Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 28, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Best of Last Week – 'Self cleaning' car, discovery of cold star and the SensaBubble- Room to move: Tissue growth controlled by cell cycle response to spatial and mechanical constraints
- Researchers see rare-earth-like magnetic properties in iron
- Scientists create circuit board modeled on the human brain (w/ Video)
- Microsoft issues advisory on Internet Explorer vulnerability
- Natural ozone changes suggest good news for future
- Simulations point to graphene oxide frameworks potential in water purification
- Research shows smartphone sensors leave trackable fingerprints
- Google: Driverless cars are mastering city streets
- Flexible battery, no lithium required
- Beyond graphene: Controlling properties of 2D materials
- Multilayer, microscale solar cells enable ultrahigh efficiency power generation
- How to create nanowires only three atoms wide with an electron beam
- Study shows lower ozone pollution in Sao Paulo when drivers switched from ethanol to gasoline
- Scientists watch high-temperature superconductivity emerge out of magnetism
Astronomy & Space news
The sky is no limit for sibling astronomers
In 1961, after NASA shot Alan Shepard into space, a 9-year-old boy named Steve Hawley asked his mother to buy him a dime-store telescope.
Antarctic prime spot for Tuesday's solar eclipse
Earthlings get their first solar eclipse of the year Tuesday. But you have to be well south of the equator to see it.
Laser-powered farewell to Moon mission
(Phys.org) —Just before NASA's latest Moon mission ended last week, an ESA telescope received laser signals from the spacecraft, achieving data speeds like those used by many to watch movies at home via fibre-optic Internet.
Partial solar eclipse at sunset around Australia
There will be a partial solar eclipse visible around sunset in Australia Tuesday 29 April. As much as two-thirds of the Sun will be blocked by the Moon dependent on location as northern parts of Australia will see less of the eclipse than the south.
High school students create winning design for NASA's first flight of Orion
(Phys.org) —After a year-long competition among high school teams across the country, evaluators from NASA, Lockheed Martin and the National Institute of Aerospace have selected Team ARES, from the Governor's School for Science and Technology in Hampton, Va., as the winner of the high school portion of the Exploration Design Challenge (EDC).
Curiosity reaches out to scrutinize next Martian drill target at Mount Remarkable
To Drill or not to Drill? That's the momentous question posed by the international team of scientists and engineers who commanded NASA's SUV sized Curiosity rover to reach out with her high tech robotic arm this weekend (Apr 25-27) and gather critical science measurements for high powered scrutiny of an outcrop on a Martian butte named Mount Remarkable.
Image: Hubble's Messier 5
"Beautiful Nebula discovered between the Balance [Libra] & the Serpent [Serpens] ..." begins the description of the 5th entry in 18th century astronomer Charles Messier's famous catalog of nebulae and star clusters.
Mysterious robotic plane hits 500 days in space; what's it doing?
A robotic space plane is speeding in low Earth orbit at this very moment. Some say it's a weapon; others, a data-gathering mission. There's one fact most agree on as the plane hits 500 days in space: Its real purpose is a mystery.
Seven samples from the solar system's birth
At this year's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), scientists reported that, after eight painstaking years of work, they have retrieved seven particles of interstellar dust from NASA's Stardust spacecraft.
The changing colours of the universe
We know we live in an expanding universe but it's also changing colour and has been doing so for billions of years.
Move over exoplanets, exomoons may harbour life too
In the Star Wars universe, everyone's favourite furry aliens, the Ewoks, famously lived on the "forest moon of Endor". In scientific terms, the Ewok's home world would be referred to as an exomoon, which is simply a moon that orbits an exoplanet – any planet that orbits a star other than our sun.
Technology news
Four US TV shows ordered off Chinese websites
Chinese authorities have ordered video streaming websites in the country to stop showing four popular American TV shows, including "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Good Wife," representatives from two sites said Sunday.
Saudi body studying regulating YouTube production
Saudi Arabia is studying ways to regulate locally-produced YouTube content, including the possibility of requiring government-issued licenses for some users, said an official on Sunday.
Adequate design of electric vehicles
Which electric motor fits to which driving situation? This was the subject of the master's thesis written by Lisa Braun at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Her studies might con-tribute to optimizing electric vehicles and to enhancing their acceptance and use. With her thesis, the young engineer has now won the first place of the 2014 Drive-E studies competition launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Fraunhofer Society. The award was handed over by Dr. Georg Schütte, State Secretary of the BMBF, and Professor Alexander Verl, Member of the Board of Fraunhofer Society, in Stuttgart yesterday evening.
Is the Joint Strike Fighter the right aircraft for Australia?
The Australian Government's mission to upgrade the defence force fleet of ageing aircraft with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been controversial since it began more than a decade ago.
Electric pilot boat is environmentally friendly and safe
One of the world's most advanced pilot boats contains a hybrid drive from Siemens. Called the Explorer, the vessel is a SWASH (Small Waterplane Area Single Hull) vessel with a torpedo-shaped float located centrally underneath the hull. The boat's propulsion system is also located in this tube. The vessel remains stable in the water even in rough seas and is relatively light, thus reducing fuel consumption. The hull contains a flexible and compact EcoProp Hybrid system, which ensures efficient and environmentally compatible operation in both the diesel and the electric mode. The hybrid drive system is economical in all operational profiles. The diesel engine is used to propel the boat. Surplus energy can be used by a generator to supply the vessel with electricity. The boat is currently being tested on the Elbe River.
High voltage at the world's tallest dam
Siemens is bringing electricity to the surface from the world's deepest arch-dam turbines. The dam of the Jinping-1 Hydropower Station in China's Sichuan province is 305 meters tall; the turbines are located 230 meters deep. The facility will have a total power output of 3.6 gigawatts. In order to transport this huge amount of energy up out of the mountain, Yalong Hydro is using gas-insulated transmission lines (GIL) from Siemens. This technology is especially well suited for the transmission of large amounts of electricity in restricted spaces.
Samsung begins mass production of industry's first 3-bit NAND solid state drive for data centers
Samsung Electronics said today that it has begun mass producing the industry's first high-performance, three-bit-NAND-based SSD for servers and data centers. The new SSD will allow data centers to better manage workloads related to social networking, web browsing and email, and enhance operation efficiency. Installations of the 3-bit MLC (multi-level-cell) NAND SSDs, initially in large-scale data centers, are expected to begin later this quarter.
'Russian Zuckerberg' rules out return without reforms
The maverick founder of Russia's top social network said Monday that he would not return to the country until a series of sweeping reforms is enacted.
Kerry: Internet access a 'fundamental right'
Secretary of State John Kerry says people around the world have a fundamental right to the Internet. He is denouncing authoritarian governments that place restrictions on web access and social media.
Closing arguments delayed in Apple-Samsung trial
A federal court has delayed by a day closing arguments in the Apple and Samsung trial because of an appeals court ruling in another case on a related patent issue.
US classic 'To Kill a Mockingbird' to appear as e-book
The Pulitzer Prize-winning US classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" will appear as an e-book for the first time this summer, publishing house HarperCollins said Monday.
'Russian Zuckerberg' quits homeland with parting shot
Imagine if Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg suddenly announced he was resigning, only to reveal days later it was only a joke. And then was forced out a month later after all.
For North Dakota, drones a possible growth market
U.S. and North Dakota officials have big hopes for the growth of what are known as unmanned aircraft systems. And the remote northwestern state has positioned itself well to take advantage of its unique attributes: A first-of-its-kind academic program, an established military presence, a strong commitment from state and federal officials to find funding, and even the weather.
New rules could kill Net neutrality and the Internet as we've known it
When a lobbyist is named head of the agency that regulates the industry he represented, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised if he acts in the best interests of his former employers.
Warming up to the future with Nest thermostat
During cold spells, Andy Law likes to keep his San Jose, Calif., house warm and toasty, which used to be a problem whenever the 29-year-old Yahoo mobile app designer traveled out of town.
Wearable tech devices hit another bump in the road
Wearable fitness trackers are in survival-of-the-fittest mode. Touted as the next big thing in technology, wearable tech has spawned a dizzying array of Internet-connected wristwatches and head-mounted devices. Leading the fledgling industry are fitness gadgets that count steps taken, calories burned and other measurements of activity.
Students create robotic hand for boy, 8
Steele Songle was born without a left hand but has never let that hold him back from the thing he loves most - playing sports. And now, the 8-year-old from Wilmington, Delaware, who plays lacrosse and golf, swims, skis, and bounces on his friend's trampoline until the two of them collapse, is getting a bit of bionic help from engineering students at the Westtown School in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Panasonic returns to annual profit on weak yen
Panasonic returned to profit after deep losses for the past two fiscal years, as a weak yen and restructuring efforts helped a gradual recovery, and forecast a 16 percent increase in gains for the coming year.
New solar reactor technology to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels
With the first ever production of synthesized "solar" jet fuel, the SOLAR-JET project has successfully demonstrated the entire production chain for renewable kerosene obtained directly from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide (CO2), therein potentially revolutionizing the future of aviation. This process has also the potential to produce any other type of fuel for transport applications, such as diesel, gasoline or pure hydrogen in a more sustainable way.
3D printing possibilities are beautiful but not limitless
3D printing has to be a contender for the most talked about technology award at the moment. Gone are the days when I'd start talking about my research in this area only to be met with glazed eyes or polite disinterest. Now I only have to say the words "3D printing", be it at work or on the tram home, and I'm immediately rewarded with genuine interest.
Xbox moves ahead with original programming plan
When it comes to original programming, Microsoft is going to throw it at the Xbox and see what sticks.
A system detects global trends in social networks two months in advance
A new method of monitoring identifies what information will be relevant on social networks up to two months in advance. This may help predict social movements, consumer reactions or possible outbreaks of epidemics, according to a study in the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) is participating.
Court declines to hear Microsoft antitrust case
The Supreme Court has declined to take up software maker Novell Inc.'s appeal in a long-running antitrust case against Microsoft Corp.
AOL probes breach allowing hackers to spoof email
AOL said Monday it had launched an investigation with federal authorities into a security breach that allowed hackers to gain access to around two percent of its email accounts.
Angry Birds creator Rovio's profit slashed by half
Rovio, the Finnish maker of the popular mobile game "Angry Birds", on Monday reported a 50 percent drop in profits in 2013 as it increased investment to face growing competition.
Google, Jay Z among 2014 Webby winners
Google, Jay Z and crowdfunding site Kickstarter are among the winners of this year's Webby Awards, a celebration of Internet achievement that got its start nearly two decades ago.
US warns on use of flawed Microsoft browser
A US government cybersecurity watchdog warned computer users Monday against using a version of the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser with a security hole that could allow hackers in.
Android surging in global tablet market, survey shows
The Google Android platform extended its dominance over Apple in the tablet market in early 2014, a research firm said Monday.
US court weighs police use of cellphone tower data
A U.S. appeals court is wrestling with whether law enforcement has the authority to obtain and use records from cellphone towers, in a case that weighs the importance of people's right to privacy in the age of digital technology.
Apple will fix faulty iPhone 5 models
Apple on Friday offered to fix some older iPhone 5 smartphones with flawed on-off buttons.
Discrimination potential seen in 'big data' use
A White House review of how the government and private sector use large sets of data has found that such information could be used to discriminate against Americans on issues such as housing and employment even as it makes their lives easier in many ways.
Carmakers promise Chinese drivers a breath of fresh air
Air that's cleaner inside your car than on the outside—in smog-weary China it's an attractive sales pitch, and the world's biggest automakers are racing to cash in.
Home Connect: A single app for more than one brand of household appliances
(Phys.org) —An app from BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate was announced Friday as able to control appliances. The solution is called Home Connect, and it will accommodate different brands of household appliances. The release said the Home Connect was the first solution in the world to allow multiple appliance brands to be controlled through one app. The Home Connect concept has been devised at a time when 90 percent of households own appliances made by more than one brand, according to the company release. The announcement was made at an IFA press event in Belek, Turkey. IFA is to hold a consumer electronics and home appliances show in Berlin in September. The app, Home Connect, will make its debut there, along with the first connected appliances from "the Bosch and Siemens brand families." The Home Connect project manager, Dr, Claudia Häpp, presented a demo of the Home Connect app in Belek, in a presentation, "One app. For you." She talked about plans for further devel! opment.
Supreme Court takes on privacy in digital age
Two U.S. Supreme Court cases about police searches of mobile phones without warrants present vastly different views of the ubiquitous device.
Google removes Android malware used to secretly mine bitcoin
If you own an Android device, your phone might be mining bitcoin without you even knowing it. Five applications were recently removed from the Google Play store after they were discovered to be covertly using Android devices to mine bitcoin.
Closing arguments set in Apple-Samsung trial
The high-stakes battle between the world's largest smartphone makers is scheduled to wrap up this week after a monthlong trial that has pulled the curtain back on just how very cutthroat the competition is between Apple and Samsung.
Spanish island to be fully powered by wind, water
The smallest and least known of Spain's Canary Islands, El Hierro, is making a splash by becoming the first island in the world fully energy self-sufficient through combined water and wind power.
Researchers use 3D printing to produce interactive speakers of any shape
Forget everything you know about what a loudspeaker should look like. Scientists at Disney Research, Pittsburgh have developed methods using a 3D printer to produce electrostatic loudspeakers that can take the shape of anything, from a rubber ducky to an abstract spiral.
Programming the smart home: 'If this, then that'
Homes already have intelligent devices beyond the TV remote—garage door openers, coffee makers, laundry machines, lights, HVAC—but each has its own arcane steps for programming. User research now shows that "trigger-action programming" could give users a reliable and simple way to control everything, as easy as "If this, then that."
Researcher invents 3D printing technique for making cuddly stuff
Soft and cuddly aren't words used to describe the plastic or metal things typically produced by today's 3D printers. But a new type of printer developed by Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research Pittsburgh can turn wool and wool blend yarns into fabric objects that people might actually enjoy touching.
Raspberry Pi-based phone takes off the shelf ingredients
(Phys.org) —The Raspberry Pi, that very low cost, little Linux computer, is living up to its backers' dreams of becoming not only a learning tool but a versatile mainstay for having fun with tinkering and developing. The latest case in point is a working phone which its creator calls the PiPhone, built to the tune of $158 for components. David Hunt said his PiPhone a result of using Pi, touchscreen interface, SIM900 GSM/GPRS module, and 2500mAh LiPo battery.
Confide off-the-record app comes to Android
(Phys.org) —Ask any teenager trading selfies and very random thoughts: Some messages unlike diamonds should best be not forever. Confide, a company that makes an app with the same name, thinks that business people have good reason to think the same. Professionals who want messages to go away forever do not necessarily have sinister motives to avoid paper trails. Confide makes a strong case for use cases where email messages that disappear once they are read make practical sense.
Microsoft issues advisory on Internet Explorer vulnerability
(Phys.org) —Microsoft issued a security advisory on Saturday regarding an issue that impacts the Internet Explorer Web browser. Microsoft said it was aware of limited, targeted attacks seeking to exploit the vulnerability of Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11.
Project recycles waste heat into electricity for spacecraft systems
(Phys.org) —Rice University engineering students think it's a shame to waste energy, especially in space. So a team of seniors invented a device that turns excess heat into electricity.
Google: Driverless cars are mastering city streets
Google says that cars it has programmed to drive themselves have started to master the navigation of city streets and the challenges they bring, from jaywalkers to weaving bicyclists—a critical milestone for any commercially available self-driving car technology.
Multilayer, microscale solar cells enable ultrahigh efficiency power generation
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign use a printing process to assemble tiny cells into multilayer stacks for extraordinary levels of photovoltaic conversion efficiency.
Research shows smartphone sensors leave trackable fingerprints
Fingerprints—those swirling residues left on keyboards and doorknobs—are mostly invisible. They can affirm your onetime presence, but they cannot be used to track your day-to-day activities.
Scientists create circuit board modeled on the human brain (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —Stanford scientists have developed faster, more energy-efficient microchips based on the human brain – 9,000 times faster and using significantly less power than a typical PC. This offers greater possibilities for advances in robotics and a new way of understanding the brain. For instance, a chip as fast and efficient as the human brain could drive prosthetic limbs with the speed and complexity of our own actions.
Medicine & Health news
Pennsylvania awaits ruling on Medicaid expansion
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has softened his rhetoric while he awaits a federal decision on his request to link a work requirement to benefits under the Medicaid expansion. It's an issue that has flared up in his hotly contested re-election campaign.
Forgotten families following workplace death
University of Sydney academics are advocating for a greater focus on the emotional, physical and financial toll of sudden workplace death on surviving families.
Clinical trials to investigate prostate cancer treatment
The way prostate cancer is treated could have a radical re-think as two international clinical trials go ahead.
Shifting narratives may slow healing process for domestic violence survivors
(Medical Xpress)—Across the country, domestic violence shelters provide a safe harbor for women and children fleeing terrifying predicaments and abusive relationships. However, research at the University of Kansas shows that survivors' overall recoveries may be impeded when they are forced to "box" themselves into certain narratives in order to receive assistance.
A hearing aid or a wheelchair does not have to look uncool
How can a designer counter the stigma that is attached to certain products? This is the theme of the doctoral dissertation that Kristof Vaes will be defending on 28 April at TU Delft.
New book challenges the concept of 'nudge'
Buying houses one can't afford, not saving for the future, failing to stick to one's diet, the list of examples of bad decision-making is lengthy. Psychologists and behavioural economists tell us that our unconscious mind is the problem, but also the solution, at least if we use 'nudge', an approach developed by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein to shape the unconscious mind.
Meda rejects revised offer from Mylan
Swedish pharmaceutical company Meda says it has rejected another offer from U.S. generic drugmaker Mylan Inc.
Genetic disorder causing strokes and vascular inflammation in children has been discovered
Academy research fellows from University of Turku (Finland), Andrey and Anton Zavialov, and a team of researches from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, discovered that inherited mutations in a blood enzyme called ADA2 cause a syndrome of sporadic fevers, skin rashes and recurring strokes, beginning early in childhood. The novel genetic disorder was called deficiency of ADA2, or DADA2.
Treat homelessness first, everything else later: study
Providing safe, stable and affordable housing first is the best way to help homeless in Hamilton, Ont., according to new research.
WHO starts emergency polio talks
The World Health Organization announced on Monday that it had convened emergency talks amid rising concern over polio after cases were discovered in Afghanistan, Iraq and Equatorial Guinea.
Mayo Clinic launches 50-gene cancer panel test
Mayo Clinic announces the launch of CANCP, a new gene panel cancer test to help tailor chemotherapy to the individual patient based on the unique genomic signature of the patient's tumor. CANCP, an abbreviation for Solid Tumor Targeted Cancer Gene Panel by Next-Generation Sequencing, scans specific regions in 50 genes known to affect tumor growth and response to chemotherapy. The test is now available to Mayo Clinic patients and to providers worldwide through Mayo Medical Laboratories.
Technological advancements extend survival of transplanted hearts across species
Cardiac transplantation is the treatment of choice for end stage heart failure. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, approximately 3,000 people in the US are on the waiting list for a heart transplant, while only 2,000 donor hearts become available each year. Therefore for the cardiac patients currently waiting for organs, mechanical assist devices are the only options available. These devices, however, are not perfect and have issues with power supplies, infection, and both clotting and hemolysis.
Surveys indicate decline in children's exposure to violence
Children's exposure to violence and crime declined between 2003 and 2011.
Report: Health exchanges' drug coverage confusing
The hunt for a health plan that would cover a particular drug or a favorite doctor proved frustrating for consumers navigating the new insurance exchanges.
Specialized yoga program could help women with urinary incontinence
An ancient form of meditation and exercise could help women who suffer from urinary incontinence, according to a new study from UC San Francisco.
Egypt reports first case of MERS virus
Egyptian authorities have detected the first case of a dangerous SARS-like virus in the country, the state news agency said Saturday.
Saudi reports five new MERS deaths, taking toll to 92
The Saudi health ministry on Saturday announced five new deaths from the MERS coronavirus, taking the country's death toll to 92.
Saudi MERS deaths top 100 fuelling public fear (Update)
The MERS death toll in Saudi Arabia topped 100 on Sunday as the authorities scrambled to reassure an increasingly edgy population in the country worst-hit by the infectious coronavirus.
Survivors of Ebola face second 'disease': stigma
The doctor has beaten the odds and survived Ebola, but he still has one more problem: The stigma carried by the deadly disease.
Docs, patients have different attitudes toward end-of-life care
(HealthDay)—Attitudes toward end-of-life resource allocation differ for patients with cancer and their caregivers and for physicians, according to a study published online April 24 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Laser-assisted drug delivery is evolving
(HealthDay)—Laser-assisted drug delivery can enhance the permeation of topically applied agents, according to a review published in the April issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
Urgent care centers must be made ready for kids: New AAP guidelines
Today the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued an updated policy statement making recommendations and highlighting gaps in knowledge about the treatment of children in urgent care centers. Led by Gregory Conners, MD, MPH, MBA, Chief of the Division of Emergency and Urgent Care at Children's Mercy Hospital, the AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine published "Pediatric Care Recommendations for Freestanding Urgent Care Facilities" in the May 2014 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Patients report high satisfaction with pain treatment
An international research group with members from the University of Basel, several EU countries, Israel and the USA, analyzed patient satisfaction with pain treatment after surgery. The study based on an extensive multi-national dataset shows that patients actively involved in their treatment report higher levels of satisfaction. Overall, satisfaction seems to be less associated with actual pain but rather with impressions of improvement. The scientific journal Pain has published the results.
Receiving chemotherapy after a breast cancer diagnosis may affect a patient's employment
A new study has found that loss of paid employment after a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer may be common and potentially related to the type of treatment patients received. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings support efforts to reduce the side effects and burden of treatments for breast cancer and to identify patients who may forego certain treatments, particularly when the expected benefit is low.
Teens who use alcohol and marijuana together are at higher risk for unsafe driving
Teenagers who drink alcohol and smoke marijuana may be at increased risk for unsafe driving, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Complications from kidney stone treatments are common and costly
Despite their overall low risk, procedures to treat kidney stones lead to complications that require hospitalization or emergency care for one in seven patients, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.
Drug giants Pfizer, AstraZeneca in $100bn merger tussle (Update)
US drugs giant Pfizer wants a blockbuster merger with British rival AstraZeneca that will fuel cancer research, revealing on Monday that an informal approach worth almost $100 billion had been rejected.
Large clinical trials to evaluate risks of testosterone treatment urgently needed
Physicians do not have sufficient information from clinical trials to understand the risks associated with the prescription of testosterone in older men, according to a Comment in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, written by Professor Stephanie Page, of the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, USA.
Applying lessons from NASA helps manage threats and errors in pediatric cardiac surgery
All high-stakes industries that function at very high "6-sigma" safety levels have a pre-occupation with human error. The aviation industry epitomizes this concept; during the 1970s NASA and aviation researchers realized that humans are the least reliable resource in the cockpit. Subsequent research into >30,000 flights has confirmed that human error is inevitable, ubiquitous, and therefore needs to be understood and managed. Mismanaged error leads to cycles of further error and unintended states, with consequent loss of safety margins.
Gulf War illness: New report lauds treatment research, confirms toxic causes
Progress has been made toward understanding the physiological mechanisms that underlie Gulf War illness and identifying possible treatments, according to a report released Monday by a Congressionally mandated panel of scientific experts and veterans.
Risk of cesarean delivery 12 percent lower with labor induction
The risk of a cesarean delivery was 12% lower in women whose labour was induced compared with women who were managed with a "wait-and-see" approach (expectant management), according to a research paper published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
A CRISPR way to edit DNA
The CRISPR/Cas gene editing system has a lot of buzz behind it: an amusingly crunchy name, an intriguing origin, and potential uses both in research labs and even in the clinic. We heard that Emory scientists are testing it, so an explainer was in order.
Live Well RVA study takes aim at obesity
(Medical Xpress)—A new study underway at Virginia Commonwealth University is focused on tackling obesity in young adults.
Should you be worried about the 'pollen vortex'?
(Medical Xpress)—After an unseasonably cold and snowy winter, Canadians can soon look forward to sunshine and warmer weather.
Robots help teach social skills to children
(Medical Xpress)—Robots and humans socialize frequently in pop fiction—think of Wall-E and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now, a UT Dallas researcher is giving the fantasy of robotic friends a practical edge with a robot that teaches social skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Research team uses 3-D printing to produce human cartilage
In a significant step toward reducing the heavy toll of osteoarthritis around the world, scientists have created the first example of living human cartilage grown on a laboratory chip. The researchers ultimately aim to use their innovative 3-D printing approach to create replacement cartilage for patients with osteoarthritis or soldiers with battlefield injuries.
Abuse jeopardizes new mothers' mental health
(Medical Xpress)—Ashley Pritchard, a Simon Fraser University doctoral student, is among four authors of a new research paper calling for closer monitoring of new mothers for mental health problems in light of their findings.
Researcher is shining a light on sleeping patterns in autistic children
(Medical Xpress)—A researcher from Heriot-Watt University's School of the Built Environment is studying the association between exposure to blue light and sleeping patterns in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Making sense of genetic testing for heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by academics at The University of Nottingham looks at how patients respond to genetic testing for risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Link found between poor dental health and depression
(Medical Xpress)—Deakin University researchers have found a connection between poor dental health and depression.
Biotech to the rescue
MIT professor Ram Sasisekharan's three biotech companies—Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Cerulean Pharma, and Visterra—share a similar goal. "It's about the impact we can have on patient care," says Sasisekharan, the Alfred H. Caspary Professor of Biological Engineering and Health Sciences and Technology. "Whether it's monitoring for disease, or diagnosing, or treating—that's the common element." Each company was born from Sasisekharan's MIT lab, and each is now developing technologies to make stronger therapeutics, battle cancer and infectious diseases, and improve overall global health.
3 Questions: Seth Mnookin on research to encourage vaccination
Years after a groundless report linked vaccines to autism, the consequences of the fallacy are still being felt as measles, mumps, and whooping cough spread through undervaccinated communities. Yesterday the American Academy of Arts and Sciences released a report—co-authored by Seth Mnookin, an assistant professor of science writing at MIT—that makes it clear that reversing this trend will require dedicated research on how vaccination decisions are made, and on the best ways to communicate factual information to nervous parents.
Study aims to unravel the genetic causes of osteoarthritis
Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute near Cambridge have been awarded funding by medical research charity Arthritis Research UK to uncover rare genetic factors that could affect people's risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Test reveals widespread heart disease among children
An investigation into the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in Fiji using echocardiography – ultrasound of the heart – has found that many local schoolchildren have rheumatic heart disease of a mild severity, which has not been diagnosed.
Supplement strategy overhaul needed for new mums
Immediate intervention is needed to prevent detrimental outcomes from iron deficiency anaemia among postpartum mothers in Nepal, new research has found.
The antioxidant role of proteins containing selenium
The prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America this week published an article by a research team led by University of Delaware biochemist Sharon Rozovsky, examining proteins containing selenium and their antioxidant role in human health.
Weekly emails to hospital C-suite halt two decades of superbug outbreak
Efforts to reduce and stop the spread of infections caused by a highly resistant organism, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, at a large Florida hospital proved ineffective until they added another weapon – weekly emails from the medical director of Infection Control to hospital leadership, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Nature and nurture: Baby's development is affected by genes and conditions in the womb
A recent study led by A*STAR's Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) found that genetics as well as the environment in the womb play important roles in the development of the baby. The effort by the international team of scientists and clinicians is the world's first attempt to discover how genetic and environmental factors affect the human epigenome . The results have fundamental implications for how epigenetic studies will be conducted in the future and for our understanding of how the mother's nutrition and lifestyle may have long-lasting effects on the health of her children.
Breast cancer patients place huge emphasis on gene expression profiling test
Gene expression profiling tests play a critical role when women with early-stage breast cancer decide whether to have chemotherapy, but many of them do not fully understand what some of the test results mean, new research suggests.
Studies offer insight on how to improve kidney and liver transplantation
The quality of kidney and liver donations is fundamentally important for the longevity of transplants and the health of recipients. That's why it's critical to know which organs are suitable for transplantation, as well as to use techniques that preserve an organ's function after donation. Several studies published in the BJS (British Journal of Surgery) address these issues and offer ways to maximize the use of donated organs.
Transplant success tied to naturally high levels of powerful immune molecule package
Patients with highest levels of the most powerful version of the immune molecule HLA-G appear to have the lowest risk of rejecting their transplanted kidney, researchers report.
Imaging gives clearer picture of cancer drugs' chances of success
The quest for new cancer treatments could be revolutionised by advances in technology that can visualise living cells and tissues, scientists claim.
Dipping blood sugars cause surprisingly irregular heart rhythms in diabetics
The findings from the research – led by Professor Simon Heller of the University of Sheffield's Department of Human Metabolism and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - could offer vital clues to the mechanism by which low blood sugar levels could contribute to life-threatening changes in heart rhythm, a major risk for patients with diabetes.
One cell type may quash tumor vaccines
Most cancer vaccines have not lived up to their promise in clinical trials. The reason, many researchers suspect, is that the immune cells that would help the body destroy the tumor – even those reactions boosted by cancer vaccines – are actively suppressed. Now, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have found that a single cell type is actively suppressed in several experimental cancer vaccines, paving the way toward methods to break suppression and improve the effectiveness of cancer vaccines. The work was published this week online in the European Journal of Immunology.
Estimating baby's size gets more precise
New Michigan State University research aims to help doctors estimate the size of newborns with a new set of birth weight measurements based on birth records from across the country.
Criminal behavior: Older siblings strongly sway younger siblings close in age
If a sibling commits a violent criminal act, the risk that a younger sibling may follow in their footsteps is more likely than the transmission of that behavior to an older sibling, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.
Identification of genetic mutations involved in human blood diseases
A study published today in Nature Genetics has revealed mutations that could have a major impact on the future diagnosis and treatment of many human diseases. Through an international collaboration, researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) were able to identify a dozen mutations in the human genome that are involved in significant changes in complete blood counts and that explain the onset of sometimes severe biological disorders.
Researchers gauge the toll of trampoline fractures on children
Trampoline accidents sent an estimated 288,876 people, most of them children, to hospital emergency departments with broken bones from 2002 to 2011, at a cost of more than $400 million, according to an analysis by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Catastrophic thoughts about the future linked to suicidal patients
Suicide has been on the increase recently in the United States, currently accounting for almost 40,000 deaths a year. A new study shows that one successful effort to avoid suicide attempts would be to focus on correcting the distorted, catastrophic thoughts about the future that are held by many who try to kill themselves. Such thoughts are unique and characteristic to those who attempt suicide, says Shari Jager-Hyman of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in the US. Jager-Hyman led a study, published in Springer's journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, about how distorted thoughts influence suicidal behaviors in patients who seek emergency psychiatric treatment.
Well-informed patients key to accepting gene-based drug dosing
A new study out of Western University (London, Canada) illustrates the need for a lot more education around pharmacogenetics (PGx) –the study of how a patient's genes can affect drug reaction and dosage. PGx promises to optimize patient response to therapy, but this is the first study to really investigate how patients perceive this kind of genetic testing, and whether those perceptions differ when it comes to parents and their children. The research, led by Dr. Michael Rieder of Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry is published in the journal Pediatrics.
Precise brain mapping can improve response to deep brain stimulation in depression
Experimental studies have shown that deep brain stimulation (DBS) within the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) white matter of the brain is an effective treatment for many patients with treatment-resistant depression. Response rates are between 41 percent and 64 percent across published studies to date.
AAN issues findings on use of medical marijuana in treatment of certain brain diseases
A review by the American Academy of Neurology of available scientific research on the use of medical marijuana in brain diseases finds certain forms of medical marijuana can help treat some symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), but do not appear to be helpful in treating drug-induced (levodopa) movements in Parkinson's disease. Not enough evidence was found to show if medical marijuana is helpful in treating motor problems in Huntington's disease, tics in Tourette syndrome, cervical dystonia and seizures in epilepsy. The review is published in the April 29, 2014, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and will be presented at the AAN Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26-May 3, 2014, which is the world's largest gathering of neurologists.
High doses of antidepressants appear to increase risk of self-harm in children young adult
Children and young adults who start antidepressant therapy at high doses, rather than the "modal" [average or typical] prescribed doses, appear to be at greater risk for suicidal behavior during the first 90 days of treatment.
Tart cherry juice increases sleep time in adults with insomnia
A morning and evening ritual of tart cherry juice may help you sleep better at night, suggests a new study presented today at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting. Researchers from Louisiana State University found that drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks helped increase sleep time by nearly 90 minutes among older adults with insomnia.
Monkey model of hantavirus disease established
National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have developed an animal model of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in rhesus macaques, an advance that may lead to treatments, vaccines and improved methods of diagnosing the disease. The study, conducted by researchers at NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Simply being called 'fat' makes young girls more likely to become obese
Girls who are told by a parent, sibling, friend, classmate or teacher that they are too fat at age 10 are more likely to be obese at age 19, a new study by UCLA psychologists shows.
No link found between playing football in hot weather, concussion risk
(HealthDay)—Dehydration may increase football players' risk for concussion, but it's unclear if playing in hot weather does, a new study finds.
Researchers generate immunity against tumor vessel protein
Sometimes a full-on assault isn't the best approach when dealing with a powerful enemy. A more effective approach, in the long run, may be to target the support system replenishing the supplies that keep your foe strong and ready for battle. A group of researchers from the Abramson Cancer Center and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is pursuing this strategy by employing a novel DNA vaccine to kill cancer, not by attacking tumor cells, but targeting the blood vessels that keep them alive. The vaccine also indirectly creates an immune response to the tumor itself, amplifying the attack by a phenomenon called epitope spreading. The results of the study were published this month in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Two breath compounds could be associated with larynx cancer
Researchers at the Rey Juan Carlos University and the Alcorcón Hospital (Madrid) have compared the volatile substances exhaled by eleven people with cancer of larynx, with those of another twenty healthy people. The results show that the concentrations of certain molecules, mainly ethanol and 2-butanone, are higher in individuals with carcinoma, therefore they act as potential markers of the disease.
Laughter may work like meditation in the brain
(HealthDay)—Laughter triggers brain waves similar to those associated with meditation, according to a small new study.
A memory aid for seniors: laughter
(HealthDay)—Humor and laughter may help combat memory loss in the elderly, a new study suggests.
Research shows strategic thinking strengthens intellectual capacity
Strategy-based cognitive training has the potential to enhance cognitive performance and spill over to real-life benefit according to a data-driven perspective article by the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. The research-based perspective highlights cognitive, neural and real-life changes measured in randomized clinical trials that compared a gist-reasoning strategy-training program to memory training in populations ranging from teenagers to healthy older adults, individuals with brain injury to those at-risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers identify first gene linked to heart muscle disease in children
Scientists at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, along with collaborators at institutions in India, Italy, and Japan, have identified the first gene linked to childhood-onset familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), one of the most common heart muscle diseases in children. It is a progressive and potentially fatal heart condition resulting from an enlarged and weakened heart muscle.
Scientists hunt down origin of Huntington's disease in the brain
The gene mutation that causes Huntington's disease appears in every cell in the body, yet kills only two types of brain cells. Why? UCLA scientists used a unique approach to switch the gene off in individual brain regions and zero in on those that play a role in causing the disease in mice.
Viral 'parasites' may play a key role in the maintenance of cell pluripotency
In a study published in Nature Genetics, scientists from the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies in Japan, in collaboration with the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, the University of Copenhagen and the Joint Genome Institute (Walnut Creek, California) have discovered that "jumping DNA" known as retrotransposons—viral elements incorporated into the human genome—may play a key role in the maintenance of pluripotency, the ability of stem cells to differentiate into many different types of body cells.
Controlling fear by modifying DNA
(Medical Xpress)—For many people, fear of flying or of spiders skittering across the lounge room floor is more than just a momentary increase in heart rate and a pair of sweaty palms.
Nutriflow delivers fat to preemies
(Medical Xpress)—Fat, the bane of many an adult, is precisely what babies born prematurely need to gain weight and grow strong and healthy. Some students at Rice University have invented a device to ensure preemies get enough fat, which has been a challenge.
Loss of Y chromosome can explain shorter life expectancy and higher cancer risk for men
It is generally well known that men have an overall shorter life expectancy compared to women. A recent study, led by Uppsala University researchers, shows a correlation between a loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells and both a shorter life span and higher mortality from cancer in other organs.
Overlooked cells hold keys to brain organization and disease
Scientists studying brain diseases may need to look beyond nerve cells and start paying attention to the star-shaped cells known as "astrocytes," because they play specialized roles in the development and maintenance of nerve circuits and may contribute to a wide range of disorders, according to a new study by UC San Francisco researchers.
Researchers identify mechanism of cancer caused by loss of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene function
Inherited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 tumor suppressor genes are by far the most frequent contributors to hereditary cancer risk in the human population, often causing breast or ovarian cancer in young women of child-bearing age. Attempts to test the role that the BRCA genes play in regulating a repair process associated with genome duplication have proven frustratingly difficult in living mammalian cells.
Using a foreign language changes moral decisions
Would you sacrifice one person to save five? Such moral choices could depend on whether you are using a foreign language or your native tongue. A new study from psychologists at the University of Chicago and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona finds that people using a foreign language take a relatively utilitarian approach to moral dilemmas, making decisions based on assessments of what's best for the common good. That pattern holds even when the utilitarian choice would produce an emotionally difficult outcome, such as sacrificing one life so others could live.
Oxytocin promotes social behavior in infant rhesus monkeys
The hormone oxytocin appears to increase social behaviors in newborn rhesus monkeys, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, the University of Parma in Italy, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The findings indicate that oxytocin is a promising candidate for new treatments for developmental disorders affecting social skills and bonding.
Scientists identify antibodies against MERS
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified natural human antibodies against the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a step toward developing treatments for the newly emerging and often-fatal disease.
Mystery of the pandemic flu virus of 1918 solved
A study led by Michael Worobey at the University of Arizona in Tucson provides the most conclusive answers yet to two of the world's foremost biomedical mysteries of the past century: the origin of the 1918 pandemic flu virus and its unusual severity, which resulted in a death toll of approximately 50 million people.
Biology news
Poachers slay six elephants in Kenya
Poachers have slain six elephants including four calves in a private reserve in Kenya, wildlife officials said Saturday, as the country battles an upsurge in the illegal slaughter of elephants and rhinos.
The fine tuning of flowering time
Scientists at the John Innes Centre are decoding the role of non-coding RNA. They are starting to uncover its impact on regulating gene expression, with their focus on a gene that regulates flowering time.
Basic knowledge of plant chemicals provides foundation for solving food-related problems
Solving the world's major food-related problems, like hunger, overweight and obesity, will require a great deal more knowledge of the individual plant chemicals. These plant chemicals are the key to unlocking the hidden characteristics of crops such as higher yields per plant and better quality. That is what Professor Robert Hall stated at his inauguration as professor by special appointment in Plant Metabolomics at Wageningen University on 24 April 2014.
Irrigation, soil management strategies investigated for cold climate sweet cherry
Previous research efforts have identified several management strategies to improve establishment of new plantings of sweet cherry trees. These strategies include pulse fertigation, surface mulching, and polypropylene groundcover, which have been shown to improve nutrient and water acquisition. The authors of a new study say that, until now, little research has been conducted on water requirements for sweet cherry. Their study reveals important information about irrigation strategies for growers and includes recommendations that can inform management practices.
Establish the presence for the first time in Alava the fungus that causes potato blight
Scientists at the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Neiker-Tecnalia, led by the Doctor in Biology José Ignacio Ruiz de Galarreta, have for the first time identified the existence in Álava-Araba of the two sexual types A1 and A2 of the fungus Phytophthora infestans, responsible for potato blight. The experts have been able to confirm that the crossing between the two types leads to variants that are more resistant to conventional fungicides and can survive in adverse conditions of temperature and humidity for months and even years on end.
Increasing the diversity of marketable raspberries
Raspberries are the third most popular berry in the United States. Their popularity is growing as a specialty crop for the wholesale industry and in smaller, local markets, and U-pick operations. As consumer interest in the health benefits of colorful foods increases, small growers are capitalizing on novelty fruit and vegetable crops such as different-colored raspberries. Authors of a newly published study say that increasing the diversity of raspberry colors in the market will benefit both consumers and producers. "Producers will need to know how fruit of the other color groups compare with red raspberries with regard to the many postharvest qualities," noted the University of Maryland's Julia Harshman, corresponding author of the study published in HortScience (March 2014).
Increasing sugar concentration in tomato juice
To increase the sugar concentration and resulting marketability of tomato juice, growers have traditionally used techniques such as subjecting plants to salt and water stresses. In a new study published in HortTechnology (February 2014), Ken Takahata and Hiroyuki Miura from Tokyo University of Agriculture reported on a prototypic method known as "basal wire coiling" that shows potential as a simple and effective method for increasing the sugar concentration in tomato fruit juice.
Impact of pelargonic acid for weed control in yellow squash
Growers who produce squash for market are increasingly interested in using more natural herbicides that are also effective in providing season-long weed control, but the options for controlling annual broadleaf weeds in summer squash are currently limited. The authors of a new study say that both organic and conventional producers will benefit from the identification of natural herbicides that effectively provide postemergent weed control. Charles Webber III, Merritt Taylor, and James Shrefler conducted a research study published in HortTechnology to determine the impact of pelargonic acid—a fatty acid that occurs naturally in plants and animals and is found in many foods—on weed control efficacy, crop injury, and squash yields of yellow squash.
Japan kicks off first whale hunt since UN court ruling (Update)
A Japanese whaling fleet left port Saturday under tight security, marking the first hunt since the UN's top court last month ordered Tokyo to stop killing whales in the Antarctic.
New approach to managing marine ecosystems
Ways to manage natural resources have been under development for decades, driven by an increasing need to understand the effect of man-made impacts on ecosystems. Often, it has been assumed that management could be based on the population dynamics of an individual species but new research shows how in the marine environment whole ecosystems need to be assessed individually rather than benchmarked against all other ecosystems.
Variable gene expression in zebrafish
Early embryonic development of vertebrates is controlled by the genes and their "grammar". Decoding this grammar might help understand the formation of abnormalities or cancer or develop new medical drugs. For the first time, it is now found by a study that various mechanisms of transcribing DNA into RNA exist during gene expression in the different development phases of zebrafish. This study is presented by KIT researchers in the journal Nature.
If synthetic biologists think like scientists, they may miss their eureka moment
Synthetic biology is an emerging discipline, but paradoxically it is not particularly new. Since the mid-1970s we have been developing ways of instructing pieces of biology to perform useful tasks in an ever more efficient and sustainable way.
Scientist helps create the first computer model of all life on Earth
(Phys.org) —A Sussex ecologist is among a team of scientists who have created a pioneering computer model that can predict the futures of all of the Earth's ecosystems and could help to address key environmental concerns.
Unique floating lab showcases 'aliens of the sea'
Researcher Leonid Moroz emerges from a dive off the Florida Keys and gleefully displays a plastic bag holding a creature that shimmers like an opal in the seawater.
Optimizing sweetpotato production: Study reveals best cultural practices for increasing yield, economic benefits
As the popularity and convenience of sweetpotato products increases, sweetpotato growers and processors are interested in identifying ways to meet processor's demands and to make the crop more widely available. A new study reveals that cultural practices such as early planting and delaying harvest hold promise for increasing yield and economic benefits for sweetpotato producers.
Studies affirm crabs killing Northeast saltmarshes
Two newly published studies by a team of Brown University researchers provide ample new evidence that the reason coastal saltmarshes are dying from Long Island to Cape Cod is that hungry crabs, left unchecked by a lack of predators, are eating the cordgrass.
Important migratory corridor for endangered marine species off north-west Australia
The value of Australia's newly established network of marine parks has been highlighted by an international project that used satellites to track the vulnerable flatback sea turtle.
Whitefly confused by cacophony of smells
Bombarding pests with smells from many different plants temporarily confuses them and hinders their ability to feed, new research has shown.
Urbanization, higher temperatures can influence butterfly emergence patterns
An international team of researchers has found that a subset of common butterfly species are emerging later than usual in urban areas located in warmer regions, raising questions about how the insects respond to significant increases in temperature.
Sexual conflict affects females more than males, says new research on beetles
Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that sexual conflict over mating impacts the parental care behaviour and reproductive productivity of burying beetles.
If you throw a gecko at Teflon, will he stick? University of Akron researchers found the answer
That little lizard that has become so effective selling car insurance - the gecko - can climb across glass windows and across the ceiling. You knew that, right?
The scent of a man: Mice and rats stressed by male experimenters
Scientists' inability to replicate research findings using mice and rats has contributed to mounting concern over the reliability of such studies.
Chernobyl's birds are adapting to ionising radiation
Birds in the exclusion zone around Chernobyl are adapting to – and may even be benefiting from – long-term exposure to radiation, ecologists have found. The study, published in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology, is the first evidence that wild animals adapt to ionising radiation, and the first to show that birds which produce most pheomelanin, a pigment in feathers, have greatest problems coping with radiation exposure.
Grasshoppers update escape response 'real time'
Two grasshopper species have been examined to see if they modify their fleeing strategies when repeatedly approached by a predator.
Researchers discover vine that is able to mimic multiple hosts
(Phys.org) —Ernesto Gianoli and Fernando Carrasco-Urra, researchers working in Chile and Argentina have discovered a truly unique plant—Boquila trifoliolata—a vine native to the area that the research pair has discovered, is able to mimic multiple hosts—a first for the plant world. In their paper published in the journal Current Biology, the duo describes the vine and its unique attributes.
Decrease in large wildlife drives an increase in rodent-borne disease and risk to humans
Populations of large wildlife are declining around the world, while zoonotic diseases (those transmitted from animals to humans) are on the rise. A team of Smithsonian scientists and colleagues have discovered a possible link between the two. They found that in East Africa, the loss of large wildlife directly correlated with a significant increase in rodents, which often carry disease-causing bacteria dangerous to humans. The team's research is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 28.
First disease-specific human embryonic stem cell line by nuclear transfer
Using somatic cell nuclear transfer, a team of scientists led by Dr. Dieter Egli at the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute and Dr. Mark Sauer at Columbia University Medical Center has created the first disease-specific embryonic stem cell line with two sets of chromosomes.
Room to move: Tissue growth controlled by cell cycle response to spatial and mechanical constraints
(Phys.org) —One of the most important factors in tissue formation is the control of cell proliferation. While the fact that cells undergo a range of spatial and mechanical constraints, the ways the resulting mechanical feedback may affect cell cycle progression – and thus tissue cell proliferation pattern – has not been fully understood. Recently, however, scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, and Stanford University studied a mammalian model epithelium's response to experimentally applied forces, finding a mechanosensitive checkpoint that controls cell cycle progression in response to spatial constraints. The study also showed that stretching the tissue results in fast cell cycle reactivation, whereas compression rapidly leads to cell cycle arrest – with cells having no memory of past constraints. This allowed them to develop a biophysical model that predicts tissue growth in response to environment changes in spatial constraints. The researchers say their findings suggest that this regulatory response may well maintain tissue integrity and control developmental and regenerative tissue growth. They conclude that this cellular memory-free adaptation to available space may coordinate cell proliferation and maintain tissue homeostasis.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment