News articles tagged with 'contraction'
Scientists discover gene switch responsible for flight muscle formation
— 17 Nov 2011 17:43 | BiologyFlies are real flight artists, although they only have small wings compared to their body size. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich, Germany,…
A change of heart keeps bears healthy while hibernating
— 8 Feb 2011 17:54 | BiologyHibernating, it turns out, is much more complicated than one might think…
Tiny RNA molecules control labour, may be key to blocking premature birth
— 16 Nov 2010 12:21 | HealthTiny molecules called microRNAs act together with hormones to control the onset of labour, raising the prospect that RNA-based drugs might be able to prevent premature labour, researchers…
New molecular signalling cascade increases glucose uptake
— 22 Oct 2010 18:49 | HealthSkeletal muscles combust both lipids and carbohydrates during exercise. The carbohydrates consist of both glycogen stored in the muscles as well as glucose extracted from the blood.…
Stanford scientists use optogenetics to effectively stimulate muscle movement in mice
— 27 Sep 2010 13:02 | HealthResearchers at Stanford University were able to use light to induce normal patterns of muscle contraction, in a study involving bioengineered mice whose nerve-cell surfaces are coated…
Anti-hypertensive drugs to enhance oesophageal contraction
— 17 Mar 2010 15:03 | HealthNifedipine, a calcium-channel blocker, was shown to decrease lower oesophageal sphincter pressure and increase oesophageal acid exposure time, while atenolol, a b1 blocker, was shown…
After dinosaurs, mammals rise but their genomes get smaller
— 28 Jul 2009 10:50 | BiologyEvidence buried in the chromosomes of animals and plants strongly suggests only one group - mammals - have seen their genomes shrink after the dinosaurs' extinction. What's more, that…
Male impotence drugs may deserve a second look in women
— 18 Apr 2009 15:32 | HealthNew studies indicate the three drugs used to treat male impotence also appear to work in females, albeit a little differently, and should give the scientific community pause to take…
Examining developing hearts in chickens to find solutions for human heart abnormalities
— 22 Jan 2009 20:18 | HealthWhen it is head versus heart, the heart comes first. The heart is the first organ to develop and is critical in supplying blood to the rest of the body. Yet, little is known about the…
To contract or not: A key question for the uterine muscles in pregnancy
— 21 Nov 2008 13:48 | HealthDuring pregnancy, the muscles of the uterus are relatively inactive. A switch to an activated state capable of strong contractions is therefore essential prior to the onset of labour.…