Research Notes

New ‘Nuclear Battery’ Runs 10 Years

Batteries with lifespans measured in decades are under development at the University, thanks to Rochester work on a new method to design the so-called “nuclear batteries.” Based on a technology that has been in development for half a century, the Rochester research indicates that the efficiency of the batteries can be boosted by as much as 200 percent by increasing the surface area where the current is generated. The details of the technology, licensed
to BetaBatt Inc., were published in Advanced Materials in an article co-authored by Philippe Fauchet, professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Study: Common Chemical May Affect Male Development

A mother’s prenatal exposure to a class of chemicals commonly used in household products, plastics, and cosmetics may affect the reproductive development of boys, according to a small, preliminary study led by Rochester scientists. In a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, a team led by Shanna Swan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, reported that measures for normal genital development analyzed in 85 infant boys corresponded to the level of their mothers’ exposure to chemicals known as phthalates. The research is the first to support the hypothesis that exposure to phthalates in the womb may be involved in suppressing male sexual development in humans.

Researchers Find New Clues to Target Pathogens

Scientists have taken a major step toward the goal of altering viruses, bacteria, and tumor cells so that they demand attention from immune cells designed to destroy them. According to a study published in the journal Immunity, research led by Andrea Sant, a professor in the David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, indicates that the chemical mechanisms that determine which parts of disease-causing molecules will trigger an immune response—and which parts will seemingly go unnoticed by the body’s defense system—can be fine-tuned. The work may provide new clues to making the body’s disease-fighting responses more effective.

Why Do Good Cells Go Bad in Multiple Sclerosis?

A chemical messenger allowing some white blood cells to act like renegades in the central nervous system helps explain one of the fundamental mysteries of multiple sclerosis, according to University researchers. In the study led by neurologist Benjamin Segal and published in the Journal of Immunology, the team found that the chemical messenger interleukin-12 allows some cells in the immune system to evade regulation and run amok, causing damage to the myelin coating that protects nerve cells.

Workplace Obesity Under Scrutiny

Finding ways to help prevent obesity by influencing the habits of people at their workplaces is the goal of a new national study being led in part by the Medical Center. Rochester was one of only seven institutions nationwide selected by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to take part in the study, the first of its kind in upstate New York. Any strategies or tools developed could be used as a model for future programs. Eastman Kodak Company has agreed to serve as the site for the four-year project.