Calcium News and Research

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Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids, though less than <1% of total body calcium is needed to support these functions.

The remaining 99% of the body's calcium supply is stored in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Bone itself undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. Bone formation exceeds resorption in growing children, whereas in early and middle adulthood both processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time.

Sprayable gel could help prevent recurrences of cancer after surgery

Many people who are diagnosed with cancer will undergo some type of surgery to treat their disease -- almost 95 percent of people with early-diagnosed breast cancer will require surgery and it's often the first line of treatment for people with brain tumors, for example.

11 Dec 2018

Researchers report novel findings on plant hormone

Jasmonic acid is not just the aromatic odor of the plant Jasminum grandiflorum used in cosmetics and perfume industries. Plants wounded by e.g. chewing herbivores produce jasmonic acid as a defense signal, as a phytohormone to mount their defense responses - this includes for example the formation of toxic substances.

10 Dec 2018

Scientists identify new drug target for potential blood pressure treatment

Scientists have identified a key player in blood pressure regulation and have shown that switching it off reduces blood pressure in mice, according to new research in eLife.

6 Dec 2018

Parent's exposure to dirty air may spell heart trouble for offspring, study suggests

A parent's exposure to dirty air before conception might spell heart trouble for the next generation, a new animal study suggests.

5 Dec 2018

New study shows that sambaqui societies were not ordinary hunter-gatherers

Shell middens are archeological features consisting mainly of the remains of marine animals thrown away near settlements over hundreds or thousands of years. They are the debris of human activity. In Brazil, they are known by the Tupi word sambaqui.

4 Dec 2018

Aerobic exercise may reduce risk of diabetes-related renal disease

Aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of diabetes-related kidney disease in some people, according to a new study. The findings are published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology--Renal Physiology and was chosen as an APS select article for December.

4 Dec 2018

Study reveals why mitochondria are often strangely shaped inside the brain

Columbia neuroscientists have discovered why mitochondria, tiny power generators that keep our cells healthy, are often strangely shaped inside the brain.

28 Nov 2018

$UA scientist hopes to heal bone fractures using combination of 3D printing and adult stem cells$

UA scientist hopes to heal bone fractures using combination of 3D printing and adult stem cells

Not all broken bones heal. But one scientist at the University of Arizona hopes to remedy that problem using a combination of 3D printing and adult stem cells.

27 Nov 2018

Simple device could provide secure new source of drinking water in remote arid regions

A simple device that can capture its own weight in water from fresh air and then release that water when warmed by sunlight could provide a secure new source of drinking water in remote arid regions, new research from KAUST suggests.

26 Nov 2018

Silk adhesive leads to development of epidermal electronics

Producing effective epidermal electronics requires a strong, biocompatible interface between a biological surface and a sensor. Here, a KAIST team employed a calcium-modified silk fibroin as a biocompatible and strong adhesive.

21 Nov 2018

Groundbreaking research projects show how AI can be used to predict under diagnosed chronic diseases

Zebra Medical Vision and Clalit Health Services announce the completion of two groundbreaking research projects that allow early identification of patients with bone and cardiovascular disease.

21 Nov 2018

Vitamin D critical to early development of vertebrates, study suggests

New research from Portland State University finds vitamin D, or a lack thereof can trigger or suspend embryonic development in a species of fish. The study also provides evidence suggesting the vitamin is critical to the early development of vertebrates generally.

20 Nov 2018

Researchers identify multisystem disorder caused by bi-allelic variants in CCDC47 gene

Researchers and clinicians through a multicenter collaboration have identified a novel multisystem disorder caused by bi-allelic variants in the CCDC47 gene. Their findings are reported in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

20 Nov 2018

Receptor structure could be key to developing new osteoporosis drugs

Researchers at the University of Zurich have determined the three-dimensional structure of a receptor that controls the release of calcium from bones. The receptor is now one of the main candidates for developing new drugs to treat osteoporosis.

19 Nov 2018

Forming 3D Neuronal Models of the Brain

In this interview, conducted at SfN 2018, Grischa Chandy from Molecular Devices provides insight on 3D imaging solutions for neuroscience research.

From Molecular Devices, LLC 19 Nov 2018

Artificial bone-like substance mimics the way real bone grows at atomic level

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have discovered how our bones grow at an atomic level, showing how an unstructured mass orders itself into a perfectly arranged bone structure.

19 Nov 2018

Automating Data Capture and Image Analysis in Continuous Experiments

An interview with Lindy O’Clair, discussing the challenges of studying neuronal systems over time, and the development of an automated platform by Sartorius.

From Sartorius 19 Nov 2018

Researchers produce 3D chemical maps of small biological samples

Scientists at the National Synchrotron Light Source II --a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory--have used ultrabright x-rays to image single bacteria with higher spatial resolution than ever before.

16 Nov 2018

High school students less likely to select milk, fruit for lunch when fruit juice is available

High school students participating in school meal programs are less likely to select milk, whole fruit, and water when fruit juice is available, which on balance may decrease the nutritional quality of their lunches, according to a new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

15 Nov 2018

Protein in cell membranes of sperm plays key role in finding their way to eggs

Researchers have found that a protein in the cell membranes of sperm plays a key role in how they find their way to eggs.