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Atmospheric warming altering ocean salinity and the water cycle
Discovery of new form of lava flow on Mars
Cells in Blood Vessel Found to Cling More Tightly in Regions of Rapid Flow
Genes that promote cartilage healing protect against arthritis
Advanced pancreatic tumors depend on continued oncogene activity
Small Molecular Bodyguards Kill HPV-Infected Cancer Cells by Protecting Tumor-Suppressing Protein
Genetically modified mice using haploid embryonic stem cells instead of sperm
MIT researchers find a way to make glass that’s anti-fogging, self-cleaning and free of glare
Immune protection from an unexpected source
Action Videogames Change Brains
Brain Plasticity: Learning mechanism of the adult brain revealed

Atmospheric warming altering ocean salinity and the water cycle

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 05:08 PM PDT

A clear change in salinity has been detected in the world’s oceans, signaling shifts and acceleration in the global rainfall and evaporation cycle tied directly to climate change.

In a paper published Friday (April 27) in the journal Science, Australian scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory reported changing patterns of salinity in the global ocean during the past 50 years, marking a clear symptom of climate change.

Discovery of new form of lava flow on Mars

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 01:37 PM PDT

High-resolution photos of lava flows on Mars reveal coiling spiral patterns that resemble snail or nautilus shells. Such patterns have been found in a few locations on Earth, but never before on Mars. The discovery, made by Arizona State University graduate student Andrew Ryan, is announced in a paper published April 27, 2012, in the scientific journal Science.

The new result came out of research into possible interactions of lava flows and floods of water in the Elysium volcanic province of Mars.

Cells in Blood Vessel Found to Cling More Tightly in Regions of Rapid Flow

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 01:08 PM PDT

Cells in Blood Vessel Found to Cling More Tightly in Regions of Rapid Flow Clogging of pipes leading to the heart is the planet's number one killer. Surgeons can act as medical plumbers to repair some blockages, but we don't fully understand how this living organ deteriorates or repairs itself over time.

Genes that promote cartilage healing protect against arthritis

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 12:52 PM PDT

The same genes that promote healing after cartilage damage also appear to protect against osteoarthritis, a condition caused by years of wear-and-tear on the cartilage between joints, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows.

Although the research was conducted in mice, the genes also are likely to be important in people.

Advanced pancreatic tumors depend on continued oncogene activity

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 10:44 AM PDT

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that advanced pancreatic cancers in mice can't survive without continued expression of a mutant oncogene that "rewires" key metabolic pathways to fuel the cancer cells.

The findings, published in the April 27 issue of the journal Cell, suggest that some of these altered metabolic pathways might be potential targets for future drugs to treat the deadly cancer.

Small Molecular Bodyguards Kill HPV-Infected Cancer Cells by Protecting Tumor-Suppressing Protein

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Researchers at The Wistar Institute announce the discovery of small molecules that kill cancer cells caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Their results, in both cell and mouse models, demonstrate that the small molecule inhibitors protect a tumor-suppressing protein targeted by viral proteins, thus killing the infected tumor cells.

Genetically modified mice using haploid embryonic stem cells instead of sperm

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 09:20 AM PDT

Researchers from China have devised a new and improved method for producing genetically modified animals for use in scientific research. The method relies on haploid embryonic stem cells (haESCs) instead of sperm to artificially fertilize immature egg cells. Such stem cells are similar to sperm in that they carry only genetic material from a male mouse.

MIT researchers find a way to make glass that’s anti-fogging, self-cleaning and free of glare

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 09:03 AM PDT

One of the most instantly recognizable features of glass is the way it reflects light. But a new way of creating surface textures on glass, developed by researchers at MIT, virtually eliminates reflections, producing glass that is almost unrecognizable because of its absence of glare — and whose surface causes water droplets to bounce right off, like tiny rubber balls.

Immune protection from an unexpected source

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 08:47 AM PDT

Mucus often elicits strong revulsion, but to MIT biological engineer Katharina Ribbeck, it is a fascinating material.

“Without it, we wouldn’t be able to smell, we wouldn’t be able to reproduce, and we would all be the victims of pathogens,” says Ribbeck, who studies the antiviral properties of mucins, the main component of mucus.

Action Videogames Change Brains

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

A team led by psychology professor Ian Spence at the University of Toronto reveals that playing an action videogame, even for a relatively short time, causes differences in brain activity and improvements in visual attention.

Brain Plasticity: Learning mechanism of the adult brain revealed

Posted: 26 Apr 2012 07:56 AM PDT

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, this is not always true. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW) have now discovered how the adult brain can adapt to new situations. The Dutch researchers’ findings are published on Wednesday in the prestigious journal 'Neuron'. Their study may be significant in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia.