Curated News: Scientific Meetings

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24-Nov-2014 8:00 AM EST
An Unholy Alliance—Colon Cancer Cells in situ Co-Opt Fibroblasts in Surrounding Tissue to Break Out
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

In work to be presented at the ASCB/IFCB meeting in Philadelphia, researchers from the Institut Curie in Paris report that they have evidence of a coordinated attack on the basement membrane of human colon cells by cancer cells in situ and CAF cells in the extracellular matrix that begins long before the actual translocation of cancer cells.

25-Nov-2014 8:00 AM EST
Blood Brain Barrier on a Chip Could Stand in for Children in Pediatric Brain Research
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

Now bioengineering researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia have come up with an experimental workaround—a synthetic pediatric blood-brain barrier on a small chip—and have tested it successfully using rat brain endothelial cells (RBECs) from rat pups and human endothelial cells.

25-Nov-2014 8:00 AM EST
Screening for Matrix Effect in Leukemia Subtypes Could Sharpen Chemotherapy Targeting
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

Jae-Won Shin and David Mooney of Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering in Cambridge, MA, describe building a three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel system with tunable stiffness to see how relative stiffness of the surrounding ECM affected the resistance of human myeloid leukemias to chemotherapeutic drugs.

25-Nov-2014 11:00 AM EST
Gravity--It’s the Law Even for Cells
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

The average animal cell is 10 microns across but why? Princeton bioengineers take their story of gravity in cells one step further at ASCB, describing how cells manage to support thousands of membrane-less compartments inside the nucleus

1-Dec-2014 10:00 AM EST
Complementary Light Switchable Proteins and Superresolution Reveal Moving Protein Complexes in Live Cells at Single Molecule Level
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

A new method uses photoactivatable complementary fluorescent proteins (PACF) to observe and quantify protein-protein interactions in live cells at the single molecule level.

24-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
Alzheimer’s in a Dish Model Converts Skin Cells to Induced Neurons Expressing Amyloid-Beta and Tau
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

The search for a living laboratory model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)—the so-called “Alzheimer’s in a dish”—has a new candidate. Håkan Toresson and colleagues at Lund University in Sweden report success in creating induced neurons that model Alzheimer’s by starting with fibroblasts taken from skin biopsies.

23-Nov-2014 12:00 PM EST
Climate Control in Termite Mounds
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Researchers from Harvard and MIT have found that fluctuations in outside temperature create convection currents within termite mounds to ventilate the living space -- work at the 67th annual meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics, held November 23-25 in San Francisco.

13-Nov-2014 2:00 PM EST
How to Save Billions of Gallons of Gasoline
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Each year, the more than 2 million tractor-trailer trucks that cruise America's highways consume about 36 billion gallons of diesel fuel, representing more than 10 percent of the nation's entire petroleum use. That fuel consumption could be reduced by billions of gallons a year through the use of drag-reducing devices on trucks, according to studies by researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

14-Nov-2014 8:00 AM EST
Espresso in Space
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Espresso-loving astronauts, rejoice! You may soon be able to enjoy your beloved beverage in space, thanks to a new cup designed specifically to defy the low-gravity environments encountered aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

14-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
When Dogs Drink Water
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

If you've ever watched a dog drink water, you know that it can be a sloshy, spilly, splashy affair -- in other words, adorable. Behind all of the happy, wet messes, however, lies the mechanical logic of carnivorous compensation -- dogs splash when they drink because they have the cheeks of a predatory quadruped. By studying the drinking habits of various dog breeds and sizes, researchers have recently identified and modeled the fluid dynamics at play when dogs drink water.

14-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
Tropical Parasite Uses Swim Stroke Not Shared by Any Other Creature
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

For many bacteria and parasites looking to get a load of the fresh nutritional bounty inside your body, the skin is the first and most important gatekeeper. Schistosomas, however, and burrow right on through. These waterborne blood flukes, responsible for 200 million total worldwide cases of Schistosomiasis, are driven by the powerful thrusts of their unique forked tails and chewing enzymes. The parasite's swimming patterns are crucial for its human-seeking chemotactic activity - and are the focus of researchers at Stanford University who ultimately seek to break the chain of infection.

13-Nov-2014 1:00 PM EST
Artist and Scientist Team up to Explore Stunning Whisky Art
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

If you've ever looked closely at the dried rings whisky leaves behind in a glass, you may be among the few who've noticed just how stunningly beautiful they can be. But what's behind whisky's "particle patterning"?

14-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
The Physics of Jackson Pollock
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Jackson Pollock, one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century, revolutionized abstract expressionist painting in the mid-20th century with his unique "drip" technique -- masterpieces of densely tangled lines of color that Pollock often created from thinned household enamel paints. Now, an experimental technique developed by fluid dynamicists at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City may help reveal exactly how Pollock produced certain features in his paintings.

14-Nov-2014 11:00 AM EST
Full Speed Ahead: The Physical Art of Sailing
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Olympic sailors tip their masts precariously close to the water's surface while turning, right their vessels at what looks like the last possible moment, and bounce up and down over the edge of their boats on the straightaways. Every aspiring Olympic sailor must master these unsteady sail propulsion techniques, but there is no scientific literature that explains exactly how the moves increase a boat's speed. A team of researchers from Cornell University is working to change that.

Released: 24-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
ONLINE EVENT TODAY: Aerodynamic Trucks, Espresso in Space, How Dogs Drink Water, Frog-Inspired Antifreeze and a Parasite's Unique Swim Stroke
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Journalists are invited to participate in as interactive webcast streamed live from the 67th annual meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS-DFD), held November 23-25, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif.

14-Nov-2014 8:00 AM EST
The Secret of Dragonflies' Flight
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Dragonflies can easily right themselves and maneuver tight turns while flying. Each of their four wings is controlled by separate muscles, giving them exquisite control over their flight. Researchers are investigating the physics behind this ability by recording high-speed video footage of dragonflies in flight and integrating the data into computer models, and they will present their findings at the 67th annual meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics.

14-Nov-2014 9:00 AM EST
Tropical Inspiration for an Icy Problem
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Ice poses major impediments to winter travel, accumulating on car windshields and airplane wings and causing countless unsuspecting pedestrians to dramatically lose their balance. A team of researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) has developed a new way to prevent ice buildup on surfaces like airplane wings, finding inspiration in an unusual source: the poison dart frog.

14-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
The Physics of Fizziness
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

If you’ve ever raised a glass of champagne in celebration, you may have noticed tiny bubbles bursting on its surface. But did you know this little event, which is commonly seen in much greater scale on the ocean’s surface, involves a fascinating facet of physics?

14-Nov-2014 12:00 PM EST
Johns Hopkins Scientists Present Findings at the Society for Neuroscience Meeting
Johns Hopkins Medicine

1) A Blood Pressure Hormone Implicated in Psychosis 2) Nutrient Deficiency Linked to Brain Wasting in Huntington’s Disease 3) Autistic Mice Become Social with Drug Treatment

Released: 13-Nov-2014 10:00 AM EST
Cats and Athletes Teach Robots to Fall
Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech studies mid-air orientation and impact behavior in both cats and humans as it applies to reduced impact in falling robots, especially those that one day may be used for search-and-rescue missions in hazardous conditions.

Released: 12-Nov-2014 1:00 PM EST
Moving Cameras Talk to Each Other to Identify, Track Pedestrians
University of Washington

University of Washington electrical engineers have developed a way to automatically track people across moving and still cameras by using an algorithm that trains the networked cameras to learn one another’s differences.

   
6-Nov-2014 3:00 PM EST
Picasso and Braque, Beneath the Surface
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

Imagine being fortunate enough to get to study historical art up close, examining the details of every paint stroke applied to the canvases to gain knowledge about artists’ preferred materials and techniques. Then add a team of art scholars and scientists who can provide historical details or even help you to “see” beneath the painting to reveal anything hidden or painted over on its canvas and you will have a sense of the rich collaborations that some museum professionals enjoy every day.

3-Nov-2014 9:00 PM EST
Preserving the Declaration of Independence and Other Historical Documents
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

Conservation science is helping make big decisions about preservation methods to protect and save unique and historic U.S. government records—including the iconic and priceless Declaration of Independence—for future generations. During the AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition, Jennifer Herrmann, a research chemist and conservation scientist for the National Archives and Records Administration, will describe the role science plays in the preservation of the nation's documents.

3-Nov-2014 9:00 PM EST
High-Tech Authentication of Ancient Artifacts
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

Geologist Timothy Rose of the Smithsonian Institution’s Analytical Laboratories is accustomed to putting his lab’s high-tech nanoscale scanning electron microscope (nanoSEM) to work evaluating the mineral composition of rocks and meteorites. Lately, though, the nanoSEM has been enlisted for a different kind of task: determining the authenticity of ancient Mesoamerican artifacts.

3-Nov-2014 10:00 PM EST
‘Forests’ of Carbon Nanotubes Grown on 3-D Substrates
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

A team of University of Maryland researchers is growing vertically aligned “forests” of carbon nanotubes on three-dimensional (3-D) conductive substrates to explore their potential use as a cathode in next-gen lithium batteries.

3-Nov-2014 9:05 PM EST
All the Electronics That's Fit to Print
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

New technology allows you to print electronic devices in the same way your inkjet printer prints a document or photo. Now researchers at Palo Alto Research Center have used this technique to build a portable X-ray imager and small mechanical devices.

4-Nov-2014 9:50 AM EST
In Human Clinical Trial, UAB to Test Drug Shown to Completely Reverse Diabetes in Human Islets and Mice
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A recently awarded grant will fund a human clinical trial in type 1 diabetes beginning in early 2015 to see if verapamil will have an effect in humans by attacking the disease where it occurs. Meanwhile, more small molecule drugs at UAB are in development.

   
24-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Captive Rhinos Exposed to Urban Rumbles
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

The soundtrack to a wild rhinoceros’s life is wind passing through the savannah grass, birds chirping and distant animals moving across the plains. But a rhinoceros in a zoo listens to children screaming, cars passing and the persistent hum of urban life. A group of researchers from Texas believes that this discrepancy in soundscape may be contributing to rhinos’ difficulties thriving and reproducing in captivity.

28-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Tough Electronics Based on Bullet-Proof Kevlar
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

A group of North Carolina State University researchers is exploring novel ways to apply semiconductor industry processes to unique substrates to "weave together" multifunctional materials with distinct capabilities. During the AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition, they will describe how they were able to "weave" high-strength, highly conductive yarns made of tungsten on Kevlar -- aka body armor material -- by using atomic layer deposition, a process commonly used for producing memory and logic devices.

28-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Nuclear Waste Viewed in New Light
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

Britain’s nuclear reactors, stainless steel drums, contain metal-clad spent uranium embedded in concrete, and they are highly radioactive. The only way to handle them safely is from behind 2-to-3-meter-thick concrete walls and leaded glass windows using automated equipment. Yet a very small number of these drums have begun to bulge after many years in storage, raising questions about what is happening within. The only way to know for sure is to sneak a peek inside.

23-Oct-2014 5:00 PM EDT
The Digital Therapist
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

A program that analyzes your speech and uses it to gain information about your mental health could soon be feasible, thanks in part to research from the University of Maryland showing that certain vocal features change as patients’ feelings of depression worsen.

23-Oct-2014 6:10 PM EDT
High-Intensity Sound Waves May Aid Regenerative Medicine
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a way to use sound to create cellular scaffolding for tissue engineering, a unique approach that could help overcome one of regenerative medicine’s significant obstacles.

   
23-Oct-2014 4:00 PM EDT
Nestling Birds Struggle in Noisy Environments
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Unable to fly, nestling birds depend on their parents for both food and protection: vocal communication between parents and offspring helps young birds to determine when they should beg for food and when they should crouch in the nest to avoid a predator seeking an easy meal. A group of researchers has found that ambient, anthropomorphic noise – from traffic, construction and other human activities – can break this vital communications link, leaving nestlings vulnerable or hungry.

23-Oct-2014 6:25 PM EDT
Urban Seismic Network Detects Human Sounds
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

When listening to the Earth, what clues can seismic data reveal about the impact of urban life? Although naturally occurring vibrations have proven useful to seismologists, until now the vibrations caused by humans haven’t been explored in any real depth. Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers Nima Riahi and Peter Gerstoft will describe their efforts to tap into an urban seismic network to monitor the traffic of trains, planes, automobiles and other modes of human transport.

23-Oct-2014 6:00 PM EDT
The Science of Charismatic Voices
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

When a right-wing Italian politician named Umberto Bossi suffered a severe stroke in 2004, his speech became permanently impaired. Strangely, this change impacted Bossi’s perception among his party’s followers -- from appearing authoritarian to benevolent. Now researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles think they know why.

23-Oct-2014 7:05 PM EDT
Hearing Loss in One Infant Twin Affects Mother’s Speech to Both Babies
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Is it possible that hearing loss in one infant from a pair of twins can affect the mother’s speech to both infants? A new acoustics study zeroes in on this question and suggests that not only is this alteration of speech entirely possible, but that mothers speak to both infants as if they are hearing impaired.

23-Oct-2014 7:35 PM EDT
Why Some Butterflies Sound Like Ants
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Ant nests can offer a lot to organisms other than just ants. They are well-protected, environmentally-stable and resource-rich spaces -- in many ways everything a tiny creature could ask for in a home. For the insects that squat inside ant nests, though, survival means finding ways to live with the ants -- by foiling the chemical cues ants use to distinguish friend from foe, for instance.

23-Oct-2014 6:00 PM EDT
Identifying ‘Stance Taking’ Cues to Enable Sophisticated Voice Recognition
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

In the future, computers may be capable of talking to us during meetings just like a remote teleconference participant. But to help move this science-fiction-sounding goal a step closer to reality, it’s first necessary to teach computers to recognize not only the words we use but also the myriad meanings, subtleties and attitudes they can convey.

23-Oct-2014 7:00 PM EDT
Ancient Auditory Illusions Reflected in Prehistoric Art?
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Some of mankind’s earliest and most mysterious artistic achievements—including prehistoric cave paintings, canyon petroglyphs and megalithic structures such as Stonehenge—may have been inspired by the behaviors of sound waves being misinterpreted as “supernatural.”

Released: 27-Oct-2014 3:00 PM EDT
Live, Online Press Event this Wednesday: The Science of Spooky Sounds, Charismatic Voices, Nestling Birds, Traffic Noise and More
Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Researchers uncovering the secrets of spooky sounds, charismatic voices, nestling birds, traffic noise and more will describe their latest findings during a two-hour live Webcast press event on Wednesday, October 29, 2014. It will be streamed live from the 168th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), which takes place this week in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Released: 15-Oct-2014 2:00 PM EDT
Undue Influence: How Can We Be Effectively Warned Not to Give Away Our Information Online?
University of Alabama Huntsville

Two University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) professors are figuring out the most effective ways we’re influenced to give away personal information online and what warnings would be most effective to get us to stop.

   
Released: 15-Oct-2014 10:50 AM EDT
ORNL Research Reveals Unique Capabilities of 3-D Printing
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Researchers have demonstrated an additive manufacturing method to control the structure and properties of metal components with precision unmatched by conventional manufacturing processes.

Released: 14-Oct-2014 1:00 PM EDT
New ORNL Electric Vehicle Technology Packs More Punch in Smaller Package
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Using 3-D printing and novel semiconductors, researchers have created a power inverter that could make electric vehicles lighter, more powerful and more efficient.

Released: 10-Oct-2014 11:30 AM EDT
Nuclear Reactor Expert Discusses Ways to Prevent Fukushima-Like Damage with Scientists in Japan
Virginia Tech

Alireza Haghighat, a professor with the Nuclear Engineering Program at Virginia Tech, discussed research related to the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex with scientists in Japan.

Released: 9-Oct-2014 3:00 PM EDT
Plasmonic Paper
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processing

Using a common laboratory filter paper decorated with gold nanoparticles, researchers have created a unique platform, known as “plasmonic paper,” for detecting and characterizing even trace amounts of chemicals and biologically important molecules—from explosives, chemical warfare agents and environmental pollutants to disease markers. The work will be described at the AVS 61th International Symposium and Exhibition.

Released: 8-Oct-2014 4:00 PM EDT
Registration for the HFES 2014 International Annual Meeting
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society invites you to register to attend the 2014 Annual Meeting, to be held October 27-31 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Released: 8-Oct-2014 2:00 PM EDT
Proactive Office Ergonomics Can Increase Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

Although office ergonomics training programs have been shown to improve employee well-being and productivity, in many cases training occurs only after complaints are logged.

7-Oct-2014 1:00 PM EDT
Penguins Use Their Personalities to Prepare for Climate Change
American Physiological Society (APS)

Birds’ individual personalities may be among the factors that could improve its chances of successfully coping with environmental stressors. Research presented at the APS intersociety meeting “Comparative Approaches to Grand Challenges in Physiology.”

Released: 7-Oct-2014 1:00 PM EDT
Responses to Global Change: Acclimatize, Adapt or Die
American Physiological Society (APS)

Human-driven climate change will put much of the Earth’s biodiversity at risk of extinction. This session will feature four presentations on how individual species are adapting to environmental changes. It will be presented on Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at the APS Intersociety meeting “Comparative Approaches to Grand Challenges in Physiology.”



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