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News by Category: University Weizmann Institute scientists develop a method for analysing crack progression 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Could engineers have known ahead of time exactly how much pressure the levees protecting New Orleans could withstand before giving way? Is it possible to predict when and under what conditions material wear and tear will become critical, causing planes to crash or bridges to collapse? A study by Weizmann Institute scientists takes a new and original approach to the study of how materials fracture and split apart. Three different types of code come into play when rats sense with their whiskers 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Is there a universal neural code, similar to the genetic code, in which the complexity of sense and experience can be reduced to a few simple rules? According to Prof. Ehud Ahissar of the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department, the answer might be no. He and his team have been studying how rats use their whiskers to sense their environment, and have found that the seemingly simple act of feeling out a 3-D object requires three different types of code. A new particle detector built at the Weizmann Institute of Science will help probe the primordial universe 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science When the first matter came into being right after the big bang, what was it like? It may not have been quite as scientists have been describing it. That's one of the possibilities raised by four international teams of researchers that are about to publish important results three years into an experiment to recreate the primordial matter of the universe. Weizmann Institute scientists are among those who participated in the creation of matter that may be the 'quark-gluon plasma' thought to be the first matter in the universe. A newly discovered source of DNA in fossil bones holds promise for unearthing the past 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science recently discovered a new source of well-preserved ancient DNA in fossil bones. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. With a new method scientists can identify novel protein molecules in days rather than months 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a method that could speed up the process of identifying novel protein molecules for medical or biological research hundreds of times over. Scientists reveals how fruit fly embryos impose order in early development 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Soon after fertilization, the cells in an embryo, which have been dividing furiously from the start, begin to take on different forms and to separate into layers that will eventually give rise to the organism's various tissues and organs. But dividing and changing shape, two distinct processes, cannot happen simultaneously. Directing activities so each takes place in turn becomes critical when the pressure is on to do both. A team of Weizmann Institute scientists recently found how a cellular 'traffic cop' temporarily halts cell division so other processes can proceed. Weizmann Institute scientists create method for predicting chemotherapy success 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Chemotherapy drugs, given intravenously, are the mainstay of the fight against cancer. But doctors know that sometimes these drugs effect a complete cure, while other times they can be nearly ineffective. How to turn some of those failures into successes? Scientists has shown exactly why a new drug has sometimes serious side effects 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, working in collaboration with scientists at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, has shown exactly why a new drug that's been proven effective against colon cancer has sometimes serious side effects. Their hope is that these findings will allow the drug's design to be improved so as to lower the incidence of these side effects. New findings that may have implications in delaying and slowing down cognitive deterioration in old age 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, led by Prof. Michal Schwartz of the Neurobiology Department, has come up with new findings that may have implications in delaying and slowing down cognitive deterioration in old age. The basis for these developments is Schwartz's team's observations, published today in the February issue of Nature Neuroscience, that immune cells contribute to maintaining the brain's ability to maintain cognitive ability and cell renewal throughout life. A multidisciplinary team develops an analytical method to trace lineage trees of cells 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Some fundamental outstanding questions in science: 'Where do stem cells originate?' 'How does cancer develop?' 'When do cell types split off from each other in the embryo? 'might be answered if scientists had a way to map the history of the body's cells going back to the fertilized egg. Now, a multidisciplinary team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has developed an analytical method that can trace the lineage trees of cells. Researchers find new method for mapping gene expression in MRI 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science New findings show an iron storage molecule in the cell can serve as an advanced tool for mapping gene expression. Future gene therapy may use a technique in which non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging is used to track this molecule. The results of this research, conducted by Prof. Michal Neeman of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department, were published in the research journal Neoplasia. Weizmann Institute scientists discover a molecular security mechanism for keeping mutations in check 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Everyone knows mutations, genetic mistakes in DNA, the material of heredity, are bad: The more mutations in the cell's DNA, the higher the risk of cancer developing. But in the last few years it has become clear that the very processes that generate mutations, if they take place at a relatively low frequency, can actually protect us from cancer. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has identified some basic principles of communication 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science How do we succeed in putting our ideas into words, so that another person can understand them? This complex undertaking involves translating an idea into a one-dimensional sequence, a string of words to be read or spoken one after the other. Of course the person on the receiving end might not get the intended point: The effective expression of one's ideas is considered an art, or at least a desirable and important skill. A Weizmann Institute study finds that signals travel from rat's whiskers to its brain along 3 separate pathways 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Like blind peoples' fingers, rats use their whiskers to engage in active sensing, a combination of movement and touch, when trying to figure out the location and identity of a certain object. But how the brain decodes the signals it receives from the whiskers is unclear. Solar Energy Project at the Weizmann Institute promises to advance the use of hydrogen fuel 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Innovative solar technology that may offer a 'green' solution to the production of hydrogen fuel has been successfully tested on a large scale at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The technology also promises to facilitate the storage and transportation of hydrogen. The chemical process behind the technology was originally developed at Weizmann, and it has been scaled up in collaboration with European scientists. Organic Chemistry Scientists catch a glimpse of platinum-based complexes 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Do metal complexes casually stroll around certain molecules prior to chemical reactions? Scientists in the Organic Chemistry Department of the Weizmann Institute of Science have caught a glimpse of platinum-based complexes 'walking' a path to their destinations. Routine uterine biopsies turned up a surprising result that could open up new pathways in fertility research 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Louis Pasteur said that 'chance favors the prepared mind.' For Prof. Nava Dekel of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department, some completely unexpected results of biopsies performed on women with fertility problems have led to a new path of scientific discovery that may hold hope for women trying to conceive. Scientists at Weizmann Institute of Science & in Sweden discover how excess body fat can lead diabetes 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science One out of 12 people in the western world suffers from type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. Worldwide, 150 million people are diabetic and their numbers are expected to double in the next 20 years, a result of the growing obesity epidemic. Yet, the reasons for the strong correlation between excess body fat and diabetes have been puzzling researchers. A Weizmann Institute scientist reveals how a mountain may have moved 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science 'Moving mountains' has come to mean doing the impossible. Yet at least once in the past, one mountain relocated a fair distance away. This feat took place around 50 million years ago, in the area of the present-day border between Montana and Wyoming. Weizmann Institute Scientists discover how an HIV protein fragment shuts down an immune response 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The HIV virus hides out in the very immune system cells that are meant to protect the body from viral infection. But how does it prevent these cells from mounting a full-scale attack against the invader? In research published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown how a part of a protein on the virus' outer surface interferes with the cells' normal immune response. Scientists link algae salt tolerance to human kidney function 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Life thrives in all sorts of hostile environments, including the extreme salinity of the Dead Sea. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has uncovered a strategy that helps a plant-like, microscopic alga to happily proliferate in such inhospitable surroundings, and their findings have unexpectedly shed light on the working of our own kidneys. First images of flowing nano ripples 20 April 2006 - Delft University of Technology Delft University of Technology researchers have shed new light on the formation of nanoscale surface features, such as nano ripples. These features are important because they could be useful as templates for growing other nanostructures. Higher dosage of cocaine vaccine is being tested by researchers at Yale 12 April 2006 - Yale University Yale researchers are enrolling five cocaine addicts in a clinical trial in New Haven as part of an ongoing investigative effort to determine the safety and efficacy of the cocaine vaccine, TA-CD. Welfare reform shows few gains for young children 10 April 2006 - Yale University The slight economic gains felt by millions of single mothers, who have moved off welfare and into low-wage jobs, have not discernibly improved the living conditions of families or the daily lives of young children, according to a report to be released in Washington today. Restorative rather than usual home care for elderly patients enhances their function and well being 09 April 2006 - Yale University Restorative home care for elderly patients rather than traditional home care enhances the patients' ability to remain at home, according to a study by a Yale researcher published Wednesday, April 24, in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Sensory deprivation reduces new cell size in the olfactory system 06 April 2006 - Yale University Sensory deprivation causes changes in new cell size and excitability in the olfactory system, which governs the ability to smell, according to a study in Neuron by a Yale School of Medicine researcher. New focus for the mechanism of nerve growth 17 March 2006 - Yale University As nerve cells develop or attempt to recover after damage, they extend growth cones, highly flexible extensions that act as environmental sensors. Growth cones use the information they gather to direct advance of the nerve cells and it has long been known that such advance depends on the coordinated assembly of actin filament networks. New focus for the mechanism of nerve growth 17 March 2006 - Yale University Researchers at Yale shed new light on the mechanism of nerve cell growth by identifying novel functions for a molecular “motor” protein, myosin-II, according to an article in the March issue of Nature Cell Biology. Optical-wireless convergence provides super-broadband access services from single fiber 16 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Professor Gee-Kung Chang poses with equipment used to demonstrate a hybrid wired/wired network. The new hybrid system could allow dual wired/wireless transmission of the same content such as high-definition television, data and voice up to 100 times faster than current networks. The new architecture would reduce the cost of providing dramatically improved service to conference centers, airports, hotels, shopping malls, and ultimately to homes and small offices. Research re-examines strong hurricane studies 16 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have released a study supporting the findings of several studies last year linking an increase in the strength of hurricanes around the world to a global increase in sea surface temperature. The new study strengthens the link between the increase in hurricane intensity and the increase in tropical sea surface temperature. It found that while factors such as wind shear do affect the intensity of individual storms or storm seasons, they don't account for the global 35-year increase in the number of the most intense hurricanes. The study appears online in the March 16 edition of Science Express at www.scienceexpress.org Nanoparticles facilitate chemical separations 14 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Using the unique properties of new nanometer-scale magnetic particles, researchers have for the first time separated for reuse two different catalysts from a multi-step chemical reaction done in a single vessel. Georgia Tech researchers develop new approach to carbon-based electronics 14 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Tech Professor Walt de Heer holds a proof-of-principle device constructed of graphene. Using thin layers of graphite known as graphene, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States, in collaboration with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France, have produced proof-of-principle transistors, loop devices and circuitry. Ultimately, the researchers hope to use graphene layers less than 10 atoms thick as the basis for revolutionary electronic systems that would manipulate electrons as waves rather than particles, much like photonic systems control light waves. Nanorods benefits over Nanospheres in Noninvasive Cancer Treatment 14 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, San Francisco, have found an even more effective and safer way to detect and kill cancer cells. By changing the shapes of gold nanospheres into cylindrical gold nanorods, they can detect malignant tumors hidden deeper under the skin, like breast cancer, and selectively destroy them with lasers only half as powerful as before, without harming the healthy cells. The method, which allows for a safer, deeper penetrating noninvasive cancer treatment, has just appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, volume 128. Going the extra mile for specialized heart attack care 13 March 2006 - Yale University Diverting ambulances with patients suffering a heart to a hospital providing emergency angioplasty rather than a closer hospital with no ability to provide this specialized care, may be feasible for the majority of Americans, researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the University of Michigan report in Circulation. Researchers identify gene that protects against kidney stones 13 March 2006 - Yale University New Haven, Conn, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Nature Genetics this week that they have identified a gene whose function protects the body against kidney stones. The research identifies a transporter, encoded by the gene, as a potential target for drugs to boost oxalate secretion in the gut and help prevent kidney stones, said Peter Aronson, M.D., professor of internal medicine and physiology and senior author of the study. Whiplash injury much more severe when head is turned 13 March 2006 - Yale University 'We believe this is the first study to identify, quantify and determine the mode of cervical spine injury sustained during a rear impact collision when a person in the vehicle has their head turned,' said Manohar Panjabi, a professor in the Departments of Orthopedics and Mechanical Engineering and first author of the study in Spine. 'This data may assist clinicians in developing improved diagnostic and treatment protocols.' Environmental test facility improves indoor air 10 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Using a new room-sized environmental test chamber, more than a dozen smaller chambers and a mass spectrometric center able to measure ultra-trace concentrations of airborne chemicals being emitted from products, scientists at the Georgia Tech Research Institute are helping manufacturers meet those international standards to minimize emissions. Invasive exotic plants helped by natural enemies 10 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Although conventional wisdom suggests that invasive exotic plants thrive because they escape the natural enemies that kept them in check in their native ranges, a new study in the journal Science suggests the opposite. Exotic plants that are in the presence of their natural enemies actually do better in their introduced ranges. The research from the Georgia Institute of Technology appears in the March 10, 2006 issue of the journal Science, published by the AAAS, the science society, the world's largest general scientific organization. National LambdaRail Network now complete 09 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology The equivalent of the golden spike in the transcontinental railroad, National LambdaRail, is now complete. As the operator of the Atlanta node of NLR, Southern Light Rail is pleased to offer connectivity to more than 150 universities, research institutions and other organizations through a nationwide advanced fiber optic network. NLR's advanced optical, Ethernet and IP network infrastructure consists of more than 10,000 miles of fiber optic cable across the United States. Southern Light Rail is one of the 12 member consortia of research organizations that invested in this network that is dedicated to facilitating research. Georgia participants in SLR include Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Medical College of Georgia and University of Georgia. Yale expands research using magnetic stimulation for Schizophrenia 09 March 2006 - Yale University 'These hallucinations, which consist of spoken speech that are labeled 'voices' by patients themselves, are often very disabling and resistant to currently available medication therapies,' said Ralph Hoffman, M.D., a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and principal investigator of the study. Human-chimp differences due to gene regulation 09 March 2006 - Yale University The vast differences between humans and chimpanzees are due more to changes in gene regulation than differences in individual genes themselves, researchers from Yale, the University of Chicago, and the Hall Institute in Parkville, Victoria, Australia argue in the March 9 issue of the journal Nature. Georgia Tech develops probabilistic SoC technology 09 March 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology announce energy savings by a factor of more than 500 in simulations with their ultra energy efficient embedded architecture based on Probabilistic CMOS. The research team's PCMOS devices take advantage of noise, currently fabricated at the quarter-micron (0.25 micron) level, and uses probability to extract great energy savings. The findings will be presented at the Design, Automation and Test In Europe Conference, the leading peer-reviewed European electronic systems design meeting, on March 9 in Munich, Germany. Bone marrow cells can become functional gut lining cells 02 March 2006 - Yale University The study showed that bone marrow derived cells can differentiate into functional gastrointestinal epithelial cells after bone marrow transplantation. Research was from the laboratory of Diane Krause, M.D., professor of Laboratory Medicine and senior author of the study, in collaboration with Marie Egan, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, respiratory medicine, and cellular and molecular physiology. Elders' stereotypes predict hearing decline 01 March 2006 - Yale University Older people who have negative stereotypes about the elderly have a greater chance of hearing decline, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the March issue of Journals of Gerontology. 'This is the first study to demonstrate that older individuals' age stereotypes can predict their sensory perception,' said first author Becca R. Levy, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and Department of Psychology at Yale. Secrets of success in the rapid treatment of heart attacks 01 March 2006 - Yale University Some of the key elements for success in the rapid treatment of heart attacks have been identified by researchers at Yale School of Medicine in a recent issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Eleven hospitals consistently delivered therapy to restore blood flow to heart attack patients in 90 minutes or less. The researchers studied how staff at these hospitals, including Yale-New Haven Hospital, regularly delivered such speedy treatment, which can save lives. Frailty in elderly may be prevented or reversed if addressed early 28 February 2006 - Yale University Published in Archives of Internal Medicine, the study included 754 participants age 70 or older, who were not disabled in their basic activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing. Their frailty, assessed every 18 months for 54 months, was defined on the basis of weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, muscle weakness and slow walking speed. Participants were classified as 'frail' if they met three or more of these criteria, as 'pre-frail' if they met one or two and as 'non-frail' if they met none of the criteria. Bioengineers create stable networks of blood vessels 28 February 2006 - Yale University For body tissue to survive it must receive oxygen delivered through the finest of blood vessels. Led by Erin Lavik, assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering, this study shows that the fine network of blood vessels can be formed. Further, detailed microscopic studies showed that the vascular networks were stable as implants for up to six weeks and were able to connect with larger blood vessel structures. Georgia Tech helps implement new statewide interoperable public safety system 28 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology When a crisis occurs, it's critical for public safety officials to coordinate their efforts. Yet in Georgia, law enforcement agencies and first responders use radio systems that operate on different frequencies and technologies, making it difficult for various agencies to communicate quickly and effectively. Yale Center for Parliamentary History presents records to British Government 27 February 2006 - Yale University On March 7, at a formal ceremony in London, the Yale Center for Parliamentary History will present to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Chancellor on behalf of the government of the United Kingdom the definitive scholarly editions it has prepared of records of the 17th-century parliaments preceding the English civil wars and revolution. Yale early stage ovarian cancer detection technology licensed by LabCorp 23 February 2006 - Yale University Yale University Office of Cooperative Research today announced that it has granted an exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of the university's blood testing technology for epithelial ovarian cancer. Yale Cancer Center participates in Connecticut Cancer Partnership 22 February 2006 - Yale University Today Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell presented the state cancer control plan developed by the Connecticut Cancer Partnership, a consortium of Connecticut's top cancer professionals working to implement a comprehensive plan for cancer control in the state. Proteins are key to cell death in heart disease, stroke and degenerative conditions 22 February 2006 - Yale University Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have gained deeper understanding of two members of a family of proteins called caspases that play a key role in promoting apoptosis, a process in which the cell responds to external signals by essentially committing suicide. Maintainer's Electronic Performance support system helps U.S. Navy maintain key systems 21 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Engineers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute are assisting them, using current computer and database technology to help military aircraft maintainers get their work done more efficiently. A team from GTRI's Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory has been developing and improving maintenance software for the U.S. Navy since 2000. Learning and memory stimulated by gut hormone 19 February 2006 - Yale University Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found evidence that a hormone produced in the stomach directly stimulates the higher brain functions of spatial learning and memory development, and further suggests that we may learn best on an empty stomach. Study finds no safe level for ozone 16 February 2006 - Yale University The study, sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control, found that if a safe level for ozone exists, it is only at very low or natural levels and far below current U.S. and international regulations. A 10 part-per-billion increase in the average of the two previous days' ozone levels is associated with a 0.30 percent increase in mortality. Yale acts to divest in response to Darfur Genocide 15 February 2006 - Yale University President Richard C. Levin announced today that Yale University will bar investments of its endowment assets in obligations of the Sudanese government as well as in seven oil companies currently operating in Sudan as a response to the genocide being committed with support from the government of Sudan in the Darfur region. Deleting gene in brain cells mimics effects of antidepressants 15 February 2006 - Yale University 'The results have implications for a number of psychiatric conditions, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder where stressful events can have significant and long-lasting consequences on social behavior and interactions,' said Ralph DiLeone, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale and a co-author of the report that appeared in the recent issue of the journal Science. Reversible Microlenses to speed chemical detection 13 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Scientists at Georgia Tech have created technology capable of detecting trace amounts of biological or chemical agents in a matter of seconds, much faster than traditional methods, which can take hours or up to a day. The system uses reusable hydrogel microlenses so small that millions of them can fit on a one-inch-square plate. It could greatly enhance the ability of authorities responding to a biological or chemical weapons attack as well as increase the speed of medical testing. The research appears in the February 20 edition of the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie. Immune system's Suicide Machinery kills legionnaire's bacteria 10 February 2006 - Yale University A new study indicates how the immune system fights bacteria that cause the severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the March issue of Nature Immunology. New device revolutionizes nano imaging 09 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Tech researchers have created a highly sensitive atomic force microscopy technology capable of high-speed imaging 100 times faster than current AFM. This technology could prove invaluable for many types of nano-research, in particular for measuring microelectronic devices and observing fast biological interactions on the molecular scale, even translating into movies of molecular interactions in real time. The research, funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, appears in the February issue of Review of Scientific Instruments. New technology allows for more versatile portable spectrometers 08 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology But Georgia Tech researchers have developed a technology to help spectrometers, instruments that can be used as the main parts of sensors that can detect substances present in even ultra-small concentrations, analyze substances using fewer parts in a wider variety of environments, regardless of lighting. The technology can improve the portability while reducing the size, complexity, and cost of many sensing and diagnostics systems that use spectrometers. The technology has appeared in Applied Optics, Optics Express and Optics Letters and was presented as an invited talk at the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting 2005. New CardioMEMS device helps aneurysm patients 03 February 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Winning a thumbs-up from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CardioMEMS Inc. has launched its EndoSure sensor, which makes testing safer and more convenient for aneurysm patients. Based on intellectual property from the Georgia Institute of Technology, EndoSure is the first implantable pressure sensor that combines wireless and microelectromechanical system technology to receive FDA clearance. New MRI technology at Yale 03 February 2006 - Yale University 'Our approach identifies distinct brain networks of linked structural and functional changes,' said Vincent Calhoun, M.D., associate professor adjunct in the Department of Psychiatry and director of the Medical Image Analysis Lab at the Institute of Living's Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center in Hartford. 'The linking of structural and functional changes is new. This is different from finding both structural and functional changes in patients which may not be related to one another.' Novel diagnosis of preeclampsia with proteomic analysis 03 February 2006 - Yale University Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that analyzing proteins in urine is a simple and objective method to diagnose and classify preeclampsia, a complication of pregnancy causing high blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation. Women pregnant with girls experience more severe asthma symptoms 02 February 2006 - Yale University Women with asthma who are carrying a female fetus are more likely to experience worse asthma symptoms than asthmatic women carrying a male fetus, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the February issue of American Journal of Epidemiology. Receptor critical in neurodegeneration reduces alzheimer's 02 February 2006 - Yale University Increasing the level of a protein that plays a key role in traumatic spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis reduces the concentration of disease-causing plaque in Alzheimer's disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the Journal of Neuroscience. Yale researchers map protein binding that is critical to life 02 February 2006 - Yale University A Yale School of Medicine laboratory has succeeded in mapping and describing an interaction important for cell adhesion, a process critical to life, and, when it goes awry, can lead to diseases such as cancer. Sediment layer may forecast greatest earthquakes 31 January 2006 - Yale University Researchers at Yale and the University of Washington report that great earthquakes, like the 2004 Sumatra earthquake, may be caused by the build up of sediment on top of subduction zones, suggesting a new way to forecast these most severe earthquakes. Preterm birth risk quickly and accurately detected with proteomic profiling 31 January 2006 - Yale University By profiling specific proteins in amniotic fluid for inflammation, researchers at Yale School of Medicine can quickly and accurately detect potentially dangerous infections in pregnant women, and also predict the possibility of premature birth. Yale findings hold promise for stopping progression of bipolar disorder 30 January 2006 - Yale University Changes in the brain that are important indicators of bipolar disorder are not prominent until young adulthood and are reduced in persons taking mood-stabilizing medications, Yale School of Medicine researchers report this month in Biological Psychiatry. Biofuels can pick up oil's slack 27 January 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology A group of experts in science, engineering and public policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Imperial College London and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory recommend a comprehensive research and policy plan aimed at increasing the practicality of using biofuels and biomaterials as a supplement to petroleum. The review article, called 'The Path Forward for Biofuels and Biomaterials,' appears in the Jan. 27 issue of Science. Cardiovascular and immunology research alliance announced by Yale and Boehringer Ingelheim 26 January 2006 - Yale University Yale University School of Medicine and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. finalized a Research Alliance Agreement to support translational cardiovascular and immunology research. Yale group to study atmospheric Tsunamis 26 January 2006 - Yale University Yale researchers have recently received funding from the National Science Foundation to observe, describe and explain severe atmospheric turbulence over mountains, and the effect of 'gravity waves' on the stratosphere. Using mobile phones reduces error rate in hospital care 26 January 2006 - Yale University Using mobile telephones in hospitals reduces the error rate in medical care because of more timely communication and rarely causes electronic magnetic interference, Yale School of Medicine researchers report this month. Procedure allows women to freeze eggs to preserve future fertility 25 January 2006 - Yale University Researchers at the Yale Fertility Center are now offering a cutting edge reproductive procedure called oocyte cryopreservation that allows women to freeze their eggs and use them at a later time to conceive a child. Not enough metals in earth to meet global demand 24 January 2006 - Yale University Researchers studying supplies of copper, zinc and other metals have determined that these finite resources, even if recycled, may not meet the needs of the global population forever, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Evolution study tightens human-chimp connection 24 January 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found genetic evidence that seems to support a controversial hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees may be more closely related to each other than chimps are to the other two species of great apes, gorillas and orangutans. They also found that humans evolved at a slower rate than apes. Complications in plastic surgery are unrelated to duration of anesthesia 23 January 2006 - Yale University The length of time patients spend under anesthesia during facial plastic surgery procedures does not appear to be linked to their risk of complications or death, Yale School of Medicine researchers report this month in Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. Activation of a protein solidifies fear memory in the brain 18 January 2006 - Yale University When activated, a specific protein in the brain enhances long-term storage of fearful memories and strengthens previously established fearful memories, Yale School of Medicine researchers report this week in Nature Neuroscience. Immune system response to viral DNA is unique 18 January 2006 - Yale University The human body has a unique immune system response to foreign DNA, suggesting that DNA viruses and RNA viruses are detected by different mechanisms, Yale School of Medicine researchers report this week in Immunity. New device could enable more accurate injections 16 January 2006 - Georgia Institute of Technology When medics are treating trauma patients, every second counts. Yet bruises, burns, and other physical conditions often make it difficult to locate veins and administer lifesaving drugs or solutions. In response, a team of Georgia Institute of Technology researchers is developing an inexpensive, handheld device that uses Doppler ultrasound technology to find veins quickly. Stress in infancy puts females at higher risk for addictions 11 January 2006 - Yale University Female rats appear to be affected more than males by stress early in life, leading to a higher likelihood of cocaine addiction and eating disorders as adults, according to a study by Yale School of Medicine researchers in Neuropsychopharmacology. Yale study explains complex infection fighting mechanism 10 January 2006 - Yale University Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Nature Immunology how infection fighting mechanisms in the body can distinguish between a virus and the healthy body, shedding new light on auto immune disorders. Screening for prostate cancer may not reduce men's risk of death 09 January 2006 - Yale University A screening test for prostate cancer that measures prostate-specific antigen levels does not improve survival, researchers at the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine report in the January 9 Archives of Internal Medicine. Link between esophageal cancer and soft drinks debunked by researchers at Yale 06 January 2006 - Yale University Carbonated soft drink consumption was previously suggested to be linked to the 350 percent increase of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus since the mid-1970s, but researchers at Yale School of Medicine report that the link is unfounded and that there may, in fact, be a decreased risk of this cancer for diet soda drinkers. Parents in the operating room 05 January 2006 - Yale University Knowing whether the presence of a parent diminishes or increases a child's anxiety prior to surgery may soon be answered with a new psychometric instrument developed at Yale School of Medicine and the University of Georgia. Losing weight by controlling flavor variety 05 January 2006 - Yale University A major cause of overeating is eating too many flavors all at once, triggering the hypothalamus in the brain to ask for more food, according to David Katz, M.D., Associate Professor Adjunct in Public Health Practice at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale. Terahertz optical modulator could permit data rates in trillions of bits per second 26 December 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers set up optical components of the free electron laser at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The work represents a key step toward a new generation of optical communication systems that would be as much as 100 times faster than current technology, bringing closer such applications as real-time telemedicine and movies on demand. While operating their terahertz modulator, the research team observed an effect that is well known in atomic physics, but until now hadn't been seen in the semiconductor materials that make up optical modulators. MicroRNA gene that regulates lifespan found by Yale Scientists 22 December 2005 - Yale University Genes that control the timing of organ formation during development also control timing of aging and death, and provide evidence of a biological timing mechanism for aging, Yale researchers report in the journal Science. Patient outcomes linked to biomarker levels with quantitative technology 20 December 2005 - Yale University Researchers in the Department of Pathology at Yale University School of Medicine report that when using current pathology methods of biomarker detection, the concentration of antibodies used dramatically alters the apparent relationship of biomarker level to clinical outcome. The paper appears in the December issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Switching to new anti-bacterial targets 16 December 2005 - Yale University The recently emerged field of bacterial riboswitches may be a good hunting ground for effective targets against bacterial infection, according to a report by Yale researchers in the journal Chemistry and Biology. Genetic clues to sodalis deepens knowledge of bacterial diseases 15 December 2005 - Yale University By sequencing the genome of the symbiotic bacterium Sodalis, which lives off the major disease-transmitting insect, the tsetse fly, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have come a step closer to understanding how microbial pathogens cause disease. Langerhans cells regulate immune reactions in the skin 15 December 2005 - Yale University The langerhans cells are marked in red and another cell type are in green. Wild-type mice are on the bottom and have both the red and green cells. Then transgenic mice are on the top and still have the green cells but the red cells are missing. Fishing for the origins of genome complexity 15 December 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Studying fish, like this ocean sulfish, scientists are revealing the link between evolution and a species' genome. 'As a general rule, more complex organisms, like humans, have larger genomes than less complex ones,' said J. Todd Streelman, assistant professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-author of the study. 'You might think this means that animals with the largest genomes are the most complex, and for the most part that would be right. But it's not always true. There are some species of frogs and some amoeba that have much larger genomes than humans.' Beta blockers not effective in preventing gastroesophageal complications from cirrhosis 13 December 2005 - Yale University Beta blockers are not effective in preventing development of varices, veins in the esophagus that can rupture and bleed, as a consequence of cirrhosis, according to a recent study by Yale School of Medicine researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine. Chronic disability in older Americans greatly overestimated 12 December 2005 - Yale University The rates of chronic disability in older Americans has been substantially overestimated by about forty percent, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the December 12 Archives of Internal Medicine. Racial minority participation in clinical trials increase with information and access 06 December 2005 - Yale University Racial minorities participate in health research studies at the same rate as whites when they meet the study criteria and when they are informed about the opportunity to enroll in the study, according to an article by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Yale School of Medicine. New imaging technology spotlighted by American Chemical Society 06 December 2005 - Yale University T-ray sensing and imaging technology, which can spot cracks in space shuttle foam, see biological agents through a sealed envelope and detect tumors without harmful radiation, was the focus of a recent symposium at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society. UNICEF report shows disabled children at serious risk 06 December 2005 - Yale University Yale public health researcher Nora Groce chaired the Thematic Group on Violence against Disabled Children convened by UNICEF at the United Nations, which has made recommendations for ending violence against disabled children in the forthcoming UN Secretary General's Report on Violence against Children. Relationship between incarceration and race disparities in U.S. HIV 06 December 2005 - Yale University There may be a relationship between incarceration and race disparities in American HIV rates, Yale researchers report in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. Galaxy collisions dominate the local universe 06 December 2005 - Yale University More than half of the largest galaxies in the nearby universe have collided and merged with another galaxy in the past two billion years, according to a Yale astronomer in a study using hundreds of images from two of the deepest sky surveys ever conducted. Yale Scientists decipher Wiring Pattern of cell signaling networks 01 December 2005 - Yale University A team of scientists at Yale University has completed the first comprehensive map of the proteins and kinase signaling network that controls how cells of higher organisms operate, according to a report this week in the journal Nature. New evidence supports century-old theory of cancer spread 30 November 2005 - Yale University A Yale School of Medicine study in the December issue of The Lancet Oncology challenges mainstream oncology researchers to consider tumor cell hybridization with white blood cells as a major reason that cancer metastasizes or spreads to other parts of the body. Yale School of Medicine focuses top scientists on neurodegenerative diseases 29 November 2005 - Yale University Yale School of Medicine, accelerating the pace of research on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, today announced the launch of an interdepartmental program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair. Short-term survival rates better for U.S. vs. Canadian heart failure patients 29 November 2005 - Yale University Investigators at Yale School of Medicine and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Ontario, Canada, report that elderly heart failure patients hospitalized in the United States have better short-term survival than those in Canada, but lose that advantage over time. Major ovarian cancer clinical study announced at Yale using combination drug therapy 28 November 2005 - Yale University A clinical study of ovarian cancer initiated by investigators at Yale School of Medicine will combine the anti-cancer drug phenoxodiol with docetaxel for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. Yale engineers make standardized bulk synthesis of nanowires possible 28 November 2005 - Yale University A team of Yale scientists have demonstrated a method to understand effective synthesis of semiconductor nanowires for both their quality and quantity, according to a report published in the journal Nanotechnology. Grant will fund study of tics and tourette syndrome 22 November 2005 - Yale University The National Institutes of Health has awarded a multi-site grant to Yale, Harvard University and Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, to evaluate the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics program in adults with Tourette syndrome. Cell cultures can sort out CJD and scrapie infectious agents 20 November 2005 - Yale University Research in Japan and at Yale University School of Medicine shows that infection with a weak strain of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease prevents infection by more virulent strains and that the protection requires persistent replication by the infectious agent, but not misfolded prions. Meditation associated with increased grey matter in the brain 10 November 2005 - Yale University Meditation is known to alter resting brain patterns, suggesting long lasting brain changes, but a new study by researchers from Yale, Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows meditation also is associated with increased cortical thickness. Clinical study on heart failure to use cholesterol-lowering statin 10 November 2005 - Yale University An advanced study launched at Yale School of Medicine is evaluating the role of statin therapy in patients with heart failure, one of the leading causes of hospitalization in people over age 65. Yale expert in early risk assessment for down syndrome to comment on FASTER trial 10 November 2005 - Yale University Joshua Copel, M.D., a Yale School of Medicine expert in first trimester risk assessment for Down syndrome is available to comment on the First and Second Trimester Evaluation of Risk trial, published November 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers study hurricane impact on Gulf Areas 09 November 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology At the Georgia Institute of Technology, experts across campus responded with research, training and service projects. Among their goals are better infrastructure design, configuration of port operations to reduce down time, protection of cleanup and construction workers and accessibility to services and housing for hurricane victims with disabilities. Researchers uncover genetic foundation of fish jaws 08 November 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology In a study illustrating the apparent linkages between the evolutionary development and embryonic development of species, researchers have uncovered the genetic elements that determine the structure and function of a simple biomechanical system, the lower jaw of the cichlid fish. In addition, they've shown that increasing expression of a particular gene in an embryo can lead to physical changes in the adult fish. The results appear in the November 11, 2005 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Web-based system helps in developing storm water pollution prevention plans 08 November 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Although storm water runoff may not seem particularly threatening, it ranks among the most common sources of water pollution in the United States. Especially at industrial sites, rain and melting snow can pick up a variety of pollutants, ranging from processing chemicals to cleaning solvents – and sweep them into nearby creeks, lakes and rivers. Sleeping sickness parasite shows how cells divide their insides 07 November 2005 - Yale University Researchers at Yale have brought to light a mechanism that regulates the way an internal organelle, the Golgi apparatus, duplicates as cells prepare to divide, according to a report in Science Express. Yale scientists confirm how crystals form 03 November 2005 - Yale University A team of researchers at Yale University is the first to devise a way to predict the microstructure of crystals as they form in materials, according to a report in the September issue of Applied Physics Letters. Leadership Georgia Tech sets innovative approach 01 November 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology President Wayne Clough, keynote speaker at Leadership Georgia Tech, said it is important that engineers be leaders. He said the Institute strives to produce students and engineers who are leaders and who, in turn, will be a resource to the nation. Scientists and engineers collaborate to apply natural solutions 28 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology An interdisciplinary group of scientists and engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently formed the Center for Biologically Inspired Design with the goal of capitalizing on the rich source of design solutions present in biological processes. The researchers believe nature can inspire design and engineering solutions that are efficient, practical and sustainable and thus have the potential to greatly enhance new technologies, materials and processes. Novel discovery of DCDC2 gene associated with dyslexia 28 October 2005 - Yale University Pediatric researchers at Yale School of Medicine have identified a gene on human chromosome 6 called DCDC2, which is linked to dyslexia, a reading disability affecting millions of children and adults. Systematic study of cadmium selenide nanostructure growth guides future efforts 27 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers have taken an important step toward high-volume production of new nanometer-scale structures with the first systematic study of growth conditions that affect production of one-dimensional nanostructures from the optoelectronic material cadmium selenide. Using electromagnetic waves instead of electrical current for switching, researchers 25 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology By using electromagnetic waves instead of electrical current for switching, researchers have operated an optical modulator at terahertz frequencies, an accomplishment that could one day facilitate data transmission rates in the trillions of bits per second. Biologists at Georgia Tech have provided scientific support for a controversial hypothesis 25 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Biologists at Georgia Tech have provided scientific support for a controversial hypothesis that has divided the fields of evolutionary genomics and evolutionary developmental biology, popularly known as evo devo, for two years. Appearing in the December 2005 issue of Trends in Genetics, researchers find that the size and complexity of a species' genome is not an evolutionary adaptation per se, but can result as simply a consequence of a reduction in a species' effective population size. Storm water ranks among the most common sources of water pollution in the United States 25 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Federal regulation calls for companies engaged in certain industrial activities to obtain a storm water permit and implement a pollution prevention program. Although an important endeavor, this can also be an onerous task, especially for small and mid-sized companies with fewer resources. Yeast cells with tagged Cdc15p (red) and fimbrin (green) proteins show a contractile ring 20 October 2005 - Yale University Yale researchers have reported a method to count the absolute number of individual protein molecules inside a living cell, and to measure accurately where they are located, two basic hurdles for studying biology quantitatively. Researchers at Yale identify a genetic link to tourette's syndrome 12 October 2005 - Yale University In what may be a major milestone in Tourette's Syndrome research, scientists at Yale School of Medicine and their colleagues have identified a gene called SLITRK1 that appears to contribute to some cases of TS, according to a report in the October 14 issue of Science. Plants found on coral reef are source of new molecular structures 12 October 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Some of these natural compounds showed the potential to kill cancer cells, bacteria and the HIV virus, according to research at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In fact, two of them exhibit anti-bacterial activity towards antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at concentrations worth pursuing, though researchers don't know yet whether the concentrations of the compounds required to kill the bacterium would be harmful to humans. Preventing communication errors in telephone medicine 03 October 2005 - Yale University To prevent medical mishaps with patients caused by telephone communication failures, researchers at Yale School of Medicine and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System report in the October issue of Journal of General Internal Medicine that expanded physician and residency training in telephone medicine is needed. The massive impact of Hurricane Katrina and her cousin Rita 30 September 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology In Dauphin Island, Ala., Assistant Professor Hermann Fritz surveys the over-washed island with a laser range finder. In the background is an offshore oil platform that broke loose. Myelin suppresses plasticity in the mature brain 29 September 2005 - Yale University Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Science this week genetic evidence for the hypothesis that myelination, or formation of a protective sheath around a nerve fiber, consolidates neural circuitry by suppressing plasticity in the mature brain. How a zebra lost its stripes: rapid evolution of the quagga 29 September 2005 - Yale University DNA from museum samples of extinct animals is providing unexpected information on the extent and effect of the Ice Age as well as the path of species evolution, according to a report by scientists from Yale University, the Smithsonian Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Researchers uncover e.coli's defense mechanism 28 September 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom have uncovered a mechanism with which disease-causing bacteria may thwart the body's natural defense responses. The findings, which could ultimately lead to the development of more effective antibiotics, appear in the September 29, 2005 issue of the journal Nature. Researchers pinpoint molecular basis for phantom pain following spinal cord injury 19 September 2005 - Yale University Yale researchers report the first evidence that phantom pain following spinal cord injury is the result of hypersensitive neurons in the thalamic region of the brain that can be suppressed with specially designed molecular agents. ULTRA AP shows options for improving survivability and mobility in combat vehicles 13 September 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology A concept vehicle designed to illustrate potential technology options for improving survivability and mobility in future military combat vehicles was shown publicly for the first time Sept. 13 at a military technology meeting in Virginia. New superlattice nanobelts could become sensors, transducers or resonators 09 September 2005 - Georgia Institute of Technology A previously-unknown zinc oxide nanostructure that resembles the helical configuration of DNA could provide engineers with a new building block for creating nanometer-scale sensors, transducers, resonators and other devices that rely on electromechanical coupling. Georgia Tech and CDC collaborate on combination technique