Weizmann Institute scientists discover a control mechanism for metastasis
...bers comes apart and the protein fibers then form thin threads on the outside of the cell membrane that push the cell away from its neighbors. In addition, a number of protein levels change: some get produced in higher quantities and some in less. To understand which proteins are modulated by the grow...Scientists discover new way to study nanostructures
...s two weakly linked superconductors separated by a thin insulating barrier (an arrangement now known as a Josephson junction), an alternating electrical current would flow through the junction (imagine turning on a water faucet and having the water start flowing up as well as down once it leaves the spigo...Synthetic adhesive mimics sticking powers of gecko and mussel
... the mussel power, coating the pillars with a very thin layer of a synthetic polymer, designed by the researchers, that mimics the wet adhesive mussel proteins. The researchers measured the performance of the geckel material using an atomic force microscope. They found that pillar arrays coated with the...Nature's secrets yield new adhesive material
...f a gecko. They then coated their creation with a thin layer of a synthetic compound. This unusual compound mimics the reversible bonding action of a mussel adhesive protein that Messersmiths group has studied for the past several years. In their initial experiments, which were led by graduate studen...Microscopic jets, diamonds unlikely on Uranus, and amazing mosquito legs
...d, coated one side of each polystyrene ball with a thin layer of platinum before dropping them into a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. This metal catalyzes a reaction in which hydrogen peroxide breaks into oxygen and water. Because the reaction spits out three molecules for every two that it con...The origin of perennial water-ice at the South Pole of Mars
...de patches of water-ice, and deposits covered by a thin layer of CO2 ice. The discovery of the ice deposits of the first type confirms the long-standing hypothesis that CO2 acts as a cold-trap for water-ice. But how were the other two types of deposits, not trapped by CO2, accumulated and preserved ove...Semiconductor membrane mimics biological behavior of ion channels
... performance than biological membranes. Built from thin silicon layers doped with different impurities, the solid-state membrane also could be used in applications such as single-molecule detection, protein filtering and DNA sequencing. By creating nanopores in the membrane, we can use the membrane to sep...Loss of hemlocks will affect water dynamics in southern Appalachian forests
... drop. Needle loss causes the crown of the tree to thin and dieback in branches; in a surprisingly short timeusually 5 to 10 yearsthe tree fades away and dies. To estimate the impact the loss of hemlock will have on the water balance, the researchers measured transpiration rates over a range of tree si...Amoebae control cheating by keeping it in the family
... fifth of the individuals in a colony form a tall, thin stalk. The rest climb the stalk and clump together into a bulbous fruiting body that can be carried away to better environs by the wind or on the legs of passing insects. This simple social system poses an evolutionary conundrum for biologists; the...... box of nuts and bolts in a private home, just one thin wooden wall away from the family bedroom. Cesium-137 is a common radioactive isotope used by industries to check materials for flaws, and for making industrial measurements. Currently this work is focusing on controling orphan sources in China and Af...Weizmann scientists discover a new line of communication between nervous system cells
...d nerve fibers. Nerve cells (neurons) have long, thin extensions called axons that can reach up to a meter and or more in length. Often, these extensions are covered by myelin, which is formed by a group of specialized cells called glia. Glial cells revolve around the axon, laying down the myelin sheath...'Lucky 13' as new gene discovery offers further hope for childhood blindness
...thin retinal photoreceptor cells as they are long, thin cells with a highly evolved structure on one end (the outer segment) which detects light and sends signals to the brain, a function requiring a large amount of energy. "LCA is usually a disease where protein function has been lost completely, but c...Lessons from the orangutans: Upright walking may have begun in the trees
...hat allowed our arboreal ancestors to venture onto thin branches. They could have gripped multiple branches with their toes and distributed their center of gravity more effectively, while keeping one or both of their long arms free to reach for fruits and other supports. Orangutans also keep their legs...Magnetic field uses sound waves to ignite sun's ring of fire
...create fountains of hot gas that shape and power a thin region of the sun's atmosphere which appears as a ...rior, permitting the sound waves to travel through thin fountains upward and into the solar chromosphere. The magnetic fountains form the mold for the chrom...Colorado River streamflow history reveals megadrought before 1490
...ooked at the rings' tell-tale pattern of thick and thin that indicates wet years and dry years. Extending the record further required an underutilized technique, the analysis of logs, stumps and standing dead trees, known as remnant wood. Baisan said, "Everyone was surprised that we could do this." ...FSU researchers reap $1-million grant to make medical implants safer
...ysis apparatuses and other biomedical devices with thin films that discourage vascular smooth muscle cells from adhering to their surfaces. Such adhesions often lead to scarring and new blockages a process known as restenosis. Inflammation is the bodys natural response to harmful stimuli, such as patho...Marine reserves could save coral reefs
...rves. Reef facts A coral reef is made up of thin layers of calcium carbonate (limestone) secreted over thousands of years by billions of tiny soft bodied animals called coral polyps. Coral reefs are the world's most diverse marine ecosystems and are home to twenty-five percent of known marine spe...DNA sieve -- Nanoscale pores can be tiny analysis labs
...first time that a single nanometer-scale pore in a thin membrane can be used to accurately detect and sort different-sized polymer chains (a model for biomolecules) that pass through or block the channel. Traditionally, unknown molecules are measured and identified using mass spectrometry, a process that...Magnetic computer sensors may help study biomolecules
...or biosciences. Spin valves are made by stacking thin layers of materials with different magnetic properties. Their net magnetization can be switched on and off by applying an external magnetic field of sufficient strength to align the electron "spins" in the magnetic layers in the same (on) or opposite......rce to each slide, rendering the preparations very thin and high in contrast. This allows the production of much clearer, information-packed images. The technique has other advantages: Because it relies on light microscopy, it is faster and more economical than electron microscopy, with comparable or su...