Futurity.org » Michigan State University

As rubber runs dry, a green option for tires

Layne Cameron-Michigan State — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:35:37 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Citing dwindling rubber supplies, a scientist says that isoprene—a gas from plants— could be a synthetic alternative for tire production.

The majority of automobile tires are made of natural rubber from latex-bearing trees. Harvesting rubber from these trees to feed the world’s appetite for tires isn’t sustainable, says Tom Sharkey, chairperson of the Michigan State University biochemistry and molecular biology department.

Sharkey believes isoprene, a gas given off by many trees, ferns, and mosses, could be a viable option. Some plants use it as a mechanism to tolerate heat stress, whereas most crops stay cool through evaporation.

Girls take longer to heal from concussions

Jason Cody-Michigan State — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:39:21 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Females and younger athletes take longer to recover from concussions, new research shows.

The findings suggest physicians and athletic trainers should take sex and age into account when dealing with the injury.

Teens hit peak risk for painkillers at 16

Jason Cody-Michigan State — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:53:51 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — The peak risk for misusing prescription pain relievers occurs at about 16 years old—earlier than many experts thought—a new study finds.

The results, based on recent nationwide surveys of nearly 120,000 U.S. adolescents, suggest prevention programs may need to be introduced earlier, in childhood and early adolescence, says James C. Anthony of Michigan State University.

Natural land a welcome mat for ladybugs

Layne Cameron-Michigan State — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:08:41 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Having large tracts of natural habitat around crop fields invites pest-gobbling ladybugs, which could save farmers an estimated $4.6 billion a year on insecticides.

Non-crop plants provide ladybugs and other predatory insects with food and shelter, helping them to survive and thrive in areas where they are needed. In an attempt to increase benefits from predatory insects, researchers have often planted strips of flowers along the edges of crop fields.

Control killer fly with satellite tracking

Andy Henion-Michigan State — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:53:57 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Scientists have developed a plan to effectively control the tsetse fly using satellite images of Kenyan landscape and by monitoring tsetse movement.

The flies spread “sleeping sickness” disease among humans and animals in Africa and wipe out $4.5 billion in livestock every year.

Fed fiber, killer cells may ward off cancer

Jason Cody-Michigan State — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:57:16 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Fiber supplements may help the body’s own killer cells fight bacterial infection and reduce inflammation, greatly decreasing the risk of colon cancer.

Prebiotics are fiber supplements that serve as food for the trillions of tiny bacteria living in the gut. When taken, they can stimulate the growth of the “good” bacteria.

The evolution of prebiotic supplements—as well as probiotics, which are actual bacteria ingested into the system—provide new therapeutic targets for researchers and physicians.

New ads may benefit past sponsors

Tom Oswald-Michigan State — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:51:21 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Companies should spend money on sponsorships cautiously, as their return on investment is often difficult to measure and could even benefit the competition.

In a paper recently published in the Journal of Advertising, researchers found that the average consumer may not have a clear memory for the current sponsor of an event, especially if this sponsor is taking over from another.

Anna McAlister, an assistant professor of advertising, public relations, and retailing at Michigan State University, says her team of researchers found that in more cases than not a consumer will tend to connect the “old” sponsor with an event instead of the new one.

Is safety ‘trade-off’ of stun guns justified?

Andy Henion-Michigan State — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:50:49 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — While stun guns give police officers better protection than other restraint methods, they also significantly increase the chance a citizen will be injured, a new study shows.

The federally-funded research presents a dilemma for police agencies weighing use of the controversial weapon. Nationally, some 260,000 electronic control devices, or stun guns, are in use in 11,500 law enforcement agencies.

Purifier promises fast, cheap drug proteins

Layne Cameron-Michigan State — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:29:58 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Researchers have invented a protein purifier that could help pharmaceutical companies save time and money.

The details of the invention, which appear in a recent issue of the journal Langmuir, demonstrate that Michigan State University chemists Merlin Bruening and Greg Baker’s high-performance membranes are highly suitable for protein purification, a crucial step in the development of some new drugs.

Purifying proteins, the process of isolating a single, desired protein from all others, is an expensive, time-consuming hurdle that contributes to the high cost of some prescription drugs.

Panda tourism may not help China’s people

Layne Cameron-Michigan State — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:43:24 +0000

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Tourism can boost conservation in China’s valued panda preserves, but it isn’t an automatic ticket out of poverty for the human inhabitants, a new study shows.

According to the Michigan State University researchers, those who benefit most from nature-based tourism endeavors are often people who already have resources. The truly impoverished have a harder time breaking into the tourism business.

The study, published in the current edition of PLoS One, looks at nearly a decade of burgeoning tourism in the Wolong Nature Reserve in southwestern China.