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Researchers Suggest A Proximate Cause of Cancer

By Guest PostJanuary 26, 2012Health, Science3d cancer model, biochemical carcinogenic factors, biochemical factors, boston university, cancer cells, cancer progression, cancerous behavior, carcinogenic factors, cell, computational model, Environment, genetic, healthy tissue, life cycle, malignant tumor, mechanical factors, mechanical property, muhammad zaman, multiplication rate, parag katira, physical stress, prevent cancer, probability of death, radiation, roger t bonnecaze, softening of cells, stiffer cells, synthetic chemicals, types of cancers, understanding of cancer, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, TX — Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Chemical Engineering are the first to show that mechanical property changes in cells may be responsible for cancer progression — a discovery that could pave the way for new approaches to predict, treat and prevent cancer.

Postdoctoral student Parag Katira and his adviser, Roger T. Bonnecaze, department chair in the Cockrell School of Engineering and T. Brockett Hudson Professor, worked with Muhammad Zaman of Boston University to devise a 3-D cancer model that shows the softening of cells and changes in cell binding cause cancerous behavior in cells. These mechanical property changes cause cells to divide uncontrollably — making them less likely to die and resulting in malignant tumor growth. The findings present a unique physics-based perspective on understanding cancer progression and were published recently in the American Physical Society’s journal Physical Review Letters. (more…)

Educational Disadvantages Associated With Race Still Persist in Brazil Despite Improvements, New Study Shows

By Guest PostJanuary 20, 2012Cultureblack and white, black brazilians, black white dichotomy, blacks, brazil, demography, disadvantage, education, educational advantage, educational level, leticia marteleto, mixed race, pardo, race, racial classification, racial labeling, racial mixing, social inequalities, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, Texas — Despite notable improvements in educational levels and opportunity during the past three decades, disadvantages associated with race still persist in Brazil, according to new research at The University of Texas at Austin.

Although educational advantages for white over black and pardo (mixed-race) adolescents declined considerably in Brazil, the gap is still significant, with whites completing nearly one year more of education. (more…)

Study Shows Persistence Pays Off in The Mating Game

By Guest PostDecember 25, 2011Culturecarin perilloux, david buss, discrepancy, effective communication, genetic heirs, judith easton, mating game, physical attractiveness, quick hook up, self deception, sexual encounter, sexual interest, short term, speed meeting, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, Texas — A new study co-authored by a University of Texas at Austin psychology professor suggests that self-deception may help men succeed in the mating game, while women will benefit more from effective communication.

David Buss, professor of psychology, and psychology graduate student Judith Easton, both of The University of Texas at Austin, conducted the research with Williams College psychologist Carin Perilloux, senior author of the study. The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. (more…)

“PARKINSONIAN” Worms May Hold The Key to Identifying Drugs for Parkinson’s Disease, Says Scientist

By Guest PostNovember 13, 2011Health, Scienceadela ben yakar, alzheimers, andres vidal gadea, c elegans worms, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, dopamine deficient worms, dopaminergic systems, early dementia, early symptoms, genetic structure, humans, jon pierce shimomura, layla young, nervous system, neurobiology, neurodegenerative diseases, parkinsonian, parkinsons disease, potential drugs, potential therapeutic, professor, simple test, stephen topper, terrible time, university of texas at austin, worm model

AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have devised a simple test, using dopamine-deficient worms, for identifying drugs that may help people with Parkinson’s disease.

The worms are able to evaluate as many as 1,000 potential drugs a year. The researchers have received federal funding that could increase that to one million drug tests a year. (more…)

Being Smart is Already Part of your Mental Toolbox, Psychologist Says

By Guest PostNovember 11, 2011Generalapply knowledge for smarter thinking, art markman, cognitive psychological research, craig wynett, human dimensions of organizations, instantly smarter, intelligence and smart thinking, january 2012, perigee books, psychologist, scholarly work, smart thinking, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, Texas — Intelligence and smart thinking are not the same, according to University of Texas at Austin psychologist Art Markman, who studies how best to apply knowledge for smarter thinking at work and home.

Drawing on his work at a top multinational corporation and his scholarly work, Markman says science confirms that smart thinking is not an innate quality but rather a skill to be cultivated. Humans are not born with a particular capacity to do smart things. “Each of the components of being smart is already part of your mental toolbox,” he says. (more…)

Poll: Americans Believe U.S. Headed in Wrong Direction on Energy

By Guest PostOctober 19, 2011Environmentamericans, bill powers, consumption of oil from foreign sources, energy, energy costs, energy index, energy prices, energy users and energy producers, global energy issues, hybrid or electric vehicles, jobs, key energy issues, majority of americans, poll, renewable sources, solar panels, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, Texas — A poll released today by The University of Texas at Austin found less than 14 percent of Americans think the country is headed in the right direction on energy. Of more than 3,400 consumers surveyed, 84 percent were worried about U.S. consumption of oil from foreign sources and 76 percent about a lack of progress in developing better ways to use energy efficiently and develop renewable sources.

While jobs overwhelmingly top the list of national concerns, the majority of Americans care about energy issues. For instance, the poll found 68 percent are concerned about the energy efficiency of their homes and 60 percent about global energy issues. (more…)

Oil Exploration Would Endanger The Most Biodiverse Region in The Western Hemisphere, Say Scientists

By Guest PostOctober 14, 2011Environmentamphibians, anthony di fiore, australia, biodiverse region, biodiversity, birds, canada, Colombia, ecuador, ecuadorian amazon, italian government, mammals, oil exploitation, peak diversity of plants, peru, peter english, president rafael correa, reserves of oil, royal bank of canada, turkey, united nations general assembly, united states, university of texas at austin, western hemisphere, yasuní ishpingo tambococha tiputini trust fund, yasuní itt initiative, yasuní national park

AUSTIN, Texas — An international team of scientists that includes two University of Texas at Austin researchers has found that Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park, which sits on top of massive reserves of oil, is in the single most biodiverse region in the Western Hemisphere.

The announcement is part of a final push for the Yasuní-ITT Initiative at the United Nations General Assembly. The initiative proposes that Ecuador receive compensation for half of the revenues the nation would lose by protecting the estimated 846 million barrels of oil that lie beneath the forest. (more…)

Chagas Disease May Be A Threat in South Texas, Says Researcher

By Guest PostOctober 10, 2011Health, Sciencebugs, chagas disease, chagas disease in texas, chagas infections, disease, heart and digestive disorders, insects, kissing bugs, latin america, Mexico, multi layered attack, philip williamson, protozoa, sahotra sarkar, south america, south texas, texas, triatomine bugs, tropical parasitic disease, trypanosoma cruzi, university of texas at austin

AUSTIN, Texas — Chagas disease, a tropical parasitic disease that can lead to life-threatening heart and digestive disorders, may be more widespread in Texas than previously thought, according to research from The University of Texas at Austin.

“We’ve been studying this for four years now, and this year the number of disease-causing insects is quite amazing,” says Sahotra Sarkar, professor of integrative biology and philosophy at The University of Texas at Austin and lead author of a paper on the disease published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. (more…)

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