http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (Phys.org)—Understanding what happens to a soybean root hair system infected by symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, could go a long way toward using this symbiosis to redesign plants and improve crop yields, benefitting both food and biofuel production. Because of their extensive genomes, it is especially difficult to use conventional proteomic technologies to get meaningful information from plants. With the availability of a complete soybean genome, soybean root hairs represent an excellent model for the study of single-cell systems biology. http://phys.org/news274603556.html Biology Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:47:05 EST news274603556 Salk scientists have identified a unique molecular signature in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), "reprogrammed" cells that show great promise in regenerative medicine thanks to their ability to generate a range of body tissues. http://phys.org/news267266027.html Biology Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:34:03 EST news267266027 (Phys.org)—Latest research shows that the 'paratympanic organ' (PTO) – the innate barometer in the middle ear of birds – evolved from a fish sense organ that detects jaw movement. http://phys.org/news266053447.html Biology Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:44:23 EST news266053447 Researchers in Japan who evaluated the risks and efficacy of transplanting two varieties of stem cells into mouse cochlea have concluded that both adult-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells demonstrate similar survival and neural differentiation capabilities. However, there is a risk of tumor growth associated with transplanting iPS cells into mouse cochleae. Given the potential for tumorigenesis, they concluded that the source of iPS cells is a critical issue for iPS cell-based therapy. http://phys.org/news259943974.html Biology Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:39:44 EST news259943974 Charged atoms, or ions, move through tiny pores, or channels, embedded in cell membranes, generating the electrical signals that allow cells to communicate with one another. In new research, scientists have shown how an unusual protein plays a key role in temporarily blocking the movement of ions through these channels. Preventing ions from moving through the channel gives cells time to recharge so that they can continue firing. http://phys.org/news254391437.html Biology Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:17:29 EST news254391437 Research shows that vibrations in the inner ear continue even after a sound has ended, perhaps serving as a kind of mechanical memory of recent sounds. In addition to contributing to the understanding of the complex process of sound perception, the results may shed light on other fascinating aspects of the auditory system, such as why some gaps between sounds are too brief to be perceived by the human ear. The study is published by Cell Press in the April 5th issue of Biophysical Journal. http://phys.org/news221226341.html Physics Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:47:31 EST news221226341 University of Utah scientists used invisible infrared light to make rat heart cells contract and toadfish inner-ear cells send signals to the brain. The discovery someday might improve cochlear implants for deafness and lead to devices to restore vision, maintain balance and treat movement disorders like Parkinson's. http://phys.org/news220502082.html Medicine & Health Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:10:04 EST news220502082 From grinding heavy metal to soothing ocean waves, the sounds we hear are all perceptible thanks to the vibrations felt by tiny molecular motors in the hair cells of the inner ear. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have now identified the mechanism by which a single amino acid change can disrupt the normal functioning of one of the critical components of that physiology -- a molecular motor protein called myo1c, which resides in the cochlea of the inner ear. http://phys.org/news218641825.html Medicine & Health Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:50:37 EST news218641825 Whether on a battlefield, in a factory or at a rock concert, noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common hazards people face. http://phys.org/news217689901.html Medicine & Health Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:25:11 EST news217689901 with applications ranging from medical devices to robotics to new consumer goods – Chang Liu looks to biology. http://phys.org/news217347277.html Technology Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:14:59 EST news217347277 (PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists in the US have solved the mystery about whether squid can hear and if so, how. http://phys.org/news216365338.html Biology Tue, 08 Feb 2011 06:50:01 EST news216365338 The ordinary squid, Loligo pealii -- best known until now as a kind of floating buffet for just about any fish in the sea -- may be on the verge of becoming a scientific superstar, providing clues about the origin and evolution of the sense of hearing. http://phys.org/news206366817.html Biology Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:07:49 EST news206366817 (PhysOrg.com) -- Cell signals guide the anatomical development of hearing and balance structures. These signals disappear early in life, but perhaps could be recharged to restore hearing loss in adults. http://phys.org/news202116500.html Medicine & Health Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:28:56 EST news202116500 Researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, have discovered that a potent new drug restores hearing after noise-induced hearing loss in rats. The landmark discovery found that injection of an agent called 'ADAC', activates adenosine receptors in cochlear tissues, resulting in recovery of hearing function. The finding paves the way for effective non-surgical therapies to restore hearing loss after noise-induced injury. Dr. Srdjan Vlajkovic and his team's work is published in a special edition of Springer's journal Purinergic Signalling, focusing on the inner ear. http://phys.org/news197111284.html Medicine & Health Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:08:14 EST news197111284 About 40 million people in the U.S. today suffer from tinnitus, an irritating and sometimes debilitating auditory disorder in which a person "hears" sounds, such as ringing, that don't actually exist. There isn't a cure for what has long been a mysterious ailment, but new research suggests there may, someday, be a way to alleviate the sensation of this sound, says a neuroscientist from Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC). http://phys.org/news196519395.html Medicine & Health Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:00:01 EST news196519395 By unlocking the genetic secrets of sorghum, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have found a way to make one of the world's most important cereal crops a better option for growers. Researchers at the ARS Natural Products Utilization Unit in Oxford, Miss. also may have opened a door to reducing pesticide use in the production of other crops. http://phys.org/news195831379.html Biology Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:36:33 EST news195831379 Deep inside the ear, specialized cells called hair cells detect vibrations in the air and translate them into sound. Ten years ago, Stefan Heller, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, came up with the idea that if you could create these cells in the laboratory from stem cells, it would go a long way toward helping scientists understand the molecular basis of hearing in order to develop better treatments for deafness. http://phys.org/news192974218.html Medicine & Health Thu, 13 May 2010 12:57:18 EST news192974218 In findings that could one day lead to new therapies, researchers from The Scripps Research Institute have described some striking differences between the biochemistry of stem cells versus mature cells. http://phys.org/news192013408.html Biology Sun, 02 May 2010 13:00:03 EST news192013408 If a siren sounded but you were deaf, might you still be able to hear the sound? http://phys.org/news188485062.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:00:05 EST news188485062 The New Orleans Saints won the Superbowl in February, and the crowd roared. Quarterback Drew Brees brought his one-year-old son to the field to experience the celebration-muffled through an enormous pair of headphones. Brees protected little Baylen's ears because he knows that repeated exposure to loud noise leads to hearing loss. But what if you're older and already hard of hearing? Can deafness be cured? http://phys.org/news186945173.html Medicine & Health Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:30:08 EST news186945173 (PhysOrg.com) -- The genes that control the hairy 'mining machine' that makes some plants better at finding nutrients in poor soils than others have been discovered by scientists from Oxford University and the John Innes Centre. http://phys.org/news185698841.html Biology Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:00:01 EST news185698841 Subtle head motions are amplified by inner-ear hair cells before the signal is reported to the brain, report Marine Biological Laboratory scientists and colleagues. In both the auditory and the vestibular systems, hair cell response is nonlinear: the lower the strength of the stimulus, the more the hair cell amplifies the signal. http://phys.org/news184935465.html Medicine & Health Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:57:59 EST news184935465 (PhysOrg.com) -- Learning how to walk again after long-duration space flights is a problem astronauts face as they readjust to Earth's gravity. To learn how microgravity affects human space travelers, NASA scientists studied the nanomechanics of hair cells in the inner ear. http://phys.org/news184602952.html Biology Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:10:03 EST news184602952 (PhysOrg.com) -- With high-pitched squeaks, clicks and chirps and ultra-sensitive hearing, toothed whales and some bats zero in on prey by emitting pulses of sound and interpreting the echoes that bounce back. http://phys.org/news183645455.html Biology Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:37:58 EST news183645455 Loss of spiral ganglion neurons or hair cells in the inner ear is the leading cause of congenital and acquired hearing impairment. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health found that Sox2, a protein that regulates stem cell formation, is involved in spiral ganglion neuron development. The study was published in the January 13 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. http://phys.org/news182540789.html Medicine & Health Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:30:01 EST news182540789 (PhysOrg.com) -- Becoming "hard of hearing" is a standard but unfortunate part of aging: A syndrome called age-related hearing loss affects about 40 percent of people over 65 in the United States, and will afflict an estimated 28 million Americans by 2030. http://phys.org/news177007147.html Medicine & Health Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:30:11 EST news177007147 Deep in the ear, 95 percent of the cells that shuttle sound to the brain are big, boisterous neurons that, to date, have explained most of what scientists know about how hearing works. Whether a rare, whisper-small second set of cells also carry signals from the inner ear to the brain and have a real role in processing sound has been a matter of debate. http://phys.org/news175429348.html Medicine & Health Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:23:25 EST news175429348 Although humans experience their world through vision, touch and the other senses, many creatures gather information about their surroundings through unique sensory mechanisms that humans don’t have. http://phys.org/news174846367.html Biology Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:30:03 EST news174846367 A team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has discovered a genetic cause of progressive hearing loss. The findings will help scientists better understand the nature of age-related decline in hearing and may lead to new therapies to prevent or treat the condition. http://phys.org/news171203447.html Medicine & Health Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:40:02 EST news171203447 Light touch - the sense that lets musicians find the right notes on a keyboard, a seamstress revel in the feel of cool silk, the artisan feel a curve in material and the blind read Braille - truly depends on the activity of Merkel cells usually found in crescent-shaped clusters in the skin, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and colleagues in a report that appears in the current issue of the journal Science. http://phys.org/news164553632.html Medicine & Health Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:10:03 EST news164553632