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Science News Archive 2012 - Page 158


Page 158 of 333

Road-mapping the Asian brain

The University of Nottingham is developing a detailed picture of the Asian brain through a two-year project. The resulting road-map will help doctors in Asia diagnose age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's at an earlier stage, improving treatment outcomes.

Giraffes are living proof that cells' pressure matters

Physicists developed a two-component model accounting for cell expansion and fluid dynamics. The model revealed that homeostatic pressure, not fluid pressure, drives cell division in biological tissues. This discovery could help understand cancer growth by disrupting homeostasis.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateJul 3, 2012

Solar power from plastic foils

A group of KIT researchers has been granted €4.25 million to enhance the efficiency of organic solar cells to over 10% using tandem architectures and novel materials. The new generation of solar cells is light, flexible, semi-transparent, and can be produced at low cost.

Surprising culprit behind chemo resistance in rare cancer

Researchers at WashU Medicine discovered that ACA11, a non-coding RNA, helps protect cancer cells from damage and makes them resistant to chemotherapy. This finding may lead to new cancer therapeutics and help guide research into better treatments for patients with multiple myeloma.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 2, 2012

JCI early table of contents for July 2, 2012

A novel gene variant associated with reduced cholesterol levels has been identified in human populations. Additionally, a new approach for treating Parkinson's disease using embryonic stem cell therapy is proposed. Furthermore, research suggests that brain indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) plays a crucial role in the concurrence of ...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 2, 2012

Rest is not idleness: Reflection is critical for development and well-being

A new article highlights the importance of introspection and reflection in learning, socioemotional functioning, and overall well-being. Research on the brain's default mode network reveals that individual differences in brain activity during rest are correlated with self-awareness, moral judgment, and memory consolidation.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPerspectives on Psychological Science·DateJul 2, 2012

UCLA study looks at why heart attacks cause so much more damage in late pregnancy

A new UCLA study published in Basic Research in Cardiology found that heart attacks in late pregnancy result in worse heart function and more damaged heart tissue than in non-pregnant females. The research suggests that the heart may be particularly vulnerable to injury during this critical period, but partially recovers after giving b...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalBasic Research in Cardiology·DateJul 2, 2012

Moffitt Cancer Center study validates activity of rare genetic variant in glioma

A recent study at Moffitt Cancer Center has validated a rare genetic variant associated with an increased risk of glioma, the most common and lethal type of brain tumor. The study found that individuals carrying this variant had a 3.5 times higher risk of developing glioma, but also experienced a 50% reduction in death rates

SourceH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute·JournalJournal of Medical Genetics·DateJul 2, 2012

Fast food intake increases risk of diabetes and heart disease in Singapore

A study published by the American Heart Association found that consuming fast food even once a week increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 20 percent. Eating fast food two or more times a week also boosts the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 27 percent, especially among younger and better-educated individuals.

Researchers create 'rubber-band electronics'

Scientists have developed a design that allows electronics to bend and stretch up to 200%, overcoming the major obstacle of rigid electronics. This breakthrough enables medical monitoring devices to track vital signs and transmit them wirelessly, opening up new possibilities for patient care.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 2, 2012

Measuring the uncertainties of pandemic influenza

A collaboration between US research centers highlights three disease characteristics that determine whether an outbreak becomes a serious epidemic: pre-symptom transmission, reproductive number, and disease stage length. Simulation models demonstrate that current response plans may underestimate consequences significantly.

SourceInderscience Publishers·JournalInternational Journal of Risk Assessment and Management·DateJul 2, 2012

Individual perspectives improve laparoscopy

Researchers at Brown University have developed a new system that allows surgeons to control their own views during laparoscopic surgery, leading to faster and more accurate performance. In a small in vitro trial, surgeons with individual views outperformed those with shared views, completing tasks up to 3 times faster.

SourceBrown University·JournalJournal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques·DateJul 2, 2012

Researchers able to better pinpoint history of droughts through exploration of tree rings

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered an unexpected complexity in the patterns of drought during the Middle Ages. The study uses tree rings and oxygen isotopes to reveal that winters were wetter-than-expected during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, contradicting previous tree ring data.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 2, 2012

Breaking the skin barrier

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a novel gene regulation technology that can selectively target disease-causing genes in skin cells. The treatment uses spherical arrangements of nucleic acids to penetrate the skin and deliver therapeutics, offering new hope for life-saving therapies for skin cancers and other skin ...

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 2, 2012

DNA sequenced for parrot's ability to parrot

Researchers have successfully sequenced the parrot genome using single molecule sequencing, allowing for a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms behind vocal learning. The breakthrough could lead to insights into speech development in humans and the study of cancer and brain functions.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJul 2, 2012

Exploring one of climate's 'known unknowns'

Research reveals faster water condensation on less viscous aerosol particles, affecting cloud albedo and lifetime. The study's findings provide insight into the climate's 'known unknowns', highlighting the importance of understanding condensation rates.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 2, 2012