| Biochemists feed 'poison pill' to deadly virus Posted: 15 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT It has a funny name -- coxsackievirus -- but there's nothing funny about how this tiny germ and its close relatives sicken their hosts. Researchers have designed a genetic modification to one type of coxsackievirus that strips its ability to replicate, mutate and cause illness. They hope their work could lead to a vaccine for this and other viruses like it. |
| Adjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage colon cancer may improve survival Posted: 15 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT Researchers and physicians have grappled with the role of 'adjuvant,' or post-surgery, chemotherapy for patients with early-stage colon cancer, even for cancers considered high risk. Now researchers have found an association between the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage 2 colon cancer and improved survival -- regardless of a patient's age or risk, or even of the specific chemotherapy administered. |
| Extra virgin olive oil is the best option for frying fish Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:47 AM PDT Researchers have studied the changes that take place in fish lipids and in the oil during frying processes, and have concluded that using extra virgin olive oil is the best choice. |
| A peek into the 'birthing room' of ribosomes Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:41 AM PDT Scaffolding and specialized workers help with the delivery of ribosomes, say biochemists, who, through study, have gained new insights into biogenesis. |
| Happy cows make more nutritious milk Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:41 AM PDT Daily infusions with a chemical commonly associated with feelings of happiness were shown to increase calcium levels in the blood of Holstein cows and the milk of Jersey cows that had just given birth. The results could lead to a better understanding of how to improve the health of dairy cows, and keep the milk flowing, say scientists. |
| Struggling families crave stability in uncertain times, study shows Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:41 AM PDT Over a third of families (more than 2 million households) in the United Kingdom are earning below the minimum income needed for an acceptable living standard. A new study has taken a new look at life on a low income, starting not from the perspective of poverty and hardship but from a more positive description of what it is to participate in society and meet needs. |
| New material for trackbeds incorporates rubber from used tires Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:41 AM PDT Researchers have developed a material for use in the subballast layer of train tracks that incorporates shredded rubber from used tires. Combined with crushed stone, this type of mixture has already been used to good effect in asphalt mixtures and roadside embankments, but its use in the rail sector is relatively unexplored. |
| Calcification: Does it pay off in the future ocean? Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:41 AM PDT An international research team has calculated the costs and benefits of calcification for phytoplankton and the impact of climate change on their important role in the world's oceans, a new report explains. |
| Automatically identifying brain regions Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:39 AM PDT Using the example of the fruit fly, a team of biologists has identified patterns in the genetic activity of brain cells and taken them as a basis for drawing conclusions about the structure of the brain. |
| Discovery of the genes responsible for esophageal cancer common among Japanese Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:39 AM PDT A Japanese research group has now discovered the genetic mutations responsible for esophageal cancer frequently found among Japanese. They base their discovery on a genomic analysis of 144 Japanese esophageal cancer patients, the largest of its scale so far. The study findings are expected to contribute to the development of new medical treatments with fewer side effects and tailored drug therapies. |
| Modifications to protein RUNX3 may promote cancer growth Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:37 AM PDT A modification called phosphorylation made to a protein called RUNX3 may promote cancer progression by allowing cell division, scientists have discovered. The phosphorylation, or the addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, is carried out by an enzyme called Aurora Kinase, which has been observed to be present in unusually high levels in some cancers. |
| Neuronal activity shows link between wakefulness, fight-or-flight response in mice Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:36 AM PDT Researchers have revealed a role for orexin neurons of the hypothalamus in regulating the response to harmful stimuli in mice. Painful stimuli activated orexin neurons, except in mice that were anesthetized. Mice bred to lack orexin neurons were hypersensitive to such stimuli, while those with artificially activated orexin neurons demonstrated reduced responses to pain. These findings suggest a link between response to stimuli and consciousness that is regulated by neurons producing orexin. |
| Molecular switch for controlling color, fluorescence Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:36 AM PDT Researchers have developed a molecular switching technique to control the visible color and fluorescent properties of a compound by using hydrogen and oxygen gas. This innovative work is environmentally friendly since it uses the energy from the two gases to switch the color and fluorescence of a compound and produces only water as a byproduct. |
| Genetic roots of insect's waterproof coating could lead to innovative pest control Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:36 AM PDT Scientists may have discovered a new and effective way to control insect pests that are a threat to agriculture and humans. Researchers have identified a gene in vinegar flies responsible for the insect's waterproof coating, which provides them protection from microbes and environmental stress. They nicknamed the gene spidey. |
| Structure of cold virus linked to childhood asthma solved Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:36 AM PDT The atomic structure of an elusive cold virus linked to severe asthma and respiratory infections in children has been solved by a team of researchers. The findings provide the foundation for future antiviral drug and vaccine development against the virus, rhinovirus C. |
| Soot may have killed off the dinosaurs and ammonites Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:35 AM PDT A new hypothesis on the extinction of dinosaurs and ammonites at the end of the Cretaceous Period has been proposed by a research team. |
| City birds again prove to be angrier than rural birds Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:35 AM PDT New observations on urban versus rural birds shed light on the effects of human population expansion on wildlife, say authors of a new report. . |
| Ecologists propose new method to probe population growth questions Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:35 AM PDT To close the gap between contemporary reality and demographic theory, ecologists have developed a set of transient life table response experiments for decomposing realized population growth rates into contributions from specific vital rates and components of population structure. |
| Key to regulating cell's powerhouse discovered Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:35 AM PDT Aging, neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic disease are all linked to mitochondria, structures within our cells that generate chemical energy and maintain their own DNA. In a fundamental discovery with far-reaching implications, scientists now show how cells control DNA synthesis in mitochondria and couple it to mitochondrial division. |
| Global experts call on UN to mobilize a global action plan to widen access to antibiotics Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:35 AM PDT Today some of the world's experts on antibiotic resistance called on the UN to act to reduce the growing number of deaths due to limited access to effective antibiotics. |
| Easier, faster, cheaper: A full-filling approach to making nanotubes of consistent quality Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT Just as many of us might be resigned to clogged salt shakers or rush-hour traffic, those working to exploit the special properties of carbon nanotubes have typically shrugged their shoulders when these tiniest of cylinders fill with water during processing. But for nanotube practitioners who have reached their Popeye threshold and "can't stands no more," scientists have devised a cheap, quick and effective strategy that reliably enhances the quality and consistency of the materials -- important for using them effectively in applications such as new computing technologies. |
| Prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders has risen among US veterans Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT A new study found a six-fold increase in the age-adjusted prevalence of any sleep disorder diagnosis over an 11-year period among US veterans. The largest increases were identified in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other mental disorders, or combat experience. Results also show that the prevalence of PTSD tripled during the study period. |
| How new HIV drugs lock virus in immaturity Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT A new type of HIV drug currently being tested works in an unusual way, scientists have found. They also discovered that when the virus became resistant to early versions of these drugs, it did not do so by blocking or preventing their effects, but rather by circumventing them. The study presents the most detailed view yet of part of the immature form of HIV. |
| Pushing a single-molecule switch Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT Combined experimental and theoretical work opens a unique capability for studying mechanical activation and processing at the single-molecule level, elementary reactions that are involved in many important biological functions and are crucial in molecular devices. |
| Rare fungus product reduces resistance to antibiotics Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT Microorganisms, among them fungi, are a natural and rich source of antibiotic compounds. Scientists have succeeded for the first time in extracting the rare compound cPM from a filamentous fungus, applying a special method. Using this substance leads to increased susceptibility of a resistant pathogen against standard antibiotics. |
| Optical magnetic field sensor can detect signals from the nervous system Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:29 AM PDT The human body is controlled by electrical impulses in the brain, the heart and nervous system. These electrical signals create tiny magnetic fields, which doctors could use to diagnose various diseases, for example diseases of the brain or heart problems in young fetuses. Researchers have now succeeded in developing a method for extremely precise measurements of such ultra-small magnetic fields with an optical magnetic field sensor. |
| Garlic aroma found in breast milk Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT Food chemists have found that garlic aroma is evident in the breast milk of women who have consumed garlic. This is caused by allyl methyl sulfide -- a metabolite which is first formed in a strong concentration during breastfeeding. Whether the aroma has an impact on which food preferences children develop and whether they like garlic in later life needs to be clarified by further research. |
| Comprehensive map of primate brain development Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT Researchers have published an in-depth analysis of a comprehensive molecular atlas of brain development in the non-human primate. This analysis uncovers features of the genetic code underlying brain development in our close evolutionary relative, while revealing distinct features of human brain development by comparison. |
| Race, not gender, is key factor in NIH awards Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT Race not gender appears to be the most significant factor influencing the award of a National Institutes of Health Research Project Grant, according to a new study. |
| Cell research could help with heart tissue transplants Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT A new technique could make tissue regeneration cheaper and safer for health-care systems and their patients. The study has identified new ways in which proteins and various biological molecules -- known as growth factors -- can work together to turn cells on the surface into cells that form the middle layer of the heart valve. |
| Solving a plant-based Rubik's cube puzzle Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT A key 'twist' in a Rubik's cube-like plant puzzle has been discovered by scientists. This find could pave the way to new, or more effective pharmaceuticals, they say. |
| Scientists move one step closer to creating an invisibility cloak Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT Scientists have made an object disappear by using a material with nano-size particles that can enhance specific properties on the object's surface. |
| How can medical centers transform their patient safety culture? Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:27 AM PDT Though health care is not without risks or error, hospital employees can support a culture of patient safety by identifying, reporting, and learning from medical mistakes that have or could have harmed patients. In a new study, a training program focusing on team communication, leadership, and decision-making practices, known as Crew Resource Management, was found to improve perceptions of the safety culture by 8 percent over the course of two years. |
| Repeated stimulation treatment can restore movement to paralyzed muscles Posted: 15 Jul 2016 08:26 AM PDT A new patient study could open a new opportunity to rehabilitate patients with spinal cord damage, say investigators. This study represents the first time that attempts were made to rehabilitate patients paralysed as a result of a spinal cord injury through long-term stimulation treatment of this type. |
| Public health benefits of e-cigarette use tend to outweigh the harms Posted: 14 Jul 2016 04:36 PM PDT A modeling study by top tobacco control experts finds that e-cigarettes are likely to provide public health benefits based on "conservative estimates" of the likely uptake of vaping and smoking by adolescents and young adults. If used instead of smoking, e-cigarettes provide the potential to reduce harm and improve public health, says the lead author. |
| Red meat consumption linked with increased risk of developing kidney failure Posted: 14 Jul 2016 04:36 PM PDT Red meat intake was strongly associated with an increased risk of kidney failure among Chinese adults in Singapore who were followed for an average of 15.5 years, a new report suggests. No association was found with intakes of poultry, fish, eggs, or dairy products, while soy and legumes appeared to be slightly protective. |
| Simple method developed to characterize immune cells in tumors Posted: 14 Jul 2016 12:18 PM PDT Despite recent achievements in the development of cancer immunotherapies, only a small group of patients typically respond to them. Predictive markers of disease course and response to immunotherapy are urgently needed. |
| Scientists, zoos team up on landmark elephant welfare project Posted: 14 Jul 2016 12:14 PM PDT Social and environmental interactions may be far more important for elephants than simply the size of their enclosures, reports a team of researchers conducting this largest ever, multi-institutional zoo-elephant welfare project. |
| Patient-specific approach may improve deep brain stimulation used to treat Parkinson's Posted: 14 Jul 2016 12:14 PM PDT Researchers have developed a method to measure how the brain responds to electrical stimulation and use the response to maximize efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) -- a therapy that has been successfully used to treat advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. The study provides a patient specific approach to tuning parameters that may dramatically improve efficacy of deep brain stimulation. |
| Dietary restriction increases lifespan through effects on the gut Posted: 14 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT Dietary restriction, or limited food intake without malnutrition, has beneficial effects on longevity in many species, including humans. A new study represents a major advance in understanding how dietary restriction leads to these advantages. Using the small roundworm C. elegans as a model, scientists showed that autophagy in the intestine is critical for lifespan extension. |
