PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Discovery brings scientists 1 step closer to understanding tendon injury

2014-01-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Neha Okhandiar
n.okhandiar@qmul.ac.uk
020-788-27927
Queen Mary, University of London
Discovery brings scientists 1 step closer to understanding tendon injury

Research led by Queen Mary University of London has discovered a specific mechanism that is crucial to effective tendon function, which could reveal why older people are more prone to tendon injury.

Tendons, such as the Achilles, connect muscle to bone, and are loaded repeatedly during movement. When exposed to particularly high loads, this can cause injury in some individuals. The risk of injury increases with age, but scientists have never fully understood why.

Tendon injury is common in horses as well as humans, and the team, working together with scientists from the University of Liverpool, University College London and the University of East Anglia, used tendons from horses already deceased to understand injury risk, and demonstrate the mechanism in action.

The research team found that fascicles – the subunit that makes up tendons – are coiled like a spring, or helix. They have shown that the helix structure enables tendons to stretch and recover, with results suggesting that damage to the helix stops the tendon working properly.

"The helical shape of the fascicles seems to be critical in maintaining tendon elasticity," explains co-author Dr Hazel Screen, a Reader in medical engineering at Queen Mary's School of Engineering and Materials Science.

"Repetitive loading causes the fascicles to unwind and be less effective, triggering them to become damaged or leading to injury."

The team also showed how ageing affects the helix.

Co-author Dr Chavaunne Thorpe said: "The findings suggest that the helix structure is altered with age resulting in a decreased ability to withstand further loading and so making aged tendons more prone to injury."



INFORMATION:

This work was funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board and is published in the Royal Society journal Interface.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Bacteria linked to water breaking prematurely during pregnancy

2014-01-09
Bacteria linked to water breaking prematurely during pregnancy DURHAM, N.C. – A high presence of bacteria at the site where fetal membranes rupture may be the key to understanding why some pregnant women experience their "water breaking" prematurely, ...

Bed bugs grow faster in groups

2014-01-09
Bed bugs grow faster in groups Researchers have previously observed that certain insects -- especially crickets, cockroaches and grasshoppers -- tend to grow faster when they live in groups. However, no research has ever been done on group living among bed ...

Elephant shark genome decoded

2014-01-09
Elephant shark genome decoded New insights gained into bone formation and immunity An international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of the elephant shark, a curious-looking fish with a snout that resembles the end of an elephant's ...

Symbiotic fungi inhabiting plant roots have major impact on atmospheric carbon, scientists say

2014-01-09
Symbiotic fungi inhabiting plant roots have major impact on atmospheric carbon, scientists say AUSTIN, Texas — Microscopic fungi that live in plants' roots play a major role in the storage and release of carbon from the soil into the atmosphere, according ...

New study finds extreme longevity in white sharks

2014-01-09
New study finds extreme longevity in white sharks Great white sharks—top predators throughout the world's ocean—grow much slower and live significantly longer than previously thought, according to a new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic ...

Study: Seashell loss due to tourism increase may have global impact

2014-01-09
Study: Seashell loss due to tourism increase may have global impact GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Global tourism has increased fourfold over the last 30 years, resulting in human-induced seashell loss that may harm natural habitats worldwide, according to a University ...

Penn researchers develop 'personalized advantage index,' a new decision-making tool

2014-01-09
Penn researchers develop 'personalized advantage index,' a new decision-making tool One of the primary social motivations for scientific research is the ability to make better decisions based on the results. But whether it is deciding what material to use in making ...

Slow-evolving elephant shark genome is first to be sequenced from cartilaginous fish

2014-01-09
Slow-evolving elephant shark genome is first to be sequenced from cartilaginous fish SF State biology professor publishes findings in the journal Nature SAN FRANCISCO -- A team of researchers including SF State Assistant Professor of Biology Scott Roy has sequenced ...

Higher risk of birth problems after assisted conception

2014-01-09
Higher risk of birth problems after assisted conception A University of Adelaide study has shown that the risk of serious complications such as stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight and neonatal death is around twice as high for babies conceived ...

Blood pressure study points to more equitable care in England than America

2014-01-09
Blood pressure study points to more equitable care in England than America In the US but not in England, patients on low incomes with high blood pressure have their condition managed poorly compared with those who earn more. A new study comparing blood pressure ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Hot flashes can be reliably predicted by an ai-driven algorithm developed by UMass Amherst and Embr Labs

FAU/Baptist Health AI spine model could transform lower back pain treatment

CDI Lab, HMH specialists identify vital pathway initiating cellular immunity in Science Immunology journal

University of Pennsylvania professor to receive the 2025 Clinical Research Prize

Revolutionary scandium doping technique extends sodium-ion battery life

High-fat diet impairs memory formation by reducing autophagy

Keck Hospital of USC named a Vizient Top Performer for third year in a row

New CRISPR test could make tuberculosis screening as simple as a mouth swab

Three-sensor overeating detection could reshape obesity treatment

Study provides first evidence that plastic nanoparticles can accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables

AI predicts complications from surgery better than doctors

New personalized risk score could improve ovarian cancer detection

People on Ozempic who eat to regulate emotions less likely to lose weight

AACR Cancer Progress Report highlights lifesaving impact of federal investments in cancer research

Indra's internet

Lymph nodes found to be key to successful cancer immunotherapy

Room-temperature terahertz device opens door to 6G networks

A hard look at geoengineering reveals global risks

When smoke signals danger: How Australian lizards evolved to escape fire

Beyond the surface: Atopic eczema linked to significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts, major study finds

After weight loss regular exercise rather than GLP-1 weight-loss drug reduces leading cause of heart attack and strokes

EASD launches its first ever clinical practice guideline – the world’s first to focus on diabetes distress

Semaglutide provides powerful protection against diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults, Greek study suggests

Orforglipron taken orally once daily leads to significant body weight loss (ATTAIN-1 Study)

U of I researchers trace genetic code’s origins to early protein structures

Disease experts team up with Florida Museum of Natural History to create a forecast for West Nile virus

Researchers: Targeted efforts needed to stem fentanyl crisis

New UMaine research could help lower prescription drug costs

Molecular movie shows how mitochondria read their DNA

Loss of key male fertility gene leads to changes in expression of hundreds of other genes

[Press-News.org] Discovery brings scientists 1 step closer to understanding tendon injury