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Today's Science News
Safe alternative for labelling grapefruit
Laser labelling of fruit and vegetables is a new, patented technology in which a low-energy carbon dioxide laser beam is used to etch information on produce, thereby eliminating the need for common sticker-type labels.Sleep deprivation affects processing
Sleep deprivation causes some people to shift from a more automatic, implicit process of information categorization to a more controlled, explicit process.Rare mutation linked to schizophrenia
An international team of researchers has identified a mutation on human chromosome 16 that substantially increases risk for schizophrenia.
Pharmacology
Largest malaria vaccine trial underway
A pivotal efficacy trial of RTS,S, the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, is now underway in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.Enzyme-driven productino of Lovastatin
Researchers have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin.Old drugs, new uses
Scientists have developed and experimentally tested a technique to predict new target diseases for existing drugs.
Nanotechnology
Carbon nanotubes can affect lining of the lungs
A new study shows that inhaling these nanotubes can affect the outer lining of the lung, though the effects of long-term exposure remain unclear.New route to nano self-assembly
Researchers have found a simple and yet powerfully robust way to induce nanoparticles to assemble themselves into complex arrays.Decade-long mystery of nanopillar formations solved
Billions have uncovered the physical mechanism by which arrays of nanoscale pillars can be grown on polymer films with very high precision, in potentially limitless patterns.
Environment
Timber harvest impacts amphibian growth
Researchers found that removing all of the trees from a section of the forest had a negative effect on amphibians during their later life cycles, but had some positive effects during amphibians' aquatic larva stages at the beginning of their lives.Wolves, moose and biodiversity
The carcasses of moose killed by wolves at Isle Royale National Park enrich the soil in "hot spots" of forest fertility around the kills, causing rapid microbial and fungal growth that provide increased nutrients for plants in the area.Beaches become a model for preservation
While most people head to Myrtle Beach for vacation, a group of scientists have been hitting the famous South Carolina beach for years to figure out how to keep the sand from washing away.
Biotechnology
Fatty acids anger the immune system
Researchers have new evidence to explain how saturated fatty acids, which soar in those who are obese, can lead the immune system to respond in ways that add up to chronic, low-grade inflammation.Drunken fruit flies aid fight against alcoholism
A group of drunken fruit flies have helped researchers identify entire networks of genes-also present in humans-that play a key role in alcohol drinking behaviour.Surface texture and algae growth
Engineers are assessing systematic production methods that could make the costs of algae oil production more reasonable, helping move the U.S. from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy replacements.
Genetics
Pair of genes cause aggressive leukaemia
New research carried out on gene-modified mice indicate that two genes, each one of which is known to cause cancer on its own, together can lead to aggressive leukaemia.Sex-based prenatal brain differences found
Prenatal sex-based biological differences extend to genetic expression in cerebral cortices. The differences in question are probably associated with later divergences in how our brains develop.Making the blind see
A recent study used gene therapy to safely improve vision in five children and seven adults with Leber's congenital amaurosis.