A comprehensive examination of how the unique head and snout affects maneuverability and the role of its electrosensory function for seeking food along the ocean floor San Diego, CA -- Why the peculiar head shape of the hammerhead shark developed as it did has been the subject of much speculation. The dorso-ventrally compressed and laterally expanded pre-branchial head is an unmistakable diagnostic feature of the sphyrnid sharks. This unique head shape has been termed the cephalofoil in recognition of its wing-like appearance. The persistence of the sphyrnid cephalofoil over the past 20-25 million years and its presence in several hammerhead shark species of diverse head morphologies tell of its evolutionary success. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain the evolution of the sphyrnid cephalofoil but few have been empirically tested. Some suggest the cephalofoil acts like a canard to provide hydrodynamic lift and increase maneuvering capabilities. Another hypothesis is that the cephalofoil functions in prey manipulation. Other hypotheses involve potential advantages of spacing sensory structures across the surface or at the lateral ends of the cephalofoil.

Keyword: Pain & Touch; Animal Migration
Link ID: 2526 - Posted: 08.26.2002

Early Detection of Alzheimer's Could Lessen the Impact CHICAGO - Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease is expected to increase as the population of elderly grows. Early diagnosis and treatment will be the key to lessening the disease's worst effects, but, how to spot the disease before its symptoms become serious (and harm is already done) is a challenge for health professionals. A new study by psychologists Konstantine K. Zakzanis, Ph.D., and Mark Boulos, B.Sc., of the University of Toronto has determined that the best predictor of future Alzheimer's type dementia is a verbal memory test. Their study will be presented in Chicago at the 110th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA). In a meta-analysis of 31 studies amounting to 1,144 Alzheimer's patients and 6,046 healthy controls, Zakzanis and Boulos looked at both neuropsychological and neuroimaging tests to determine their ability to detect preclinical dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. They also paired a genetic susceptibility (presence of the ApoE gene) to dementia/Alzheimer's with results on both neuropsychological and neuroanatomic tests again attempting to identify which types of tests would prove most accurate in identifying preclinical disease in patients with the ApoE gene. Specifically, their findings support the use of the California Verbal Learning Test (long delay recall and percent recall) as the best predictor of Alzheimer's type dementia, with executive function type measures also being predictive but less so than both the long and short delay memory tests. © PsycNET 2002 American Psychological Association

Keyword: Alzheimers; Learning & Memory
Link ID: 2525 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Ed Susman UPI Science News From the Science & Technology Desk CHICAGO, (UPI) -- Painless magnetic waves pulsed across the brain appear to relieve depression as well as the more traumatic and standard electro-convulsive shock therapy, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. Called repetitive trans-cranial magnetic stimulation, the experimental procedure, which consists of a series of 20 treatments over a 2-to-4-week period, dramatically improves the condition of people with severe depression, said Sheila Dowd, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "We are really excited by these results," Dowd told United Press International. "I have to admit that we were somewhat skeptical that this procedure would work. We do not know the mechanism of action -- why it works -- but then we really don't know why electro-convulsive therapy works either." Copyright © 2002 United Press International

Keyword: Depression
Link ID: 2524 - Posted: 06.24.2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new survey suggests very few major college athletes suffer from full-blown eating disorders, but slightly more than one in six may exhibit limited symptoms of disordered eating. Results showed that 83 percent of the athletes reported no signs of an eating disorder. Another 15 percent showed some behaviors associated with an eating disorder - such as binge-eating and purging - but not severe enough to be listed as a disorder. The results are mostly good news, but they show that even some elite athletes have eating and body image problems that need to be addressed, said Jennifer Carter, sports psychologist at Ohio State University.

Keyword: Anorexia & Bulimia
Link ID: 2523 - Posted: 08.25.2002

Copyright © 2002 AP Online By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer WASHINGTON - Alarmed by a series of domestic killings and suicides at Fort Bragg, N.C., the Army is sending in a team of health specialists to study a range of possible explanations, officials said Friday. The Army disputed reports that it is focusing mainly on the possibility of a link to use of the anti-malarial drug, Lariam, although officials said this was among the issues to be examined. Lariam was prescribed to troops who fought in Afghanistan. Three of the four soldiers involved in the killings had recently returned from duty there, although the Army will not say how many of them took Lariam. Copyright © 2001 Nando Media

Keyword: Depression; Drug Abuse
Link ID: 2522 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Kay Harris VALDOSTA -- Epileptic seizures affect 1 percent of the population. People can suffer through seizures for years without even knowing it, and the disorder can be misdiagnosed or mistaken for other ailments. The only way to know for sure if a patient is suffering from epileptic episodes is by hooking them up to an EEG (electroencephalograph) which records the electrical activity of the brain. The results are shown as a graph with multiple lines of waves which a doctor can then use to make a diagnosis. Traditional EEG machines are used in an outpatient setting with the patient brought in and hooked up to multiple electrodes for 40 minutes to an hour. If an episode doesn't occur during the time period, it may be missed, and the patient loses work or school time for the test. ©2001 SGAOnline.com. All rights reserved

Keyword: Epilepsy
Link ID: 2521 - Posted: 06.24.2010

A tiny particle found in the spinal fluid of schizophrenia patients is baffling doctors who cannot work out what it is. The Swedish researcher involved has even suggested it might be "a new form of life", although other experts say this is unlikely. However, it could mean that doctors have a reliable test for schizophrenia. The study, led by experts at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, involved giving 22 schizophrenics, and 38 apparently healthy "control" patients lumbar punctures to get a sample of their cerebrospinal fluid. Tiny spherical particles were found in the fluid from 20 of the 22 schizophrenic patients, but only two out of the 38 controls. The study then focused on trying to work out what the particles actually were. First a simple method of scanning for the presence of DNA - basic genetic code - failed to reveal anything. (C) BBC

Keyword: Schizophrenia
Link ID: 2520 - Posted: 08.24.2002

Bruce Bower Plenty of evidence indicates that the recognition of familiar faces depends largely on structures on the right side of the brain's outer layer, or cortex. However, the brain appears to take a sharp left turn in fostering the ability to identify one's own face. That, at least, is the implication of experiments conducted with a so-called split-brain patient. To curb the spread of severe epileptic seizures at age 25, the now-48-year-old man had submitted to a surgical severing of nerve fibers connecting one side of his cortex to the other. If confirmed in studies of people with intact brains, the new investigation indicates that left-brain networks assume primary responsibility for memories and knowledge about oneself, including the key visual distinction between "me" and "others," says a team of neuroscientists led by David J. Turk of Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Personal recognition allows for other types of complex thought, such as empathy and introspection, the scientists note. From Science News, Vol. 162, No. 8, Aug. 24, 2002, p. 118. Copyright ©2002 Science Service. All rights reserved.

Keyword: Laterality
Link ID: 2519 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Mark T. Sampson BOSTON — Researchers are developing a marijuana-derived synthetic compound to relieve pain and inflammation without the mood-altering side effects associated with other marijuana based drugs. They say the compound could improve treatment of a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Their findings were presented at the 224th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The compound, called ajulemic acid, has produced encouraging results in animal studies of pain and inflammation. It is undergoing tests in a group of people with chronic pain and could be available by prescription within two to three years, the researchers say.

Keyword: Pain & Touch
Link ID: 2518 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By BLOOMBERG NEWS LOS ANGELES, (Bloomberg News) — Glaxo- SmithKline, the second-largest drug maker, will not have to pull advertisements for the antidepressant Paxil that call the drug "nonhabit-forming" for at least three weeks after a federal judge lifted a ban on them today. Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer of the United States District Court in Los Angeles stayed her order after the Justice Department on Tuesday argued that only the Food and Drug Administration, which approved the television commercials, has authority to regulate prescription-drug advertising and labeling. Paxil is one of GlaxoSmith- Kline's most-prescribed drugs, with sales of $2.67 billion last year. Users said in a lawsuit that the advertisements for the antidepressant are false and deceptive and that some users experience withdrawals when they stop using the medicine. Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Depression; Drug Abuse
Link ID: 2517 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Ellen Barry, Globe Staff, CHICAGO - There, on a stereoscopic screen strapped to your skull, is the thing that haunts you. If you're a Vietnam veteran, it could be rice paddies, helicopter rotors, B-52s, radio chatter, and men yelling, ''Move out! Move out!'' If you have anger management problems, it could be a red-faced boss ordering you to clear out your desk. If you're a drinker, it could be a bar. The device is a virtual reality simulator, and researchers speaking yesterday at a meeting of the American Psychological Association promised it will one day become a fixture in therapy. © Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.

Keyword: Stress; Learning & Memory
Link ID: 2516 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Abnormal accumulation of two common lipids in motor nerve cells could play a critical role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to investigators at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in Baltimore. The finding could help scientists develop drugs and other treatments that might one day slow or arrest the disease's progression. "ALS is a terrible disease in which a fully functioning mind is trapped inside a body that is becoming progressively paralyzed. At the present time, nothing can be done for ALS, but we hope this newly established link between lipid regulation and the disease will hasten the development of new treatments," said Mark Mattson, Ph.D., lead author of the study* and chief of the NIA Laboratory of Neurosciences. Lipids are the building blocks of fats. The study is available online at the Annals of Neurology website, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/98016376/FILE?TPL=ftx_start and will be published in the journal's September 2002 issue. Also called Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a progressive, fatal neurological disease affecting as many as 20,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases occurring in the United States each year. Patients usually die within five years of diagnosis. ALS occurs when specific nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary movement gradually degenerate. The loss of these motor neurons causes the muscles under their control to weaken and waste away, leading to paralysis. In some instances, the disease is inherited, but in most cases the cause is unknown.

Keyword: ALS-Lou Gehrig's Disease
Link ID: 2515 - Posted: 08.24.2002

Why do some people recover from some noise exposure in a matter of hours or days? Why, in fact, are humans able to make use of the mechanically-sensitive hair cell stereocilia to hear throughout the auditory punishments of a lifetime? Most mechanical systems, when assaulted, break down or cease to function. According to Dr. Bechara Kachar and his colleagues at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Section of Structural Biology, "the answer to this rapid recovery appears to be centered in a "treadmill" of renewal, running from the tip of the sensory stereocilia to its base." The study is published in the 22 August issue of Nature. Earlier, scientists had hypothesized that the stereocilia remained rigid because they were supported by a sturdy backbone made of a crystalline array of cross-linked parallel filaments composed of the protein actin. Actin is a robust protein.

Keyword: Hearing; Regeneration
Link ID: 2514 - Posted: 08.24.2002

Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition Asymmetry could account for a fifth of the variation in romantic jealousy from person to person, says a Canadian researcher. Just about everyone is lopsided to some extent. Hormone imbalances in the womb, for instance, can lead to one foot being bigger than the other. But in recent years, a series of animal and human studies have suggested that the implications of asymmetry go far beyond struggling to find shoes that fit both feet. It seems that people who are more symmetrical are not only healthier, more fertile and perhaps even smarter - they are also more attractive. © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

Keyword: Sexual Behavior
Link ID: 2513 - Posted: 06.24.2010

AFP — People can identify the odor of close family members, but they don't like it, according a researcher who suggests that this helps to prevent incest. A team led by Tiffany Czilli at Detroit's Wayne State University carried out an unusual experiment involving 25 families that had at least two children between six and 15, New Scientist reports. The volunteers slept in the same T-shirt for three consecutive nights so that it was impregnated with their individual smell signature, and they washed using only scent-free soap. Copyright © 2002 Discovery Communications Inc.

Keyword: Chemical Senses (Smell & Taste); Sexual Behavior
Link ID: 2512 - Posted: 06.24.2010

DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, belongs to a class of nutrients known as n-3 fatty acids and is essential for normal visual and central nervous system (CNS) development in infants, as well as being associated with a number of health benefits in adults. Cheruku et al. recently published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in which they investigated CNS integrity of newborn infants and related it to the plasma DHA status of their mothers. There were signs of more advanced neurological development as indicated by more mature sleep patterning in infants whose mothers had higher concentrations of plasma DHA. Because n-3 fatty acids (including DHA) accrue in the fetal tissues primarily during the last trimester of pregnancy, adequate maternal intake of these nutrients during this stage is critical for both pre- and postnatal brain development. In this study, 17 healthy pregnant women were enrolled on admission to a hospital maternity ward, and maternal venous blood samples were collected at delivery. The women were divided into a high-DHA and a low-DHA group according to their plasma DHA concentrations.

Keyword: Development of the Brain; Sleep
Link ID: 2511 - Posted: 06.24.2010

CHICAGO - Adolescents and young adults who feel socially isolated or find it difficult to feel a sense of belonging in other ways may turn to drug use to cope with their loneliness, and new research indicates ecstasy may be the drug of choice to fulfill their needs. Furthermore, those attracted to ecstasy have more difficulty with being alone and making social connections compared to non-drug users and those that abuse other drugs, according to a study being presented at the 110th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA) in Chicago. "Given the subjective effects of ecstasy in promoting 'togetherness,' it is likely taken by people who feel socially isolated and perhaps unable to feel a sense of belonging in other ways," said study lead author Ami Rokach, Ph.D., of York University in Toronto, Ontario. "The locations in which the drug is most popularly consumed, namely at raves and parties where individuals are suddenly surrounded by hundreds of 'friends,' are also conducive to a feeling of oneness." © PsycNET 2002 American Psychological Association

Keyword: Drug Abuse; Emotions
Link ID: 2510 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Dark manes make lions king. HELEN PEARSON Lionesses like their mates butch, dark and hairy. Using life-sized dummies with detachable wigs, researchers in Africa have found that female lions favour mates with a dark head of hair1. Lions' manes sprout at adolescence, in a surprising range of styles - shoulder-length or cropped, black or fair. "One question that's never been answered is why," says Peyton West of the University of Minnesota in St Paul. After five years watching lions circle and sniff mannequins in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, West thinks she has the answer. Females prefer a brunette male to a blonde one, she and colleague Craig Packer have found. * West, P.M. & Packer, C. Sexual selection, temperature and the lion's mane. Science, 297, 1339 - 1343, (2002). © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002

Keyword: Sexual Behavior; Evolution
Link ID: 2509 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Brain cells stimulated to repair stroke damage. HELEN PEARSON Researchers have prompted mouse brains to replace nerve cells that were killed by stroke. The discovery raises hopes that drugs could trigger brain regeneration after damage or disease. Using a mix of two standard serums, Masato Nakafuku of Japan Science and Technology Corporation and his group stimulated new nerve cells to grow in the animals' injured hippocampus, a region involved in storing memories1. The mice did not develop some of the learning difficulties usually associated with such an injury. Researchers had assumed that the brain was unable to repair these cells, called pyramidal neurons. Patients who suffer stroke in this area have severe and irreversible memory problems. * Nakatomi, H. et al. Regeneration of hippocampal pyramidal neurons after ischaemic brain injury by recruitment of endogenous neural progenitors. Cell, 110, 429 - 441, (2002). © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002

Keyword: Stroke; Regeneration
Link ID: 2508 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Copyright © 2002 AP Online By KRISTEN WYATT, Associated Press ATLANTA - Katie Clapp knew something was wrong with her newborn boy, but it took two years and dozens of doctor visits before he was diagnosed with the most common inherited cause of mental retardation. By that time, Clapp had given birth to another child with Fragile X Syndrome. If she had known about the genetic flaw, she said, she wouldn't have had more children. A survey released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the first to look at the often long diagnosis for the incurable disorder that affects about 50,000 people nationwide. Copyright © 2001 Nando Media

Keyword: Development of the Brain; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 2507 - Posted: 06.24.2010