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Revealing the Secrets of Motility in Archaea

By Guest PostFebruary 24, 2013Scienceabrahjyoti ghosh, adenosine triphosphate, archaea, assembling archaella, atomic resolution, atp, atp in solution, atpase, bacterial flagellum, bacterial type, berkeley lab, c terminal domain, crystallography, ctd, domain of life, dynamic play, e coli, energy, enzyme, established model systems, filamentary grappling hook, flab filament, flah eye, flai, flai genes, flai protein structure, gareth williams, generate energy, Germany, glue, human cells, human gut, hyper flagellated, hyper motile mutants, iv pilus, john tainer, max planck institute, microbiota, microorganisms, motility, motor, mpi, n terminal domain, ntd, phosphate, protein structure, release, saxs, secretion of proteins, sonja verena albers, sulfolobus acidocaldarius, terrestrial microbiology, xray diffraction

Scientists from Berkeley Lab and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology analyze a unique microbial motor

The protein structure of the motor that propels archaea has been characterized for the first time by a team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Germany’s Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Terrestrial Microbiology.

The motility structure of this third domain of life has long been called a flagellum, a whip-like filament that, like the well-studied bacterial flagellum, rotates like a propeller. But although the archaeal structure has a similar function, it is so profoundly different in structure, genetics, and evolution that the researchers argue it deserves its own name: archaellum. (more…)

Genomic Detectives Crack the Case of the Missing Heritability

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Scienceantibiotics, bert vogelstein, caffeine, case, caused by mutation, common dna spelling, crohns disease, dna code, dna variation, drugs, environmental factors, eye color, family traits, genetic causes, genetic code, genetic factors, genomic detectives, gwas, ian ehrenreich, joshua bloom, leonid kruglyak, metal compounds, missing heritability, missing heritability problem, model organism, patterns of inheritance, physical characteristic, princeton university, regions of dna, researcher, risk, risk of diseases, schizophrenia, southern california, thuy lan lite, type 2 diabetes, university, variation, wesley loo, yeast cell

Despite years of research, the genetic factors behind many human diseases and characteristics remain unknown. The inability to find the complete genetic causes of family traits such as height or the risk of type 2 diabetes has been called the “missing heritability” problem.

A new study by Princeton University researchers, however, suggests that missing heritability may not be missing after all — at least not in yeast cells, which the researchers used as a model for studying the problem. Published in the journal Nature, the results suggest that heritability in humans may be hidden due only to the limitations of modern research tools, but could be discovered if scientists know where (and how) to look. (more…)

Facial Research

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Scienceaggression, any prejudicial beliefs, automatic, b leitner, context, controversial social behaviors, eric hehman, expression of prejudice, facial, facial research, fwhr, greater fwhr, matthew p deegan, predict, racial prejudice, ratio, reporting prejudices, samuel l gaertner, social dominance, structure of face, testosterone related behaviors, university of delaware, width to height

Structure of face may help predict expression of prejudice, researchers report

The structure of a man’s face may indicate his tendency to express racially prejudiced beliefs, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Studies have shown that facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is associated with testosterone-related behaviors, which some researchers have linked with aggression. But psychological scientist Eric Hehman of Dartmouth College and colleagues at the University of Delaware speculated that these behaviors may have more to do with social dominance than outright aggression. Hehman conducted the research while he was a graduate student at UD. (more…)

Brown Researchers Build Robotic Bat Wing

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Sciencebat flight, bats, elasticity of skin, flight parameters, flight secrets, robot wing, robotic bat wing, wing movements

The strong, flapping flight of bats offers great possibilities for the design of small aircraft, among other applications. By building a robotic bat wing, Brown researchers have uncovered flight secrets of real bats: the function of ligaments, the elasticity of skin, the structural support of musculature, skeletal flexibility, upstroke, downstroke. (more…)

Researchers Coat Spinal Polymer Implants with Bioactive Film to Improve Bonding with Bone

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Health, Scienceafsaneh rabiei, bioactive film, body, bonding, bone, calcium phosphate, challenge, clinical testing, coating of hydroxyapatite, crystalline structure, degrees celsius, dissolve, heat shield, implants, improve, microwave, north Carolina, peek, spinal polymer implants, state university, stefan sandukas, success rate, surrounding bone, tissue, ysz, ysz layer, yttria stabilized zirconia

Researchers from North Carolina State University have for the first time successfully coated polymer implants with a bioactive film. The discovery should improve the success rate of such implants – which are often used in spinal surgeries.

The polymer used in these implants, called PEEK, does not bond well with bone or other tissues in the body. This can result in the implant rubbing against surrounding tissues, which can lead to medical complications and the need for additional surgeries. (more…)

Building Healthy Bones Takes Guts

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Health, Scienceamericans, bacterium, balance, begins at childhood, bone density, bone fractures, bone loss, bone tissue, cellular physiology, chronic condition, coevolved with humans, female mice, food fermentation, gut, harmful effect, healthier bones, immune system, infection, inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, joint, laura mccabe, laura schaefer, male mice, mice lactobacillus reuteri, michigan state university, microorganisms, muscle pain, natural probiotic supplement, natural remodeling, negative side effects, osteoporosis, osteoporosis drugs, postmenopausal women, regina irwin, robert britton, species, treatments, type 1 diabetes

In what could be an early step toward new treatments for people with osteoporosis, scientists at Michigan State University report that a natural probiotic supplement can help male mice produce healthier bones.

Interestingly, the same can’t be said for female mice, the researchers report in the Journal of Cellular Physiology.

“We know that inflammation in the gut can cause bone loss, though it’s unclear exactly why,” said lead author Laura McCabe, a professor in MSU’s departments of Physiology and Radiology. “The neat thing we found is that a probiotic can enhance bone density.” (more…)

NASA’s Kepler Mission Discovers Tiny Planet System

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Sciencekepler mission, little planets, moon size planet, smaller planets, smallest planet, tiny planet system

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Kepler mission scientists have discovered a new planetary system that is home to the smallest planet yet found around a star similar to our sun. (more…)

UCLA Study Shows Promise, Offers Hope for Brain Hemorrhage Patients

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Scienceamericans suffer strokes, bleeding, brain hemorrhage patients, clinical trial, ct scans, disability in america, endoscope, endoscopic surgical procedure, gps like precision, keyhole incision, neil martin, paul vespa, removing blood, severe disability, standard medical treatment, stroke, toxic, ucla neurosurgeons

Minimally invasive surgery may benefit patients previously deemed hopeless

A new endoscopic surgical procedure has been shown to be safer and to result in better outcomes than the current standard medical treatment for patients who suffer strokes as a result of brain hemorrhages, UCLA neurosurgeons have announced.

The findings from their potentially groundbreaking, randomized, controlled phase 2 clinical trial, which was conducted at multiple medical centers, were presented last week at the International Stroke Conference in Honolulu. (more…)

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