Biology posts
- August 29, 2016
- 02:49 PM
- 23 views
Use it or lose it: Stopping exercise decreases brain blood flow
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
We all know that we can quickly lose cardiovascular endurance if we stop exercising for a few weeks, but what impact does the cessation of exercise have on our brains? New research examined cerebral blood flow in healthy, physically fit older adults (ages 50-80 years) before and after a 10-day period during which they stopped all exercise.
... Read more »
Alfini, A., Weiss, L., Leitner, B., Smith, T., Hagberg, J., & Smith, J. (2016) Hippocampal and Cerebral Blood Flow after Exercise Cessation in Master Athletes. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00184
- August 29, 2016
- 03:37 AM
- 18 views
The ketogenic diet and the BTBRT Tf/J mouse model of autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I was rather interested to read the findings reported by Richelle Mychasiuk & Jong Rho [1] suggesting that the expression of certain genes might be affected by adoption of a ketogenic diet in one of the more familiar mouse models of autism (the BTBRT+Tf/J 'dangermouse').The ketogenic diet (KD), consisting of "a high-fat low-carbohydrate anti-seizure and neuroprotective diet" has been of some interest to autism research over the years (see here). Its potential usefulness has also been explore........ Read more »
Mychasiuk R, & Rho JM. (2016) Genetic modifications associated with ketogenic diet treatment in the BTBRT Tf/J mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research. PMID: 27529337
- August 28, 2016
- 07:30 PM
- 43 views
Biofuels are not as green, claim scientists from UMich
by vitul in Think, Ask and Resolve
Contrary to the popularly held belief, biofuels increase carbon emissions. ... Read more »
DeCicco, J., Liu, D., Heo, J., Krishnan, R., Kurthen, A., & Wang, L. (2016) Carbon balance effects of U.S. biofuel production and use. Climatic Change. DOI: 10.1007/s10584-016-1764-4
- August 28, 2016
- 02:29 PM
- 40 views
A visual nudge can disrupt recall of what things look like
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Interfering with your vision makes it harder to describe what you know about the appearance of even common objects, according to researchers. This connection between visual knowledge and visual perception challenges widely held theories that visual information about the world -- that alligators are green and have long tails, for example -- is stored abstractly, as a list of facts, divorced from the visual experience of seeing an alligator.... Read more »
Edmiston, P., & Lupyan, G. (2015) Visual interference disrupts visual and only visual knowledge. Journal of Vision, 15(12), 10. DOI: 10.1167/15.12.10
- August 27, 2016
- 07:44 PM
- 48 views
Improving Human Virome Studies: Updates to Virus Classification
by Geoffrey Hannigan in Prophage
Taxonomy is an important aspect of microbiome research. Whether we are studying communities of bacteria, viruses, or other microbes, there are benefits to labeling microbes. Taxonomic names immediately give us information about their relationships to each other, such as similar bacteria being grouped into the same genus...... Read more »
Krupovic, M., Dutilh, B., Adriaenssens, E., Wittmann, J., Vogensen, F., Sullivan, M., Rumnieks, J., Prangishvili, D., Lavigne, R., Kropinski, A.... (2016) Taxonomy of prokaryotic viruses: update from the ICTV bacterial and archaeal viruses subcommittee. Archives of Virology, 161(4), 1095-1099. DOI: 10.1007/s00705-015-2728-0
Thompson, C., Amaral, G., Campeão, M., Edwards, R., Polz, M., Dutilh, B., Ussery, D., Sawabe, T., Swings, J., & Thompson, F. (2014) Microbial taxonomy in the post-genomic era: Rebuilding from scratch?. Archives of Microbiology, 197(3), 359-370. DOI: 10.1007/s00203-014-1071-2
- August 27, 2016
- 01:27 PM
- 53 views
Researchers report new Zika complication
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
If zika didn't seem scary enough in the media, there is new data showing that there could be a new neurological complication of infection with the Zika virus.
... Read more »
Medina, M., England, J., Lorenzana, I., Medina-Montoya, M., Alvarado, D., De Bastos, M., Fontiveros, S., Sierra, M., & Contreras, F. (2016) Zika virus associated with sensory polyneuropathy. Journal of the Neurological Sciences. DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.08.044
- August 27, 2016
- 05:05 AM
- 68 views
On autism spectrum disorder [research] validity
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Today I'm directing your reading attention to a really, really interesting paper by Lynn Waterhouse and colleagues [1] (open-access) whose review findings suggest that: "the ASD [autism spectrum disorder] diagnosis lacks biological and construct validity."The paper is a bit of a long read but most definitely worth it as the quite complicated subject of exactly what goal the label of autism actually serves is discussed. The results of various questions posed by the authors suggest: "No ........ Read more »
Waterhouse, L., London, E., & Gillberg, C. (2016) ASD Validity. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. DOI: 10.1007/s40489-016-0085-x
- August 26, 2016
- 02:20 PM
- 83 views
Next steps in understanding brain function
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
The most complex piece of matter in the known universe is the brain. Neuroscientists have recently taken on the challenge to understand brain function from its intricate anatomy and structure. There is no sure way to go about it, and researchers in Madrid proposed a solution to the problem.
... Read more »
DeFelipe, J., Douglas, R., Hill, S., Lein, E., Martin, K., Rockland, K., Segev, I., Shepherd, G., & Tamás, G. (2016) Comments and General Discussion on “The Anatomical Problem Posed by Brain Complexity and Size: A Potential Solution”. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00060
- August 26, 2016
- 06:49 AM
- 80 views
From :-D to =8-0 - Effects of Emoticons on the Brain
by Neuroskeptic in Neuroskeptic_Discover
An unusual study reports the effects of emoticons on human brain activity: Neural correlates of text-based emoticons
South Korean neuroscientists Ko Woon Kim et al. used fMRI to record brain activation in 18 volunteers who were shown various expressive text symbols, in both the Asian 'vertical' and Western 'horizontal' styles:
However, it turned out that the brain doesn't really respond to emoticons at all: there was no significant difference in the brain response to the real emoticons... Read more »
Kim KW, Lee SW, Choi J, Kim TM, & Jeong B. (2016) Neural correlates of text-based emoticons: a preliminary fMRI study. Brain and behavior, 6(8). PMID: 27547502
- August 26, 2016
- 05:03 AM
- 62 views
A new Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome review
by Joana Guedes in BHD Research Blog
Gupta et al. (2016b) recently published a review about Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome (BHD) exploring the key points and research advances in genetics and pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and disease management.... Read more »
Gupta N, Sunwoo BY, & Kotloff RM. (2016) Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome. Clinics in chest medicine, 37(3), 475-86. PMID: 27514594
- August 26, 2016
- 05:00 AM
- 60 views
Friday Fellow: Six-Spot Burnet
by Piter Boll in Earthling Nature
by Piter Kehoma Boll Found in Europe, today’s Friday Fellow is a nice day-flying moth with beautiful colors and toxic compounds. Scientifically known as Zygaena filipendulae, its common name is six-spot burnet, burnet being the common name of moths in the … Continue reading →... Read more »
Zagrobelny, M., Bak, S., Olsen, C., & Møller, B. (2007) Intimate roles for cyanogenic glucosides in the life cycle of Zygaena filipendulae (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae). Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 37(11), 1189-1197. DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2007.07.008
- August 26, 2016
- 03:38 AM
- 62 views
What does the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) actually measure?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
"Higher AQ [Autism Spectrum Quotient] scores were associated with higher scores of loneliness, social anxiety, depression, and anxiety, as well as with lower scores of quality of life (QoL)."Those were some of the key findings reported by Phil Reed and colleagues [1] who used the very popular 'are you autistic?' AQ screening tool to look at the presence of autistic traits "along with depression, anxiety, loneliness, quality of life, and social anxiety" in a University student cohort (N........ Read more »
Reed, P., Giles, A., Gavin, M., Carter, N., & Osborne, L. (2016) Loneliness and Social Anxiety Mediate the Relationship between Autism Quotient and Quality of Life in University Students. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-016-9504-2
- August 25, 2016
- 03:48 PM
- 83 views
Polar Bears Stubbornly Stick to Habitats, Even as Ice Melts
by Elizabeth Preston in Inkfish
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the polar bear. "Everything seems normal to me! Watch out for that puddle."
Up in the Arctic, things are getting slushy. But some polar bears are refusing to change their ways. Instead of compromising on where they spend their time, they're clinging to the icy habitats they've always loved. As those habitats keep shrinking, though, the bears will eventually find things too crowded and uncomfortable to ignore.
Researchers divide polar bear... Read more »
Wilson RR, Regehr EV, Rode KD, & St Martin M. (2016) Invariant polar bear habitat selection during a period of sea ice loss. Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society, 283(1836). PMID: 27534959
- August 25, 2016
- 02:50 PM
- 88 views
The relationship between low physical activity and psychotic symptoms
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Physical activity can help reduce cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in people with psychological problems. However, there is limited data on exercise in people with serious mental disorders, especially from low- and middle-income countries. This study explored whether complying with the World Health Organization recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous exercise per week is related to psychotic symptoms or the diagnosis of a psychosis.
... Read more »
Brendon Stubbs, Ai Koyanagi, Felipe Schuch, Joseph Firth, Simon Rosenbaum, Fiona Gaughran, James Mugisha, & Davy Vancampfort. (2016) Physical Activity Levels and Psychosis: A Mediation Analysis of Factors Influencing Physical Activity Target Achievement Among 204 186 People Across 46 Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Schizophrenia bulletin . info:/10.1093/schbul/sbw111
- August 25, 2016
- 09:40 AM
- 98 views
How to rebuild a brain
by gdw in FictionalFieldwork
After the stroke The human brain is complicated. Very complicated. And like any piece of complex machinery that relies on the smooth functioning of many components, it’s not immune to malfunction. When a part of the brain doesn’t get proper nutrition through a nice and smooth blood flow, things go awry and a stroke occurs. […]... Read more »
Chowdhury R, Stevens S, Gorman D, Pan A, Warnakula S, Chowdhury S, Ward H, Johnson L, Crowe F, Hu FB.... (2012) Association between fish consumption, long chain omega 3 fatty acids, and risk of cerebrovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). PMID: 23112118
Hurst K, Lee R, Sideso E, Giles M, & Handa A. (2016) Delays in the presentation to stroke services of patients with transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke. The British journal of surgery. PMID: 27529453
Mayurasakorn K, Niatsetskaya ZV, Sosunov SA, Williams JJ, Zirpoli H, Vlasakov I, Deckelbaum RJ, & Ten VS. (2016) DHA but Not EPA Emulsions Preserve Neurological and Mitochondrial Function after Brain Hypoxia-Ischemia in Neonatal Mice. PloS one, 11(8). PMID: 27513579
Wang Y, Zhao Z, Rege SV, Wang M, Si G, Zhou Y, Wang S, Griffin JH, Goldman SA, & Zlokovic BV. (2016) 3K3A-activated protein C stimulates postischemic neuronal repair by human neural stem cells in mice. Nature medicine. PMID: 27548576
- August 25, 2016
- 03:45 AM
- 82 views
Hospitalisation for infection and risk of death by suicide
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
"An increased risk of death by suicide was found among individuals hospitalized with infection in prospective and dose-response relationships. These findings indicate that infections may have a relevant role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of suicidal behavior."Some intriguing data has been recently reported by Helene Lund-Sørensen and colleagues [1] (open-access) examining the possibility that certain types of infection (or perhaps the biological response to infection) might inc........ Read more »
Lund-Sørensen H, Benros ME, Madsen T, Sørensen HJ, Eaton WW, Postolache TT, Nordentoft M, & Erlangsen A. (2016) A Nationwide Cohort Study of the Association Between Hospitalization With Infection and Risk of Death by Suicide. JAMA psychiatry. PMID: 27532502
- August 24, 2016
- 02:51 PM
- 111 views
How long do you want to live? Your expectations for old age matter
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Why do some people want to live a very long time, while others would prefer to die relatively young? In a latest study, a team of researchers investigated how long young and middle-aged adults in the United States say they want to live in relation to a number of personal characteristics. The results showed that more than one out of six people would prefer to die younger than age 80, before reaching average life expectancy.
... Read more »
BOWEN, C., & SKIRBEKK, V. (2016) Old age expectations are related to how long people want to live. Ageing and Society, 1-26. DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X16000726
- August 24, 2016
- 07:30 AM
- 86 views
Epigenetics of Early Pregnancy Loss: Hypomethylation and Genetic Instability May Contribute to Decreased Implantation Potential of Monosomy Blastocysts
by Blair McCallie in EpiBeat
Aneuploidy is the leading cause of miscarriage, stillbirth, and congenital birth defects and occurs as a result of errors during meiotic or mitotic cell division.1 As a woman ages, the probability of an aneuploid conception significantly rises, to roughly 50% by the age of 40.2 Only a fraction of full aneuploidies, primarily trisomies, will develop past the first trimester. This is in contrast to monosomies that almost never implant or result in an ongoing pregnancy. DNA methylation is an epi........ Read more »
McCallie BR, Parks JC, Patton AL, Griffin DK, Schoolcraft WB, & Katz-Jaffe MG. (2016) Hypomethylation and Genetic Instability in Monosomy Blastocysts May Contribute to Decreased Implantation Potential. PloS one, 11(7). PMID: 27434648
Hassold T, Hall H, & Hunt P. (2007) The origin of human aneuploidy: where we have been, where we are going. Human molecular genetics. PMID: 17911163
Grewal, S. (2003) Heterochromatin and Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression. Science, 301(5634), 798-802. DOI: 10.1126/science.1086887
Messerschmidt DM, Knowles BB, & Solter D. (2014) DNA methylation dynamics during epigenetic reprogramming in the germline and preimplantation embryos. Genes , 28(8), 812-28. PMID: 24736841
Kahlem, P. (2004) Transcript Level Alterations Reflect Gene Dosage Effects Across Multiple Tissues in a Mouse Model of Down Syndrome. Genome Research, 14(7), 1258-1267. DOI: 10.1101/gr.1951304
- August 24, 2016
- 04:13 AM
- 99 views
ALSPAC says maybe to link between prenatal paracetamol exposure and childhood behavioural difficulties
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
ALSPAC - the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - continues to give in research terms as today I approach the findings reported by Evie Stergiakouli and colleagues [1]. They observed that: "Children exposed to acetaminophen [paracetamol] prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties, and the associations do not appear to be explained by unmeasured behavioral or social factors linked to acetaminophen use insofar as they are not observed........ Read more »
Stergiakouli, E., Thapar, A., & Davey Smith, G. (2016) Association of Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy With Behavioral Problems in Childhood. JAMA Pediatrics. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.1775
- August 24, 2016
- 03:05 AM
- 80 views
Keeping Your “Ion” The Ball – Salts and Life
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
Lost at sea is no way to go to your everlasting reward. Sit in the sunshine too long and you lose your salts and all your functions go bonkers. Drink seawater and you end up with too much sodium and potassium and go nuts. Either way your dead, and it all has to do with your body’s tipping point and the kidney’s function in maintaining an osmotic potential. What is weirder - licorice can cause just about the same problem. ... Read more »
Räikkönen, K., Seckl, J., Heinonen, K., Pyhälä, R., Feldt, K., Jones, A., Pesonen, A., Phillips, D., Lahti, J., Järvenpää, A.... (2010) Maternal prenatal licorice consumption alters hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis function in children. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35(10), 1587-1593. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.04.010
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