Science Sunday: Wrap-up of recent advancements in science from EurekAlert!

New kind of MRI enables study of magnets for computer memory
(Ohio State University) What is there to see inside a magnet that's smaller than the head of a pin? Quite a lot, say physicists who've invented a new kind of MRI technique to do just that. The technique may eventually enable the development of extremely small computers, and even give doctors a new tool for studying the plaques in blood vessels that play a role in diseases such as heart disease

Researchers discover link between organ transplantation and increased cancer risk
Researchers have determined a novel mechanism through which organ transplantation often leads to cancer, and their findings suggest that targeted therapies may reduce or prevent that risk.

Weizmann Institute scientists' new technique gets to the root of cancer
In two complementary studies, Weizmann Institute scientists have developed a new method for reconstructing a cell's 'family tree,' and have applied this technique to trace the history of the development of cancer. So far, the scientists have been able to calculate the age of the tumor and characterize its growth pattern. The scientists believe cell lineage studies of cancer can eventually lead us to the root of cancer.

Using magenetic nanoparticles to combat cancer
Scientists at Georgia Tech have developed a potential new treatment against cancer that attaches magnetic nanoparticles to cancer cells, allowing them to be captured and carried out of the body. The treatment, which has been tested in the laboratory and will now be looked at in survival studies, is detailed online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Genetic cause of innate resistance to HIV/AIDS
Some people may be naturally resistant to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The results of a study conducted by Dr. Nicole Bernard of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center bring us closer to a genetic explanation. Her study findings were published on July 16 in the journal AIDS

Men and women may need different diets: research
Diet can strongly influence how long you live and your reproductive success, but now scientists have discovered that what works for males can be very different for females.In the first study of its kind, the researchers have shown that gender plays a major role in determining which diet is better suited to promoting longer life or better reproductive success.

Fuel from food waste: bacteria provide power
Researchers have combined the efforts of two kinds of bacteria to produce hydrogen in a bioreactor, with the product from one providing food for the other. According to an article in the August issue of Microbiology Today, this technology has an added bonus: leftover enzymes can be used to scavenge precious metals from spent automotive catalysts to help make fuel cells that convert hydrogen into energy.

Tumor-inhibiting protein could be effective in treating leukemia
Angiocidin, a tumor-inhibiting novel protein, may also have a role as a new therapeutic application in treating leukemia by inducing a differentiation of monocytic leukemia cells into a normal, macrophage-like phenotype.

Stomach bug appears to protect kids from asthma, says NYU study
A long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach may protect children from developing asthma, according to a new study among more than 7,000 subjects led by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that has co-existed with humans for at least 50,000 years, may lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Yet, kids between the ages of 3 and 13 are nearly 59 percent less likely to have asthma if they carry the bug, the researchers report.

Stomach bug appears to protect kids from asthma, says NYU study
A long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach may protect children from developing asthma, according to a new study among more than 7,000 subjects led by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that has co-existed with humans for at least 50,000 years, may lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Yet, kids between the ages of 3 and 13 are nearly 59 percent less likely to have asthma if they carry the bug, the researchers report.

Researchers generate hydrogen without the carbon footprint
A greener, less expensive method to produce hydrogen for fuel may eventually be possible with the help of water, solar energy and nanotube diodes that use the entire spectrum of the sun's energy, according to Penn State researchers.

For your eyes only: Custom interfaces make computer clicking faster, easier
Personalized computer interfaces that adapt to each user's vision and motor abilities significantly speeds up computer tasks, especially in disabled users. A mathematical approach to design offers the first instantly customizable computer interface.

Physicists tweak quantum force, reducing barrier to tiny devices
Cymbals don't clash of their own accord -- in our world, anyway.

Super-resolution X-ray microscopy
(Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) A novel super-resolution X-ray microscope developed by a team of researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) and EPFL in Switzerland combines the high penetration power of x-rays with high spatial resolution, making it possible for the first time to shed light on the detailed interior composition of semiconductor devices and cellular structures.

Tree branching key to efficient flow in nature and novel materials
(Duke University) Nature, in the simple form of a tree canopy, appears to provide keen insights into the best way to design complex systems to move substances from one place to another, an essential ingredient in the development of novel "smart" materials.

'Nanosculpture' could enable new types of heat pumps and energy converters
(Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered a new technique for growing single-crystal nanorods and controlling their shape using biomolecules. The research, published in the journal Advanced Materials, could enable the development of smaller, more powerful heat pumps and devices that harvest electricity from heat.