Archive for November, 2006



Protective Garment: Liquid-crystal Rubber Suit Prevents Overheating

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
To make breathable rubber, Douglas Gin of the University of Colorado, Brian Elliott at TDA Research Inc. (Wheat Ridge, Colorado), and colleagues blended synthetic rubber with a liquid-crystal molecule that could also be crosslinked like the rubber itself.
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Second Opinion Yields Treatment Changes For Half Of Patients

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
More than half of breast cancer patients who sought a second opinion from a multidisciplinary tumor board received a change in their recommended treatment plan, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Mystery Of Ancient Astronomical Calculator Unveiled

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
An international team has unravelled the secrets of a 2,000-year-old computer which could transform the way we think about the ancient world.
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Abortion Pill Compound Prevents Breast Tumor Growth

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
The chemical compound for the abortion pill has been found to prevent the growth of mammary tumors caused by the mutant gene responsible for a majority of breast and ovarian cancers, according to UC Irvine scientists.
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Noise-immune Stethoscope Helps Medics Hear Vital Signs In Loud Environments

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
A new type of stethoscope enables doctors to hear the sounds of the body in extremely loud situations, such as during the transportation of wounded soldiers in Blackhawk helicopters.
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Researchers Discover How A Key Dietary Vitamin Is Absorbed

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found the mechanism by which the B vitamin folate — a crucially important nutrient — is absorbed by the intestinal tract. Their findings solve a longstanding mystery as to how folates in the diet are absorbed and pave the way for a genetic test that can save the lives of infants who lack the ability to absorb folate.
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Nobel Laureate Finds ‘Elegant’ Explanation For DNA Transcribing Enzyme’s High Fidelity

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Last month, Roger Kornberg of Stanford University won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his efforts to unravel the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription, in which enzymes give “voice” to DNA by copying it into the RNA molecules that serve as templates for protein in organisms from yeast to humans.
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New Study Suggests Speakers Of Different Languages Perceive Rhythm Differently

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Do the sounds of our native languages affect how we hear music and other non-language sounds? A team of American and Japanese researchers has found evidence that native languages influence the way people group non-language sounds into rhythms.
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Link Between Huntington’s And Abnormal Cholesterol Levels Discovered In Brain

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a protein interaction that may explain how the deadly Huntington’s disease affects the brain. The findings, published in and featured on the cover of the current issue of Human Molecular Genetics, show how the mutated Huntington’s protein interacts with another protein to cause dramatic accumulation of cholesterol in the brain.
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Older Medication May Be More Cost-effective For Some Patients With Schizophrenia

Thursday, November 30th, 2006
A new study analyzing the economic implications of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) concludes that the older (first generation) antipsychotic medication perphenazine was less expensive and no less effective than the newer (second generation) medications used in the trial during initial treatment, suggesting that older antipsychotics still have a role in treating schizophrenia.
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