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University of Texas signs licensing agreement with Remicalm LLC to commercialize a unique method of detecting cancer optically

10 July 2006 - University of Texas at Austin The Office of Technology Commercialization at The University of Texas at Austin has signed a licensing agreement with Remicalm LLC to commercialize a unique method of detecting cancer optically. The agreement provides the Texas-based company with worldwide rights to 19 issued patents and seven additional patent applications and provisional patents for use in the detection of cancer and precancerous cells in the human body.

Finding about cellular microtubule rigidity could lead to development of new nano-materials

10 July 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Microtubules, essential structural elements in living cells, grow stiffer as they grow longer, an unexpected property that could lead to advances in nano-materials development, an international team of biophysicists has found.

Fungus does not depend on fungus-farming ants for reproduction, researchers say

27 June 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Fungus-farming ants around the world cultivate essentially the same fungus and are not as critical to the reproduction of the fungi as previously believed, biologists at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.

Fungus does not depend on fungus-farming ants for reproduction, researchers say

27 June 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Fungus-farming ants around the world cultivate essentially the same fungus and are not as critical to the reproduction of the fungi as previously believed, biologists at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.

Austin Technology Incubator launches Alumni Network

19 June 2006 - University of Texas at Austin The Austin Technology Incubator, a program of the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, has created a networking group for executives of its current and former member companies. The ATI Alumni Network offers current and former executives of ATI companies and the student interns who worked with them the opportunity to expand and cultivate their network of business relationships and to mentor future generations of entrepreneurs.

Cancer drug extends cognitive function in patients with brain metastases

05 June 2006 - University of Texas at Austin The drug Xcytrin, based on a molecule developed by chemists at The University of Texas at Austin, shows significant promise in prolonging cognitive function in patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has metastasized to the brain.

Families with overweight children subject of new study at University of Texas

24 May 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Helping overweight children obtain healthier lifestyles is the focus of a new $368,000 study at The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Dr. Diane Tyler, associate professor of clinical nursing, has received a two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health for her research on “Children’s Health and Weight Study”.

New Web portal helps employers seeking to hire students and graduates from The University of Texas at Austin

12 May 2006 - University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin’s 15 career services offices have collaborated to create “HireTexas,” an online information resource to all employer services offered by career services offices across campus.

National consortium releases Gulf Coast maps indicating vulnerability to future natural disasters

05 May 2006 - University of Texas at Austin A national consortium led by the Regional Plan Association and directed by The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture is releasing a set of maps today which illustrate the continued vulnerability of the Gulf Coast to natural disasters, including numerous areas slated to be rebuilt with billions in public funding.

Engineers discover predictor of mobility for fluids at nano-scale

04 May 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Chemical engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a new way to predict the mobility of confined fluids at nanometer scales. At these scales, often just a few molecules across, fluids exhibit significantly different properties than at the macroscopic level.

Analysis highlights new areas of research into genetic causes of alcoholism

18 April 2006 - University of Texas at Austin The findings of a meta-analysis of microarray data of several mouse models that differ in voluntary alcohol consumption highlight new neurobiological targets for further study and provide researchers with a novel statistical approach for use in future microarray meta-analyses.

Stationary fuel cells that use natural gas one step closer

13 April 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have identified a material that would allow hospitals or other independent facilities to generate electricity from stationary fuel cells that run on natural gas.

MINOS experiment sheds light on mystery of neutrino disappearance

06 April 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Physicists from The University of Texas at Austin, as part of an international collaboration of scientists, observed the disappearance of neutrinos during a Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search experiment, a finding that could help explain the role of these subatomic particles in the evolution of the universe.

New geosciences model explains ocean formation and advances search for deep-water oil and gas

16 March 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences and the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, have developed a new model to explain how continents break apart to form new oceans. Their discovery may improve targeting of deep-water oil and gas reserves.

Convergent evolution of molecules in electric fish

02 March 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Having a set of extra genes gave fish on separate continents the ability to evolve electric organs, report researchers from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Harold Zakon and colleagues, in a paper recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that African and South American groups of fish independently evolved electric organs by modifying sodium channel proteins typically used in muscle contraction.

Strong relationship with father may delay daughter’s sexual activity

20 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Girls who have good relationships with their fathers tend to wait longer to have their first sexual intercourse experience, according to a new study by a University of Texas at Austin sociologist.

Mechanism for memory revealed in neurons of electric fish

17 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin studying electric fish have gained new insight into how memory is stored at the level of neurons. Their finding, published in the Feb. 16 issue of Neuron, could help researchers better understand memory formation and neural disorders like epilepsy in humans. Dr. Harold Zakon, Dr. Jörg Oestreich and colleagues show that when electric fish zap each other in dark waters, their neurons store a memory of the sizzling communiqué by turning on special cell membrane channels.

Cell phone users concerned about lack of etiquette rules, according to University of Texas at Austin global study

15 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin A lack of cell phone rules of etiquette such as when to answer ringing phones or turn phones off, and how to conduct a private conversation in public, was a common concern reported among cell phone users from 14 countries examined in a new study by the Science, Technology and Society Program at The University of Texas at Austin.

Scientists seek to unwrap the sweet mystery of the sugar coat on bacteria

13 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a quick and simple way to investigate the sugar coating that surrounds bacteria and plays a role in infection and immunity. The sugars coating bacteria can change very quickly during the course of an infection, cloaking the bacteria from the immune system of their host. Previous techniques for studying the sugars were too slow to catch these rapid changes.

High-tech water divining could help scientists better understand coastal bay ecology

08 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin A marine chemist at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute has found hidden pockets of saltwater seeping into Nueces Bay, Texas from beneath its floor. Like a water diviner for the 21st century, Dr. John Breier used an electrical resistivity device that penetrated sediments along the bay floor with an electrical current. The data gathered from the device showed Breier where saltwater was seeping up into the bay.

Study supports limiting television time for children

06 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Children who spend more time watching television spend less time interacting with their family and playing creatively, report researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and Harvard Children’s Hospital in the journal Pediatrics.

Cheaper petrochemicals closer to reality

02 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin A rubbery material that can purify hydrogen efficiently in its most usable form for fuel cells and oil refining has been developed by a chemical engineering group at The University of Texas at Austin. A rubbery material that can purify hydrogen efficiently in its most usable form for fuel cells and oil refining has been developed by a chemical engineering group at The University of Texas at Austin. Here, Dr. Benny Freeman holds a sample of the transparent membrane material.

Smokers who exercise reduce risk of heart attack

02 February 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Even if you cannot stop smoking, you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by exercising regularly, according to a University of Texas at Austin study. Examining otherwise healthy sedentary smokers and physically active smokers, Dr. Hiro Tanaka, an exercise physiologist in the College of Education, discovered that the smokers who exercised had increased blood flow to the legs.

Exercise boosts mood in depressed patients

17 January 2006 - University of Texas at Austin Even a single bout of exercise, 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill, can lift the mood of patients suffering major depressive disorder. Researchers say the findings show immediate benefits, compared with the 8-to-10-week lag time for exercise regimens studied previously.

Half of active children pursue non-traditional physical activities

16 January 2006 - University of Texas at Austin A transportation engineer at The University of Texas at Austin has performed one of the most comprehensive surveys of physical activity in children and found that about as many kids stay active by pedaling their bikes to a friend’s house or walking around a neighborhood as do others by participating in organized athletics.

New antibody shows promise as cure for anthrax

29 November 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A new anthrax antibody engineered by scientists at The University of Texas at Austin protects and defends against inhalation anthrax without the use of antibiotics and other more expensive antibodies.

Engineers, chemist report fuel cell option using cheaper, more durable material

15 November 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have identified a material to make cheaper, longer-lasting fuel cells without compromising their energy production.

New discoveries about neuron plasticity linked to learning and memory

01 November 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Neurons experience large-scale changes across their dendrites during learning, say neuroscientists at The University of Texas at Austin in a new study that highlights the important role that these cell regions may play in the processes of learning and memory.

Children with different types of ADHD have physiological differences, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin find

12 October 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Both the ears and fingers of children diagnosed with one type of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder differ from those of children diagnosed with another type of ADHD, according to researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.

New laser technique measures Brownian motion of a single particle

11 October 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Using a new technique to trap and measure single particles with lasers, an international group of researchers from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, The University of Texas at Austin and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, have demonstrated that Brownian motion of a single particle behaves differently than Einstein theorized one century ago.

Inadequate air cleaning ability, production of harmful ozone plague ion-generating products sold as air cleaners

15 September 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Devices that make particles electrically charged to remove them from circulating air don’t do much good and can generate substantial amounts of ozone, according to a study of five commercially available air cleaners tested by a University of Texas at Austin architectural engineer.

Impacts of nanotechnologies on culture and society focus of new interactive online magazine

31 August 2005 - University of Texas at Austin The Science, Technology and Society program introduced in August its first issue of STS Nanolog, an online forum on cultural and societal impacts of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Species evolve to the brink of evolution

26 August 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A biologist at The University of Texas at Austin has presented a new theory that sheds light on how organisms, including viruses like HIV, rapidly evolve in the face of vaccines and antibiotics.

New method for quantum cooling discovered by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin

03 August 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Physicists at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a new technique for cooling atoms and molecules that will allow them to study quantum physics more effectively with a greater variety of particles.

Fungus-farming ants around the world cultivate essentially the same fungus and are not as critical to the reproduction

27 June 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Fungus-farming ants are dependent on cultivating fungus gardens for food, and it has been widely believed the fungi also evolved dependence on the ants for their dispersal and reproduction. When young ant queens establish new colonies, they take a start-up crop of fungi with them from their parental garden.

Researcher discovers how Lance Armstrong keeps on winning

15 June 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A marked improvement in muscle efficiency and large reductions in body fat and body weight are keys to Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s cycling success, according to a seven-year study by University of Texas at Austin professor Ed Coyle.

Researchers from Mexico, United States find new family of catfish in Chiapas

09 June 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A team of researchers from Mexico and the United States has identified a new family of catfish in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. The paper detailing the discovery has been published in Zootaxa, an online scientific journal.

Engineers improve plastic’s potential for use in implants by discovering way to link it to biological materials

16 May 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have found a way to modify a plastic to anchor molecules that promote nerve regeneration, blood vessel growth or other biological processes.

Lizard diversity was determined long ago, according to Texas, Oklahoma researchers

03 May 2005 - University of Texas at Austin The diversity of present-day lizards might have been determined 200 million years ago when two groups of lizards diverged and not come more recently as the result of environment and competition, according to researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Oklahoma.

Maternal employment does not harm infants’ development, research shows

25 March 2005 - University of Texas at Austin When mothers spend time away from home at a job or school, their infants’ development does not suffer, according to a large study led by a researcher at The University of Texas at Austin.

Researchers develop formulas to replicate optimal vision tracking strategies

17 March 2005 - University of Texas at Austin Mathematical formulas for optimal eye movements that have significant implications for designing robotic visual systems and improving visual performance for people losing eyesight have been developed by University of Texas at Austin researchers.

Engineers develop biowarfare sensing elements that permit mass production of highly sensitive and stable nerve-gas detectors

10 February 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A sensing device tailored for mass production of highly sensitive and stable nerve-gas detectors has been developed by a research group led by a mechanical engineer at The University of Texas at Austin.

Engineers develop biowarfare sensing elements for future highly sensitive nerve-gas detectors

10 February 2005 - University of Texas at Austin A sensing device tailored for mass production of highly sensitive and stable nerve-gas detectors has been developed by a research group led by a mechanical engineer at The University of Texas at Austin. The new sensor technology, which was more sensitive and much more stable than its predecessors, was featured on this week's cover of Applied Physics Letters. The researchers' highlighted study demonstrated the sensor's potential ability to detect a single molecule of the nerve gas, sarin, the most toxic of biological warfare agents.

Concrete composed of waste materials promises environmentally friendly impact

14 December 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Environmentally friendly concrete is the goal of the $400,000 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development award granted Dr. Maria Juenger, civil engineering assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin. The grant is one of the most prestigious awarded to young faculty members.

Abortion may increase a woman’s risk for generalized anxiety disorder, study shows

03 December 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Women who choose to abort an unintended first pregnancy have a significantly higher risk for generalized anxiety than women who carry to term, according to a new study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders by Jesse Cougle, a psychology doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin.

Study suggests nutrient decline in garden crops over past 50 years

01 December 2004 - University of Texas at Austin A recent study of 43 garden crops led by a University of Texas at Austin biochemist suggests that their nutrient value has declined in recent decades while farmers have been planting crops designed to improve other traits.

University of Texas at Austin researchers identify drug-tolerance mechanism in flies

30 November 2004 - University of Texas at Austin A protein found on the surface of nerve cells makes fruit flies tolerant to a drug after just a single, brief exposure, which may reveal ways to address this early step toward addiction in humans.

Researchers direct nerve-cell growth in real time using protein walls

10 November 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists have learned how to create protein barriers near living nerve cells that influence their direction of growth, which could one day provide a way to precisely control nerve-cell interactions to better understand memory formation and other brain functions.

Early testing shows promise for drug solubilization in fight against fungal infections of heart

08 November 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Early testing indicates a new technology developed by a research team at The University of Texas at Austin holds strong promise in the fight against pulmonary fungal infections, a serious threat to lung transplant patients, patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and HIV/AIDS patients.

Kinesiology researchers show resistance and endurance training can slow effects of aging

19 October 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Resistance training can reverse the adverse effects of hormone loss, endurance training helps the heart withstand a heart attack and weight training stops the decrease of blood flow to the legs as one ages, research by three University of Texas at Austin kinesiology professors has revealed.

Carbon dioxide injected underground in experiment, testing potential way to cut amount in atmosphere

05 October 2004 - University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at Austin researchers have begun a key phase of a field experiment testing whether carbon dioxide can be stored in underground formations as a way to keep it from the atmosphere.

Moderate drinking in older adult women has positive influence on memory

29 September 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Moderate alcohol consumption among older adult women, two or fewer drinks a day, can benefit memory, according to recent findings by a University of Texas at Austin nursing researcher.

Chemical derived from vitamin E shows early promise as cancer drug

09 September 2004 - University of Texas at Austin By studying cancer in mice, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have gained preliminary evidence that a novel compound that resembles vitamin E halves the size of tumors and the ability of cancer to spread to other body sites.

Health of Mexican American children focus of new University of Texas at Austin study

08 September 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Dr. Yolanda C. Padilla, associate professor of social work at The University of Texas at Austin, has received a three-year, $750,000 grant to study why Mexican American children experience disproportionately poorer health than other ethnic groups.

McDonald Observatory astronomers discover Neptune-sized planet with Hobby-Eberly Telescope

31 August 2004 - University of Texas at Austin A team of astronomers led by Barbara McArthur, and including Michael Endl, William Cochran and Fritz Benedict, of The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory has used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and its High Resolution Spectrograph to discover a very small planet orbiting a nearby star known as rho1 Cancri (also called 55 Cancri).

Age is key factor in marital quality, according to new study by sociologist

19 August 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Age is more strongly and consistently associated with marital quality than how long a couple has been married, according to a new study by a sociologist at The University of Texas at Austin.

Study examines the best age for women to start having children

18 August 2004 - University of Texas at Austin The social and economic benefits of delaying parenthood more than compensate for reproductive health issues related to aging, according to new research by a sociologist at The University of Texas at Austin.

Computer imaging of Archeopteryx skull suggests this dinosaur-bird link could fly

29 July 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Using computer imaging to model a fossil of an Archeopteryx animal, a scientific team led by a University of Texas at Austin geologist has provided strong evidence that the forerunner to birds had a brain equipped to handle delicate flight maneuvers.

Report could help producers pump more oil from famed Permian Basin

01 July 2004 - University of Texas at Austin As concern rises over the cost and supply of oil in the United States, researchers have outlined techniques that help pump more oil out of the oil-rich Permian Basin.

The University of Texas at Austin, partner aim to commercialize biotech discovery

26 April 2004 - University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin has formed a partnership with an Austin company to commercialize a technology that could improve the effectiveness of agrichemicals and drugs.

Video games rather than TV may be linked to childhood obesity

23 March 2004 - University of Texas at Austin A study by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin suggests that watching television is not associated with children’s weight, but playing electronic games may be, especially for girls.

Researchers successfully force evolutionary leap

19 February 2004 - University of Texas at Austin Engineers and scientists at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan have forced an unprecedented evolutionary leap in E. coli bacteria, and findings from their study could have ramifications on protein production for the biotechnology industry.

University of Texas at Austin engineers & physicists first to measure thermo-electric power

05 February 2004 - University of Texas at Austin An important and previously elusive property of nano-materials is now measurable, thanks to a method devised by University of Texas at Austin engineers and physicists.

Gene identified as orchestrator of crucial step in formation of the nervous system

15 December 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists have determined that a single gene’s activity is enough to cause changes in embryo cells that are needed to form a normal brain and spinal cord, an event whose disruption leads to birth defects such as spina bifida.

Astronomers re-measure the universe using Hubble Space Telescope

09 December 2003 - University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at Austin astronomers are using the Hubble Space Telescope to improve measurements of vast distances in space, which could greatly increase the accuracy of knowledge in all areas of astronomy from understanding how stars evolve to the size and age of the universe itself.

Women who choose to abort an unintended first pregnancy have a significantly higher risk for generalized anxiety

03 December 2003 - University of Texas at Austin “Women who aborted were 34 percent more likely to report symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder, a condition marked by excessive and uncontrollable worry,” Cougle said. “These results were found after statistically removing the effects of race, age and periods of anxiety prior to their first pregnancy event. When only unmarried women were examined, those who aborted still had significantly higher rates of subsequent anxiety, suggesting indirectly that marriage as a form of social support may not necessarily buffer the effects of abortion.”

Results from the First Photograph undergoing scientific tests

21 November 2003 - University of Texas at Austin In June 2002, the world’s First Photograph, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce’s “View from the Window at Le Gras,” traveled from The University of Texas at Austin’s Harry Ransom Center to the Los Angeles-based Getty Conservation Institute to undergo its first-ever extensive scientific tests.

Scientists develop cheap method for solar system hunt using McDonald Observatory telescope

19 November 2003 - University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at Austin astronomers have invented an inexpensive method to determine if other solar systems like our own exist. Among the more than 100 stars now known to have planets, astronomers have found few systems similar to ours. It’s unknown if this is because of technological limitations or if our system is truly a rare configuration. The McDonald Observatory astronomers’ novel search method uses a Depression-era telescope mated with today’s technology.

Mechanical engineering professor hopes study will lead to improved life for breast cancer survivors

10 November 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Most women with localized breast cancer will survive. Improving life’s quality for survivors motivated Dr. Tess Moon, a mechanical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, to direct a study of the biomechanical properties of healthy female breasts. She hopes her work leads to more natural-looking reconstructed breasts after a mastectomy.

3-D brain models reveal extinct reptiles’ unique adaptations for flight

29 October 2003 - University of Texas at Austin High-resolution images created at The University of Texas at Austin suggest that pterosaurs lacked the mental capacity of modern birds, but may have been better at in-flight maneuvers.

Biologists discover that frogs evolved complex color warnings multiple times

01 October 2003 - University of Texas at Austin If Kermit were a brightly colored poison frog, the Muppet character might sing a different tune than “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” New results from scientists at The University of Texas at Austin indicate that poison frogs have evolved bright colorations and toxic skin at least four times during evolution, suggesting that the combination provides survival advantages.

A protein found on the surface of nerve cells makes fruit flies tolerant to a drug after just a single

26 September 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Neuroscientist Nigel Atkinson at The University of Texas at Austin and his laboratory determined this by studying the response of fruit flies (Drosophila) to a 15-minute exposure to benzyl alcohol coated on the inner walls of test tubes. Flies that had had one previous exposure to the organic solvent recovered more quickly from being knocked out by the drug than flies that were first-timers. The flies that developed tolerance also had increased activity of the slo gene. The gene produces the surface protein, which helps stimulate signaling between nerve cells in the brain.

Devices that make particles electrically charged to remove them from circulating air don’t do much good

15 September 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Siegel presented the research findings at the 10th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate held Sept. 4-9 in Beijing, China. The findings are the most comprehensive review of this type of air-purification device to date, and were peer-reviewed before publication in papers that form the proceedings of the meeting.

Protein discovered by UT engineers holds promise for antibiotic research

04 September 2003 - University of Texas at Austin A group of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University has isolated a protein whose effect on RNA in cells could lead to the isolation of new antibiotics.

Engineers create promising nanotechnology for oral delivery of cancer drugs

22 July 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Polymer nanospheres just 1/100 a hair’s width in diameter and loaded with potent anti-cancer drugs could one day become a powerful weapon in the chemotherapy arsenal, two University of Texas at Austin biomedical engineers reported today at the Controlled Release Society’s 30th Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Glasgow, Scotland.

Physical appearance may influence faculty teaching evaluations, study says

15 July 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Physical beauty appears to have substantial influence over how instructors are rated for teaching ability, according to new research by an economist at The University of Texas at Austin.

Race has powerful effects on children’s perceptions of job status, study shows

26 June 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Children’s perceptions of job status and their own vocational interests are affected by racial segregation of the workforce according to a new study published in the May issue of Developmental Psychology, a journal published by the American Psychological Association.

University researchers find clues to personality traits in musical preferences

18 June 2003 - University of Texas at Austin A new study from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin that examines how music preference is related to personality found that most musical choices fall into one of four broad categories: Reflective and Complex, Intense and Rebellious, Upbeat and Conventional, or Energetic and Rhythmic. The results of the study appear in the June issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.

Study suggests children read and behave better if working families rise above poverty level

10 June 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Providing earning supplements and other assistance to poor working families boosts their children’s academic and social skills, a study of hundreds of Milwaukee families directed by a child development expert at The University of Texas at Austin suggests.

Study suggests children read and behave better if working families rise above poverty level

10 June 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Providing earning supplements and other assistance to poor working families boosts their children’s academic and social skills, a study of hundreds of Milwaukee families directed by a child development expert at The University of Texas at Austin suggests.

Image-enhancing tool could improve cancer diagnosis and treatment

06 May 2003 - University of Texas at Austin An image-enhancing tool which could lead to both earlier diagnosis and improvements in monitoring treatment of cancers has been developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin College of Engineering and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Research reported in its May 1 issue.

Research examines the reaction of adult children upon the death of a parent

05 May 2003 - University of Texas at Austin The death of the parent has a much more profound and far-reaching impact on adult children than most people believe, according to new research by a sociologist at The University of Texas at Austin.

Archeologists use new technologies to reveal ancient buildings

30 April 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Archeologists at The University of Texas at Austin are using a new technology, gradiometry, to map a large prehistoric Caddo Indian village at the Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site near Alto in East Texas, revealing previously unknown structures and houses.

Personal views have strongest impact on television weathercaster knowledge of scientific climate change

11 April 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Personal beliefs and attitudes are the primary influences on television weathercasters’ reporting on the scientific facts about politically charged environmental issues such as global warming, according to a study by the School of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin.

Scientists isolate steroid-response molecules that may lead to new fertility drugs

20 February 2003 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers have identified a new class of molecules in humans and other species that initiate a rapid response to hormones regulating fertility, sexual behavior and other processes.

Scientists have learned how to create protein barriers near living nerve cells

12 February 2003 - University of Texas at Austin “To get complex brain behavior, nerve cells need to integrate information they are receiving from other nerve cells in a very complex way that depends partly on where along the cell it physically contacts those signaling nerve cells,” said Jason Shear, the lead researcher from The University of Texas at Austin.

New study designed to investigate the effects of modern agricultural methods on the nutrient content of foods

24 January 2003 - University of Texas at Austin The study was designed to investigate the effects of modern agricultural methods on the nutrient content of foods. The researchers chose garden crops, mostly vegetables, but also melons and strawberries, for which nutritional data were available from both 1950 and 1999 and compared them both individually and as a group.

System to help parents of prenatal infants created by University of Texas at Austin researcher

21 January 2003 - University of Texas at Austin A new method to strengthen parent-professional collaboration when making difficult decisions about how aggressively to treat extremely premature infants has been successfully tested by a University of Texas at Austin nursing researcher.

Environmentally friendly concrete is the goal the new National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development

14 December 2002 - University of Texas at Austin More than six billion tons of concrete are produced annually, about one ton per person on the planet. Concrete is made from cement, water, sand and gravel. The cement is made by heating raw materials such as limestone and clay to very high temperatures until they chemically react. This process uses massive amounts of energy (about five percent of the world’s use per year) and releases about a ton of carbon dioxide per ton of cement made.

Physicists invent a method to probe electronic properties of nanostructures

04 December 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Physicists at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a simple process for making tiny metallic electrodes that can test whether individual nanostructures have the right properties for use in future nanoelectronic applications.

University of Texas at Austin astronomers make precise measure of extrasolar world's mass

03 December 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Fritz Benedict and Barbara McArthur, astronomers at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory, have made the first 'positional' calculation of an extrasolar planet's mass. The work clearly determines the companion is a planet (not a low-mass star), and is an incremental step in the process of discovering how planets form around other stars.

Method for guiding nerve cell growth with light could lead to treatment of spinal cord injuries

25 November 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists have discovered a way to direct the growth of nerve cells using a laser, which could one day provide a new avenue for treating spinal cord injuries or for connecting nerve cells for other purposes.

University researchers license drug delivery technologies to Dow

11 November 2002 - University of Texas at Austin A pair of new nano-particle engineering technologies developed by two University of Texas at Austin faculty has been licensed by The Dow Chemical Company and holds great promise for enabling the production of stronger, faster-acting pharmaceuticals and expanding treatment choices for doctors and patients.

Key brain cells involved in addiction identified by University of Texas at Austin research team

30 October 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Brain cells and corresponding brain circuits critical to the development and treatment of addiction have been identified by two members of the Institute for Neuroscience at The University of Texas at Austin.

Nanomanufacturing technology program created at The University of Texas at Austin

01 October 2002 - University of Texas at Austin A nanomanufacturing technology program to foster educational, research and commercialization efforts in nanomanufacturing has been started at The University of Texas at Austin's Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology.

New Texas generic drug law could save patients millions

28 June 2002 - University of Texas at Austin A new Texas generic drug law could potentially save patients and drug benefit programs as much as $257 million a year, say University of Texas at Austin researchers who have spent years studying the economic impact of increasing generic substitutions.

Gene controlling heart chamber formation identified by University of Texas at Austin scientists

02 April 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin and their colleagues at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have identified a gene crucial to the development of the heart. When defective, the gene could result in heart defects.

Coral study creates challenges for long-held theory on glacial cycles

11 January 2002 - University of Texas at Austin Scientists studying climate change by researching fossil corals have found an inconsistency in a widely accepted theory linking cycles of glaciation to changes in Earth's orbit. A research team from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Minnesota has found that the Milankovitch Theory, also known as orbital forcing, cannot account for an early thawing of glaciers that occurred prior to 136,000 years ago.

University of Texas at Austin researchers discover key mechanism in plant growth

14 November 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered the mechanism by which a key hormone called auxin regulates the growth and development of plants by promoting the degradation of repressor proteins. The discovery could eventually allow scientists to manipulate plant growth in desirable ways.

Biomedical engineers at University of Texas at Austin unlock secrets of body's natural protective system

22 October 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Surgeons may be able to use the body’s own natural defenses to speed recovery for heart surgery patients, thanks to recent discoveries by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Researchers announce discovery that could some day eliminate need to harvest trees for wood or pulp

17 October 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Cellulose in a new group of organisms may be a promising new resource for the industrial production of the substance and could eventually eliminate the need to harvest trees for wood or pulp, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin say.

Breakthrough diagnostic process detects cancer's ability to metastasize

27 September 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Motivated by the cancer deaths of several friends and family members, a University of Texas at Austin scientist has developed technology to help doctors detect cancer and determine whether cancer cells are capable of spreading to other parts of the body.

Electrical suspension system developed reduces vibration, increases top speed of test vehicles

23 August 2001 - University of Texas at Austin An electrical suspension system for cars and trucks developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has demonstrated a fivefold reduction of shock and vibration to the passengers, double the off-road top speed and better handling in cornering, all resulting in improved off-road fuel economy.

Heat-seeking vipers may help with U.S. defense, UT Austin researcher finds

31 May 2001 - University of Texas at Austin An engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin is helping the U.S. Air Force learn techniques to build better missile detectors by studying poisonous snakes. Dr. John Pearce, the Temple Foundation Endowed Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, studies Crotalines, better known as pit vipers. This family of reptiles includes rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.

UT Austin researcher finds evidence that BRCA1 protein may play a role in repair of damage to DNA

15 May 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin, Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the Baylor College of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health have created a recombinant human BRCA1 protein and have discovered that the protein binds directly to DNA. Their findings will be published in the May 15 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

UT Austin engineers develop light-emitting silicon crystals for flat panel displays & lasers

23 April 2001 - University of Texas at Austin Solving a problem that has eluded scientists and engineers for more than a decade, two professors at The University of Texas at Austin College of Engineering have devised a method to make silicon shine. Their tiny, highly efficient, light-emitting spherical silicon crystals hold great promise for future applications ranging from laser technology to flat panel displays such as computer monitors and TV screens.

UT Austin researchers sort bilingual language differences from disorders

28 February 2001 - University of Texas at Austin A language difference is not a language disorder. Yet every year, some bilingual children in Texas wind up being funneled into classrooms designed for children with learning disabilities.

Chronic alcohol abuse can change brain's molecular programming and circuitry of frontal cortex

18 December 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Like a computer virus eating away software, chronic alcohol abuse can change the programming of critical areas of the human brain on the molecular level, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.

UT Austin biologist develops new evidence for global warming

22 September 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Dr. Camille Parmesan, an assistant professor of biology at The University of Texas at Austin and an expert on non-migratory butterfly species, has worked with world climate experts to document new evidence of global warming. The research will be featured in the Sept. 22 issue of the journal Science.

Genes may be protected by chemical processes preventing corrosion

19 September 2000 - University of Texas at Austin In 1824, English chemist Sir Humphrey Davy discovered a process called cathodic protection, preserving the new steel-hulled ships of the British navy against oxidation, commonly known as rusting or corrosion. Today, cathodic protection is employed on ships, pipelines, offshore oilrigs and numerous other metal structures.

UT Austin biologists pioneer new method for cotton growth that could lead to improved textiles

11 September 2000 - University of Texas at Austin They look no more significant than bits of popcorn tossed into a finger bowl. But the small balls of cotton floating in a petri dish in the laboratory of Dr. R. Malcolm Brown Jr. could hold the key to increased profits for a major Texas industry.

Energy funnel found in conjugated polymers used in LED displays

25 August 2000 - University of Texas at Austin The conjugated polymer molecules used in Light Emitting Displays in computers funnel energy to single points, according to a research team at The University of Texas at Austin's department of chemistry and biochemistry. Their research has been published in the Friday issue of the journal Science. Researchers said the discovery has potential uses in future polymer-based semiconductors.

Engineers discover procedure that can make tissue temporarily transparent

21 August 2000 - University of Texas at Austin By manipulating the way light passes through tissue, a biomedical engineering research team at The University of Texas at Austin has taken a step toward what was once the realm of science fiction. The researchers have made tiny bits of flesh transparent for brief periods of time in the lab.

Researchers identify brain proteins targeted by alcohols and other anesthetics

08 August 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University have released the strongest evidence to date that alcohols and surgical anesthetics, like other drugs, bind to specific sites on proteins in the brain.

Researchers discover cellular mechanisms for delivering genetic therapies

20 July 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a mechanism for targeting exact locations on strands of DNA that could greatly expand basic genetic research, open the door to new possibilities in genetic engineering and improve the ability to fight diseases, including cancer and HIV, on the genetic level.

UT Austin researchers announce discoveries on conjugated polymer structure

28 June 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Defects in the chemical makeup of conjugated polymers are important keys to the way they function, according to a research team at The University of Texas at AustinÌs department of chemistry and biochemistry. Their research is being published in the June 29 issue of the British scientific journal Nature. The material has potential commercial uses in polymer-based semiconductors or lasers for use in fabricating electronics and light emitting devices such as TV or computer screens.

Potential drug therapy may bring hope to post-menopausal female sexual dysfunction sufferers

26 June 2000 - University of Texas at Austin A new drug candidate undergoing clinical tests at The University of Texas at Austin has shown significant results in treating female sexual arousal disorder in post-menopausal women. Results of the tests were announced by UT psychologist Cindy Meston Saturday at the 26th conference of the International Academy of Sex Research in Paris, France.

New method of finding nannobacteria in rust could be used on Mars rocks

20 March 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Two geology professors at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Robert L. Folk and Dr. Kitty L. Milliken, have demonstrated that iron oxide filaments from a variety of geological periods on Earth are lifelike in form at microscopic levels. They say their research could have implications for Martian exploration and the search for some form of life on other planets.

New future for electronics may be woven in miniature from silicon and gold

08 March 2000 - University of Texas at Austin Two University of Texas at Austin chemical engineers have made a scientific breakthrough in the production of far smaller silicon wires, using revolutionary methods that could lead to development of other new materials with exciting new properties. Silicon wires of this extremely small size will be needed in the construction of the computers of the future and for optoelectronic devices, such as lasers, sensors, computer screens and other flat panel displays.

Painless cervical cancer detection method developed by UT Austin researcher

28 February 2000 - University of Texas at Austin A new, painless cervical cancer detection method that uses a small fiber optic probe instead of a surgical knife will be made available to 1,800 women through a new grant to The University of Texas at Austin and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The $8.9 million grant to finance the clinical trial comes from the National Institutes of Health.