Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New microsphere-based methods for detecting HIV antibodies
Detection of HIV antibodies is used to diagnose HIV infection and monitor trials of experimental HIV/AIDS vaccines. New, more sensitive detection systems being developed use microspheres to capture HIV antibodies and can measure even small amounts of multiple antibodies at one time.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New insights contradict promising Alzheimer's research
Approximately a year ago, Science published an article about bexarotene as a potential Alzheimer's drug. The research group of Bart De Strooper (researcher at VIB and KU Leuven) in collaboration with the group of Rudi D'Hooge and scientists at JanssenPharmaceutica also tested this candidate drug. Their results were different, as were those of two American groups. Therefore, they recommend in a "technical comment" in Science that bexarotene should not be tested on patients.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Hubble reveals the Ring Nebula's true shape
The Ring Nebula's distinctive shape makes it a popular illustration for astronomy books. But new observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of the glowing gas shroud around an old, dying, sun-like star reveal a new twist.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
It's not your imagination: Memory gets muddled at menopause
Don't doubt it when a woman harried by hot flashes says she's having a hard time remembering things. A new study published online in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society, helps confirm with objective tests that what these women say about their memory is true.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Research identifies a way to make cancer cells more responsive to chemotherapy
Breast cancer characterized as "triple negative" carries a poor prognosis, with limited treatment options. In some cases, chemotherapy doesn't kill the cancer cells the way it's supposed to. New research from Western University's Dr. Shawn Li, Ph.D., explains why some cancer cells don't respond to chemotherapy, and identifies a mechanism to rectify that.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Mayo Clinic genomic analysis lends insight to prostate cancer
Mayo Clinic researchers have used next generation genomic analysis to determine that some of the more aggressive prostate cancer tumors have similar genetic origins, which may help in predicting cancer progression. The findings appear online today in the journal Cancer Research.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Anti-cancer drug viewed as possible Alzheimer's treatment doesn't work in UF study
An anti-cancer drug about to be tested in a clinical trial by a biomedical company in Ohio as a possible treatment for Alzheimer's disease has failed to work with the same type of brain plaques that plague Alzheimer's patients, according to results of a study by University of Florida researchers.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
When oxygen is short, EGFR prevents maturation of cancer-fighting miRNAs
Even while being dragged to its destruction inside a cell, a cancer-promoting growth factor receptor fires away, sending signals that thwart the development of tumor-suppressing microRNAs before it's dissolved, researchers reported in an early online publication at Nature.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Scientists discover how rapamycin slows cell growth
University of Montreal researchers have discovered a novel molecular mechanism that can potentially slow the progression of some cancers and other diseases of abnormal growth. In the May 23 edition of the prestigious journal Cell, scientists from the University of Montreal explain how they found that the anti-cancer and anti-proliferative drug rapamycin slows down or prevents cells from dividing.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Vaccine blackjack: IL-21 critical to fight against viral infections
Scientists at Emory Vaccine Center have shown that an immune regulatory molecule called IL-21 is needed for long-lasting antibody responses in mice against viral infections.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Cradle turns smartphone into handheld biosensor
Researchers and physicians in the field could soon run on-the-spot tests for environmental toxins, medical diagnostics, food safety and more with their smartphones. University of Illinois researchers have developed a cradle and app for the iPhone that uses the phone's built-in camera and processing power as a biosensor to detect toxins, proteins, bacteria, viruses and other molecules. Although the cradle holds only about $200 of optical components, it performs as accurately as a large $50,000 spectrophotometer in the laboratory.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New filtration material could make petroleum refining cheaper, more efficient
A newly synthesized material might provide a dramatically improved method for separating the highest-octane components of gasoline. Measurements at NIST have helped explain why.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Reforestation study shows trade-offs between water, carbon and timber
More than 13,000 ships per year transit the Panama Canal each year. Each time a ship passes through, more than 55 million gallons of water are used. The advent of large "super" cargo ships has demanded expansion of the canal, leaving the authority to consider how meet increased demand for water. One proposed measure is the reforestation of the watershed, which has been studied by ASU scientists Silvio Simonit and Charles Perrings to aid planners.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Ferrets, pigs susceptible to H7N9 avian influenza virus
Chinese and US scientists have used a virus isolated from a person who died from H7N9 avian influenza infection to determine whether the virus could infect and be transmitted between ferrets. Ferrets are often used as a mammalian model in influenza research, and efficient transmission of influenza virus between ferrets can provide clues as to how well the same process might occur in people.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
UC Santa Barbara scientists discover cinnamon compounds' potential ability to prevent Alzheimer's
Cinnamon: Can the red-brown spice with the unmistakable fragrance and variety of uses offer an important benefit? The common baking spice might hold the key to delaying the onset of -- or warding off -- the effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
University of Illinois biophysicists measure mechanism that determines fate of living cells
For the first time, biophysicists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have measured the molecular force required to mechanically transmit function-regulating signals within a cell. A new laboratory method, named the tension gauge tether approach, has made it possible to detect and measure the mechanics of the single-molecule interaction by which human cell receptors are activated.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
H7N9 animal model looks at transmission of H7N9 influenza virus
An international team of scientists has proved that the H7N9 influenza virus is efficiently transmitted when animals are in close contact -- defined in the study as touching, coughing and the exchange of bodily fluids.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Syracuse University professor argues Earth's mantle affects long-term sea-level rise estimates
New findings by a team of researchers, including Robert Moucha, assistant professor of Earth Sciences in Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences, reveal that the US shoreline -- from Virginia to Florida -- has been uplifted by more than 210 feet, meaning less ice melted than expected. This is big news for scientists who use the coastline to predict future sea-level rise.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Death rates decline for advanced heart failure patients, but outcomes are still not ideal
UCLA researchers examining outcomes for advanced heart-failure patients over the past two decades have found that, coinciding with the increased availability and use of new therapies, overall mortality has decreased and sudden cardiac death, caused by the rapid onset of severe abnormal heart rhythms, has declined. However, the team found that even today, with these significant improvements, one-third of patients don't survive more than three years after being diagnosed with advanced disease.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Scientists offer first definitive proof of bacteria-feeding behavior in green algae
Researchers have captured images of green alga consuming bacteria, offering a glimpse at how early organisms dating back more than 1 billion years may have acquired free-living photosynthetic cells. This acquisition is thought to be a critical first step in the evolution of photosynthetic algae and land plants, which, in turn, contributed to the increase in oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere and ocean and provided one of the conditions necessary for animal evolution.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Understanding job committment may lead to better correctional employees
Commitment to the job by correctional staff members cannot be bought but must be earned by an organization, a Wayne State University researcher believes.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
UCI study reveals new mechanism for estrogen suppression of liver lipid synthesis
By discovering the new mechanism by which estrogen suppresses lipid synthesis in the liver, UC Irvine endocrinologists have revealed a potential new approach toward treating certain liver diseases. With this finding, Dr. Ellis Levin and colleagues believe they are changing long-held views in the field.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
MRI-based measurement helps predict vascular disease in the brain
Aortic arch pulse wave velocity, a measure of arterial stiffness, is a strong independent predictor of disease of the vessels that supply blood to the brain, according to a new study.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Depression common among children with temporal lobe epilepsy
A new study determined that children and adolescents with seizures involving the temporal lobe are likely to have clinically significant behavioral problems and psychiatric illness, especially depression. Findings published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy, highlight the importance of routine psychiatric evaluation for pediatric epilepsy patients -- particularly for those who do not respond to anti-seizure medications and require epilepsy surgery.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers find common childhood asthma unconnected to allergens or inflammation
Little is known about why asthma develops, how it constricts the airway or why response to treatments varies between patients. Now, a team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, Columbia University Medical Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center has revealed the roots of a common type of childhood asthma, showing that it is very different from other asthma cases.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Schools should provide students with daily physical activity, IOM recommends
A new report from the Institute of Medicine says schools should be responsible for helping pupils engage in at least 60 minutes of vigorous or moderate intensity activity during each school day.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Link between war support and PTSD, time it late in negotiations and courtship by narcissists
In time for Memorial Day, new research on war support and PTSD, as well as experts on trauma and loss and other new studies in our journals.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Adult day services for dementia patients provide stress relief to family caregivers
Family caregivers of older adults with dementia are less stressed and their moods are improved on days when dementia patients receive adult day services, according to Penn State researchers.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Improved chemo regimen for childhood leukemia may offer high survival, no added heart toxicity
Treating pediatric leukemia patients with a liposomal formulation of anthracycline-based chemotherapy at a more intense-than-standard dose during initial treatment may result in high survival rates without causing any added heart toxicity, according to the results of a study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Schools should provide opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity to all students
Given the implications for the overall health, development, and academic success of children, schools should play a primary role in ensuring that all students have opportunities to engage in at least 60 minutes per day of vigorous or moderate-intensity physical activity, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
A hidden population of exotic neutron stars
Magnetars -- the dense remains of dead stars that erupt sporadically with bursts of high-energy radiation -- are some of the most extreme objects known in the Universe. A major campaign using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and several other satellites shows magnetars may be more diverse -- and common -- than previously thought.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Bacterium from Canadian High Arctic offers clues to possible life on Mars
The recent discovery by a McGill University led team of scientists of a bacterium that is able to thrive at -15ºC, the coldest temperature ever reported for bacterial growth, is exciting because it offers clues about some of the necessary preconditions for microbial life on Mars.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
First successful treatment of pediatric cerebral palsy with autologous cord blood
Bochum's medics have succeeded in treating cerebral palsy with autologous cord blood. Following a cardiac arrest with severe brain damage, a two and a half year old boy had been in a persistent vegetative state -- with minimal chances of survival. Just two months after treatment with the cord blood containing stem cells, the symptoms improved significantly; over the following months, the child learned to speak simple sentences and to move.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
The secret lives, and deaths, of neurons
University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers uncover surprising insights about how nerve cells rewire themselves, shedding light on a process linked with neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders like schizophrenia and autism.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Regenerating spinal cord fibers may be treatment for stroke-related disabilities
A study by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital found "substantial evidence" that a regenerative process involving damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord could hold the key to better functional recovery by most stroke victims. The findings may offer new hope to those who suffer stroke, the leading cause of long-term disability in adults.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Anxious men fare worse during job interviews, study finds
Nervous about that upcoming job interview? You might want to take steps to reduce your jitters, especially if you are a man. People who are anxious perform more poorly in job interviews, and the effect is worse for men than women, according to new research from the University of Guelph.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Biochemistry: Unspooling DNA from nucleosomal disks
The tight wrapping of genomic DNA around nucleosomes in the cell nucleus makes it unavailable for gene expression. A team of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich now describes a mechanism that allows chromosomal DNA to be locally displaced from nucleosomes for transcription.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers suggest boosting body's natural flu killers
A known difficulty in fighting influenza is the ability of the flu viruses to mutate and thus evade various medications that were previously found to be effective. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have shown recently that another, more promising, approach is to focus on improving drugs that boost the body's natural flu killer system.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Breakthrough on Huntington's disease
Researchers at Lund University have succeeded in preventing very early symptoms of Huntington's disease, depression and anxiety, by deactivating the mutated huntingtin protein in the brains of mice.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Milwaukee-York researchers forward quest for quantum computing
Research teams from UW-Milwaukee and the University of York investigating the properties of ultra-thin films of new materials are helping bring quantum computing one step closer to reality.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
A quantum simulator for magnetic materials
Physicists at ETH Zurich have developed a quantum simulator that allows arranging atoms in a way that they mimic the behavior of electrons in magnetic materials. The experiment opens up the possibility of systematically studying poorly understood properties of novel materials. The fresh insights might lead to designs for new magnetic materials.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Second-generation TAVI device -- Lotus Valve -- shows good performance in REPRISE II
The Lotus Valve, a second-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation device, was successfully implanted in all of the first 60 patients in REPRISE II.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Hormone signal drives motor neuron growth, fish study shows
A discovery made in fish could aid research into motor neuron disease.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
UBC engineer helps pioneer flat spray-on optical lens
A University of British Columbia engineer and a team of US researchers have made a breakthrough utilizing spray-on technology that could revolutionize the way optical lenses are made and used.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
U Alberta teams with citizen researchers 370 light years from Earth
A University of Alberta physicist brought together back-yard astronomers and professionals to confirm the mysterious behaviour of two stars more than 300 light years from Earth.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Protein preps cells to survive stress of cancer growth and chemotherapy
Scientists have uncovered a survival mechanism that occurs in breast cells that have just turned premalignant -- cells on the cusp between normalcy and cancers -- which may lead to new methods of stopping tumors.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Rate of bicycle-related fatalities significantly lower in states with helmet laws
Existing research shows that bicyclists who wear helmets have an 88 percent lower risk of brain injury, but researchers at Boston Children's Hospital found that simply having bicycle helmet laws in place showed a 20 percent decrease in deaths and injuries for children younger than 16 who were in bicycle-motor vehicle collisions.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Future doctors unaware of their obesity bias
Two out of five medical students have an unconscious bias against obese people, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Academic Medicine.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Diabetes' genetic underpinnings can vary based on ethnic background, Stanford studies say
Ethnic background plays a surprisingly large role in how diabetes develops on a cellular level, according to two new studies led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Scientists announce top 10 new species
An amazing glow-in-the-dark cockroach, a harp-shaped carnivorous sponge and the smallest vertebrate on Earth are just three of the newly discovered top 10 species selected by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University. A global committee of taxonomists -- scientists responsible for species exploration and classification -- announced its list of top 10 species from 2012 today, May 23.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Consumers largely underestimating calorie content of fast food
People eating at fast food restaurants largely underestimate the calorie content of meals, especially large ones, according to a paper published today on bmj.com.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Statin use is linked to increased risk of developing diabetes, warn researchers
Treatment with high potency statins (especially atorvastatin and simvastatin) may increase the risk of developing diabetes, suggests a paper published today on bmj.com.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
King Richard III found in 'untidy lozenge-shaped grave'
A world first academic peer-reviewed paper on the University of Leicester's Search and Discovery of Richard III reveals the slain king was buried in hastily dug grave.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
The world's favorite fruit only better-tasting and longer-lasting
Research with GM purple tomatoes could lead to improved varieties of tomatoes with consumer and commercial benefits through conventional breeding or GM. The findings could also be applied to other soft fruit such as strawberries.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Gold nanocrystal vibration captured on billion-frames-per-second film
A billon-frames-per-second film has captured the vibrations of gold nanocrystals in stunning detail for the first time.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Frontiers news briefs: May 23
In this week's news briefs: CNS discovery Pipeline 3.0; spatial learning of female mice; and changes in the patterns and complexity of anterior cingulate cortex activity.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Scientists develop powerful new method for finding therapeutic antibodies
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have devised a powerful new technique for finding antibodies that have a desired biological effect. Antibodies, which can bind to billions of distinct targets, are already used in many of the world's best-selling medicines, diagnostics and laboratory reagents. The newly reported technique should greatly speed the process of discovering such products.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Giving blood donors a good reason to give
Canada and other countries should reassess guidelines that prohibit offering economic incentives such as gift cards to potential blood donors, says a study from the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
UEA scientists make breast cancer advance that turns previous thinking on its head
Scientists at the University of East Anglia have made an advance in breast cancer research which shows how some enzymes released by cancerous cells could have a protective function.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
ESO's Very Large Telescope celebrates 15 years of success
With this new view of a spectacular stellar nursery ESO is celebrating 15 years of the Very Large Telescope -- the world's most advanced optical instrument. This picture reveals thick clumps of dust silhouetted against the pink glowing gas cloud known to astronomers as IC 2944. These opaque blobs resemble drops of ink floating in a strawberry cocktail, their whimsical shapes sculpted by powerful radiation coming from the nearby brilliant young stars.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Drug reverses Alzheimer's disease deficits in mice, Pitt research confirms
An anti-cancer drug reverses memory deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health researchers confirm in the journal Science. The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association, reviewed previously published findings on the drug bexarotene, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Discarded immune cells induce the relocation of stem cells
The study reveals a surprising coordination between two fundamental body systems, the immune and the hematopoietic. The study has implications for the understanding of metastasis, because malignant stem cells involved in tumor formation could take advantage of this mechanism.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Accurate distance measurement resolves major astronomical mystery
It was the famous double-star system with regular, bright outbursts that the theorists said shouldn't be happening. Getting its distance right, however, meant that its outbursts finally fit the standard model for how such systems work.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Economic incentives increase blood donation without negative consequences
Economic incentives such as gift cards, T-shirts, and time off from work motivate people to increase their donations of blood without endangering the blood supply.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Frequent heartburn may predict cancers of the throat and vocal cord
A frequent history of heartburn elevated risk for throat and vocal cord cancers. Use of antacids lowered risk. Further studies are needed to confirm the protective effect of antacids.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Astronomers team up with the public to solve decade old puzzle
An extremely precise measurement of the distance to a star system has finally allowed astronomers to solve a decade-old puzzle, confirming understanding of the way exotic objects like black holes interact with nearby stars.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Bittersweet: Bait-averse cockroaches shudder at sugar
Sugar isn't always sweet to German cockroaches, especially to the ones that avoid roach baits.In a study published May 24 in the journal Science, North Carolina State University entomologists show the neural mechanism behind the aversion to glucose, the simple sugar that is a popular ingredient in roach-bait poison. Glucose sets off bitter receptors in roach taste buds, causing roaches to avoid foods that bring on this taste-bud reaction.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
NIH scientists discover molecule triggers sensation of itch
Scientists report they have discovered in mouse studies that a small molecule released in the spinal cord triggers a process that is later experienced in the brain as the sensation of itch.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Antibiotics: A new understanding of sulfonamide nervous system side effects
Sulfonamide antibiotics are used against a wide spectrum of bacterial infections. However, their side effects can include serious neurological problems like nausea, headache, dizziness, hallucinations and even psychosis. Now, scientists at EPFL have uncovered the molecular basis behind some of the neurological side effects of sulfonamide antibiotics and have shown that they interfere with the production of dopamine in the brain by direct binding of the sepiapterin enzyme.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Multiple research teams unable to confirm high-profile Alzheimer's study
Teams of highly respected Alzheimer's researchers failed to replicate what appeared to be breakthrough results for the treatment of this brain disease when they were published last year in the journal Science.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Motion quotient
A brief visual task can predict IQ, according to a new study. This surprisingly simple exercise measures the brain's unconscious ability to filter out visual movement. The study shows that individuals whose brains are better at automatically suppressing background motion perform better on standard measures of intelligence.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Heart healthy lifestyle may cut kidney disease patients' risk of kidney failure
Compared with kidney disease patients who had zero or one heart healthy lifestyle component in the ideal range, those with two, three, and four ideal factors had progressively lower risks for kidney failure over four years.No kidney disease patients with five to seven ideal factors developed kidney failure. Patients' risk of dying during the study followed a similar trend.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers identify networks of neurons in the brain that are disrupted in psychiatric disease
Studying the networks of connections in the brains of people affected by schizophrenia, bipolar disease or depression has allowed Dr. Peter Williamson, from Western University, to gain a better understanding of the biological basis of these important diseases. Dr. Williamson and colleagues have shown that different networks, found specifically in humans, are disrupted in different psychiatric diseases. These results were presented at the 2013 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New imaging techniques used to help patients suffering from epilepsy
New techniques in imaging of brain activity developed by Jean Gotman, from McGill University's Montreal Neurological Institute, and his colleagues lead to improved treatment of patients suffering from epilepsy. The combination of electroencephalogram and functional magnetic resonance imaging leads to more precise localization of the areas generating epileptic seizures, giving neurosurgeons a better understanding of the optimal ways of intervention, if appropriate. These results were presented at the 2013 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers identify new target to boost plant resistance to insects and pathogens
Plants have evolved unique and sophisticated immune systems to defend themselves against insects and pathogens. Plant hormones called jasmonates play an important role in this defense, but jasmonates have been found to also be important for plant growth. Now, researchers have discovered a gene in the jasmonate pathway that controls plant defenses but does not play a detectable role in plant development. These findings could be applied to improve crop resistance in agriculture.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Defective cellular waste removal explains why Gaucher patients often develop Parkinson's disease
Gaucher disease causes debilitating and sometimes fatal neurodegeneration in early childhood. New research published online on May 23 in Cell Metabolism indicates that the neurodegeneration found in Gaucher disease stems from defects in processes that break down and remove unwanted material from cells. This defective trash removal in cells can lead to the toxic build-up of proteins found to be responsible for neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, providing insight into the link between the two diseases.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
White tiger mystery solved
White tigers today are only seen in zoos, but they belong in nature, say researchers reporting new evidence about what makes those tigers white. Their spectacular white coats are produced by a single change in a known pigment gene, according to the study, appearing on May 23 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
People with high IQ suppress sensory information
People with high IQ scores aren't just more intelligent. They also process sensory information differently, according to a study reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 23.The findings show that the brains of people with high IQ are automatically more selective when it comes to perceiving objects in motion; they are specifically more likely to suppress larger and less relevant background motion.
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New screening approach uncovers potential alternative drug therapies for neuroblastoma
Nearly two-thirds of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma -- a common tumor that forms in the nerve cells of children -- cannot be cured using tumor-killing cancer drugs. A study published in Chemistry & Biology reveals a new genomic approach to screen for compounds that inhibit tumor growth by causing cancer cells to differentiate. Using this screening method, the researchers identified a compound that causes neuroblastoma cells to differentiate, uncovering promising new treatment strategies.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New discovery in fight against deadly meningococcal disease
Professor Michael Jennings, Deputy Director of the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University, was part of an international team that discovered the previously unknown pathway of how the bacterium colonizes people.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Study shows people can be trained to be more compassionate
Until now, little was scientifically known about the human potential to cultivate compassion -- the emotional state of caring for people who are suffering in a way that motivates altruistic behavior. A new study by researchers at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that adults can be trained to be more compassionate.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Depression linked to telomere enzyme, aging, chronic disease
The first symptoms of major depression may be behavioral, but the common mental illness is based in biology -- and not limited to the brain. In recent years some studies have linked major, long-term depression with life-threatening chronic disease and with earlier death, even after lifestyle risk factors have been taken into account.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
University of Wisconsin chemists find new compounds to curb staph infection
In an age when microbial pathogens are growing increasingly resistant to the conventional antibiotics used to tamp down infection, a team of Wisconsin scientists has synthesized a potent new class of compounds capable of curbing the bacteria that cause staph infections.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
NASA's SDO observes another mid-level solar flare
An image, captured at 11:06 a.m. EDT on May 22, 2013, from the ESA/NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory shows the conjunction of two coronal mass ejections streaming away from the sun.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Pay attention: How we focus and concentrate
Scientists at Newcastle University have shed new light on how the brain tunes in to relevant information.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Thinking 'big' may not be best approach to saving large-river fish
Large-river specialist fishes -- from giant species like paddlefish and blue catfish, to tiny crystal darters and silver chub -- are in danger, but researchers say there is greater hope to save them if major tributaries identified in a University of Wisconsin-Madison study become a focus of conservation efforts.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
'Boys will be boys' in US, but not in Asia
A new study shows there is a gender gap when it comes to behavior and self-control in American young children -- one that does not appear to exist in children in Asia.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
NASA's SDO observes mid-level solar flare
The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare on the morning of May 22, 2013. The flare peaked at 9:38 a.m. EDT and was classified as an M7. M-class flares are the weakest flares that can still cause some space weather effects near Earth. In the past, they have caused brief radio blackouts at the poles.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
NASA's Landsat satellite looks for a cloud-free view
For decades, Landsat satellites have documented the desiccation of the Aral Sea in Central Asia. Once one of the largest seas in the world, it shrunk to a tenth of its original volume after Russia diverted its feeder rivers in the 1960s. Scientists studying the Aral Sea's changing ecology and retreating shoreline have looked to Landsat -- and a new feature of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission will help ensure they get a clear, cloud-free view.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
U-M study challenges notion that umpires call more strikes for pitchers of same race
A University of Michigan study challenges previous research that suggests umpire discrimination exists in Major League Baseball.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Tests lead to doubling of fuel cell life
Researchers working to improve durability in fuel cell powered buses have discovered links between electrode degradation processes and bus membrane durability. The team is quantifying the effects of electrode degradation stressors in the operating cycle of the bus on the membrane lifetime.The findings of the study are the latest in a long-term study at Burnaby-based Ballard Power Systems funded by Automotive Partnership Canada aiming to make fuel cell buses competitive with diesel hybrids.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Brain can be trained in compassion, study shows
A new study by researchers at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that adults can be trained to be more compassionate. The report, published Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, investigates whether training adults in compassion can result in greater altruistic behavior and related changes in neural systems underlying compassion.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers explain magnetic field misbehavior in solar flares
When a solar flare erupts from the sun, its magnetic fields sometime break a widely accepted rule of physics. Why? Now we know.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Novel approach for influenza vaccination shows promise in early animal testing
A new approach for immunizing against influenza elicited a more potent immune response and broader protection than the currently licensed seasonal influenza vaccines when tested in mice and ferrets. The vaccine concept, which was developed by scientists at NIAID, represents an important step forward in the quest to develop a universal influenza vaccine -- one that would protect against most or all influenza strains without the need for an annual vaccination.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
UAF researchers contribute to global glacier study
Alaska's melting glaciers remain one of the largest contributors to the world's rising sea levels, say two University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Hospitals profit when patients develop bloodstream infections
Johns Hopkins researchers report that hospitals may be reaping enormous income for patients whose hospital stays are complicated by preventable bloodstream infections contracted in their intensive care units.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Calcium supplements linked to longer lifespans in women
Taking a calcium supplement of up to 1,000 mg per day can help women live longer, according to a study whose lead author was Lisa Langsetmo, a Ph.D. research associate at McGill University, and whose senior author was professor David Goltzman, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and researcher in the Musculoskeletal Disorders axis at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Good marriage can buffer effects of dad's depression on young children
What effect does a father's depression have on his young son or daughter? When fathers report a high level of emotional intimacy in their marriage, their children benefit, said a University of Illinois study.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Innovation could bring flexible solar cells, transistors, displays
Researchers have created a new type of transparent electrode that might find uses in solar cells, flexible displays for computers and consumer electronics and future "optoelectronic" circuits for sensors and information processing.
Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Survey points out deficiencies in addictions training for medical residents
A 2012 survey of internal medicine residents at Massachusetts General Hospital -- one of the nation's leading teaching hospitals -- found that more than half rated the training they had received in addiction and other substance use disorders as fair or poor. Significant numbers felt unprepared to diagnose or treat such disorders, results similar to surveys of practicing physicians.