Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New analysis yields improvements in a classic 3-D imaging technique
The first major image quality improvements in the history of a widely used century-old 3-D printing technique have been enabled by research at Curtin University, the team has reported in the journal Optical Engineering published by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. The technique, anaglyph printing, utilizes red-and-blue eyewear to transform 2-D images into 3-D in comics, magazines, books, and newspapers.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Understanding the past and predicting the future by looking across space and time
In a new paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and elsewhere validate a fundamental assumption at the very heart of a popular way to predict relationships between complex variables.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Driving and hands-free talking lead to spike in errors: UAlberta study
University of Alberta pilot study shows driving while talking on a hands-free cellular device leads to more driving errors than driving alone.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New research shows that potatoes provide one of the best nutritional values per penny
A new study, "Vegetable Cost Metrics Show That Potatoes and Beans Provide Most Nutrients Per Penny," published in the journal PLOS ONE, shows that potatoes are one of the best nutritional values in the produce aisle, providing one of the better nutritional values per penny than most other raw vegetables and delivering one of the most affordable source of potassium of the more frequently consumed vegetables, second only to beans.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Researchers identify first drug targets in childhood genetic tumor disorder
Two mutations central to the development of infantile myofibromatosis -- a disorder characterized by multiple tumors involving the skin, bone, and soft tissue -- may provide new therapeutic targets, according to researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The findings, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, may lead to new treatment options for this debilitating disease, for which the only current treatment option is repeated surgical removal of the tumors.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
June 2013 LITHOSPHERE now online
New papers published in the June issue of Lithosphere cover the geology of Western Europe; the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica; the Norwegian Caledonides; the Central Asian Orogenic Belt; the Karakoram shear zone and Greater Himalaya Sequence, NW India; the Garlock fault and the southern Sierra Nevada-eastern Tehachapi Mountains, USA; and the Chinese Altai. The issue features multi-national research teams, including authors from Belgium, Scotland, China, and Japan, as well as the USA.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Facial-recognition technology proves its mettle
In a study that evaluated some of the latest in automatic facial recognition technology, researchers at Michigan State University were able to quickly identify one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects from law enforcement video, an experiment that demonstrated the value of such technology.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Hormone levels may provide key to understanding psychological disorders in women
Women at a particular stage in their monthly menstrual cycle may be more vulnerable to some of the psychological side-effects associated with stressful experiences, according to a study from UCL.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
OHSU research highlights promising strategy to help vaccines outsmart HIV
A new discovery at Oregon Health and Science University highlights an ingenious method to ensure the body effectively reacts when infected with the highly-evasive HIV virus that causes AIDS. The method involves the use of cytomegalovirus as a vector to help a vaccine better instruct T cells how to identify and fight the virus.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Youth with type 2 diabetes at much higher risk for heart, kidney disease
The news about youth and diabetes keeps getting worse. The latest data shows that children with type 2 diabetes are at high risk to develop heart, kidney and eye problems faster and at a higher rate than adults with diabetes. "It's a public health issue," said Jane Lynch, M.D., principal investigator for the study at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Please do try this at home
After studying noise in one French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans to determine whether or not noise levels exceeded municipal ordinances, Annette Hurley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Audiology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and Eric Arriaga, a third-year LSUHSC doctor of audiology student, recommend that people use today's technology to protect their own hearing health.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Registry confirms TAVI efficacy and safety in Asian patients
Early experience shows a high rate of procedural success and a low rate of major adverse cardiovascular events with TAVI in a diverse Asian population.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Feasibility trial reports deployment of new device for TAVI in aortic insufficiency
A small feasibility study shows successful delivery and deployment of the investigational Helio System for the Sapien XT Transcatheter Heart Valve in high-risk patients with aortic insufficiency.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Diagnostic coronary angiography: Functional flow reserve changes decisions in 25 percent of cases
Assessing ischaemia by measuring functional flow reserve significantly changes management decisions in one in four patients being assessed by coronary angiography for chest pain.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Help at hand for schizophrenics
Researchers from the Bergen fMRI Group at the University of Bergen are working on how to help schizophrenics, who hear voices. The way they do this is by studying people who also hear voices, but who do not suffer from a mental illness. For a five-year period, the group is studying the brain processes causing people to hear voices. A recent report published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience shows some of the group's startling results.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Proteins in migration
Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Bonn have developed a new animal model that provides important clues on the mechanisms of Parkinson's disease. The research team headed by Professor Donato Di Monte presents these results in the scientific journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Going live -- immune cell activation in multiple sclerosis
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried have now presented not one, but two studies introducing new indicator molecules which can visualize the activation of T cells. Their findings provide new insight into the role of these cells in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. The new indicators are set to be an important tool in the study of other immune reactions as well.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
A new strategy required in the search for Alzheimer's drugs?
In the search for medication against Alzheimer's disease, scientists focused -- among other factors -- on drugs that can break down Amyloid beta (A-beta). After all, it is the accumulation of A-beta that causes the known plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Starting point of A-beta is APP. Alessia Soldano and Bassem Hassan were the first to unravel the function of APPL -- the fruit-fly version of APP -- in the brain of healthy fruit flies.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
How sustainable is Switzerland?
The vision of a society in which each inhabitant of the earth manages to consume only 2,000 watts has already been around for 15 years. During this time, there has been a steady increase in environmental awareness. Technology has become more efficient and sustainable lifestyle is popular. However, as a study by Empa and ETH Zurich shows, Mr. and Mrs. Swiss are still a long way from achieving this.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
How do cold ions slide?
One of the challenges faced by those who study friction is finding a connection between the phenomena observed within the macroworld and those in the nanoworld. The stick-slip, a phenomenon observed at every scale when two surfaces slide on one another, could be the starting point to identify such connection. The scientists at SISSA have studied such phenomenon through a system of "trapped cold ions."
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Are there atheists in foxholes? Cornell/Virginia Wesleyan study says they're the minority
Two studies analyze whether there were atheists in WWII foxholes. The first shows that reliance on prayer rose from 32 percent to 74 percent as battles intensified. The second shows that soldiers who faced heavy combat and claimed the war was negative attended church 21 percent more often than non-combat vets -- even 50 years later. For families or for counselors working with combat veterans, religious involvement may be particularly meaningful for such veterans.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Detection of the cosmic gamma ray horizon: Measures all the light in the universe since the Big Bang
Radiation from all galaxies that ever existed suffuses the Universe with a diffuse extragalactic background light (EBL). Measuring the EBL is as fundamental to cosmology as measuring heat from the Big Bang (cosmic microwave background) at radio wavelengths. Alberto Dominguez and six coauthors describe the best measurement yet of the evolution of the EBL over the past 5 billion years, based on observations from radio waves to gamma rays from NASA spacecraft and ground-based telescopes.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Young children who miss well-child visits are more likely to be hospitalized
Young children who missed more than half of recommended well-child visits had up to twice the risk of hospitalization compared to children who attended most of their visits, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Managed Care. The study included more than 20,000 children enrolled at Group Health Cooperative.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
The ascent of man: Why our early ancestors took to 2 feet
A new study by archaeologists at the University of York challenges evolutionary theories behind the development of our earliest ancestors from tree dwelling quadrupeds to upright bipeds capable of walking and scrambling.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists
A conference of 500 leading water scientists from around the world today issued a stark warning that, without major reforms, "in the short span of one or two generations, the majority of the 9 billion people on Earth will be living under the handicap of severe pressure on fresh water, an absolutely essential natural resource for which there is no substitute. This handicap will be self-inflicted and is, we believe, entirely avoidable."
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Hormone replacement therapy -- clarity at last!
The British Menopause Society and Women's Health Concern have today released updated guidelines on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to provide clarity around the role of HRT, the benefits and the risks. The new guidelines appear in the society's flagship title, Menopause International, published by SAGE.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
ACP issues recommendations for management of high blood glucose in hospitalized patients
High blood glucose is associated with poor outcomes in hospitalized patients, and use of intensive insulin therapy (IIT) to control hyperglycemia is a common practice in hospitals. But the recent evidence does not show a consistent benefit and even shows harms associated with the use of IIT, according to the American College of Physicians.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
First drug to improve heart failure mortality in over a decade
Coenzyme Q10 decreases all cause mortality by half, according to the results of a multicenter randomized double blind trial presented today at Heart Failure 2013 congress.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Death highest in heart failure patients admitted in January, on Friday, and overnight
Mortality and length of stay are highest in heart failure patients admitted in January, on Friday, and overnight, according to research presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2013.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Heart failure accelerates male 'menopause'
Heart failure accelerates the aging process and brings on early andropausal syndrome, according to research to be presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2013.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New fluorescent tools for cancer diagnosis
In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Thomas Tuschl and colleagues at Rockefeller University developed a multicolor fluorescence labeling method that can be used to visualize miRNAs in tissue sections, such as those recovered from biopsies.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Modulating the immune system to combat metastatic cancer
In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers led by Ronald Levy at Stanford University found that regulatory T cells that infiltrate tumors express proteins that can be targeted with therapeutic antibodies.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
JCI early table of contents for May 24, 2013
The following release contains summaries, links to PDFs, and contact information for the following newsworthy papers to be published online, May 24, 2013, in the JCI: Modulating the immune system to combat metastatic cancer; new fluorescent tools for cancer diagnosis; malnutrition exacerbates Giardia infection in mice; and many more.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Astronomers measure the elusive extragalactic background light
Measuring the extragalactic background light (EBL) is no simple task, complicated by the fact that Earth is lodged inside a bright solar system and a bright Milky Way. Now a team of astronomers has come up with a solution that ingeniously overcomes the technical challenges of measuring EBL. The researchers propose that one answer to the problem of measuring EBL lies in measuring the attenuation -- or weakening -- of very high-energy gamma rays from distant blazars.
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
New neuron formation could increase capacity for new learning, at the expense of old memories
New research presented today shows that formation of new neurons in the hippocampus -- a brain region known for its importance in learning and remembering -- could cause forgetting of old memories by causing a reorganization of existing brain circuits. Drs. Paul Frankland and Sheena Josselyn, both from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, argue this reorganization could have the positive effect of clearing old memories, reducing interference and thereby increasing capacity for new learning. These results were presented at the 2013 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting
Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT
Monkey teeth help reveal Neanderthal weaning
Studies on monkeys at the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis have helped US and Australian researchers calculate when a Neanderthal infant was weaned.
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.