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University of California - Los Angeles


Hitting target in cancer fight now easier with new nanoparticle platform, UCLA scientists say

Researchers create engineered mesoporous silica nanoparticles that improve drug delivery to tumors, increasing particle retention by up to 10% and reducing systemic side effects. The optimized platform achieves significant increases in doxorubicin delivery, inducing tumor shrinkage and apoptosis while improving safety profiles.

Ancient fossils hold clues for predicting future climate change, scientists report

Scientists have discovered ancient mollusk fossils that may indicate how warm the planet will become if carbon dioxide levels are stabilized at current values. The findings suggest summertime Arctic temperatures could increase by 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to a permanent ice cap melting and further heating the planet.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters·DateApr 7, 2011

Is space like a chessboard?

Physicists at UCLA found that dividing space into discrete locations like a chessboard explains how point-like electrons manage to carry their intrinsic angular momentum. This concept, inspired by graphene's electronic properties, proposes that space at very small distances is segmented, rather than smooth.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 18, 2011

Dude, you throw like a crybaby!

A UCLA study found that body language is more likely to be judged as masculine when it conveys anger and as feminine when it conveys sadness during baseball tosses. Researchers used technology to disguise the actors' sex and presented videos to observers, who made judgments about their emotions and gender.

Kids with ADHD much more likely to develop substance abuse problems as they age

A comprehensive review of 27 long-term studies found that children with ADHD are two to three times more likely to develop serious substance abuse problems in adolescence and adulthood. The research, published in Clinical Psychology Review, analyzed data from approximately 4,100 children with ADHD and 6,800 without the disorder.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalClinical Psychology Review·DateFeb 11, 2011

UCLA researchers find that Medicaid-funded ADHD treatment for children is failing

A study by UCLA researchers found that Medicaid-funded ADHD treatment for children yielded poor quality care, with few follow-up visits and inadequate medication use. The study suggests areas for improvement in ADHD care, including better alignment of clinical severity with provider type and increased use of stimulant medication.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateDec 9, 2010

New UCLA study raises questions about genetic testing of newborns

A new UCLA study warns that mandatory genetic screening of newborns for rare diseases is creating unexpected upheaval for families whose infants test positive but show no immediate signs of the diseases. The study found that parents are often left in limbo, waiting months for conclusive evidence and facing trauma as a result.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalJournal of Health and Social Behavior·DateDec 7, 2010

New 3-D model of RNA 'core domain' of enzyme telomerase may offer clues to cancer, aging

Researchers at UCLA have created a three-dimensional structural model of the RNA core domain of the telomerase enzyme, which plays a critical role in cancer cell immortality. The new model provides insights into how telomerase functions and could lead to new approaches for treating diseases associated with telomerase activity.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 3, 2010

Radically simple technique developed to grow conducting polymer thin films

A team of UCLA chemists and engineers has developed a new method for coating large surfaces with nanofiber thin films that are both transparent and electrically conductive. The technique, published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, uses a solution-based approach and can be applied to virtually any surface.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 1, 2010

Facebook study finds race trumped by ethnic, social, geographic origins in forging friendships

A new UCLA–Harvard University study found that birds of a feather don't always flock together; instead, plain social pressure and shared characteristics like ethnicity, major, or state of origin play stronger roles in forming friendships. Social pressure proved seven times stronger than shared racial background.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalAmerican Journal of Sociology·DateOct 28, 2010