Articles tagged with Chemical Signals
Researchers at Caltech developed TRACT, a method to visualize neural connections in real-time within living flies, enabling the creation of brain wiring diagrams. This technique could help scientists understand neurological and psychiatric conditions by monitoring neuronal connections in the brains of hundreds of flies daily.
The invasive South American palm weevil is killing California's iconic palm trees and threatening the state's $89 million-per-year date industry. Researchers are developing semiochemical formulations to monitor and control populations in an effective, economical, and environmentally-friendly manner.
Vasanthi Jayaraman receives Maximizing Investigators' Research Award to study brain cell communication, developing high-resolution images of glutamate receptors for potential drug targets. Her research aims to enhance learning and memory, treat neurodegenerative conditions like Lou Gehrig's disease.
Researchers discovered bacteria possess a 'sense of touch' enabling them to recognize surfaces and induce adhesive production in response to mechanical stimulation. This mechanism helps pathogens colonize host cells, making it crucial for understanding infectious diseases.
Researchers at Penn State create artificial system using DNA-laced hydrogel that releases signaling protein in response to chemical signal. The system, which uses aptamers and double-stranded helical molecules of DNA, can repeat the sequence, releasing proteins until there are no more to release.
Researchers have created an insecticide potion that mimics the scent of flowers and nectar, luring mosquitoes into feeding on it, which is lethal. The 'Vectrax' formulation has shown promising results in suppressing malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases worldwide.
A comprehensive look at chemical sensitivity reveals its role in diseases like obesity, diabetes, and depression. The issue explores the mechanisms behind these conditions and the impact of commercial interests on environmental medicine.
Researchers have discovered that enzymes can be activated by electrical stimulation, leading to ultrafast signal transfer within cells. This process allows for locally restricted signaling, preventing unwanted cellular processes such as cell death.
Axon degeneration is a major contributor to neurological diseases. A new study reveals that axons coordinate each other's destruction, creating a ripple effect of neuron death. Blocking this communication can slow degeneration by up to 10 times.
Researchers successfully created a synthetic receptor that recognizes signals involved in pain relief and can be switched on and off using chemical messengers. The breakthrough could hold the key to altering the way cells respond to pain and other sensations by adding or bypassing natural communication pathways.
Researchers have created a world-first synthetic receptor that can respond to chemical signals like its natural equivalent, enabling the study of cellular communication. The breakthrough has the potential to advance biotechnology and treat medical conditions caused by faulty communication.
An ASU-led team has developed the first controllable DNA switch, allowing for reversible control of electricity flow within a single molecule. The modified DNA helix can conduct electricity and is reversibly controlled using an anthraquinone group.
Research reveals that cells use a shared molecular network to respond to both chemical and mechanical cues, allowing them to combine conflicting signals into a unified path. This finding takes scientists closer to understanding biological processes like embryonic development, tumor metastasis, and wound healing.
Researchers at Duke University discovered a new molecular mechanism by which the brain forms memories, involving the growth of neural connections. The study's findings may lead to better understanding and treatment of diseases such as epilepsy.
Researchers found that mantis shrimp assess opponent strength and aggression using a combination of UV reflectance and chemical signals, allowing them to avoid losing fights. This complex signaling system helps mantis shrimp determine the likelihood of victory in combat.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that blocking the enzyme c-Abl prevents Parkinson's disease symptoms in specially bred mice. The study also found that a chemical tag on the protein α-synuclein may signal the disorder's presence and progression. The findings suggest both a promising target for drug research and a potent...
A study led by Linköping University found that 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (HMC) is associated with several immune diseases. HMC may be used diagnostically to detect disease and personalize medication.
Engineers at UC San Diego created a tricorder-like device that tracks lactate levels and heart signals in real-time, offering potential benefits for athletes and individuals with cardiovascular disease. The patch can be worn on the chest and communicates wirelessly with a smartphone or laptop.
Researchers found that male Darwin's bark spiders salivate onto female genitalia as an obligatory behavior before and after copulation. This unusual practice is thought to boost the male's chances of paternity by signaling quality or favoring one sperm over rivals.
Researchers discovered two signaling chemicals travel through the same opening between cells, while a third chemical takes a distinct route into neighboring cells. This knowledge may lead to new strategies for protecting crops from pathogens.
Researchers at Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute found that brain cells change through experiences like learning and emotions, forming functional networks.
New studies show that cells in mouse mammary tissue compare notes and share chemical signals before making a move. This collective communication process increases the accuracy of cell sensing, allowing cells to detect subtle changes in their environment.
A new study by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute reveals that tropical slipper limpets alter their sex change in response to physical contact with conspecifics. The larger snail changes to female sooner, while the smaller one delays its sex change.
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that exposure to putrescine, a chemical compound produced by dead bodies, increases vigilance and readiness for either escape or aggressive behavior. The researchers believe this discovery may help determine the sensory and brain pathways involved in chemosensory threat detection.
Researchers discovered that the amount of gas produced in small underground chemical explosions can affect seismic wave patterns, particularly low-frequency P waves. This finding may improve the use of these explosions to study nuclear detonations and detect gas releases in explosion.
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have created an organic bioelectronic device that can receive chemical signals and relay them to human cells, mimicking the function of a human nerve cell. This innovation has the potential to improve treatments for neurological disorders by bypassing damaged nerve cells.
Researchers at NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering and NYU School of Medicine are exploring a new method to amplify the body's signaling system for recruiting bone-forming stem cells to injured areas. They plan to focus on a single recruitment factor, CXCL12, which they hypothesize plays key roles in promoting osteogenesis.
A study published in Psychological Science found that people produce chemical compounds, or chemosignals, when they experience happiness that are detectable by others who smell their sweat. This implies that someone who is happy will infuse others with happiness through the scent of their sweat, similar to how smiling can be infectious.
Researchers found that receiving cells respond to pressure on their membranes by stiffening their skeletons to prevent movement away from the attacking cell. This process allows for close proximity of cell membranes, enabling fusion to occur.
Researchers found a way for cells to encode information about incoming chemical signals, given their variable states. By analyzing responses over time, they eliminated the 'noise' of cellular variability and accurately recorded signal levels.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have identified a potential biomarker for sepsis in patients with major burns. By analyzing the movement of white blood cells called neutrophils, they found that changes in their motility patterns may predict the development of sepsis, which is a leading cause of death among burn patients.
Researchers found that Pin1, a small enzyme, modifies the number of postsynaptic receptors and regulates signal transmission. This discovery sheds light on the biochemical mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, offering insights into healthy mechanisms and potential treatments for pathological conditions.
Researchers at Cancer Research UK found that blocking a chemical signal produced by macrophages can shrink melanoma tumors and make them easier to treat. This discovery suggests that targeting this 'survival signal' could lead to new ways to treat the disease, which is responsible for around 13,300 deaths in the UK each year.
Jocelyn Millar, a professor of entomology at UC Riverside, has been awarded the Silver Medal by the International Society of Chemical Ecology. His research primarily focuses on how insects use odors and tastes for communication, with practical applications for detecting and managing insect populations.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that silverback gorillas use odor to communicate socially, with extreme levels of emission linked to interactions between groups. This suggests that chemo-communication may play a crucial role in the social behaviors of non-human great apes.
Scientists have successfully replicated the process of human embryonic stem cells differentiating into separate populations with a reproducible spatial order. By confining cells in tiny circular patterns on glass plates, researchers were able to induce endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm formation, mirroring natural conditions.
Cartilage cells can grow new tissue when exposed to chemical signals mimicking physical activity, a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis. Researchers identified the ion channel TRPV4 as key to this process.
Jocelyn Millar, a professor of entomology at UC Riverside, has been elected a fellow of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) for his outstanding contributions to entomology. He is recognized internationally as an expert in chemical ecology and has developed practical applications for detecting and managing insect populations.
A new study reveals that bumblebees use a 'buzz' warning signal to scare away birds from their freshly built nests. The researchers observed that the birds were distressed and often flew out of the nest when exposed to the buzzing sound.
Researchers developed a mouse model of autism and tested a treatment that blocked abnormal cell danger signals, reversing autism symptoms. The study suggests chronic brain inflammation and frayed connections between brain cells contribute to autism.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a synthetic material that can rebuild itself through chemical communication and interaction with light. The material, known as Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) gel, exhibits autochemotaxis, allowing it to move in response to chemical signals and follow given actions or commands.
Researchers combined video imaging and gas analyzers to track bed bug chemical signals, revealing new insights into behavior and mating habits. The study found distinct increases in chemicals during defense against unwanted mating attempts and individual variations in emissions.
Researchers discovered a second step in the light receptor process that corrects for rhodopsin errors, resulting in more accurate reading of light under dim conditions. This finding has long-term significance for understanding and treating vision deficits.
Researchers unexpectedly found that inhibiting protein breakdown delays neurodegeneration and increases longevity in mice. Blocking proteasome activity restored key biochemical characteristics necessary for nerve cell function. The findings pose a challenge to current beliefs about neurodegenerative disorders.
A recent study suggests that pleasure eating can activate the body's reward system, leading to overeating. Researchers found that the hormone ghrelin and chemical compounds like 2-arachidonoylglycerol increased during hedonic eating, overriding the body's signal that enough has been eaten.
A new DNA-based chemical sensor has been developed, capable of discriminating between very similar molecules, even at low concentrations. The system uses carbon nanotubes and fine-tuned DNA strands to produce a measurable electrical signal when exposed to target chemicals.
Researchers have created a transgenic zebrafish that reacts to environmental estrogens by producing fluorescent signals, revealing new insights into the effects of pollution on human health. The study found responses in previously unknown tissues, including skeletal muscle and eyes.
Research by the Universities of Exeter and Liverpool reveals that redder ladybirds are more poisonous than their paler peers, with better-fed individuals producing stronger warning signals and toxic chemicals. This variation in coloration is linked to diet in early life, making redder ladybirds less likely to be eaten by predators.
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Dioxide Materials have developed a chemical sensor using randomly stacked graphene flakes. The thin films of flaky graphene outperformed previous sensors made from carbon nanotubes or graphene crystals, detecting trace amounts of test chemicals with high reliability.
Researchers at MIT have developed a system that visually signals the presence of target chemicals by emitting a fluorescent glow. The approach combines fluorescent molecules with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to provide easy visual identification of toxins or pathogens.
Research at National Institute for Physiological Sciences found abnormal 'oscillatory' electrical signals in subcortical nuclei cause severe motor deficits in Parkinson's disease. Chemical inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus improved motor impairments by reducing oscillations, providing clues for new treatments.
A Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center research team found that activation of synaptic NMDRs increases COX-2 levels, while extrasynaptic NMDR activation boosts arachidonic acid. Sequential activation of both receptors leads to increased neurotoxic inflammation and disease progression.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center discovered that specific brain areas orchestrate competition between memories and that transcranial magnetic stimulation can preserve memory by targeting these areas. By applying TMS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex, both memories remained intact.
Researchers discovered that ants use chemical signals on their host tree to distinguish it from competing plant species. The team found that the ants more aggressively attacked papers coated with extracts from a closely related species, demonstrating the high degree of specificity for their host tree.
Researchers discovered that the eye's horizontal cells send both negative and positive feedback to photoreceptors, enhancing contrast while preserving faint detail. This new mechanism, distinct from electrical signals, allows the eye to detect small, faint spots near edges.
Researchers have identified a small molecule compound that specifically inhibits TrkB action, showing potent behavioral effects in mice and promising antidepressant and anti-anxiety activity in humans. The discovery could lead to the development of a new class of psychiatric drugs for depression treatment.
Scientists from UT Health Science Center San Antonio discovered a relationship between phosphoinositide kinases and calcium ions in nerve cells, which could lead to treatments for neurological disorders. The study's findings have implications for epilepsy, stroke, dementia, hypertension, mental illness, and other diseases.
Researchers found that sniffing women's emotional tears reduces men's sexual arousal and decreases testosterone levels, but has no impact on emotional responses or empathy. The study uses fMRI scans to reveal brain activity changes in response to tear exposure.
Scientists are developing new drugs to block bacterial signals that trigger infections, a process known as quorum sensing. Research suggests that targeting certain signaling molecules could lead to effective treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections.
Researchers reconstructed an ancient protein and traced its subtle changes over time to produce diverse modern-day descendants. They found that evolution tweaked the ancestral structure to create partnerships with new hormones or signals, leading to independent proteins with increased stability.