Biophysicists in Germany are leading an effort to develop and apply models of the so-called lateral-line system found in fish and some amphibians. This sensory organ enables an animal, even in murky water, to map its surroundings and recognize other animals. In a new study, the researchers report mathematical models that capture essential elements of [...]
Continue reading about Fishy Sixth Sense: Mathematical Keys To Fascinating Sense Organ
A small molecule earlier found to have both anti-fat and anti-cancer abilities works as a literal turnoff for fat-making genes, according to a new report.
Continue reading about ‘Fatostatin’ Is A Turnoff For Fat Genes
With the aid of optical imaging technology, researchers have for the first time been able to see how neurons react to electrical stimulation. The neural response to electrical currents isn’t localized, as some had previously thought. Rather, electrical stimulation activates a scattered and widely distributed set of neurons.
A new type of fetal heart monitor could save the lives of unborn infants in complicated pregnancies, according to researchers.
A scientific trend to view the world’s biggest cities as analogous to living, breathing organisms is fostering a deep new understanding of how poor air quality in megacities can harm residents, people living far downwind and also play a major role in global climate change.
Almost 15 percent of preschoolers have atypically high levels of depression and anxiety, according to a new Canadian study. The five-year investigation also found that children with atypically high depression and anxiety levels are more likely to have mothers with a history of depression.
Astronomers have debunked one of astronomy’s long held beliefs about how stars are formed, using a set of galaxies found with CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope. When a cloud of interstellar gas collapses to form stars, the stars range from massive to minute. Since the 1950s astronomers have thought that in a family of new-born stars [...]
Measuring blood flow in the ankle may identify stroke survivors at risk of subsequent events. This test, the ankle brachial index, compares blood flow in the ankle to blood flow in the arm to detect poor circulation caused by fatty plaque buildup in the lower body, a condition known as peripheral artery disease.
A new publication that recommends best practices for the next generation of portable biometric acquisition devices — Mobile ID — has been published by NIST.
Continue reading about Who Are You? Mobile ID Devices Find Out Using NIST Guidelines
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique widely used in studying the human brain. However, it has long been unclear exactly how fMRI signals are generated at brain cell level. This information is crucially important to interpreting these imaging signals. Scientists in Finland have discovered that astrocytes, support cells in brain tissue, play a [...]
Continue reading about More Accurate Interpretation Of Brain Imaging Data