Capital "S"

29 March 2011 - Bullied Mouse Braaaaiiiins

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

I reserve the right to skip blogging for the next few weeks if:

I wind up getting that wrist surgery I desperately need
There is not time for at least four hours of sleep
I'm rushing through several weeks of material to pass the last couple of weeks of class I have left
I'm out of town (a-freakin-gain)

Hilariously, that means I might not be blogging much. But every morning that I can, I will! Yaaaayscience.

No really, ya can't make this up. I currently have enough obligations in my life to keep a small village busy and I'm searching for change in the couch to fill my gas tank (how do I manage to be in a different town one-two times a week when I work every single night? Hey, overtime will cover it, right? Right? RIGHT??)

Enough of that. Y'all have your busies, too, and that's why I do this thing!

Today's post is on mouse brains.

It seems like basic logic that a mouse who is bullied learns to be more cautious around new mice, but there's more to it than that. Mice were placed in with bigger, meaner mice for ten minutes (I breed mice, and this makes me cringe to think about - they don't need that ten minutes to kill each other if they're serious!), then separated but left close enough to still induce stress. They then tried placing the mice with larger, but nonthreatening (how do they figure...) mice and noted behavioral changes consistent with fear, anxiety, and cautiousness. They then checked out the brain and noted that they had a markedly higher sensitivity to vasporessin, an important hormone associated with the behavior (and other behaviors, including in people).

Mice that were given vasopressin blockers showed less of the wary behavior when placed in with the nonthreatening mice.

You know, I am absolutely FOR using animals in labs. I believe we have excellent standards in place by IACUC and have seen firsthand how strict the inspections are. But man, the mouse breeder in me just really knows how serious male aggression in mice is. They don't need ten minutes, man. In an enclosure with little or no cover, they can rip each other right apart. It's like cichlids. Just, yipes.

What I'm REALLY curious about is how they tested with "non-threatening" mice. One assumes, based on the territorial statement in the article, that the mice being tested are male. Females can be aggressive but this is pretty rare and short-lived as they sort out a pecking order in the colony. So if you're putting in nonthreatening mice to examine followup behaviors, how do you get a nonthreatening mouse? It has to be male, or you have to take into account sexual hormones. It has to be a nonfamiliar mouse or you have to take into account imprinting and familiarity, which can also incorporate hormones and scent. So you have to have a completely new, male mouse.

Just how do you plan on getting new mouse not to attack? Eh, I know there is a lot more going on than the summary shows, but I would LOVE to read the actual paper. Alas, I have only access to the abstract. :)

See you guys soon!
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Mouse Bullies (Physorg):
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-bullying-brain-chemistry-anxiety.html

Mouse Bullies with Bigger Words (ScienceDirect):

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0P-52C3K4S-2&_user=10&_coverDate=03%2F11%2F2011&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_origin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b963eecbd72b883ea4fa2181c97afa12&searchtype=a

Nope

2011-03-16T04:33:00.000-05:00

I am just gonna keep on being lame until...oh...Thursday? Or Friday. Reason? My second round of exams, a project, a few writing assignments, and all the non-school things that life throws atcha.

Sorry, guys. I gotta prioritize this week. :( There's been a lot of espresso. A looooot of espresso. I'll tweet when I can but mostly I'm gonna be nose-in-the-books.

-Miss Mouse

15 March 2011

2011-03-15T05:50:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry. I started to research for this post, but I simply can't.

This morning my rat passed away. My fiance found her dead in her cage on our way out the door to deliver the rescued puppy to his new home two hours South. It hailed on us halfway to our destination with rains so heavy we could barely see the road, let alone other cars. Upon being given the chance to explore his new backyard once he arrived, in only sprinkling rain, the puppy chose to hide fearfully underneath a trailor, too low to the ground and muddy for us to get under it and pull him back out. Then it started to pour.

We finally got puppy out, dried off, and left with his new home and drove back to town. We had to scrape together pocket change to make the trip thanks to gas prices and our own not-so-fortunate situation.

I arrive at work at 11 PM like usual, pull up my homework, and discover who my group members were for our online group project. I then discover they did the majority of the thing a week early and have since assumed I'm not participating.

Then I get three texts from my mother - one that the rabbit I've had since I was a little girl (he's old like crazy) hasn't been able to get up or eat for the past three days and will only take water out of a spoon. The other two texts were picture messages of my dying pet. He will be put to sleep in the morning if he survives that long.

I'm so sorry I'm such a bummer tonight guys. I simply cannot pull my mind together enough for Science today. I promise this isn't going to be another indefinite break - I will be back at 6 AM tomorrow, provided my house doesn't burn down and I don't get in a horrible car accident.

-Miss Mouse

P.S. - About a zillion other people are having way worse days than me right now, so if you have ten dollars you can part with, hold off on the pizza with extra anchovies or whatever the heck your vice may be for one more paycheck, and consider donating to those affected in Japan right now. If you know someone over there, remember that not hearing from them doesn't necessarily mean anything - communication is pretty tough to manage right now.

Probably the easiest way to donate is by texting REDCROSS to 90999. You'll get a $10 donation on your phone bill. Voila. Even if you need every cent you have like me, go walk the parking lot in front of your grocery store. Betcha can find enough change to toss into the cause. :)

14 March 2011 - Mousey Smells

2011-03-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Hey you know that stuff that was keeping me busy this weekend? Well, it went from a guy who scared the crap out of it to a very loving, quiet, happy home, and is being dropped off there in the morning. :)

Lately, that's pretty much what I do.

Oh yeah, and twittering might be lax between now and Wednesday evening thanks to a fresh bout of tests being launched on me during the period of time most students are using to ~~drink their livers rotten~~ catch up in their studies. So I'm sorry...priorities, ya know. Posting shall continue, though.

Today's story is aboot mouse noses. Baby mouse noses. Because nothing could be more adorable (unless you hate mice).

You might already know that much of how young mice recognize each other (well really, recognize any other mice) is by smell, but it turns out this isn't already set up before they are born. It takes a little while for the neurons in their noses to mature enough to identify mom as mom, and siblings as siblings. It's probably the olfactory marker protein (OMP) that causes this essential development to occur.

In normal mouse pups, the choice to nurse/snuggle with mom won out 78% over that of another lactating female, but in mouse pups with no OMP, they failed to make the distinction at all. Cool, right? I know not everyone is thinking "man, that is really useful information for when I have a litter of orphaned mouse pups and need to find an appropriate foster mother that won't eat them that they'll actively nurse from," but it is an important point of development for more than just mice. I wasn't under the impression that human infants identified mom by smell, though, but I do know that smell is an extremely important influence on people of any age and, thanks to conditioning, is an excellent way to trigger memories.

...Maybe this is why mom's cooking is always best?

Or maybe it's just interesting.

See you guys tomorrow,
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Wiggly baby mouse nosies
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-mouse-nose-nerve-cells-mature.html

No Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-03-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry guys, I can't squeeze in a weekend post this time. Something came up:

Be back Monday morning, bright and early!!

-Miss Mouse

11 March 2011 - I'll Take a Super Awesome Latte, Please

2011-03-11T06:00:00.001-06:00

Normally I absolutely detest studies and articles based solely on "linked." "Link found between," "blah and blargitty may be linked," "Is such linked to and-such?" Those headlines drive me bonkers.

Any scientist will tell you that a LINK means nothing. Maybe if you mean between two genes, sure, but if your link is noticing that people who breathe also take showers you may be missing something. I liked this article, though, so I'm sharing it.

It's about coffee (and now you know why I like it). I am only a little ashamed.

For aboot ten years, researchers monitored a group of about 35,000 women (a little less, actually) and their coffee intake. They looked at several other factors and adjusted for them, with a result that women who drank very little or no coffee at all experienced a higher chance at having a stroke. I am extremely hesitant to believe a study like this (because SO many factors can mess it up, like I mentioned before), but it's nice to hear good things about coffee. Guess we better keep an eye on that bit about Colombian coffee being hit hard by the heat and weather!

The article mentions that it's too soon to go chugging coffee just because of their results. If you're like me, though, you don't need a reason!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Coffee Beats Up Strokes:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-coffee-linked-women.html
Colombian Coffee Yields Dropping; Thanks a LOT, Weather:
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/peak-coffee/

10 March 2011 - Anxious Meeces

2011-03-10T05:23:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I love mice. I loooove mice. Mice are amazing, useful, and interesting creatures. It's always nice to see research done with them because it almost always directly applies itself to understanding them better, and not just whatever was being researched. I am always game for learning more about mice.

So anyways - scientists found that while mice are normally very hesitant about wandering out into open spaces where they could be nabbed by a predator, this fear can actually be manipulated. They targeted specific connections in the amygdalae of the brain (or between them, I believe), which when increased in activity caused the mice to become bolder and venture out. When dampened, however, the mice became more anxious and stuck more frequently to the walls. Basically, controlling this portion of the brain's activity allowed researchers to adjust the amount of anxiety the mice experienced.

Tye_Deisseroth_Supplementary Movie from Deisseroth Lab on Vimeo.

The implication of course is that anxiety in people can one day be similarly treated. We're still quite a long way from that, but it's an interesting observation that will definitely lend itself to the study of anxiety, which in people is currently extremely difficult to treat!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Mouse Braaaaaiiinns:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/70833/title/Anxiety_switch_makes_mice_shy_no_more

9 March 2011 - Checkin' Out ADAM

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

I wanted to make an Adam and Eve joke, or a bioshock reference, but I am so not witty tonight. Blargrarrgragurgle.

SO. ADAM-12 is a gene which is normally only slightly active in adults. It goes up in people who have cancer and some other problems, or normally when a person is pregnant. Scientists noted that in normal people an inhibitor is present to keep ADAM-12 down (or in parts of the body where less should be present, such as in pregnant women), so they're hypothesizing that with a little more research, an inhibitor or some kind of co-factor that goes along with ADAM-12 could be the answer to controlling the spread of cancer and other problems. It kinda makes sense, they just gotta figure out how it works and what is causing the change. For now we know ADAM-12 plays a role in keeping cells together, so it's a good lead.

Personally I'm not real positive they're looking at a cause so much as just another symptom, but I look forward to hearing what they find out! In the meantime, it just strikes me as "hey we noticed something! *Looks closer* Now what does it mean?" If they can figure it out, though, it'll be another great addition to the ever-gaining-momentum race to cure cancer! :)

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
It can also be...an arthritis cure:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-adam-gene-key-cancer-arthritis.html

8 March 2011 - More Movie References!

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

One o' these days I'm gonna get my butt sued. In the meantime, I'm just going to post another story that got my attention - and immediately triggered a memory from my childhood:

Remember when Luke got his hand chopped off and all they had to do to fix it was robotically attach a prosthetic hand? Yeah. That was awesome.

Well, in today's story, UCLA did something just as awesome - a hand transplant. It was only the thirteenth in the US and only four hospitals in the nation do it. Okay, when I say it like that it doesn't sound that impressive, but think about it - they attached a whole new, live, real hand from a donor to a recipient, who had lost her hand five years before. It took 17 people and 14.5 hours, and they're using the surgery and recovery for data that can apply to several different things, including keeping the body from rejecting it, where in the brain controls what hand movements, etc.

I would be especially interested to hear how function in the hand goes - they mention reattaching muscles and vessels and whatnot, but what about nerves? Will they be able to feel the hand? Feel things WITH the hand? I don't know, but I'm psyched about finding out.

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
"Luke, I Am Your Father... but I'm Not Donating My Hand to You":
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/574161/

7 March 2011 - It Came from Outer Space

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

I think when I expected to write a blog for Monday morning that more would have happened on the weekend. So today we have an article about possible aliens in meteorites. And by "aliens" I mean bacteria. Still exciting, but uninterested in Reece's Pieces.

A fella from NASA with an extensive resume of poking bacteria (see article) cracked open a few meteorites and published his very interesting findings Friday. That paper explained fossilized bacteria he had found inside that he believes originated off-planet. Obviously this is causing a big stir and a lot of reviews, in addition to re-raising the argument on the origin of life and cells as we know them. I will be excited to see how it turns out! Numerous experts/professionals have been invited to review the paper, and I foresee a lot of passionate critiques in both directions.

Photo from article, copyright PNAS

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Aliens in Rocks
http://topicfire.com/share/News-Flash-NASA-Scientist-Solid-Evidence-of-ET-Fossil-Life-in-Meteorite-Fragment-16997301.html

6 March 2011 - Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-03-06T10:55:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! I gotta write this one REALLY fast. I'm about to head out for an 8 hour drive, so it counts as a busy day! :) It's also shorter than it should be, I'm sorry. I'm literally about to rush out the door!

Nifty Stories from This Week

I really like the mind-control, I mean memory enhancing or erasing, story from a couple of days ago and I'd love to highlight that one. By controlling an enzyme in rat brains, one can either enhance or get completely rid of a memory, no matter how long it's been since that memory was initially formed. This has the initially obvious uses like helping people with anxiety problems, recovered memories, loss of memory, etc., but if you ask me, points directly toward this:

Second for today is a particularly creepy article about four new species of fungus found in the Brazilian rainforest. You know that parasite that gets into an ant's brain, makes it walk up to the top of a blade of grass, and forces it to wait there to be ingested? This is kind of like that, except these fungi turn the ants into zombies, makes them crawl onto some kind of vegetation above the forest floor, locks their jaws onto the plant/thing, and sprouts out of the back of their neck to release spores that fly off into the sunset. Holy ew.

Okay, I gotta run!!! See you guys tomorrow!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Memory Zapper:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-enzyme-erases-long-term-memories-rats.html
Zombie Ants:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-parasitic-fungi-ants-zombies.html

4 March 2011 - Making Blood Cells Too Hoss for HIV

2011-03-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday it was all about luring viruses into trap protocells. Welp, today it's all about treating/preventing HIV infection by beefing up the blood cells.

Also it appears that while the metaphor for other viruses is apparently bees that can only sting you once, the metaphor for HIV is apparently a seemingly friendly Avon salesperson who asks to enter but is actually a vampire and rips your cell's head off.

The article for today explains that a new genetic treatment takes typically infected cells (juicy-looking unsuspecting citizens who open their doors at the stroke of midnight), and alters them so that the means by which HIV usually enters them is no longer available, via causing it to remove the gene for it (convinces said citizen to take down the whole door and build a wall where it used to be). Then, when HIV comes a-knockin', it can't be let in. Trials seem to be a success, with the cells multiplying in the body a year later (...then a whole neighborhood was built with no doors and the HIV vampire starved to death?).

Hey, this one-story-a-day thing and wrapup-on-the-weekend thing seems to be working out a lot better for me. I'm even getting stories written early, and that's never happened before! Let me know what you guys think!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Beefy Blood Cells Keepin' Out HIV
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20928023.300-genetic-treatment-closes-door-on-hiv.html

3 March 2011 - Winnie the Pooh Lays the Smackdown on Viruses

2011-03-03T06:00:00.004-06:00

Or at least his honey pot does. Or cells they're calling honey-pot cells. Same diff.

They're actually artificially designed cells made to appear like delicious virus targets. However, since viruses can only infect a cell once, by attacking the decoy, fake cells, they then become inactive. The researchers tested their "honey pot protocells" by using virus particles altered to cause infected cells to fluoresce, thereby visually showing the near-100% success rate. They're hypothesizing that since this uses the virus's own mode of infection, viruses will be less likely to "grow immune" to the cells. Clever, ya? Details at the link!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links

Honey Pot Virus-Killas: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/574035/

Let's Try Something New, Shall We?

2011-03-02T08:51:00.000-06:00

If you're reading this, you're basically a wonderful person for stickin' with me. My life's been upside down, sideways, and really tangled lately! My goal with this blog was to be a reliably up-to-date news source on all worlds of Science, for all those interested in Science. I don't feel like I meet that goal when I only post every month or two, so I want to try something new out and see if I can make the time for it.

Twitter will go on as usual. My favorite part about this is being able to offer those headlines sooner than other sources, and immediately on the site without having to wait to post a full blog. That part's a success and shall continue. Each week day, however, in the morning, I'll sum up just one very interesting article from the day before. That's a lot easier on me because I sleep in the day when the Science is happening, so I don't get a chance to read and report on all of it until the evening and early morning hours. Wake up to Science. Dig it?

Each Saturday, the hope is to write a longer, normal post wrapping up other big stories from the week. Kinda like how my posts have been up until now - between three and five awesome stories from all different fields and sources. Like I said - headlines will continue as usual on Twitter (right-hand side of the page), so you won't miss a thing during the week!

Let's see if I can pull that off, ya? I'll already be on blogger once a day anyways to update the Pet-of-the-Day on my vet techy blog over here. Totally doable. Come on, lady, YOU CAN DO IT.

SO. Today's story!

Tooooxoooplasmoooosiiiisss...

Is one of my favorite diseases. Ebola is my most favorite, but Toxoplasmosis is one of those ones that comes up quite a bit when you work with cats! In any case, researchers studying it have demonstrated that the "centrocone" behaves as a "master organizer" of other "chromosomes," illuminating the "processes" involved in "parasitic" cell "division." "."

Actually this is very cool. All chromosomes remained bound by the spindles even when not actively dividing. This is especially interesting because those cells probably behave differently during different life cycles of Toxoplasma gondii. Not only does this advance our understanding of Toxoplasmosis, which affects millions of people and is frequently symptomless BUT can cause severe birth defects, BUT it also carries over to other organisms like Malaria. Read the full article below!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Toxoplasmosis & Chromosomes: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-previously-unknown-role-cell-division.html

5 February 2011 - Cancer.

2011-02-05T17:28:00.002-06:00

I went ahead and changed the Tue-Thur-Sun Schedule on the site header because...well we all know how dependable I am! So yes. I sure do wish blogging was all I did all day! Instead, here is a picture of a kitten:

That's in my office. Only a few days older. Lookitthelittlenose.

Anyhoo.

Today, I'd like to talk about a couple of stories I very recently tweeted regarding cancer. Oh, by the way - I noticed that twitter gadget was a little bit of fail, so to make it easier for you guys to use from the site I've switched to the Twitter-created version. Stories should now open in a new tab or window, making it easier for you to read each and come back to the list. :) Okay, anyways, CANCER.

First, something called "Cornell dots." Earlier today I was ranting and raving about how nutty the FDA could get, but here, we see they've graciously permitted the testing of something really nifty - inorganic, tiny dye beads inside a small silica ball. The little balls are small enough to safely pass from the body, as well as being coated with "don't-destroy-me" chemicals. Organic binding bits are stuck to the little dye nanoparticles, making them seek out and stick to tumor cells. Once exposed to "near-infrared" light, they fluoresce brightly, allowing examiners to spot problem sites very easily. They're using radioactivity to double-check results, and will be looking for how long it takes the particles to reach and tag different organ systems, and the length of time needed to leave the body.

Next, most people recognize that sun damage ups your risk for skin cancer, specifically melanoma, but exactly HOW that occurs is still a bit foggy. Well, new research based on previous findings (that a certain kind of interferon moving when exposed to UVB radiation can actually lead to cancerous growth) shows that adding a drug that may block that interferon's activity enough to prevent or halt cancer growth. I don't think there are results on that yet, but it'll be interesting to see where this goes, fo sho.

Mmkay, I know this one was brief, but there was a kitten, so you can't blame me. :) Keep reading the twitter feed, and I'll be around!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Cancer Dots
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110205162831.htm

More "we're-at-least-onto-something" Science
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110205141314.htm

17 December 2010 - HIV

2010-12-17T02:32:00.000-06:00

I can't do a full blog post today (which counts as Thursday's...sorry if my posts are late, being nocturnal messes with your days a bit), but I can do a partial one. I'm packing up and getting ready to go out of state on Saturday, so I've missed a lot on Twitter and don't have a bunch of time to blog.

I'll be heading out Saturday, and I'm not yet sure if I'll be blogging there or not. It kind of just depends on how much time I have and how frustrated I get trying to type out an entire post with links in my cell phone (no internet where I'm headed). Perhaps just blurbs when something particularly interesting finds its way to my screen. I WILL still tweet articles, though, and I'll be back in town on the 28th or 29th.

The biggest thing I've seen since last post was a story about a man who is tentatively being announced as cured of HIV. He underwent a bone marrow transplant four years ago from someone with a genetic immunity (resistance?) to the virus. Since then, his tissues have been tested for the virus and he's been clear so far. The two big concerns about his case are first, that it's tough to really be sure he's done with HIV. The virus can hide out undetected, occurring years down the road. The second concern is that this treatment is not practical to be performed on anyone else. Bone marrow transplants are dangerous and not approved for HIV, but if it proved anything, it proved that the gene can make a difference in an already-infected individual. The case points to gene therapy in future research.

Here's the article at Reuters.

Heh, the comments are kind of amazing:

"If we stop paying “research scientists?” we may just find the correct cure. If you cannot do the job, get another source of income. that goes for all research institutes."

Nice!

Oh, of course! *doh!* If we don't PAY them, an answer will just fall into our laps! Geniuses with expensive degrees work for free! XD I don't see you working OT in a lab, buddy.

Okay okay, enough with the sarcasm. HIV has become sort of the ultimate task over the years, so it's nice to see a mark of progress amongst the reports of leads. Suspicious comments or no. Have a great one, and I'll see you guys sooner/later!

Later gators,

-Miss Mouse

15 December 2010 - O What a Slacker I Be (Gene Machines and Zombie-Food)

2010-12-15T02:22:00.000-06:00

Or maybe there just hasn't been much Science in the news lately. I'm hoping to make the switch in the near(ish) future from relying wholly on news sources for my info to actually reading *gasp* the papers. Wouldn't that be sweet? One of these days I'm going to have to get back to big-people college. I miss micro. Hell, I kind of even miss genetics. Having a huge library of mouse papers to peruse for the cost of tuition was pretty damned enviable, for that matter.

Okay, I really should not hate on my current college (which I adore). I'm being tested on a ~~surprising~~ pleasant amount of micro and pathology in my vet tech degree. ;)

Sorry if I'm missing big stories - feel free to point them out if you don't spot them on the twitter feed or here. I work nights now, and unfortunately, most of the big stuff gets posted during the daylight hours when I'm fast asleep! I do my best, though. :) Follow me on Twitter if you don't want to mess with the tweetish widget.

Onward!

First today isn't really Science, but...for Science. A company (surely they aren't the only one with the goal!) is pushing gene sequencers down the same path as computers took way back when - making them smaller, faster, and more affordable. They don't seem to pack a lot of oomph yet, but for those of us interested in genomes that are not as big as our own, they seem pretty darn flashy. They seem aimed more at...well...me, than people with their own labs, but perhaps they can take a little outta the grant budget and let more dinero go to other equipment? Check out the link at the end of the post for more info.

Oh, and a study out of the University of South Florida took a peek at how umbilical cord blood cells (the same cells mentioned over and over again in stem cell debates) affect the hippocampal neurons of the aging brain - rat, in this case. Normally, this is the first area of the brain to show the effects of aging, especially in cases with Alzheimer's or other cognitive age-related disorders. However, when HUBCs were given, the neurons appeared to be both protected and stimulated to actually grow. Just how they helped is still speculation, but for now it's exciting to note that HUBCs may be part of the answer to disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and others!

That's all you get today. Told you there hasn't been a whole lot to write about! At least I'm writing, right? Right?

See ya!
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Big Talk, Little Machine
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BD1KN20101214
Young Cells vs. Old Brain Bits
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101214142741.htm

Testing, Testing, Uno Dos Tres!

2010-12-07T10:36:00.001-06:00

First, I must point out if I haven't already, that the twitter feed has gone from updating once every now and then to multiple times a day. It's great stuff, even if I don't write about all of it, and I highly recommend checkin it out.

Also, I just realized the twitter widget insists on opening all links in the widget instead of in a new page. Sorry 'bout that. I'll fix it when I figure out how.

ALSO, I'm writing this on my phone to try it out...but the lack of formatting is driving me le-bonkers. Meh. Hence the testing.

So! If you haven't already, I really recommend reading both the paper and critique of the arsenic bacteria so frequently discussed lately. The blogged response and link is here: http://bit.ly/he8ECs

Sorry about this not really being an awesome post. I'm pretty zonked. There really is a ton of snazzy Science on the feed, check it. Be back soon!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

4 October 2010 - OCD, Breath-taking Treatments, and Terminal Cancer

2010-10-04T16:52:00.002-05:00

Sunday's post is a day late, thanks to a severe case of the homeworks. Actually, Tuesday's might not come at all due to the same extensive case, which will be culminating in four simultaneous tests. :( I'll be twittering my butt off now, though, since I have *gasp* my computer back!!

Today, I have a hefty dose of Vitamin Soft-Sciences. And I'm going to spew it all over your computer screens.

Enough of that.

First up today is a study utilizing electrodes to treat otherwise unresponsive OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder. The study, published in the October Archives of General Psychiatry, implanted electrodes in the nucleus accumbens portion of the brain (which plays a role in rewards) in 16 patients whose OCD was unaffected by other treatments. Then the study took place in three parts. First, active stimulation (whatever that implies) was given over an eight month period to all participants, during which they were assessed for symptoms every two weeks using a 40 point scale. Then comes the double-blind portion, in which for one month the patients were randomly assigned treatment or having the electrodes turned off for two weeks at a time. Much assessing took place. Finally, a year of stimulation again with 3-month assessments. So...did it work? Kinda! Nine patients responded appreciably and decreases in symptoms were pretty evident (check out the link at bottom for details). Side effects were forgetfulness and...uh...what's the term for...er...oh, right, word-finding problems.

While we have brains on the brain, there are also new and exciting findings concerning the breath-holding symptoms of Rett Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder affecting 1 in 10,000 girls. Breathing problems is just one of the symptoms, and can be lethal (not to mention terrifying). Researchers found that in a mouse model with Rett Syndrome, the portion of the brain that controls breathing was actually low on a transmitter, aminobutyric acid. So, by supplementing the aminobutyric acid and also stimulating a certain type of receptor, they successfully stopped the mouse's breathing problems, all using drugs already approved by the FDA. Hopefully this approach will be made available quickly to help those who need it!

Last for today, because I've got quite a bit of studying to get to, new information has been found regarding terminal cancers and how to stop them in their latest stages. Before, there didn't seem to be much you could do once the cancer had "spread." Now, however, research is starting to show how those cancers spread and ways to target that method - specifically, something called platelet endothelial cell adhesion 1...or PECAM-1. By creating an antibody, the anti-PECAM-1 antibody, a new approach becomes available for combatting several types of terminal cancers. Details are in the link at the bottom of this post, but beware, it's a little full of itself. :p

See you later!
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Shockingly OCD
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/569171/
Okay, you can breathe now
http://www.physorg.com/news205425548.html
It's not over til it's over (Cancer, I mean)
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/568884/

30 September 2010 - Bashful Apologizing, Nifty Site, New Planet, and Teeth.

2010-09-30T03:40:00.001-05:00

I am super bad at the blogging right now, I'm so sorry. I keep getting ready to write, pulling up Twitter to view all the delicious Science of the day, and realizing that I can't access my feed on this computer (at least not politely). My own lappy, she is le broken.

When she is le fixed, I will be much more psyched about writing 24-7. In the meantime...call me majorly unreliable. I'm writing a book, though... does that count? :p

I CAN however, peruse the awesomely awesome major Sci news sites and pick out a few intermesting headliners for ya. Here ye be:

First is not news at all, but this really cool site I found while trying to figure out what the disappearing "star" in the sky was. By entering your coordinates in this site, you can find all kinds of nifty things going on when you look up (provided it isn't terribly cloudy).

Also on the topic of the world beyond our atmosphere, I'm really, really excited about this: a potentially habitable planet has been located circling the red dwarf Gliese 581 in the Libra constellation, 20 light years away. Actually, two new planets were found, but one in particular seems to be in the ideal position to sustain life. It's approximately 3 or 4 times as massive as Earth, orbits the star in about 37 days, and one side is perpetually facing the star (resulting in a wide range of more or less steady temperatures). It's called Gliese 581g, and before we found it (and another, which is apparently a less exciting planet) there were two others, c and d, that were on opposite sides of the habitable zone. One was too hot, one was too cold, and now we have baby bear's planet. One thing I'm not sure I agree with is the claim that the swiftness with which it was detected insinuates a higher rate of occurrence of nearby habitable planets, but I suppose I'm not very good with statistics. One way or another, isn't that neat?

Next, research at the University of Illinois has proven it possible to reattach teeth by buttering them with stem cells. Okay, it isn't quite that simple. Their experiment took stem cells from the mouths of mice, marked and grew them, applied them to rat molars, and attached those where they ought to go. While not the most delightful thing to think about, the results showed the stem cell treated teeth successfully integrated back into the mouth, whereas non-treated teeth had no such luck. The hope is to use the method to battle tooth loss from injuries, dental problems, or even replace missing teeth with false ones in a more true manner.

Mmkay, that's it for tonight. I've got work to do. :) See you soon!
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:
Leave stem cells under your pillow
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100929123630.htm
Baby Bear's Planet G
http://www.physorg.com/news204999128.html

Hey!

2010-07-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

It's definitely been a long time, huh? I was going crazy, I couldn't help it anymore, I had to get back to Science...so here I am!

To start us off tonight, Scientists from a group called NORDynamIC (wow.) have published a paper regarding depression and its effect on treatment for Hepatitis C (and vice versa). The combination of treatments used for chronic HCV can sometimes result in major depression, which was tested via Major Depression Inventory tests, or MDIs. Results showed that of 306 previously non-depressed HCV patients (determined with MDIs), 114 developed major depression over the course of treatment. This would sometimes result in early termination of treatment and lead to lower success rates. Also noted in the study was that a mere 1/3 of those depressed patients were correctly diagnosed for the depression in routine examinations. No fun! A separate U.S. study highlighted lower productivity and higher health benefit costs in chronic HCV-affected employees, as well. To read more, check out the link at the bottom of the post.

Next, in case you haven't heard, a new topical gel has been presented as a preventative for HIV infection in women whose partners do not use protection. The vaginal gel, called tenofovir, comes with a 39% lower chance of infection, and it turns out it also protects against herpesvirus (HSV-2) by 51%! Apparently, HSV-2 infection can increase the chances of contracting HIV, so they're pretty impressive results! I'm not sure I'd rely on those numbers if I didn't have to, but it's absolutely a step in the right direction!

Last for today, a new study of Down's Syndrome mice has taken our knowledge of the matter a step further. According to the article, when an embryonic brain is developing it requires a certain balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. When there are more of chromosome 21's genes Olig1 and Olig2 in Down's Syndrome mice, significantly more inhibitory neurons are produced, throwing the brain's development out of balance. When the two genes were genetically engineered to appear only in their normal quantities...voila! Normal balance! Very cool. Since people have the same two genes, this study will likely have a very large impact on the understanding and future treatment of Down's Syndrome.

Hopefully I'll see you here again on Thursday and be back in the normal swing of things! :)
-Miss Mouse

References and Links:

Sad Hepatitis C Patients

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100720165522.htm

HIV and Herpes Goo

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/07/anti-hiv-gel-also-effective-agai.html

Down's Syndrome Genes
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=2-genes-linked-to-embryonic-brain-impairment-in-downs-syndrome

I'm sorry guys

2010-04-22T23:49:00.002-05:00

My out-of-townness is lasting longer than I'd expected and I just don't have the time online to write about news right now. I promise to be back very soon! Extra posts when I am!

-Miss Mouse

Out of Town - Sowwy!

2010-04-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry guys, I'm going to be out of town this weekend, and I just don't feel well enough today to write a worthwhile post. :\ I'll tweet some interesting headlines right now, though -check out the right hand side of the page.

Come back Tuesday for non-sick, non-out-of-town Science news!

13 April 2010 - Sneaky Brain Cancer Cells, Watery Glue, Monopole Magnets, and Dance-Powered Street Lamps

2010-04-14T06:21:00.001-05:00

Heya!

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start! I guess technically it's Wednesday, but does it still count as Tuesday if I've been up all night? ;)

I found a very interesting article regarding glioblastoma today, a very common and deadly brain cancer. The average patient only survives about 15 months past diagnosis, and closer research may show why. The main tumor generally shoots off occasional cells into the surrounding tissue, which then behave very differently from the growth itself. Those cells are not responsive to the same therapies given to the cancer patients alongside removal of the tumor, and will actually spawn new growths later on. As a result, pretty much every patient with glioblastoma relapses after treatment. Now that the cells have been looked at closer and this fact about their resistance revealed, new treatments to target them as well can start to be explored.

Over at the University of Utah, a lab is checking out sea creatures and their construction habits in an effort to uncover new ideas on underwater adhesives. Specifically, they're looking at Phragmatopoma californica, called the "sandcastle worm," which builds little, compartments for itself via tiny drops of glue and sand bits. Other labs around the country are looking at various other sorts of marine animals looking for clues to apply to the goal. Hopefully the methods they're working toward will aid not only in ocean-stuff, but also have first aid and health applications. Apparently they're making progress, although it is still too soon to try it out on people. :)

Not too long ago scientists managed to actually produce a magnet with only one end - a monopole, but it would only work in very, very cold temperatures. Now, however, an artificial version of this "spin ice" has been created that can behave like a monopole in room temperature. The method employs arranging nano-sized magnets into a honeycomb structure, which as a whole behaves as hoped. Very interesting! I believe the applications lie in quantum computing, but I'd be talking out my rear if I tried to go into more detail.

Last for today is just really neat - France has actually installed and tried out eight modules created by Sustainable Dance Floor on the streets. They're these sections installed into the pavement that generate power when walked across. The goal is to reduce waste in powering city public areas (like street lamps), and to change where that power comes from. Check it out:

Photo: Robin Utrecht/EPA

That's it for today (yesterday?), but check out the twitter feed on the right for more stories I didn't include here. :)

See you Thursday!

-Miss Mouse

References and Links:

Brain Cancer Relapses

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100413095858.htm

Watery Glue

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/science/13adhesive.html

Warmish Magnets

http://www.physorg.com/news190318257.html

DDR Power

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/13/pavement-power-toulouse-streets

11 April 2010 - Stressed Mice, Tuned In Medicine, Drug Resistance, and Viruses Creating Energy

2010-04-11T23:59:00.002-05:00

Hi! Hope everyone had a great weekend. :)

I don't know if you noticed or not, but I added this nifty little Twitter feature to the right hand side of the page, just under "Labels." This is for those of you who don't want to wait for each post to see new headlines! I'll be tweeting links to various articles I find here and there, or retweeting as the case may be. Just a nifty little idea.

First off, experiments in mice have found that the brains of those mice with only one copy of a gene that produces "brain-derived neurotrophic factor," or BDNF, are more affected by stress. Apparently, stress in these mice causes the hippocampus area of the brain to shrink and the dendrites to withdraw, whereas mice with the normal two copies of the gene, and therefore a normal amount of BDNF, show no physical change in that area of the brain. Researchers are now searching to find ways to control the amount of BDNF protein so they can determine when in development supplementation would be most effective. Very interesting!

I know I heard about hallucinogenic testing going on here and there in the recent past, but I just found another article about it. Scientists are gathering in California this week for a pretty big conference on the topic, particularly for use with OCD, end of life anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological disorders. I cannot say this doesn't make me pretty happy. Check out the article link at the bottom of the post to read about various tests and reactions to psilocybin in groovy experiments. :)

Everyone's biggest fear when it comes to antibiotics is that a superbug will become resistant to everything and we'll have nothing left to beat infections with, right? Or is that just mine? In any case, researchers have taken a close look at vancomycin, the "last resort" antibiotic, and actually determined the mechanism by which bacteria develop resistance to it. It had been debated whether bacteria were tipped off to the antibiotic by noticing it directly, or noticing what it was doing to their cell walls. It turns out the former is the case, the knowledge of which may help to develop sneakier antibiotics that could still go unnoticed. Considering the growing number of people who are affected by resistant infections, this is pretty great progress!

Last for the weekend - researchers have devised a more direct method of splitting water molecules for use in solar powered energy...things. Mimicking the photosynthesis process of plants, a group of scientists have utilized a harmless virus in a gel (to hold conformation) to do the splitting so that hydrogen can be stored for use at any time, rather than only when the sun is shining. Original in its particular method, the system is still in its creation phase and needs to become more cost effective, efficient, and complete before going into effect. An end date isn't set, but it's a valuable concept and it's nice to see that it works!

Check out the Twitter feed on the right hand side of the page to see the articles I didn't include today, but were still pretty neat.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you Tuesday!

-Miss mouse

References and Links:

Stressed Out Mice

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100410141344.htm

Psychedelic Medicine

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/science/12psychedelics.html

Resistance!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100411143401.htm

Virus Energy

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100411143403.htm