Futurity.org » University at Buffalo

Flame retardant linked to autism risk

Phyllis Brown-UC Davis — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:36:46 +0000

UC DAVIS (US) — Exposure to flame retardant is linked to smaller offspring with social and learning issues, according to a study with mice.

Mice genetically engineered to be susceptible to autism-like behaviors that were exposed to a common flame retardant were less fertile and their offspring were smaller, less sociable, and demonstrated marked deficits in learning and long-term memory when compared with the offspring of normal unexposed mice, the researchers report.

The University of California, Davis researchers say the study, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, is the first to link genetics and epigenetics with exposure to a flame retardant chemical.

“This study highlights the interaction between epigenetics and the effects of early exposure to flame retardants,” says Janine LaSalle, the study’s senior author and a researcher affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute.

Mass extinction survivors took 2M years to evolve

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:40:00 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — Following one of Earth’s greatest mass extinctions, a type of tiny marine organism didn’t begin to rapidly develop new physical traits until about 2 million years after its competition became extinct.

The discovery challenges the widely held assumption that a period of explosive evolution quickly follows for survivors of mass extinctions.

Send cargo to brain in nontoxic ‘vessels’

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:43:32 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — A novel class of nanoparticles penetrates the brain of fruit flies without harming cells or interfering with normal function, raising the possibility of safe drug delivery, researchers say.

Each particle is a vessel, containing cavities that scientists could potentially fill with helpful chemical compounds or gene therapies to send to different parts of the human body.

4-D coming to a universe near you?

First sex boosts guys’ body image

Future of hard drives: uranium?

Paralyzed man’s mind moves prosthetic arm

Sex appeal: Women kiss science goodbye

How much fish oil is too much?

Alaskan dig turns up ancient ‘buckle’

Why we quit when others succeed

Aging musicians have sharp brains

Wanted: Gender-free job ads

Greener commutes with eco-routes

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:26:01 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — The path of least emissions may not always be the fastest way to drive somewhere, but it’s possible for drivers to cut emissions without significantly slowing travel time, researchers say.

In detailed, computer simulations of traffic in upstate New York’s Buffalo Niagara region, University at Buffalo researchers Adel Sadek and Liya Guo found that green routing could reduce overall emissions of carbon monoxide by 27 percent for area drivers, while increasing the length of trips by an average of just 11 percent.

The best bosses lead by failing

Jacqueline Ghosen-Buffalo — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:28:46 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — Humble leaders who embrace their failures are more effective and better liked, according to a new study.

“Leaders of all ranks view admitting mistakes, spotlighting follower strengths, and modeling teachability as being at the core of humble leadership,” says Bradley Owens, assistant professor of organization and human resources at the University at Buffalo.

Assault risk for women who binge drink in college

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:23:07 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — Young women who steer clear of alcohol while they’re in high school often change their ways when they go to college—and may be at higher risk of sexual assault as a result, research shows.

For a new study published in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers followed 437 young women from high school graduation through freshman year of college.

Bottle brush molecules filter impurities

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:15:50 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — Chemists have found a way to create tiny, tube-shaped molecular cages to capture and purify nanomaterials.

The “bottle brush” molecules use tiny organic tubes whose interior walls carry a negative charge to selectively encase only positively charged particles.

Some atheists embrace religion for kids

Amy Hodges-Rice — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:50:44 +0000

RICE (US) — Despite their personal beliefs, atheist scientists with children often participate in religious traditions for social reasons, a new study finds.

Reported in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, the study also finds some atheist scientists want their children to know about different religions so they can make informed decisions about their own religious preferences.

Vascular condition and MS share risk factors

Ellen Goldbaum-Buffalo — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:13:20 +0000

U. BUFFALO (US) — People with a specific vascular condition, but no known neurological disease, display many of the same risk factors as people with multiple sclerosis, a new study shows.

The study, published in PLoS One, is the first to investigate risk factors for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI ) in which blood flow from the central nervous system to the periphery is impaired. It has been hypothesized that this narrowing of veins restricts blood flow from the brain, altering brain drainage and possibly contributing to brain tissue injury that is associated with MS.