Researchers at Tohoku University have discovered that the calcium ion influx into cells, which can control the various cell activities, can be enhanced by the short-lived reactive species generated in the atmospheric pressure plasma.
This breakthrough is expected to contribute significantly to plasma medicine research - specifically, the elucidation of the mechanisms of plasma treatment for gene transfection, cancer therapy, blood coagulation and wound healing.
Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have found possums in New Zealand prefer to eat leaves high in available protein, giving authorities new evidence to help them limit possum damage to New Zealand's forests.
Possums are considered a pest in New Zealand, where the government spends tens of millions of dollars each year to eradicate them. Possums are protected as a native species in Australia.
Maternal stress and depression during pregnancy may activate certain protective mechanisms in babies. Psychologists from the University of Basel together with international colleagues report that certain epigenetic adaptations in newborns suggest this conclusion. Their results have been published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
A new experimental and clinical study from Lund University in Sweden shows that the sleep hormone melatonin impairs insulin secretion in people with a common gene variant. "This could explain why the risk of type 2 diabetes is greater among, for instance, overnight workers or people with sleeping disorders", says Professor Hindrik Mulder who is responsible for the study.
An illegal trade in marine turtles is continuing despite legislation and conservation awareness campaigns, a pioneering study has shown.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter in the Cape Verde islands, 500 km off the West Coast of Africa, and one of the world's leading nesting sites for the protected loggerhead species, found that the biological impact of the trade has been previously underestimated and that turtles are still being harvested and consumed.
The numbers are staggering: more than 40 % is the lifetime risk of developing cancer in the U.S., with only 66 % survival-rates 5 years after diagnosis, for all types of cancer. Trends suggest that in 2015, over 1.6 million new cases were diagnosed in the U.S., with over 580,000 deaths in consequence.
A unique and pioneering study of the ancient and modern DNA of the 'ship of the desert' -- the single humped camel or dromedary -- has shed new light on how its use by human societies has shaped its genetic diversity.
Proteins are essential for processes that sustain life. They are created in cells through a process called gene expression, which uses instructions from stretches of DNA called genes to build proteins. Sometimes genes are faulty and create proteins that contain errors, preventing the cell from functioning properly. These lead to genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis and haemophilia.
The Puerta de Alcalá, the Prado Museum and the monastery of El Escorial are some of the monuments built with berroqueña stone, the traditional name of the high-quality Madrid granites which are also used in airports, for example Athens, and modern shopping centres around the world such as China. As with renowned wines and cheeses Spanish geologists now propose to the International Union of Geological Sciences that these granites should become part of the list of natural stones with designation of origin because of their cultural and economic importance.
New Haven, Conn.--A Yale scientist collaborated with researchers at Duke University and surgeons in Poland and the United States to create bioengineered blood vessels for kidney-disease patients on dialysis. The man-made vessels appeared to be both safe and more durable than commonly used synthetic versions, said the investigators.
Their study findings -- which set the stage for further investigation in randomized controlled trials -- were published May 12 in The Lancet.
The importance of forest conservation and forest regrowth in climate mitigation and carbon sequestration - capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere - has long been recognized by climate scientists. But, detailed information needed to make accurate estimates of this potential has been missing.
Now, an international team of 60 scientists - working together as the 2ndFOR Network -- has completed studies on the effects of forest conservation and secondary forest regeneration across 43 regions in Latin America and has come up with real answers.
Researchers and businesses have often operated under the idea that work-related cultural values are defined by country - just think of stereotypes about countries that are known to have hard workers or are team-oriented. A new study finds that nationality is actually a bad proxy for work-related cultural values, and points to other groupings - such as occupation - as more reliable indicators.
New research from the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) has discovered that a new subset of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could benefit from taking the drug cetuximab.
Senior investigator Chris O'Callaghan with the Queen's University-based CCTG worked with lead researcher Geoff Liu from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group on the research.
ATLANTA - May 13, 2016 -A new report assesses how the nation fared against the ambitious challenge goal set by the American Cancer Society to reduce the cancer death rates by 50% over 25 years ending in 2015. The report finds areas where progress was substantial, and others where it was not.
CHICAGO - A novel measure for assessing the body's response to surgery may allow for better anesthesia management in the O.R., less pain when regaining consciousness from anesthesia and better postoperative outcomes. According to a study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the measure, called the nociception (pain) level index, allowed physicians to more accurately evaluate responses to painful stimulation in patients under general anesthesia, compared to traditional measures.