A list of recent Nobel Prize in chemistry winnersOctober 6th, 2009 List of recent Nobel Prize in chemistry winnersRecent winners of the Nobel Prize in chemistry, and their research, according to the Nobel Foundation:
— 2009: Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz and Israel's Ada E.
Natural killer cells help keep immune system in balanceOctober 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Natural killer (NK) cells, part of our immune system, kill cells infected with a given virus. Researchers have now found that the cells also help keep T-cells from over-responding.
Scientists uncover origin of Merkel cellsSeptember 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists claim to have unravelled the mystery surrounding the developmental origin of specialized skin cells involved in touch sensation. Merkel cells are neuroendocrine cells that reside in the vertebrate epidermis, passing mechanical stimuli on to sensory neurons.
Catalyst simulations for fuel cells may make clean cars a realitySeptember 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are working towards developing better catalyst for fuel cells in a bid to make clean cars a reality. If successful, the researchers could make a car that runs on hydrogen from solar power, and produces water instead of carbon emissions.
Scientists find new way to fix a broken heartJuly 24th, 2009 LONDON - A new way to mend damage to the heart has been found by scientists. The boffins have devised a method to coax heart muscle cells into re-entering the cell cycle, allowing the differentiated adult cells to divide and regenerate healthy heart tissue after a heart attack, according to studies in mice and rats by Children's Hospital Boston reported in the July 24th issue of the journal Cell.
Immune system's natural killer cells linked to infant liver diseaseJuly 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have found that an overactive response by one of the immune system's key weapons against infection - natural killer, or NK, cells - is linked to the onset of biliary atresia in infants, a disease where blocked bile ducts can cause severe liver damage and death. They also found that blocking a gene that helps NK cells attack bile duct tissues lessens damage and may be a way to treat the most common cause of chronically progressive liver disease in children.
First step achieved in development of tiny biological fuel cellsJune 20th, 2009 Washington, June 20 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA), US, have achieved the first step in developing biological fuel cells that could power pacemakers, cochlear implants and prosthetic limbs. The technique, which has been described as "a significant breakthrough for nanotechnology", involved the development of a successful way to grow molecular wire brushes that conduct electrical charges.
Lasers can make cheaper, better solar cellsMay 30th, 2009 LONDON - Using lasers to make solar photovoltaic cells that produce electricity from sunshine makes these cells cheaper and better, researchers say. Arnold Gillner, microtechnology head at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Germany, said: "Lasers work quickly, precisely, and without contact.
Scientists power artificial cells with non-stop mobilityMay 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists are developing artificial cells with the ability to tap an energy source and use it for sustained mobility. A Japanese study described the first 'self-propelled' oil droplets (used as a model for research on artificial cells) that can run on a chemical 'fuel'.
Why do seasonal allergies increase in springMay 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Spring season is often accompanied by allergies and increased problems for asthmatic people. Now, American scientists have identified a previously unknown cellular switch that turns allergies and asthma both on and off.
New electrical device can turn CO2 into biofuelApril 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers in the US have made a new electrical device that could improve fuel cell technology by turning carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane, a potential biofuel. According to a report in ABC News, the technique won't combat global warming directly, since both CO2 and methane are potent greenhouse gases, but it could help store alternative energies such as wind and solar more efficiently.
Discovery of ion channel upturns age-old model of earApril 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Turning all ear-related theories on their head, scientists have found that the ion channels responsible for hearing aren't located where scientists reviously thought. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have claimed that the age-old model to explain how the inner ear translates vibrations in the air into sounds heard by the brain is wrong.
Microbes can produce abundant source of methane as fuelMarch 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A tiny microbe that converts carbon dioxide and water to methane with a bit of solar or wind power, can be a new energy source, according to a team of Penn State engineers. Methane is preferred over hydrogen because a large portion of the US infrastructure is already set up to easily transport and deliver methane.
Platinum nanowires may pave way for more efficient fuel cellsMarch 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at the University of Rochester have created long platinum nanowires that may lead to the development of commercially viable fuel cells. It is believed that the new wires could provide significant increases in both the longevity and efficiency of fuel cells, which have until now been used largely for such exotic purposes as powering spacecraft.
Decoding how cell memory helps immune system fend off invasionsJanuary 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Resarchers are close to decoding the mystery of how immune cells fend off infections by remembering and recognising the nature of invading pathogens. Their key finding is that a distinct programme generates memory cells to protect an individual against re-infection.
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