Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for April 7, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- The shape-shifting southern vortex of Venus- Chemistry on Mars reveals cooling rate
- Instant evolution in whiteflies: Just add bacteria
- Kepler helps astronomers update census of sun-like stars
- Sexual transmission of insect-borne virus
- If plants generate magnetic fields, they're not sayin'
- Nanopillars yield more precise molecular photography
- It's a wrap! Nanowire opens gate to new devices
- Do snails need their slime trails to move ahead? It's a sticky question
- Researchers develop new technology to screen and analyze genetic mutations
- Breakthrough study confirms cause of short gamma-ray bursts
- Political views are reflected in brain structure
- Molecules identified that help propel cancer metastasis
- Robots play soccer, make breakfast at the RoboCup German Open 2011 (w/ video)
- Ancient corals provide insight on the future of Caribbean reefs
Space & Earth news
Regimes won't halt climate change
The director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute delivered a pessimistic assessment Tuesday (April 5) of the chances for significant U.S. climate change legislation, calling on the world’s academics to help find a workable path to a low-carbon global economy.
Monitoring system warns of slippery slopes
Doren in the Austrian Bregenzerwald, February 2007: a slope 650 meters long breaks, resulting in a massive slide into the valley below. The nearest residential buildings are very close to the 70-meter-high rim. This barely avoided catastrophe is not the only incident. Geologists have been monitoring increasingly unstable masses of earth over the past few years in the Alps and other Alpine regions, which have slipped down slopes and on slid unchecked down valleys to more stable substrates. The scientists are primarily looking at heavy rainfall and snowmelt caused by climatie change, which in turn has caused the substrate to soften and has increased the weight on it.
Sand drift explained
Researchers in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland study sand drift, but most of them are focusing on sand dunes along the coastline, not on the plains further inland.
Number of days of rain in Iberian Peninsula has increased since 1903
A research team, led by the University of Extremadura, has for the first time analysed the frequency of rainfall over the whole of the Iberian Peninsula from 1903 to 2003. The results show that the number of rainy days increased over the 20th Century, except in the area of the Gulf of Cádiz and in western Portugal. However, rainfall has become less and less intense, except in these two regions.
Climate change poses major risks for unprepared cities
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cities worldwide are failing to take necessary steps to protect residents from the likely impacts of climate change, even though billions of urban dwellers are vulnerable to heat waves, sea level rise and other changes associated with warming temperatures.
For NASA's Aquarius, quest for salt a global endeavor
(PhysOrg.com) -- With more than a few stamps on its passport, NASA's Aquarius instrument on the Argentinian Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D spacecraft will soon embark on its space mission to "taste" Earth's salty ocean.
Two asteroids passed close to Earth Wednesday
Earth got a double dose of close asteroid flybys on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Two newly discovered small asteroids both passed within the distance of the Moon.
Maybe Ben Franklin was wrong
(PhysOrg.com) -- The eruption of the Laki volcano in Iceland in 1783-84 set off a cascade of catastrophe, spewing sulfuric clouds into Europe and eventually around the world. Poisonous mists and a resulting famine from loss of crops and livestock killed thousands in Iceland, up to a quarter of the population. An estimated 23,000 people in Britain died from inhaling toxic fumes. Acid rain, heat, cold, drought and floods have been attributed to the eruption, which lasted from June until February.
Next Mars rover nears completion
(PhysOrg.com) -- Assembly and testing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is far enough along that the mission's rover, Curiosity, looks very much as it will when it is investigating Mars.
Einstein@Home detects unusual stellar pair
(PhysOrg.com) -- Neutron stars are quite unique: the material they are made of is packed much more densely than conventional matter. They rotate extremely fast about their own axis, emitting radiation in the process, so they are often visible as pulsars in the radio spectrum. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Hanover, working as part of the international PALFA Collaboration, and with the help of participants in the Einstein@Home project, have now discovered a pulsar accompanied by a white dwarf – a burnt-out star. The researchers want to weigh the pair, using what is known as the Shapiro effect.
Swift, Hubble, Chandra telescopes join forces to observe unprecedented explosion
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Swift, Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory have teamed up to study one of the most puzzling cosmic blasts yet observed. More than a week later, high-energy radiation continues to brighten and fade from its location.
Breakthrough study confirms cause of short gamma-ray bursts
A new supercomputer simulation shows the collision of two neutron stars can naturally produce the magnetic structures thought to power the high-speed particle jets associated with short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The study provides the most detailed glimpse of the forces driving some of the universe's most energetic explosions.
Ancient corals provide insight on the future of Caribbean reefs
Climate change is already widely recognized to be negatively affecting coral reef ecosystems around the world, yet the long-term effects are difficult to predict. University of Miami (UM) scientists are using the geologic record of Caribbean corals to understand how reef ecosystems might respond to climate change expected for this century. The findings are published in the current issue of the journal Geology.
Chemistry on Mars reveals cooling rate
(PhysOrg.com) -- French researchers from the University of Toulouse have published a paper in Nature, that describes how they used data from NASA's Mars Odyssey (currently orbiting the planet) to ascertain the amount of cooling that Mars has undergone over billions of years. Their work is part of an ongoing international process to reconstruct the geologic history of the Red Planet.
Kepler helps astronomers update census of sun-like stars
NASA's Kepler Mission has detected changes in brightness in 500 sun-like stars, giving astronomers a much better idea about the nature and evolution of the stars.
The shape-shifting southern vortex of Venus
(PhysOrg.com) -- New analysis of images taken by ESA's Venus Express orbiter has revealed surprising details about the remarkable, shape-shifting collar of clouds that swirls around the planet's South Pole. This fast-moving feature is all the more surprising since its centre of rotation is typically offset from the geographical pole. The results of this study are published online in Science Express today.
Technology news
UQ solar array reaches milestone
The University of Queensland's $7.75 million solar power system at St Lucia in Brisbane has reached a milestone, with installation completed on one of the project's most visible components.
ONR's autonomous underwater hull inspection vehicle nearing procurement
An Office of Naval Research (ONR) autonomous underwater vehicle, which can maneuver under ships to detect explosives, is closer to reality following the awarding of a production contract in March.
Elpida develops 4-Gigabit DDR2 mobile RAM operating at 1.2V and 1066Mbps
Elpida Memory today announced that it has developed a 4-gigabit DDR2 Mobile RAM that employs state-of-the-art 30nm process. This new Mobile RAM features a low operating voltage of 1.2V, achieves a 1066Mbps high-speed data transfer rate, and uses roughly 30% less operating current compared with stacking two of Elpida's 40nm 2-gigabit products. Through sophisticated circuit design and advanced process technology, this product achieves the world's smallest class in chip size for a 4-gigabit LPDDR2. In addition, it is an eco-friendly DRAM equipped with a low power feature that targets mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs by contributing to extended operating times of battery-powered devices.
Medvedev condemns mass Internet attack
Russia's tech-savvy President Dmitry Medvedev took to his blog on Thursday to condemn a massive denial of service attack on the country's hugely popular blogging site LiveJournal.
Google to reorganize YouTube channels: report
US Internet giant Google is preparing a major overhaul of video sharing website YouTube by creating "channels" to compete with broadcast and cable TV, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
60 percent higher ride quality through electromagnetic car suspension
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, Netherlands) have developed an active electromagnetic suspension system that can increase the ride quality of cars by 60 percent. Cars fitted with this suspension system are also safer because they no longer roll (sway) in corners. The system was developed at TU/e in partnership with the Swedish company SKF, and was recently installed in a BMW test car to be shown at the AutoRAI exhibition, Amsterdam, from 13-23 April 2011.
Google in German solar investment
Google on Thursday announced a multi-million-euro investment in a solar power plant outside Berlin in what the US Internet giant said was its first clean energy project investment in Europe.
Computer vision tools to aid medical research
(PhysOrg.com) -- Boris Babenko believes there are huge opportunities for integrating computer science, and in particular computer vision, into health care and medical research, making life easier for researchers, physicians and ultimately patients.
Targeted phishing scams could rise after Epsilon data breach
A wave of alert emails has been distributed over the last few days as Epsilon, one of the nation's largest marketing services, deals with what could end up being one of the largest data breaches in U.S. history. Customers of major banks, grocers, and hotel chains have been receiving notifications alerting them that their names and email addresses may have been compromised.
New sensor glove may help stroke patients recover mobility
(PhysOrg.com) -- People who have strokes are often left with moderate to severe physical impairments. Now, thanks to a glove developed at McGill, stroke patients may be able to recover hand motion by playing video games. The Biomedical Sensor Glove was developed by four final-year McGill Mechanical Engineering undergrads under the supervision of Professor Rosaire Mongrain. It is designed to allow patients to exercise in their own homes with minimal supervision, while at the same time permitting doctors to monitor their progress from a distance, thus cutting down on hospital visits and costs.
Lab focuses on new technology to prevent icing on planes, helicopters
A little rain or fog may seem like an insignificant threat to a helicopter or airplane. But minor clouds and precipitation can be the cause of canceled flights -- or fatalities.
New site maps state's severe traffic collisions
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are launching a powerful new tool for sorting through and mapping all of California’s fatal and serious traffic collisions.
FCC adopts rules to drive wireless competition
(AP) -- Federal regulators have adopted rules to drive more competition in wireless broadband as more and more consumers access the Internet using iPhones and other sophisticated mobile devices.
Flexible trailing edge flap for blades to make wind power cheaper
A flexible, controllable trailing edge for wind turbine blades has shown that it can reduce the loads on the turbine and in the end provide cheaper electricity from wind power.
Africa's largest undersea Internet cable to land this month
A new undersea telecommunications cable to boost Africa's Internet access will land this month, mobile service provider MTN said Thursday, calling it the continent's largest data pipeline yet.
Best Web browser? Google's Chrome beats Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer
There is no computer program used as often as a Web browser. Yet too many users never give the browser any thought, spending years with the default program installed on a once-new computer.
Shedding light: New bulb law goes into effect in 2012
When it comes to the new lighting law, a lot of people seem to be in the dark.
Google, Justice Department near deal on ITA
Google and the US Justice Department are close to reaching a legal settlement over the Internet giant's acquisition of flight data company ITA Software, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
DARPA issues BAA for advanced robotic translator
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the procurement of research leading to an advanced robotic device capable of performing as a translator between humans who speak different languages, while also responding to a set number of visual cues, and is able to "listen" to communications, whether they be auditory or written and to respond with some degree of artificial intelligence. In short, DARPA wants a robot that would be some sort of combination between C-3P0, the robot from Lost in Space, and maybe the computer from Star Trek, (though it's not quite asking for the sentient android DATA, just yet.)
Android smartphone share to rise, prices to fall
Google's Android mobile operating system will power nearly half of the smartphones worldwide by the end of next year, technology research company Gartner said Thursday.
To boost innovation, Facebook opens server designs
(AP) -- Facebook says it wants to help others build startups more easily and efficiently by sharing the technology behind the servers that power its massive online social network. In turn, it hopes to benefit from others' innovations, too.
Medicine & Health news
Allergic to home
Building characteristics — public housing or private duplex, tall or short, new or old — are associated with indoor allergens, according to a new study by Northeastern researchers. The report, published in the Journal of Urban Health, found a clinically significant level of cat allergen was associated with living in high-rise buildings, and a high level of mouse allergen was associated with living in public housing. We asked lead author Lindsay Rosenfeld, associate research scientist for the Institute on Urban Health Research, to assess the findings.
Cost is big factor in dental care, UK survey results show
Just over a quarter (26 per cent) of adults say the type of dental treatment they chose in the past has been affected by the cost of treatment. And almost a fifth (19 per cent) said that they have delayed dental treatment for the same reason, according to a major survey published today.
Taking drugs still acceptable as we get older
(PhysOrg.com) -- A long-term study has found that as we progress into our thirties illegal drug use is, with some caveats, still acceptable to many of us.
Physical activity by stealth NOT health
The Government sees active travel to work as a convenient way of building activity into lifestyle and an important public health strategy. A new study suggests that transport plans aimed at reducing car usage should be considered as a feasible and effective strategy for increasing physical activity among the workforce and improving health.
Experts issue recommendations for evaluating and treating pituitary incidentalomas
Today, The Endocrine Society released a new Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the evaluation and treatment of pituitary incidentalomas. The CPG is published in the April 2011 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), a publication of The Endocrine Society.
VA makes major gains in quality, but racial disparity persists
As recently as the 1990s, the Veterans Affairs health care system had a subpar reputation for quality, but two new studies of standard quality metrics, both led by Amal Trivedi, assistant professor of community health at Brown University and a physician at the Providence VA Medical Center, show that the system that cares for more than 5 million patients has improved markedly in the last decade.
In trial, video helps people weigh bariatric surgery pros, cons
A video-based decision aid helped severely obese people to make more informed choices about bariatric surgery and reach more certainty about them, according to a trial involving 152 Group Health patients, e-published in Obesity in advance of print. This randomized controlled trial is the first to test shared decision making for weight-loss surgery.
Increased mortality rates seen in chronic hepatitis C patients with pre-cirrhotic advanced fibrosis
A three-year follow-up study of patients in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial revealed that increased mortality among patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C who received long-term peginterferon therapy was attributed to non-liver related causes and occurred primarily in patients with bridging fibrosis. No pattern to this excess mortality was evident to researchers, but deaths were unrelated to the peginterferon treatment. Full findings are published in the April issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
More smoke water pipes -- family habits significant
The number of people smoking water pipes is rising dramatically throughout the world. A large proportion of new users are young, and many believe – contrary to facts – that water pipe smoking is less dangerous than cigarettes. Research into why people start smoking water pipes is under way at Uppsala University.
Michigan's collaborative quality improvement program cuts costs, improves patient care
In a paper published today in the professional health care journal, Health Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the University of Michigan Health System report that their model for collaborative health care quality improvement has measurably improved safety and quality in several clinical areas, and has saved millions in health care costs.
Fatal crashes fall among teen drivers
Programs that create some common-sense restrictions when young drivers get behind the wheel have helped cut the rate of deadly crashes by more than half. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at fatal crashes among 16- and 17-year-old drivers. For every 100,000 youths, the rate of fatal crashes fell from 36 in 1996 to 16.7 in 2008. The CDC report cites graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs, which restrict driving under high-risk conditions when teens first get licenses.
Video games effective treatment for stroke patients: study
Virtual reality and other video games can significantly improve motor function in stroke patients, according to research from St. Michael's Hospital.
Unreliable 'outcomes' measures hamper efforts to assure better, safer care
With a push to make hospitals and doctors more accountable for health care quality, more attention must be paid to the accuracy and reliability of measures used to evaluate caregivers, says a prominent Johns Hopkins patient safety expert.
Researcher doggedly pursues new treatments for traumatic brain injury patients in coma
We've all watched it unfold on soap operas, medical dramas and films: A patient falls into a coma, and loved ones at the bedside try to peel away the veil by talking or reading aloud. Some of us have done it ourselves, desperately hoping for any hint of wakening or awareness.
New radiation treatment practice recommendations for thyroid disease
New recommendations from the American Thyroid Association (ATA) on outpatient radioiodine (131I) treatment aim to minimize unintended radiation exposure and maximize the safety of patients, their families, and the public. The new ATA recommendations are presented in the April issue of Thyroid, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Soy increases effectiveness of radiation at killing lung cancer, study shows
A component in soybeans increases radiation's ability to kill lung cancer cells, according to a Wayne State University study published in the April 2011 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official monthly journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.
Beware of tunnel vision when making important choices, prof warns
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Alberta business professor Gerald Häubl says that buying a house, speed dating and hiring an employee all involve sequential searches requiring the decision-maker to discover and explore alternatives before making a definitive choice.
Monkeys provide reservoir for human malaria in South-east Asia
Monkeys infected with an emerging malaria strain are providing a reservoir for human disease in South-east Asia, according to research published today. The Wellcome Trust-funded study confirms that the species has not yet adapted to humans and that monkeys are the main source of infection.
Plain cigarette packets could help stop people taking up smoking
Plain cigarette packaging could help prevent people taking up the habit but would have little effect on those who already smoke on a daily basis, according to new research from the UK Centre for Tobacco Studies (UKCTCS), which has bases at the Universities of Bristol and Bath.
Male victims of 'intimate terrorism' can experience damaging psychological effects
Men who are abused by their female partners can suffer significant psychological trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidal thoughts, according to two new papers published by the American Psychological Association.
Frailty not a factor in adverse drug reactions among seniors, study finds
Contrary to popular belief among physicians, frailty in elderly patients is not associated with an increased risk of adverse reactions to medications, according to a study led by Michael Steinman, MD, a geriatrician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
Is beauty found in the whites of the eyes? 'Red eyes' associated with the sad and unattractive
Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but a new study reveals that the reverse is also true; unattractiveness is in the eye of the beheld. Research published in Ethology finds that people with bloodshot eyes are considered sadder, unhealthier and less attractive than people whose eye whites are untinted, a cue which is uniquely human.
Most patients stop drugs for essential tremor after deep brain stimulation surgery
Deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure to suppress faulty nerve signals, allowed 77 percent of patients to stop the medications used to treat their essential tremors within one year following the surgery, University of South Florida researchers report.
Deep-space travel could create heart woes for astronauts
Astronauts anticipate more trips to the moon and manned missions to Mars. But exposure to cosmic radiation outside the Earth's magnetic field could be detrimental to their arteries, according to a study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers published April 6, 2011, online in the journal Radiation Research.
Super bug researcher calls for global action
(PhysOrg.com) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) must take a tougher stance on super bugs, according to a University of Queensland infectious diseases expert.
A world without antibiotics?
Imagine a world without antibiotics. Common infections are life threatening. Pneumonia, urinary tract infections and venereal diseases are incurable. Cancer chemotherapies do not exist. The life expectancy for Canadian men is 47 and 50 for women.
Findings may help keep pancreatic disease off the menu
Timing is everything. That's especially true when it comes to the activation of enzymes created by the pancreas to break down food. When the timing is right, those enzymes are activated only when they reach the gut, where they get to work releasing and distributing nutrients that we need to survive. If the timing is wrong and the enzymes are activated too soon, they break down the pancreas itself, which is painful and sometimes fatal.
Physically active moms-to-be give babies a head start on heart health
Moms-to-be long have been told by their doctors and baby-related books and websites that staying fit during pregnancy is good for both mother and child. When it was reported a couple of years back that exercising strengthens a fetus' heart control, many pregnant women took heed and hit the ground running, literally. Some signed up for prenatal yoga classes; others found new ways to incorporate low-impact aerobic activities into their daily lives.
Lifesaving antibiotics face doubtful future
To head off a health care disaster, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has developed a plan to combat deadly antibiotic-resistant "super bugs" and is rolling out the multi-pronged plan today, on World Health Day 2011.
Antidepressants aid physical recovery in stroke, study suggests
A University of Iowa study finds that patients treated with a short course of antidepressants after a stroke have significantly greater improvement in physical recovery than patients treated with a placebo. Moreover, the study is the first to demonstrate that this physical recovery continues to improve for at least nine months after the antidepressant medication is stopped.
Treatment for depression a long-term solution
(Edmonton) Ian Colman, an epidemiologist in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, recently completed a study that suggests that treatment of depression may have long-term benefits.
Ovarian cancer finding may be a 'win-win' for at-risk women who wish to have a family
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University's Oregon National Primate Research Center may have good news for women at high-risk for ovarian cancer who also want to have children. The research suggests that a layer of cells, which serve as the "breeding ground" for ovarian cancer, may be removed yet allow the women to have children. This would be a vast improvement over the current prevention strategy for women at high risk for ovarian cancer: Removal of the ovaries entirely. The research is published in the current online edition of the journal Human Reproduction. It will also appear in a future printed edition of the journal.
New approach to IVF embryo donations lets people weigh decision
People who use in vitro fertilization to conceive children often have leftover embryos and must decide whether to store them, dispose of them or possibly donate them for research. A new process developed by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine allows these people to make this decision in the privacy of their own homes — without any interaction with clinic personnel or scientists who might benefit from the research.
A procedure used in preconception diagnosis can lead to problems with pregnancies
A new study demonstrates that a procedure used in preconception diagnosis to identify eggs that are free of genetic disease might not work well in all cases. The research, published by Cell Press in the April issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, highlights the issues associated with analyzing the amount of mutant mitochondrial DNA in supporting cells as a proxy for eggs prior to in vitro fertilization.
Long-term study shows that kidney transplants are faring better than previously reported
A new study from Mayo Clinic, the largest long-term study of kidney transplant recipients published to date, demonstrates that progressive damage to kidney transplants may be less common and less severe than previously reported.
Blood pressure's internally driven daily rhythm unlikely to be linked to morning heart attacks
The internally-driven daily cycle of blood pressure changes doesn't appear to be linked to the known increase in morning heart attacks, according to a study in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Caffeine and diabetes -- helpful or harmful?
A growing body of research suggests that caffeine disrupts glucose metabolism and may contribute to the development and poor control of type 2 diabetes, a major public health problem. A review article in the inaugural issue of Journal of Caffeine Research: The International Multidisciplinary Journal of Caffeine Science, a quarterly peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publishers, examines the latest evidence, contradicting earlier studies suggesting a protective effect of caffeine.
Hosts may use two systems in fight against infection
(PhysOrg.com) -- Over the last decade, vertebrate immunologists have debated the validity of two distinct models of how immune systems work. Now, a Cornell entomologist argues in the April 1 issue of Science that clues from insect immunity suggest that the two models may not be mutually exclusive and, in fact, may work in tandem to trigger appropriately calibrated immune responses.
Vision loss slowed by encapsulated cell therapy
(PhysOrg.com) -- A phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of a severe form of age-related macular degeneration called geographic atrophy (GA) has become the first study to show the benefit of a therapy to slow the progression of vision loss for this disease. The results highlight the benefit of the use of a neurotrophic factor to treat GA and provide hope to nearly one million Americans suffering from GA.
Political views are reflected in brain structure
We all know that people at opposite ends of the political spectrum often really can't see eye to eye. Now, a new report published online on April 7th in Current Biology reveals that those differences in political orientation are tied to differences in the very structures of our brains.
Editing-molecule mutation causes fatal primordial dwarfism
Fetuses with defects in a molecular machine that edits information cells use to make proteins can develop a rare form of dwarfism, according to a new study led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
Researchers develop new technology to screen and analyze genetic mutations
A single change to even one of the thousands of DNA codes that make up each gene in the human genome can result in severe diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or Huntington's Disease. A similarly minor change in the DNA of a virus or bacteria can give rise to drug resistant strains that are difficult for physicians to treat with standard drug therapies. For these reasons, scientists have long sought ways to study the effects genetic mutations can have on an organism but have been hampered in these efforts by an inability to easily and efficiently produce and analyze the thousands of potential changes possible in even one small gene.
Molecules identified that help propel cancer metastasis
For many types of cancer, the original tumor itself is usually not deadly. Instead, it's the spread of a tiny subpopulation of cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body -- the process known as metastasis—that all too often kills the patient. Now, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified two molecules that enable cancer to spread inside the body. These findings could eventually lead to therapies that prevent metastasis by inactivating the molecules.
Sexual transmission of insect-borne virus
(PhysOrg.com) -- Little did Brian Foy know that when he came home from a scientific research trip and had sex with his wife that that sexual act would create virological history. A study just released in Emerging Infectious Diseases presents the case of probable sexual transmission of the Zika virus.
Biology news
Scientists exploit ash tree pest's chemical communication
A newly identified chemical sex attractant, or pheromone, of the emerald ash borer could mean improved traps for monitoring and controlling the tree-killing beetle. That's the goal of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist Allard Cossé and his colleagues.
Two new studies link hunting to lead in scavenger birds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two new UC Davis studies add scientific evidence that hunters’ lead ammunition often finds its way into carrion-eating birds, such as eagles and turkey vultures.
Scientists have new measure for species threat
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new index has been developed to help conservationists better understand how close species are to extinction.
Thermophiles lurking in your basement
Ever wondered what exotic life forms may be lurking in the dark, hidden corners of your home? Scientists wonder too. Studies have shown that our modern plumbing systems provide sanctuary to a menagerie of microbes. A new pilot project plans to elicit the help of homeowners to catalogue the life growing in their water heaters. The research may give clues to how microbes evolve in the wild.
Neutron science explains mystery of how Arctic fish's antifreeze proteins work
Neutron scientists have discovered for the first time how 'antifreeze' in arctic fish blood kicks in to keep them alive in subzero conditions. The results could provide benefits for areas as diverse as cryosurgery, food processing and agriculture.
Starch-controlling gene fuels more protein in soybean plants
A newly discovered gene introduced into soybean plants has increased the amount of protein in the plant's seed and could hold promise for helping meet nutritional needs of a hungry world.
Through evolution, cavefish have lost sleep
Cave fish sleep significantly less than their surface counterparts, a finding by New York University biologists that reveals the genes involved in sleep patterns and disorders. Their study, which appears in the journal Current Biology, may shed light on how genetic makeup contributes to sleep variation and disruption in humans.
Rethinking reprogramming: A new way to make stem cells
A paper published by Cell Press in the April 8th issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals a new and more efficient method for reprogramming adult mouse and human cells into an embryonic stem cell-like state and could lead to better strategies for developing stem cells for therapeutic use.
Fungus sweeps across the country, killing bats
More than 100 hibernating bats hang from the vaulted ceiling of a chilly gallery in central New Mexico's Fort Stanton Cave, seemingly unaware of the lights from helmet lanterns sweeping over their gargoyle-like faces.
New shrimp species found in Queensland waterhole
(PhysOrg.com) -- With the torrential downpours in Queensland this year roadside waterholes are abundant, and it is in one of these waterholes that professor Brian Timms has discovered a new species of shrimp. This particular species, along with the other 25 possible new species found so far, would not have emerged without the heavy rains seen this year.
Genetically modified fungus could fight malaria
In a cramped London laboratory filled with test tubes, bacteria and mosquitoes, scientists are trying to engineer a new weapon in the battle against malaria: a mutant fungus.
Genetic differences influence the structure of communities
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists from The University of Manchester are among a group of researchers investigating how genetic differences among individuals contribute to the way ecological communities form, interact and change over time.
Paper offers new insights into predator-prey relationships
(PhysOrg.com) -- For those old enough to remember Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom” television series, the dynamics of predator-prey relationships seemed clear enough: predators thinned out prey populations, which enabled a smaller, but stronger, population to survive and reproduce.
A new way to make reprogrammed stem cells
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have devised a totally new and far more efficient way of generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), immature cells that are able to develop into several different types of cells or tissues in the body. The researchers used fibroblast cells, which are easily obtained from skin biopsies, and could be used to generate patient-specific iPSCs for drug screening and tissue regeneration.
Scientists find E. coli enzyme must move to function
Slight oscillations lasting just milliseconds have a huge impact on an enzyme's function, according to a new study by Scripps Research Institute scientists. Blocking these movements, without changing the enzyme's overall structure or any of its other properties, renders the enzyme defective in carrying out chemical reactions.
Do snails need their slime trails to move ahead? It's a sticky question
(PhysOrg.com) -- High-resolution videos of moving snails and slugs reveal the details of how snails get around on their own distinctive brand of slime.
Instant evolution in whiteflies: Just add bacteria
In just six years, bacteria in the genus Rickettsia spread through a population of the sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), an invasive pest of global importance. Infected insects lay more eggs, develop faster and are more likely to survive to adulthood compared to their uninfected peers.
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