Brain networks strengthened by closing ion channels
...in Cell April 20 the first evidence of a molecular mechanism that dynamically alters the strength of higher bra...said. "This is the first time we have observed the mechanism of action of a psychotropic medication in such depth, at the level of ion channels."Arnsten said the...News tips from the Journal of Biological Chemistry
...ers report that most genes are repressed through a mechanism by which methyl molecules are attached to DNA. The cells of a given tissue can express only certain genes while others are silenced. This process, called gene repression, allows cells to perform specialized tasks that are different among various ...2-protein team would be lost without each other
.... "Benfey's studies describe a novel and important mechanism that prevents the Short-root message from being fo...nd Cui have found this same restraint and feedback mechanism at work in the root tips of rice, and they believe it is the reason that nearly all plants have a si...Scientists unlock secret of what makes plants flower
The study reveals the likely mechanism by which the Arabidopsis plant flowers in response...ists have been trying to work out exactly how this mechanism works. "Over the past couple of years several labs made exciting discoveries all pointing to the ...How genetic malfunction causes a form of retardation
... More broadly, they said, the new insight into the mechanism underlying NS could apply to other inherited forms...al perturbations observed in this disorder. Such a mechanism may well generalize to other syndromes where signaling pathways that are important for neural cell g...New findings in smell and taste
...ggest fast oscillations in neural assemblies are a mechanism to facilitate stimulus representation. We show tha...ed mouse olfactory bulb neurons that may provide a mechanism for the slow changes in the perceived qualities of odors. GABA, A Neurotransmitter Foun...Omega-3 fatty acid may help prevent Alzheimer's brain lesions
...fatty acids. The scientists also determined the mechanism by which DHA leads to lower levels of beta amyloid. DHA, they found, leads to lower levels of presenilin, an enzyme responsible for cutting beta amyloid from its parent, the amyloid precursor protein. Without presenilin, beta amyloid cannot be genera...Stem cells decrease ischemic injury and restore brain function
... Simoni. "Our research has underlined a possible mechanism of action. Once introduced in the area of the brain hit by a stroke, stem cells induce the development of a protective effect in this same area," explains De Simoni. "Therefore, it is not necessary, as proposed in past studies, for stem cells to turn...Ebola outbreaks killing thousands of gorillas and chimpanzees
...roups. Contact with corpses at funerals is a major mechanism of Ebola transmission in humans. Together with other recent observations on patterns of gorilla mortality, these results make a strong case that transmission between ape social groups plays a central role in Ebola outbreak amplification. The study ha...Scientists find new genes for Crohn's disease
...hich they found is essential for the cell's normal mechanism for degrading worn-out cellular components and helping to eliminate some pathogenic bacteriaa pathway known as autophagy (pronounced AU-TOF-A-GEE ). Finding ATG16L1's involvement in Crohn's disease provides confirmatory evidence for what doctors h...Breathing for better lung health
...that these studies provide an understanding of the mechanism underlying the observed beneficial effects of physical and deep-breathing exercise in CF patients. We believe that knowledge gained in these studies will be useful in developing novel therapeutic regimes to increase mucus clearance in the lungs of C...New study zeroes in on genetic roots of Alzheimer's
...earch Foundation (OMRF), has uncovered a molecular mechanism that links the susceptibility gene to the process of Alzheimer's disease onset. The findings appear in the April 11 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience and may lead to new pathways for development of Alzheimer's therapeutics. Approximately 15 perc...Structural basis for photoswitching in fluorescent proteins brought into focus
...n or vary the time delay." However, he said, the mechanism of photoswitching was unknown, and in many cases the proteins returned to their stable state randomly and spontaneously. Using a combination of rational mutagenesis and directed evolution, UO doctoral student J. Nathan Henderson determined high-res...Discovery in plants suggests entirely new approach to treating human cancers
...rmacologist Ning Zheng, who led the research. "The mechanism by which auxin works points out a new direction for us to develop therapeutic compounds targeting ubiquitin ligases." The scientists extracted and purified TIR1 from the common plant model Arabidopsis. By x-raying crystals of the protein, Zheng, E...News tips from the Journal of Neuroscience
...with sugar intake. Ma et al. looked for a cellular mechanism in GABAergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata. These neurons normally fire at high rates, have been implicated in seizure spread, and express a metabolic sensor, the ATP-sensitive potassium channel K ATP . In rodent brain slices, keton...Natural anti-freeze -- how arthropods survive the cold
...cticus lives in the Antarctic and uses a different mechanism to survive cold temperatures. These creatures accumulate anti-freeze compounds which lower the temperature at which their bodies freeze, meaning they can withstand temperatures as low as minus 30C. Within this population there is a clear divide into ...Mutation in HNF4A associated with an increase in birthweight and macrosomia
...important in determining birthweight. However, the mechanism by which the same mutation also causes diabetes (ie with decreased insulin) in later life remains to be determined in view of the increased insulin shown to be present at birth that causes the low glucose. Nonetheless, the authors conclude that in ad...JCI table of contents: April 2, 2007
...ated with CD40Ig. This study therefore describes a mechanism by which treatment with CD40Ig can result in the prevention of heart graft rejection. As discussed in an accompanying commentary, the importance of IFN-gamma for preventing the rejection of heart grafts is likely to surprise many as it has long been...Discovery of 'master switch' for the communication process between chloroplast and nuclei of plants
...he environment," he said. "So this is a very basic mechanism of communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus. It had been previously suggested that the elements in this process go through multiple pathways. This work shows that the elements actually go through this one particular route. "Now we are in...To sleep, perchance to dream: New insight into melatonin production
...s pathway. Dr. Kim and colleagues uncovered the mechanism of rhythmic control of AANAT mRNA translation, and thereby melatonin synthesis. The researchers found that rodent AANAT mRNA translation is mediated by IRES (internal ribosome entry site) elements in the 5' end of the transcript, through binding of a...