Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 7, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Tunable quantum cascade laser- Coldest Antimatter Ever Produced
- Black hole blows big bubble
- Particle physics: 'Honey, I shrunk the proton'
- NASA releases videogame, Moonbase Alpha
- Unearthed tools rewrite saga of human migration
- AT&T network glitch limits iPhone 4 upload speeds
- Fouls go left: Soccer referees may be biased based on play's direction of motion
- When a little knowledge really is dangerous
- No Speeding Reading with eBooks?
- Tradition explains why some meerkats are late risers
- Proteins prove their metal
- Scientists uncover previously unknown natural mechanism that controls cocaine use
- Biologists identify a new clue into cellular aging
- What plant genes tell us about crop domestication
Space & Earth news
EPA: Clean-air rule would overturn Bush-era plan
(AP) -- The Obama administration is proposing new rules to tighten restrictions on pollution from coal-burning power plants in the eastern half of the country, a key step to cut emissions that cause smog.
Launch delayed for satellite to watch space debris
(AP) -- The launch of a new U.S. Air Force space surveillance satellite has been delayed due to a software problem in a rocket similar to the one that will lift the satellite into orbit.
Image: A Closer Look at Daphnis
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has captured the closest images of Saturn's moon Daphnis to date.
Carbon emissions threaten fish populations
Humanity's rising CO2 emissions could have a significant impact on the world's fish populations according to groundbreaking new research carried out in Australia.
Using ultrasound to control toxic algal blooms
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Adelaide researchers are investigating the use of ultrasound as an environmentally friendly and cheaper alternative to controlling blue-green algae in our fresh water supplies.
'Climategate' inquiry mostly vindicates scientists
(AP) -- An independent report into the leak of hundreds of e-mails from one of the world's leading climate research centers on Wednesday largely vindicated the scientists involved, saying they acted honestly and that their research was reliable.
Researchers calculate the cost of CO2 emissions, call for carbon tax
Two Rice University researchers are calling on policymakers to encourage the transition from coal-based electricity production to a system based on natural gas through a carbon tax.
First research trip across western Amazon yields surprising results
During his unprecedented expedition into the heart of the Amazon, Michigan State University geographer Bob Walker discovered surprising evidence that many of the Brazilian government's efforts to protect the environment are working.
Berkeley Lab Geologist Studies the Ground Beneath His Feet
When geologist Preston Jordan was first hired at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 1990, his assignment was to study the paleoseismology of the Hayward Fault, which lies to the west of the lab site and is still an active earthquake fault. It was a year after the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake, and funding for such research was abundant. However, within a few years, the funding dried up, and Jordan moved to the Environmental Restoration Program at Berkeley Lab.
Oil leases a threat to fishery ecosystem
(PhysOrg.com) -- The issuing of oil drilling licences off the coast of South Australia poses a serious potential threat to the ecosystem that underpins the nation?s most valuable fishing industry, a Flinders University oceanographer has said.
Hayabusa Contains a Hint of Dust
The sample return canister from the Hayabusa spacecraft has been opened, and does contain a small amount of dust, possibly from the asteroid Itokawa. Studying samples from an asteroid can help astrobiologists determine if impacts delivered materials important to the origins of life on the early Earth.
Europe should freeze deep water drilling: top official
Europe should freeze new deep water drilling until the causes of the rig explosion which triggered the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are known, a top EU official said Wednesday.
GOES-13 satellite sees elongated system 96L getting organized
System 96L looks like an oval-shaped area of clouds in a recent visible satellite image from the GOES-13 satellite. The National Hurricane Center noted that it now has a 50% chance of development into a tropical depression by sometime on Thursday.
NASA to fly into hurricane research this summer
Three NASA aircraft will begin flights to study tropical cyclones on Aug. 15 during the agency's first major U.S.-based hurricane field campaign since 2001. The Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes mission, or GRIP, will study the creation and rapid intensification of hurricanes.
NASA releases videogame, Moonbase Alpha
NASA has abandoned plans to return to the Moon but videogamers can explore the lunar landscape with a free new online game released by the US space agency.
En route to a comet, European probe Rosetta to fly by asteroid
A billion-euro (1.25-billion-dollar) European spacecraft will get up close and personal with an asteroid this Saturday as the probe blasts through the Solar System on its way to rendezvous with a comet.
Newborn stars discovered in dark cosmic cloud
A wave of massive star formation appears poised to begin within a mysterious, dark cloud in the Milky Way. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed a secluded birthplace for stars within a wispy, dark cloud named named M17 SWex. The dark cloud is part of the larger, parent nebula known as M17, a vast region of our galaxy with a bright, central star cluster. "We believe we've managed to observe this dark cloud in a very early phase of star formation before its most massive stars have ignited," said Penn State astronomer Matthew Povich, a postdoctoral fellow and the lead author of a study published recently in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The new research could shed light on the question of how and when massive stars form.
Black hole blows big bubble
Combining observations made with ESO's Very Large Telescope and NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope, astronomers have uncovered the most powerful pair of jets ever seen from a stellar black hole. This object, also known as a microquasar, blows a huge bubble of hot gas, 1000 light-years across, twice as large and tens of times more powerful than other known microquasars. The discovery is reported this week in the journal Nature.
Technology news
Judges order 2 Pa. newspapers to delete stories
(AP) -- A Pennsylvania judge who ordered two newspapers to delete archived stories about three defendants whose cases were resolved has rescinded the order. But another judge's order covering two other defendants is still pending.
New system helps locate car park spaces
A research group from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain, led by Jose Lopez Vicario and Antoni Morell, took part in the development of a new system which locates unoccupied car park spaces and guides users to the nearest one. The new network of sensors for the management of public car parks and locations, which researchers have named XALOC, was developed by a consortium formed by the firm WorldSensing and the Centre for Telecommunications Technology of Catalonia.
2nd judge rescinds newspaper story purge orders
(AP) -- A second central Pennsylvania judge has rescinded court orders directing two newspapers to delete archived stories about defendants.
YouTube to gather videos for 'Life in a Day' movie
(AP) -- With the help of director Kevin Macdonald, producer Ridley Scott and a few hundred other filmmakers, YouTube is making a movie.
LaHood criticizes driver distraction lobbying push
(AP) -- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood criticized a fledgling lobbying campaign on Wednesday which he said would undermine his work to limit drivers' use of cell phones and other electronic devices while behind the wheel.
Lawsuit seeks arbitration in Microsoft case
(AP) -- Attorneys representing 23 states involved in a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. have filed a lawsuit over attorney fees against the Iowa lawyer who spearheaded a $179.5 million settlement with the software company.
Submarine robots learn teamwork
New technology developed by European researchers will allow autonomous underwater vehicles to work together as a team. It increases the scope of submarine applications for autonomous vehicles. Even better, the technology can be retrofitted.
EU looking carefully at Google allegations
(AP) -- The European Union's antitrust chief said Wednesday he is looking "very carefully" at allegations that Google Inc. unfairly demotes rivals' sites in search results.
Germany takes legal steps against Facebook
(AP) -- A German data protection official said Wednesday he launched legal proceedings against Facebook, which he accused of illegally accessing and saving personal data of people who don't use the social networking site.
New system to reduce heating costs in cold climates
A new type of heat pump being developed at Purdue University could allow residents in cold climates to cut their heating bills in half.
New security measures for Apple's iTunes
Apple put new security measures in place on iTunes on Wednesday, one day after barring a Vietnamese applications developer for fraud.
Bye-bye trolls? Blizzard forums to use real names
(AP) -- Activision Blizzard's move to require people to use their real names if they want to post messages in online forums for games is the latest sign that online anonymity is falling out of favor with many companies.
Wake up, check Facebook: Americans increasingly obsessed
Americans are increasingly obsessed with Facebook and many young women check their page even before using the bathroom in the morning, according to a poll released on Wednesday.
Solar-powered Swiss plane gets its day in the sun (Update 2)
(AP) -- An experimental solar-powered plane whose Swiss makers hope someday to fly around the globe soared into uncharted territory Wednesday - the cold, dark night.
New biofuels processing method for mobile facilities
Chemical engineers at Purdue University have developed a new method to process agricultural waste and other biomass into biofuels, and they are proposing the creation of mobile processing plants that would rove the Midwest to produce the fuels.
No Speeding Reading with eBooks?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Many think that ebooks could change the way we interact with the written word. They are convenient, and ereaders provide mobility -- as well as the ability to store thousands of books in a small device. However, we are still attached to our more traditional books. In order to appeal to the book loving audience, ebook publishers have taken pains to do what they can to make the experience close to reading, by working with fonts and word sizes, and even using techniques that allow you to use a motion of "turning" pages.
AT&T network glitch limits iPhone 4 upload speeds
(AP) -- In the latest snag for the iPhone 4, AT&T Inc. said Wednesday that a software defect in its network is limiting data uploads from the phone in some areas.
Meeting consumers' HD demands with a faster algorithm
(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers help smaller processors outperform a single superfast processor by working more efficiently in parallel.
Study: US mobile Web use growing, but still low
(AP) -- When it comes to accessing the Web over mobile devices, Americans are far behind their Internet-connected counterparts in Japan, South Korea and parts of Europe.
Ethanol-fueled racecars outrun conventional speedsters
(PhysOrg.com) -- A group of automotive researchers from the Argonne National Laboratory and industry have shown that a fuel-injected racing car engine fueled by E-85, an ethanol-based fuel, outperforms the same engine with a carburetor and leaded racing fuel.
YouTube touches up mobile video for touch screens
(AP) -- YouTube has upgraded its mobile website to make it more convenient and appealing to watch videos on touch-screen devices such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Motorola Inc.'s Droid X.
Medicine & Health news
Study examines outcomes of blood-pressure control for diabetes and coronary artery disease patients
Patients with hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease who maintained their systolic blood pressure at less than 130 mm Hg did not have improved cardiovascular outcomes compared to patients with usual blood pressure control, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.
Glucosamine appears to provide little benefit for chronic low-back pain
Even though it is widely used as a therapy for low back pain, a randomized controlled trial finds that patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis (OA) who took glucosamine for six months showed little difference on measures of pain-related disability, low back and leg pain and health-related quality of life, compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.
Study finds wide variation in 5-year patient survival rates for lung transplantation centers
There is significant variation among lung transplant centers in the U.S. in the 5-year survival rate of patients, with a higher number of procedures performed at a center only partly associated with longer survival of patients, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.
SDSU researcher explores novel protein as potential target in Alzheimer's treatment
(PhysOrg.com) -- A South Dakota State University researcher and his colleagues elsewhere have discovered a previously unreported mitochondrial protein that interacts with a protein known to play a role in Alzheimer's disease.
Recommended blood pressure level differs for heart patients with diabetes
The best blood pressure range for patients with diabetes and heart disease appears to be slightly higher than what is recommended for healthy adults, according to a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.
Many mephedrone alternatives just as risky, warn experts
Since the recent ban on mephedrone, many so-called "legal substitutes" available on the internet are in fact banned cathinones (chemically related to amphetamines) and just as risky, warn experts in a letter to this week's BMJ.
Recommendations for treatment of inherited lung disease are unjustified
An expensive treatment recommended for a genetic disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency has no proven clinical benefit, according to a systematic review by Cochrane Researchers. The disorder causes chronic lung disease and the review concludes that considering the lack of evidence for its benefits, and possible adverse effects, the treatment should not be recommended.
Suicide barriers may fail to cut suicide rates as people go elsewhere
Suicide barriers on bridges might not reduce overall suicide rates by jumping from heights, as people may change location for their suicide attempt, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Attitudes, beliefs and health literacy impact how patients manage chronic lower-back pain
Approximately 10% of low back pain (LBP) sufferers experience persistent pain and significant disability. In a study published in the August issue of Pain, a group of Australian researchers investigating the relevance of health literacy in patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) found that LBP-related beliefs and behaviors affect a person's disability more than pain intensity or a standard measure of functional health literacy. However, when delving deeper into aspects of health literacy, important factors were identified which might help to explain disability associated with CLBP, highlighting important factors to consider in the delivery of information for CLBP.
No evidence that 4 hour A&E target benefits clinical care, say doctors
In this week's BMJ, a group of senior doctors say they have no evidence that the four hour A&E target benefits clinical care. They also argue that it has encouraged target led rather than needs led care.
Should specialist medical training be more flexible?
Specialist medical training programmes should retain some flexibility to help trainee doctors make the right career choices, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Hospital study suggests that early transfusion increases acute upper GI re-bleeding risk
Doctors have called for an urgent review of transfusion policies after a UK-wide study of over 200 hospitals found that patients admitted with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) are more than twice as likely to suffer further bleeding if they receive a red blood cell transfusion within 12 hours.
Suicide attempt method affects prognosis
The method used for a suicide attempt is highly significant for the risk of subsequent successful suicide, reveals a long-term study from Karolinska Institutet. The results may be of help in acute risk assessment following a suicide attempt.
Racism shapes African-American women's views on depression care
African-American women's beliefs about depression and depression care are consistently and systematically influenced by racism, according to a new study conducted at Oregon Health & Science University. The results are published online in the American Journal of Public Health.
HIV prevention strategy key to curbing epidemic and cutting long-term treatment costs
Increasing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment for people with HIV/AIDS will provide significant cost savings over a relatively short period of time, according to a formal economic analysis led by researchers at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) at Providence Health Care and the University of British Columbia (UBC).
Research: Schwartz Center Rounds encourage compassionate health care and better teamwork
Caregivers who participated in a program where attendees discuss medical cases that were complex for psychosocial and emotional reasons were more likely to be attentive to the psychosocial and emotional aspects of patient care. The program also enhanced their beliefs about the importance of empathy.
ISU faculty members analyze human impact of discovery published in Nature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two Iowa State University faculty members were invited by the journal Nature to comment on breakthrough research that may ultimately lead to new treatments for cancer patients.
Not what the doctors order
A Northeastern University faculty researcher said the elderly often fail to take their medications as prescribed, creating quality-of-life issues, especially for older people with multiple chronic diseases.
Surgery Is Good 'Teachable Moment' to Help Smokers Quit
It is well known that smokers are at an increased risk for post-surgical complications such as infections and poorly healing wounds. Likewise, smoking can contribute to lowered survival and delayed healing.
OTC Constipation Treatment Beats Prescription Med in Review
When ordinary over-the-counter laxatives fail to work, doctors turn to other medications to treat people with constipation. Now, a new review of existing research finds that one common drug treatment is better than another is at helping patients who are desperate to get things moving.
First US surgery to compare NOTES vs. laparoscopy
As part of the only U.S. prospective multicenter clinical trial to compare natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) to laparoscopy, surgeons at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have performed the trial's first oral gallbladder removal. This landmark study will evaluate whether or not NOTES is safe and as effective as traditional laparoscopic surgery.
Knee arthritis? Flexible options can help keep you active
Middle-aged men and women with osteoarthritis of the knee now have more options than ever before for treatments that may allow them to remain active in the sports they love, according to a review published in the July 2010 issue of of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS).
Barrow scientist leads insula research
A scientist at Barrow Neurological Institute is leading the global discussion and research on a hidden lobe of the brain called the insula. A.D. "Bud" Craig, PhD, who began studying the often-ignored lobe more than two decades ago, has organized and edited a special edition of the journal Brain Structure and Function dedicated to the emerging medical and scientific interest in the insula.
Legalizing marijuana in California would lower the price of the drug and increase use, study finds
Legalizing the production and distribution of marijuana in California could cut the price of the drug by as much as 80 percent and increase consumption, according to a new study by the nonprofit RAND Corporation that examines many issues raised by proposals to legalize marijuana in the state.
Decline in international medical graduates exacerbates shortage of general surgeons
A decline in the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) is threatening patient access to quality surgical care, according to a new study in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Study finds patients benefit from thorough discussion of recommended operations
Surgical patients who participate in longer- to 30-minute- discussions prior to having an operation (known as the informed consent process) better understand the proposed operation, according to new research published in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, researchers found that asking the patient to "repeat back" their understanding of the procedure was effective in enhancing patient comprehension of informed consent issues. This is the largest study ever conducted on the surgical informed consent process.
Homicide and suicide rates among mentally ill on the decline
People with mental health problems are committing fewer homicides while the number of suicides by mental health patients has also fallen, latest figures for England and Wales reveal; a previous rise in homicides by mentally ill people may have been the result of drug misuse, says the report.
Protein identified which helps cancer cells to survive stressful conditions
Researchers at NUI Galway have made a discovery that could lead to the development of more effective treatments for a number of diseases. They have shown that a protein produced when cells are stressed interacts with a stress sensor allowing cells to survive conditions of intense stress. Understanding this interaction may help scientists interfere with cancer cells so the cells can no longer survive exposure to stressful conditions. These findings are published next week in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology.
The majority of fevers in African children are not caused by malaria
In 2007, an estimated 656 million fevers occurred in African children aged 0-4 years, with 78 million children of the 183 million attending a public health care facility likely to have been infected with P. falciparum (range 60-103 million), the parasite that causes the most dangerous form of malaria. These findings come from a modelling system devised by Peter Gething and colleagues from the Malaria Atlas Project, a multinational team of researchers funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust.
Rudeness at work causes mistakes
If someone is rude to you at work or if you witness rudeness you are more likely to make mistakes, says Rhona Flin, Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, in an editorial published in this week's BMJ.
Western food fuelling SE Asia diabetes boom: researchers
The growing popularity of Western junk food is fuelling a diabetes boom across Southeast Asia, Australian researchers warned on Wednesday.
Study sheds light on triglyceride metabolism
New findings reported in the July issue of Cell Metabolism are offering new leads as to why some people might suffer from high levels of triglycerides. High triglycerides are a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. They can also lead to inflammation of the pancreas, the researchers said.
Cholesterol's other way out
Many of us are simply overloaded with cholesterol, and now a report in the July issue of Cell Metabolism brings what might be good news: There is more than one way to get rid of that cholesterol, which can otherwise lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Genetically reprogrammed HSV given systemically shrinks distant sarcomas
Scientists have used a genetically reprogrammed herpes virus and an anti-vascular drug to shrink spreading distant sarcomas designed to model metastatic disease in mice - still an elusive goal when treating humans with cancer, according to a study in the July 8 Gene Therapy.
Autism-related study discovers how drug interferes with neuronal cell function
A York University study has shown for the first time how the drug misoprostol, which has been linked to neurodevelopmental defects associated with autism, interferes with neuronal cell function.
Cancer deaths continue to drop
The continued drop in overall cancer mortality rates over the last 20 years has averted more than three-quarters of a million (767,000) cancer deaths according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society's annual Cancer Statistics article reports that the overall death rate from cancer in the United States in 2007 was 178.4 per 100,000, a relative decrease of 1.3 percent from 2006, when the rate was 180.7 per 100,000, continuing a trend that began in 1991 for men and 1992 for women. In that time, mortality rates have decreased by 21 percent among men and by 12 percent among women, due primarily to declines in smoking, better treatments, and earlier detection of cancer.
Group discussion enough to shatter stereotypes
Having a short group discussion about why a negative stereotype is invalid is enough to overcome that stereotype and improve performance, according to a University of Queensland researcher.
Researchers discover new biomarker to identify agressive thyroid cancer
Researchers at the University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital have discovered a new way to identify aggressive thyroid cancer, as well as predict patient outcomes. The research was published late last week in the leading medical journal BMC Cancer.
A bittersweet warning for women with gestational diabetes
A common test to diagnose gestational diabetes -- a temporary condition which can harm both mother and child if left untreated -- also has predictive power for Type II adult-onset diabetes, a new Tel Aviv University study finds.
Amid the murk of 'gut flora,' vitamin D receptor emerges as a key player
Within the human digestive tract is a teeming mass of hundreds of types of bacteria, a potpourri of microbes numbering in the trillions that help us digest food and keep bad bacteria in check.
Predicting relationship breakups with a word-association task
Here's a way to tell a romantic relationship is going to fall apart: find out what people really think about their partners. The researchers in a new study used a so-called implicit task, which shows how people automatically respond to words - in this case, whether they find it easier to link words referring to their partner to words with pleasant or unpleasant meanings.
Teens drink more during summer before college
Summertime and the living is easy. But not too easy for parents whose children will head to college in the fall.
Can aspirin prolong a healthy life?
In an effort to extend the length of a disability-free life for older adults, researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center are partnering with colleagues from across the US and Australia in the largest international trial ever sponsored by the US National Institute on Aging (NIA).
1 in 4 Californian children have never seen a dentist, study finds
Lack of dental care continues to be a significant problem for American children, who miss about 1.6 million school days each year due to dental disease.
Ticking biological clock increases women's libido, new research shows
As more women wait until their 30s and 40s to have children, they are more willing to engage in a variety of sexual activities to capitalize on their remaining childbearing years, according to new research by psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin.
Study: Higher-protein diets support weight loss, but may lower bone density in postmenopausal women
Overweight and moderately obese postmenopausal women using diets based on higher protein intake also need to be aware of potential bone loss, according to new research from Purdue University.
Diabetics eye obesity surgery to tame blood sugar
(AP) -- For nearly a decade, Cristina Iaboni tried to tame her diabetes the usual way, through daily shots of insulin and other medicine.
Taking a hard look at soft-tissue sarcomas
(PhysOrg.com) -- Soft-tissue sarcomas are a rare form of cancer, accounting for less than one percent of cancer cases in the United States. But for patients and families dealing with this disease, the cancer is omnipresent. Although most large-scale studies of cancer genomes have focused on common forms of cancer, such as lung cancer, brain cancer, or breast cancer, a paper in the new issue of Nature Genetics sheds new light on many of the genomic alterations found in some types of soft-tissue sarcomas.
Researchers find new proteins that regulate blood pressure, flow
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have identified key players in a little-known biochemical pathway that appears to regulate blood pressure. The findings, reported in the early online version of Cardiovascular Research, have evolved from studies conducted by Jeffrey S. Isenberg, M.D., Eileen M. Bauer, Ph.D., and their colleagues at Pitt's Vascular Medicine Institute.
FDA clears first implantable telescope for vision
(AP) -- U.S. health officials have approved a first-of-its-kind technology to counter a leading cause of blindness in older adults - a tiny telescope implanted inside the eye.
Scientists establish link between brain activity and Parkinson's disease symptoms
Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) and Stanford University have shown how key circuits in the brain control movement. The research, published in the journal Nature not only establishes the function of these circuits, but offers promise for treating movement related disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.
Genetic ancestry data improve diagnosis in asthma and lung disease
Americans with lung disease may face a far greater level of lung damage than either they or their doctor suspect, depending on their individual genetic heritage, according to a study to be released July 7. The research implications range from diagnosing the severity of asthma, to disability decisions or eligibility for lung transplants, researchers say.
Relationship breakdown - the real cost
Separation leaves men feeling isolated and women experiencing greater levels of poverty, according to a leading researcher at The University of Queensland (UQ).
Scientists uncover previously unknown natural mechanism that controls cocaine use
Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have found that a particular type of genetic material plays a key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction and may offer an entirely new direction for the development of anti-addiction therapies. In animal studies, the scientists found that a molecule called microRNA-212 was increased in the brains of test animals that had extended access to cocaine. MicroRNA-212 controlled how much cocaine the animals consumed.
Biology news
Study eyes egg quality and composition
(PhysOrg.com) -- There's no substantial quality difference between organically and conventionally produced eggs. That's one of a number of findings in an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study examining various aspects of egg quality.
Of moose and men: 50-year study into moose arthritis reveals link with early malnutrition
It's seen as a sign of getting old, but scientists have discovered that arthritis is not just a human problem as a study lasting 50 years reveals how moose suffer from an identical form of the condition. The research, published in Ecology Letters, also casts new light on how malnutrition early in life can lead to the disorder in both moose and humans.
Thousands of undiscovered plant species face extinction
Faced with threats such as habitat loss and climate change, thousands of rare flowering plant species worldwide may become extinct before scientists can even discover them, according to a paper published today by a trio of American and British researchers in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Taiwan group plans sanctuary for endangered dolphin
A Taiwanese conservation group said Wednesday it plans to set up a sanctuary for the endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, using proceeds from the island's first environmental trust fund.
'Business as usual' crop development won't satisfy future demand
Although global grain production must double by 2050 to address rising population and demand, new data from the University of Illinois suggests crop yields will suffer unless new approaches to adapt crop plants to climate change are adopted. Improved agronomic traits responsible for the remarkable increases in yield accomplished during the past 50 years have reached their ceiling for some of the world's most important crops.
Breakthrough in plant-fungi relationship
(PhysOrg.com) -- Massey biologists have uncovered for the first time the complete set of gene messages that define the symbiotic interaction between a fungal endophyte and its grass host.
Lone whales shout to overcome noise (w/ Video)
Just like people in a bar or other noisy location, North American right whales increase the volume of their calls as environmental noise increases; and just like humans, at a certain point, it may become too costly to continue to shout, according to marine and acoustic scientists.
Fish talk to each other, researcher finds
The undersea world isn't as quiet as we thought, according to a New Zealand researcher who found fish can "talk" to each other.
How birds prepare for war
(PhysOrg.com) -- Just as human soldiers show greater solidarity when entering combat zones, new research from the University of Bristol has demonstrated that birds also increase their affiliative behaviour in situations where conflict with rival groups is likely.
Tradition explains why some meerkats are late risers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Just as afternoon tea is traditional in England but not in France, different groups of meerkats have different ways of doing things, Cambridge zoologists have found.
What plant genes tell us about crop domestication
Anyone who has seen teosinte, the wild grass from which maize (corn) evolved, might be forgiven for assuming many genetic changes underlie the transformation of one plant to the other.
Biologists identify a new clue into cellular aging
The ability to combat some age-related diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, may rest with scientists unlocking clues about the molecular and cellular processes governing aging. The underlying theory is that if the healthy portion of an individual's life span can be extended, it may delay the onset of certain age-related diseases. In the search to understand these molecular processes, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have uncovered an important new DAF-16 isoform - DAF-16d/f - that collaborates with other DAF-16 protein isoforms to regulate longevity.
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