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Fish oil may stall effects of junk food on brain
Newly Described Type of Immune Cell and T cells Share Similar Path to Maturity, According to New Penn Study
Spontaneous Mutations Play a Key Role in Congenital Heart Disease
Sulfate aerosols cool climate less than assumed
Serotonin Mediates Exercise-Induced Generation of New Neurons
Solar panels as inexpensive as paint?
Scientists discover how Alzheimer's drugs sharpen the brain's performance
Researchers measure oxygen consumption of individual cells
Researchers Identify Four New Genetic Risk Factors for Testicular Cancer
Scientists show how nerve wiring self-destructs
Photonic quantum computers: a brighter future than ever

Fish oil may stall effects of junk food on brain

Posted: 14 May 2013 07:13 AM PDT

Data from more than 180 research papers suggests fish oils could minimise the effects that junk food can have on the brain, a review by researchers at the University of Liverpool has shown.

The team at the University's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease reviewed research from around the world to see whether there was sufficient data available to suggest that omega-3s had a role to play in aiding weight loss.

Newly Described Type of Immune Cell and T cells Share Similar Path to Maturity, According to New Penn Study

Posted: 14 May 2013 07:02 AM PDT

Labs around the world, and a core group at Penn, have been studying recently described populations of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Some researchers liken them to foot soldiers that protect boundary tissues such as the skin, the lining of the lung, and the lining of the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease, when the body’s immune system is too active.

Spontaneous Mutations Play a Key Role in Congenital Heart Disease

Posted: 14 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT

Every year, thousands of babies are born with severely malformed hearts, disorders known collectively as congenital heart disease. Many of these defects can be repaired though surgery, but researchers don’t understand what causes them or how to prevent them. New research shows that about 10 percent of these defects are caused by genetic mutations that are absent in the parents of affected children.

Sulfate aerosols cool climate less than assumed

Posted: 14 May 2013 06:46 AM PDT

Life span of cloud-forming sulfate particles in the air is shorter than assumed due to a sulfur dioxide oxidation pathway which has been neglected in climate models so far. Sulfur dioxide is as antagonist of greenhouse gases less effective than previously assumed. It forms sulfate aerosol particles in the air, which reflect sunlight, and as so-called cloud condensation nuclei influence the chemical processes within clouds. Therefore, sulfate aerosol particles help to cool the earth, making them an important factor in climate models.

Serotonin Mediates Exercise-Induced Generation of New Neurons

Posted: 13 May 2013 08:58 AM PDT

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. These are the findings of a study by Dr. Friederike Klempin, Daniel Beis and Dr. Natalia Alenina from the research group led by Professor Michael Bader at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin-Buch. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis.

Solar panels as inexpensive as paint?

Posted: 13 May 2013 08:46 AM PDT

Most Americans want the U.S. to place more emphasis on developing solar power, recent polls suggest.

A major impediment, however, is the cost to manufacture, install and maintain solar panels. Simply put, most people and businesses cannot afford to place them on their rooftops.

Scientists discover how Alzheimer's drugs sharpen the brain's performance

Posted: 13 May 2013 08:32 AM PDT

One factor even more important than the size of a television screen is the quality of the signal it displays. Having a life-sized projection of Harry Potter dodging a Bludger in a Quidditch match is of little use if the details are lost to pixelation.

Researchers measure oxygen consumption of individual cells

Posted: 13 May 2013 08:25 AM PDT

How active a living cell is can be seen by its oxygen consumption. The method for determining this consumption has now been significantly improved by chemists in Bochum. The problem up to now was that the measuring electrode altered the oxygen consumption in the cell’s environment much more than the cell itself. “We already found that out twelve years ago,” says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuhmann from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Ruhr-Universität.

Researchers Identify Four New Genetic Risk Factors for Testicular Cancer

Posted: 13 May 2013 07:58 AM PDT

A new study looking at the genomes of more than 13,000 men identified four new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer, the most commonly diagnosed type in young men today. The findings from this first-of-its-kind meta-analysis were reported online May 12 in Nature Genetics by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Scientists show how nerve wiring self-destructs

Posted: 13 May 2013 07:49 AM PDT

Many medical issues affect nerves, from injuries in car accidents and side effects of chemotherapy to glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. The common theme in these scenarios is destruction of nerve axons, the long wires that transmit signals to other parts of the body, allowing movement, sight and sense of touch, among other vital functions.

Photonic quantum computers: a brighter future than ever

Posted: 13 May 2013 07:38 AM PDT

Harnessing the unique features of the quantum world promises a dramatic speed-up in information processing as compared to the fastest classical machines. Scientists from the Group of Philip Walther from the Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna succeeded in prototyping a new and highly resource efficient model of a quantum computer – the boson sampling computer. The results will be published in the upcoming issue of the renowned scientific journal "Nature Photonics".