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Hsp104 protein switches mechanism to break up amyloid versus disordered clumps

Several fatal brain disorders, including Parkinson's disease, are connected by the misfolding of specific proteins into disordered clumps and stable, insoluble fibrils called amyloid. Amyloid fibrils are hard to break up due to their stable, ordered structure. For example, α-synuclein forms amyloid fibrils that accumulate in Lewy Bodies in Parkinson's disease. By contrast, protein clumps that accumulate in response to environmental stress, such as heat shock, possess a less stable, disordered architecture.

20 Nov 2012

New solar steam method from Rice University

Rice University scientists have unveiled a revolutionary new technology that uses nanoparticles to convert solar energy directly into steam. The new "solar steam" method from Rice's Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP) is so effective it can even produce steam from icy cold water.

20 Nov 2012

General guidelines to understand allergic skin conditions

Winter months can bring on the itch as cold weather and indoor heat dry out the skin. It's possible, suggests Chicago allergist, Brian Rotskoff, MD of Clarity Allergy Center, that your winter itch could be caused by more than just the weather. For some people itchy, dry skin is just that, but for others it can be a symptom of atopic dermatitis (eczema), contact dermatitis, or hives (urticaria).

16 Nov 2012

Tug of war between Hsp70 and 90 determines how much the body makes of superoxide

Two proteins are in a tug of war that determines how much the body makes of superoxide, a highly reactive and potentially destructive product of oxygen that's dramatically elevated in cardiovascular disease, researchers report.

16 Nov 2012

Electrical engineers develop new technology to monitor medical vital signs

Electrical engineers at Oregon State University have developed new technology to monitor medical vital signs, with sophisticated sensors so small and cheap they could fit onto a bandage, be manufactured in high volumes and cost less than a quarter.

16 Nov 2012

Couples with high PCB levels and other pollutants take longer to achieve pregnancy

Couples with high levels of PCBs and similar environmental pollutants take longer to achieve pregnancy in comparison to other couples with lower levels of the pollutants, according to a preliminary study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

14 Nov 2012

Older North American farmers face increased risk of serious injury

Older North American farmers work fewer hours than their younger peers but spend more time operating heavy machinery and equipment-raising their risk of serious injury, according to new research from the University of Alberta.

13 Nov 2012

Tips to stay safe during cold-weather months

With temperatures falling into the 30s this week, people will be turning up the heat to stay warm. But, as the temperature drops, the number of patients treated by the Vanderbilt Regional Burn Center typically increases due to unsafe heating methods that result in injury.

9 Nov 2012

New method can help identify smoke-divers in danger

Smoke-divers are exposed to high temperatures, physical exhaustion and stress, and they can easily exceed the limits of what good health can tolerate. A new method based on measurements made by a wireless sensor system lets them know when the body has had enough.

9 Nov 2012

Study reveals increased risk of leukemia among Chernobyl cleanup workers

A 20-year study following 110,645 workers who helped clean up after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet territory of Ukraine shows that the workers share a significant increased risk of developing leukemia. The results may help scientists better define cancer risk associated with low doses of radiation from medical diagnostic radiation procedures such as computed tomography scans and other sources.

8 Nov 2012

Women more likely to develop spice allergy

Imagine a world where you could never dine away from home, wear makeup, smell of sweet perfumes or eat a large percentage of food on store shelves. According to allergists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting that is kicking off today in Anaheim, Calif., that is the world for 2 to 3 percent of individuals living with a spice allergy.

8 Nov 2012

Sperm viability assessed in a number of UK fertility laboratories by using Linkam’s warm stages

With precise temperature control, Linkam warm stages are vital for sperm motility testing, supporting fertility evaluations in clinical and research settings.

From Linkam Scientific Instruments 7 Nov 2012

Low vitamin D levels mediate racial disparities in pain

A new study reveals that black Americans display lower levels of vitamin D and greater pain sensitivity compared to white Americans. Findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), indicate that vitamin D deficiency may be one of many factors that account for increased pain in older black Americans with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

7 Nov 2012

With Election Day hours away, polls show deadlocked race

The last round of polls shows the contest between President Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney virtually tied. Meanwhile, news outlets report on how health issues are motivating some voters and what policies the winner might put in place.

6 Nov 2012

Binghamton researcher invents tiny directional microphone suitable for hearing aids

Binghamton University researcher Ron Miles invented a tiny directional microphone - suitable for use in hearing aids - that filters out unwanted sounds. Now, with help from the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund, he hopes to bring the idea to the marketplace.

6 Nov 2012

First Edition: November 5, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about the final round of polls, forecasts regarding which party will control the House and Senate and analysis of how campaign-trail messages have been playing during the election season's final hours.

5 Nov 2012

House Republicans appear to have thwarted Democratic attack on Medicare

Attacking Paul Ryan's Medicare plan - once seen as the most potent weapon in House Democrats' campaign arsenal - is turning out to be a dud. Democratic leaders have hit Medicare harder than any other issue for more than a year, even calling Ryan's plan a "majority-maker."

4 Nov 2012

First study to measure minute changes in breast tumor connective tissue fibers

Using advanced microscopes equipped with tissue-penetrating laser light, cancer imaging experts at Johns Hopkins have developed a promising, new way to accurately analyze the distinctive patterns of ultra-thin collagen fibers in breast tumor tissue samples and to help tell if the cancer has spread.

3 Nov 2012

AARP urges people to check on elderly family, friends and neighbors in wake of disaster

Sandy has come and gone in New York, leaving a trail of disaster behind, and few know this better than elderly residents in impacted areas. With often times limited mobility, delayed reaction, and reliance on prescriptions for their health, when disaster strikes, the elderly are left struggling.

3 Nov 2012