Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive June 2013 - Page 7


Page 7 of 30

Computer models shed new light on sickle cell crisis

Researchers from Brown University have developed computer models that show how different types of red blood cells interact to cause sickle cell crisis. The findings suggest that softer, deformable red blood cells known as SS2 cells start the process by sticking to capillary walls, leading to blockages.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 24, 2013

Getting to grips with migraine

The study found 5 genetic regions linked to the onset of migraine and identified 12 genetic regions associated with migraine susceptibility. The regulation of these pathways may be important to the genetic susceptibility of migraines, which affects approximately 14% of adults and is a debilitating disorder.

SourceWellcome Trust Sanger Institute·JournalNature Genetics·DateJun 23, 2013

Sugar solution makes tissues see-through

Researchers at RIKEN have developed a new sugar and water-based solution called SeeDB that turns tissues transparent in just three days without disrupting their shape or chemical nature. This technique enables the visualization of neuronal circuitry inside a mouse brain, revealing detailed wiring patterns and single-fiber resolution.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJun 23, 2013

Finding Murray's magic

New research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council reveals that athletes who recognize early when a goal is unattainable are more successful at achieving their main career goals. Athletes with self-motivation find it harder to disengage from an impossible goal, leading to psychological distress.

New analysis shows that patients with Type 2 diabetes and mild renal impairment had similar improvement in blood sugar control and experienced less hypoglycemia with JANUVIA (sitagliptin) compared to sulfonylurea

A post-hoc analysis found that patients with Type 2 diabetes and mild renal impairment treated with JANUVIA achieved similar blood sugar reductions as those treated with sulfonylureas, with significantly fewer hypoglycemia events. Patients taking JANUVIA also experienced weight loss, whereas those on sulfonylureas gained weight.

Alzheimer's disease protein controls movement in mice

Researchers found that a protein controlling Alzheimer's disease also affects muscle development and coordination in mice. The study suggests that inhibitors of this protein, currently being tested for Alzheimer's treatment, might disrupt muscle spindle formation and impair movement.

SourceEMBO·JournalThe EMBO Journal·DateJun 21, 2013

Oddest couple ever found

A 250-million-year-old burrow in South Africa's Karoo Basin has yielded a remarkable discovery: an injured amphibian, Broomistega, and its aestivating therapsid companion, Thrinaxodon. The fossilized remains suggest that short periods of dormancy and burrowing behavior helped mammal ancestors survive the Permo-Triassic extinction event.

SourceUniversity of the Witwatersrand·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJun 21, 2013

When green algae run out of air

Biologists discovered that green algae require haemoglobin and nitric oxide to signal the absence of oxygen, allowing them to activate genes and produce hydrogen. In an oxygen-rich environment, this gene is idle, and its inactivation has fatal consequences for the algae.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 21, 2013

Review: Composition of care team critical to improved outcomes for nursing home patients

A systematic review of studies on long-term-stay patients' care found that interdisciplinary teams involving the patient's own physician and a pharmacist had better odds of improving nursing home care quality. The review, published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, highlights the importance of team-based car...

SourceIndiana University·JournalJournal of the American Medical Directors Association·DateJun 20, 2013