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Science News Archive 2002 - Page 56


Page 56 of 93

Protein causes muscle wasting syndrome in mice

Studies by Johns Hopkins researchers found that excessive myostatin levels cause rapid muscle and fat loss in mice without affecting appetite. This discovery offers hope for new treatments for muscle-wasting diseases like muscular dystrophy and extreme weight loss associated with certain cancers, AIDS, and other conditions.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalScience·DateMay 23, 2002

What a difference a decade makes

Researchers found that children's brains show different activity patterns in left frontal and extrastriate cortex compared to adults. The study suggests that brain development continues into early school years, with some areas becoming more active in children.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalScience·DateMay 23, 2002

Rising expectations from new yeast study

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a signaling mechanism in yeast cells that controls cell growth and differentiation, with potential implications for cancer treatment. The study found that pheromone triggers cells to stop dividing and orient their growth toward the source of pheromone.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalScience·DateMay 23, 2002

Lonely people face higher risk of heart disease

Lonely college students exhibited increased blood pressure from mentally stressful tasks, with higher vascular resistance and lower cardiac output compared to non-lonely peers. In older subjects, systolic blood pressure rose with age in lonely individuals, suggesting a pervasive cardiovascular risk associated with loneliness.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalPsychosomatic Medicine·DateMay 23, 2002

Worms point the way on nerve disease

Scientists at UC Davis have found a gene in nematode worms Caenorhabditis elegans that matches a gene altered in one form of dystonia. The discovery may lead to new insights into the disease and potential treatments. Researchers plan to study how OOC-5 interacts with other proteins to better understand its role in human nerve cells.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalDevelopment·DateMay 23, 2002

Meta-analysis of zinc supplementation shows positive growth effects for infants and children

A meta-analysis of zinc supplementation found that both height and weight increased positively in response to zinc supplements. Infants and children who were initially stunted or underweight realized the greatest benefit from zinc supplements. Zinc supplements also significantly increased serum zinc concentrations.

SourceAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition·JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition·DateMay 23, 2002

Lasers coax large molecules to change their shape

A research team led by Professor Timothy Zwier has demonstrated how laser light can be used to prompt large molecules to make alterations in their three-dimensional structure. By choosing different infrared wavelengths, the laser can selectively choose the molecule's new shape, favoring the formation of one conformation over another.

SourcePurdue University·JournalScience·DateMay 23, 2002

Calcium-dependent potassium channels as target to increase drug delivery to brain tumors

Researchers have identified a mechanism to increase drug delivery to brain tumors by manipulating calcium-dependent potassium channels. The study found that activating these channels can increase the permeability of the blood-brain tumor barrier, allowing cancer-killing medications to reach the tumor more effectively.

SourceCedars-Sinai Medical Center·JournalJournal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·DateMay 22, 2002

Studying the strength of protein bonds one molecule at a time

Penn researchers used laser tweezers to study the strength of ligand-receptor binding in platelets, refining the paradigm of how blood clots form. They found that changes in integrin's ability to bind to fibrinogen are regulated by the cell as an all-or-none phenomenon with only one functional state compatible with binding.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 21, 2002

Menopause dashes sex life

A study of Melbourne women found a decline in sexual interest, arousal, and frequency during menopause, with estradiol levels plummeting. Relationship factors, not hormonal changes, have the greatest impact on sexual response.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalFertility and Sterility·DateMay 21, 2002