiv...umide, an antagonist of cholecystokinin receptors, blocked only the pain effects. Thus, it seems that nocebo suggestions induce anticipatory anxiety, leading t...Jefferson scientists find blood vessel-building protein halts blood vessels from forming in cancer
...recombinant" endorepellin, they discovered that it blocked tumor growth, metabolism and angiogenesis. They also found for the first time that endorepellin targets the tumor endothelial cells, blocking the creation of new blood vessels. "These findings have major implications for cancer treatments for a range...Plant-derived molecules, genetic manipulation point to future chemoprevention methods
...n disrupted in cancer) in breast cancer cells, and blocked the growth of breast cancer cells in mice. CDDO and its synthetic variant CDDO-ME are undergoing clinical trials for leukemia and solid tumors. Beginning at 10 weeks of age, mice that were genetically altered to become susceptible to breast cancer...Micro molecules contribute mightily to heart problem
...ease, the researchers reported. A micro RNA can be blocked with a short complementary fragment of genetic material engineered to attach to RNA and neutralize it. The process of identifying the damage-causing micro RNAs started with the researchers investigating whether any micro RNAs were present at abnorm...RNA map provides first comprehensive understanding of alternative splicing
...o the predictions of the RNA map. In one case Nova blocked specific components of the splicing machinery, in another it enhanced the ability of this machinery to assemble the right way and use an alternatively spliced site that is otherwise poorly utilized. By offering a global understanding of how alterna...Two nerve cells in direct contact
... crucial one? The Max Planck scientists therefore blocked the two possible routes selectively with laser ablation (the cell is filled with fluorescent dye which has a toxic effect when strongly stimulated) and tested sensitivity to rotation in the H2 cell. A long series of these technically very difficult e...Key to zebrafish heart regeneration uncovered
...ound healing and embryonic development. "When we blocked signaling by fibroblast growth factors in our zebrafish model, we found that the regeneration gets to a certain point and then stops," Poss said. "The new blood vessels show poor invasion of the newly regenerating cells, halting the formation of new ......by the signal. When the researchers experimentally blocked the Fgf signal, heart regeneration failed. "It is tempting to speculate that the ability to mobilize epicardial cells and cultivate such a cardiogenic environment is a primary reason why zebrafish, as opposed to other laboratory models, effectively ......ate the signal. Then, to mimic spinal injury, they blocked the communication between the spinal cord and the lower leg muscle an intervention that under normal circumstances inevitably leads to muscle wasting. "What we observed was truly amazing", says Rosenthal, Head of EMBL's Mouse Biology Unit. "The mice...News tips from the Journal of Neuroscience
...n flux, because larvae whose synaptic activity was blocked formed normal-sized synapses. The results argue for a structural role of glutamate receptors in the protein protein interactions that lead to maturation and assembly of the fly neuromuscular junction. 2. Sensory Input and Olfactory Bulb Circuits ...Conservative forces hampering progress in sexual and reproductive health
...xample, for largely political reasons, the USA has blocked programmes to save the lives of women from unwanted pregnancy. For doctrinal reasons, the Catholic Church has rejected simple and effective techniques that would have substantial impact not only on fertility rates but also on rates of human developme...Turmeric prevents experimental rheumatoid arthritis, bone loss, University of Arizona study shows
...r. Funk's study shows that the curcuminoid extract blocked the pathway that affects bone resorption. Noting that bone loss associated with osteoporosis in women typically begins before the onset of menopause, she has begun work on another NIH-funded study to determine whether turmeric taken as a dietary supp......nd, removing base pair after base pair, until it's blocked by the recently attached EcoRI(Q111) protein. It's like someone slurping down a spaghetti noodle, only to be stopped cold by a fly sitting on the noodle. In this way, the gold particles's DNA strands are shortened, with their newly sheared free end...News tips from the Journal of Neuroscience
...mals were awake. The D2 receptor antagonist haldol blocked this activity. In contrast, treatment of DAT-KO mice with a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, which completely depleted dopamine stores, abolished REM sleep altogether. These animals exhibited severe Parkinson-like motor symptoms and a novel awake stat...Researchers identify a key regulator for skin stem cells
...cells. They found that activating the gene in mice blocked differentiation of all three types of mature skin cells -- epidermal, sebaceous, and hair follicle. "We've known for some time that Tcf3 can operate with a co-factor called -catenin and initiate skin stem cells to make hair follicles. But we hadn't r...A tumor suppressor that promotes cancer cell growth?
...ssor gene is turned off, by mutation, deletion, or blocked expression, cell growth can proceed without safeguards, contributing to cancer cell proliferation. However, this appears not to be the case in some non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC), in which a tumor suppressor (H-REV107-1) actually promotes can...Discovery of the first resistance gene to rice yellow mottle virus
...event its interaction with the virus which is then blocked in one of the stages of its infectious cycle. In parallel, a team of IRD virologists showed that it was possible to carry out laboratory selection of RYMV strains that break the gene's resistance and that the process involved was determined by muta...Natural anti-viral enzyme helps keep cancer cells alive, researchers find
...ive in the cancerous cells they studied. When they blocked the function of TBK-1 in both the cancerous and healthy cells, cancer cells died while healthy cells survived. A German research team has studied clinical samples of tumors and found elevated levels of TBK-1, Dr. White said. The TBK-1 action is part......CRH-R1, suppressed alcohol drinking and completely blocked stress-induced reinstatement of drinking in alcohol-preferring rats, but had no effect on normal rats. Dr. Heilig notes that NIAAA and other NIH institutes have begun to develop antalarmin for human use. "Our findings demonstrate that the Crhr1 gen......cells to form heart muscle. When the scientists blocked Ets1/2 activity (either by inhibiting the Ets1/2 gene, itself, or its upstream modulators), Ciona heart specification was likewise blocked. Alternatively, the over-expression of Ets1/2 in caudal cells caused the cells to switch their fate from tail t...