Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical present in materials many people use every day, such as polycarbonate plastics and the inner coatings of food and beverage containers. Exposure to BPA is quite pervasive: the chemical has been detected in the urine of more than 92% of those in the US who have been tested, and levelsContinueContinue reading “Bisphenol-A may compromise fertility”
Author Archives: monicascicom
Variation, selection and adaptation in fruit flies
Various studies have been done to analyze the genomics of adaptation in response to selective pressures, mostly using asexual organisms with relatively small genomes, such as bacteria. Now, a new study has looked at this process in a sexually reproducing organism—the tiny fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Lab Anim. (NY) 39, 330 (2010). view full textContinueContinue reading “Variation, selection and adaptation in fruit flies”
‘Going under’ and ‘coming to’ follow different paths
Despite their widespread use in surgical procedures, it is not clearly understood how anesthetics affect the central nervous system (CNS). It is generally believed that induction of anesthesia results from drug-induced modification of CNS function, whereas emergence from anesthesia is a passive process that occurs, inversely, as anesthetic is eliminated from the CNS. If thisContinueContinue reading “‘Going under’ and ‘coming to’ follow different paths”
How fish oil fights inflammation
Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oils, are known to be effective in treating conditions associated with insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, such as diabetes. Now, thanks to new research from Jerrold Olefsky of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues, the mechanisms underlying these anti-inflammatory properties isContinueContinue reading “How fish oil fights inflammation”
The basics of being animal
The oldest surviving multicellular animals (or metazoans)—sponges—are simple organisms. Though they lack organs and muscles, they possess valuable genetic information that explains how cells first came to cooperate and behave as a collective. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of multicellularity can help us to define what it really means to be an animal. LabContinueContinue reading “The basics of being animal”
Where fat cells come from
The mammalian body uses two types of fat cells, brown and white adipocytes, to store energy. The number of adipocytes in the body changes with age and body mass and also varies with gender. In addition, there are functional variations among adipocytes from different body locations (or depots). Changes in adiposity, especially the accumulation ofContinueContinue reading “Where fat cells come from”
Toward a cure for diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects at least 171 million people worldwide. Many people with diabetes are dependent on insulin and must take daily injections to regulate the levels of glucose in their blood. Failure to control blood glucose levels can result in various acute and long-term complications that can have severe healthContinueContinue reading “Toward a cure for diabetes”
A fly by any other name
The tiny fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has achieved more celebrity than lab animals ten times its size. Its name is mentioned in countless texts and research articles, and its contributions to our understanding of the most basic tenets of genetics and inheritance are unparalleled. But this favored status as a model organism may not help Drosophila to keep itsContinueContinue reading “A fly by any other name”
Fruit flies and milk sugar
Galactosemia is an inherited metabolic disorder that occurs in roughly 1 of 60,000 babies. It is caused by enzymatic defects in the pathway that processes galactose, a sugar common in dairy products. Affected babies seem healthy at birth but quickly develop acute symptoms when exposed to milk and often die unless the condition is diagnosed.ContinueContinue reading “Fruit flies and milk sugar”
New protection against Ebola virus
Outbreaks of Ebola virus infection are associated with hemorrhagic fever and high mortality rates. There are currently no preventive or protective treatments for Ebola infections, although some progress has been made in vaccine development. Development of strategies for managing infection once a person has been exposed to the virus has been much slower. One researchContinueContinue reading “New protection against Ebola virus”
Fluent in Science 