Function in Biological News

Reducing risk of hospitalization in the elderly

... adults who have less strength, poor physical function and low muscle density are at higher risk of ... almost five years. They measured their physical function in a number of ways including walking speed, ... such as physical exercise, that improve physical function could help keep more vulnerable seniors out of ...

International research team seeks to unravel flatworm regeneration

... it a unique model system to investigate the function of stem cells. Many planaria genes resemble ... in the planarian stem cells and likely function in a similar way as in mammals. Because stem ... the researchers assume that piRNAs have a similar function in the planarian stem cells. Further studies are ...

Reviews of microbial gene language published in special issue of Trends in Microbiology

... specific experiments that characterize gene function and larger-scale, systems biology efforts to ... However related genes that have a common function can be missed in sequence comparisons if those ... and can greatly facilitate the comparison of gene function across the different domains of life." ...

A 'heart healthy' diet and ongoing, moderate physical activity may protect against cognitive decline

... questionnaire and cognitive assessment. Cognitive function was checked again during four assessments over 11 ... in levels of both physical activity and cognitive function over seven years in 3,075 white and black elders ... decreasing, or increasing/fluctuating. Cognitive function was assessed using the 3MS. The researchers ...

Scripps Research scientists observe human neurodegenerative disorder in fruit flies

... analogous gene) would demonstrate that a novel function was at play. This is exactly what he and his ... is related to some fundamental and unknown function the protein plays in the development and homeostasis of the nervous system. Because the unknown function is common to both humans and flies, it probably ...

Targeting helpers of heat shock proteins could help treat cancer, cardiovascular disease

... Virology. "The goal is to interfere with their function when they are helping cancer." Hsp90 is vital ... whether they are involved with normal hormonal function or cancer. Vital to Hsp90 are helpers such as p23 ... interactions are happening, we could modulate the function of the receptor, Hsp90 or both." For example, ...

Research explores interactions between nanomaterials, biological systems

... is known about the intracellular activity and function of engineered nanomaterials, an area of study ... properties and their relationships to cellular function can induce cellular damage or induce advantageous ... hazardous while maintaining catalytically useful function for industrial use. As an example of a ...

Protein regulates movement of mitochondria in brain cells

... protein in the brain that plays a key role in the function of mitochondria the part of the cell that ... that in some disease states that mitochondria function is modified, so understanding how their activity ... several processes in the cell that help it function in a low oxygen environment. The primary ...

Dual role in breast tissue for a protein involved in leukemia

... of some types of leukemia appears to have a mixed function in breast cancer development, say researchers ... Society in Washington, DC, indicate that the function of this protein, known as Stat5a, may be ... is important to fully understand how altering its function impacts the breast, especially since it appears ...

Biologists devise unifying framework to explain evolutionary puzzles

... is one such scientist who has examined the function of extra-pair parentage. His research has drawn ... integrate the dynamics of how biological systems function and how these functional dynamics evolve. ... who, along with Akay, is co-organizing the function and Evolution Working Group at NIMBioS. One of ...

Small molecules mimic natural gene regulators

... small molecules that mimic the behavior and function of a much larger and more complicated natural ... molecules programmed to perform the same function as their natural counterparts. These molecules ... changes affected both binding and ability to function as transcriptional activators. Any change that ...

Biologists consider unifying framework to explain evolutionary puzzles

... is one such scientist who has examined the function of extra-pair parentage. His research has drawn ... integrate the dynamics of how biological systems function and how these functional dynamics evolve. ... who, along with Akay, is co-organizing the function and Evolution Working Group at NIMBioS. One of ...

Protein linked to mental retardation controls synapse maturation, plasticity, CSHL team finds

... processes that establish and modify the function of neuronal circuits." That has been a major ... or post-synaptic side of the gap, when the function of the oligophrenin protein was disturbed under ... raised the question of what the protein's normal function is at excitatory synapses, and what goes wrong ...

NIH funds work at WPI on regenerating heart tissue and preventing urinary tract infections

... using bone marrow derived stem cells to restore function to damaged hearts. Terri Camesano, PhD, associate ... hMSCs at precise points in the heart to improve function in the damaged area. The new study aims to ... then to study the effect of the cells on cardiac function in a rat model. ...

Study finds novel genetic risk factors for kidney disease

... kidney disease characterized by reduced kidney function or kidney damage. The progression of chronic ... and STC1 as novel risk genes for reduced kidney function and chronic kidney disease. "Previous ... G. Nabel, MD. "Even a small loss of kidney function can double an individual's risk of developing ...

OHSU researchers study the idling brain

... will eventually help us distinguish typical function from atypical function and therefore help more rapidly diagnose and ... treat mental disorders." To observe brain function in humans, the researchers use a form of magnetic ...

New study reveals the protein that makes phosphate chains in yeast

... published this week in Science , uncovers the function of a single protein with a wide range of ... it. The researchers determined Vtc4p's function by looking at its 3D structure. "This study ... look like and how they work but also what that function is," says Michael Hothorn from Scheffzek's group ...

Genetic switch potential key to new class of antibiotics

... stable enough to crystallize due to its need to function at high temperatures. The more stable the ... diversity within its loop structure, owes its function to one of the most straightforward of base pairs. ... economical and elegant design accomplishes more function than expected for an RNA of this size. The mRNA ...

Genes from tiny marine algae suggest unsuspected avenues for new research

... but not other competitors. By looking at the function of such genes we could then learn more about the ...ganisms... It turns out that we don't yet know the function of many of these genes-but we know we need to ... on cell biology, we will be able to discover the function of such genes. This will advance our ...

How tumor cells move

... signal factor SCAI controls the formation and function of b1-integrin," says Dr. Robert Grosse. "If ... Dr. Robert Grosse's team would like to study the function of the signal factor SCAI more closely in an animal model. "If the function of SCAI is confirmed to be decisive in the ...

Changes in gene may stunt lung development in children

... and oxidative stress. "People lose lung function as they age, so it's important to identify ... levels in strains of mice with poor lung function to one with more efficient airways and lungs two ... DNA sequences, in SOD3 that were linked to lung function in mice. The researchers went on to assess ...

Rensselaer receives more than $2 million from New York State to fund stem cell research

... genes and biological molecules play in stem cell function in the human body. The lead researchers for ... said. "We want the stem cells to perform the function lost, such as neural stem cells repairing a ... as they mature. They will then determine if the function of the stem cell can be controlled by simply ...

Lehigh researcher awarded $1.8 million NIH grant

... Research Foundation for his work on "Efferent function in Sound Localization Processing." "I'm very ... between the two ears. This system also has to function over a wide range of sound intensities, making ... a model to explore many complex aspects of brain function and that too explains why the NIH is so ...

Oh, my aching back: Give me a shot of ozone

... disks. The estimated improvement in pain and function is impressive when we looked at patients who ... explained Murphy. "Equally important, pain and function outcomes are similar to the outcomes for lumbar ... indicating that the improvement in pain and function is a real change that can be felt by the patient. ...

Updated formula measures kidney function more accurately

... Measuring kidney function in children can be expensive, time-consuming for ... chemotherapy and more accurately assessing kidney function in children battling chronic kidney disease ... "Most other formulas used to estimate kidney function in children with CKD are singular to their ...

Relationships in rank and file

... analyzing and understanding it. Nevertheless, the function of most human genes is still barely understood. An important first step in determining the function of a gene or protein is to compare its sequence ... The rule for both genes and proteins is: their function is primarily based on the sequence of their DNA ...

New equation of state of seawater

... which expresses the density of seawater as a function of Practical Salinity, temperature and pressure, ... The new equation of state is a free energy function that can yield all the thermodynamic values of ... taken by WG127 has been to develop a Gibbs function from which all the thermodynamic properties of ...

Exercise after knee replacement critical

... to your recovery. In fact, it can boost the function of your new knee to nearly that of a healthy ... patients exhibit impaired quadriceps strength and function for such activities as walking and climbing ... electrical stimulation (NMES). Their function was compared to that of 41 patients who received ...

CSHL scientists clarify editing error underlying genetic neurodegenerative disease

... parts of the brain, resulting in abnormal brain function and cognitive impairment characteristic of mental ... mutation causes a defect in an essential cellular function called RNA splicing. RNA splicing is an ... intermediaries (called "messengers"), in order to function properly in this role, are typically "edited" by ...

Researchers iron out new role for serotonin

... mouse strain they had been using to studying SERT function called C57BL/6 actually carries a mutation that reduces the function of the transporter. "Importantly, ... anxiety and depression, consistent with reduced function of SERT GK. Importantly, a public database of ...

Smoking during pregnancy may impair thyroid function of mom and fetus

... the influence of cigarette smoking on thyroid function of two groups of women at different stages of ... hormone levels." Optimal maternal thyroid function during pregnancy is vital for a successful ... and found that smoking-related changes in thyroid function extend to the fetus. Dr. Vaidya believes that ...

Dartmouth researchers find new protein function

... A group of Dartmouth researchers has found a new function for one of the proteins involved with chromosome ... cells, and contributes to understanding how cell function can go wrong, as it does with cancerous cells. ... growing spindle of microtubules. If NOD doesn't function properly, then the two cells end up with either ...

Apolipoprotein(a): A natural regulator of inflammation

... novel activity of apo(a) apolipoprotein that may function as a natural and cell specific suppressor of the ... in vivo. In addition, a mechanism for this novel function of apo(a) was also identified: its selective ... been lacking. In vivo investigation of Lp(a) function has been impeded by the lack of availability of ...

Step out for PAD

... much more effective in restoring normal muscle function in rats that were put on regular exercise ... PAD than in sedentary animals. Surprisingly, the function of blood vessels 'downstream' of the blockage ... patients with PAD who are physically active, will function effectively to help minimize the consequences of ...

Rare disease provides clues about enzyme role in arrhythmias

... cells did not have the coordinated electrical function of a heart. The University of Iowa team, using ... a cellular model to more clearly reveal the function that helps drive heartbeats. "By studying this ... block calcium channels because you need some function to initiate heartbeats. Ideally, we would find a ...

Tool helps identify gene function in soybeans

... of a genomic tool for identifying gene function in soybeans. Understanding gene function in soybeans will ultimately benefit crop ... technique in the soybean. "Studying gene function in soybeans presents special challenges because ...

Understanding how oxidative stress impairs endothelial progenitor cell function

... biochemical modification of cells, impairs EPC function may lead to antioxidant therapy to prevent ... causes increased oxidative stress, impairing the function of EPCs. In addition to being implicated in ... studies of how oxidative stress impairs the function of EPCs are critical. Eventually you should be ...

Researchers at IRB Barcelona produce more data on key genes in diabetes

... fusion, a process that contributes to the correct function of these organelles. This pathway could therefore ... mitochondrial fusion is crucial for the correct function of these organelles and when the gene that regulates this fusion is decreased, the function of mitochondria is also impaired. But where is ...

New gene-silencing pathway found in plants

... a way of introducing a foreign gene to replace a function impaired by disease. Often this foreign gene, called a transgene, restores the missing function for a while and then unexpectedly goes silent. ... published research showing that the major function of Pol IV is to generate siRNAs, thereby singling ...

Mayo researchers identify dangerous 'two-faced' protein crucial to breast cancer spread and growth

... work. P120 acts in cells by regulating the function of proteins called cadherins. Cadherins are ... anti-HER2 therapies such as Herceptin will not function well if p120 has turned on alternate growth ... design an agent that targets the tumor-promoting function of p120 that is not bound to E-cadherin, he says. ...