Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily
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What can salad dressing tell us about cancer? Think oil and vinegar
Scientists have identified another way the process that causes oil to form droplets in water may contribute to solid tumors, such as prostate and breast cancer. Researchers found evidence that mutations in the tumor suppressor gene SPOP contribute to cancer by disrupting a process called liquid-liquid phase separation. Liquid-liquid phase separation is seen often in nature and is the reason why oil and vinegar separate in salad dressing.
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New robot picks a peck of peppers and more
SWEEPER is designed to operate in a single stem row cropping system, with non-clustered fruits and little leaf occlusion. The team spearheaded efforts to improve the robot's ability to detect ripe produce using computer vision, and has played a role in defining the specifications of the robot's hardware and software interfaces, focusing on supervisory control activities.
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Study of protein 'trafficker' provides insight into autism and other brain disorders
Researchers have discovered that the protein ASTN2 shuttles receptors away from the surface of neurons, a process that facilitates efficient brain activity.
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'Pinning down' how salty droplets dry
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered a new way of controlling the drying patterns formed by re-crystallizing salt. They found that the coffee ring effect can be used to pin the edge of drying droplets, creating a range of different geometric patterns. The same principles may be applied to understand and improve the adhesion of printer ink to surfaces and the manufacture of film-based devices.
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Genomic study brings us closer to precision medicine for type 2 diabetes
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are treated with a 'one-size-fits-all' protocol, but this approach can leave many cases inadequately managed. New work indicates that inherited genetic changes may underlie the variability seen among diabetes patients, with different physiological processes potentially leading to high blood sugar. This work represents a first step toward using genetics to identify subtypes of type 2 diabetes.