The cleaved form, MUC1*, is expressed on undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells while the full-length, uncleaved protein (MUC1-FL) is expressed on differentiated stem cells. These studies represent a big step forward for human stem cell research and the future of stem cell transplantation. Previously Minerva Biotechnology reported that the MUC1 protein exists in the same …
As reported in the journal Science: UTD/CSIRO team recently demonstrated that synthetically made carbon nanotubes can be commercially manufactured into transparent sheets that are stronger than steel sheets of the same weight. Starting from chemically grown, self-assembled structures in which nanotubes are aligned like trees in a forest, the sheets are produced at up to …
Several economists have projected future economic growth for China Albert Keidel at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington says that when Japan was at China’s current level of GDP of just over $2,000 per capita, and headed for $10,000, it sustained growth rates of 8-10 percent. So did South Korea and Taiwan. Keidel …
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is requesting that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reinstates the construction permits for two unfinished reactors at its Bellefonte site in Alabama. It continues to pursue regulatory approval for two further units at the site. Bellefonte 1 (1213 MWe, 88% complete) and 2 (1213 MWe, 50% complete) are pressurized …
An excellent idea featured at Melanie Swan’s blog: there are 1,000 trillion bacteria that are part of each human (10x the number of human cells) could be an ideal augmentation substrate. There are at least three ways for achieving human-electronic interfaces; physical implants, wearables and a third as yet unconsidered possibility, exploiting the human bacterial …
Year Carbon Fiber (CF) Market2007 35,000 tons2008 40,000 tons2009 46,000 tons 2010 52,000 tons2011 60,000 tons2012 69,000 tons2015 88,000 tons 70-80% of the CF market is for industrial purposes (10-15% growth in industrial), but the market for aircraft parts is growing the fastest (15-24% growth). The overall market is projected to grow at 10-15% per …
Randomly oriented nanowires, on the growth substrate at left, are having a “bad hair day.” But after contact printing, the nanowires on the receiver substrate are highly aligned. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley have created the world’s first all-integrated sensor circuit based …
Genetics is believed to be a main cause for 70% of schizophrenia. If gene therapy can fix the genetic factors then schizophrenia could be reduced by 70%. This would save tens of billions of dollars each year in the USA and hundreds of billions of dollars around the world. It would reduce homelessness by up …
Hitachi Maxell Ltd (6810.T) gained 6.5 percent. A spokesman there confirmed a Nikkei evening edition report that it is aiming to commercialise a longer-lasting [perhaps 20 times longer], cheaper lithium-ion battery in the next three to four years that substitutes expensive cobalt with manganese. Hybrid Technologies has new superlattice li-ion batteries that can power an …
Many environmentalists love to point to public transportation as the blessed technology and policy which would reduce oil consumption and dependence. I agree that increasing public transportation can be helpful, but how helpful and how long would it take to have what level of impact ? In the big energy picture, the USA uses 40% …
Biochips contain grids of small wells or “dots,” each of which contains a protein, antibody or nucleic acid that can bind to a target antigen or DNA sequence. New biochips can detect cancers and other diseases accurately before symptoms develop. Why does this matter ? Early detection can have a large impact on survival rates. …