Researchers at Yale have identified a gene that regulates the major immune response in plants, programmed cell death (PCD), according to a recent report in the journal Cell.
To protect themselves from viruses, plants create a zone of dead cells around an infection site that prevents the infection from spreading. Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, associate professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale and his colleagues discovered how the plants keep from killin
Making new strides in their ongoing effort to understand mechanisms behind the relentless growth of cancer cells, researchers at Dartmouth Medical School have found a promising key that may open doors to future treatments in pancreatic and other forms of cancer. The innovation lies in manipulating an overabundance of chemo-resistant molecules in pancreatic cancer that inactivate pathways that would normally suppress cell growth.
Published in the June 10 issue of the Journal of B
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs for treating HIV in developing countries are about as effective as ART programs in developed countries, according to an article in the July 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.
Some have raised doubts that countries with extremely limited health care resources can effectively manage the complexities of antiretroviral therapy. But the new review of 10 medical studies on HIV treatment programs in the developing worl
New imaging technique—a trillion times faster than conventional techniques—advances field of plasmonics, could lead to better semiconductors
Both the ancient art of stained glass and the cutting-edge field of plasmonics rely on the oscillation of electrons in nanosized metal particles. When light shines on such particles, it excites the electromagnetic fields on the metal’s surface, known as “surface plasmons,” and causes its electrons to oscillate in waves–producing the
Demonstrating breakneck signal speed of 10 gigahertz, method uses nanotubes instead of conventional copper wires
UC Irvine scientists in The Henry Samueli School of Engineering have demonstrated for the first time that carbon nanotubes can route electrical signals on a chip faster than traditional copper or aluminum wires, at speeds of up to 10 GHz. The breakthrough could lead to faster and more efficient computers, and improved wireless network and cellular phone systems, addi
An experimental drug combined with an already-popular memory-enhancing compound may further delay memory loss in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Johns Hopkins University scientists, in collaboration with researchers from University of North Carolina, have found.
The findings, described in the June issue of Neuropsychopharmacology, also indicate that the experimental treatment in question – a compound known as SGS742 – works by blocking certain chemica
Surgeons at the Oregon Health & Science University Digestive Health Center have developed a new technique that makes feasible and safe a potentially lifesaving and noninvasive surgical procedure known as laparoscopic esophagectomy. Until now, the procedure was considered too technically demanding for most surgeons to perform. A paper on their findings recently was presented at the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery in Venice, Italy.
For more than a decade, the original
Mrinal Shah develops technology to construct biosensors more quickly
A University of Houston student has made an award-winning breakthrough in biosensors that could help bioterrorism researchers in their ability to quickly and accurately detect toxic biological agents.
Mrinal Shah, a doctoral student in chemical engineering at UH, has developed new methods in the use of biosensors that could provide one of the first steps in developing a protein-based biosensor that wo
The mysterious, highly infectious prions, which cause the severe destruction of the brain that characterizes “mad cow disease” and several human brain degenerative disorders, can be rendered harmless in the laboratory by a slight alternation of the three-dimensional conformation or shape of the prion protein’s structure.
The discovery, which opens up new directions for researchers studying the currently untreatable prion diseases in humans and animals, is reported in this we
Researchers in Bradford have found that video and web conferencing can save millions of pounds for companies, improve employees’ working lives and reduce impact on the environment.
Telecoms giant BT has saved £128 million a year by replacing face-to-face interaction with video and web-based conferencing.
Research carried out for BT by Dr. Peter Hopkinson and Professor Peter James of the University of Bradford’s Department of Environmental Science has found that, on aver
A new international survey – connected to a study taking place at the University of Dundee – reveals that around one in five women would consider having both breasts removed to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer if told they were at an increased risk of developing the disease.
The survey asked over 1500 women from around the world what choices they would make if told they were at high risk of developing breast cancer. Of the UK women who were questioned, up to one
The influence of biodiversity on the functioning of ecosystems has been a focus for extensive research over the last decade. Most studies have, however, examined the effects of diversity changes within only one level of the food chain (e.g. plants), while the consequences of losing links across levels are unknown.
In the July issue of Ecology Letters, Gamfeldt, Hillebrand and Jonsson show that changes in consumer species richness within a simple food chain of microbial organisms affect
Scientists investigating epilepsy at the University of Liverpool have found no significant long-term benefit in administering immediate treatment to those with early epilepsy and infrequent seizures.
Around 500,000 people in the UK suffer from epilepsy, making it the most common serious neurological condition. Many of those who develop epilepsy start having seizures during childhood, but it can develop at any age.
The risks and benefits of starting or withholding treatmen
Experts in the field of optical technology meet biennially at the “Laser – World of Photonics” in Munich. The Bonn research center caesar is exhibiting again at this year’s fair which will take place from 13 to 16 June. The research group “Holography and Laser Technology” headed by Prof. Peter Hering is presenting its state-of-the-art developments in Hall B2, Stand 252: an ultrafast holographic system featuring a mobile camera used for three-dimensional facial topometry for surgical planning and
Scientists discover how virus evades immune system in acute and chronic infections; new vaccines may result
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have uncovered how a majority of the genetic changes in the hepatic-C virus, the most common cause of liver disease, allow it to evade the body’s immune system during infection. Hepatitis C infection can lead to cirrhosis, cancer and even death. In a series of experiments that describe the virus’ transition from an acute to chronic inf
Researchers demonstrate NEXRAD radar helps National Weather Service forecasters save lives
Tornado warnings have improved significantly and the number of tornado casualties has decreased by nearly half since a network of Doppler weather radars were installed nationwide by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service a decade ago, according to a study published in the June issue of Weather and Forecasting, a journal of the American Meteorolog
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