Archive for January, 2010

Microbes produce fuels directly from biomass

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Researchers have developed a microbe that can produce an advanced biofuel fuel directly from biomass. Deploying the tools of synthetic biology, the researchers engineered a strain of E. coli bacteria to produce biodiesel and other important chemicals derived from fatty acids.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/f2flyIP-a-4″ height=”1″ width=”1″/

Blocking key protein in mice helps them resist viral infection

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Researchers have discovered a potential new way to stimulate the immune system to prevent or clear a viral infection. By blocking the action of a key protein in the mouse immune system, they were able to boost immune “memory” in those mice — work that may one day help doctors increase the effectiveness of human vaccines designed to prevent viral infections.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/n12AM-nM8mY” height=”1″ width=”1″/

New insights into allergy-related disorders in children

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Allergies and asthma are a continuing health problem in most developed countries, but just how do these ailments develop over the course of a childhood? In a population-based study designed to help answer this question, researchers in Norway found that 40 per cent — or two of five — of nearly 5,000 two-year-olds had at least one reported allergy-related disorder.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/SsQ5sJ3qlNI” height=”1″ width=”1″/

Insulin research points way to better diabetes treatments

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

New research significantly improves our understanding of how insulin interacts with cells in the human body with implications for the treatments of diabetes.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/ejtcfFboEpw” height=”1″ width=”1″/

Plasma experiments aboard International Space Station yielding better picture of liquids and solids

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

A series of experiments studying complex plasmas is taking place on board the international space station ISS. Physicists from Germany will use these experiments to study fundamental structure forming processes to better understand what happens in liquids and solids.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/fhSn6BKjy3s” height=”1″ width=”1″/

His or hers jealousy? New explanation for sex differences in jealousy

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Research has documented that most men become much more jealous about sexual infidelity than they do about emotional infidelity. Women are the opposite, and this is true all over the world.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/7lDWtTcdNQ4″ height=”1″ width=”1″/

Gecko’s lessons transfer well: Dry printing of nanotube patterns to any surface could revolutionize microelectronics

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Scientists have come up with a way to transfer forests of strongly aligned, single-walled carbon nanotubes from one surface to another — any surface — in a matter of minutes. The template used to grow the nanotubes, with its catalyst particles still intact, can be used repeatedly to grow more nanotubes, almost like inking a rubber stamp.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/knW3RyFe2QM” height=”1″ width=”1″/

Scientists find survival factor for keeping nerve cells healthy

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Scientists have discovered a novel survival factor whose rapid transport along nerve cells is crucial for keeping them alive. The same factor seems likely to be needed to keep our nerves healthy as we age.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/FJ9aQwsSuBU” height=”1″ width=”1″/

Could generating energy from waste be the answer?

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Scientists are helping to find answers to one of the most difficult problems facing the world today: generating energy without accelerating climate change or harming food production. Researchers are investigating biofuels generated from wastes. These are seen by many as the ‘green alternative’ to using fossil fuels.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/F2F0UtQTopc” height=”1″ width=”1″/

New therapeutic approach identified for kidney disease associated with lupus

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Researchers have identified a new disease mechanism and therapeutic approach for a type of advanced kidney disease that is a common cause of complications in patients with lupus.img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/sciencedaily/~4/nM6TCjbFJQY” height=”1″ width=”1″/