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New measurements prove myosin VI can act as molecular transporter
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In living organisms, hundreds of different kinds of molecular motors perform a variety of essential, but little understood tasks that result in such actions as muscle contraction, cell division and the movement of materials within cells. Some motors act as transporters, some serve as anchors, and some may do both. New measurements […]
Mantids – the good, the bad and the just plain wrong – on view at film fest
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kung Fu martial artists of the two-legged variety are coming to the 23rd annual Insect Fear Film Festival on Feb. 18, riding the coattails of this year’s highlighted insect and kicking off – so to speak – an evening devoted to “Mantis Movies.” Praying mantids, all 2,000 species of them, are instantly […]
Forum to look at earthquakes, including potential in central U.S.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Should the October earthquake in Pakistan, and the widespread devastation it caused, raise concerns in the central United States? A panel of experts will look at “The Pakistan Earthquake: A Wake-Up Call for Mid-America?” in a public forum at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The forum, […]
Turbulence yields secrets to 73-year-old experiment
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A simple but groundbreaking experiment performed more than 70 years ago finally has been explained by scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The solution sheds new light on fluid turbulence – the last major unsolved problem in classical physics. “Turbulence is the jittery, swirling behavior of a gas or liquid […]
DNA-wrapped carbon nanotubes serve as sensors in living cells
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Single walled carbon nanotubes wrapped with DNA can be placed inside living cells and detect trace amounts of harmful contaminants using near infrared light, report researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Their discovery opens the door to new types of optical sensors and biomarkers that exploit the unique properties of […]
Bird flu poses threat to international security, U. of I. scholar says
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In the past, when government leaders, policymakers and scholars have turned their attention to peace and security issues, the talk invariably has focused on war, arms control or anti-terrorism strategies. But Julian Palmore believes it’s time to expand the scope of the conversation. “One thing that is not talked about enough is […]
Fitness counteracts cognitive decline from hormone-replacement therapy
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Women pondering hormone-replacement therapy also should consider regular exercise. A new study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggests that being physically fit offsets cognitive declines attributed to long-term therapy. “This study not only tells us that there is a benefit to being highly fit, it pinpoints where in the brain […]
Beckman researchers study communication part of language
Researchers can get their inspiration from a mentor, or colleague, or perhaps even a lecture that strikes a chord. Psychology researcher Kara Federmeier got hers from her younger brother when she was still in high school. “I had a brother who died of a brain tumor,” Federmeier said. “I saw in him going through the […]
New theory explains electronic and thermal behavior of nanotubes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have made an important theoretical breakthrough in the understanding of energy dissipation and thermal breakdown in metallic carbon nanotubes. Their discovery will help move nanotube wires from laboratory to marketplace. The remarkable electrical and mechanical properties of metallic carbon nanotubes make them promising candidates […]
Absence of critical protein linked to infertility
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The absence of a key protein may lead to infertility. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report that experiments involving mice – to be detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences – indicate that the transcription factor protein C/EBPb must be present in the uterus for pregnancy […]
U. of I. pig to make history – as source of first complete swine genome
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A pig used for research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a home in history. Its DNA will provide the first sequence of the swine genome to be completed with the help of a two-year $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today by Agriculture Secretary Mike […]
Protein finding could lead to treatment for inflammatory diseases
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A protein that undesirably shields a skin poxvirus from the immune system may become the key ingredient in a new topical treatment for inflammatory diseases, say medical researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In a study appearing this month in the Journal of Virology, the scientists revealed both the function […]