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Paternity study of right whales finds local fathers most successful
"Trust" hormone oxytocin found at heart of rare genetic disorder
Pasta made from green banana flour a tasty alternative for gluten-free diets
Scientists have identified a novel animal reservoir for a group of tick-borne diseases
Nearby Star Cluster, Long Forgotten, Now Discovered to Be Useful in Studies of Sun and Search for Planets Like Earth
Foundational concept of ecology tested by experiment
New report cites link between alcohol abuse and bariatric surgery
Study Shows Most Commonly Mutated Gene in Cancer may have a Role in Stroke
South African daffodils may be a future cure for depression
GMCSF treatment associated with improved cognition in cancer patients, USF-Moffitt study finds
Environmental Estrogens Affect Early Developmental Activity in Zebrafish
Versatility of Zebrafish Research Highlighted at International Conference

Paternity study of right whales finds local fathers most successful

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 12:38 PM PDT

The first paternity study of southern right whales has found a surprisingly high level of local breeding success for males, scientists say, which is good news for the overall genetic diversity of the species, but could create risk for local populations through in-breeding.

Results of the study, by researchers at the University of Auckland, Oregon State University and the New Zealand Department of Conservation, have just been published in the journal Molecular Ecology.

"Trust" hormone oxytocin found at heart of rare genetic disorder

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 12:27 PM PDT

The hormone oxytocin—often referred to as the "trust" hormone or "love hormone" for its role in stimulating emotional responses—plays an important role in Williams syndrome (WS), according to a study published June 12, 2012, in PLoS ONE.

The study, a collaboration between scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of Utah, found that people with WS flushed with the hormones oxytocin and arginine vasopressin (AVP) when exposed to emotional triggers.

Pasta made from green banana flour a tasty alternative for gluten-free diets

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 12:22 PM PDT

People with celiac disease struggle with limited food choices, as their condition makes them unable to tolerate gluten, found in wheat and other grains. Researchers from the University of Brazil have developed a gluten-free pasta product from green banana flour, which tasters found more acceptable than regular whole wheat pasta. The product has less fat and is cheaper to produce than standard pastas. Their research is published today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Scientists have identified a novel animal reservoir for a group of tick-borne diseases

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 11:33 AM PDT

A team of scientists at Washington University in St. Louis has been keeping a wary eye on emerging tick-borne diseases in Missouri for the past dozen years, and they have just nailed down another part of the story.

They knew from earlier work that the animal reservoirs for the diseases included white-tailed deer, wild turkey and a species in the squirrel familiy, but the DNA assay they had used wasn’t sensitive enough to identify the species.

Nearby Star Cluster, Long Forgotten, Now Discovered to Be Useful in Studies of Sun and Search for Planets Like Earth

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 11:22 AM PDT

A loose group of stars, known for over 180 years but never before studied in detail, has been revealed to be an important new tool in the quest to understand the evolution of stars like the Sun, and in the search for planets like Earth. "We have discovered that a previously unappreciated open star cluster, which is a little younger than our Sun, holds great promise for use as a standard gauge in fundamental stellar astrophysics," said Jason T. Wright, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University, who conceived and initiated the research.

Foundational concept of ecology tested by experiment

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 11:10 AM PDT

An elementary school science activity asks children who have each been assigned a wetland plant or animal to connect themselves with string and tape to other “organisms” their assigned plant or animal interacts with in some way.

Once an ecosystem web has been created, the teacher describes an event that affects one “organism.” That “organism” tugs on its string. Other “organisms” that feel the tug then tug on their strings in turn.

New report cites link between alcohol abuse and bariatric surgery

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 10:55 AM PDT

An addiction to food may be replaced by an addiction to alcohol in certain bariatric patients. According to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, having Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, where the size of the stomach and the intestine are decreased to reduce food consumption, can increase the risk of alcohol-use disorders.

Study Shows Most Commonly Mutated Gene in Cancer may have a Role in Stroke

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 09:41 AM PDT

The gene p53 is the most commonly mutated gene in cancer. p53 is dubbed the “guardian of the genome” because it blocks cells with damaged DNA from propagating and eventually becoming cancerous. However, new research led by Ute M. Moll, M.D., Professor of Pathology at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and colleagues, uncovers a novel role for p53 beyond cancer in the development of ischemic stroke.

South African daffodils may be a future cure for depression

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 08:35 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered that plant compounds from a South African flower may in time be used to treat diseases originating in the brain – including depression. At the University of Copenhagen, a number of these substances have now been tested in a laboratory model of the blood-brain barrier. The promising results have been published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

GMCSF treatment associated with improved cognition in cancer patients, USF-Moffitt study finds

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 08:26 AM PDT

Growth factors shown to cure Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse model and administered to cancer patients as part of their treatment regimen were linked to significant improvements in the patients’ cognitive function following stem cell transplantation, a preliminary clinical study reports.

The findings by researchers at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute and Moffitt Cancer Center are reported online in Brain Disorders & Therapy.

Environmental Estrogens Affect Early Developmental Activity in Zebrafish

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Chemicals in the environment that mimic estrogen can strongly influence the development of humans and other animals. New research to be presented at the 2012 International Zebrafish Development and Genetics Conference, held June 20-24 in Madison, Wisconsin, reveals that these substances may act even earlier than previously realized, at the very beginning stages of embryonic development.

Versatility of Zebrafish Research Highlighted at International Conference

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 08:18 AM PDT

It’s clear where the black-and-white striped zebrafish got its name, but less obvious at first glance is what zebrafish has to do with biomedical research. Amazingly, it has biological similarities to humans, which are making this small freshwater fish an increasingly popular model organism for studying vertebrate development, genetics, physiology, and mechanisms of disease.