Like many animals, honeybees (Apis mellifera) suffer from declining brain function as they age. The pace of this decline varies among individuals, partly because of variations in social behavior. Gro V. Amdam (Arizona State University, Tempe, and Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas) and colleagues recently took a closer look at the effects of socialContinueContinue reading “Social therapy, the new anti-aging buzz?”
Category Archives: research news
Just one shot to make quitting a success
Cigarette smoking is a common addiction, largely thanks to nicotine. When inhaled, nicotine passes across the alveoli in the lungs, into the bloodstream, and reaches the brain. There, it results in the production of dopamine, which induces pleasure, reduces stress, alters blood pressure and heart rate, heightens alertness and increases information-processing ability in the smoker.ContinueContinue reading “Just one shot to make quitting a success”
Cell-level, whole-embryo, real-time
Microscopic technology has progressed remarkably since the late 1600s when scientists began using it more commonly to explore biological structures. Despite enabling us to visualize material at seemingly infinitesimal levels, microscopy does have its limits. Light-sheet microscopy, the state of the art, could visualize individual cells of a whole (small) embryo as it developed. TheContinueContinue reading “Cell-level, whole-embryo, real-time”
Treating diabetes with fewer side effects
Thiazolidinediones are used to treat type 2 diabetes by targeting the insulin resistance that characterizes the disease through activation of the receptor PPARγ. This improves insulin sensitivity but also contributes to side effects such as weight gain, edema, increased risk of bone fractures and, for certain drugs, organ toxicity and cardiovascular problems. Such side effectsContinueContinue reading “Treating diabetes with fewer side effects”
Microglia meddle in neural circuitry
Microglia are the nervous system’s exclusive immune cells. In a resting state, they resemble long-legged spiders, but when confronted with pathogens or injury, they retract their appendages and balloon into round blobs that engulf and remove the pathogens and other cellular debris. They also eliminate damaged synapses. “The idea that [microglia] can clean up brainContinueContinue reading “Microglia meddle in neural circuitry”
Modeling type 2 diabetes on the fly
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in the US, making it a major public health concern and the focus of much biomedical research. Insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, is linked to obesity and poor diet. Until now, researchers have relied primarily on rodent models for investigations of the mechanismsContinueContinue reading “Modeling type 2 diabetes on the fly”
New concerns about a known contaminant
Exposure to arsenic through drinking water can have deleterious effects on reproductive and developmental processes in humans and animals. As a result, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a maximum acceptable concentration for arsenic in drinking water. This limit was 50 ppb until 2001, when it was reduced to 10 ppb because ofContinueContinue reading “New concerns about a known contaminant”
Folding protein linked to fertility
Researchers led by Masahito Ikawa of Osaka University (Japan) have found that the folding protein PDILT (testis-specific protein disulfide isomerase homolog) has an essential role in fertility in mice. Lab Anim. (NY) 41, 140 (2012). view full text (login required)
Gut bacteria may modify obesity risk
Obesity is a pervasive and potentially lethal public health concern. The concept of energy balance is central to our understanding of obesity: excessive calorie intake combined with minimal physical activity creates a surplus of energy that is stored in the body as fat. This caloric algebra may be accurate, but it is an incomplete descriptionContinueContinue reading “Gut bacteria may modify obesity risk”
Refining zebrafish housing for more reliable results
Zebrafish are becoming more common as subjects in neuroscience studies of behavior and in screens for new treatments of behavioral disorders such as addiction, attention deficits and autism spectrum disorders. The fish are small and reproduce prolifically, making it easy and relatively affordable to house large numbers of them in the laboratory. In addition, theyContinueContinue reading “Refining zebrafish housing for more reliable results”
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