Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 2, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Proposed gamma-ray laser could emit 'nuclear light'- Removable 'cloak' for nanoparticles helps them target tumors
- No nuts for 'Nutcracker Man': Early human relative apparently chewed grass instead
- Pain and itch connected down deep
- World's smallest atomic clock on sale
- Researchers turn to museums to track down clues in mysterious amphibian declines
- The winners of mass extinction: With predators gone, prey thrives
- Rice's origins point to China, genome researchers conclude
- Chinese supercomputer will feature The Godson-3B: A mesh style processor
- Wallowing in mud is more than just temperature control
- Wireless carriers are blocking tethering apps
- Cosmic magnetic fields
- Talk to the animals (w/ video)
- Seeking happiness? Remember the good times, forget the regrets
- Blueprint of a trend: How does a financial bubble burst?
Space & Earth news
Geological information available at click of a button
Mining industry explorers, earthquake and climate change scientists and members of the public can now access a 'stack' of information about Australia's geology at the click of a button.
Book looks at interrelationships among nitrogen, plants and the environment
Nitrogen is essential for plant growth. Despite the abundance of nitrogen in the atmosphere as N2 gas, plants must rely on a series of chemical reactions to convert atmospheric and other forms of nitrogen into usable forms. Plants have achieved this goal primarily by evolving relationships with associated organisms. The varied, complex interactions involving nitrogen, plants, and the environment are the focus of a new book co-edited by University of Missouri professor of biochemistry Joseph C. Polacco.
Heavy May snowfall takes Iceland by surprise
Iceland saw its first May snowfall for almost a decade over the weekend, with more than 16 centimetres falling on the capital Reykjavik, meteorologists said Sunday.
Caves and their dripstones tell us about the uplift of mountains
In a recent Geology paper geologists from the universities of Innsbruck and Leeds report on ancient cave systems discovered near the summits of the Allgau Mountains that preserved the oldest radiometrically dated dripstones currently known from the European Alps.
Seeking life's imprint in shifting desert sand
A group of scientists are hunched over, their eyes intently scanning the jumble of rocks on the ground. Every now and then, someone picks one up for closer inspection, turning it over and over again in their hand.
Transiting super-Earth detected around naked eye star
One of the first known stars to host an extrasolar planet, was that of 55 Cancri. The first planet in this system was reported in 1997 and today the system is known to host at least five planets, the inner most of which, 55 Cnc e, was recently discovered to transit the star, giving new information about this planet.
Exploring Rio Tinto Eurobotically
No wonder it is called Red River: it looks like it could be on the red planet rather than in Spain. The landscape and terrain make it a perfect place for simulating a Mars sortie.
Shuttle repairs to take several days: NASA
Engineers have identified the technical problem that caused the delay of the Endeavour shuttle launch last week, and expect it will take several days to fix, NASA said Monday.
NASA says no new launch attempt before next Sunday
NASA's space shuttles are dragging their tails toward retirement.
NASA satellite sees tornado tracks in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (w/ video)
Deadly tornadoes raked across Alabama on April 27, 2011, killing as many as 210 people as of April 29. The hardest-hit community was Tuscaloosa. In an image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on April 28, three tornado tracks are visible through and around the city.
Cosmic magnetic fields
The mention of cosmic-scale magnetic fields is still likely to met with an uncomfortable silence in some astronomical circles – and after a bit of foot-shuffling and throat-clearing, the discussion will be moved on to safer topics. But look, they’re out there. They probably do play a role in galaxy evolution, if not galaxy formation – and are certainly a feature of the interstellar medium and the intergalactic medium.
Global warming won't harm wind energy production, climate models predict
The production of wind energy in the U.S. over the next 30-50 years will be largely unaffected by upward changes in global temperature, say a pair of Indiana University Bloomington scientists who analyzed output from several regional climate models to assess future wind patterns in America's lower 48 states.
Technology news
Infinite Monkeys makes smartphone 'apps' simple
The tribal head of the humans at startup Infinite Monkeys paused during a carbon-neutral road trip around the world to launch a service that lets community groups make their own "apps."
Online revelry at Osama bin Laden's death
Word of Osama bin Laden's death rocketed through the Internet in rapid-fire Twitter messages, Facebook updates, and YouTube video clips.
UMaine deepwater offshore wind technology tests proceeding in the Netherlands
University of Maine engineering students and researchers working at a facility in the Netherlands are now into the third week of testing scale models of deepwater floating offshore wind platforms for wind turbines.
Group buying sites boost e-commerce in Asia
Innovative "group buying" sites offering bargains on everything from meals to travel packages are catching on in Asia as companies harness the power of social media to influence consumer behaviour.
Blogger 'tweets' attack on Osama bin Laden
An IT consultant in the Pakistan city of Abbottabad was an Internet celebrity on Monday after unwittingly providing a real-time account of the attack that killed Osama bin Laden.
OMG: Tweets, Facebook welcome in Mass. courtroom
(AP) -- When the camera switches on in one of the busiest courtrooms in Massachusetts, murder arraignments, traffic and drug cases heard there will become fodder for a new experiment: how bloggers and other citizen journalists can cover courts using new media and social media.
Winds of fortune
Alisa Rogers finished 10th grade and was already headed to Syracuse University. But before leaving her Baltimore high school, she met her future husband and business partner.
Elpida develops industry's first 25nm process DRAM
Elpida Memory, Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), today announced it had developed a 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAM using an industry-leading 25nm process for memory manufacturing. Using the most advanced process technology available Elpida has achieved the industry's smallest chip size for a 2-gigabit SDRAM.
Computer experts warn of Bin Laden malware scams
Computer security experts warned on Monday that online scammers may seek to exploit the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to spread malware.
Yandex divulges info on Russian anti-corruption crusader
Russia's top Internet portal Yandex said Monday it has been forced to divulge financial details about the country's top anti-corruption crusader to the powerful Federal Security Service (FSB).
A 'genius' and his robots
It was lunch hour and hundreds of Dos Pueblos High School students surged onto the bleachers at the school's outdoor Greek Theater. The crowd was cheering, the music was thumping and a student-built robot named Penguinbot IV was wheeling and pivoting, sucking up dozens of lightweight balls and shooting them at the young athletes who had ventured onstage.
Sony takes down game site amid security concerns
(AP) -- Sony says it has taken down its online PC gaming service due to a problem it found while investigating the security breach at its PlayStation service last month.
Two groups develop 100 terabit fiber cable
(PhysOrg.com) -- Working separately on two different types of technology, two groups have developed a type of fiber cable capable of delivering over 100 terabits of data per second; several orders of magnitude higher than anything currently in use. The first group figured out a way to shove more data into a single signal, while the second group created a fiber cable with multiple cores, rather than just the standard one.
Google adds voice and video to Google Talk on Android smartphones
(PhysOrg.com) -- Users of Google's Android OS on their Nexus S smartphones can now smile a little more as their friends will be able to see it; Google has (finally) added video and voice chat as a part of a native Android app. Third party apps that let users video chat on their Android phones (Fring, Qik, etc.) have been around awhile, as has a native app on the iPhone (FaceTime); with this move, Google is finally catching up with everyone else by adding both video and voice to Google Talk; something users have been able to do on their personal computers for quite some time.
Wireless carriers are blocking tethering apps
(PhysOrg.com) -- If you have an Android 2.2 OS smartphone, such as the HTC Nexus One, then you have tethering as part of the base experience. Other users could make tethering an option for themselves by downloading an app, or at least they could for a while, but sadly, that era is coming to an end.
Computer program understands the 'that's what she said' joke
(PhysOrg.com) -- While computers can do just about anything these days, having a sense of humor is not something they have been capable of, that is until now. Chloe Kiddon and Yuriy Brun, computer scientists from the University of Washington, have created a software program capable of giving computers a sense of humor and the ability to understand a specific type of double entendre.
Medicine & Health news
Advanced CT with 3-D scanning improve detection of drug trafficking and other contraband smuggling
With the high prevalence of drug abuse and trafficking in major cities throughout the world, one new study shows how advanced CT with 3D scanning can help radiologists better identify ingested or hidden contraband items more effectively.
PET-CT exams help identify cognitive reserve in early-onset Alzheimer's disease
A recent study revealed that the "cognitive reserve" in early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) and PET-CT examinations can be used to effectively to identify early-onset AD patients.
ACR white paper prepares radiologists for participation in accountable care organizations
The latest American College of Radiology white paper, Strategies for Radiologists in the Era of Health Care Reform and Accountable Care Organizations, published in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, offers strategies for successful radiologist participation in accountable care organizations (ACOs). ACOs are intended to create incentives for health care providers to work together to treat an individual patient across care settings — including doctor's offices, hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Injured children may not be getting best possible care
Most injured children are not being treated at pediatric trauma centers, arguably the most appropriate location of care for young patients, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 2, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Denver.
FATE results prove to be useful in end-of-life care
Though there have been significant improvements in the treatment of head and neck cancer, there is still a lack of data on the experience of end of life care for head and neck cancer patients, according to a new study published in the May 2011 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
New studies show negative effects from revised mammography recommendation for women, ages 40-49
Two new studies reveal that the United States Preventative Services Task Force's (USPSTF) recommendation to no longer screen women ages 40-49 for breast cancer using mammograms has begun to negatively affect the number of yearly mammograms performed in this age group and thus decrease the benefits of early detection.
Israeli generic drug giant Teva to buy Cephalon
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world's largest generic drug maker, will buy US biopharma firm Cephalon in a $6.8 billion deal, the companies said in a joint statement Monday.
2 tests better than 1 to diagnose diabetes in overweight children
A new study found that the recommended blood test may not be enough to catch type 2 diabetes in overweight children, missing more than two-thirds of children at high-risk for the condition. Researchers from Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics found that performing two tests – both the recommended hemoglobin A1C test and an oral glucose tolerance test – could dramatically reduce the risk of delayed diagnosis in overweight children. The findings were presented Saturday at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting in Denver.
Diagnosis on state health care
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick defended the state’s five-year-old health care reform Thursday (April 28), saying it has resulted in 98 percent of residents and 99.8 percent of children being covered by health insurance, and predicting that the state ultimately will figure out how to tame rising health care costs.
Mayo Clinic CPR efforts successful on man with no pulse for 96 minutes
By all counts, the 54-year-old man who collapsed on a recent winter night in rural Minnesota would likely have died. He'd suffered a heart attack, and even though he was given continuous CPR and a series of shocks with a defibrillator, the man was without a pulse for 96 minutes. But this particular instance of cardiac arrest, reported first in Mayo Clinic Proceedings online, turned out to be highly unusual: "The patient made a complete recovery following prolonged pulselessness," says anesthesiologist and cardiac care specialist Roger White, M.D., lead author of the article.
No uptake of grant relating to ban on blood donations by gay and bisexual men
Canadian researchers may be biased since a half-million dollar research grant to possibly change the ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood has not been accessed, states a Salon article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Researchers develop device to measure brain temperature non-invasively
Doctors have long sought a way to directly measure the brain's temperature without inserting a probe through the skull. Now researchers have developed a way to get the brain's precise temperature with a device the diameter of a poker-chip that rests on a patient's head, according to findings presented May 1 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Denver.
Bristol-Myers recalls Coumadin blood thinner
(AP) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. says it is recalling one production lot of its blood thinner Coumadin after finding an oversize tablet.
Catheterization recommended for treating pediatric heart conditions
Doctors should consider using catheterization as a treatment tool in addition to its established role in diagnosing children with heart defects, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement.
Study estimates rate of autism spectrum disorder in adults in England
In England, the prevalence of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was estimated to be 9.8 per 1,000 population, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Limited English proficiency among parents associated with increased length of hospital stay
Among children whose parents and other primary caregivers have limited English proficiency, there is an associated increased length of hospital stay and decreased number of home health care referrals for pediatric inpatients with infections requiring long-term antibiotics, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
In-hospital deaths declined over time at children's hospital without pediatric medical emergency team
A study documents reduction in hospital mortality over ten years in a children's hospital without a Pediatric Emergency Medical Team (PMET), according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Parents have role in smoking prevention
Parents shouldn't let up when it comes to discouraging their kids from smoking.
'It costs too much to be healthy'
The high cost of health care is deterring parents from taking their children to the doctor or buying prescription medication, regardless of how much money they make or whether they have health insurance, according to a study to be presented Sunday, May 2, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Denver.
Low vitamin D in kids may play a role in anemia
Pediatricians from Johns Hopkins Children's Center and elsewhere have discovered a link between low levels of vitamin D and anemia in children.
Higher HIV risk in black gay men linked to partner choice, risk perception
Young black men who have sex with men (MSM) get infected with HIV nearly five times more often than MSM from other races, even though they don't have more unprotected sex.
Early nutrition has a long-term metabolic impact
Nutrition during the first days or weeks of life may have long-term consequences on health, potentially via a phenomenon known as the metabolic programming effect, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 2, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Denver.
Wishful thinking: Asking adolescents about their hopes and dreams proves insightful
Trying to figure out what's going on inside the mind of an adolescent can be challenging, to say the least. A new study shows that simply asking them what they wish for could be eye-opening.
US mothers feed infants variety of herbal products
(AP) -- New research suggests many U.S. babies are fed herbal supplements or teas.
Filthy toilets a blight on Asian prosperity
Fast-growing Asian economies may be flush with money but filthy toilets remain a blight across the region despite rising standards of living, with dire effects on poverty reduction and public health.
Obese men and women report less satisfying sex life
(Medical Xpress) -- Obese men and women seeking weight-loss treatment report significantly less satisfaction with their sex life than the general population, and women report even lower satisfaction than men, according to the results of a Duke University Medical Center study.
Aggressive breast tumors linked to vitamin D deficiency
(Medical Xpress) -- Low vitamin D levels among women with breast cancer correlate with more aggressive tumors and poorer prognosis, according to a new University of Rochester Medical Center study highlighted this week at the American Society of Breast Surgeons meeting in Washington, D.C.
Analysis of sperm differentiation reveals new mode of proteasome regulation
(Medical Xpress) -- Early in development, cells undergo a controlled demolition that helps to shape their raw, pliable material into the specialized forms they must have to do their jobs as adults. The process by which this occurs is also crucial later in the cell’s life, to take out potentially dangerous trash that routinely accumulates as it ages. New work from Rockefeller University has now provided a detailed genetic and biochemical understanding of how one protein helps modulate this sculptor and janitor of the cell, known as the proteasome. The findings improve our knowledge of how cells specialize, and could also lead to new tools for fighting cancer and degenerative disorders.
Young adults' beliefs about their health clash with risky behaviors
The results are part of a survey of 1,248 Americans ages 18-44 on their attitudes about health, including influences of and beliefs about health behaviors and their risks for stroke.
Making the move to exercise for overweight and obese people
(Medical Xpress) -- How much exercise are overweight and obese people getting? More than many might think, according to research findings by nurses from Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
Researchers find that aspirin reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in prostate cancer patients
Some studies have shown that blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, can reduce biochemical failure––cancer recurrence that is detected by a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level––the risk of metastasis and even death in localized prostate cancer. These studies, although very telling, have all emphasized the need for more data. Now, with researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center having concluded the largest study on this topic, and there is substantial data suggesting that aspirin improves outcomes in prostate cancer patients who have received radiotherapy.
Dual medications for depression increases costs, side effects with no benefit to patients
Taking two medications for depression does not hasten recovery from the condition that affects 19 million Americans each year, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a national study.
Smoke-exposed children with flu more likely to need ICU care
Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to need intensive care and intubation when hospitalized with influenza, according to new research by the University of Rochester Medical Center presented today at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting in Denver. The children also had longer hospital stays.
Statins may stave off septic lung damage says new research study
Statins may be best known for their ability to reduce cholesterol, but a research report appearing in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows that these same drugs could also play a crucial role in the reduction of lung damage resulting from severe abdominal sepsis and infection.
Research team finds genetic clue to 'emergency' glaucoma
Jackson Laboratory researchers and their collaborators have reported their discovery of a gene implicated in an acute and severe form of glaucoma known as angle-closure glaucoma (ACG). The gene's activity points to previously unsuspected mechanisms involved in both ACG and infant eye development.
Alzheimer's-related protein disrupts motors of cell transport
A protein associated with Alzheimer's disease clogs several motors of the cell transport machinery critical for normal cell division, leading to defective neurons that may contribute to the memory-robbing disease, University of South Florida researchers report.
Before you start bone-building meds, try dietary calcium and supplements: study
Has a bone density scan placed you at risk for osteoporosis, leading your doctor to prescribe a widely advertised bone-building medication? Not so fast! A University of Illinois study finds that an effective first course of action is increasing dietary calcium and vitamin D or taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Better hearing just an App away
(Medical Xpress) -- People with hearing problems living in the developing world may have a solution on the horizon, thanks to an innovative University of Alberta professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Study sheds light on brain's perception of falling objects
If you thought that judging the position of a falling object is easier when you're lying on your side, think again. New research, led by the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biological Cybernetics in Germany and presented in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE, shows that while the physical laws governing object stability are well represented by the brain, you can better determine how objects fall when you're upright. The results shed new light on existing theories of how humans perceive the physical stability of objects.
Animal studies reveal new route to treating heart disease
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have shown in laboratory experiments in mice that blocking the action of a signaling protein deep inside the heart's muscle cells blunts the most serious ill effects of high blood pressure on the heart. These include heart muscle enlargement, scar tissue formation and loss of blood vessel growth.
27 percent of children wait too long for surgery
Twenty-seven percent of children in Canada awaiting surgery at pediatric hospitals received the procedures past the target date, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Kids who specialize in one sport may have higher injury risk
Competitive young athletes are under increasing pressure to play only one sport year round, but such specialization could increase the risk of injuries, a Loyola University Health System study has found.
New protein regulates water in the brain to control inflammation
A new protein, called aquaporin-4, is making waves and found to play a key role in brain inflammation, or encephalitis. This discovery is important as the first to identify a role for this protein in inflammation, opening doors for the development of new drugs that treat brain inflammation and other conditions at the cellular level rather than just treating the symptoms. This discovery was published in the May 2011 issue of The FASEB Journal.
Scientists show that HIV drugs can also target tropical parasites
Scientists have discovered that drugs used to treat HIV may also one day become lifesaving drugs targeted at parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and malaria. According to new research published in The FASEB Journal, scientists have identified the target of action for some anti-HIV drugs with known abilities to kill serious pathogenic parasites. While scientists have long known that these HIV drugs can kill parasites, exactly how they work was previously unknown. Researchers discovered that a particular protein called Ddi 1 from Leishmania parasites is sensitive to anti-HIV inhibitors. This research could one day significantly change the treatment of parasitic diseases.
Insomnia linked to high insulin resistance in diabetics
In the largest study of it kind to establish a link between sleep and diabetes, researchers found that people with diabetes who sleep poorly have higher insulin resistance, and a harder time controlling the disease.
Researchers validate important roles of iPSCs in regenerative medicine
Researchers from Boston University's Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) have demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into definitive endoderm cells, in vitro, with similar functional potential when compared to embryonic stem cells (ESCs), despite minor molecular differences between the two cell types.
Research demonstrates link between H1N1 and low birth weight
In 2009, the United States was gripped by concern for a new winter threat: the H1N1 strain of influenza. According to research conducted through that winter, pregnant women were right to be concerned.
Moderate levels of secondhand smoke deliver nicotine to the brain
Exposure to secondhand smoke, such as a person can get by riding in an enclosed car while someone else smokes, has a direct, measurable impact on the brain—and the effect is similar to what happens in the brain of the person doing the smoking. In fact, exposure to this secondhand smoke evokes cravings among smokers, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Study finds autism-related early brain overgrowth slows by age 2 years
Scientists using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) observed that the brains of children with autism spectrum disorder are larger than those without autism, but this difference appears related to increased rates of brain growth before 2 years of age, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
A little belly fat can double the risk of death in coronary artery disease patients
One of the largest studies of its kind has found that people with coronary artery disease who have even a modest beer belly or muffin top are at higher risk for death than people whose fat collects elsewhere. The effect was observed even in patients with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI). The findings of this Mayo Clinic analysis are published in the May 10 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
New mothers can learn a lot from watching their babies
The best teacher for a young mother is her baby, contend experts who train social workers to interact with first-time moms.
Packing on the pounds in middle age linked to dementia
According to a new study, being overweight or obese during middle age may increase the risk of certain dementias. The research is published in the May 3, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Post-deployment PTSD symptoms more common in military personnel with prior mental health disorders
Military service members who screened positive for mental health disorders before deployment, or who were injured during deployment, were more likely to develop post-deployment posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than their colleagues without these risk factors, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Antioxidant may prevent alcohol-induced liver disease
An antioxidant may prevent damage to the liver caused by excessive alcohol, according to new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The findings, published online April 21, 2011, in the journal Hepatology, may point the way to treatments to reverse steatosis, or fatty deposits in the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and cancer.
Exploring group checkups for diabetes, Parkinson's
(AP) -- Wait a minute, Doc. You want me to share my appointment with 10 other patients?
Media multitasking is really multi-distracting
Multitaskers who think they can successfully divide their attention between the program on their television set and the information on their computer screen proved to be driven to distraction by the two devices, according to a new study of media multitasking by Boston College researchers.
What rat breath can teach us about food preference, sense of smell and taste
(Medical Xpress) -- Would your favorite dinner taste the same if you could not smell it? Does a sense of smell require a sense of taste? Katz, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, set out to find some answers.
World-first glaucoma gene discovery
(Medical Xpress) -- An Australian research team led by Flinders University researchers has discovered two new genes that could open the way to new treatments for blinding glaucoma.
Cells talk more in areas Alzheimer's hits first, boosting plaque component
(Medical Xpress) -- Higher levels of cell chatter boost amyloid beta in the brain regions that Alzheimer’s hits first, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report. Amyloid beta is the main ingredient of the plaque lesions that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
Traveler's alert: Business travel linked to obesity and poor health
Road warriors who travel for business two weeks or more a month have higher body mass index, higher rates of obesity and poorer self-rated health than those who travel less often, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.
Think it's easy to be macho? Psychologists show how 'precarious' manhood is
difficult to earn and easy to lose. And when it's threatened, men see aggression as a good way to hold onto it. These are the conclusions of a new article by University of South Florida psychologists Jennifer K. Bosson and Joseph A. Vandello. The paper is published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Scientists discover brain structures associated with learning
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI, part of the Novartis Research Foundation) have discovered neuronal connections which are formed in the brain when learning occurs, and which ensure the precision of memory. This work represents an important step on the path towards an improved understanding of how learning and memories are stored in the brain. The findings were published today in the online edition of Nature.
Seeking happiness? Remember the good times, forget the regrets
People who look at the past through rose-tinted glasses are happier than those who focus on negative past experiences and regrets, according to a new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. The study helps explain why personality has such a strong influence on a person's happiness. The findings suggest that persons with certain personality traits are happier than others because of the way they think about their past, present and future.
Research team identifies receptor for Ebola virus
A team of researchers has identified a cellular protein that acts as a receptor for Ebola virus and Marburg virus. Furthermore, the team showed that an antibody, which binds to the receptor protein, is able to block infection by both viruses.
Pain and itch connected down deep
A new study of itch adds to growing evidence that the chemical signals that make us want to scratch are the same signals that make us wince in pain.
Biology news
Establishing the first line of human embryonic stem cells in Brazil
Brazilian researchers, reporting in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:3), discovered difficulties in establishing a genetically diverse line of human embryonic stem cells (hES) to serve the therapeutic stem cell transplantation needs of the diverse ethnic and genetic Brazilian population.
Cells derived from different stem cells: Same or different?
There are two types of stem cell considered promising sources of cells for regenerative therapies: ES and iPS cells. Recent data indicate these cells are molecularly different, raising the possibility that cells derived from the two sources could be distinct. New research, however, has determined that there is considerable overlap in the genetic programs of thyroid, lung, liver, and pancreas progenitors derived from ES and iPS cells and these progenitors isolated from mouse embryos.
Study: Rare deep-sea starfish stuck in juvenile body plan
A team of scientists has combined embryological observations, genetic sequencing, and supercomputing to determine that a group of small disk-shaped animals that were once thought to represent a new class of animals are actually starfish that have lost the large star-shaped, adult body from their life cycle.
Researchers launch first iPhone field guide using visual search
Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution have pooled their expertise to create the world's first plant identification mobile app using visual search -- Leafsnap. This electronic field guide allows users to identify tree species simply by taking a photograph of the tree's leaves. In addition to the species name, Leafsnap provides high-resolution photographs and information about the tree's flowers, fruit, seeds and bark—giving the user a comprehensive understanding of the species.
'Fly Man' researches pesky pests on Alcatraz
When forensic entomologist Robert Kimsey leaves the UC Davis Department of Entomology for his bimonthly trips to Alcatraz Island, it's not to sightsee.
Washing with contaminated soap increases bacteria on hands
People who wash their hands with contaminated soap from bulk-soap-refillable dispensers can increase the number of disease-causing microbes on their hands and may play a role in transmission of bacteria in public settings according to research published in the May issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Lichen evolved on two tracks, like marsupials and mammals
Lichen, those drab, fuzzy growths found on rocks and trees, aren't as cuddly and charismatic as kangaroos or intriguing as opossums, but they could be a fungal equivalent, at least evolutionarily.
Study suggests that successful blueprints are recycled by evolution
During the development of an embryo, a large number of different, specialised cell-types arise from the fertilised egg. The genetic information is identical in all cells of an organism. Different properties of cells arise because the activity of genes is controlled and regulated by so called transcription factors. By switching genes on or off, the body makes muscle cells, bone cells, liver cells and many more.
Planting trees arrests koala decline, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Sydney researchers have gained a rare insight into the habits of koalas, discovering simple tree planting may be the solution to expanding their habitat and allowing their populations to grow.
Babysitting birds gain from growing pains
(PhysOrg.com) -- The baffling question of why some animals help raise offspring which aren’t their own is closer to being answered, thanks to new research from The Australian National University.
Birds invent new songs in evolutionary fast-forward
Native North Island saddlebacks have developed such distinctive new songs in the last 50 years that it is not clear if birds on one island recognise what their neighbors are singing about, a Massey University study shows.
Talk to the animals (w/ video)
When African Grey parrots talk, do they mimic sounds or consciously understand their speech? Irene Pepperberg, a comparative psychologist at both Brandeis and Harvard universities believes African Greys actually know what they’re talking about.
Wallowing in mud is more than just temperature control
(PhysOrg.com) -- While it is well accepted knowledge that pigs wallow in mud in order to regulate body temperature and keep cool, a new study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science shows that the wallowing behavior holds much more than that.
'Small fry' fish just as vulnerable to population plunges as sharks or tuna
On land, being small and lurking at the bottom of the food chain is a far better strategy for species survival than being big, fierce and perched on top, at least when humans are after you – just ask the mice and grizzly bears.
Student discovers new virus lurking in cave mud
Any time Emilia Czyszczon gets bogged down in her biological engineering studies - any time she considers taking the easy route on an assignment - she thinks about her father.
Rice's origins point to China, genome researchers conclude
Rice originated in China, a team of genome researchers has concluded in a study tracing back thousands of years of evolutionary history through large-scale gene re-sequencing. Their findings, which appear in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), indicate that domesticated rice may have first appeared as far back as approximately 9,000 years ago in the Yangtze Valley of China. Previous research suggested domesticated rice may have two points of origin -- India as well as China.
Researchers turn to museums to track down clues in mysterious amphibian declines
There's a crisis among the world's amphibians -- about 40 percent of amphibian species have dwindled in numbers in just three decades. Now, museum jars stuffed full of amphibians may help scientists decide whether this wave of extinctions was caused by a fungal infection.
The winners of mass extinction: With predators gone, prey thrives
In modern ecology, the removal or addition of a predator to an ecosystem can produce dramatic changes in the population of prey species. For the first time, scientists have observed the same dynamics in the fossil record, thanks to a mass extinction that decimated ocean life 360 million years ago.
This email is a free service of PhysOrg.com
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://www.physorg.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment