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”
Category Archives: research news
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”
Histamine links allergy and autoimmune disease
The neurotransmitter histamine is known to be involved in allergic reactions and other physiological processes. It works by dilating blood vessels and making their walls more permeable so that immune cells can move around more easily. To the extent that autoimmune disorders share some characteristics with allergic reactions, it seems reasonable that similar pathways couldContinueContinue reading “Histamine links allergy and autoimmune disease”
Astrocytes ‘feed’ memory formation
Astrocytes were initially considered ‘extras’ in the brain, supporting neurons, the principal actors. But more recent work has suggested that they are involved in cognitive functions such as information processing, signal transmission, and neural and synaptic plasticity. Now these star-shaped cells are moving farther into the spotlight, as new research shows them to be essentialContinueContinue reading “Astrocytes ‘feed’ memory formation”
MicroRNA regulates deafness
Deafness and progressive hearing loss are relatively common in the human population, yet little is known about their genetic basis. But scientists recently identified the molecular mechanism underlying deafness in a mouse model, a discovery that could lead to new treatments for progressive hearing loss. Lab Anim. (NY) 40, 61 (2011). view full text (loginContinueContinue reading “MicroRNA regulates deafness”
Raise a glass to vascular health
It’s no secret that vascular health declines with age. Contributing to this decline is dysfunction of the endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessels. Normally, a functional endothelium enables coagulation, platelet adhesion and immune activity. However, its dysfunction is associated with reduced anticoagulant properties and an inability of arteries and arterioles to dilate fully,ContinueContinue reading “Raise a glass to vascular health”
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