Futurity.org » Case Western Reserve University

Black hole wrangle ejects rogue stars

David Salisbury-VU — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:11:50 +0000

VANDERBILT(US) — Astronomers have identified nearly 700 new rogue stars that appear to have been ejected from the Milky Way.

It’s very difficult to knock a star out of the galaxy. In fact, the main mechanism that astronomers have come up with that can give a star the two-million-plus mile-per-hour kick it takes involves tangling with the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core.

South Pole Telescope hunts down dark energy

Steve Koppes-Chicago — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:56:34 +0000

U. CHICAGO (US) — Astronomers are beginning to unravel the modern mystery of dark energy based on data from the South Pole Telescope.

Recent analysis offers new support for the widely accepted explanation of dark energy, the source of the mysterious force that is responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe.

Spinal cord bridge restores breathing

Mary Gerity-Case Western — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:59:10 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — Scientists restored breathing function in mice by bridging a spinal cord injury and regenerating lost nerve connections to the diaphragm.

More testing is necessary, but researchers are hopeful their technique will quickly be used in clinical trials.

Medevac nurses need targeted training

Susan Griffith-Case Western — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:20:03 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — The unstructured and at times chaotic environment on board a medevac helicopter calls for more specialized training, according to a new study.

Because flight nurses need to work in a cramped environment where it is often hard to reach the patient, some medications and practices of the emergency room can be in effective at best, and at worst, not possible on board, so care often relies on visual cues and patient patterns.

Zoo primates need darkness on day shift

Mary Gerity-Case Western — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:47:30 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — Zoo life can wreak havoc on nocturnal primates. Even something as innocuous as incorrect lighting negatively impacts health and reproduction.

Animals in zoos often have their natural days and nights switched, so they are up and moving when patrons come to see them, not after dark when the zoo is closed.

Cells get smart to suit environment

Ariel DuChene-Syracuse — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:25:15 +0000

SYRACUSE U. (US) — Shape memory polymers are offering new insight into how cells sense and respond to their physical environment.

Applications of the principles could offer potential solutions for current limitations of static substrate research in bioengineering research, such as medical devices and tissue engineering scaffolds.

Gorillas get svelte on low-sugar diet

Mary Gerity-Case Western — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:40:11 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — Heart disease is the number one killer of male gorillas in North American zoos. A dietary experiment at a Cleveland zoo suggests sugar and starch play a role.

After a 21-year-old gorilla named Brooks died of heart failure at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in 2005, researchers took a hard look at how the animals’ lifestyle affects their health. Elena Hoellein Less, a PhD candidate in biology at Case Western Reserve University, now leads an effort to counter the killer disease by returning the primates to a diet more akin to what they’d eat in the wild.

Gas exposed Cleveland kids to toxic lead

Mary Gerity-Case Western — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:28:51 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — More than half the toxic lead that African-American children in Cleveland ingested or inhaled during the last century came from leaded gasoline.

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University say the findings related to Cleveland probably apply to many cities across the United States and reinforce concerns about the health threat for children in countries still using leaded gasoline. Findings are reported in Science of the Total Environment.

Oral bacteria linked to preterm birth

Mary Gerity-Case Western — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:27:43 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US)—Researchers are working to block a common bacterium that is harmless in a mother’s mouth, but can turn deadly when it reaches an unborn child.

The bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum, becomes destructive once it leaves the mouth and enters the blood stream. The invasion of the bacteria through the placenta then allows it to multiply rapidly in the immune-free environment that protects the fetus, causing the placenta to become inflamed, which in turn, can trigger preterm birth and fetal death.

Hackers looking at your health records?

Futurity-Jenny Leonard — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:00:49 +0000

“”We regulate drugs, transportation, communication, food, and many other goods and services,” says law professor Sharona Hoffman. “A safe and effective transition to computerized medical records cannot be achieved without federal regulation.”

CASE WESTERN (US)—While some Americans might argue against an increase in government regulation, two experts warn that without federal oversight, electronic health record systems might be vulnerable to security breaches.