science newsletter: Science News SciGuru.com

Παρασκευή 6 Ιουλίου 2012

Science News SciGuru.com

Spaceflight may extend the lifespan of microscopic worm
Astronomers discover Houdini-like vanishing act in space
World's fastest camera, created by UCLA engineers, used to detect rogue cancer cells
Bioengineers discover single cancer cell can produce up to five daughter cells
Antibodies reverse Type 1 diabetes in new immunotherapy study
The key (proteins) to self-renewing skin
Tumor microenvironment helps skin cancer cells resist drug treatment
Vanderbilt study finds obesity linked to kidney injury after heart surgery

Spaceflight may extend the lifespan of microscopic worm

Posted: 06 Jul 2012 06:07 AM PDT

The effect of spaceflight on a microscopic worm — Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) — could help it to live longer. The discovery was made by an international group of scientists studying the loss of bone and muscle mass experienced by astronauts after extended flights in space. The results of this research have been published today, July 5 2012, in the online journal Scientific Reports.

Astronomers discover Houdini-like vanishing act in space

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 07:04 PM PDT

Astronomers report a baffling discovery never seen before: An extraordinary amount of dust around a nearby star has mysteriously disappeared.

"It's like the classic magician's trick — now you see it, now you don't," said Carl Melis, a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Diego and lead author of the research. "Only in this case, we're talking about enough dust to fill an inner solar system, and it really is gone!"

World's fastest camera, created by UCLA engineers, used to detect rogue cancer cells

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 06:56 PM PDT

The ability to distinguish and isolate rare cells from among a large population of assorted cells has become increasingly important for the early detection of disease and for monitoring disease treatments.

Bioengineers discover single cancer cell can produce up to five daughter cells

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 06:47 PM PDT

It's well known in conventional biology that during the process of mammalian cell division, or mitosis, a mother cell divides equally into two daughter cells. But when it comes to cancer, say UCLA researchers, mother cells may be far more prolific.

Bioengineers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science developed a platform to mechanically confine cells, simulating the in vivo three-dimensional environments in which they divide, and found that, upon confinement, cancer cells often split into three or more daughter cells.

Antibodies reverse Type 1 diabetes in new immunotherapy study

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 05:12 PM PDT

Scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have used injections of antibodies to rapidly reverse the onset of Type I diabetes in mice genetically bred to develop the disease. Moreover, just two injections maintained disease remission indefinitely without harming the immune system.

The key (proteins) to self-renewing skin

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 11:12 AM PDT

In the July 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine describe how human epidermal progenitor cells and stem cells control transcription factors to avoid premature differentiation, preserving their ability to produce new skin cells throughout life.

Tumor microenvironment helps skin cancer cells resist drug treatment

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 08:23 AM PDT

One of cancer’s most frightening characteristics is its ability to return after treatment. In the case of many forms of cancer, including the skin cancer known as melanoma, tailored drugs can eradicate cancer cells in the lab, but often produce only partial, temporary responses in patients. One of the burning questions in the field of cancer research has been and remains: how does cancer evade drug treatment?

Vanderbilt study finds obesity linked to kidney injury after heart surgery

Posted: 05 Jul 2012 08:18 AM PDT

Obesity increases the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac surgery, according to a Vanderbilt study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Considered common after cardiac surgery, AKI represents a fivefold increase in mortality risk within 30 days after the procedure and is associated with longer hospital stays and a range of complications.