Autumn 2009 - Issue Number 76 Archives - The Physiological Society

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Autumn 2009 - Issue Number 76

Autumn 2009 - Issue Number 76

Below are the feature articles from Physiology News Issue 76, Autumn 2009.

To read the full articles please download the issue.

Features

Is the motor system at rest while we are sleeping?

A commonly held belief is that the motor system is at rest in sleep, because we barely move – and if we do move it is often pathological. But this assumption might not be entirely true. There is evidence that elements of the motor system remain functionally coupled in sleep in ways specific for each sleep stage, perhaps to allow physiological movements in sleep and to facilitate motor learning

Features

Is the motor system at rest while we are sleeping?

A commonly held belief is that the motor system is at rest in sleep, because we barely move – and if we do move it is often pathological. But this assumption might not be entirely true. There is evidence that elements of the motor system remain functionally coupled in sleep in ways specific for each sleep stage, perhaps to allow physiological movements in sleep and to facilitate motor learning

Features

Hepatic insulin resistance is induced by high-fat overfeeding in healthy men

Diets high in fat and calories are associated with increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes; however, the contribution of metabolic defects to the development type 2 diabetes is controversial

Features

Oscillations in brain blood flow revealed by transcranial Doppler

Brain blood flow changes spontaneously with various amplitudes over many time scales. For the most part, oscillations in brain blood flow reflect similar changes in arterial pressure. The dynamic pressure–flow relationship of the cerebral circulation can be assessed using transfer function analysis which may provide important insights into the dynamic control of the cerebral circulation

Features

Oscillations in brain blood flow revealed by transcranial Doppler

Brain blood flow changes spontaneously with various amplitudes over many time scales. For the most part, oscillations in brain blood flow reflect similar changes in arterial pressure. The dynamic pressure–flow relationship of the cerebral circulation can be assessed using transfer function analysis which may provide important insights into the dynamic control of the cerebral circulation

Features

Is sensory adaptation also regulated by nuclear feedback?

Classically, sensory transduction is believed to take place solely in the cytoplasm of the cell. However, recent evidence suggests that nuclear feedback could contribute to light adaptation

Features

High-resolution displays for high-resolution data

In order to effectively explore the high-resolution datasets being produced by advanced non-invasive organ scanning technologies, it is imperative to use new methods of visualisation. We describe how we have used a tiled wall of multiple LCDs to analyse large biomedical images, from histological sections to three-dimensional (3D) MRI tissue volumes

Features

When oxygen is not enough: why is fetal growth decreased at high altitude?

Fetal growth is decreased and infant mortality is increased at high altitude (>2700 m). This means that natural selection is acting against mothers and babies that cannot adapt to high-altitude hypoxia, and perhaps selecting for attributes that protect against chronic hypoxia. Comparison of adapted (native) versus non-adapted (migrant) populations is uncovering the mechanisms that regulate fetal growth in an adverse environment and suggesting new avenues for research