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Reprogramming patients' cells offers powerful new tool for studying, treating blood diseases

First produced only in the past decade, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are capable of developing into many or even all human cell types. Scientists have now reprogrammed skin cells from patients with rare blood disorders into iPSCs, highlighting the great promise of these cells in advancing understanding of those challenging diseases -- and eventually in treating them.

Cause of LED 'efficiency droop' identified

Researchers have identified the mechanism behind a plague of LED light bulbs: a flaw called "efficiency droop" that causes LEDs to lose up to 20 percent of their efficiency as they are subjected to greater electrical currents.

Number one source for new teeth

Stem cells derived from urine can be used to generate tooth-like structures, reports a new study. It's thought the technique might one day help researchers grow new, tailor-made teeth for dental patients. That stem cells can be generated from urine is not new; previous studies have shown that cells discarded in human urine can be coaxed to become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which themselves can generate many different cell types, including neurons and heart muscle cells. But researchers had yet to generate solid organs or tissues from iPSCs – until now.

Simulations aiding study of earthquake dampers for structures

Researchers have demonstrated the reliability and efficiency of "real-time hybrid simulation" for testing a type of powerful damping system that might be installed in buildings and bridges to reduce structural damage and injuries during earthquakes.

Planetary 'runaway greenhouse' more easily triggered, research shows

It might be easier than previously thought for a planet to overheat into the scorchingly uninhabitable "runaway greenhouse" stage, according to new research.

Sequestration and fuel reserves: Storing carbon dioxide to release liquid fuels

A technique for trapping the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide deep underground could at the same be used to release the last fraction of natural gas liquids from ailing reservoirs, thus offsetting some of the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels, experts say.

Learning from a virus: Keeping genes under wraps

By studying how the human cytomegalovirus, or CMV, packages its genetic material during infection, researchers have identified potential inroads for new therapies that could one day prevent birth defects and save transplant patients from virus-caused complications.

Evidence of nerve damage in about half of fibromyalgia patients

About half of a small group of patients with fibromyalgia -- a common syndrome that causes chronic pain and other symptoms -- was found to have damage to nerve fibers in their skin and other evidence of a disease called small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN). Unlike fibromyalgia, SFPN has a clear pathology and is known to be caused by specific medical conditions, some of which can be treated and sometimes cured.

Santa's workshop not flooded -- but lots of melting in the Arctic

Widespread media reports of a lake at the North Pole don't hold water -- but scientists who deployed the monitoring buoys are watching closely as Arctic sea ice approaches its yearly minimum.

Cracking how life arose on Earth may help clarify where else it might exist

A novel and potentially testable theory of how life arose on Earth advanced over 25 years ago by Michael Russell, research scientist in planetary chemistry and astrobiology, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was further developed in a recent article.

Controlling contagion by restricting mobility: In the face of an epidemic, even moderate government-mandated travel restrictions would slow contagion

A study shows that in the face of an epidemic, even moderate government-mandated travel restrictions would slow contagion.

Environmental impact on mouse strains used for disease models

A study addresses how location and sex can affect mouse models in scientific research.

Printing silver onto fibers could pave the way for flexible, wearable electronics

A new technique for depositing silver onto clothing fibers could open up huge opportunities in wearable electronics.

Aquatic playground can turn water tanks into fish schools

Raising fish in tanks that contain hiding places and other obstacles can make the fish both smarter and improve their chances of survival when they are released into the wild, according to scientists.

Increased fluctuation in blood pressure linked to impaired cognitive function in older people

Higher variability in visit-to-visit blood pressure readings, independent of average blood pressure, could be related to impaired cognitive function in old age in those already at high risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a new article.

Cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics with dangerously low blood sugar levels

Type 2 diabetics who have severe hypoglycaemia are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a new article suggests.

Combination stroke therapy safe and effective, study suggests

The combination of the clot-busting drug tPA with an infusion of the antiplatelet drug eptifibatide dissolves blood clots safely and more quickly than tPA alone, a new study suggests, based on results from the phase-2 clinical trial, known as the CLEAR-ER Stroke Trial.

Fresh fuel reignites Asperger's debate

Children with Asperger's Syndrome have different electroencephalography (EEG) patterns to children with autism, reveals a new study. With distinct neurophysiology, the study pours fresh fuel on the on-going debate about how Asperger's should be classified.

How did Earth's primitive chemistry get kick started?

How did life on Earth get started? Three new papers strengthen the case that Earth's first life began at alkaline hydrothermal vents at the bottom of oceans. Scientists are interested in understanding early life on Earth because if we ever hope to find life on other worlds -- especially icy worlds with subsurface oceans such as Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's Enceladus -- we need to know what chemical signatures to look for.

Ancient viruses that function in early human development may play role in cancer

Novel non-coding parts of the human genome known as vlincRNAs (very long intergenic, non-coding RNAs) triggered by ancient viruses, participate in the biology of stem cells, and in the development of cancer. Importantly, scientists found that the elimination of these vlincRNAs caused the death of cancer cells.

Polar ecosystems acutely vulnerable to sunlight-driven tipping points

Slight changes in the timing of the annual loss of sea-ice in polar regions could have dire consequences for polar ecosystems, by allowing a lot more sunlight to reach the sea floor. The research predicts biodiversity on some areas of the polar seabed could be reduced by as much as one third within decades, as the poles warm.

Scientists analyze genetic makeup of human and mouse embryos in amazing detail

Scientists have used the powerful technology of single-cell RNA sequencing to track the genetic development of a human and a mouse embryo at an unprecedented level of accuracy. The success of this technique could lead to genetic diagnoses of diseases with higher resolution and in embryos earlier than ever achieved before, even when the embryo consists of only eight cells.

Hide, ambush, kill, eat: The giant water bug Lethocerus patruelis kills a fish

The largest European water insect Lethocerus patruelis, commonly known as giant water bug, can reach the impressive size of up to 8 cm in length. A recent study provides detailed information on karyotype and the reproductive system of the species. The study also presents a rare opportunity to see their vicious predatory practices, catching a giant water bug larva attacking and killing a small fish on video.

BPA exposure disrupts human egg maturation

Exposure to BPA (Bisphenol-A) could be a contributing factor as to why some infertile couples are having difficulty conceiving.

Could planting trees in the desert mitigate climate change?

As the world starts feeling the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and consequent global temperature rise, researchers are looking for a Plan B to mitigate climate change. A group of German scientists has now come up with an environmentally friendly method that they say could do just that. The technique, dubbed carbon farming, consists in planting trees in arid regions on a large scale to capture carbon dioxide.

Insect-inspired super rubber moves toward practical uses in medicine

The remarkable, rubber-like protein that enables dragonflies, grasshoppers and other insects to flap their wings, jump and chirp has major potential uses in medicine, scientists conclude. A new article evaluates the latest advances toward using a protein called resilin in nanosprings, biorubbers, biosensors and other applications.

Computational biology: Cells reprogrammed on the computer

Scientists have developed a model that makes predictions from which differentiated cells -- for instance skin cells -- can be very efficiently changed into completely different cell types -- such as nerve cells, for example. This can be done entirely without stem cells. These computer-based instructions for reprogramming cells are of huge significance for regenerative medicine.

Studying the emotions which cause opinions to change

Physicists can use their tools to help understand how, in real life, opinions form and change.

Sensitive parenting can boost premature children's school performance

Sensitive parenting helps protect against the negative effects of being born prematurely on children's school success, a new study has found.

Saturn's Mimas and Pandora: Two moons passing in the night

The Saturn moons Mimas and Pandora remind us of how different they are when they appear together, as in this image taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Pandora's small size means that it lacks sufficient gravity to pull itself into a round shape like its larger sibling, Mimas. Researchers believe that the elongated shape of Pandora (50 miles, or 81 kilometers across) may hold clues to how it and other moons near Saturn's rings formed.

Chemists develop innovative nano-sensors for multiple proteins

Chemists have developed a new method for parallel protein analysis that is, in principle, capable of identifying hundreds or even thousands of different proteins. It could be used to detect the presence of viruses and identify their type in tiny samples. At the same time, it is very cost-effective and quick.

Dawn of carnivores explains animal boom in distant past

Scientists have linked increasing oxygen levels and the rise and evolution of carnivores (meat eaters) as the force behind a broad explosion of animal species and body structures millions of years ago.

Naked mole-rat's secret to staying cancer free

Scientists have discovered the naked mole rat's unique mechanism to staying cancer free -- a super sugar called high-molecular-mass Hyaluronan (HMM-HA). When secreted by the naked mole rat's cells, this molecule prevents cells from overcrowding and forming tumors. Researchers now say using naked mole-rat HMM-HA in the clinic could open up new avenues for cancer prevention and life extension in humans.

Stem cells in urine easy to isolate and have potential for numerous therapies

Could harvesting stem cells for therapy one day be as simple as asking patients for a urine sample? Researchers have identified stem cells in urine that can be directed to become multiple cell types.

Cross-country collaboration leads to new leukemia model

They were postdocs at Stanford when they first began considering the problem. Eight years later, and a continent apart, they found the answer.

Using gold and light to study molecules in water

Thanks to a new device that is the size of a human hair, it is now possible to detect molecules in a liquid solution and observe their interactions. This is of major interest for the scientific community, as there is currently no reliable way of examining both the behavior and the chemical structure of molecules in a liquid in real time.

Robots strike fear in the hearts of fish: Anxious zebrafish help researchers understand how alcohol affects fear

The latest in a series of experiments testing the ability of robots to influence live animals shows that bio-inspired robots can not only elicit fear in zebrafish, but that this reaction can be modulated by alcohol. These findings may pave the way for new methodologies for understanding anxiety and other emotions, as well as substances that modulate them.

Physicists discover theoretical possibility of large, hollow magnetic cage molecules

Researchers have discovered, in theory, the possibility of creating large, hollow magnetic cage molecules that could one day be used in medicine as a drug delivery system to non-invasively treat tumors, and in other emerging technologies.

Promising new direction for organ regeneration and tissue repair

Researchers have identified an entirely new approach to enhance tissue growth, findings that could lead to advances in organ regeneration and tissue repair, with widespread therapeutic applications.

Key factors for wireless power transfer

What happens to a resonant wireless power transfer system in complex electromagnetic environments? Researchers explored the influences at play in this type of situation and describe how efficient wireless power transfer can be achieved in the presence of metal plates.

Researchers successfully spoof an $80 million yacht at sea

A radio navigation research team discovered they could subtly coerce a 65-meter superyacht off its course, using a custom-made GPS device. The purpose of the experiment was to measure the difficulty of carrying out a spoofing attack at sea and to determine how easily sensors in the ship's command room could identify the threat.

Guided growth of nanowires leads to self-integrated circuits

Teaching nanowires self-control from the outset enabled scientists to produce complex electronic nanocomponents.

Universal law for light absorption in 2-D semiconductors

Researchers have demonstrated a universal law of light absorption for 2-D semiconductors. This discovery not only provides new insight into the optical properties of 2-D semiconductors and quantum wells, it should also open doors to exotic new optoelectronic and photonic technologies.

Flexible tail of the prion protein poisons brain cells

Prion proteins are the infectious pathogens that cause Mad Cow Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. They occur when a normal prion protein becomes deformed and clumped. The naturally occurring prion protein is harmless and can be found in most organisms. In humans, it is found in our brain cell membrane. By contrast, the abnormally deformed prion protein is poisonous for the brain cells. Scientists have now discovered that the prion protein has a kind of switch that controls its toxicity.

Bird brains predate birds themselves: 'Flight-ready' brain was present in some non-avian dinosaurs, CT scans indicate

New research provides evidence that dinosaurs evolved the brainpower necessary for flight well before they actually took to the air as birds. Based on computed tomographic scans, the study takes a comprehensive look at the so-called "bird brain," revealing that at least a few non-avian dinosaurs had brains that were as large or larger than that of one of the earliest known birds, Archaeopteryx.

'Highway from Hell' fueled Costa Rican volcano

Scientists suggest that the 1960s eruption of Costa Rica's largest stratovolcano was triggered by magma rising from the mantle over a few short months, rather than thousands of years or more, as many scientists have thought.

Digest this: Cure for cancer may live in our intestines

Treating a cancerous tumor is like watering a houseplant with a fire hose -- too much water kills the plant, just as too much chemotherapy and radiation kills the patient before it kills the tumor. However, if the patient's gastrointestinal tract remains healthy and functioning, the patient's chances of survival increase exponentially.

Game changer for synthesizing new materials: Method synthesizes thousands of new compounds with ultra low thermal conductivity

A chemist likens his lab's newly published accomplishments to combining two flavors of ice cream and churning out thousands of flavors to appeal to any taste bud. In reality, he is referring to his method of synthesizing thousands of new compounds with ultra low thermal conductivity.

New protein discovered with vast potential for treatment of cancer and other diseases

In cancer research, discovering a new protein that plays a role in cancer is like finding a key and a treasure map: follow the clues and eventually there could be a big reward. At least that's the hope from a new study that discovered a novel protein called ceramide-1 phosphate transport protein.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

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