Obtaining the unobtainium
02 November, 2010 by Lori J Keesey
Imagine building a car chassis without a blueprint or even a list of recommended construction materials. In a sense, that’s precisely what a team of engineers at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., did when they designed a one-of-a-kind structure that is one of nine key new technology systems of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM).
Lab tests point to better outcome for human blood cancers
26 October, 2010
The treatment of a range of human blood cancers, such as chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, may be improved as a result of international research involving The University of Western Australia.
Strictly Ballroom finds brain's colour centre
20 October, 2010
In a discovery that challenges the scientific theory that colour processing is split across different parts of the human brain, researchers have used the movie Strictly Ballroom to locate the region in human brains.
Helpful hints for better aseptic technique
18 October, 2010
Aseptic technique is a set of principles and practices used by cell culture workers to reduce the potential of unwanted microorganisms or other cell lines from being introduced into cell cultures, sterile solutions and supplies and, most importantly, the technician and coworkers. This is especially true when working with human cell lines known to contain oncogenic or infectious viruses or other harmful microorganisms.
Bioo Scientific MaxDiscovery AST and LDH colour endpoint assay kits
07 October, 2010 | Supplied by: GeneWorks
Bioo Scientific’s MaxDiscovery Aspartate Transaminase (AST) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) colour endpoint assays use a proprietary technology for visible detection of in vivo toxicity using only 5 µL of serum from rodents or other mammals. These assays are powerful tools for the detection of drug-induced toxicity to the liver and heart and can be used for preclinical testing in the drug discovery process.
SpaceShip Australis to study sun’s effect on solar system
06 October, 2010
The SpaceShip Australis project proposed by Australian space scientists would study the effects of the sun’s variability from the surface of the Earth to the boundaries of the solar system.
Maths implies ‘hobbit’ an iodine-deficient human
06 October, 2010
A paper published is set to re-ignite debate over the origins of so-called Homo floresiensis - the ‘hobbit’ that some scientists have claimed as a new species of human.
Australian fingerprint technology aids forensic investigators
30 September, 2010
The University of Technology Sydney is commercialising a rapid technique that can be used to develop ‘invisible’ fingerprints on porous surfaces such as paper, cloth and wood.
Discovery identifies plants that perform better in difficult conditions
29 September, 2010
Drought, salinity, flooding and extreme temperatures threaten many plants essential to humankind - and scientists at The University of Western Australia have discovered how they respond to these challenges.
Looking for secrets to drug addiction
29 September, 2010
A US study aims to look for dependency biomarkers in the blood that will indicate current and past use and abuse of illicit drugs. On top of that the study would like to find indicators identifying people who may be prone to abuse drugs in the future.
Transition metal catalysts and the creation of life
15 September, 2010
You neeed ribozymes or proteins to make nucleotides or amino acids and you need nucleotides or amino acids to make ribozymes or proteins - so like the old chicken and egg conundrum, which ones came first? Possibly neither - the first catalysts that enabled the beginnings of life could have been transition metal complexes.
Salt-tolerant rice offers hope for global food supply
14 September, 2010
A team of scientists at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics has successfully used genetic modification to improve the salt tolerance of rice, offering hope for improved rice production around the world.
Smart use for wisdom teeth
14 September, 2010
The mesenchymal stromal cells in wisdom teeth pulp can be used to create lines of induced-pluripotent stem cells - opening up a new potential avenue for stem-cell therapy whereby patients could be treated with their own stem cells.
Rapid, Fluorescence-based Assessment of in vitro Mineralization Using the New OsteoImage Mineralization Assay
07 September, 2010 by Marjorie Smithhisler and Katie Renn, Lonza Walkersville, Inc. | Supplied by: Capsugel Australia Pty Ltd
Bone is a rigid, yet dynamic organ that is continuously molded, shaped, and repaired. Old bone is degraded by osteoclasts and replaced with new bone by osteoblasts, a process called remodeling or bone turnover.
Nucleofection has been successfully used for generation of iPS cells
07 September, 2010 | Supplied by: Capsugel Australia Pty Ltd
Reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotent iPS (induced pluripotent stem) cells promises to revolutionize regenerative medicine.
