Science Buzz Lunch, May 25, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch, May 25, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1)The novel technique  "CLARITY" for producing "transparent" intact brain and other organs for visualizing macromolecular structures, as described in:

"Structural and molecular interrogation of intact biological systems"

by K. Chung et al.

in Nature Vol 497 16 May, 2013

2) The recently elucidated molecular basis of the sensation of itch. The neural signal of itch is transmitted by the neuropeptide Nppb: natriuretic polypeptide b

as reported in

"The Cells and Circuitry for Itch Responses in Mice"

by S. K. Mishra et al.

Science, 2013; 340 (6135)

This finding about Nppb resolves a long-standing controversy about whether itch is simply one manifestation of low-level pain:  it isn't.

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 20 and 21, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 20 and 21, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1)  A report online in ScienceNews about a report by Lenore Pipes at the Biology of Genes conference at Cold Spring Harbor about how the selective mating of either the tamest or the most aggressive foxes since 1959 by Russian scientists has led to changes in not only the animals' behavior but also their brain chemistry.

2)  The genome contraction in smooth (Tetraodontid) pufferfish but not spiny (Diodontid) pufferfish in the last 50 - 70 million years, and how this genome contraction is similar in many ways (selective absence of retrotransposons, high genomic GC content, contraction after whole genome duplication, etc.) to that of the recently reported genome contaction of the carnivorous plant, U. gibba. Speculation about why the mechanisms might have been similar....

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 13 and 14, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 13 and 14, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1) the recent paper

Architecture and evolution of a minute plant genome

by Ibarra-Laclette et al.

Nature, May 12, 2013

about a "carnivorous plant that throws out "junk" DNA (non-coding DNA),
which calls into question whether such DNA is really needed in other species, including other plants, and also animals such as us humans.

2) the paper

Diffusion and scaling during early embryonic pattern formation

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A >

v.102(51); Dec 20, 2005

by Gregor et al.

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 7, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch in Mixer Room, May 7, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1)  The role of P2Y receptor as a necrosis sensor and chemokine producer in mice

2)  Studies of Great Tit reproductive success in northern Europe as a measure of adaptation to climate change

3) Possible role of high dietary NaCl consumption in the recent increase of the incidence of autoimmune diseases