michigan state university – Page 8 – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Robofish Grace Glides with the Greatest of Ease

By Guest PostJanuary 15, 2013Science, Technologyability to glide, array of sensors, atlantic ocean, battery, computer engineering, energy, environments, feitian zhang, flapping of tail, gliding robot ace, gps, grace, high tech, integration, jianxun wang, kalamazooriver, measure, michigan state university, quality, real world environment, robotic fish, sync, travel autonomously, water quality sensors, water temperature, xiaobo tan

A high-tech robotic fish hatched at Michigan State University has a new look. A new skill. And a new name.

MSU scientists have made a number of improvements on the fish, including the ability to glide long distances, which is the most important change to date. The fish now has the ability to glide through the water practically indefinitely, using little to no energy, while gathering valuable data that can aid in the cleaning of our lakes and rivers. (more…)

Helping Patients Navigate New Cancer Drugs

By Guest PostJanuary 14, 2013Healthautomated calling system, barbara given, cancer clinic, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, chemotherapy pills, chronic conditions, cutting edge treatment, cycle, diarrhea, dose, Environment, fatigue, ineffective, intravenous drugs, journal cancer nursing, life threatening disease, manage symptoms, michigan state university, monitor, multiple medications, oral chemotherapy drugs, oral pills, pain, patient, pill, sandra spoelstra, severe nausea, skin reactions, vomiting

As cancer treatment in pill form transforms how care is delivered, a new Michigan State University study underscores the challenges patients face in administering their own chemotherapy outside the supervised environment of a cancer clinic.

Chemotherapy pills can target specific cancers better than some traditional intravenous drugs, said Sandra Spoelstra, the MSU assistant professor of nursing who led the study. But they also can be difficult for patients to take. (more…)

Chronic Worriers at Higher Risk for PTSD

By Guest PostDecember 24, 2012Healthanalyzing data, catastrophe, chronic anxiety, habitually anxious, michigan state university, naomi breslau, neuroticism, neuroticism scale, post traumatic, psychiatric experts, ptsd, retrospective study, risk, risk factor, stress disorder, trait, traumatic events, worry constantly

People who worry constantly are at greater risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to new Michigan State University research published in the journal Psychological Medicine.

Many people experience traumatic events such as the death of a loved one, being assaulted or witnessing violence, but only a small minority develop PTSD, said study author Naomi Breslau, a professor of epidemiology at MSU. (more…)

Countering Brain Chemical Could Prevent Suicides

By Guest PostDecember 14, 2012Healthamino acid, anesthetic ketamine, anti glutamate drugs, anti inflammatory drugs, brain, causes of depression, chemical, glutamate, glutamate activity, glutamate signaling, grand rapids, immune response, inflammation, inhibit, lena brundin, mechanism of disease, michigan state university, nerve cells, neurotransmitter, preventing suicide, quinolinic acid, risk factor, serotonin, signals, spinal fluid, suicidal behavior

Researchers have found the first proof that a chemical in the brain called glutamate is linked to suicidal behavior, offering new hope for efforts to prevent people from taking their own lives.

Writing in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, Michigan State University’s Lena Brundin and an international team of co-investigators present the first evidence that glutamate is more active in the brains of people who attempt suicide. Glutamate is an amino acid that sends signals between nerve cells and has long been a suspect in the search for chemical causes of depression. (more…)

Protein Strongest Just Before Death

By Guest PostDecember 13, 2012Health, Sciencecell death, cell growth, david arnosti, degradation, destruction, drosophila, fruit fly, genetic similarity, grave, humans, liang zhang, lifecycle, mechanism, michigan state university, molecular details, nontraditional lifestyle, one foot, protein, proteins, retinoblastoma, retinoblastoma proteins, treat cancer, tumor suppressor, wings

Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered a protein that does its best work with one foot in the grave.

The study, which appears in the current issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, focuses on the nontraditional lifestyle of Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor proteins, which could lead to new ways to treat cancer.

“Retinoblastoma proteins are unique in that they use controlled destruction to do their jobs in a timely but restrained fashion,” said Liang Zhang, a lead author and MSU cell and molecular biology graduate student. “This is an unusual way for proteins to act.” (more…)

Mastering Scientific Mumbo Jumbo

By Guest PostDecember 10, 2012Education, Scienceabiotic, bill, biotic factor, common craft show, foundations of science, humor, intelligent decisions, interaction, marcus gillespie, massive, mastering, matt rowe, Media, melinda gates, michigan state university, mooc, mumbo jumbo, open online course, pseudoscience, sam houston, Science, scientific, scientific community, state university, stephen thomas, type

About the video: Discusses the interaction between abiotic and biotic factors. The style of the animation is influenced by The Common Craft Show.

Warning: This class will teach students to translate scientific mumbo jumbo into understandable phrases.

Michigan State University’s first, free Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, also promises to then teach students “to speak mumbo jumbo and amaze your friends.” (more…)

Adolescents Under Pressure to Speak ‘Properly’

By Guest PostDecember 8, 2012Scienceadolescents, adult expectations, adulthood, boomerang kids, college, employment, happy speech, jobless, linguistics books, michigan state university, nonstandard language, philadelphia, role, social class, social incentives, speaking properly, suzanne evans wagner, transition

As adolescents transition to adulthood, the pressure to meet adult expectations – such as speaking properly – may be greater than expected, according to a new study by a Michigan State University researcher.

Suzanne Evans Wagner, assistant professor of linguistics in the College of Arts and Letters, has proven for the first time that language changes with age in addition to community pressures. And, surprisingly, college and post-high school ambitions play a huge role. (more…)

Support for Gay Marriage Grows in Michigan

By Guest PostNovember 25, 2012Culture, General2012 survey, american, ballot, catholics, charles ballard, district of columbia, election, gallup organization, gay marriage, grow, income level, maine, maryland, michigan, michigan residents, michigan state university, michiganders, pew research center, protestants, religious preference, state survey, support, united states, Washington

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Support for gay marriage is growing in Michigan, mirroring changing attitudes in many parts of the United States, according to Michigan State University’s State of the State Survey.

A recent survey found that 56 percent of the state’s residents support gay marriage while 39 percent oppose it. Two years ago, 48 percent supported gay marriage and 51 percent were opposed. (more…)

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