Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'mice'

Vitamin B3 Reverses Alzheimer's In Mice

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:27:00 EST

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that mice treated with large doses of vitamin B3 performed better on memory tests. Kim Green, one of the authors of the study, explains whether this discovery could have any application for treating Alzheimer's in humans.

Scientists Develop Technique To Clone Frozen Mice

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:24:00 EST

A team of Japanese scientists have found a way to cloning mice kept in an ordinary freezer for 16 years. Previously, special preparations were needed prior to freezing to preserving cells for later use. The scientists say their research might someday be used to save extinct or endangered species.

Mice Can Sniff Out Fear, Study Finds

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:12:00 EDT

Scientists have isolated an organ in a mouse's nose that can detect alarm pheromones emitted by other mice. This kind of chemical signaling of danger or fear is known in fish, insects and even plants, but it has not been extensively studied much in mammals.

Antibodies To 1918 Flu Found In Elderly Survivors

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:28:00 EDT

In the journal Nature, scientists report the antibodies were able to protect mice infected with a variant of the 1918 flu virus. The discovery is helping scientists understand what it might take to battle a modern flu pandemic.

The People Behind Your Electronic Toothbrush

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

iPhones, electric toothbrushes, antilock brakes — all of these are products of a field called mechatronics, which combines physics, computer science and mechanical engineering. Students training in this difficult discipline at the University of Virginia get to have some fun, too; as a class project, they built electric guitars and robotic mice.

Artificial Exercise... Scientists Tap Into Endurance

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Could popping a pill turn you into a long-distance runner? Researchers report that they have identified two signaling pathways that are turned on in response to exercise — and that artificially turning those pathways on in mice produced rodents with much greater endurance.

Study: Nanotubes May Cause Health Problems

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Tiny tubes made of carbon atoms have been among the main ingredients of the nanotech revolution. But researchers have found that when injected into mice, nanotubes could behave in a way similar to the way asbestos fibers behave, forming lesions that lead to cancer.

Nanotubes, Like Asbestos, Could Threaten Health

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:40:00 EDT

Tiny tubes made of carbon atoms have promised to revolutionize industry. But a new study in mice suggests that one kind of nanotube produces biological changes like those caused by asbestos.

Folkman, Cancer Research Pioneer, Dies at 74

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:42:00 EST

Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer researcher known for his groundbreaking work on angiogenesis, has died at the age of 74. Angiogenesis involved cutting off the blood supply to cancer cells. Folkman's work cured the disease in mice, and though it didn't succeed in humans, it did spur new cancer treatments.

Scientists Replicate Substance That Extends Life

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:00:00 EST

Scientists discover resveratrol, a substance in red wine that lets obese mice live as long as regular mice. Researchers say they've come up with a drug that does much the same thing, but is more powerful.

New York Restaurant Attracts More than Attention

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:49:00 EST

Manhattan restaurant Serendipity 3 was first notable for the staggering $25,000 dessert it offers diners. But it was forced to close its doors temporarily last week after health inspectors found mice, flies, and cockroaches on the premises.

Red Wine Pills: Buyer Beware

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:12:00 EST

Ever since studies showed a compound in red wine boosted longevity in mice, sales of red wine supplements have skyrocketed. But little remains known about resveratrol's effectiveness in humans, and lab tests show supplements aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Vibration May Build Muscle and Bone

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:00:00 EDT

The stem cell in bone marrow can become muscle, bone or fat. A biomedical engineer believes he has found a way to accomplish making muscle and bone. It involves standing on a gently vibrating platform for 15 minutes a day. It works for mice and testing has begun in humans.

Americans, Briton Share Nobel for Gene Manipulation

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:56:00 EDT

Americans Mario R. Capecchi and Oliver Smithies and Sir Martin J. Evans of Britain won the 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for devising the tools to figure out what individual genes do and how to fix them. The widely used process has helped scientists use mice to study heart disease, diabetes, cancer, cystic fibrosis and other diseases.

Signs a Mouse Has Been in Your Car

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:25:00 EDT

Commentator Julie Zickefoose has had many cars that have become homes to mice. She explains how to spot whether your car is desirable real estate for the furry little creatures.

Mix of Stress, Rich Diet Makes Mice Obese

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:58:00 EDT

Scientists at Georgetown University have determined that the combination of stress and a high-fat diet causes mice to become obese. The leader of the research believes it might help understand causes and prevention of human obesity.

Skin Cell Research Derails Stem Cell Debate

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:34:00 EDT

Two groups of scientists report that they've found ways to make stem cells without starting with an unfertilized egg. One group has figured out a way to reprogram skin cells in mice to create new tissue.

Studies Hint at a Way to Regrow Lost Hair

Thu, 17 May 2007 16:00:00 EDT

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have found that mice make new follicles when they suffer a wound. Moreover, it's possible to increase the number of hair follicles by adding certain proteins to the skin. The researchers are hoping that this will be more than good news for balding mice, and that it might help humans with hair-loss problems.

RU-486 Shows Breast Cancer Prevention in Mice

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:01:00 EST

New research conducted on mice suggests that RU-486 -- the so-called "abortion pill"-- could be helpful in preventing breast cancer. But there's a long way to go before doctors know whether the treatment will work for humans.

Entrepreneurs and Scientists Seek to Market Age-Fighting Substance

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:00:00 EST

Internet entrepreneurs and Harvard scientists have something in common. They both want to market a substance in red wine that appears to extend life, at least in mice. The substance is called resveratrol. Its history involves some unlikely interactions between mainstream scientists and entrepreneurs.

Myostatin Therapies Hold Hope for Muscle Diseases

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST

Mighty Mouse was not just a cartoon. Ten years ago, scientists demonstrated that they could increase an animal's muscle mass by manipulating a protein in mice called myostatin. Now drugs that affect myostatin are being hailed as the best hope yet for people with muscle-wasting diseases.

Does Red Wine Fuel the Fountain of Youth...

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 17:56:00 EST

Research tests on mice show that a substance found in red wine may let humans enjoy a long and healthful life, even if they are overweight. But the Harvard study shows that being healthy is not as simple as a sip of wine every day.

Flu Research Finds Self-Destructive Immune Response

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Researchers have infected mice with a replica of the deadly 1918 flu virus. As expected, all the mice died within days. But not because the virus directly destroyed the lungs. Instead, it triggered an overwhelming and self-destructive immune response. That fits with emerging research on one way viruses kill.

Research Shows Mice May Have Feelings, Too

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 09:13:00 EDT

Scientists find evidence that mice and humans may share some sophisticated emotional characteristics. It's now thought mice have the ability to be affected by another mouse's pain or suffering.

A Brief Timeline of the Stem-Cell Debate

Wed, 03 May 2006 16:20:00 EDT

The first embryonic stem cells were isolated in mice in 1981. But it wasn't until 1998 that researchers managed to derive stem cells from human embryos. That kicked into full gear an ethical debate that continues to this day. Here's a look at key moments in the controversy so far.