A computer model developed by researchers at WashU Medicine suggests that one-time carotid artery screening is beneficial for asymptomatic men with high-risk factors, preventing strokes at a relatively low cost. However, annual screening would be prohibitively expensive and may even increase stroke risk in low-risk individuals.
A team of researchers has solved a centuries-old puzzle in eye development by discovering that the embryo has a single eye field that normally separates into two. The study found that an inhibitory signal shuts off gene expression in the middle of the eye field, leading to cyclopia if this fails to happen.
David Van Essen suggests that mechanical tension from axon connections creates brain folds. His hypothesis explains why human cortex is convoluted while others are smooth, and supports observations from transgenic mice studies. The theory could also account for individual differences in brain shapes.
Researchers found that muscle fibers strengthen their relationship with one nerve and ignore the rest, a finding that could help explain how memories are soldered into the brain. The study suggests that synapse elimination may be a step-wise process where the muscle fiber decides which healthy axon to keep.
A team of researchers has identified a gene responsible for hair growth, tooth development, and sweat gland function. The gene, located on the X chromosome, is associated with a rare genetic disorder called anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (ED), which affects approximately 125,000 Americans.
A new study found that surfactant therapy significantly reduced the death rate of premature white infants, but failed to have a similar impact on black infants. The study, which analyzed 1,563 premature births, showed that while the overall mortality rate dropped 16%, the death rate for premature black infants remained unchanged.