From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 24, 2013 at 1:59 AM
Subject: Phys.org Newsletter Tuesday, Jul 23
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>
Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 23, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Light-emitting nanotubes get brighter with zero-dimensional states- Google sits on Internet-traffic throne, says report
- British scientists offer explanations on global warming pause
- Researchers build self-assembling multi-copter distributed flight array (w/ Video)
- New technology lets scientists identify wild wolves by their howls
- Researchers reveal the clearest new pictures of immune cells
- A new weapon against stroke: Stem cell study uncovers the brain-protective powers of astrocytes
- Researchers unravel secrets of mussels' clinginess
- Six months of computing time generates detailed portrait of cloth behavior
- Research project maps record numbers of cosmic X-ray sources
- Between B cells and T cells
- Protons hop from one water molecule to another given suitable energy conditions
- Natural pest control protein effective against hookworm: A billion could benefit
- Oldest European fort in the inland US discovered in Appalachians
- Genetic testing improved student learning in personalized medicine class, study finds
Space & Earth news
Pawsey powerhouse supercomputer crunches pre-SKA data torrent
High-performance computing specialists from Perth's International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) today became the first users of one of Australia's leading supercomputing facilities – the Pawsey Centre – ahead of its official opening later this year.
Major China coal plant drains lake, wells: Greenpeace
A major Chinese state-owned coal producer has caused "drastic drops" in groundwater near one of its projects, the environmental group Greenpeace said in a report.
New York heat wave kills four
The heat wave that hit New York last week killed four elderly people, the office of the city's chief medical examiner (OCME)said Monday.
Double trouble (w/ Video)
Two solar eruptions expand side-by-side into space in this movie, playing out in front of the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, SOHO, on 1–2 July 2013.
NASA releases images of earth by distant spacecraft
Color and black-and-white images of Earth taken by two NASA interplanetary spacecraft on July 19 show our planet and its moon as bright beacons from millions of miles away in space.
Turning up the heat on our precious water resources
Water scientists are using heat to measure the extent to which some of Australia's inland rivers and streams could dry up due to over-extraction of groundwater.
Non-harmful flame retardants with no additional cost
Flame retardants are often extremely harmful to health. Despite this, they are found in many types of synthetic materials which would otherwise ignite quickly. Empa researchers have now succeeded in producing non-harmful flame retardants.
NASA launches new probe of spacesuit failure
The US space agency said Tuesday it is launching a second investigation into a leaking helmet that forced an abrupt halt to an Italian astronaut's spacewalk last week.
Rapid upper ocean warming linked to declining aerosols
They partly attribute the observed warming, and preceding cooling trends to ocean circulation changes induced by global greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols predominantly generated in the Northern Hemisphere from human activity.
Tropical ecosystems regulate variations in Earth's carbon dioxide levels
The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that a temperature anomaly of just 1ºC (in near surface air temperatures in the tropics) leads to a 3.5-Petagram (billion tonnes of carbon) anomaly in the annual CO2 growth rate, on average. This is the equivalent of 1/3 of the annual global emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation together.
Gravity waves and sunglint, lake superior
From the vantage point of the International Space Station, astronauts frequently observe atmospheric and surface phenomena in ways that are impossible to view from the ground. Two such phenomena—gravity waves and sunglint—are illustrated in this photograph of northeastern Lake Superior.
Devastating long-distance impact of earthquakes
In 2006 the island of Java, Indonesia was struck by a devastating earthquake followed by the onset of a mud eruption to the east, flooding villages over several square kilometers and that continues to erupt today. Until now, researchers believed the earthquake was too far from the mud volcano to trigger the eruption. Geophysicists at the University of Bonn, Germany and ETH Zurich, Switzerland use computer-based simulations to show that such triggering is possible over long distances. The results have been published in "Nature Geoscience".
Mystery of the missing waves on Titan
One of the most shocking discoveries of the past 10 years is how much the landscape of Saturn's moon Titan resembles Earth. Like our own blue planet, the surface of Titan is dotted with lakes and seas; it has river channels, islands, mud, rain clouds and maybe even rainbows. The giant moon is undeniably wet.
Research project maps record numbers of cosmic X-ray sources
Scientists led by the University of Leicester have set a new record for cosmic X-ray sources ever sighted – creating an unprecedented cosmic X-ray catalogue that will provide a valuable resource allowing astronomers to explore the extreme Universe.
Harvesting electricity from the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide
A new method for producing electricity from carbon dioxide could be the start of a classic trash-to-treasure story for the troublesome greenhouse gas, scientists are reporting. Described in an article in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, the method uses CO2 from electric power plant and other smokestacks as the raw material for making electricity.
Valley networks suggest ancient snowfall on Mars
Researchers at Brown University have shown that some Martian valleys appear to have been caused by runoff from orographic precipitation—moisture carried part of the way up a mountain and deposited on the slopes.
Direct nitrogen fixation for low cost energy conversion
A simple, low-cost and eco-friendly method of creating nitrogen-doped graphene nanoplatelets (NGnPs), which could be used in dye-sensitized solar cells and fuel cells, is published in Scientific Reports today. The work, carried out at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea, could be a step towards replacing conventional platinum (Pt)-based catalysts for energy conversion.
British scientists offer explanations on global warming pause
(Phys.org) —A team of climate experts from Britain's national weather service (The Met Office) has given a series of presentations at the Science Media Centre in London with the aim of trying to explain why global warming has flattened over the past decade. Journalists were invited to listen as climatologists explained theories that have been developed to describe the current "pause" in global temperature increases the planet has been experiencing.
Medicine & Health news
Want to be safe? Move to the City. No, really.
Large cities in the U.S. are significantly safer than their rural counterparts, with the risk of injury death more than 20 percent higher in the country. A study to be published online tomorrow in Annals of Emergency Medicine upends a common perception that urban areas are more dangerous than small towns ("Safety in Numbers: Are Major Cities the Safest Places in the U.S.?").
World first computer saving lives
Complex decision-making in the second-by-second handling of trauma patients in hospital emergency rooms is being aided by a world-first computer system at Melbourne's The Alfred Hospital.
New research findings highlight benefits of human-animal interaction
Positive results from three new studies on human-animal interaction (HAI) are being presented today at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) in Chicago, IL. The studies, supported by funding from Mars and the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition (WALTHAM), examined how pets impact our physical and emotional well-being and our social relationships and community connectedness. WALTHAM is the state-of-the-art petcare science centre for Mars Petcare and provides the science and expertise underpinning leading Mars Petcare brands.
Routine exposure of recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroid surgery can prevent nerve injury
Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is the most common serious complication of thyroid surgery. Therefore, preventing recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is an important goal in thyroid surgery.
Use of acronyms potentially confusing in mental health, study shows
Use of abbreviations is common among mental health professionals but a significant number of acronyms used are either ambiguous or poorly understood by nursing staff, a study has found.
Significant other's excessive fears can compromise patient's recovery from SAH
Researchers from Durham University and Kings College London (United Kingdom) and the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany) found that patients who have suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may not recover psychosocially as well as expected if their significant other is excessively fearful about the possibility of SAH recurrence. The researchers' findings are discussed in "Family and friends' fears of recurrence: impact on the patient's recovery after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Clinical article," by Judith Covey, Ph.D., Adam J. Noble, Ph.D., and Thomas Schenk, Ph.D., published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Premiums expected to be about 20 percent lower in 2014
(HealthDay)—Premiums in the Health Insurance Marketplace are likely to be about 20 percent lower than anticipated in 2014, according to a report published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Use of radiographs increasing for children with asthma
(HealthDay)—Emergency department use of radiographs is increasing for children with asthma; and there is considerable variation between hospitals in the use of diagnostic testing for children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), according to two studies published online July 22 in Pediatrics.
US cracks down on illegal diabetes remedies
(AP)—The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on more than a dozen U.S. and foreign companies that market illegal treatments for diabetes, ranging from bogus dietary supplements to prescription drugs sold online without a prescription.
Japan firm widens recall after skin stain complaints
Cosmetics maker Kanebo said Tuesday more than 2,000 Japanese had complained about skin discolouring after using its whitening products, as it widened its consumer recall outside Japan.
Loopholes in health care law could result in employee harassment
The contrasting incentives of employers and employees under the Affordable Care Act ultimately may result in increased employee harassment and retaliation claims, two University of Illinois law professors say in a paper they co-wrote.
Consensus statement describes role of team physicians
(HealthDay)—Team physicians have medical and administrative duties and responsibilities to athletes, according to a consensus statement published in the August issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Automated ECG directs patients with acute MI to cath lab
(HealthDay)—Use of an automated electrocardiogram (ECG) to diagnose acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) activates the protocol for referral to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) and achieves timely intervention with balloon angioplasty, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Clinical trial finds link between sleep deprivation and skin aging
In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physician-scientists at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center found that sleep quality impacts skin function and aging. The recently completed study, commissioned by Estée Lauder, demonstrated that poor sleepers had increased signs of skin aging and slower recovery from a variety of environmental stressors, such as disruption of the skin barrier or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Poor sleepers also had worse assessment of their own skin and facial appearance.
Survey assesses views of physicians regarding controlling health care costs
In a survey of about 2,500 U. S. physicians on their perceived role in addressing health care costs, they reported having some responsibility to address health care costs in their practice and expressed general agreement with quality initiatives that may also reduce cost, but expressed less enthusiasm for cost containment involving changes in payment models, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
Pre-clinical animal research must improve
Less than five percent of promising basic science discoveries that claim clinical relevance lead to approved drugs within a decade, partly because of flawed pre-clinical animal research. A number of recent initiatives seek to improve the quality of such studies, and an article published this week in PLOS Medicine identifies key experimental procedures believed to increase clinical generalizability.
Going through the motions improves dance performance
Expert ballet dancers seem to glide effortlessly across the stage, but learning the steps is both physically and mentally demanding. New research suggests that dance marking—loosely practicing a routine by "going through the motions"—may improve the quality of dance performance by reducing the mental strain needed to perfect the movements.
When bar fights get mean, bystanders intervene
People are more likely to try to break up a bar fight when they believe the conflict is too violent, or has the potential to become more violent, according to an international team of researchers.
Putting the brakes on inflammation
A team led by a University of Arizona researcher has discovered a previously unknown mechanism that prevents the immune system from going into overdrive, shedding light not only on how our body controls its response to pathogens but on conditions such as autoimmune diseases, allergies and chronic inflammation as well.
Brain picks out salient sounds from background noise by tracking frequency and time
New research reveals how our brains are able to pick out important sounds from the noisy world around us. The findings, published online today in the journal 'eLife', could lead to new diagnostic tests for hearing disorders.
Understanding a global epidemic: Why Africans with HIV are more susceptible to TB
Yale researchers have identified a common genetic variant that makes people infected with HIV much more susceptible to tuberculosis (TB). The study is published in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study finds that smokers who try e-cigarettes to quit are younger and more motivated to quit
University of Hawaii Cancer Center Prevention and Control Program researchers Pallav Pokhrel, PhD and Thaddeus Herzog, PhD have found that smokers who use e-cigarettes as a tool to stop smoking tend to be younger and more motivated to quit smoking as compared to other smokers.
Is a common food fungus worsening the AIDS epidemic?
A type of fungus coating much of the stored corn, wheat, rice and nuts in developing countries may be quietly worsening the AIDS epidemic, according to a paper published in the World Mycotoxin Journal.
Lung model makes headway for aerosol drug delivery
THE first computational lung model with true-to-life moving airway walls is holding promise for the optimisation of aerosol drug delivery and improved lung surgery outcomes for patients with respiratory diseases.
Platelets block HIV
Scientists of the DPZ have shown that platelet activation inhibits the host cell entry of HIV
Sports medicine physician advises parents to not let their kids play football
Prominent Sports Medicine physician Dr. Pietro Tonino of Loyola University Medical Center has some blunt advice for parents of high school athletes who want to play football this fall: Don't let them do it.
Serum Institute of India acquires rights to German TB vaccine
Hopes are high for a new and improved tuberculosis vaccine: Serum Institute of India is planning on taking a promising vaccine - originally developed in Germany - and introducing it into the clinical setting. Studies have shown that the new vaccine is more effective and better tolerated than currently available options. By signing a contract with the Hannover-based Vakzine Projekt Management GmbH (VPM), Serum, one of the World's leading vaccine manufacturers, has effectively secured the license to the various patents and technologies related to the new vaccine.
A new player in brain disease and stroke
In degenerative brain diseases and after stroke, nerve cells die while their support cells activate the brain's immune system to cause further damage. Now Jonathan Gilthorpe, Adrian Pini and Andrew Lumsden at the MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at King's College London, have found that a single protein, histone H1, causes these distinct outcomes.
Cannabis constituent has no effect on MS progression, study shows
The first large non-commercial clinical study to investigate whether the main active constituent of cannabis (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) is effective in slowing the course of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), shows that there is no evidence to suggest this; although benefits were noted for those at the lower end of the disability scale.
ICHSTM: cameras contributing to driver/Cyclist tensions
(HealthDay)—The increasing use of cycling as a form of transport, coupled with advances in lightweight camera technology and video distribution have contributed to tensions between cyclists and drivers, according to research presented at the International Congress on the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, held from July 21 to 28 in Manchester, U.K.
Incidence of cardiac events in lumbar spine surgery ID'd
(HealthDay)—The overall incidence of cardiac complications is 6.7 per 1,000 lumbar spine surgical procedures, and complications are more frequent with lumbar fusion versus decompression, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of Spine.
Tablets help physicians keep up with medical research
(HealthDay)—Most physicians find keeping up with the latest research to be challenging, but the use of tablets and smartphones may help, according to a report published by Wolters Kluwer Health.
Dietary fiber intake linked to reduced gastric cancer risk
(HealthDay)—Dietary fiber intake is inversely associated with gastric cancer risk and is likely independent of conventional risk factors, according to a meta-analysis published in the July issue of Gastroenterology.
Researchers develop new approach for studying deadly brain cancer
Human glioblastoma multiforme, one of the most common, aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer, is notoriously difficult to study. Scientists have traditionally studied cancer cells in petri dishes, which have none of the properties of the brain tissues in which these cancers grow, or in expensive animal models.
US: Menthol cigarettes likely pose health risk
(AP)—A Food and Drug Administration review concludes that menthol cigarettes likely pose a greater public health risk than regular cigarettes but does not make a recommendation on whether to limit or ban the minty smokes—one of the few growth sectors of the shrinking cigarette business.
Pain of artificial legs could be eased by real-time monitoring
When Ron Bailey lost his right leg below the knee 10 years ago after a head-on collision, he was fitted with a prosthetic leg and began learning to use it in his daily life as a real estate agent in Federal Way, Wash.
Researchers discover mechanism behind development of autoimmune hepatitis
A gene mutation disrupts the activity of certain immune cells and causes the immune system to erroneously attack the liver, according to a new animal study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, will provide a new model for studying drug targets and therapies for Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH), a condition for which the only treatment options are short-acting steroids or liver transplant.
No link between mercury exposure and autism-like behaviors, study finds
The potential impact of exposure to low levels of mercury on the developing brain – specifically by women consuming fish during pregnancy – has long been the source of concern and some have argued that the chemical may be responsible for behavioral disorders such as autism. However, a new study that draws upon more than 30 years of research in the Republic of Seychelles reports that there is no association between pre-natal mercury exposure and autism-like behaviors.
200 in 4 states had unidentified stomach bug
(AP)—More than 200 people in at least four states have come down with a stomach bug that could be linked to foodborne illness.
Bolstering your brain against dementia
For years, the news about Alzheimer's and other dementia-related illness has been unrelentingly grim. We don't know many of the causes. We don't have a cure.
Researchers identify vulnerabilities of the deadly Ebola virus
Disabling a protein in Ebola virus cells can stop the virus from replicating and infecting the host, according to researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The data are published in July in the journal Cell Host and Microbe.
Faster, simpler diagnosis for fibromyalgia may be on the horizon
Researchers have developed a reliable way to use a finger-stick blood sample to detect fibromyalgia syndrome, a complicated pain disorder that often is difficult to diagnose.
Oxygen—key to most life—decelerates many cancer tumors when combined with radiation therapy
July 23, 2013 – A multidisciplinary team at UT Southwestern Medical Center has found that measuring the oxygenation of tumors can be a valuable tool in guiding radiation therapy, opening the door for personalized therapies that keep tumors in check with oxygen enhancement.
Research team collaborate to save the bacon
A research team from the University of Missouri and Kansas State University has been working to find a cure for a specific virus that affects pigs and costs the hog industry $800 million annually. In their latest study, the team disproved one way the virus spreads, which will help scientists narrow the search for an ultimate cure.
Building a good-neighbor policy between livestock industry and communities
Economist Peter Goldsmith has extensively studied the economic benefits of the livestock industry in Illinois, but it wasn't until he attended a public hearing proposing the siting of a large livestock facility and heard the comments from members of the community, that he realized the need for new strategies that would elevate the conversation and meet the needs of everyone involved.
Athletes need to be careful to monitor diet, weight to maintain muscle mass
Athletes seeking a healthy performance weight should eat high fiber, low-fat food balanced with their training regimen in order to maintain muscle while still burning fat, according to a report by an Oregon State University researcher.
Optimists better at regulating stress
It's no surprise that those who tend to see a rose's blooms before its thorns are also better at handling stress. But science has failed to reliably associate optimism with individuals' biological stress response – until now.
Pros and cons of electronic cigarette regulation discussed
(HealthDay)—The pros and cons of electronic cigarette (EC) regulation are discussed in to two editorials published online July 23 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Clinical trial results for cancer drugs often not published
(HealthDay)—Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act requires publication of the results of completed trials of cancer drugs conducted in the United States, results for almost half of the studies have not been made publicly available three years later, according to research published online July 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Guidance issued for erectile dysfunction as marker of CVD
(HealthDay)—Erectile dysfunction (ED) has predictive value for cardiovascular risk and treatment may have beneficial effects, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
Many docs don't discuss dietary supplements, study says
(HealthDay)—Doctors do a poor job of providing patients with information about vitamins, minerals, herbs and other dietary supplements, a new study says.
Increasing incidence of Type 1 diabetes among children in Finland appears to have leveled off
"The incidence of type l diabetes (T1D), one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children, has increased worldwide," write Valma Harjutsalo, Ph.D., of the Diabetes Prevention Unit, Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues, who conducted a study to examine the incidence rates of T1D between 2006 and 2011 in Finnish children younger than 15 years as well as the 32-year trend (1980-2011).
Kidney stones associated with modest increased risk of coronary heart disease in women, but not men
An analysis of data from three studies that involved a total of more than 240,000 participants found that a self-reported history of kidney stones was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of coronary heart disease among women but no significant association was evident for men, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
Report documents organ transplantation as source of fatal rabies virus case
An investigation into the source of a fatal case of raccoon rabies virus exposure indicates the individual received the virus via a kidney transplant 18 months earlier, findings suggesting that rabies transmitted by this route may have a long incubation period, and that although solid organ transplant transmission of infectious encephalitis is rare, further education to increase awareness is needed, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
Difference in breast cancer survival between black and white women has not changed substantially
In an analysis of 5-year survival rates among black and white women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1991 and 2005, black women continued to have a lower rate of survival, with most of the difference related to factors including poorer health of black patients at diagnosis and more advanced disease, rather than treatment differences, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.
Barriers to interventions to prevent malaria in pregnancy similar across sub-Saharan Africa
The main barriers to the access, delivery, and use of interventions that help to prevent malaria in pregnant women are relatively consistent across sub-Saharan African countries and may provide a helpful checklist to identify the factors influencing uptake of these important interventions, according to a study published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Sharing data with providers associated with plummeting rates of unnecessary medical tests in Sweden
The rate of inappropriate cancer scans for low-risk prostate cancer patients in Sweden plummeted in the decade following a joint campaign to curtail such tests by Swedish County Councils and the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) of Sweden, a professional association of Swedish urologists. The results, published today online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that curtailing unneeded medical tests, an urgent healthcare policy goal in the United States highlighted in the Choosing Wisely Campaign, among other initiatives, is achievable, says Danil V. Makarov, MD, assistant professor of urology and population health at NYU Langone Medical Center and lead author of the study.
Researcher develops peer-led program to help individuals with HIV adhere to treatment plans
Individuals diagnosed with HIV nowadays can live long, healthy lives if they follow their medical treatment plans; however, nearly half of individuals with the virus fail to get needed medical help or to continue treatment, according to previous research. Now, a nursing researcher at the University of Missouri has developed a peer-led intervention that helps individuals with HIV adhere to their treatment plans that can improve their quality of life.
Pathways activated in most K9 bone tumors not driving the worst bone tumors
Many cancers show inappropriate activation of a cell signaling pathway called NOTCH. In the developing body, NOTCH tells brain cells to grow and proliferate. It should be quiet in the adult body, but cancers restart NOTCH to drive their own growth, far and beyond the rate of healthy tissues. A Colorado State University and University of Colorado Cancer Center study expected to find NOTCH signaling elevated in K9 osteosarcoma samples, gathered from patients at the CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center. What they found surprised the researchers: overall, NOTCH signaling was elevated in K9 osteosarcoma, but aspects of Notch signaling were noticeably deactivated in the worst cancers.
Researchers unveil nation's first porcine virus rapid detection test
Mere months after porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was first confirmed in the United States swine population, University of Minnesota researchers have developed a PEDV rapid diagnostic test.
Senators push for quicker generic drug access
(AP)—Two senators want to do away with the agreements that pharmaceutical companies make with one another to keep lower-priced generic copies of brand-name drugs off the market.
'Dead' gene comes to life, puts chill on inflammation, researchers find
A gene long presumed dead comes to life under the full moon of inflammation, Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have found.
Study shows men as likely as women to distinguish between desire and arousal
The theory is that men and women are completely different in the way that they experience arousal and express desire. But the first large-scale study trying to tease apart what goes on in the minds and bodies of men and women when it comes to sex shows that there are more differences within each gender than there are across gender lines.
Worms reveal link between dementia gene and ageing
The discovery of a link between a specific gene and ageing in a species of worm could reveal valuable lessons for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
New clues illuminate Alzheimer's roots
Scientists at Rice University and the University of Miami have figured out how synthetic molecules designed at Rice latch onto the amyloid peptide fibrils thought to be responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Their discovery could point the way toward therapies to halt or even reverse the insidious disease.
Between B cells and T cells
Mature cells develop through a number of immature stages. During this process, they must remember the specialization they are committed to. For immune system B cells, Rudolf Grosschedl of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics and his team have discovered that the transcription factor EBF1 is crucial for B cells to remember who they are. When the researchers switched off the transcription factor, the cells lost their previous identity and developed into T cells. Unlike most other cell types, B cells have a characteristic footprint in their genetic makeup and this allowed the researchers to identify the origin of each individual cell.
A new weapon against stroke: Stem cell study uncovers the brain-protective powers of astrocytes
One of regenerative medicine's greatest goals is to develop new treatments for stroke. So far, stem cell research for the disease has focused on developing therapeutic neurons—the primary movers of electrical impulses in the brain—to repair tissue damaged when oxygen to the brain is limited by a blood clot or break in a vessel. New UC Davis research, however, shows that other cells may be better suited for the task.
Digital PCR technology detects brain-tumor-associated mutation in cerebrospinal fluid
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers and their colleagues have used digital versions of a standard molecular biology tool to detect a common tumor-associated mutation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with brain tumors. In their report being published in the open-access journal Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids, the investigators describe using advanced forms of the gene-amplification technology polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to analyze bits of RNA carried in membrane-covered sacs called extracellular vesicles for the presence of a tumor-associated mutation in a gene called IDH1.
Wave of blue fluorescence reveals pathway of death in worms
The final biological events in the life of a worm are described today, revealing how death spreads like a wave from cell to cell until the whole organism is dead.
Genetic testing improved student learning in personalized medicine class, study finds
Students who had their genome tested as part of a groundbreaking medical school course on personalized medicine improved their knowledge of the class materials by an average of 31 percent compared with those who didn't undergo the testing, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Researchers reveal the clearest new pictures of immune cells
Scientists from The University of Manchester have revealed new images which provide the clearest picture yet of how white blood immune cells attack viral infections and tumours.
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