Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 18, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Physicists take steps toward delivering quantum information to the home- Making blood-sucking deadly for mosquitoes
- Physicists demonstrate a time cloaking device
- Researchers find neural signature of 'mental time travel'
- Heated AFM tip allows direct fabrication of ferroelectric nanostructures on plastic
- New study finds a genetic basis for muscle endurance in animal study
- Cancer stem cells recruit normal stem cells to fuel ovarian cancer
- HTC says ruling finds it violated 2 Apple patents
- Click chemistry with copper -- a biocompatible version
- Scientists analyze and explain the chemical makeup of Gulf plume
- New agents show promise for treating aggressive breast cancers
- New contrast agents detect bacterial infections with high sensitivity and specificity
- Kindle lets students rent digital textbooks
- Solar panels keep buildings cool
- New scientific research reveals diamonds aren't forever
Space & Earth news
Early quake alerts
Six thousand seismic sensors, 200 volunteers and a University of Delaware researcher all have one thing in common – helping scientists study earthquakes.
University of Tennessee scientist helps NASA mission that could determine building blocks of life
The plot has the makings of a summer blockbuster: An asteroid on a potential collision course with our planet holds the power to destroy life on Earth but also holds clues to what seeded it with the ingredients for life. One of the people seeking to recover its precious planetary science clues, while at the same time learning enough to prevent any collision with Earth, is the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's own Josh Emery.
US astronauts somber as shuttle era comes to an end
The Atlantis roars back to Earth this week ending America's vaunted space shuttle program and frustrating a generation of astronauts who see their chance to soar into the cosmos sharply limited.
Russia launches giant telescope in deep space return
Russia on Monday launched into space its Spektr-R radio telescope planned to be the most powerful ever, the first deep space observatory sent up by Moscow in a quarter of a century.
China plans carbon-trading pilot scheme
China will introduce a pilot scheme for carbon emissions trading and gradually develop a national market as the world's largest polluter seeks to reduce emissions and save energy, state media said.
Astronauts load storage bin on last space shuttle
(AP) -- NASA's orbiting astronauts detached a huge storage bin full of trash from the International Space Station on Monday and loaded it aboard Atlantis for the last shuttle ride back to Earth.
GOES-13 movie catches Tropical Storm Bret form and intensify
The GOES-13 satellite that monitors weather over the eastern U.S. recorded a movie of the birth and strengthening of the Atlantic Ocean season's second tropical storm. Tropical Storm Bret was born in the northwestern Bahamas and continues to strengthen.
Last space shuttle crew bids historic goodbye
(AP) -- The astronauts on NASA's final shuttle voyage floated out of the International Space Station for the last time Monday, leaving behind a historic U.S. flag and a commemorative shuttle model to mark the end of a 30-year era.
NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Enters Orbit Around Asteroid Vesta
NASA's Dawn spacecraft on Saturday became the first probe ever to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Whither astronauts? Corps shrinks as shuttles stop
(AP) -- NASA's mighty astronaut corps has become a shadow of what it once was. And it's only going to get smaller.
Party atmosphere reigned in early shuttle landings
(AP) -- If the weather cooperates, Atlantis will close out the space shuttle era with wheels down in Florida. Shuttle homecomings didn't always end this way.
World's forests' role in carbon storage immense, profound
Until now, scientists were uncertain about how much and where in the world terrestrial carbon is being stored. In the July 14 issue of Science Express, scientists report that, between 1990 and 2007, the world's forests stored about 2.4 gigatons of carbon per year.
Possibly the most distant object known
The most distant objects in the universe are also the oldest -- or at least that is how they appear to us, because their light has had to travel for billions of years to get here. They are also extraordinarily faint since they are so far away, and only in the last decade have astronomers been able to stretch their vision using the newest telescopes and clever techniques.
Dawn exceeds wildest expectations as first ever spacecraft to orbit a protoplanet - Vesta
NASA’s super exciting Dawn mission to the Asteroid Belt marked a major milestone in human history by becoming the first ever spacecraft from Planet Earth to achieve orbit around a Protoplanet – Vesta – on July 16. Dawn was launched in September 2007 and was 117 million miles (188 million km) distant from Earth as it was captured by Asteroid Vesta.
Study of soil effects from March 11 Japan earthquake could improve building design
Japan's March 11 Tohoku Earthquake is among the strongest ever recorded, and because it struck one of the world's most heavily instrumented seismic zones, this natural disaster is providing scientists with a treasure trove of data on rare magnitude 9 earthquakes. Among the new information is what is believed to be the first study of how a shock this powerful affects the rock and soil beneath the surface.
Scientists analyze and explain the chemical makeup of Gulf plume
Taking another major step in sleuthing the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a research team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has determined what chemicals were contained in a deep, hydrocarbon-containing plume at least 22 miles long that WHOI scientists mapped and sampled last summer in the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Moreover, they have taken a big step in explaining why some chemicals, but not others, made their way into the plume.
Space shuttle's science brought payoffs to Earth
Science from the space shuttle helped open Earth's eyes to the cosmos and sister planets. It created perhaps the most detailed topographical map of Earth. And it even is helping doctors understand, and sometimes fix, what's happening in our aging and ailing bodies.
Technology news
Cambridge University Eco Racing team unveil new car design
Cambridge University’s solar car team, Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER), unveiled its latest car design, for entry into the upcoming World Solar Challenge 2011, at a special launch day here at the Department. The launch day also encompassed the final round of their national Future Car Competition for school children.
Women's World Cup final breaks Twitter record
(AP) -- The Women's World Cup final between Japan and the United States set the record for tweets per second, eclipsing the wedding of Prince William and Kate and the death of Osama bin Laden.
Google: Belgian papers to appear in searches again
(AP) -- Google began allowing the Web sites of French-language Belgian newspapers to appear in its search results again on Monday, saying it had obtained the papers' legal consent to do so without repercussions.
Wall Street Journal attacks News Corp. critics
The News Corp.-owned Wall Street Journal blasted critics Monday for double standards and insisted that the phone-tapping scandal in Britain should not tarnish all of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.
Study discovers link between cell phone usage and relationship strength
A project on the dynamics of social networks at the University of Notre Dame’s Interdisciplinary Center for Network Science and Applications (iCeNSA) has found a link between cell phone usage and relationship strength.
Samsung LED seeks US import ban on Osram products
(AP) -- A Samsung unit is raising the ante in a patent dispute with a German rival over energy-saving LED lighting amid intensifying legal disputes among global companies jockeying for supremacy in key consumer technologies.
Pew study examines emergence of non-profit news
More than half of emerging nonprofit news sites produce content with a clear ideological bent, according to a study released Monday by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Clashing values could trip Facebook as it tiptoes toward China
As Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ponders a strategy for China, the conditions imposed in the world's largest Internet market were highlighted recently when executives of the country's top Web companies gathered to sing revolutionary songs and wave red flags to commemorate the recent 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
Ford's electric plans
When I think electric cars, I think the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt - then maybe Tesla and Fisker sports cars. But options for would-be electric car owners are fast expanding, and Ford is about to tap into the growing greener car market with a trio of environmentally friendly cars, including an all-electric vehicle.
Cisco cutting workforce by nine percent
US networking giant Cisco on Monday said it will eliminate 6,500 jobs, cutting its global workforce by nine percent as part of a move to slash its annual operating costs.
After almost 20 years, math problem falls
Mathematicians and engineers are often concerned with finding the minimum value of a particular mathematical function. That minimum could represent the optimal trade-off between competing criteria — between the surface area, weight and wind resistance of a car’s body design, for instance. In control theory, a minimum might represent a stable state of an electromechanical system, like an airplane in flight or a bipedal robot trying to keep itself balanced. There, the goal of a control algorithm might be to continuously steer the system back toward the minimum.
HTC says ruling finds it violated 2 Apple patents
Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC Corp. said it believes it has a strong case for an appeal of a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that HTC violated two Apple Inc. patents.
Kindle lets students rent digital textbooks
Amazon.com on Monday began letting students rent textbooks on Kindle electronic readers.
Solar panels keep buildings cool
Those solar panels on top of your roof aren't just providing clean power; they are cooling your house, or your workplace, too, according to a team of researchers led by Jan Kleissl, a professor of environmental engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.
IBM raises guidance, beats Street estimates
IBM Corp. raised its income guidance for the year on Monday as earnings in the latest quarter increased 8 percent because of growth in all three of its major product categories.
Hacker group launches online social network
Infamous hacker group Anonymous launched Monday its own social network after being rejected by Google's freshly-launched online community.
Medicine & Health news
Trastuzumab and chemotherapy improved survival in HER2-postive breast and brain cancer patients
The use of trastuzumab, chemotherapy and surgery among women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer significantly improved survival from the time central nervous system metastases were diagnosed.
Research reveals that significantly more genetic mutations lead to colon cancer
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there are at least 70 genetic mutations involved in the formation of colon cancer, far more than scientists previously thought.
Falls may be early sign of Alzheimer's
Falls and balance problems may be early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report July 17, 2011, at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Paris.
Research illuminating long-term non-progression suggests novel vaccination strategy for HIV
A major problem researchers have faced in attempting to develop a vaccine for HIV is that the virus mutates incredibly quickly, which means that its antigens—the target molecules of a vaccine—are moving targets. A comparison of individuals who are able to control HIV without antiretroviral medication with those who are unable to do so suggests that a novel approach to vaccination might work around this problem. The research is published in the July Journal of Virology.
Big brouhaha over obscure Medicare board
(AP) -- Remember the debunked death panels? A new Medicare board that Republicans are calling a "rationing panel" could become the next boogeyman in the nation's hyperbolic health care debate.
AIDS conference opens in Rome
(AP) -- The head of the United Nations AIDS program called Sunday for an increase in access to drugs that help treat or prevent the spread of the disease, saying it is "morally wrong" to keep millions of people off lifesaving medication.
WHO: Blood tests for tuberculosis are unreliable
(AP) -- Widely used blood tests to detect tuberculosis are "dangerous" to patients because they are unreliable and can produce wrong results, the World Health Organization warned Sunday.
Australian hospital in baby switch error
Two Australian mothers were mistakenly given the wrong newborns in a mix up which saw the infants breastfed and cared for by the wrong woman for some eight hours, the hospital said Monday.
Most crack users in Victoria, Vancouver risk disease by sharing pipes
(Medical Xpress) -- Most people who smoke or inject crack in Victoria and Vancouver share their crack paraphernaliaa practice—that can spread serious infectious diseases. That’s according to new data from the University of Victoria’s Center for Addictions Research of BC.
Steps needed to ensure that home medical devices are easy-to-use and caregivers are well-trained
A new report from the National Research Council recommends steps the Food and Drug Administration and other agencies and professional associations can take to ensure that the medical devices and health information technology used in home health care are easy and safe for laypeople to use and that caregivers, whether formal or informal, are well-trained.
Personalized medicine
Although personalized medicine is a term used in science and medicine that holds significant promise of improved treatment, it may set up unrealistic expectations in patients, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Married men seek treatment sooner for heart attacks
Men who are married or in common-law relationships seek medical care sooner for heart attacks compared with single, divorced or widowed men, found a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
New therapy provides hope for millions of people suffering from bowel incontinence
A new procedure is now available for the treatment of chronic bowel incontinence, a disorder impacting the lives of more than 18 million Americans. The treatment, called InterStim Therapy is a minimally invasive procedure which uses electrical impulses to stimulate the sacral nerve and improve muscle function. It is one of the only effective long-term treatments for bowel incontinence available to patients and Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the first medical centers in the country to offer the procedure.
Study analyzes use of Twitter for public health surveillance of dental pain
The microblogging service Twitter is a new means for the public to communicate health concerns and could afford health care professionals new ways to communicate with patients. With the growing ubiquity of user-generated online content via social networking Web sites such as Twitter, it is clear we are experiencing a revolution in communication and information sharing. In a study titled "Public Health Surveillance of Dental Pain via Twitter," published in the Journal of Dental Research—the official publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR), researchers demonstrated that Twitter users are already extensively sharing their experiences of toothache and seeking advice from other users. Researchers Natalie Heaivilin, Barbara Gerbert, Jens Page and Jennifer Gibbs all from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, authored this study.
Researchers describe outcomes of surgical procedure to treat neck muscle problems
Removing a portion of the platysma muscle may ease symptoms for patients experiencing chronic neck stiffness and involuntary movement, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Report reviews incorrect surgical procedures at Veterans Health Administration facilities
The rate of adverse events and harm reported at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers appears to have decreased, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Surgery.
Study examines factors in pediatric kidney transplant rejection
Avoiding HLA-DR mismatching appears to be beneficial in pediatric kidney transplant patients, however the likelihood of finding a matching donor must be considered against the wait time for a possible donation, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Surgery.
'Westie' dogs research may hold answers to similar human diseases
The Westie Foundation of America (WFA) announced today preliminary findings in two major studies involving the health of West Highland White Terriers also known as Westies. Findings in these and other studies of Westies and other dogs may hold answers for similar human conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The studies are jointly funded by the WFA and the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF).
'Love your body' to lose weight
Almost a quarter of men and women in England and over a third of adults in America are obese. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and can significantly shorten a person's life expectancy. New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity shows that improving body image can enhance the effectiveness of weight loss programs based on diet and exercise.
Retired NFL players at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment
Retired NFL football players are at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, a Loyola University Health System study has found.
Neutralizing HIV
Each time a virus invades a healthy individual, antibodies created by the body fight to fend off the intruders. For some viruses, like HIV, the antibodies are very specific and are generated too slowly to combat the rapidly changing virus. However, in the past few years, scientists have found that some HIV-positive people develop highly potent antibodies that can neutralize different subtypes of the HIV virus.
Model of enigmatic Alzheimer's protein described for first time
Yale School of Medicine researchers have described for the first time the structure of a member in an enigmatic family of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease, a crucial early step in understanding key mechanisms of the disease and designing drugs to combat dementia.
Poll: Obesity hits more boomers than others in US
(AP) -- Baby boomers say their biggest health fear is cancer. Given their waistlines, heart disease and diabetes should be atop that list, too. Boomers are more obese than other generations, a new poll finds, setting them up for unhealthy senior years.
Are grandparents safer drivers than mom and dad?
(AP) -- Kids may be safest in cars when grandma or grandpa are driving instead of mom or dad, according to study results that even made the researchers do a double-take.
Brain injury raises dementia risk, US study finds
(AP) -- A large study in older veterans raises fresh concern about mild brain injuries that hundreds of thousands of troops have suffered from explosions in recent wars. Even concussions seem to raise the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or other dementia later in life, researchers found.
New device provides 'voice' for patients who can't speak
When Vernia Moore suffered a stroke she took full stock of her functions in the recovery room. Arms and hands moving? Check. Legs and feet okay? Check. Memory intact, with full comprehension? Check, check. All seemed good, but when the nurse asked her a simple question, the words would just not come. Though her brain was trying to speak, Moore was literally at a loss for words.
FDA favors innovative heart valve for the frail
The first artificial heart valve designed to be implanted without major surgery appears to help patients who are too frail to undergo chest-opening surgery, according to federal health reviewers.
HIV prevention: Drugs even more effective than thought
Using HIV treatment drugs to reduce the risk of spreading the AIDS virus may be even more effective than thought, according to new analysis from a landmark trial presented here on Monday.
Personality plays role in body weight, study says
People with personality traits of high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are likely to go through cycles of gaining and losing weight throughout their lives, according to an examination of 50 years of data in a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Value of hospital environmental services linked to efficiency not expenses
The amount of money that hospitals spend on environmental services, such as cleaning and maintenance service is not as important in influencing patient satisfaction scores as the way the money is spent, according to Penn State researchers.
Thalidomide analog appears worthy opponent of sickle cell disease
A thalidomide analog is shaping up as a safe, worthy opponent of sickle cell disease, Georgia Health Sciences University researchers report.
Researchers identify how a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes works
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified how a gene for a protein that can cause Type 2 diabetes, also possibly kills nerve cells in the brain, thereby contributing to Alzheimer's disease.
AMPK amplifies Huntington's disease
A new study describes how hyperactivation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) promotes neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). The article appears online on July 18, 2011, in The Journal of Cell Biology.
Adult day care services provide much-needed break to family caregivers
Adult day care services significantly reduce the stress levels of family caregivers of older adults with dementia, according to a team of Penn State and Virginia Tech researchers.
Preschool-age kids in different countries improve academically using self-regulation game
Children who regularly participated in a Simon Says-type game designed to improve self-regulation – called the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task – may have better math and early literacy scores.
Research identifies genes vital to preventing childhood leukemia
Researchers at The University of Western Ontario have identified genes that may be important for preventing childhood leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood that occurs primarily in young children. It's frequently associated with mutations or chromosomal abnormalities that arise during embryonic or fetal development. Working with mice, researchers led by Rodney DeKoter identified two key genes that appear essential in the prevention of B cell ALL, the most common form of ALL in children. The study is published online in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Tips for getting enough physical activity
It may sound daunting: The government says most adults should get 2 1/2 hours a week of physical activity that revs their heart rates.
For dementia, common painkillers may work best: study
Ordinary painkillers such as paracetamol may work better than the risky antipyschotic drugs often prescribed to calm agitation in people with dementia, according to a study released Monday.
To cheers, HIV drugs trial sets AIDS campaign on new course
Researchers at a world AIDS conference Monday stood up to cheer a trial proving that early use of drugs to treat HIV all but eliminates the risk of transmitting the killer virus through heterosexual intercourse.
Esophageal cancer risk higher in medically treated GERD patients with fewest symptoms
Medically treated patients with mild or no symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are at higher risk for developing esophageal cancer than those with severe GERD symptoms, according to a University of Pittsburgh study published in the current issue of Archives of Surgery.
Hearing loss is another danger of secondhand smoke
NYU School of Medicine researchers report in a new study that exposure to tobacco smoke nearly doubles the risk of hearing loss among adolescents. The study is published in the July, 2011, issue of Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.
Surgeons' civility in operating room benefits patients, reduces costs: study
A surgeon's behavior in the operating room affects patient outcomes, healthcare costs, medical errors and patient- and staff-satisfaction, says a commentary in the July issue of Archives of Surgery.
Soy/milk protein dietary supplements linked to lower blood pressure
Milk and soy protein supplements were associated with lower systolic blood pressure compared to refined carbohydrate dietary supplements, in a study reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Experimental drug raises 'good' cholesterol, may help control diabetes
A medicine designed to improve levels of "good" cholesterol may also help control blood sugar in people with diabetes who are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, according to a new analysis in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Study: Screening new colon cancer patients for Lynch syndrome cost-effective
Screening every new colon cancer patient for a particular familial disorder extends lives at a reasonable cost, say Stanford University School of Medicine researchers. The team hopes the results will encourage more medical centers to adopt widespread screening policies.
HIV therapies provide near normal lifespan in Africa
A landmark study by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) shows that patients in Africa receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for HIV can expect to live a near normal lifespan.
Study examines relationship of acculturation with sun-safe behaviors of US Latinos
Among Latinos living in the United States, acculturation is associated with sunscreen use, but not with use of sun-protective clothing, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Dermatology.
Melanoma screening by physicians associated with finding more cancers than patient self-detection
Physician-based screening for melanoma is associated with higher rates of physician-detected melanoma and detection of thinner melanoma, according to a report published Online First today by Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
8-question survey can help predict post-traumatic stress disorder
A simple eight-question survey administered soon after injury can help predict which of the 30 million Americans seeking hospital treatment for injuries each year may develop depression or post-traumatic stress, report Therese S. Richmond, PhD, CRNP, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and her colleagues in General Hospital Psychiatry.
Chloroquine finding may lead to treatments for arthritis, cancer and other diseases
In a study published recently in the journal Science Signaling Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists demonstrate on the molecular level how the anti-malaria drug chloroquine represses inflammation, which may provide a blueprint for new strategies for treating inflammation and a multitude of autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers.
Decisions, decisions, decisions ...
We all make numerous decisions everyday; unconsciously or consciously, sometimes doing it automatically with little effort or thinking and yet, at other times, we agonize for hours over another. Why do we make these choices – be it from deciding what to have for lunch or whether to say yes to that job offer halfway round the world. Sometimes we make choices on our own, and at other times, the choice is made for us. Exercising control (by making choices) is adaptive and now, a new study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that the opportunity to exercise control may be adaptive because it activates the areas of the brain associated with rewards.
Key metabolic pathway implicated in intractable form of breast cancer
Using a new in vivo screening system, Whitehead Institute researchers have identified a protein in the serine biosynthesis pathway that is essential in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer—a notoriously difficult disease to treat associated with low five-year survival rates.
Single traumatic brain injury may prompt long-term neurodegeneration
Years after a single traumatic brain injury (TBI), survivors still show changes in their brains. In a new study, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that Alzheimer's disease-like neurodegeneration may be initiated or accelerated following a single traumatic brain injury, even in young adults.
Facebook saves the life of a child
Deborah Copaken Kogan’s Mother’s Day wasn’t exactly what she was hoping for when she woke up to discover her 4-year-old son Leo was sick with a rash. She posted a status message on the social networking site, Facebook, with a picture of her son saying she was at the pediatrician’s office. Little did she know, but that status message would be responsible for saving her son’s life.
Newly developed fluorescent protein makes internal organs visible
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed the first fluorescent protein that enables scientists to clearly "see" the internal organs of living animals without the need for a scalpel or imaging techniques that can have side effects or increase radiation exposure.
Stem cell breakthrough heralds new era of therapy development
Scientists at the Universities of Glasgow and Southampton have uncovered a new method for culturing adult stem cells which could lead to the creation of revolutionary stem cell therapies for conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
When the brain decides
Every day we have to make decisions that involve evaluating or choosing between options, often without much information to go on. So how we do it? How do we prevent analysis paralysis?
Fatty food cravings genetically programmed
(Medical Xpress) -- In a new study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, Dr. Alasdair MacKenzie has found a genetic switch that regulates thirst and appetite and is believed to be the reason many people from Western countries are more prone to high fat diets and alcohol consumption that those in Asian countries.
Tumor suppressor protein is a key regulator of immune response and balance
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a key immune system regulator, a protein that serves as a gatekeeper in the white blood cells that produce the "troops" to battle specific infections.
Cancer stem cells recruit normal stem cells to fuel ovarian cancer
Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that a type of normal stem cell fuels ovarian cancer by encouraging cancer stem cells to grow.
New study finds a genetic basis for muscle endurance in animal study
Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a gene for endurance, or more precisely, a negative regulator of it. Not having the gene relates to greater endurance in the knockout mice that were studied. The investigators also showed that the gene is linked to Olympic-level athletes in endurance sports such as swimming compared to athletes in sprint sports such as the 100-meter dash. The study appears online this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The work has implications for improving muscle performance in disease states including metabolic disorders, obesity, and aging.
New agents show promise for treating aggressive breast cancers
Some of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer are more vulnerable to chemotherapy when it is combined with a new class of anti-cancer agent, researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have shown.
Cancer cells and stem cells share same origin: study
Oncogenes are generally thought to be genes that, when mutated, change healthy cells into cancerous tumor cells. Scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have proven that those genes also can change normal cells into stem-like cells, paving the way to a safer and more practical approach to treating diseases like multiple sclerosis and cancer with stem cell therapy.
Researchers find neural signature of 'mental time travel'
Almost everyone has experienced one memory triggering another, but explanations for that phenomenon have proved elusive. Now, University of Pennsylvania researchers have provided the first neurobiological evidence that memories formed in the same context become linked, the foundation of the theory of episodic memory.
Biology news
Vermont farmer experiments with cold-hardy rice
(AP) -- Erik Andrus considers himself a beer and bread man, but he's had limited success growing high quality grains on his sometimes soggy swath of Vermont farmland. This spring, in an effort to turn a liability into an asset, he switched focus and began experimenting with rice.
Community of rare gibbons found in Vietnam
The lively morning calls of a rare species of gibbon has led to the discovery of the only known "viable" community of the talkative primates in remote Vietnamese forests, conservationists said Monday.
Six new species of Eucalantica micro-moths discovered from the New World
The Eucalantica genus belongs to the relatively primitive micro-moth group, Yponomeutidae. Six new species have been described by Mr. Jae-Cheon Sohn from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA and Mr. Kenji Nishida from Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica and published in the open access taxonomy journal Zookeys.
Keeping it together: 'Cord-stopper' protein complex makes chromosomes easier to move
German scientists at EMBL Heidelberg have discovered how condensin keeps chromosome arms folded and easy-to-transport during cell division, potentially acting as a cord-stopper.
Grand Cayman blue iguana: Back from the brink of extinction
While thousands of species are threatened with extinction around the globe, efforts to save the Grand Cayman blue iguana represent a rarity in conservation: a chance for complete recovery, according to health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo and other members of the Blue Iguana Recovery Program.
Being a dominant breeder is costly for female banded mongooses
There's a subtle hierarchy among the women in banded mongoose societies: only older females get to breed, while younger ones have to wait their turn. If a young female mongoose decides to buck this trend, she risks the wrath of her older female relatives, who will throw her out of the group.
Crickets show path to chirpier sperm
New research suggests that men are what they eat, at least when it comes to reproductive health.
The face of a frog: Time-lapse video reveals never-before-seen bioelectric pattern
For the first time, Tufts University biologists have reported that bioelectrical signals are necessary for normal head and facial formation in an organism and have captured that process in a time-lapse video that reveals never-before-seen patterns of visible bioelectrical signals outlining where eyes, nose, mouth, and other features will appear in an embryonic tadpole.
New model predicts maximum tree height across the US
The next time you're outdoors, see if you can spot the tallest tree. If you're in the desert Southwest, this may be an easy task — trees there are few and far between, and tend to hunch low to the ground to conserve resources. In the temperate Northeast, dense forests make the exercise a bit more difficult. And in the rainy Northwest, the towering stands of sequoias often reach higher than the eye can estimate.
Rapid venom evolution in pit vipers may be defensive
Research published recently in PLoS One delivers new insight about rapid toxin evolution in venomous snakes: pitvipers such as rattlesnakes may be engaged in an arms race with opossums, a group of snake-eating American marsupials. Although some mammals have long been known to eat venomous snakes, this fact has not been factored into previous explanations for the rapid evolution of snake venom. Instead, snake venom is usually seen as a feeding, or trophic, adaptation. But new molecular research on snake-eating opossums by researchers affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History suggests that predators factor into the rapid evolution of snake venom.
Bacteria use Batman-like grappling hooks to 'slingshot' on surfaces
Bacteria use various appendages to move across surfaces prior to forming multicellular bacterial biofilms. Some species display a particularly jerky form of movement known as "twitching" motility, which is made possible by hairlike structures on their surface called type IV pili, or TFP.
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