Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for June 19, 2013


Cheap, color, holographic video

Researchers at MIT's Media Lab have developed a new approach to generating holograms that could enable the creation of color holographic-video displays. The technique uses an optical chip, resembling a microscope slide, built for about $10, which can produce high-resolution video images up to 30 times per second.

Sound waves precisely position nanowires

Using sound waves, researchers can create repeatable patterns of metallic nanomaterials onto substrates that are incompatible with conventional lithography methods. The technique allows for the patterning of nanowires with tunable spacing and density, enabling potential applications in various fields.

SourcePenn State·JournalACS Nano·DateJun 19, 2013

Are we pushing animals over the edge?

The study found that human population density is a significant threat to extinction, with a 3.3% increase in threatened mammals and birds over the next decade. Conservation efforts should consider human population density to mitigate biodiversity loss.

SourceSpringer·JournalHuman Ecology·DateJun 19, 2013

HIV-derived antibacterial shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria

Researchers have developed HIV-derived antibacterial compounds that target and disrupt bacterial membranes, showing powerful activity against clinically resistant bacteria. These engineered cationic antimicrobial peptides (eCAPs) may also be applicable to treatment of other respiratory infections and biodefense applications.

SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy·DateJun 19, 2013

Laughing gas does not increase heart attacks

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine found no link between nitrous oxide anesthesia and increased risk of heart attack. Despite concerns about the impact on homocysteine levels, the study showed that B vitamins did not influence heart attack risk in surgery patients.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalAnesthesiology·DateJun 19, 2013

Pearly perfection

Researchers suggest that the unique texture of developing pearls creates a ratchet-like effect, causing them to turn and accumulate nacre in a spherical build-up. This process results in the formation of perfectly spherical, highly prized pearls.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalLangmuir·DateJun 19, 2013

Metamorphosis of moon's water ice explained

Scientists from the University of New Hampshire and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center explain how energetic particles create molecular hydrogen from water ice on the moon. They used data gathered by the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation to show that up to 100% of the H2 can be formed via charged particles.

What do memories look like?

Researchers have developed a way to see where and how memories are stored in the brain by attaching fluorescent markers to synaptic proteins. The microprobes allow scientists to observe live excitatory and inhibitory synapses for the first time, showing how they change as new memories are formed.

Staging system in ALS shows potential tracks of disease progression, Penn study finds

Researchers developed a staging system to track ALS disease progression, mapping out four distinct stages and identifying transmission patterns. The study's findings suggest a similar transmission process in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and may lead to new treatments like immunotherapies.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateJun 19, 2013

Expressly unfit for the laboratory

Berkeley Lab researchers found that most bacterial genes are regulated by signals unrelated to their function, leading to maladaptive regulation in laboratory settings. Only a small percentage of genes showed adaptive regulation, suggesting that natural responses may not fit the classical all-benefit-and-no-cost model.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalMolecular Systems Biology·DateJun 19, 2013

Snail genetic tracks reveal ancient human migration

A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that Mesolithic humans transported banded wood snails from southern France to Ireland, based on genetically identical snails found in both regions. The research provides insight into the ancient human migration patterns and their impact on the local ecosystem.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJun 19, 2013

An environmentally friendly battery made from wood

Researchers have created a battery made from wood coated with tin that shows promise for becoming a tiny, long-lasting and efficient energy source. The device performed successfully through 400 charge-discharge cycles, making it suitable for large-scale energy storage applications such as wind farms or solar energy installations.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalNano Letters·DateJun 19, 2013

Drug shows surprising efficacy as treatment for chronic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma

A phase Ib/II trial showed an overall response rate of 71% for CLL patients and a 68% response rate for MCL patients, with estimated progression-free survival rates of 75% and 58% respectively. Ibrutinib has been shown to target Bruton's tyrosine kinase, a protein critical in B-cell receptor pathway for tumor cell survival.

SourceOhio State University Wexner Medical Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 19, 2013

Scientists date prehistoric bacterial invasion still present in today's cells

Researchers date cyanobacterial invasion into one-celled plants to 900 million years ago, revealing new insights into the origins of photosynthesis. By analyzing fossil and genetic evidence, they estimated the age of this ancient event, providing a more precise timeline for the evolution of plant and animal cells.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 19, 2013

No danger of cancer through gene therapy virus

A gene therapy virus has been approved for treating a rare inherited metabolic disease, and researchers found it rarely integrates into the genome, making it safe. The virus was analyzed in patients and mice, revealing its ability to target mitochondria and potentially correcting genetic defects in human mitochondrial DNA.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalNature Medicine·DateJun 19, 2013

NCAR joins massive field campaign to examine summertime air in Southeast

Researchers in the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) investigate how chemical reactions between human-related pollution and plant-emitted VOCs affect air quality in the U.S. Southeast. The project aims to uncover the controlling processes of biosphere-atmosphere interactions, which can impact regional climate and air chemistry.

Looking at sachet water consumption in Ghana

A new study by University of Miami researcher Justin Stoler examines the demographics of sachet water usage in Ghana's capital Accra, revealing how poverty and environmental concerns impact urban water security. The research highlights the unintended social and environmental consequences of widespread sachet water use.

SourceUniversity of Miami·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJun 19, 2013