| Scientists decipher cellular 'roadmap' of disease-related proteins  | Researchers are helping demystify an important class of proteins associated with disease, a discovery that could lead to better treatments for cancer, cystic fibrosis and many other conditions. | Read More »  New mouse model reveals a mystery of Duchenne muscular dystrophy  | Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy often die as young adults from heart and breathing complications. Now, researchers have developed a mouse model that accurately mimics the course of the disease in humans. | Read More » Sugar makes cancer light-up in MRI scanners  | A new technique for detecting cancer by imaging the consumption of sugar with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been unveiled. The breakthrough could provide a safer and simpler alternative to standard radioactive techniques and enable radiologists to image tumors in greater detail. | Read More » Champion nano-rust for producing solar hydrogen  | Researchers have figured out the "champion" nanostructures able to produce hydrogen in the most environmentally friendly and cheap manner, by simply using daylight. | Read More » Mesoscale ocean eddies impact weather  | Not only large-scale ocean currents impact weather but also relatively small eddies, as a new study reveals. The researchers therefore recommend to account for these eddies in weather prediction models. | Read More » How quality control works in our cells  | A cellular control mechanism prevents the production of defective proteins in our cells. A team of researchers has now obtained valuable insights into this vital mechanism that could lead to new therapeutic approaches for genetic diseases. | Read More » Using the sun to illuminate a basic mystery of matter  | Antimatter has been detected in solar flares via microwave and magnetic-field data, according to a new presentation. This research sheds light on the puzzling strong asymmetry between matter and antimatter by gathering data on a very large scale using the Sun as a laboratory. | Read More » Brain structural deficits may contribute to increased functional connections between brain regions implicated in depression  | Major depressive disorder is associated with a dysregulation of brain regions including the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. The relationship between structural and functional abnormalities in these brain regions in depressed patients is far from clear. However, both types of changes are assumed to underlie the symptoms of this disorder. | Read More » Cosmic dust belts without dust  | Planets and asteroids, red giants and brown dwarfs – there are all kinds of objects in our Universe. Debris disks are among them. These are belts consisting of countless dust particles and planetesimals, circling around one central star. Debris disks are an important piece in the puzzle to be able to better understand the variety of planetary systems. | Read More » Light transistor: Efficient transistor for light could lead to optical computers  | Light can oscillate in different directions, as we can see in the 3-D cinema: Each lens of the glasses only allows light of a particular oscillation direction to pass through. However, changing the polarization direction of light without a large part of it being lost is difficult. Scientists have now managed this feat, using a type of light – terahertz radiation – that is of particular technological importance. | Read More » Enhanced yet affordable material for supercapacitors  | Scientists have developed a new method to massively synthesize enhanced yet affordable materials for supercapacitors. | Read More » First child born following embryo screening with new genome analysis technique  | The first birth has been achieved following the analysis of embryos using a new genome sequencing technique which promises to revolutionise embryo selection for IVF. The technique has never before been applied in the screening of embryos. | Read More » Deserts 'greening' from rising CO2  | Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have helped boost green foliage across the world's arid regions over the past 30 years through a process called CO2 fertilization, according to new research. | Read More » Egg donation in European clinics: Why do women do it?  | Egg donation is now one of the major reasons why couples travel abroad for fertility treatment. Because this growing trend may circumvent regulations at home or raise concerns about financial inducement, it has also become one of the most controversial. Yet little is known about the women who provide the donor eggs in overseas clinics -- their characteristics, their motivation and their compensation. | Read More » IVF for 200 euro per cycle: First real-life proof of principle that IVF is feasible and effective for developing countries  | A study performed in Belgium has shown that low-cost IVF for developing and poor resource countries is feasible and effective, with delivery rates not much different from those achieved in conventional IVF programs. This proof-of-principle study, say the investigators, suggests that infertility care may now be "universally accessible". | Read More » Adverse effects of phthalates on ovarian response to IVF  | Phthalates are among a group of industrial chemicals shown in some studies to have adverse effects on reproductive health and development, particularly in the male. As such, they have been collectively defined as "endocrine disruptors", and proposed as one of several possible environmental exposures responsible for a decline in fertility. Human studies increasingly report associations of phthalates with various adverse reproductive outcomes, including altered semen quantity and quality. | Read More » Early life and in utero factors found to influence testicular function in adulthood  | A new study based on a 20-year follow-up of one of the world's largest study cohorts, suggests that exposure to several factors in utero and in early life may lead to reduced semen parameters in adulthood and potentially to a decline in male fertility. | Read More » Archaeologists unearth a virtually intact Late Roman well  | Archaeologists say a virtually intact Late Roman well discovered near Heslington, on the outskirts of the city, may have had significance in contemporary local agricultural cycles and fertility practices. | Read More » Deep sea isolation: Hypersaline islands harbor unique life  | Deep in the ocean exist super salty anoxic basins that form islands allowing evolution to vary between communities of ciliated plankton. These unique communities provide an opportunity to observe multiple results of evolution from the same stock and different solutions to environmental difficulties. | Read More » Historical clues to Stradivari's craft: Evidence that violin maker's workmanship was based on traditions of ancient artists  | Scientists have used a range of analytical methods to identify the techniques used by violin master Antonio Stradivari in the 17th century, and attempted to replicate his craftsmanship. Antonio Stradivari is universally recognized as one of the most famous violin makers in the world. During his life, he and his apprentices built more than a thousand violins, violas, cellos and other stringed instruments. | Read More » Fewer men become dads, Norwegian study shows  | How is it possible to be both a present parent and a successful employee? This question has been posed by Norwegian women since the 1970s. Today, men are asking the same question. | Read More » New tissue engineering breakthrough encourages nerve repair  | A new combination of tissue engineering techniques could reduce the need for nerve grafts, according to new research. Regeneration of nerves is challenging when the damaged area is extensive, and surgeons currently have to take a nerve graft from elsewhere in the body, leaving a second site of damage. Nerve grafts contain aligned tissue structures and Schwann cells that support and guide neuron growth through the damaged area, encouraging function to be restored. Now medical researchers have developed a way to manufacture artificial nerve tissue with the potential to be used as an alternative to nerve grafts. | Read More » How well can you see with your ears? Device offers new alternative to blind people  | A device that trains the brain to turn sounds into images could be used as an alternative to invasive treatment for blind and partially-sighted people, researchers have found. | Read More » Robot mom would beat robot butler in popularity contest  | If you tickle a robot, it may not laugh, but you may still consider it humanlike -- depending on its role in your life, reports an international group of researchers. | Read More » Exposure to stress even before conception causes genetic changes to offspring  | A female's exposure to distress even before she conceives causes changes in the expression of a gene linked to the stress mechanism in the body — in the ovum and later in the brains of the offspring from when they are born, according to a new study on rats. | Read More » Detection of single photons via quantum entanglement  | Almost 200 years ago, Bavarian physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer discovered dark lines in the sun's spectrum. It was later discovered that these spectral lines can be used to infer the chemical composition and temperature of the sun's atmosphere. Today we are able to gain information about diverse objects through light measurements in a similar way. Because often very little light needs to be detected for this, physicists are looking for ever more sensitive spectroscopy methods. In extreme cases, also single particles of light (photons) need to be measured reliably, which is technically challenging. | Read More » Breakthrough could lead to 'artificial skin' that senses touch, humidity and temperature  | Using tiny gold particles and a kind of resin, a team of scientists has discovered how to make a new kind of flexible sensor that one day could be integrated into electronic skin, or e-skin. If scientists learn how to attach e-skin to prosthetic limbs, people with amputations might once again be able to feel changes in their environments. | Read More » Earthworms could help scientists 'dig' into past climates  | A team of UK researchers believes earthworms could provide a window into past climates, allowing scientists to piece together the prevailing weather conditions thousands of years ago. | Read More » Even slight temperature increases causing tropical forests to blossom  | A new study shows that tropical forests are producing more flowers in response to only slight increases in temperature. | Read More » New metallic bubble wrap offers big benefits over other protective materials  | Researchers have developed a new metallic bubble wrap that is lighter, stronger and more flexible than sheet metal and more heat- and chemical-resistant than plastic or other polymer-based bubble wraps. Potential applications include automobile body panels, the wing edges of airplanes, suitcases, helmets and cases for computers and other electronic devices. | Read More » Researchers warn of legacy mercury in the environment  | Environmental researchers have published evidence that significant reductions in mercury emissions will be necessary just to stabilize current levels of the toxic element in the environment. So much mercury persists in surface reservoirs (soil, air, and water) from past pollution, going back thousands of years, that it will continue to persist in the ocean and accumulate in fish for decades to centuries, they report. | Read More » Tailoring diabetes treatment to older patients yields dramatic results  | More than a quarter of over 70s with type 2 diabetes could benefit simply from improving communication and education in the clinic, new research has revealed. A new study has found that 27 percent achieved better glycemic control through individualized care alone. | Read More » Unlikely competitor for diamond as best thermal conductor: Boron arsenide potential for cooling applications  | Researchers report the potential for boron arsenide to challenge the extraordinarily high thermal conductivity of diamond, which could pave the way for a more plentiful and affordable alternative to cooling high tech devices. | Read More » Zombies offer key to understanding how crowds evacuate  | Zombies might not be the most obvious candidates to use when researching how crowds evacuate buildings, but they have proved a key factor in a new study into crowd behaviour. | Read More » | |
