TECH & INNOVATION

A refined approach to proteins at low resolution

TECH & INNOVATION Membrane proteins and large protein complexes are notoriously difficult to study with X-ray crystallography, not least because they are often very difficult, if not impossible, to crystallize, but also because their very nature means they are highly flexible. The result is that when a structure can be obtained it is often of low resolution, ambiguous and reveals a mosaic-like spread of protein domains that sometimes create more puzzles than they solve. [Schröder, Levitt & Brunger. (2014), Acta Cryst. D70, 2241-2255; doi: 10.1107/S1399004714016496 ]

Humanity Hasn’t Peaked—Earth Can Expect A Few Billion More Guests

Well politicians and the rest of the masses may be surprised, because it appears the largely infallible statisticians have revealed a chink in their armor: the world population estimates. With the possibilities of famine and disease, aside from the random acts of mankind, human population estimates are values calculated with a menagerie of variables. But with the ever-changing landscape of the planet Earth, and the growing populations of nearly every nation, it turns out that the Earth can expect a few billion more guests before humanity comes to its peak.

A Pontiff For the Health of the Planet

With the annual ministerial meeting of the United Nations General Assembly merely days away, eyes and ears around the world are looking for answers about issues related to the global climate crisis and the sustainability of our existence. And while we typically find a separation between the ministerial powers of faith and those of government, it appears the environmental movement may have allies in high places; perhaps as high as the heavens.

Pass the Cereal—Milky Way May Become Galaxy-Sized Snack

It’s been well-documented that massive galaxies often turn to extremes when star production ceases in their bounds of space. Turning their sights on consumption versus production, these super galaxies begin chowing down on nearby galaxies instead, pulling their growing solar systems into their own gravitational pull for themselves.

Research milestone in CCHF virus could help identify new treatments

New research into the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne virus which causes a severe hemorrhagic disease in humans similar to that caused by Ebolavirus, has identified new cellular factors essential for CCHFV infection. This discovery has the potential to lead to novel targets for therapeutic interventions against the pathogen.

Sensing Neuronal Activity With Light

For years, neuroscientists have been trying to develop tools that would allow them to clearly view the brain's circuitry in action—from the first moment a neuron fires to the resulting behavior in a whole organism. To get this complete picture, neuroscientists are working to develop a range of new tools to study the brain. Researchers at Caltech have developed one such tool that provides a new way of mapping neural networks in a living organism. - See more at: http://www.caltech.edu/content/sensing-neuronal-activity-light#sthash.VE4xLVwO.dpuf

A New Way to Prevent the Spread of Devastating Diseases

For decades, researchers have tried to develop broadly effective vaccines to prevent the spread of illnesses such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. While limited progress has been made along these lines, there are still no licensed vaccinations available that can protect most people from these devastating diseases. - See more at: http://www.caltech.edu/content/new-way-prevent-spread-devastating-diseases#sthash.VsDN2DWt.dpuf

Decision-support program helps keep seniors out of the emergency room

New Rochelle, NY, September 18, 2014–An Emergency Room Decision-Support (ERDS) program can significantly reduce ER visits and hospital admissions among older adults on Medicare. This could have important economic implications, helping to reduce the nearly 33% of avoidable ER visits that contribute to about $18 billion in unnecessary healthcare costs each year. Details of a successful ERDS program that had a positive return on investment are published in an article in Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Population Health Management website until October 18, 2014.

Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood worsens musculoskeletal pain outcomes after trauma

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have worse musculoskeletal pain outcomes over time after stressful events such as motor vehicle collision than individuals from higher socioeconomic status neighborhoods, even after accounting for individual characteristics such as age, sex, income, education, and employment status.

Experts issue plea for better research and education for advanced breast cancer

Breast cancer experts around the world have issued a plea to researchers, academics, drug companies, funders and advocates to carry out high quality research and clinical trials for advanced breast cancer, a disease which is almost always fatal and for which there are many unanswered questions.
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