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| Hot-headed men headed for heart trouble |
14 January 2007 - Duke University
According to a new study, men who regularly lose their temper face a significantly higher risk of developing a heart condition that can lead to a fatal stroke. An anger management expert discusses the implications of this research . . . |
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| Research may lead to advances allowing paralyzed people to control prosthetics by thought |
14 January 2007 - Duke University
In their first human studies of the feasibility of using brain signals to operate external devices, researchers at Duke University Medical Center report that arrays of electrodes can provide useable signals for controlling such devices. The research team is now working to develop prototype devices that may enable paralyzed people to operate 'neuroprosthetic' and other external devices using only their brain signals. |
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| New medical team gearing up to begin applying these innovations to humans in need |
14 January 2007 - Duke University
Biomedical engineers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering are developing much of the basic technology behind Duke experiments aiming to enable primates and ultimately humans to operate machines exclusively with their brain signals. Their efforts include custom engineering of interface devices, programming of 'neural net' computer systems and extensive computer analysis. |
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| Carbon nanotubes offer promise as components in devices even smaller than those available today |
14 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University researchers exploring ways to build ultrasmall electronic devices out of atom-thick carbon cylinders have incorporated one of these 'carbon nanotubes' into a new kind of field effect transistor. The Duke investigators also reported new insights into their previously published technique for growing nanotubes in straight structures as long as half an inch. |
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| Researchers say surprising finding improves understanding of how cells correct DNA errors |
14 January 2007 - Duke University
Biochemists have performed detailed structural studies that reveal for the first time how an enzyme key to DNA replication stalls when an error occurs, to allow it to be corrected. Without such instantaneous braking, such mistakes in DNA replication would wreak havoc on DNA replication, killing the cell. |
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| New technology allows scientists to monitor movements & behavior of marine life |
13 January 2007 - Duke University
Emerging new technology is allowing scientists to monitor the movements and behavior of marine life over the entire vast expanses of Earth's oceans and thus improve conservation efforts. And that technology demands more expansive and cooperative ways of doing research as well as better ways to analyze the exploding amounts of information, Duke University investigators say. |
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| Duke ehicists dffer on coning beakthrough |
13 January 2007 - Duke University
Thursday's announcement that South Korean scientists had cloned human embryos for stem-cell research does raise serious questions about the fundamental ethical boundaries of human research, Duke professors say. |
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| Study reaffirms importance of N.C.s public universities to states economy |
13 January 2007 - Duke University
'This study reaffirms the critical importance of North Carolina's public universities to the state's economic future. These universities provide research and technologies that lead to new jobs, and they train people with the skills needed to keep those jobs here in North Carolina. We welcome the report's recommendation that the state's public universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. |
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| It appears brain builds a repertoire of rote responses to frequently encountered problems |
13 January 2007 - Duke University
For example, when learning skills such as arithmetic, the brain doesn't necessarily reach back into its basic calculating skills for each problem, suggested the researchers who made the finding. Rather, the brain builds a repertoire of rote responses to frequently encountered problems that it can use to save time and effort, they said. |
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| New technique provide support for cartilage cells as they regenerate new cartilage tissue |
13 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke biomedical engineers have developed a technique to use a natural polymer to fill in and protect cartilage wounds within joints, and to provide supportive scaffolding for new cartilage growth. Their advance offers a potential solution for a central problem in generating new cartilage: providing a support for cartilage cells as they regenerate cartilage tissue. |
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| Reducing post-bypass readmissions |
12 January 2007 - Duke University
A significant number of patients return to the hospital following their coronary bypass operations. A recent study looked at some of the factors that may contribute to these readmissions . . . |
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| Study reveals roles for two kinds of sleep in establishing memories |
12 January 2007 - Duke University
By exposing rats to novel objects and measuring their brain signals, Duke University researchers have detected telltale signal reverberations in wide areas of the brain during sleep that reveal the process of consolidating memories. According to the researchers, their findings offer important evidence that extensive regions of the brain are involved in processing memories during a particular form of sleep, called slow-wave sleep. |
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| Patients immerse themselves in a pleasant computer-generated visual and aural environment |
12 January 2007 - Duke University
Women with breast cancer have fewer adverse effects from chemotherapy and less fatigue when using virtual reality as a distraction intervention during treatments, according to a study from the Duke University School of Nursing and Case Western Reserve Comprehensive Cancer Center. |
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| Tiny cylinders of carbon have 'nano' dimensions measuring in scant billionths of a meter |
11 January 2007 - Duke University
'Nanotubes' grown in the busy laboratory of associate chemistry professor Jie Liu were crucial to IBM scientists' recent announcements of a new source of light emissions. Liu's lab is also working with a California firm to pioneer use of these infinitesimally-thin carbon tubes in place of copper contacts for computer chips. |
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| Future water-using tree plantations established to absorb carbon dioxide will be located in dry areas |
11 January 2007 - Duke University
Growing tree plantations to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to mitigate global warming, so called 'carbon sequestration', could trigger environmental changes that outweigh some of the benefits, a multi-institutional team led by Duke University suggested in a new report. Those effects include water and nutrient depletion and increased soil salinity and acidity, said the researchers. |
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| Tiny grids are a step towards designing circuits ten times smaller than current ones |
11 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University scientists have used the self-assembling properties of DNA to mass-produce nanometer-scale structures in the shape of a 4x4 grids, on which patterns of molecules can be specified. They said the achievement represents a step toward mass-producing electronic or optical circuits at a scale 10 times smaller than the smallest circuits now being manufactured. |
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| Constructal theory application may aid understanding animal evolution on earth on other planets |
11 January 2007 - Duke University
A single unifying physics theory can essentially describe how animals of every ilk, from flying insects to fish, get around, researchers at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and Pennsylvania State University have found. The team reports that all animals bear the same stamp of physics in their design. |
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| Aging trend is toward more adult children assisting parents with significant life decisions |
10 January 2007 - Duke University
As start date for enrollment in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit approaches, many adult children will be asked by their parents to assist with understanding the new plan’s complexities and deciding whether to sign up, a Duke University expert on care for the aging says. |
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| Duke engineers identify technique to confine most cell-killing gene products to targeted tumor |
10 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University biomedical engineers have devised a potentially patentable method to arrest toxic leakages of genetically engineered viruses that have plagued attempts to use gene therapy against cancerous tumors. The problem has been that viruses carrying anti-tumor genes have tended to leak from tumors, proving toxic to other body tissues. |
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| Computer-Chemistry yields new insight into a puzzle of cell division |
10 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University biochemists aided by Duke computer scientists and computational chemists have identified the likely way two key enzymes dock in an intricate three-dimensional puzzle-fit to regulate cell division. Solving the docking puzzle could lead to anticancer drugs to block the runaway cell division behind some cancers, said the researchers. |
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| Beginning of a new pathway of exploring how the pressure of natural selection affected other genes |
10 January 2007 - Duke University
Researchers have discovered the first brain regulatory gene that shows clear evidence of evolution from lower primates to humans. They said the evolution of humans might well have depended in part on hyperactivation of the gene, called prodynorphin, that plays critical roles in regulating perception, behavior and memory. |
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| Seasonal wedges of undersea water block upwelling of plant sustaining nitrates |
09 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University oceanographers have developed an explanation for why a vast North Atlantic circulation zone can have a large variabilityin nutrient supplies needed to sustain ocean plants and, by extension, support the food web of marine life. |
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| Study does not discount suspected contributions of 'greenhouse gases' in elevating surface temperatures |
09 January 2007 - Duke University
At least 10 to 30 percent of global warming measured during the past two decades may be due to increased solar output rather than factors such as increased heat-absorbing carbon dioxide gas released by various human activities, two Duke University physicists report. |
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| Success of mouse study warrants immediate clinical trials, say researchers |
09 January 2007 - Duke University
In studies with mice, treatment with a new monoclonal antibody that targets immune system B cells has shown considerable promise for treating leukemias, autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection, according to immunologists at Duke University Medical Center. |
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| Specialized immune-system B cells play double-barreled role |
09 January 2007 - Duke University
B cells are the immune system’s “arms factories,” producing antibodies that target invading microbes for destruction. Abnormal B cell proliferation causes such leukemias as multiple myeloma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and such autoimmune diseases as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. |
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| The technology may improve on widely used method for treating heart arrhythmias |
09 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University engineers are developing technology that may enable physicians to someday use high frequency ultrasound waves both to visualize the heart's interior in three dimensions and then selectively destroy heart tissue with heat to correct arrhythmias. |
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| Discovery made with free-electron laser and special microscope |
08 January 2007 - Duke University
A Duke University chemist has found differences in how ultraviolet light affects the photochemistry of human pigments that he says may explain why red-haired people are more prone to skin cancer than those with black hair. |
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| Which kids need ear tubes? |
08 January 2007 - Duke University
When a child has an ear infection, tiny tubes inserted in the eardrum can help remove fluid and prevent future infections. Tube placement is a safe procedure, but some experts now suggest waiting to see whether the problem recurs before having tubes inserted. |
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| Biocircuits have great potential for applications |
08 January 2007 - Duke University
Lingchong You's Duke University research team makes and programs circuits, although not the kind that work in electronics devices. His are 'synthetic gene circuits' that can regulate cell populations with molecular signaling and intentional extermination. |
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| Interaction with gas key to minimizing metal's friction |
08 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University materials scientists have developed a computer model of how a 'quasicrystal' metallic alloy interacts with a gas at various temperatures and pressures. Their advance could contribute to wider applications of quasicrystals for extremely low-friction machine parts, such as ball bearings and sliding parts. |
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| Don't downplay childhood obesity |
07 January 2007 - Duke University
Recent studies suggest that many parents are ignoring the health risks confronting their overweight children. Some view it as a passing phase or cosmetic problem, while others fear doing psychological harm by calling attention to a child's weight. |
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| Altered strains of corn, soybeans could reduce phytate, which compromises nutritional quality |
07 January 2007 - Duke University
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have traced the biochemical pathway by which plants build a compound that compromises the quality of corn and soybeans as an animal feed. Their studies indicate that it is feasible to engineer such plants to significantly improve their quality as animal feeds, a potentially important boon to the hog and poultry industries, said the researchers. |
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| Research suggests fitness of Florida Panthers improved by limited breeding with Texas animals |
07 January 2007 - Duke University
The number of living Florida panthers has grown from a previously estimated 30 to a recently counted 87 as a result of a controversial breeding effort to improve the genetic health of the endangered and inbred animals, according to a new assessment. |
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| Tricking the Brain to lose weight |
07 January 2007 - Duke University
Researchers recently found that injections of a digestive hormone helped people lose weight quickly with no side effects. A Duke expert says this early research holds promise, but most successful, long-term weight loss also needs to include behavioral changes. |
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| Frist’s stem cell stance A Betrayal of Bush |
06 January 2007 - Duke University
Republican leader Bill Frist’s decision to support a bill to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research will weaken his position as Senate majority leader, says the chairman of Duke University’s political science department. |
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| Focus on felons ignores large part of homicide threat, study finds |
06 January 2007 - Duke University
Conventional wisdom suggests that repeat offenders commit most serious crimes, so strategies aimed at them, such as stiffer prison sentences, are the key to reducing homicide rates. Yet a new study in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that approach could address only about 30 percent of the homicide cases, at most. |
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| Early Alzheimer’s detection still elusive |
06 January 2007 - Duke University
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can give patients and their families more care and treatment options. Although companies aggressively market screening tests for Alzheimer’s, an expert says a complete physical and neurological exam is the best test for the disease. |
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| Open-air experiment subjects trees to expected future concentrations of the gas |
06 January 2007 - Duke University
A Duke University study has found that maturing stands of pines exposed to the higher levels of carbon dioxide expected by mid-century produce more needles than those absorbing today's levels of the gas, even under drought conditions. However, the study also found that lack of soil nutrients may impose limitations in many forests. |
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| Radical weight-loss methods backfire |
05 January 2007 - Duke University
A recent study found that teenage girls who used severe methods to lose weight were more likely to become obese than girls who ate a high-fat diet. A Duke expert says radical weight-loss measures change the body’s metabolism and actually promote weight gain. |
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| Method avoids shortcomings of using other means to move tiny colloidal objects |
05 January 2007 - Duke University
Engineers have introduced a new magnetic shepherding approach for deftly moving or positioning the kinds of tiny floating objects found within organisms, in order to advance potential applications in fields ranging from medicine to nanotechnology. |
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| Colorful math reveals how forces transmit through granular materials |
05 January 2007 - Duke University
Using color-changing plastic cylinders as a stand-in for a mass of granular material, Duke University physicists have created a computer-testable method to predict, particle-by-particle, how pushes, nudges and shoves at the edges transmit across large assemblages. |
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| Don't rush into carpal tunnel surgery |
05 January 2007 - Duke University
Short DescrMany of us are at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition of increased pressure on the median nerve passing through the wrist. Since CTS is frequently misdiagnosed, be sure to get an accurate diagnosis and explore non-surgical options before deciding to undergo surgery. |
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| Safe drugs may pose liver risk to some |
05 January 2007 - Duke University
Drug-induced liver injury is the most common reason for a drug to be withdrawn from the market. A new study seeks to identify risk factors for medications and identify individuals who may be at risk for liver damage from certain drugs. |
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| Research shows special molecules help the birds navigate at night |
04 January 2007 - Duke University
Neurobiologists have discovered a specialized night-vision brain area in night-migratory songbirds. They believe the area might enable the birds to navigate by the stars, and to visually detect the earth's magnetic field through photoreceptor molecules, whose light-sensitivity is modulated by the field. |
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| Result supports theory that hemoglobin senses oxygen in tissue |
04 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University Medical Center researchers have demonstrated how to safely deliver more oxygen to oxygen-deprived tissues in the body, a finding that could lead to more effective blood substitutes, wound healing therapies and cancer treatments. |
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| Standardized nutrition labels may actually dampen market competition |
04 January 2007 - Duke University
Although aimed at leveling the playing field for consumers, standardized nutrition labels may actually dampen market competition by helping large food manufacturers gain an even sharper edge over their smaller rivals, according to a new DukeUniversity study. |
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| Stroke victims need treatment fast |
04 January 2007 - Duke University
The ‘clot-busting’ drug known as tPA can help many stroke victims increase their chances for recovery, but only when given soon after a stroke. A leading stroke expert says there is currently a widespread lack of rapid access to the treatment. |
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| A breakthrough for cataract patients |
03 January 2007 - Duke University
Artificial lenses implanted during cataract surgery restore clear vision for millions of patients each year. But the lenses help only at a single focal point, usually distance vision. Recently, the FDA approved new 'bifocal' lenses that restore vision from near to far, eliminating the need for glasses for most wearers. |
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| Animals' brains adapt so that they can manipulate both robotic and natural arm |
03 January 2007 - Duke University
Monkeys that learn to use their brain signals to control a robotic arm are not just learning to manipulate an external device, Duke University Medical Center neurobiologists have found. Rather, their brain structures are adapting to treat the arm as if it were their own appendage. |
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| Researchers report success with Krabbe disease patients |
03 January 2007 - Duke University
Children with a fatal genetic disorder called Krabbe disease can be saved and their brain development preserved if they receive stem cells from umbilical cord blood before symptoms of the disease develop. |
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| Protecting your eyes from summer sun |
03 January 2007 - Duke University
Prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight can cause serious eye damage. As we head into the summer season, an expert recommends some simple and effective ways to protect your eyes from UV rays. |
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| Researchers identify national problem by analyzing available information on restoration projects |
02 January 2007 - Duke University
If the nation’s increasingly polluted rivers are to be rehabilitated, the restoration projects must be better organized and coordinated, according to a national group of experts in the field. |
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| New mystery for meteorology: Thunderstorms and gamma rays |
02 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University engineers are seeking to understand why some thunderstorms in tropical regions seem to generate gamma rays along with lightning bolts. |
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| Surprising results of Duke experiments could change thinking about some engineering problems |
02 January 2007 - Duke University
In an experiment originally planned for the International Space Station, physicists at Duke University have devised a controlled, measurable method to make a container of granules, in this case plastic beads, 'freeze' into the equivalent of a solid-state crystal, or 'melt' into the equivalent of a fluid, by alternating the rates that the beads are stirred or shaken. |
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| A mutation in a protein critical to hearing mimics an inherited human hearing disorder |
02 January 2007 - Duke University
Biologists have mimicked the mechanism of a human form of deafness in fruit flies by mutating the gene for a key protein involved. They said their findings will offer clues to how this protein, called myosin VIIA, functions in the mechanism that converts sound into nerve impulses. First author on the paper was Sokol Todi in Eberl's laboratory, and the other co-author was Josef Franke in Kiehart's laboratory. Their work was supported by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health. |
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| Duke Chemists isolating individual molecules of toxic protein in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease |
01 January 2007 - Duke University
To understand the formation of the brain-clogging deposits that cause such disorders as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, Duke University chemists have figured out how to capture and 'micromanipulate' the single molecular building blocks of the deposits. |
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| Gold atomic collision experiment yielding 'nteresting and compelling evidence |
01 January 2007 - Duke University
Duke University theoreticians said their predictions helped guide the efforts of experimenters using Brookhaven National Laboratory's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider atom smasher to create an almost perfectly flowing fluid of hot, dense matter. |
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| Fighting food allergies |
01 January 2007 - Duke University
For individuals with an allergy to peanuts, accidental ingestion can produce a severe reaction. A new study is looking a whether giving tiny doses of peanut protein can build immunity and even eliminate the risk. If successful, researchers may try this approach with other foods that produce allergic reactions. |
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| Finding of unexpected antibody response could point to new vaccine approach |
01 January 2007 - Duke University
New insights by Duke medical researchers as to how HIV evades the human immune system may offer a new approach for developing HIV vaccines. The findings suggest some HIV vaccines may have failed because they induce a class of antibodies that a patient's own immune system is programmed to destroy. |
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| Key root-development pathway mapped using advanced genomic technique |
31 December 2006 - Duke University
Biologists have vastly expanded understanding of the biological machinery controlling the intricate process by which plant roots burgeon from single cells into complex tissues. A Duke University-led team's discovery of new components of the root-development pathway in the mustard plant Arabidopsis thaliana represents both a scientific and technical achievement, the scientists said. |
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| Researchers recognize Lower-Energy varieties of Coastal Islands |
31 December 2006 - Duke University
A different style of coastal barrier islands that forms under lower-energy conditions than classic ocean-facing barriers, such as North Carolina's Outer Banks, has been identified by coastal geological researchers at Duke University and the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. The new style of islands is typically found in protected bays and lagoons. |
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| Thyrohyrax was a prehistoric hyrax, different in appearance from its cute-looking modern counterpart |
30 December 2006 - Duke University
Paleontologists at the Duke Lemur Center have assembled a new picture of a 35-million-year-old fossil mammal, and they even have added a hint of sound. By painstakingly measuring hundreds of specimens of a fossil mammal called Thyrohyrax , recovered from the famous fossil beds of Egypt's Fayum Province, the researchers determined that males of this now-extinct species, and only males, had oversized, swollen lower jaws shaped much like a banana. |
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| As boomers age, Alzheimer's crisis looms |
30 December 2006 - Duke University
As the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement age, Alzheimer's disease may soon become an even greater health problem for Americans. A conference at Duke next month will look at advances toward finding new treatments or a cure for the condition. Researchers say increased participation in clinical studies is critical in the fight against Alzheimer's. |
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| Helping female athletes avoid knee injuries |
30 December 2006 - Duke University
Women who play sports suffer torn ACLs and other serious knee injuries at a rate far greater than their male counterparts. A Duke Sports Medicine expert says new screening techniques and training programs are aimed at preventing these injuries in young women. |
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| Researchers conduct the first study of how emotional memories are recalled a year later |
29 December 2006 - Duke University
Researchers exploring the brain structures involved in recalling an emotional memory a year later have found evidence for a self-reinforcing 'memory loop' -- in which the brain's emotional center triggers the memory center, which in turn further enhances activity in the emotional center. |
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| Study explores how brain wires itself during development to acquire mathematical skills |
29 December 2006 - Duke University
Four-year-olds who are still developing numerical abilities show activity in the same brain region during numerical tasks as do math-adept adults, Duke University researchers have found. Their comparative brain scan studies are the first to explore the earliest glimmerings of numerical processing in pre-school children. |
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| Epidemic of liver disease linked to obesity |
29 December 2006 - Duke University
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, is on the increase in the U.S. While there is no confirmed cause of NAFLD, many experts say weight loss and increased physical activity are good starting points to help prevent or slow the progress of the condition. |
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| Layered structure could help protect brain cells, but play role in devastating neurodegenerative disease |
28 December 2006 - Duke University
In a finding that may offer clues about Parkinson's disease, a team led by Duke University researchers used a sophisticated laser system to gain evidence that a dark brown pigment that accumulates in people's brains consists of layers of two other pigments commonly found in hair. |
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| Overall quality of life for both boys and girls has improved substantially from 1985 through 2001 |
28 December 2006 - Duke University
As scholars debate who’s ahead in the so-called gender war, a new study from Duke University finds that American boys and girls today are faring almost equally well across key indicators of education, health, safety and risky behavior. |
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| Discipline problems significantly higher in students attending schools with many retained & older students |
28 December 2006 - Duke University
Middle school students in classrooms with children who have been retained or who are older than their peers are more likely to have discipline problems such as substance use, fighting and classroom disruptions than students in classrooms without older or retained students, according to a new study by Duke University researchers. |
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| Experiments employ magnetic particles and techniques of computer chip making |
27 December 2006 - Duke University
A Duke University engineer is “herding” tiny lenses with magnetic ferrofluids, precisely aligning them so that they focus bursts of light to excavate patterns of cavities on surfaces. |
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| Experiments employ magnetic particles and techniques of computer chip making |
27 December 2006 - Duke University
A Duke University engineer is “herding” tiny lenses with magnetic ferrofluids, precisely aligning them so that they focus bursts of light to excavate patterns of cavities on surfaces. |
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| Steroid use linked to fans’ unrealistic demands on athletes |
27 December 2006 - Duke University
The ongoing furor over the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by top athletes, stirred most recently by Jose Canseco’s tell-all book, is hypocritical and inconsistent with our 'winning is everything' society, says James E. Coleman Jr., a Duke University law professor who has both prosecuted and defended athletes in doping cases. |
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| Wal-Mart generic drug program promotes self-pay health care, Duke Economist Says |
27 December 2006 - Duke University
An announcement by Wal-Mart that it will offer hundreds of generic drugs at $4 per month boosts the self-pay model of health-care delivery, which can lower insurance premiums and increase a patient’s role as a consumer, says a Duke University health economist. |
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| Scientists surprised by 2002 ice storm's effects on a growing forest where |
26 December 2006 - Duke University
The increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere predicted for later this century may reduce the damage that future ice storms will cause to commercially important loblolly pine trees, according to a new study. |
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| Duke & Chicago found signs that gas can undergo a phase change leading to a novel state |
26 December 2006 - Duke University
A new study has disclosed perhaps the strongest evidence to date for superfluidity in an exotic gas that mimics extreme behavior in Nature, ranging from high temperature superconductivity to the behavior of fundamental particles in the Big Bang,when the universe is believed to have begun in a huge burst of energy within a very small space. Although the gas was trapped by a laser beam within billionths of a degree of absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature, researchers said it behaved like a superfluid flowing at high temperatures. |
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| Advances described in designing bio-detectors & structures scaled in millionths & billionths of a meter |
26 December 2006 - Duke University
A Duke University engineering group is doing pioneering work at very diminutive dimensions. Their basic studies could lead to genetically engineered proteins that can form erasable chemical detectors; self-grown forests of molecular 'bottlebrushes' that keep themselves contamination-free; and auto-assembled DNA 'towers' that could become anchors for the tiniest of devices. |
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| Advance might lead to more precise and safer endoscopic surgeries |
25 December 2006 - Duke University
-dimensional ultrasound probes built by researchers at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering have imaged the beating hearts of dogs. The engineers said their demonstration showed that the probes could give surgeons a better view during human endoscopic surgeries in which operations are performed through tiny “keyhole” incisions. |
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| Models under development could help Navy avoid whales during future sonar tests |
25 December 2006 - Duke University
'The models we're developing will allow the Navy to predict whether or not whales are likely to be in testing areas on days when sonar tests are planned,' says Andrew Read. |
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| Findings should serve warning to researchers who use surveys as method to study risky behaviors |
25 December 2006 - Duke University
Simply asking survey participants if they intend to exercise or use illegal drugs in the near future can result in increases in both behaviors, according to researchers at Duke University, the University of Pennsylvania and Baruch College.
These findings should serve as a warning to public policy and health behavior researchers who routinely use surveys as a method to study risky behaviors, the researchers say. |
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| A new study looks back and forward in time over a span of centuries |
24 December 2006 - Duke University
Human activities have caused some 500 bird species worldwide to go extinct over the past 500 years, and 21st-century extinction rates likely will accelerate to approximately 10 additional species per year unless societies take action to reverse the trend, according to a new report. |
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| How computer science method of machine learning can be applied to the genetics problem |
24 December 2006 - Duke University
“If I tell you there’s an island the size of Greenland, and I have buried 600 treasure chests somewhere on the island, you know nothing,” Hartemink explains. “We’ve identified genetic regions, or parts of the landscape, that are more likely to be where the ‘treasure’ of imprinted genes is buried. In that sense it’s like a treasure map.” |
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| A computer scientist and geneticist team up to produce a list of genes implicated in diseases |
23 December 2006 - Duke University
When a team of Duke researchers published a list of genes likely to contribute to human ailments ranging from Alzheimer’s and autism to diabetes and obesity, it shed light not only on diseases that afflict millions of people but also on how research that may lead to new treatments and cures is changing across the university. |
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| Study shows more than 13 percent of true cost of a pack of cigarettes is borne by smokers' families |
23 December 2006 - Duke University
In light of the surgeon general's recent report on secondhand smoke, it's clear that the smokers aren't the only ones who bear the cost of their habit, says a Duke University health policy researcher. |
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| Research provides new insights into Managers' unwillingness to cancel unsuccessful projects |
22 December 2006 - Duke University
Researchers at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business have identified a pattern of behavior that provides new insights into the failure of business and government leaders to correct or cancel failing projects that initially had been expected to succeed. |
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| Vo-Dinh developes range of instruments aimed at advancing scientific inquiry |
22 December 2006 - Duke University
Tuan Vo-Dinh, a pioneer in the field of photonics at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has joined the department of biomedical engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, where he will serve as director of the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics. |
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| Duke chemists' findings could aid understanding at fundamental level and discover new materials |
21 December 2006 - Duke University
Using a chain of molecules as an infinitesimal lanyard to tug on a chemical bond about to break, Duke University chemists have found they can speed a complex chemical reaction. |
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| Researchers develop new specialized treatment for depression |
21 December 2006 - Duke University
Researchers led by a Duke University psychologist have developed a new type of psychotherapy that is optimally designed to treat a particular type of depression. The new self-system therapy targets patients whose depression is linked to difficulty identifying and pursuing goals involving advancement, growth and achievement, according to Timothy J. Strauman, a co-developer of SST who is professor and co-chair of the Duke Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. About one-fifth of depressed patients fit this profile, Strauman said. |
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| Promise of Bladder Pacemaker for people with spinal cord injury |
21 December 2006 - Duke University
Their research could lead to a device that would restore bladder control for the more than 200,000 Americans living with spinal cord injury or disease-related spinal cord problems. |
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| Theoretical blueprint for invisibility cloak reported |
20 December 2006 - Duke University
Using a new design theory, researchers at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering and Imperial College London have developed the blueprint for an invisibility cloak. Once devised, the cloak could have numerous uses, from defense applications to wireless communications, the researchers said. |
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| Theoretical blueprint for invisibility cloak reported |
20 December 2006 - Duke University
Using a new design theory, researchers at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering and Imperial College London have developed the blueprint for an invisibility cloak. Once devised, the cloak could have numerous uses, from defense applications to wireless communications, the researchers said. |
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| Study examines pharmaceutical spending on post-approval drug safety |
20 December 2006 - Duke University
The recent removal of high-profile pharmaceutical treatments from the market has focused the public’s attention on drug safety efforts by companies and the Food and Drug Administration. |
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| Study shows that positive correlation is much stronger for secondary students than elementary students |
19 December 2006 - Duke University
It turns out that parents are right to nag: To succeed in school, kids should do their homework. Duke University researchers have reviewed more than 60 research studies on homework between 1987 and 2003 and concluded that homework does have a positive effect on student achievement. |
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| New theory of gravity challenges Einstein's general relativity |
19 December 2006 - Duke University
Scientists at Duke and Rutgers universities have developed a mathematical framework they say will enable astronomers to test a new five-dimensional theory of gravity that competes with Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. |
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| Proposed alloy could open the door in the search for promising electric superconductors |
18 December 2006 - Duke University
After an exhaustive data search for new compounds, researchers at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering have discovered a theoretical 'metal sandwich' that is expected to be a good superconductor. Superconductive materials have no resistance to the flow of electric current. |
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| Tuberculosis drugs for developing Countries will require significant resources, cooperation |
18 December 2006 - Duke University
Natural disasters such as mudslides and tsunamis bring massive media attention to impoverished nations, but the enduring problem of public health in those countries receives much less notice yet continues to endanger millions of lives each year. |
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| Mathematics can be envisioned graphically as the finding of Mt. Fujis of chemistry |
17 December 2006 - Duke University
Duke University theoretical chemists are investigating a new computer method that could help scientists identify the best molecules for drugs, electronic devices or an array of other uses. Their method would address the 'daunting' fact that 'that there aren't enough atoms in the universe to make all the reasonable-sized molecules that could be made,' said Duke chemistry professor David Beratan. |
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| Study conducted in Venezuelan reservoir where plants, animals were isolated on islands |
16 December 2006 - Duke University
Predators are, ironically, the key to keeping the world green, because they keep the numbers of plant-eating herbivores under control, reports a research team lead by John Terborgh, a professor of environmental science at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. |
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| Seven-month-olds show an abstract numerical sense before they can even talk |
15 December 2006 - Duke University
Cognitive neuroscientists have shown that babies have an abstract numerical sense, as demonstrated by their ability to match the number of voices they hear to the number of faces they expect to see. This numerical perception across senses demonstrates that babies have a truly abstract sense of numerical concepts, and not just one that is a function of a particular sense, even before they learn to speak. Previous experiments on this topic have yielded conflicting and equivocal results, said the researchers. |
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| Hydrogen bonds shown to play Conserved role in protein folding |
14 December 2006 - Duke University
By changing individual atoms in key places in proteins, Duke University chemists have found new evidence for the importance of comparatively weak 'hydrogen bonds' in enabling stringlike proteins to fold into the maximally stable shape they need to assume their roles as biological workhorses. Such protein folding immediately after proteins are synthesized is central to their function in the cell. |
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| Hydrogen bonds shown to play Conserved role in protein folding |
14 December 2006 - Duke University
By changing individual atoms in key places in proteins, Duke University chemists have found new evidence for the importance of comparatively weak 'hydrogen bonds' in enabling stringlike proteins to fold into the maximally stable shape they need to assume their roles as biological workhorses. Such protein folding immediately after proteins are synthesized is central to their function in the cell. |
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| Recent news stories on diet study & stimulants illustrate complexity of scientific research findings |
13 December 2006 - Duke University
People expect science to provide clear-cut answers, especially on health matters, but scientific research doesn’t always yield simple conclusions, says a Duke University expert on science and popular culture. |
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| Constructal theory predicts global climate patterns in simple way |
12 December 2006 - Duke University
The theory might prove useful for predicting the consequences of environmental change, such as shifts in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. A unifying physics principle that describes design in nature predicts, in surprisingly straightforward fashion, the basic features of global circulation and climate, according to researchers at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and the University of Evora in Portugal. They said the new approach to climate may have important implications for forecasting environmental change. |
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| Researchers evolve a complex genetic trait in the laboratory |
11 December 2006 - Duke University
Duke University biologists have evolved a complex trait in the laboratory, using the pressure of selection to induce tobacco hornworms to evolve the dual trait of turning black or green depending on the temperature during their development. The biologists have also demonstrated the basic hormonal mechanism underlying the evolution of such dual traits. |
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| Engineered heart tissue offers insights into Arrhythmias |
10 December 2006 - Duke University
Implanted defibrillators can protect many patients, but sometimes the devices instead accelerate rapid heart beats. The mechanism responsible for this had remained unclear. |
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| The Political spectrum have been rallying around need to turn away from unstable platform for our economy |
09 December 2006 - Duke University
In the days leading up to the State of the Union address, President George W. Bush has signaled that policies to reduce the United States’ oil use will be prominently featured in the speech. Such an initiative is welcome, according to Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, so long as it takes real and not illusory action. |
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| Discovery could lead to new understanding of physical forces at the cellular level |
08 December 2006 - Duke University
A component of many proteins has been found to constitute one of the most powerful and resilient molecular “springs” in nature, researchers have discovered. The engineers and biologists from Duke University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute say their discovery could lead to a new understanding of mechanical processes within the living cell. The discovery also could provide potent nanoscale “shock absorbers” or “gate-opening springs” in tiny nanomachines. |
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| A study by Duke Sociologists shows generation born between 1946 & 1964 is incredibly diverse |
07 December 2006 - Duke University
Although baby boomers are generally better off than previous generations, the enormous inequalities among the boomers mean many will struggle with poverty, declining health and lack of family networks as they age, two Duke University sociologists say. |
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| First-ever continental-scale genetic survey of soil bacteria only beginning of new studies |
06 December 2006 - Duke University
Ironically, in the diversity of soil bacteria, the otherwise species-rich Amazon is a more like a desert, while the arid desert is a teeming microbial Amazon, researchers have found. Their first-ever continental-scale genetic survey of soil bacteria revealed that the primary factor that seems to govern the diversity of soil bacteria is soil pH. Thus, the acidic soils of topical forests harbor fewer bacterial species than the neutral soils of deserts. |
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| Study defines effective Microbicide design for HIV/AIDS prevention |
05 December 2006 - Duke University
Duke University biomedical engineers have developed a computer tool they say could lead to improvements in topical microbicides being developed for women to use to prevent infection by the virus that causes AIDS. |
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| New engineered drug may offer prolonged Arthritis relief |
04 December 2006 - Duke University
Researchers at Duke University have devised a new way to significantly prolong the effects of an anti-inflammatory drug, potentially making it useful for providing longer-lasting treatment for osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. |
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| Child's sleep disorder may cause Hyperactivity |
01 October 2006 - Duke University
Children who sleep poorly may exhibit behavioral problems similar to those caused by attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Parents may want to ask their physician if pediatric sleep apnea could be contributing to a child’s hyperactive behavior. |
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| Magnetism shepherds microlenses to excavate 'nanocavities' |
20 April 2006 - Duke University
A Duke University engineer is 'herding' tiny lenses with magnetic ferrofluids, precisely aligning them so that they focus bursts of light to excavate patterns of cavities on surfaces. |
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| Ferns diversified in shadow of flowering plants |
01 April 2005 - Duke University
Belying the popular notion of ferns as delicate, lacy relics surmounted by the evolution of flowering plants, biologists have presented evidence for a much different scenario. Their studies indicate that when flowering plants, or angiosperms, evolved some 144 million years ago, ferns took advantage of ecological niches in the new angiosperm forests to diversify into a far richer array of species. |
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| 'Few-walled' carbon nanotubes said cheap and efficient option for certain applications |
16 March 2005 - Duke University
North Carolina scientists have found that 'thinnest' is not necessarily 'best' in rating structure and function of carbon nanotubes, the molecule-sized cylinders that show promise for futuristic technology scaled at a billionths of a metre. |
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| Deft surgical skills revealed that chromosomes unzip from their sisters when cells divide |
22 December 2004 - Duke University
By impaling individual chromosomes with glass needles one thousandth the diameter of a human hair, a Duke University graduate student has tested their 'stickiness' to one another during cell division. Her uncanny surgical skills have added a piece to the large and intricate puzzle of how one cell divides into two, a process fundamental to all organisms. |
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| Cardiologists present findings that explore heart treatments, disparities in outcomes |
17 November 2004 - Duke University
Duke medical research was on heavy display at this week's scientific session of the American Heart Association, and much of it attracted wide scientific and media attention. |
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| Researchers have figured out how to study how brain recalls autobiographical memories |
29 September 2004 - Duke University
Neuroscientists at Duke University have figured out how to study with rigorous experimental control how the brain recalls autobiographical memories, the memories of a person's past experiences. Their new 'photo paradigm' involves having subjects take photographs that they later recall in the laboratory while their brains are being scanned. |
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| Helping soldiers cope with combat stress |
17 September 2004 - Duke University
The first study of mental-health problems among U.S. troops returning from Iraq finds one of every eight soldiers reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. A VA psychiatrist says the military is providing more resources than ever to help troops cope with the psychological after-effects of war. |
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| Researchers discover natural selection to a play major role in heart disease study |
06 September 2004 - Duke University
Analyzing the frequency among human populations of a variant in a gene that influences vulnerability to heart disease, biologists have found evidence that the gene has been influenced by the pressure of natural selection. What's more, this evolutionary pressure has influenced heart disease risk. |
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| Cholesterol drugs may lower glaucoma risk |
03 September 2004 - Duke University
Findings from a preliminary study indicate that statins, medications prescribed to lower cholesterol, may also be useful in preventing and slowing the progression of glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness. |
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| Researchers collaborate to understand how receptors on nerve cells undergo endocytosis |
25 August 2004 - Duke University
Infinitesimal particles of gold have enabled neurobiologists to track down key molecules in the machinery of 'entry points' in neurons, offering clues to the organization of a region that has thus far remained largely unknown neuronal territory. |
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| Proteome Mining can zero in on drug targets |
23 August 2004 - Duke University
Development of drugs to treat a broad array of diseases, including cancer, hypertension, diabetes, inflammation and infectious diseases, could become enormously more effective through the process of 'proteome mining,' according to a Duke University Medical Center pharmacologist. |
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| Parents do matter, especially in adolescence, when children decide where they want to go |
14 August 2004 - Duke University
Students whose parents are involved in their schooling have higher career and educational goals, according to a new Duke University study of middle- and high-schoolers. |
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| Research study testing statins to slow Alzheimer's |
06 August 2004 - Duke University
Early research suggests that statins, drugs commonly taken to control cholesterol and prevent heart disease, may also help slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. A national study is now underway to test several medications for this purpose. |
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| Sediment core studies imply some prehistoric dry spells in northern Great Plains lasted several decades |
02 August 2004 - Duke University
Events like the great Dust Bowl of the 1930s, immortalized in 'The Grapes of Wrath' and remembered as a transforming event for millions of Americans, were regular parts of much-earlier cycles of droughts followed by recoveries in the region, according to new studies by a multi-institutional research team led by Duke University. |
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| New evidence from modern distributions suggests ancient trees may have lived near ice sheet |
02 August 2004 - Duke University
In a study with implications for how North American trees might respond to a changing climate, molecular information collected by Duke University researchers refutes a widely accepted theory that many of the continent's tree species migrated rapidly from the deep South as glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age. |
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| Strong correlation found between caffeine intacke and increased insulin levels in diabetics |
30 July 2004 - Duke University
“Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found a strong correlation between caffeine intake at mealtime and increased glucose and insulin levels among people with type-2 diabetes. |
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| Device can find symptoms of arthritis before X-rays can |
30 July 2004 - Duke University
“A device developed to scan computer circuit boards for defects can detect the earliest signs of hand osteoarthritis, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found. |
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| Common sleep disorder can lead to serious health risk |
23 July 2004 - Duke University
Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea typically snore heavily and experience frequent cessations of breathing during sleep. This common condition can lead to serious medical problems if left untreated. |
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| Give safe liquids for heat-related illness |
16 July 2004 - Duke University
When someone shows signs of heat-related illness, one of the first steps is to give liquids to help keep the body hydrated. An expert cautions to avoid giving drinks with caffeine or alcohol, which could actually cause more dehydration. |
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| Outlook improving for kids with juvenile Arthritis |
02 July 2004 - Duke University
You might not think that arthritis is a big problem for children, but Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, or J-R-A, is the third most common chronic childhood illness. Symptoms include pain, stiffness and swelling, and severe cases can cause growth disorders. |
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| New thermodynamic theory will help engineers Go With the Flow |
18 June 2004 - Duke University
'Constructal Law' may enable the designers of cars, planes, air conditioners and other devices to take a more scientific approach to a development process now based on trial and error. |
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| How brain gives special resonance to emotional memories |
10 June 2004 - Duke University
A new Duke study provides clear evidence from humans that the brain's emotional center interacts with memory-related brain regions during the formation of such memories as the thrill of first love. |
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| Prenatal nicotine exposure may increase obesity risk |
04 June 2004 - Duke University
Early research shows that children who are exposed to nicotine before birth may have an increased likelihood of being obese during childhood. A Duke researcher explains what may cause this to occur. |
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| Younger girls showing warning signs for eating disorders |
21 May 2004 - Duke University
Disordered eating behavior, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia, affects as many as one in every 10 girls. These psychological disorders, which can be serious and sometimes fatal, typically affect girls between the ages of 14 and 19. |
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| Customize exercise level to individual health needs |
17 May 2004 - Duke University
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Regular exercise can help you manage your weight, reduce stress and cut your risk of heart attack and stroke. But what level of exercise will yield the health benefits you're looking for? William Kraus, director of clinical research at Duke University's Center for Living, says the answer may depend on what you need to work on. |
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| Tests show that bump-ridged flippers do not stall as quickly & produce more lift & less drag |
11 May 2004 - Duke University
Wind tunnel tests of scale-model humpback whale flippers have revealed that the scalloped, bumpy flipper is a more efficient wing design than is currently used by the aeronautics industry on airplanes. The tests show that bump-ridged flippers do not stall as quickly and produce more lift and less drag than comparably sized sleek flippers. |
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| Mimicking humpback whale flippers may improve airplane wing design |
11 May 2004 - Duke University
Wind tunnel tests of scale-model humpback whale flippers have revealed that the scalloped, bumpy flipper is a more efficient wing design than is currently used by the aeronautics industry on airplanes. |
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| Research takes an early, important step toward quantum computing |
05 May 2004 - Duke University
Scientists from Duke and Purdue universities have fabricated a complex transistor that can control two minuscule dots of electrons so tightly that individual electrons from each dot can interact through the exotic rules of quantum mechanics. |
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| Enzyme Ink shows potential for nanomanufacturing |
20 April 2004 - Duke University
Duke University engineers have demonstrated that enzymes can be used to create nanoscale patterns on gold. Since many enzymes are already commercially available and well characterized, the potential for writing with enzyme 'ink' represents an important advance in nanomanufacturing. |
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| Smokers face greater risk of blindness |
16 April 2004 - Duke University
New research finds that smoking cigarettes greatly increases your risk of blindness. Michael Cooney, director of the Center for Macular Degeneration at the Duke Eye Center, says age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the most common cause of adult blindness, affecting a third of older adults. |
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| Duke engineers fabricating polymer 'nanobrushes' and other 'smart' molecule-sized structures |
30 March 2004 - Duke University
Engineers from Duke University have described progress building so-called 'smart nanostructures,' including billionths-of-a-metre-scale 'nanobrushes' that can selectively and reversibly sprout from surfaces in response to changes in temperature or solvent chemistry. |
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| Duke chemists describe new kind of 'nanotube' transistor |
29 March 2004 - Duke University
Duke University researchers exploring ways to build ultrasmall electronic devices out of atom-thick carbon cylinders have incorporated one of these 'carbon nanotubes' into a new kind of field effect transistor. The Duke investigators also reported new insights into their previously published technique for growing nanotubes in straight structures as long as half an inch. |
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