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Research: Sharp edged graphene sheets can easily pierce cell membranes

Researchers from Brown University have shown how tiny graphene microsheets - ultra-thin materials with a number of commercial applications - could be big trouble for human cells.

12 Jul 2013

Research: Experimental drug can protect kidneys from acute kidney injury

New research reveals the mechanism by which an experimental drug can protect the kidneys from sudden damage, called acute kidney injury (AKI). The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), show how the drug may be able to save many lives and cut medical costs related to the condition.

12 Jul 2013

Molecular protein folding process may help medical researchers understand and treat diseases

Scientists using sophisticated imaging techniques have observed a molecular protein folding process that may help medical researchers understand and treat diseases such as Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's and cancer.

30 Jun 2013

Treating bacteria with silver compounds boosts efficacy of old antibiotics

Slipping bacteria some silver could give old antibiotics new life, scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University reported June 19 in Science Translational Medicine.

20 Jun 2013

Researchers use patient-specific stem cells to correct deficient insulin-producing cells

A team from the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute and the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center of Columbia University has generated patient-specific beta cells, or insulin-producing cells, that accurately reflect the features of maturity-onset diabetes of the young.

18 Jun 2013

Scientists find that psychiatric disorders may be linked to protein involved in memory formation

Researchers have discovered a pathway by which the brain controls a molecule critical to forming long-term memories and connected with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

17 Jun 2013

University of Nottingham scientists discover previously undetected layer in the cornea

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have discovered a previously undetected layer in the cornea, the clear window at the front of the human eye.

11 Jun 2013

Researchers determine precise chemical structure of HIV capsid

Researchers have determined the precise chemical structure of the HIV capsid, a protein shell that protects the virus's genetic material and is a key to its ability to infect and debilitate the human body's defense mechanism.

1 Jun 2013

Scientists move closer to understanding HIV-1 infection

Scientists have long been unable to fully explain how infections attack the body, but now a team of researchers, including one from the University of Central Florida, has taken a step closer to understanding how the process works in HIV-1. The results mean that one day that knowledge may prevent infection.

31 May 2013

Strengthening miniaturized titanium-based medical devices: an interview with Dr Masaru Rao, University of California, Riverside

While titanium is used widely for more conventional macro-scale medical devices (e.g. hip implants, dental implants, and cardiac pacemakers), its use for micro- and nano-scale devices has been limited thus far.

29 May 2013

Coenzyme Q10 decreases all cause mortality by half in randomized double blind trial

Coenzyme Q10 decreases all cause mortality by half, according to the results of a multicentre randomised double blind trial presented today at Heart Failure 2013 congress.

27 May 2013

Calyx of Held: The largest synapse could shed light on neuropsychiatric disorders

Humans and most mammals can determine the spatial origin of sounds with remarkable acuity. We use this ability all the time -- crossing the street; locating an invisible ringing cell phone in a cluttered bedroom.

27 May 2013

Physicists develop novel technique that can detect molecular variants

Harvard physicists have developed a novel technique that can detect molecular variants in chemical mixtures - greatly simplifying a process that is one of the most important, though time-consuming, processes in analytical chemistry.

23 May 2013

Study: Air and noise pollution may increase risk of cardiovascular disease

Both fine-particle air pollution and noise pollution may increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to German researchers who have conducted a large population study, in which both factors were considered simultaneously.

21 May 2013

Humans: The primary cause of global climate change

Do most scientists agree that human activity is causing global climate change? Yes, they do, according to an extensive analysis of the abstracts or summaries of scientific papers published over the past 20 years, even though public perception tends to be that climate scientists disagree over the fundamental cause of climate change.

17 May 2013

New research reveals how endothelium maintains highly efficient barrier function

The endothelium, the cellular layer lining the body's blood vessels, is extremely resilient. Measuring just a few hundred nanometers in thickness, this super-tenuous structure routinely withstands blood flow, hydrostatic pressure, stretch and tissue compression to create a unique and highly dynamic barrier that maintains the organization necessary to partition tissues from the body's circulatory system.

17 May 2013

RaySearch Laboratories gets FDA approval for RayStation 3.5

In March RaySearch Laboratories AB announced that version 3.5 of RaySearch's RayStation treatment planning system had been released for clinical use.

15 May 2013

Protein tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a powerful weapon to control cancer

The protein tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a powerful weapon in the arsenal to control cancer. Unfortunately, as is the case with many potent cancer therapies, the use of TNF-alpha as an anti-cancer therapy has been severely limited.

8 May 2013

Metallurgists use microwave oven to produce nanocrystal semiconductors

University of Utah metallurgists used an old microwave oven to produce a nanocrystal semiconductor rapidly using cheap, abundant and less toxic metals than other semiconductors. They hope it will be used for more efficient photovoltaic solar cells and LED lights, biological sensors and systems to convert waste heat to electricity.

6 May 2013

High-energy proton beam therapy offers potential treatment option for eye cancer

Particle beams - from low energy beams with exotic ions through to extremely high energy light sources - are revolutionising the way we view the world and creating potential for new industries, but the instrumentation for controlling the beams is still in its infancy.

26 Apr 2013