Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical found in polycarbonate plastic and other food containers (including baby bottles and reusable water bottles). More than 8 billion pounds of BPA are produced each year, and the chemical can be detected in almost every water body. Human exposure to BPA, largely through diet, is practically unavoidable, and measurableContinueContinue reading “Studies may underestimate exposure to bisphenol A”
Author Archives: monicascicom
A surprise twist to ribosomes
About 65 years ago, at the National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD), a spontaneous mutation arose in a litter of inbred mice. Several of the offspring had abnormal skeletal features that included a short, kinky tail and an extra set of ribs in their neck vertebrae. Researchers at the time knew these ‘tail-short’ mutants could beContinueContinue reading “A surprise twist to ribosomes”
Clearer view of ‘acute’ glaucoma
Glaucoma is a common eye disease and leading cause of blindness. In glaucoma, intraocular pressure (IOP; fluid pressure within the eye) increases, damaging the optic nerve and causing vision loss. The familiar ‘chronic’ subtype of glaucoma develops slowly and may have few symptoms; many of those affected do not know they have the condition untilContinueContinue reading “Clearer view of ‘acute’ glaucoma”
Channeling the power of scorpion venom
Scorpions, cockroaches and clawed frogs may sound like ingredients in an ancient recipe for witches’ brew. But bringing these animals together in a series of experiments has uncovered a new understanding of a more mundane problem: pesticide resistance in insects. The results of this recent study may help scientists to develop better pesticides—no spell bookContinueContinue reading “Channeling the power of scorpion venom”
Veterinary science celebrates 250 years
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Congress, held 31 March through 3 April 2011 in Birmingham, UK, brought together more than 8,600 visitors to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the world’s first veterinary school. L’Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Lyon (France) was founded by Claude Bourgelat in 1761 and was presented withContinueContinue reading “Veterinary science celebrates 250 years”
Sex determination mechanisms linked
Sex determination proceeds through various mechanisms, which can be broadly grouped into two categories. In genetic sex determination (GSD), differentiation results from intrinsic genetic differences between males and females, whereas in environmental sex determination (ESD), differentiation results from environmental signals such as temperature, light and population density. Compared with GSD, the genetics underlying ESD areContinueContinue reading “Sex determination mechanisms linked”
Identifying the sweet smell of success
Olfaction—the sense of smell—may be the oldest and least well understood of the five senses. It alerts us to danger, food and other important matters and is closely linked with brain systems involved in emotion, mood, memory, learning and behavior. Stated in simple terms, our understanding of olfaction is as follows: an odorant activates neuronsContinueContinue reading “Identifying the sweet smell of success”
Shining a light on balance and hearing
Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) are commonly used in research on vestibular physiology, the study of balance. Recent research has examined hair cells from the toadfish’s crista ampullaris, a structure in the inner ear that senses and responds to movement of the head. The hair cells convert mechanical vibrations produced by sound, gravity or motion intoContinueContinue reading “Shining a light on balance and hearing”
Quick, sure steps help avoid a fall
It might be difficult to imagine what birds could teach us about falling. But as Andrew J. Clark (College of Charleston, SC) and Timothy E. Higham (Clemson University, SC) can attest, helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) are informative models in studying neuromuscular control, as they use similar strategies to ours for limb control on slipperyContinueContinue reading “Quick, sure steps help avoid a fall”
The right light for brain development
Hemispheric specialization is the phenomenon in which the two halves of the brain have different functions. Such separation may enhance cognition, but in order to combine information processed by different sides and to obtain a complete understanding of the environment, information exchange between the hemispheres is essential. Martina Manns and Julianne Römling of Ruhr-University ofContinueContinue reading “The right light for brain development”
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