‘Nymph of the sea’ reveals remarkable brood
Geologists from the UK and US, led by the University of Leicester, have made an unusual discovery from over 425 million years ago … hard boiled eggs!
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Immunity :: Autoimmune disease triggered if T cells miss a single protein early on
Scientists have discovered that autoimmunity can be triggered in the thymus, where the immune system’s T cells develop, if T cells fail to recognize just one of the body’s thousands of proteins as “self.”
Ultra-intense laser blast creates true ‘black metal’
“Black gold” is not just an expression anymore. Scientists at the University of Rochester have created a way to change the properties of almost any metal to render it, literally, black. The process, using an incredibly intense burst of laser light, holds the promise of making everything from fuel cells to a space telescope’s detectors more efficient — not to mention turning your car into the blackest black around.
Gene therapy for hereditary lung disease advances
A clinical trial to evaluate the safety of using a so-called gene vector to deliver a corrective gene to 12 patients with a common hereditary disorder that causes lung and liver disease is completed at the University of Florida. The gene therapy has caused no harmful effects in patients and hints at being effective.
U OF MN study shows Twin Cities residents get exercise through personal lifestyle activities
Twin Cities residents are getting the majority of their physical activity through personal lifestyle activities such as yardwork, cleaning, and leisure-time physical activities — such as walking, running or biking, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
Watching TV can improve parenting and child behavior
Watching television parenting programs like ITV’s Driving Mum and Dad Mad really can help improve parenting skills and modify children’s behavioral problems, according to a study at the University of Manchester.
Scientists find safer ways to detect uranium minerals
The threat of “dirty” bombs and plans to use nuclear power as an energy source have driven Queensland University of Technology scientists to discover a new, safer way of detecting radioative contamination in the ground. Scientists from QUT have found a way of identifying, from a remote location, uranium deposits that have leached into the soil and water.
Neurology :: Blame myelin for many neuropsychiatric disorders
Neurologist George Bartzokis argues that the brain’s miles of myelin are a key evolutionary change that may make us vulnerable to highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. He argues that viewing the brain as myelin-dependent may be key to developing new and novel treatments against disease.
Obesity :: Blocking an inter-generational cycle of obesity
Being exposed to high levels of nutrition before birth can influence the development of networks within the brain that regulate appetite to permanently set a pattern of appetite for life, according to researchers from the University of South Australia.
Neurology :: Myelin to Blame for Many Neuropsychiatric Disorders
What makes the human brain unique? Of the many explanations that can be offered, one that doesn’t come readily to mind is ? myelin.