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Water in cells behaves in complex and intricate ways

By Guest PostJanuary 2, 2014Sciencealbert einstein, biological action, cell machinery, charles brooks, computer simulation, dexter, distance, kevin kubarych, liquid, manhattan, phenomenon, picosecond timescale, protein, protein surface, proteins are hydrophobic, quantum entanglement, spooky action, university of michigan, water in cells

ANN ARBOR — In a sort of biological “spooky action at a distance,” water in a cell slows down in the tightest confines between proteins and develops the ability to affect other proteins much farther away, University of Michigan researchers have discovered.

On a fundamental level, the findings show some of the complex and unexpected ways that water behaves inside cells. In a practical sense, they could provide insights into how and why proteins clump together in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Understanding how proteins aggregate could help researchers figure out how to prevent them from doing so. (more…)

Smartphone as mentor: How tech could change behavior

By Guest PostDecember 31, 2013Technologybehavior, change, creativity, daniel lao, diana sussman, electric vehicles, feedback, harmony, jasprit singh, joggle, mentor, mindfulness, new delhi, nonconfrontational messages, psychological issues, radar, smartphone, social network, stream of vocabulary, tech, Technology, university of michigan, wellness, yoga devotee

ANN ARBOR — Funneling a steady stream of diversions straight to your pocket, smartphones are often cast as the ultimate distractors. But a University of Michigan engineering professor sees potential for them to be something quite the opposite.

What if they could act as mentors in mindfulness, helping users stay attentive in order to achieve particular goals? (more…)

What’s your story? Six strategies for entrepreneurs

By Guest PostDecember 26, 2013Economy, Small Businessapple computers, failure, good storyteller, India, investors, jamsetji tata, jobs, lianne lefsrud, limited financial resources, p devereaux jennings, seed oil mill, small businesses, startups, strategies for entrepreneurs, success, tata group, two steves, university of Alberta, university of michigan, wozniak

ANN ARBOR — An entrepreneur’s backstory plays a critical role in the success or failure of a fledgling venture, says Lianne Lefsrud, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan Ross School’s Erb Institute.

“Especially for entrepreneurs with limited financial resources, stories are a way to create resources if you can make sense of the world with your stories,” Lefsrud said. (more…)

Limited food may be significantly changing Great Lakes ecosystems

By Guest PostDecember 23, 2013Environmentdavid bo bunnell, Economy, great lakes ecosystems, inputs of phosphorus, invasive species, lake huron, microscopic water organisms, native invertebrates, phytoplankton, phytoplankton growth, predator, quagga mussels, suzette kimball, thomas f nalepa, thomas h johengen, U.S. Geological Survey, university of michigan, zebra

ANN ARBOR — Declines of the food resources that feed lake organisms are likely causing dramatic changes in the Great Lakes, according to a new study.

The study, led by the U.S. Geological Survey and co-authored by three University of Michigan researchers, found that since 1998, water clarity has been increasing in most Great Lakes, while phytoplankton (the microscopic water organisms that feed all other animals), native invertebrates and prey fish have been declining. These food web changes fundamentally affect the ecosystem’s valuable resources and are likely caused by decreasing levels of lake nutrients, and by growing numbers of invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels. (more…)

Zebrafish help decode link between calcium deficiency and colon cancer

By Guest PostDecember 21, 2013Health, Sciencebetween, calcium deficiency, calcium depleted, calcium regulation mechanism, calcium transporter, colon cancer, colon cancer cells, cunming duan, decode, epithelial cell, growth factor, human, link, lisa hebda, low calcium environments, new mechanism, pathway, trpv5, university of michigan, water calcium level, xueping zhong, yan bai, zebrafish, zebrafish embryo skin

ANN ARBOR — A tiny, transparent fish embryo and a string of surprises led scientists to a deeper understanding of the perplexing link between low calcium and colon cancer.

By studying zebrafish embryo skin, University of Michigan researchers decoded cell messages underlying abnormal colonic cell growth of the kind that can lead to tumors and colon cancer in calcium deficient individuals. They have also tested this new mechanism in human colon cancer cells. (more…)

Energy drinks plus alcohol pose a public health threat

By Guest PostDecember 10, 2013Healthalcohol, alcohol related problems, energy drinks, high caffeine products, jaeger bombs, jaegermeister liquor, jennifer maggs, megan patrick, public health threat, university of michigan, vodka red bulls

ANN ARBOR — Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is riskier than just drinking alcohol alone, according to a new study that examines the impact of a growing trend among young adults.

Published in the current issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study was conducted by Megan Patrick of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and Jennifer Maggs of Penn State University. (more…)

Mutual benefits: Stressed-out trees boost sugary rewards to ant defenders

By Guest PostNovember 14, 2013Natureant, ant protection, azteca ants, azteca pittieri, carnegie institution, central america, climate change, cordia alliodora, deborah gordon, dry tropical forest, ecologist, ecologists, ecuador laurel trees, elizabeth pringle, erol akcay, evolution, evolutionary model, honeydew, insurance model, key environmental factor, life sustaining foliage, mutual benefits, pacific coast, plant animal interaction, rodolfo dirzo, santa fe institute, scale insects, Science, southern mexico, stanford university, stressed out trees, sugary reward, ted raab, theory, university of michigan, university of pennsylvania

ANN ARBOR — When water is scarce, Ecuador laurel trees ramp up their investment in a syrupy treat that sends resident ant defenders into overdrive, protecting the trees from defoliation by leaf-munching pests.

The water-stressed tropical forest trees support the production of more honeydew, a sugary excretion imbibed by the Azteca ants that nest in the laurels’ stem cavities. In return, ant colonies boost their numbers and more vigorously defend the life-sustaining foliage. (more…)

Global warming led to dwarfism in mammals — twice

By Guest PostNovember 6, 2013Environment, Scienceabigail dambrosia, carbon dioxide, climate change, diacodexis, dwarfism in mammals, early horse hyracotherium, early horses, eocene thermal maximum, etm2, future global warming, geological past, global warming, greenhouse gases, heat trapping, human caused, hyperthermals, hyracotherium, jaw fossils, modern day horse, paleocene eocene, paleontologist, petm, philip gingerich, primate cantius, thermal maximum, university of michigan, will clyde

ANN ARBOR — Mammal body size decreased significantly during at least two ancient global warming events. A new finding that suggests a similar outcome is possible in response to human-caused climate change, according to a University of Michigan paleontologist and his colleagues.

Researchers have known for years that mammals such as primates and the groups that include horses and deer became much smaller during a period of warming, called the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), about 55 million years ago. (more…)

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