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Science News for March 30, 2011


Blood simple circuitry for cyborgs

Researchers developed a biological memristor using human blood, exhibiting memory effects when exposed to voltage polarity and magnitude. The breakthrough demonstrates the potential for creating liquid memristors from human tissues, paving the way for future cyborg devices.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics·DateMar 30, 2011

Could HIV-infected organs save lives?

Researchers estimate that lifting the ban on HIV-infected organ donation could provide transplants to 500 patients annually. The study suggests that this change would not only benefit HIV-positive patients but also reduce waiting times for non-HIV infected patients.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalAmerican Journal of Transplantation·DateMar 30, 2011

West Runton Elephant helps unlock the past

Researchers from the University of York and Manchester have extracted protein from a 600,000 year old mammoth fossil, providing a near complete collagen sequence. This breakthrough enables the identification of ancient fossils and opens up new possibilities for studying extinct animals.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalGeochimica et Cosmochimica Acta·DateMar 30, 2011

Educational development stunted by teenage fatherhood

A new study found that teenage fatherhood significantly impacts young adult outcomes, including a 15-point reduction in high school graduation rates and an 11-point increase in receiving a GED. The experience of teenage fatherhood also increases the likelihood of full-time employment and military service.

SourceWiley·JournalEconomic Inquiry·DateMar 30, 2011

Researchers make the leap to whole-cell simulations

A team of researchers has built a computer model of a bacterial cell's crowded interior, accurately simulating the behavior of living cells in response to environmental stimuli. By analyzing the distribution of molecules within the cell, they found that molecular crowding affects individual molecule movement and chemical reactions.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateMar 30, 2011

Study reveals no impact of age on outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib

A study published in Blood reveals that imatinib treatment has no significant impact on the outcome of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients aged 65 and older. The research found that complete hematologic response rates, cytogenetic response rates, and overall survival rates were similar between younger and older patients treated wit...

What the brain saw

Researchers at the Salk Institute have developed a mathematical framework to understand how neurons in the retina encode visual information. The study reveals that only information about pairs of temporal stimulus patterns is relayed to the brain, with higher-order combinations being less important than previously thought.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateMar 30, 2011

Diet-exercise combo best for obese seniors

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that combining diet and exercise improves physical performance by 21% in obese seniors, compared to 12% with weight loss alone and 15% with exercise alone. This combination also leads to significant improvements in strength, balance, and quality of life.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateMar 30, 2011

UCLA study finds cholesterol regulator plays key role in development of liver scarring, cirrhosis

A new study by UCLA researchers has found that a key regulator of cholesterol and fat metabolism in the liver also plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. LXRs, master regulators of cholesterol and inflammatory gene expression, control the fibrosis-making cells of the liver.

Study: Emissions trading doesn't cause pollution 'hot spots'

A new study by Indiana University professor Evan Ringquist finds that emissions trading programs do not create heavily polluted areas in minority and low-income communities. The study analyzed data from the sulfur dioxide allowance trading program and found no evidence of 'hot spots' or increased pollution in these areas.

SourceIndiana University·JournalSocial Science Quarterly·DateMar 30, 2011

Drug cocktail offers new hope for hepatitis C patients

A new three-drug cocktail has been shown to eliminate the hepatitis C virus in patients more effectively than the current two-drug regimen, with significantly higher rates of sustained virologic response. This breakthrough treatment offers new hope for patients who have not responded to previous therapy.

SourceHenry Ford Health·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateMar 30, 2011