Futurity.org » Duke University

Polio virus engineered to kill brain tumor

Karl Bates-Duke — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:17:36 +0000

DUKE (US) — A modified polio virus appears to be effective in attacking glioblastoma brain tumor cells, researchers report in an early study to establish proper dosing levels.

Tested in an ongoing phase 1 study, the treatment capitalizes on the discovery that cancer cells have an abundance of receptors that work like magnets drawing the polio virus, which then infects and kills the cells.

Do bird brains trade songs for spatial skills?

Ashley Yeager-Duke — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:41:03 +0000

DUKE (US) — A long playlist doesn’t mean a male song sparrow is smarter overall, say scientists, who found that spatial memory was lower among the birds with more tunes.

“For songbirds, singing a lot of songs indicates a bird is smart, but that signal is not necessarily indicative of intelligence for everything,” says Duke University biologist Steve Nowicki.

No signs of fracking fluids in Arkansas drinking water

Tim Lucas-Duke — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:18:51 +0000

DUKE (US) — Samples from drinking water wells show no evidence of groundwater contamination from shale gas production in Arkansas.

“Our results show no discernible impairment of groundwater quality in areas associated with natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing in this region,” says Avner Vengosh, professor of geochemistry and water quality at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment.

New invisibility cloak is 3D-printed ‘frisbee’

Richard Merritt-Duke — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:33:24 +0000

DUKE (US) — Seven years ago, the first working invisibility cloak resulted from complex laboratory experiments. It’s now easier and cheaper to make a simple cloak.

“I would argue that essentially anyone who can spend a couple thousand dollars on a non-industry grade 3-D printer can literally make a plastic cloak overnight,” says Yaroslav Urzhumov, assistant research professor in electrical and computer engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering.

Three-dimensional printing, technically known as stereolithographic fabrication, has become increasingly popular, not only among industry, but for personal use. It involves a moving nozzle guided by a computer program laying down successive thin layers of a material—usually a polymer plastic—until a three-dimensional object is produced.

Radio collars reveal hibernating lemurs

Karl Bates-Duke — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:48:42 +0000

DUKE (US) — Scientists only knew of one primate that hibernates as a survival strategy—the western fat-tailed dwarf lemur—but it turns out they’re not the only lemurs nodding off.

In a study appearing today in Scientific Reports, researchers report that two other little-known lemurs—Crossley’s dwarf lemur and Sibree’s dwarf lemur—burrow into the soft, spongy rainforest floor in the eastern part of Madagascar, curl up and spend the next three to seven months snoozing underground.

Baby’s cells emit hormone to prevent preeclampsia

Tom Hughes-UNC — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:34:47 +0000

UNC-CHAPEL HILL (US) — A new understanding of the hormonal “conversation” between mother and fetus could lead to new ways to detect and prevent preeclampsia.

In a study using mice, researchers found that a hormone, adrenomedullin, plays a crucial role in preventing the pregnancy complication preeclampsia. Surprisingly, this hormone protects women from preeclampsia when emitted by the fetus, not the mother, during the most critical times in pregnancy.

Conservatives don’t buy into ‘green’ labels

Erin Medlyn-Duke — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:22:48 +0000

DUKE (US) — When it comes to deciding which light bulb to buy, a label touting a product’s environmental benefit may actually discourage politically conservative shoppers.

Researchers conducted two studies to determine how political ideology affected a person’s choice to buy energy-efficient products in the United States.

Jumpy dew drops clean cicada wings

Karl Bates-Duke — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:28:30 +0000

DUKE (US) — As cicadas on the East Coast begin emerging from their 17-year slumber, a spritz of dew drops is all they need to keep their wings fresh and clean.

Researchers at Duke University and James Cook University in Australia have shown that dew drops can be beneficial not only in cleaning cicada wings, but other water-repellant surfaces. On these so-called superhydrophobic surfaces, dew drops “jump” by themselves, carrying away the contaminants.

After injury, brain ‘niche’ makes astrocytes

Sarah Avery-Duke — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:50:53 +0000

DUKE (US) — Astrocytes, brain cells once thought to impede healing, are actually necessary to staunch bleeding and promote repair after stroke or head trauma, report researchers.

These cells can be produced from stem cells in the brain after injury. They migrate to the site of damage where they are much more effective in promoting recovery than previously thought. This insight from studies in mice, reported online today in Nature, may help researchers develop treatments that foster brain repair.

“The injury recovery process is complex,” says senior author Chay T. Kuo, assistant professor of cell biology, pediatrics, and neurobiology at Duke University.

Doctors make the call about gun permits

Tom Hughes-UNC — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:22:13 +0000

UNC-CHAPEL HILL (US) — New protocols and policies are needed to help physicians assess a patient’s physical or mental competency to carry a concealed weapon, say experts.

In the wake of recent mass shootings, such as the one in Newtown, Conn., physicians are increasingly being called on to pass judgment in the permitting process on whether their patient is physically and mentally competent to safely have and use a concealed weapon.