Futurity.org » Case Western Reserve University

Did water on moon come from Earth?

Kevin Stacey-Brown — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:54:25 +0000

BROWN (US) — Water inside the moon’s mantle came from primitive meteorites, the same source believed to have supplied most of the water on Earth, researchers report.

They say the findings raise new questions about how the moon was formed.

New moms welcome online help for depression

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:10:21 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — Mothers suffering from postpartum depression after a high-risk pregnancy will go online for help if it’s available anonymously and from professional healthcare providers, new research suggests.

Postpartum depression, a moderate to severe depression that can occur after a woman has given birth, affects about 7 to 15 percent of new mothers. The effects can be felt from soon after delivery to as long as a year later.

Material for implants mimics squid beaks

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:42:08 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — A new material modeled after squid beaks may lead to safer, more comfortable medical implants.

Many medical implants require hard materials that have to connect to or pass through soft body tissue, a mechanical mismatch that can lead to problems including a breakdown of the skin from abdominal feeding tubes or where wires pass through the chest to power heart pumps. Enter the squid.

Faster MRI finds disease with ‘fingerprints’

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:31:09 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — A new MRI method could provide early identification of specific cancers, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and other maladies, new research shows.

Each body tissue and disease has a unique fingerprint that can be used to diagnose problems before they become untreatable.

Rats sniff to show who is top dog

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:18:15 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — When rats sniff each other they’re doing more than simply smelling. They sniff to show social hierarchy and to prevent aggression, a new study shows.

The discovery may help scientists identify brain regions critical for interpreting communications cues.

When two rats approach each other, one communicates dominance by sniffing more frequently, while the subordinate signals its role by sniffing less. If the subordinate doesn’t do so, the dominant rat is more likely to become aggressive to the other.

Chats with an avatar may ease depression

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:44:29 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — Interacting with a computerized avatar may help reduce symptoms of depression, according to a small study of young adults.

Researchers used a virtual program called eSMART-MH, which was adapted from a previous platform designed to help adults with chronic health problems manage their care.

Melissa Pinto, an instructor at Case Western Reserve’s School of Nursing, says the study is the first to her knowledge to use an avatar-based intervention for this age group to improve depressive symptoms. Findings are reported in the journal Applied Nursing Research.

Gene marker tied to deadly breast cancer

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:17:41 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — Discovery of a gene variant that drives the spread of breast cancer may pave the way for predicting which patients will develop more aggressive forms of the disease.

“Breast cancer is a genetically complex disease and it remains a challenge to predict disease outcomes and which patients may benefit from more aggressive treatment,” says Goutham Narla, assistant professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine.

‘Gilligan and Skipper’ dwarf galaxies discovered

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:25:16 +0000

CASE WESTERN RESERVE (US) — Astronomers have discovered a faint dwarf galaxy and another possible young dwarf caught before it had a chance to form any stars.

Within the faint trails of intergalactic traffic, the researchers also found more evidence pointing to two already known dwarf galaxies as probable forces that pulled the pinwheel-shaped disk galaxy out of shape.

How to thrive in thin air: It’s in the genes

Chris Sheridan-Case Western — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:15:18 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — Highlanders in Tibet and Ethiopia are both able to flourish in the low oxygen of high altitudes, but the ability to pass on the trait appears to be linked to different genes.

The adaptation is the ability to maintain a relatively low (for high altitudes) level of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, at notably high altitudes. Members of ethnic populations who historically live at low altitudes naturally respond to the thin air by increasing hemoglobin levels. The response can help draw oxygen into the body, but increases blood viscosity and the risks for thrombosis, stroke, and difficulties with pregnancies.

Molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer

Jessica Studeny-Case Western — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:11:52 +0000

CASE WESTERN (US) — The discovery of a molecule associated with more aggressive forms of breast cancer could point the way to potential cures.

Prior to this study, published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule called miR-181a had never before been tied to breast cancer metastasis—but when scientists found elevated levels of the molecule in late-stage breast cancer tissues, they tested an inhibitor in mouse models. The approach not only prevented metastasis, but also extended the animals’ lives.

“Overall, these findings reinforce our belief that the discovery of miR-181 will become a strong predictive biomarker for breast cancer metastasis, and that the high expression of miR-181 in tumor tissues will pave the way for the development of targeted therapies, better prognosis and increased patient survival,” says lead researcher William Schiemann, associate professor of general medical sciences (oncology) at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.