Research
March 19, 2014
Anti-anxiety drug ameliorates autistic behaviors in mice
Increasing cell signals that put the brake on excitatory brain cells reduces repetitive behaviors and learning problems and improves social interactions in a mouse model of autism. This was achieved with a low dose of benzodiazipine, a common anti-anxiety, anti-seizure medication.
March 14, 2014
Distance to supermarket makes no difference to diet quality, UW study says
A new UW study conducted in Seattle shows that people bypass supermarkets and ethnic stores near their homes to shop at their preferred grocery.
March 13, 2014
Negative effects of joining a gang last long after gang membership ends
Joining a gang in adolescence has significant consequences in adulthood beyond criminal behavior, even after a person leaves the gang. Former gang members are more likely to be in poor health, receiving government assistance and struggling with drug abuse than someone who never joined a gang.
Tethered robots tested for Internet-connected ocean observatory
The UW this fall will complete installation of a huge high-tech ocean observatory. Dozens of instruments will connect to power and Internet cables on the seafloor, but the observatory also includes a new generation of ocean explorers: robots that will zoom up and down through almost two miles of ocean to monitor the water conditions and marine life above.
March 11, 2014
No one likes a copycat, no matter where you live
Very young children often don’t view an artistic copycat negatively, but that changes by the age of 5 or 6, even in countries that place less value on intellectual property rights than the U.S.
March 10, 2014
Scientists build thinnest-possible LEDs to be stronger, more energy efficient
University of Washington scientists have built the thinnest-known LED that can be used as a source of light energy in electronics. The LED is based off of two-dimensional, flexible semiconductors, making it possible to stack or use in much smaller and more diverse applications than current technology allows.
March 4, 2014
Polar science this weekend at Pacific Science Center
The 9th annual Polar Science Weekend will bring polar research, art and an actual ice core to the Pacific Science Center.
February 27, 2014
Battery-free technology brings gesture recognition to all devices
University of Washington computer scientists have built a low-cost gesture recognition system that runs without batteries and lets users control their electronic devices hidden from sight with simple hand movements. The prototype, called “AllSee,” uses existing TV signals as both a power source and the means for detecting a user’s gesture command.
February 26, 2014
Pine forest particles appear out of thin air, influence climate
German, Finnish and U.S. scientists have discovered how gas wafting from coniferous trees creates particles that can reflect sunlight or promote formation of clouds.
Whales, ships more common through Bering Strait
A three-year survey of whales in the Bering Strait reveals that many species of whales are using the narrow waterway, while shipping and commercial traffic also increase.
February 25, 2014
Joel Migdal book ‘Shifting Sands’ considers American role in Middle East
Migdal, UW professor of international studies, discusses his latest book, “Shifting Sands: The United States in the Middle East.”
February 24, 2014
Vitamin water: Measuring essential nutrients in the ocean
Oceanographers have found that archaea, a type of marine microbe, can produce B-12 vitamins in the ocean.
February 18, 2014
Personal stories behind Exxon Valdez spill in book ‘Red light to Starboard’
Angela Day, UW doctoral student in political science, discusses her book, “Red Light to Starboard: Recalling the Exxon Valdez Disaster.”
Chemistry’s Matthew Bush named Sloan fellow
UW’s Matthew Bush has been selected as one of 126 Sloan Research Fellows for 2014.
Embarking on geoengineering, then stopping, would speed up global warming
Carrying out geoengineering for several decades and then stopping would cause warming at a rate more than double that expected due to global warming.
February 14, 2014
UW helps protect $30 million to $40 million in U.S. wood exports to Japan
A recently introduced homebuilding subsidy program in Japan put logs and lumber imported from the U.S. and other countries at a competitive disadvantage.
February 12, 2014
Jake Rosenfeld explores the sharp decline of union membership, influence
Jake Rosenfeld, a University of Washington associate professor of sociology, examines the far-reaching economic and social consequences of the decline of organized labor in his new book, “What Unions No Longer Do.”
February 11, 2014
Washington housing market uneven in fourth quarter 2013
Washington state’s housing market softened in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the quarter before, but remained stronger than a year ago, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.
Data on today’s youth reveal childhood clues for later risk of STDs
Findings from UW longitudinal surveys of nearly 2,000 participants suggest that efforts to curb the spread of sexually transmitted diseases should begin years before most people start having sex.
February 10, 2014
Newly found tactics in offense-defense struggle with hepatitis C virus
People who are genetically equipped to stop hepatitis C viruses from turning off a type of interferon generally have a robust antiviral response. Findings on the mechanisms governing this ability suggest new avenues for treatment research.
February 7, 2014
Use humans in your UW research? More info on the new forms you need
The Human Subjects Division has updated and streamlined its forms, which should bring some administrative relief to UW researchers involved in the university’s 6,000 active studies using human subjects.
February 6, 2014
Documents that Changed the World: The Book of Mormon
Joe Janes of the UW Information School discusses the famous book and its origin as part of his ongoing podcast series, “Documents that Changed the World.”
Credit card-sized device could analyze biopsy, help diagnose pancreatic cancer in minutes
University of Washington scientists and engineers are developing a low-cost device that could help pathologists diagnose pancreatic cancer earlier and faster. The prototype can perform the basic steps for processing a biopsy, relying on fluid transport instead of human hands to process the tissue.
February 5, 2014
Public lecture series will explore the science of decision making
The ninth annual Allen L. Edwards Psychology Lecture Series will delve into “The Science of Decision Making,” to explain how the brain and an individual’s expectations influence decisions made in uncertain conditions.
February 4, 2014
Does caregiving cause psychological stress? Study says, it depends
The results break the longstanding belief that caregiving directly causes psychological distress, and make a case for genetics and upbringing influencing vulnerability.
Fruit flies – fermented-fruit connoisseurs – are relentless party crashers
That fruit fly appearing moments after you poured that first glass of cabernet, has just used a poppy-seed-sized brain to conduct a finely-choreographed search and arrive in time for happy hour.
Personal experience, work seniority improve mental health professionals’ outlook
One might think that after years on the job, mental health workers would harbor negative attitudes about mental illness, but a new UW study suggests the opposite.
February 3, 2014
Greenland’s fastest glacier sets new speed record
Observations of Jakobshavn Glacier from 2012 and 2013 show the fast-moving glacier has set new records for the speed of ice flowing toward the ocean.
Solving a physics mystery: Those ‘solitons’ are really vortex rings
The same physics that gives stability to tornadoes lies at the heart of new UW research and could lead to a better understanding of nuclear dynamics in studying fission, superconductors and the workings of neutron stars.
January 29, 2014
Deaths attributed directly to climate change cast pall over penguins
Climate change is killing penguin chicks from the world’s largest colony of Magellanic penguins, not just indirectly but directly because of drenching rainstorms and heat.
Neanderthal lineages excavated from modern human genomes
A fossil-free method of sequencing archaic DNA may provide insight into human evolution.
January 28, 2014
New book explores mixed success of China’s ‘Emperor Huizong’
Patricia Ebrey, professor of history, is the author of “Emperor Huizong,” a new biography of a Chinese emperor who lived from 1082 to 1135 and ruled for 26 years during China’s Song Dynasty.
January 27, 2014
Facelift complications eased with help of new 3-D imaging technique
New imaging technology from University of Washington engineers allows scientists to analyze what happens within the smallest blood vessels during a cosmetic facelift. This finding could be used to prevent accidents during procedures and help clinicians reverse the ill effects if an injection doesn’t go as planned.
January 24, 2014
How strong of a football fan are you? There’s a test for that
UW psychologist Anthony Greenwald has developed a scientific test to measure the strength of one’s support for a football team.
January 22, 2014
Gene therapy leads to robust improvements in animal model of fatal muscle disease
The experimental treatment restored muscle function and prolonged lives in animals with a condition similar to X-linked myotubular myopathy in children
January 21, 2014
Dental school researchers patent new antibacterial agent
Titanium-based materials can inhibit bacterial growth when bound to metal ions. If proven beneficial in clinical trials, certain titanates could be applied after a dental procedure to prevent infection or decay.
January 20, 2014
Girls frequently play soccer through concussion, study finds
Serious risks are associated with continuing game play immediately after incurring a concussion, yet University of Washington researchers found that many young female soccer players do just that.
January 17, 2014
UW seismologists expand stadium monitoring for NFC championship game
UW scientists installed a third seismograph at CenturyLink Field this week after the trial by fire of a website and new monitoring tools during last weekend’s Seahawks game.
January 16, 2014
Soil production breaks geologic speed record
Samples from steep mountaintops in New Zealand shows that rock can transform into soil more than twice as fast as previously believed possible.
January 15, 2014
Data suggest new class of drug may be potent against genital herpes
A new drug, called pritelivir, may offer a new treatment option for patients with genital herpes, a new industry-sponsored – study led by University of Washington researchers has found.
Previous page Next page
