Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 30, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Entanglement can help in classical communication- Warm water causes extra-cold winters in northeastern North America and northeastern Asia
- Scientists unlock mystery of how the 22nd amino acid is produced
- More possible branches to the domain of life
- Kepler spacecraft gives astronomers a look inside red giant stars
- Study shows some forms of visual reasoning might be inborn
- Study names new genus of 125-million-year-old eudicot from China
- Physicists detect low-level radioactivity from Japan arriving in Seattle
- Researchers make the leap to whole-cell simulations
- Tet further revealed: Studies track protein relevant to stem cells, cancer
- Sensory wiring for smells varies among individuals
- Disease clusters showing up all over the United States
- Antibiotics wrapped in nanofibers turn resistant disease-producing bacteria into ghosts
- Nature study shows common lab dye is a wonder drug -- for worms
- Kansas City, Kansas, wins Google broadband nod
Space & Earth news
Queen's scientists' 'space mission' to unlock secrets of the Universe
Scientists at Queen's University have won almost £2 million in grants for a range of world-leading projects to unlock the secrets of the Universe.
Treated stormwater safe for growing food
Treated stormwater is safe to use on your humble household vegetable patch according to a new report by the Center for Water Sensitive Cities at Monash University.
US earthquake resilience needs strengthening, says new report
A new National Research Council report presents a 20-year road map for increasing U.S. resilience to earthquakes, including a major earthquake that could strike a highly populated area. The report was mostly written prior to the March 11 earthquake in Japan, but the committee of experts who authored it noted that the Japanese experience is a reminder of the devastation that can occur even in a country acknowledged as a leader in implementing earthquake-resilience measures.
King of the (lunar) road
The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s moon buggy may not go from 0 to 60 in five seconds, but it can handle the lunar regolith like nobody’s business. And that’s no small feat, says mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Dr. Christina L. Carmen.
Study: Emissions trading doesn't cause pollution 'hot spots'
Programs that allow facilities to buy and sell emission allowances have been popular and effective since they were introduced in the U.S. two decades ago. But critics worry the approach can create heavily polluted "hot spots" in low-income and minority communities.
Researchers find a price on carbon could benefit farmers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at UQ, in collaboration with JCU, may have found a way to offset up to 2.5 percent of Australia's annual greenhouse gas emissions and secure economic benefits for regional communities.
Scientists reach beyond the clouds with mobile phone app to explore the outer atmosphere
Engineering scientists at the University of Southampton have reached above the clouds in a first-of-its-kind experiment to develop new technologies that probe the stratosphere using an unmanned vehicle.
IAEA worried about radiation in Japan village
Radiation levels recorded at a village outside the evacuation zone around the quake-striken Fukushima nuclear plant are above safe levels, the UN atomic watchdog said Wednesday.
Japan's trash-laden HTV-2 undocks from ISS
Japan’s HTV-2 Kounotori resupply ship undocked from the International Space Station at 15.45 GMT on March 28, and will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere sometime early Wednesday March 31. Back in January, the craft brought five metric tons of equipment and supplies to the station, but now it is loaded with trash and unneeded equipment and packing materials. Most of the HTV will likely disintegrate as it passes through the atmosphere, but any pieces left over will find a watery grave in a remote area in the Central Pacific. But sensors on board the HTV-2 will provide data on how the craft behaves during its fiery demise.
Amazing image: Kepler's transiting exoplanets
Wow. This remarkable visualization shows every Kepler planetary candidate host star with its transiting companion in silhouette. Jason Rowe from the Kepler science team created the image, and the sizes of the stars and transiting companions are properly scaled.
NASA releases picture of Mercury's surface (Update)
NASA on Tuesday released the first picture taken of Mercury's surface by the US space agency's orbiting Messenger craft.
The rose-red glow of star formation
The vivid red cloud in this new image from ESO's Very Large Telescope is a region of glowing hydrogen surrounding the star cluster NGC 371. This stellar nursery lies in our neighboring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud.
Ants, termites boost wheat yields
(PhysOrg.com) -- In an exciting experiment with major implications for food production under climate change, CSIRO and University of Sydney scientists have found allowing ants and termites to flourish increased a wheat crop's yield by more than one third.
When is an asteroid not an asteroid?
(PhysOrg.com) -- On March 29, 1807, German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers spotted Vesta as a pinprick of light in the sky. Two hundred and four years later, as NASA's Dawn spacecraft prepares to begin orbiting this intriguing world, scientists now know how special this world is, even if there has been some debate on how to classify it.
Antarctic flowering plants warm to climate change
(PhysOrg.com) -- The first issue of a new journal in the prestigious Nature series, Nature Climate Change (issue 1; April 2011) highlights how one plant species in the Antarctic appears to be taking advantage of climate change.
Newly discovered natural arch in Afghanistan one of world's largest
Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society have stumbled upon a geological colossus in a remote corner of Afghanistan: a natural stone arch spanning more than 200 feet across its base.
First Mercury images in orbit show lots of craters
Think the moon has many craters? New photos from the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury show the tiny inner planet has far more impressive battle scars from regular high-speed peltings by space rocks.
Kepler spacecraft gives astronomers a look inside red giant stars
NASA's Kepler Mission is giving astronomers such a clear view of changes in star brightness that they can now see clues about what's happening inside red giant stars.
Warm water causes extra-cold winters in northeastern North America and northeastern Asia
If you're sitting on a bench in New York City's Central Park in winter, you're probably freezing. After all, the average temperature in January is 32 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you were just across the pond in Porto, Portugal, which shares New York's latitude, you'd be much warmer—the average temperature is a balmy 48 degrees Fahrenheit.
Technology news
Air NZ flight safety video an online hit
An Air New Zealand in-flight safety video featuring camp US fitness guru Richard Simmons has gone viral on the Internet, the airline said Wednesday, attracting a million hits in three days.
First special operations MC-130J Combat Shadow II
Lockheed Martin rolled out the first aircraft in a new fleet of MC-130J Combat Shadow IIs for the U.S. Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC) during a ceremony here today.
India's 'digital divide' worst among peers: study
Most Indians are missing out on the "digital revolution" due to dismal Internet access for the poor with the nation lagging far behind its emerging market peers, a study found Wednesday.
Infographic: Mobile ownership across the world
How does mobile ownership vary across the world? The latest data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) breaks down the number of people for every SIM card subscription across the different continents. Which continents are the mobile rich and which the mobile poor? The results might surprise you. Take a look at the infographic.
Who should solve the digital divide?
The idea of a "digital divide" -- describing those who can or cannot get on the Internet -- has been around since the 1990s. Although, it used to refer mostly to access, now it often also means the quality and speed of Internet access -- and the skills to make use of the technology.
Baidu deletes nearly 3 mn works in copyright flap
Chinese search engine giant Baidu said Wednesday it had deleted nearly three million works from its online library in a three-day blitz aimed at ending a copyright dispute with writers.
California bill would put more emphasis on renewable energy
California would vastly increase its commitment to wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy under legislation that cleared the Legislature on Tuesday and was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Gartner forecasts 5.6% rise in IT spending
Worldwide information technology spending is expected to rise 5.6 percent this year with tablet computers like Apple's iPad helping to drive growth, a technology research company said Wednesday.
James Murdoch promoted at News Corp.
James Murdoch, the youngest son of Rupert Murdoch, was named News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer on Wednesday in a move that puts him a step closer to potentially taking over from his father.
Architect envisions border wall as good neighbor
The U.S.-Mexico border wall may be here to stay, but a University of California, Berkeley, assistant professor of architecture has some provocative ideas about how to redesign the barrier to slow illegal immigration and at the same time transform it in an economically, environmentally and socially beneficial way, to benefit both countries.
Microsoft co-founder slams Bill Gates in new book
Bill Gates plotted to grab Microsoft shares from his cancer-stricken business partner Paul Allen, the software firm's co-founder has claimed in a new memoir.
Generator with superconductors
Siemens and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) plan to demonstrate that high-temperature superconductor technology is suitable for power generation in everyday operation. The research project, which was recently launched, aims to improve generator efficiency by 0.5 percentage points to 99.5 percent. Large power plants would achieve significant fuel savings and thus greatly reduce their carbon dioxide emissions as a result of such an increase. The project will be presented at the SuperConducting City during the Hanover Fair, April 4 to 8, 2011 (Germany).
Ryerson students invent breakthrough brain-controlled prosthetic arm
Two Ryerson University undergraduate biomedical engineering students are changing the world of medical prosthetics with a newly developed prosthetic arm that is controlled by brain signals. The Artificial Muscle-Operated (AMO) Arm not only enables amputees more range of movement as compared to other prosthetic arms but it allows amputees to avoid invasive surgeries and could potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars. The AMO Arm is controlled by the user's brain signals and is powered by 'artificial muscles' - simple pneumatic pumps and valves - to create movements. In contrast, traditional prosthetic limbs – which typically offer more limited movements – rely on intricate and expensive electrical and mechanical components.
Mess cleaning robot: real or fake? (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Internet is a world full of wonders to explore. Some of them are real, and some of them are not. If you love the mystery of figuring out which new toys are for real, and which ones are elaborate scams, then do I have a puzzle for you.
India signs on to floating solar energy power plant (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a country where nearly 40 percent of households have no electricity, any new advancement that will help bring power to the world’s second most populous nation, must be met with celebration and open arms.
Blood simple circuitry for cyborgs
Could electronic components made from human blood be the key to creating cyborg interfaces? Circuitry that links human tissues and nerve cells directly to an electronic device, such as a robotic limb or artificial eye might one day be possible thanks to the development of biological components.
Google, FTC reach Google Buzz privacy settlement
The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Google on Wednesday over Google Buzz, the social networking tool rolled out last year which spawned a slew of privacy complaints.
Kansas City, Kansas, wins Google broadband nod
Google announced on Wednesday that Kansas City, Kansas, had been selected as the site for its first super-fast broadband Internet network.
Google adds button to endorse search results, ads (Update)
Google Inc. likes the way Facebook gets people to share their recommendations so much that it's adding its own option for endorsing search results and online ads.
Pittsburgh symposium answers: What is Watson?
(AP) -- Six university students attempted to match wits with IBM's "Jeopardy!"-playing computer Wednesday and lost badly in a mock game show. But the competition was hardly the point of a daylong symposium meant to answer an appropriate question: What is Watson?
Medicine & Health news
Major report shows obese patients have double the risk of airway problems during an anesthetic
A major UK study on complications of anaesthesia has shown that obese patients are twice as likely to develop serious airway problems during a general anaesthetic than non-obese patients. 'The airway' means the air passages from the outside world to the lungs, which must be kept open to keep the patient alive. The study also shows that the use of a simple breathing monitor, called a capnograph, could significantly reduce deaths and brain damage from such problems in intensive care units (ICUs); it found that absence of a capnograph contributed to 74% of deaths from these events in ICUs during the study.
Nuke crisis reignites debate on protective pills
(AP) -- The Japanese nuclear crisis has reignited a debate in the U.S. over the government's role in distributing a cheap anti-cancer drug to people living around nuclear power plants.
Nursing students map their way to understanding HIV
In the Faculty of Nursing, students are taught the importance of connecting with the community, and nursing professor Vera Caine has come up with a way for students to not only learn about working in the community, but also to actually be a part of it.
Striking the right chords
Practice was nearly over when high school wrestler Darrin Ching collapsed and found himself pinned to the mat, a searing pain gripping his right temple. Alarmed, his coach and teammates huddled around and tried to get him upright.
Why do children with autism wander and bolt from safe places?
Today, the Interactive Autism Network (IAN), with support from leading autism advocacy groups, launches the first major survey to study the experience of wandering and elopement, or escaping, among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The tendency of individuals with ASD to wander or "bolt" puts them at risk of trauma, injury or even death, yet information on this critical safety issue is lacking.
New clinical practice guidelines developed for juvenile idiopathic arthritis
The American College of Rheumatology has developed new guidelines for starting and monitoring treatments for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. These are the first JIA guidelines endorsed by the ACR, with the goal of broad acceptance within the rheumatology community.
Study reveals no impact of age on outcome in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib
While the median age at diagnosis for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is over 60 years old and incidence increases dramatically with age,limited data are available about the long-term outcome for older patients treated with imatinib, the standard first-line therapy used to treat CML. Results from a study published today in Blood, the Journal of the
Bariatric surgery reduces long-term cardiovascular risk in diabetes patients
In the longest study of its kind, bariatric surgery has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with diabetes. These results and other groundbreaking research were presented at the 2nd World Congress on Interventional Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes, hosted by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College.
FDA examines link between food dyes, hyperactivity
The FDA is examining the link between dyes found in everyday foods and hyperactivity in children.
Africa turns to cellphones for better health
The text message arrives with life-saving discretion: a neutral "see you at the clinic tomorrow" to remind patients to pick up a fresh batch of anti-AIDS drugs.
New study and treatment available for kids facing phobias
Researchers at Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health are investigating an exciting new treatment for childhood anxiety. This treatment could drastically change how psychologists give therapy to anxious kids.
1 in 3 women suffer post-sex blues
Post-sex blues is not a sexual behaviour commonly discussed, but a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) study of more than 200 young women has found one in three (32.9 per cent) had experienced the phenomenon at some point.
Study says media reports about uncommon acts of goodness can make good people even better
People with a strong moral identity are measurably inspired to do good after being exposed to media stories about uncommon acts of human goodness, according to research at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.
Economists say beautiful people are happier
(PhysOrg.com) -- Good-looking people are generally happier than their plain looking or unattractive counterparts, largely because of the higher salaries, other economic benefits and more successful spouses that come with beauty, according to new research from economists at The University of Texas at Austin.
Genes relate to level of alcohol consumption among Asians
In a study of 1,721 Korean male drinkers aged 40 y in an urban population–based cohort, and another sample of 1,113 male drinkers from an independent rural cohort, information on average daily alcohol consumption was collected and DNA samples were collected for genotyping.
A new method to localize the epileptic focus in severe epilepsy
The first two stereo-EEG explorations in Finland were carried out by neurosurgeons of the Epilepsy surgery team in Helsinki University Central Hospital this spring. The method reinforces other examination methods already in use and opens an excellent opportunity in the exploration of the electric activity of both the surface and the deep brain structures during epileptic seizures. The examination also enables exact localization of the functionally important areas of the brain and improves safety of epilepsy surgery at a later stage.
Case study reports singing lowers patient's blood pressure prior to surgery
Doctors report that singing reduced the blood pressure of a 76-year-old woman who had experienced severe preoperative hypertension prior to total knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis (OA). While the patient was unresponsive to aggressive pharmacologic interventions, the woman's blood pressure dropped dramatically when she sang several religious songs. This case-report appears in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Study finds surprising gender differences related to sexual harassment
Sexual harassment may have become so commonplace for women that they have built up resistance to harassing behavior they consider merely "bothersome," suggests a provocative new study by Michigan State University researchers.
Repellent-treated clothing nearly eliminates tick bites for outdoor workers
(PhysOrg.com) -- A pilot study shows clothes treated with long-lasting insect repellant appear to offer outdoor workers significant protection against tick bites.
Alzheimer's-like brain changes found in cognitively normal elders with amyloid plaques
Researchers using two brain-imaging technologies have found that apparently normal older individuals with brain deposits of amyloid beta – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – also had changes in brain structure similar to those seen in Alzheimer's patients. Results of the study, which has received early online publication in the Annals of Neurology, may help identify individuals who could be candidates for therapies to prevent the development of dementia.
Could HIV-infected organs save lives?
If Congress reversed its ban on allowing people with HIV to be organ donors after their death, roughly 500 HIV-positive patients with kidney or liver failure each year could get transplants within months, rather than the years they currently wait on the list, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
UT Southwestern research advances fight against kidney cancer
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered genetic pathways to starve selectively kidney cancer cells.
Research explores link between asthma and smoking
New research out of the University of Cincinnati suggests that being diagnosed with asthma is significantly associated with a greater risk for a lifetime history of daily smoking and nicotine dependence. The findings are reported in the online preview issue of the Journal of Health Psychology.
Lack of motivation, equipment main barriers for exercise for boys
A lack of equipment and venues – and a lack of motivation even if those were available – are the main barriers to physical activity for adolescent boys, according to recently published research from a Michigan State University nursing researcher.
FDA won't stop cheap version of preterm birth drug
(AP) -- Pregnant women will still be able to get a drastically cheaper version of a new expensive drug that prevents premature birth, federal health officials said Wednesday.
A woman's blues bring a relationship down
Depression erodes intimate relationships. A depressed person can be withdrawn, needy, or hostile—and give little back.
Study finds cholesterol regulator plays key role in development of liver scarring, cirrhosis
UCLA researchers have demonstrated that a key regulator of cholesterol and fat metabolism in the liver also plays an important role in the development of liver fibrosis -- the build-up of collagen scar tissue that can develop into cirrhosis. Cirrhosis, in turn, is a major cause of premature death and is incurable without a liver transplant.
Having trouble achieving work-life balance? Knowing your strategies is key
Essays are being written, final exams are looming and classes are reaching their busy conclusion. With conflicting demands from work, home and the classroom, this hectic time of year can be filled with stress. But according to new research from the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), a little self-reflection could do us all a world of good.
Researchers find possible clues to tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer patients
Breast cancer patients who become resistant to tamoxifen may have low levels of a protein called Rho GDI-alpha, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Frequent CT scanning for testicular cancer surveillance associated with secondary malignancies
UC Davis cancer researchers have found that older men with early-stage testicular cancer who opt for surveillance with regular CT scans over lymph node removal are at greater risk for secondary cancers. The findings, published online last week in the journal Cancer, indicate that physicians should consider the risk of new cancers with surveillance when discussing treatment options with their patients.
Medicare to pay for $93,000 prostate cancer drug
(AP) -- Medicare officials said Wednesday that the program will pay the $93,000 cost of prostate cancer drug Provenge, an innovative therapy that gives men suffering from the disease an extra four months to live, on average.
Researchers publish molecular disease model for melanoma
Cancer Commons, an initiative of CollabRx, a provider of information technology to personalize cancer treatments and accelerate research, announces the publication of a molecular disease model of melanoma (MDMM) which classifies the disease into molecular subtypes, rather than traditional histological or cellular subtypes, and describes treatment guidelines for each subtype, including specific assays, drugs, and clinical trials. The paper, titled "Molecular Disease Model for Melanoma," by Vidwans et al, was published in the March 30th issue of PLoS ONE.
Combination of two hormones increases height in girls with Turner syndrome
Giving girls with Turner syndrome low doses of estrogen, as well as growth hormone, years before the onset of puberty, increases their height and offers a wealth of other benefits, say a team of researchers led by Thomas Jefferson University. Their report is published in the March 31st issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
Diet-exercise combo best for obese seniors
For obese seniors, dieting and exercise together are more effective at improving physical performance and reducing frailty than either alone.
Drug cocktail offers new hope for hepatitis C patients
A three-drug cocktail can eliminate the hepatitis C virus in patients far more effectively than the current two-drug regimen, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital.
Brain scientists offer medical educators tips on the neurobiology of learning
Everyone would like MDs to have the best education – and to absorb what they are taught. The lead article in the April 4 issue of the journal Academic Medicine* connects research on how the brain learns to how to incorporate this understanding into real world education, particularly the education of doctors.
Researchers probe nervous system repair
(PhysOrg.com) -- In humans, regeneration of the peripheral nervous system after injury remains a hit-or-miss affair, while brain and spinal cord damage usually results in lifelong disabilities.
Understanding schizophrenia: Researchers uncover new underlying mechanism
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new way of thinking about the fundamental pathobiology of schizophrenia could one day lead to improved therapeutic approaches to treating this disorder. Researchers at the University of Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Tufts University School of Medicine have linked proteins and genes that are implicated in schizophrenia in a novel way. The study is published in the March 27 advance online edition of Nature Medicine.
Being in a good mood may lead to poor memory
Most people have had trouble remembering something they just heard. Now, a University of Missouri researcher found that forgetfulness may have something to do with being in a good mood. Elizabeth Martin, a doctoral student of psychology in the College of Arts and Science, has found that being in a good mood decreases your working memory capacity.
Disease clusters showing up all over the United States
(PhysOrg.com) -- When most people think of the term 'disease clusters', the cancer cluster in Hinkley, California made famous by the movie Erin Brockovich usually comes to mind. However, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported on Monday, March 28, 2011 that there are 42 disease clusters that have been found in 13 U.S. states. These clusters are showing different types of cancers, birth defects, and various chronic illnesses.
Sensory wiring for smells varies among individuals
If, as Shakespeare's Juliet declared, a rose by any other name smells as sweet – to you and to me and to anyone else who sniffs it – then one might assume that our odor-sensing nerve cells are all wired in the same way. Alas, they are not, according to a new study from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute.
Nature study shows common lab dye is a wonder drug -- for worms
Basic Yellow 1, a dye used in neuroscience laboratories around the world to detect damaged protein in Alzheimer's disease, is a wonder drug for nematode worms. In a study appearing in the March 30, online edition of Nature, the dye, also known as Thioflavin T, (ThT) extended lifespan in healthy nematode worms by more than 50 percent and slowed the disease process in worms bred to mimic aspects of Alzheimer's. The research, conducted at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, could open new ways to intervene in aging and age-related disease.
Researchers identify promising new treatment for childhood leukemia
An experimental drug lessens symptoms of a rare form of childhood leukemia and offers significant insight into the cellular development of the disease, according to findings from a new UCSF study. The mouse model research could spearhead the development of new leukemia therapies and paves the way for future clinical trials in humans.
Study shows some forms of visual reasoning might be inborn
(PhysOrg.com) -- Italian researcher Girogio Vallortigara of the University of Trento in Italy, and his colleagues have devised an experiment that shows that the ability to view and interpret what is normal and what is not, at least in vertebrates, might be imprinted on our brains before birth.
Biology news
Whale and dolphin death toll during Deepwater disaster may have been greatly underestimated
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 devastated the Gulf of Mexico ecologically and economically. However, a new study published in Conservation Letters reveals that the true impact of the disaster on wildlife may be gravely underestimated. The study argues that fatality figures based on the number of recovered animal carcasses will not give a true death toll, which may be 50 times higher than believed.
Blocking carbon dioxide fixation in bacteria increases biofuel production
Reducing the ability of certain bacteria to fix carbon dioxide can greatly increase their production of hydrogen gas that can be used as a biofuel. Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, report their findings in the current issue of online journal mBio.
Biological nanowires expedite future fuel production
Scientists in the UK and US, including researchers at Arizona State University, have been awarded funding to improve the photosynthetic process as a means of producing renewable fuel.
Hidden elm population may hold genes to combat Dutch elm disease
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists may have discovered "the map to El Dorado" for the American elm-a previously hidden population of elms that carry genes for resistance to Dutch elm disease. The disease kills individual branches and eventually the entire tree within one to several years.
NOAA scientists find killer whales in Antarctic waters prefer weddell seals over other prey
NOAA's Fisheries Service scientists studying the cooperative hunting behavior of killer whales in Antarctic waters observed the animals favoring one type of seal over all other available food sources, according to a study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science.
Missouri Botanical Garden makes rare discovery of plant genus
The Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) has played a significant role in identifying a new genus, Yasunia, with two confirmed species from Ecuador and Peru, Y. quadrata and Y. sessiliflora.
Angry wasps deal to their competitors
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at Victoria University have identified a surprising and previously unknown behaviour in the animal world by studying interactions between native ants and invasive wasps in South Island beech forests.
Poop reveals an immigrant in Isle Royale wolves' gene pool
The wolves and moose of Isle Royale have done it again. They’ve surprised the scientists who have spent more than half a century studying them.
Researchers make the leap to whole-cell simulations
Researchers have built a computer model of the crowded interior of a bacterial cell that – in a test of its response to sugar in its environment – accurately simulates the behavior of living cells.
Tet further revealed: Studies track protein relevant to stem cells, cancer
Last year, a research team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered one way the protein Tet 1 helps stem cells keep their pluripotency—the unique ability to become any cell type in the body. In two new studies, the team takes a broad look at the protein's location in the mouse genome, revealing a surprising dual function and offering the first genome-wide location of the protein and its product, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine—dubbed the "sixth base" of DNA.
Declining rainfall is a major influence for migrating birds, scientists find
Instinct and the annual increase of daylight hours have long been thought to be the triggers for birds to begin their spring migration. Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, however, have found that that may not be the case. Researchers have focused on how warming trends in temperate breeding areas disrupt the sensitive ecology of migratory birds. This new research shows that changes in rainfall on the tropical wintering grounds could be equally disruptive. The team's findings are published in scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, today, March 30.
More possible branches to the domain of life
(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to the current domain of life, we are familiar with the three branches: bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. However, Jonathan Eisen of UC Davis and his team have published possible evidence in PLOS One that shows the possibility of a fourth branch.
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