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Oct 21, 2009

Alcohol Tolerance Switch Found in Fruit Flies

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic “switch” in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation of… 

Oct 8, 2009

CSI in a Virtual World: New Grant Furthers NC State’s Work in Forensic Science

Imagine using the same process that goes into building video games to help investigators solve real-world crimes. Through a new grant, that’s what researchers at North Carolina State University plan to do. Their work will lay the framework for multi-agency collaboration in crime scene investigations (CSI) by creating an unprecedented cyber infrastructure – a virtual… 

Oct 5, 2009

Solving the Period Problem: Researchers Develop Sanitary Pads from Local, Organic Materials

For most American women, their “time of the month” is seen as a hindrance to daily life. In impoverished and developing countries, however, monthly periods are a major cause for concern among women. The lack of affordable, quality sanitary pads results in females missing up to 50 days of school annually – thereby compromising their… 

Sep 29, 2009

PyroHands: NC State Receives Grant To Develop Next Generation Firefighter Gloves

What is one of the biggest complaints firefighters have about their job? It’s their gloves. While the current gloves are designed to provide protection against extreme temperatures, they are often bulky and inflexible. Through a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, researchers at North Carolina State University will attempt to redesign the traditional firefighter… 

Sep 22, 2009

‘Green Clean:’ Researchers Determining Natural Ways To Clean Contaminated Soil

Researchers at NC State are using a process called phytoremediation – literally a “green” technology – that uses plants and trees to remove pollutants from the environment or render them harmless. 

Sep 15, 2009

Irish Potato Famine Pathogen Takes Gun to Knife Fight

An international team of researchers – including Dr. Jean Beagle Ristaino, professor of plant pathology at North Carolina State University – has completed the genome sequence of one of the most destructive and rapidly evolving pathogens in the world. The research shows that Phytophthora infestans, the fungus-like pathogen responsible for the Irish potato famine in… 

Sep 14, 2009

What Did You Learn to be in School Today?

Filling the pipeline with the next generation of chemists, engineers and rocket scientists isn’t easy. New research at North Carolina State University hopes to drive U.S. students to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also known as STEM. 

Sep 10, 2009

As H1N1 Looms, Study Shows Students Aren’t Protecting Themselves

As public health experts warn of potential widespread outbreaks of H1N1 flu this school year, a new study from North Carolina State University shows that students do not comply with basic preventative measures as much as they think do. In other words, the kids aren't washing their hands. 

Sep 3, 2009

NC State Receives NSF Grant to Discover Plant “Switchboards”

Lignin is the “glue” that holds trees together. It’s good if you need lumber for construction – bad if you’re trying to make biofuels. Researchers at North Carolina State University will trigger the genetic “on/off switches” in more than 10,000 trees to determine how each of the 33 lignin-producing genes impact the type and amount… 

Aug 24, 2009

U.S. Crop Yields Could Wilt in Heat

Yields of three of the most important crops produced in the United States – corn, soybeans and cotton – are predicted to fall off a cliff if temperatures rise due to climate change. In a paper published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, North Carolina State University agricultural and resource… 

Aug 12, 2009

Back To School! NC State Welcomes Freshmen for 2009 School Year

It’s that time of year again! North Carolina State University is welcoming new and returning students for the beginning of the fall semester and a new academic year on Wednesday, Aug. 19. NC State received the largest number of freshman applications in its history, and expects a freshman class of 4,700, as well as 1,050 transfer… 

Aug 10, 2009

To Manage a Fishery, You Must Know How The Fish Die

Recreational anglers and commercial fishermen understand you need good fishery management to make sure there will be healthy populations of fish for generations to come. And making good management decisions rests in large part on understanding the mortality of fish species – how many fish die each year as a result of natural causes and… 

Aug 6, 2009

Scientists Devise Efficient Way of Learning About Complex Corn Traits

There’s no “silver bullet” gene or gene region that controls so-called complex traits in maize, commonly known as corn. Instead, in two research papers published this week in the journal Science, North Carolina State University crop scientists and colleagues show that lots of small changes in a number of gene regions affect complex traits –… 

Jul 23, 2009

Fetal Growth Restriction Studied in Swine

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which results in low birth weight and long-term deleterious health effects in cloned swine, is linked to a type of gene – known as an imprinted gene – found only in placental mammals. Imprinted genes play an important role in the normal… 

Jul 14, 2009

Plants Can’t Defend Remaining Celibate

Why do some plants defend themselves from insect attacks better than others? New evidence shows that the difference might be due to whether they're getting any plant love.