A species of leaf chameleon newly named Brookesia nofy was discovered in a patch of coastal rainforest, a highly threatened habitat in Madagascar

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

Several enormous craters left by explosions have been spotted in Siberia over the past 15 years, and a new explanation links them to hot gas – and climate change

Companies are searching all over the world for deposits of geologic hydrogen that could be used as clean fuel, and a mine in Albania could give them clues about where to look

In support of their AI ambitions, tech companies are rapidly expanding US data centres, and this growth is on track to significantly increase US gas demand by 2030

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

A stone wall nearly a kilometre long found under the Baltic Sea may have been built by ancient hunters to channel deer into a confined space

Title: Gastric Band Weight-Loss Surgery Can Boost Reflux
Category: Health News
Created: 8/23/2008 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2008 12:00:00 AM

The orexigenic gut peptide ghrelin is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHSR1a). Systemic ghrelin administration has previously been shown to increase gastric motility and emptying. While these effects are known to be mediated by the vagus nerve, the cellular mechanism underlying these effects remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the signaling mechanism by which GHSR1a inhibits voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels in isolated rat gastric vagal afferent neurons using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. The ghrelin pharmacological profile indicated that Ca²⁺ currents were inhibited with a log (Ic₅₀) = –2.10 ± 0.44 and a maximal inhibition of 42.8 ± 5.0%. Exposure to the GHSR1a receptor antagonist (D-Lys3)-GHRP-6 reduced ghrelin-mediated Ca²⁺ channel inhibition (29.4 ± 16.7% vs. 1.9 ± 2.5%, n = 6, P = 0.0064). Interestingly, we observed that activation of GHSR1a inhibited Ca²⁺ currents through both voltage-dependent and voltage-independent pathways. We also treated the gastric neurons with either pertussis toxin (PTX) or YM-254890 to examine whether the Ca²⁺ current inhibition was mediated by the Gα_i/o or Gα_q/11 family of subunits. Treatment with both PTX (Ca²⁺ current inhibition = 15.7 ± 10.6%, n = 8, P = 0.0327) and YM-254890 (15.2 ± 11.9%, n = 8, P = 0.0269) blocked ghrelin’s effects on Ca²⁺ currents, as compared with control neurons (34.3 ± 18.9%, n = 8). These results indicate GHSR1a can couple to both Gα_i/o and Gα_q/11 in gastric vagal afferent neurons. Overall, our findings suggest GHSR1a-mediated inhibition of Ca²⁺ currents occurs through two distinct pathways, offering necessary insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying ghrelin’s regulation of gastric vagal afferents.

In several malignancies, only a limited number of patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Predicting and monitoring responses to these inhibitors represent an unmet clinical need. Here, we developed a PET/CT probe targeting granzyme B, [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-NOTA-Gly-Gly-Gly-Ile-Glu-Pro-Asp-CHO (GSI), and aimed to investigate whether it can be used to monitor the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors early in the course of therapy. Methods: Seventy-two patients with gastric cancer (stages III–IV) were recruited for [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-NOTA-GSI PET/CT imaging after 2 or 3 cycles of the immunotherapy, and 40 patients were included in the final analysis. The SUV_max of primary tumors (SUV_max-t), SUV_max of metastatic lymph nodes (SUV_max-LN), and SUV_max of normal tissues (liver and blood pool) were measured, and their target-to-liver background ratio (TLR) and target-to-blood background ratio (TBR) were denoted for primary tumors as TLR_tumor and TBR_tumor and for metastatic lymph nodes as TLR_LN and TBR_LN, respectively. The treatment responses were assessed within 1 wk after full-course treatment according to RECIST version 1.1. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare the PET/CT parameters between responders and nonresponders. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic efficacy of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-NOTA-GSI PET/CT parameters in identifying responders. Two-tailed P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We found that SUV_max-t, TLR_tumor, TBR_tumor, SUV_max-LN, and TBR_LN were higher in responders than in nonresponders (2.49 ± 0.58 vs. 1.55 ± 0.48, P = 0.000; 2.24 ± 0.48 vs. 1.74 ± 0.67, P = 0.007; 1.38 ± 0.43 vs. 0.90 ± 0.23, P = 0.000; 2.24 ± 0.99 vs. 1.42 ± 0.55, P = 0.003; and 1.28 ± 0.68 vs. 0.83 ± 0.32, P = 0.012, respectively). According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve for SUV_max-t, TBR_tumor, TLR_tumor, SUV_max-LN, TLR_LN, and TBR_LN was 0.886, 0.866, 0.746, 0.772, 0.648, and 0.731, respectively. The threshold of SUV_max-t was 2.05, and its sensitivity and specificity were 81.0% and 84.2%, respectively. In addition, multivariate logistic regression indicated that TBR_tumor was an independent predictor of treatment response (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Our results indicated that [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-NOTA-GSI PET/CT is a promising tool for predicting early response to combined immunotherapy in gastric cancer patients.

Sleep is a fundamental feature of life for virtually all multicellular animals, but many questions remain about how sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms, homeostatic sleep drive that builds up with wakefulness, and modifying factors such as hunger or social interactions, as well as about the biological functions of sleep. Substantial headway has been made in the study of both circadian rhythms and sleep in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, much of it through studies of individual fly activity using Drosophila activity monitors (DAMs). Here, we describe approaches for the activation of specific neurons of interest using optogenetics (involving genetic modifications that allow for light-based neuronal activation) and thermogenetics (involving genetic modifications that allow for temperature-based neuronal activation) so that researchers can evaluate the roles of those neurons in controlling rest and activity behavior. In this protocol, we describe how to set up a rig for simultaneous optogenetic or thermogenetic stimulation and activity monitoring for analysis of sleep and circadian rhythms in Drosophila, how to raise appropriate flies, and how to perform the experiment. This protocol will allow researchers to assess the causative role in the regulation of sleep and activity rhythms of any genetically tractable subset of cells.

Sleep is important for survival, and the need for sleep is conserved across species. In the past two decades, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a promising system in which to study the genetic, neural, and physiological bases of sleep. Through significant advances in our understanding of the regulation of sleep in flies, the field is poised to address several open questions about sleep, such as how the need for sleep is encoded, how molecular regulators of sleep are situated within brain networks, and what the functions of sleep are. Here, we describe key findings, open questions, and commonly used methods that have been used to inform existing theories and develop new ways of thinking about the function, regulation, and adaptability of sleep behavior.

Gas bubbles on the surface of a star have been observed for the first time in detail outside our solar system, and they are 75 times the size of our sun

The Consumer Electronics Show is a toy wonderland for hi-tech fanciers.

The Grattan Institute has warned Victoria’s gas moratorium may have to be partially lifted to save the smelter.

Manufacturers are warning of job losses and a collapse in investment over a doubling in gas prices.

Mar 25, 2024

Bystander video feeds show scenes of fire and destruction, flames engulfing pipelines and smoke billowing from oil tank farms. In one clip, a twin-tailed aircraft flies slowly over a burning refinery. It loiters, banks, and then plunges precisely into the top of a tall, hydrocarbon filled distillation tower followed by explosions and more fire.

Kyiv is turning the tables on Russia by striking at its hydrocarbon lifeblood. Ukraine’s justified and effective homegrown response to Putin’s two-year campaign of attacks on the nation’s energy infrastructure shows Russia that what goes around comes around.

Mar 18, 2024

Harvard Kennedy School hosted Jahi Wise, Senior Adviser to the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to discuss the design and implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic investment in American clean energy technology finance.

SLS Las Vegas Grand Opening

Global (INTERNET) sensation Joseph Griffin will make his triumphant return to Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 19, to properly capture the sights and sounds of the iconic Las Vegas Strip. This time, he�ll film a few familiar sites from his original �selfie� video paired with a selection of only-in-Vegas surprises for this Irish Dad.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority interviews Tina Sinatra

The famous Budweiser Clydesdales kick-off Big Game weekend in Las Vegas by posing with show girls, trotting down Las Vegas Strip and a visit to the South Point sports book. Photo credit: Las Vegas News Bureau

Stratosphere is taking Vegas back from the pricey and pretentious. From the casino to the top of the Tower, Stratosphere offers great fun and real values backed up by an unforgettable experience.

Garlock Bankruptcy Overview Video

In support of their AI ambitions, tech companies are rapidly expanding US data centres, and this growth is on track to significantly increase US gas demand by 2030

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

As the oil and gas industry rapidly expands across North America, increasing research has linked fossil fuel development to various physical and mental

Gastroschisis is a birth defect with a hole in the abdominal wall near the belly button. This results in the baby's intestines and other organs like the stomach and liver to develop outside the body.

A recent study featured in the iInternational Journal of Sports Medicine/i titled "Inhalation of Hydrogen-Rich Gas Before Acute Exercise Alleviates

The much vaunted climate change conference has come to an end at Bali, Indonesia, on an almost anticlimactic note.

Reliance Industries' partners are considering joining the arbitration that the Mukesh Ambani-run firm is planning to initiate against the government for slapping a $1.55 billion demand for "unfairly enriching" by producing natural gas

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.09 a gallon on Monday. That's down 2.7 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.09 a gallon on Monday. That's down 2.7 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.07 a gallon on Monday. That's down 1.6 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.07 a gallon on Monday. That's down 1.6 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.06 a gallon on Monday. That's down 1.5 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline decreased to $3.06 a gallon on Monday. That's down 1.5 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.06 a gallon on Monday. That's up 0.4 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.06 a gallon on Monday. That's up 0.4 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.10 a gallon on Monday. That's up 3.3 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.10 a gallon on Monday. That's up 3.3 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.14 a gallon on Monday. That's up 4.1 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.14 a gallon on Monday. That's up 4.1 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased to $3.19 a gallon on Monday. That's up 5.6 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.