research news

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 21, 2009

No Economic Crystal Ball Necessary

You don’t need a crystal ball to tell you what is going to happen next in the economy. You need a statistical model. A new method from North Carolina State University can help researchers determine which economic variables they should focus on by identifying whether a variable can be predicted. 

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. 

Jul 14, 2009

$1.1 Million Grant Supports Transatlantic Forest Resource Management Degree

A new grant awarded to North Carolina State University, along with Michigan Technological University (MTU), the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the University of Helsinki (UH), will fund a dual master’s degree program that will encourage European and North American collaboration in forest resource management. The $1.1 million grant is jointly funded by… 

Jul 8, 2009

NC State Researchers Receive $1.3 Million to Study Advanced Battery Technology

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $1.3 million to faculty in North Carolina State University’s Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Center to improve the batteries that help power plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 

Jul 7, 2009

Robo-Bats May Be Next Remote Control Flyers

Tiny flying machines can be used for everything from indoor surveillance to exploring collapsed buildings, but simply making smaller versions of planes and helicopters doesn’t work very well. Instead, researchers at North Carolina State University are mimicking nature’s small flyers – and developing robotic bats that offer increased maneuverability and performance. Small flyers, or micro-aerial… 

Jul 6, 2009

Dogs, Humans, put Heads Together to Find Cure for Brain Cancer

Pinpointing the genes involved in human brain cancer can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and sometimes the needle you find may not be the right one. By comparing human and canine genomes, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that a gene commonly believed to be involved in meningiomas-tumors that… 

Jun 30, 2009

Can Video Games Boost Thinking Skills in Elderly?

Researchers at North Carolina State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study whether and how video games can boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly – and then to use their findings to develop a prototype video game to do just… 

Jun 29, 2009

Tool Finds Best Heart Disease, Stroke Treatments for Patients with Diabetes

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that medical doctors can use to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke. “The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and… 

Jun 25, 2009

A Penny for Your Prions

North Carolina State University researchers have discovered a link between copper and the normal functioning of prion proteins, which are associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diseases such as Cruetzfeldt-Jakob in humans or “mad cow” disease in cattle. Their work could have implications for patients suffering from these diseases, as well as from other prion-related diseases… 

Jun 17, 2009

Study Finds Reproductive Health Effects From Low Doses of Bisphenol-A

New research from North Carolina State University and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows significant reproductive health effects in rats that have been exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) at levels equivalent to or below the dose that has been thought not to produce any adverse effects. BPA is a chemical found in baby… 

Jun 8, 2009

Accuracy Essential to XBRL Financial Filing Program

The largest 500 companies regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are poised to submit quarterly financial reports that, for the first time, will be tagged using XBRL code – which will allow computers to “read” their content and make it easier for people to find and analyze financial data contained in the… 

Jun 3, 2009

Study Shows Bank Risk-Assessment Tool Not Responding Adequately to Market Fluctuations

A new study from North Carolina State University indicates that regulators need to do more to ensure that banks are adequately computing their Value-at-Risk (VaR) to reflect fluctuations in financial markets. The study finds that the tests used by regulators do not detect when VaRs inaccurately account for significant swings in the market, which is… 

Jun 2, 2009

Study: Lack of Capital Not a ‘Death Sentence’ for Start-Ups

A new study from North Carolina State University is turning the conventional wisdom about technology start-up companies on its head, showing that ventures with moderate levels of undercapitalization can still be successful and that a great management team is not more important than a top-notch technology product when it comes to securing sufficient amounts of…