Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive 2004 - Page 113


Page 113 of 135

King Tut liked red wine

Spanish scientists have developed a technique to determine the color of ancient wine, revealing that King Tut's wine was made with red grapes. The analysis is the first extensive chemical analysis done on a jar from King Tut's tomb and provides evidence of the color of wine in an archaeological sample.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalAnalytical Chemistry·DateMar 15, 2004

Profiling prostate cancer

Researchers have developed a gene expression profiling method that predicts clinical outcome in prostate cancer patients. The study's findings suggest that this approach can improve our ability to stratify patient populations and optimize disease treatment.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 15, 2004

Tissue cells can revert to stem cells

Researchers have discovered that tissue cells in clusters of 4 and 8 can revert to a stem-cell state under specific conditions, working just as well as normal stem cells. This finding could provide a new approach for harnessing differentiated cells to enhance tissue repair, similar to animals that can regenerate lost parts.

The small and the beautiful

Scientists capture real-time video-clips of signal transmission in living cells using Quantum Dots, revealing new insights into cellular processes. The breakthrough is expected to speed up the development of new cancer-curing drugs.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateMar 12, 2004

Study examines why new lung cancer treatment is effective for some patients but not others

A study found that gefitinib is effective for patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are female, never smoked, and have a specific type of cancer. The researchers identified two key factors associated with sensitivity to the drug: having adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar features and never having smoked.

SourceMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateMar 12, 2004

Delving into defects spurs prospects for chip insulator

A team of NIST and IBM researchers has quantified 'electrical capture defects' in hafnium oxide chips, which can drain currents and hinder transistor operation. By applying a voltage pulse and measuring current, the scientists identified critical locations where these defects occur near the silicon substrate-hafnium oxide interface.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalIEEE Electron Device Letters·DateMar 11, 2004

'Before and after' diet ads promote bias against overweight people

Researchers found that subjects viewing 'before and after' ads indicated a strong anti-fat bias and believed weight is more easily controllable than those who viewed only the 'before' or 'after' pictures. The study suggests that such biases can influence further weight and eating disorder psychopathology.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalEating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity·DateMar 11, 2004

UT Southwestern researchers identify gene as essential for vascular smooth muscle development

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered a master regulator of smooth muscle development, protein myocardin, which controls growth and differentiation. This finding offers new insights into the cellular mechanisms controlling smooth muscle cell proliferation, potentially leading to novel therapeutics for cardiovascular ...