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46 articles from ScienceDaily
Flu causes cardiac complications by directly infecting the heart
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 20:23
Researchers have shown for the first time in mice that heart problems associated with the flu are not caused by raging inflammation in the lungs, as has long been predicted. Instead, the electrical malfunctions and heart scarring seen in some of the sickest flu patients are caused by direct influenza infection of cardiac cells.
Livestock and dairying led to dramatic social changes in ancient Mongolia
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 20:23
The movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest to researchers, but few scholars have linked the introduction of herds and horses to the rise of complex societies.
Higher wheat yields and protein content on the horizon
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 20:23
A team of international researchers has discovered a way to produce higher quality wheat. The scientists have identified a genetic driver that improves yield traits in wheat, which unexpectedly can also lead to increasing protein content by up to 25 per cent.
Designer neurons offer new hope for treatment of Parkinson's disease
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:36
Scientists describe a process for converting non-neuronal cells into functioning neurons able to take up residence in the brain, send out their fibrous branches across neural tissue, form synapses, dispense dopamine and restore capacities undermined by Parkinson's destruction of dopaminergic cells.
Multiple sclerosis: Glatiramer acetate compatible with breastfeeding, study suggests
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:36
For patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), becoming a mother is fraught with difficult questions: is it acceptable to continue disease modifying treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding to keep the disease at bay, or does this put the child at risk? A study on the drug glatiramer acetate can relieve mothers of this concern during the breastfeeding period. A comparative study between...
Novel supramolecular CRISPR-Cas9 carrier enables more efficient genome editing
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:36
CRISPR-Cas9 is considered a revolutionary gene editing tool, but its applications are limited by a lack of methods by which it can be safely and efficiently delivered into cells. Recently, a research team has constructed a highly flexible CRISPR-Cas9 carrier using aminated polyrotaxane (PRX) that can not only bind with the unusual structure of Cas9 and carry it into cells, but can also protect it...
One particle on two paths: Quantum physics is right
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
The famous double slit experiment shows that particles can travel on two paths at the same time -- but only by looking at a lot of particles and analysing the results statistically. Now a two-path-interference experiment has been designed that only has to measure one specific particle to prove that it travelled on two paths.
Scientists study links between obesity, age and body chemistry
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
A team of scientists is making inroads in understanding the relationship between certain enzymes that are normally produced in the body and their role in regulating obesity and controlling liver diseases. Researchers studied male mice that lacked the Cyp2b enzyme and how the lack of the enzyme affected the mice's metabolism.
Hepatitis: 3D structure determination of the 'gateway' to the liver
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
Scientists have published a ground-breaking study of the structure and function of a central protein in the liver: NTCP, a cellular-entry pathway for bile salts, but also for certain hepatitis viruses. These results reveal the 3D structure of NTCP and two architectures it can adopt. One may be helpful in the development of therapeutic tools against hepatitis viral infection.
Structure of 'gliding bird' plant protein could lead to better crops
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
When pathogens attack, the NPR1 protein steps in to control a plant's immune response. Scientists have now figured out what the protein looks like and how it works --- a possible boon for agriculture.
Gut microbiome composition predictive of patient response to statins
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
Researchers show that different patient responses to statins can be explained by the variation in the human microbiome. The findings suggest that microbiome monitoring could be used to help optimize personalized statin treatments.
Increased mutations in children can be traced back to mistakes in father's sperm
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
Researchers have traced the cause of increased numbers of mutations in children to a higher rate of random mutations in sperm cells of the biological father, associated with rare genetic defects in DNA repair or chemotherapy.
Life after death for the human eye: Vision scientists revive light-sensing cells in organ donor eyes
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
Scientists have revived light-sensing neuron cells in organ donor eyes and restored communication between them as part of a series of discoveries that stand to transform brain and vision research. Billions of neurons in the central nervous system transmit sensory information as electrical signals; in the eye, specialized neurons known as photoreceptors sense light.
How does forest restoration affect water cycles?
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
How would afforestation and restoration of large areas worldwide affect water-fluxes world wide? A new study has interesting answers. Impacts on precipitation reach far beyond country or even continent level: tree restoration in the Amazon can, for example, affect rainfall in Europe and Eastern Asia. The study has calculated the global impact of large-scale tree restoration on water fluxes and...
Insights from algae genes unlock mysteries of plant growth and health
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
A new study has discovered the functions of hundreds of genes in algae, some of which are also present in plants. The achievement will help efforts to genetically engineer algae for biofuel production and develop strains of agricultural crops that can withstand climate change.
Ancient DNA gives new insights into 'lost' Indigenous people of Uruguay
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
The first whole genome sequences of the ancient people of Uruguay provide a genetic snapshot of Indigenous populations of the region before they were decimated by a series of European military campaigns.
Key protein identified for brain stem cell longevity
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
A receptor that was first identified as necessary for insulin action, that also is located on the neural stem cells found deep in the brains of mice, is pivotal for brain stem cell longevity, according to a new study, a finding that has important implications for brain health and future therapies for brain disorders.
Laser bursts drive extremely fast logic gates
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
By clarifying the role of 'real' and 'virtual' charge carriers in laser-induced currents, researchers have taken a decisive step toward creating ultrafast computers.
Traveling to the centre of planet Uranus: Materials synthesis research and study in terapascal range
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:35
Jules Verne could not even dream of this: A research team has pushed the boundaries of high-pressure and high-temperature research into cosmic dimensions. For the first time, they have succeeded in generating and simultaneously analyzing materials under compression pressures of more than one terapascal (1,000 gigapascals). Such extremely high pressures prevail, for example, at the center of the...
For outdoor workers, extreme heat poses extreme danger
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:34
Scientists explore the growing threat that extreme heat poses to workforce health in three of the hottest cities in North America -- Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Their study results hold important findings for outdoor workers, their employers, and policymakers across the Southwestern U.S.
Ancient microorganisms found in halite may have implications for search for life
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:34
Primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite from the 830-million-year-old Browne Formation of central Australia contain organic solids and liquids, as documented with transmitted light and UV-vis petrography. These objects are consistent in size, shape, and fluorescent response to cells of prokaryotes and algae, and aggregates of organic compounds. This discovery shows that microorganisms from...
Discovery of cell protein that keeps Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus dormant
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 18:34
A study has identified a binding protein in cancer cell's nucleus, known as CHD4, as a critical agent keeping Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) dormant and undetected by the body's immune system. CHD4 is linked to cancer cell growth in many types of cancers.
'Control sugar levels sooner to guard against heart attacks' finds new study into type 2 diabetes
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 16:49
People with type 2 diabetes may need to reduce their blood sugar levels sooner after diagnosis than previously thought, to prevent major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, according to new research.
How a leaky gut leads to inflamed lungs
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 16:49
In addition to increased morbidity and impaired lung function after a Streptococcus pneumoniaeinfection in older mice, the researchers also found elevated levels of gut-derived bacteria in the lungs, suggesting that bacteria that migrate from the intestine to the lungs may partially be responsible for the poor outcomes in older individuals.
Seeing more species at the coast improves wellbeing: Yet another benefit of biodiversity
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/11 16:28
Seeing a larger number of species on urban coastlines -- from marine animals to seaweed -- is likely to improve the wellbeing of local people and visitors, new research has revealed. The findings provide further evidence that biodiversity brings wide-ranging benefits. Studies of land-based environments such as meadows, woodlands, and city parks have shown that people often find places that...