Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 14, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Galaxy sized twist in time pulls violating particles back into line- iPhone5 may release mid-August
- ECOtality Inc. and car2go team up to bring charging infrastructure to San Diego
- Energy-harvesting shock absorber that increases fuel efficiency wins R&D 100 award
- New research proves parrot chicks learn their names from parents
- How to grow nanowires and tiny plates
- New smartphone data plans could drag down innovation
- Mutant two-headed snake wows visitors at Ukrainian zoo
- Alzheimer's prevention better than a cure
- Soft memory device opens door to new biocompatible electronics (w/ Video)
- New planet discovered in Trinary star system
- Cancer gene therapy from camels
- MAXI peers into black hole binaries
- UCSF confirms first adenovirus to jump between monkeys and humans
- Fuel cell mobile lighting system featured at Space Shuttle Atlantis launch
Space & Earth news
Exxon to drain oil from failed pipeline
(AP) -- Exxon Mobil Corp. said Wednesday that it plans to use vacuum trucks to suck any remaining oil from a failed pipeline near Laurel that spilled an estimated 42,000 gallons of crude into the Yellowstone River.
In soil we trust
Put simply, we cannot survive without soil. Its rich combination of minerals, carbon-rich organic matter and water supports plant life. It also harbours its own diverse ecosystem of millions of microbes and fauna that aerate the soil, cycle nutrients, decompose dead matter and mineralise rock fragments around them.
Researchers examine way to undercut dust emissions
There is literally a way to undercut dust emissions in the very driest parts of the Pacific Northwest's Columbia Plateau region, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist.
Long, cramped road trips ahead for US astronauts
If you think of the shuttle as a kind of big space bus, the future for US astronauts will be a lot like squeezing into a three-seat compact car, made by Russia, for a very long road trip.
Lurking under Bangladesh: The next great earthquake?
After the recent great quakes that have swept away entire coastlines and cities in Japan, Haiti and Sumatra, scientists are now looking hard at the nation that may suffer the gravest threat of all: Bangladesh. A new documentary from the Earth Institute follows seismologists as they trace signs of deeply buried active faults, past movements of the earth, and sudden, catastrophic river-course changes.
Indian Ocean pirates impede climate observations
Australian scientists have sought the help of the United States and Australian navies to plug a critical gap in their Argo ocean and climate monitoring program caused by Somali pirates operating in the western Indian Ocean.
Tracking air quality from above
Although the nation’s air has grown significantly cleaner in recent decades, about 40 percent of Americans — 127 million people — live in counties where pollution levels still regularly exceed national air quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Astronauts getting time off in space, finally
(AP) -- After a hectic week in orbit, the astronauts on NASA's last space shuttle flight got some time off Thursday to savor their historic experience.
Link found between increased crops and deforestation in Amazon, but issue not so cut and dry
A Kansas State University geographer is part of a research team out to prove what environmental scientists have suspected for years: Increasing the production of soybean and biofuel crops in Brazil increases deforestation in the Amazon.
A pulsar's mysterious tail
(PhysOrg.com) -- A spinning neutron star is tied to a mysterious tail -- or so it seems. Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have found that this pulsar, known as PSR J0357+3205 (or PSR J0357 for short), apparently has a long, X-ray bright tail streaming away from it.
When minor planets Ceres and Vesta rock the Earth into chaos
Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing a new study of the orbital evolution of minor planets Ceres and Vesta, a few days before the flyby of Vesta by the Dawn spacecraft. A team of astronomers found that close encounters among these bodies lead to strong chaotic behavior of their orbits, as well as of the Earth's eccentricity. This means, in particular, that the Earth's past orbit cannot be reconstructed beyond 60 million years.
Tsunami airglow signature could lead to early detection system (w/Video)
Researchers at the University of Illinois have become the first to record an airglow signature in the upper atmosphere produced by a tsunami using a camera system based in Maui, Hawaii.
MAXI peers into black hole binaries
The Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, or MAXI for short, spends its time aboard the ISS conducting a full sky survey every 92 minutes. Its sole purpose is to monitor X-ray source activity and report. Unlike stars seen in visible light, X-ray sources aren’t evenly distributed and can exhibit some highly unusual behavior. What causes these erratic moments?
New planet discovered in Trinary star system
Until recently, astronomers were highly skeptical of whether or not planets should be possible in multiple star systems. It was expected that the constantly varying gravitational force would eventually tug the planet out of orbit. But despite doubts, astronomers have found several planets in just such star systems. Recently, astronomers announced another, this time in the trinary star HD 132563.
Wood products part of winning carbon-emissions equation, researchers say
Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to grow, so forests have long been proposed as a way to offset climate change.
Fast-shrinking Greenland glacier experienced rapid growth during cooler times
Large, marine-calving glaciers have the ability not only to shrink rapidly in response to global warming, but to grow at a remarkable pace during periods of global cooling, according to University at Buffalo geologists working in Greenland.
New ways to measure magnetism around the sun
Those who study the sun face an unavoidable hurdle in their research – their observations must be done from afar. Relying on images and data collected from 90 million miles away, however, makes it tough to measure the invisible magnetic fields sweeping around the sun.
Technology news
Murdochs summoned to testify in phone hack inquiry
(AP) -- British lawmakers say News International chief Rebekah Brooks has agreed to testify before a parliamentary committee investigating phone hacking. Rupert and James Murdoch have been issued a summons after they declined to appear.
Heatstroke cases up as Japan saves electricity
Heatstroke cases in Japan have shot up in the early summer as many air-conditioners have been switched off amid an energy saving campaign following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Print your own teeth
What if, instead of waiting days or weeks for a cast to be produced and prosthetic dental implants, false teeth and replacement crowns to be made, your dentist could quickly scan your jaw and "print" your new teeth using a rapid prototyping machine known as a 3D printer?
Intelligent bed on the way to the marketplace
At the end of May 2011, two "business angels" and a banking institute invested one million Swiss francs in Michael Sauter's company "compliant concept". The successful end to this first round of financing is a milestone for the mechanical engineer and young entrepreneur.
Mixed signals on cellphone bans
It's legal in 41 states for drivers to use hand-held cell phones, and a leading highway safety organization recommends keeping it that way for now.
Jive attacks communication barriers in the office
Tony Zingale is in the corner office at Palo Alto's Jive software when his phone rings. It's the chief marketing officer of a major pharmaceutical corporation, who's just heard from his counterpart at News Corp. about how Jive's social-networking software is boosting her company's bottom line.
How algae could change your world (or at least your car)
Will we soon be fueling our cars, applying cosmetics and eating food - all made from algae? That's the rather science-fiction-y premise of the new cluster of companies (many of them based in San Diego, home of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology) that are growing strains of algae far more useful than that residue that forms on your swimming pool.
PC 2Q sales weak, raising doubts about earnings
(AP) -- The personal computer market grew slower than expected in the second quarter, hurt by the rise of tablet computers and anemic consumer demand in the U.S. and Europe.
Beyond Netflix: where else to get your flick fix
Even with a fee hike, millions of Netflix subscribers will be spending less each month than what it costs two adults to watch a single movie in a theater.
Computer game gives people shot at managing budget
(AP) -- Think you might do better than President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in picking and choosing what government spending to cut - or taxes to raise - to stave off a debt showdown that could wreck the economy? A new computer game gives you, too, the chance to play "Budget Hero."
Study at Samsung says cancers unrelated to work
(AP) -- A study commissioned by Samsung into cancers among six of its semiconductor workers found they were unrelated to exposure to chemicals on the job but the electronics giant is not yet releasing the full results.
Apple makes first S. Korea payout over tracking
US technology giant Apple said Thursday it had made its first compensation payment in South Korea over a feature on its iPhone that can track the location of users.
Netflix price hike angers users, some drop plan
(AP) -- Some Netflix customers called it a slap in the face. Others a betrayal. Many threatened to drop the movie service.
Behind the increase: Why Netflix is raising prices
(AP) -- Why is Netflix raising its prices? In part, because the company miscalculated how many people still want to receive DVDs by mail each month, a more expensive service to provide compared to its streamed Internet videos.
European envoy: China may alter rare earths policy
(AP) -- A European trade envoy said Chinese officials indicated Thursday that Beijing might change its curbs on exports of rare earths after a World Trade Organization panel rejected similar restrictions on other metals.
Do without the Internet? (w/ Video)
The number of Internet users worldwide has now surpassed two billion and so many of us have integrated the web into our lives that it's hard to quantify how much it's worth to us. But The Fund for American Studies gave it a shot.
Pentagon to publish strategy for cyberspace wars
(AP) -- Facing escalating risks of cyberattacks by hackers, criminals and other nations, the Pentagon is developing more resilient computer networks so the military can continue to operate if critical systems are breached or taken down.
SDSC's Trestles provides rapid turnaround and enhanced performance for diverse researchers
Trestles, a supercomputer launched earlier this year by the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, is proving itself as a valuable resource for researchers across a wide range of disciplines, from astrophysics to molecular dynamics, who need access to computational resources with rapid turnaround.
Digital music service Spotify launches in US
(AP) -- Spotify, a digital music service already popular in Europe, is now available in the United States.
Microsoft may have found unlikely cash cow: Android
In the hunt for the next billion-dollar business, Microsoft Corp. may have discovered one in mobile software. It costs Microsoft nothing to produce and sell, and it's not Windows Phone.
Electric car conversion business booming
Rising fuel prices have been painful for many small-business owners across the country.
Spotify to launch in US on Thursday
Swedish music streaming service Spotify is to launch in the United States on Thursday.
Microsoft to demo Prodcast - future price estimation tool for high-tech products
(PhysOrg.com) -- Microsoft Research has announced plans to demonstrate a service/product it calls Prodcast at next month’s Knowledge Discovery and Data mining conference, along with a paper titled "Ameliorating Buyer’s Remorse." Its purpose, the company says, is to offer consumers a means of avoiding the remorse felt when purchasing a product, only to see the price fall almost immediately thereafter.
New smartphone data plans could drag down innovation
Get ready, smartphone users - the days of flat-rate, all-you-can-eat data are ending.
Fuel cell mobile lighting system featured at Space Shuttle Atlantis launch
Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system, so perhaps it was appropriate that a hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system could be seen on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center as the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into space last week, the 135th and final mission for the NASA Space Shuttle Program.
Inquiring minds want to know? Google it!
(AP) -- Researcher Betsy Sparrow was watching the 1944 movie "Gaslight" one evening and wondered who the actress was playing the maid. So she reached for her computer and Googled it.
ECOtality Inc. and car2go team up to bring charging infrastructure to San Diego
ECOtality Inc., a company that works on clean electric transportation and storage technologies, has announced the formation of a partnership with car2go, a car sharing service that is a subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation. The two companies will be developing a system that will provide a large-scale electric vehicle-charging infrastructure that will be designed to support the first 100-percent electric car-sharing program in North America.
Energy-harvesting shock absorber that increases fuel efficiency wins R&D 100 award
An energy-harvesting shock absorber that can be installed in a vehicle’s suspension system to absorb the energy from bumps in the road, convert the energy into electricity, and improve fuel efficiency by 1-8% has recently won the R&D 100 award. Nicknamed the “Oscar of Invention,” the annual award is given out by R&D Magazine to recognize the top 100 innovative technologies introduced during the previous year. Previous winners have included the ATM (1973), liquid crystal display (1980), Nicoderm anti-smoking patch (1992), lab on a chip (1996), and HDTV (1998).
Medicine & Health news
Killer Australian virus outbreak claims ninth horse
A horse was put down in Australia after contracting the deadly Hendra virus -- the ninth animal to die in an outbreak which has exposed almost 50 people in two states.
Doctors threaten Medicaid cutoff in Puerto Rico
(AP) -- Physicians are threatening to stop serving nearly a million Puerto Ricans as a result of a dispute between the island's government and an insurance company over reimbursements for treating poor people.
Spin-out company gets approval for new nicotine gum
A new generation of nicotine gum, developed by the University of Bristol spin-out company Revolymer® Ltd, has been given approval for sale in Canada. The gum uses new technology to mask the nicotine taste.
When cystic fibrosis patients grow up
When Scott Johnson was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age three, most patients with the disease were dying in their teens.
Lycopene may help prevent prostate cancer in african americans
Lycopene, a red pigment that gives tomatoes and certain other fruits and vegetables their color, could help prevent prostate cancer, especially in African American men, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Procedure can be simple fix for painful back condition
A minimally invasive spine procedure that takes about as much time as a tonsillectomy is an excellent option for some patients who suffer from a painful lower back condition, according to Christopher McPherson, MD, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and a neurosurgeon with the Mayfield Clinic.
Radiation response a meltdown in reason
The possibility that low doses of radiation may prevent or delay the progression of cancer is being explored by a Flinders University research team led by Professor Pam Sykes (pictured) in a move that runs counter to the widely held perception that exposure to any radiation is harmful.
Children's hospital at vanderbilt urges parents to guard against extreme heat
With indexes as high as 110 degrees this week in Middle Tennessee, doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt are asking parents to remain vigilant against hyperthermia and other heat-related illnesses.
Study identifies patients at increased risk after bilateral knee replacement surgery
A new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery has identified patients who are at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality when undergoing knee replacement surgery in both legs at the same time. The study found that patients who have a history of significant medical problems, especially congestive heart failure or pulmonary hypertension, are at increased risk for major complications.
Dry onion skin has a use
More than 500,000 tonnes of onion waste are thrown away in the European Union each year. However, scientists say this could have a use as food ingredients. The brown skin and external layers are rich in fibre and flavonoids, while the discarded bulbs contain sulphurous compounds and fructans. All of these substances are beneficial to health.
Benefit of blood glucose lowering to near-normal levels remains unclear
Whether patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus benefit from attempts to lower their blood glucose levels to near-normal levels through treatment ("intensive blood glucose control") remains an unanswered question. The studies currently available provide indications of a benefit but also of potential harm. This is the result of a report published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).
New clues to the structural dynamics of BK channels
BK channels (large-conductance, Ca2+-dependent K+ channels) are essential for the regulation of important biological processes such as smooth muscle tone and neuronal excitability. New research shows that BK channel activation involves structural rearrangements formerly not understood. The study appears in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of General Physiology.
Cancer risk evaluation: Methods and trends
The development of almost all cancer is influenced by environmental factors, argues Dr Günter Obe and co-editors in their new title Cancer Risk Evaluation: Methods and Trends. However, while some environmental factors, such as smoking or ionizing radiation, puts the vast majority of humans at risk regardless of their genetic background, many other risk factors such as hazardous working conditions, increase the cancer risk for smaller groups of the population and are often dependent on additional factors as well as an individual's genetics.
Timothy syndrome mutations provide new insights into the structure of L-calcium channel
The human genome encodes 243 voltage-gated ion channels. Mutations in calcium channels can cause severe inherited diseases such as migraine, night blindness, autism spectrum disorders and Timothy syndrome, which leads to severe cardiovascular disorders. Katrin Depil and Anna Stary-Weinzinger together with colleagues from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna analyzed changes in molecular organization of calcium channels caused by Timothy syndrome mutations. Recently, they published their current research results in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubles for young high-risk leukemia patients
Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubled in recent years for young, high-risk leukemia patients treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, with patients who lacked genetically matched donors recording the most significant gains. The results are believed to be the best ever reported for leukemia patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation.
ASTRO publishes white paper on IMRT safety
As part of the Target Safely initiative, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has developed a white paper, the first of a series of such papers, on the safe use of integrating intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) into the radiation oncology clinic. The executive summary of this white paper is published in the July print issue of Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), ASTRO's clinical practice journal. T
Novel combined therapy extends life, diminishes pain in brain cancer patients
Approximately five to ten percent of patients with primary or metastatic cancer suffer from devastating neurological complications such as headaches, seizures, confusion, difficulty swallowing and visual disturbances. These deficits are caused by a life-threatening form of brain invasion from cancer called neoplastic meningitis. Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues have utilized a novel combined technique to treat cancer patients by bathing the brain in chemotherapy and relieving pressure from spinal fluid build-up (hydrocephalus). The results of this multicenter study are described in Journal of Neurosurgery, now available online.
Does Chinese chocolate taste better than Swiss? Depends on when you find out
When consumers taste a chocolate bar they think is made in Switzerland, they'll prefer it over one supposedly made in China, according to new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. But if you tell them where it's from after they taste the candy, they'll prefer the Chinese chocolate.
Abnormal brain ultrasounds in premature infants indicate future risk of psychiatric disorders
Infants born prematurely are at risk for injuries to the white and gray matter of the brain that affect cortical development and neural connectivity. Certain forms of these injuries can be detected in the neonatal period using ultrasound, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers.
Dentists can identify people with undiagnosed diabetes
In a study, Identification of unrecognized diabetes and pre-diabetes in a dental setting, published in the July 2011 issue of the Journal of Dental Research, researchers at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine found that dental visits represented a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition. The study sought to develop and evaluate an identification protocol for high blood sugar levels in dental patients and was supported by a research grant from Colgate-Palmolive. The authors report no potential financial or other conflicts.
Diesel fumes pose risk to heart as well as lungs, study shows
Tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel exhaust fumes could raise the risk of heart attacks, research has shown.
Pediatric cardiologists not always accurate in interpreting ECG results for young athletes
Pediatric cardiologists are prone to misinterpreting electrocardiograms when using the results to determine whether young athletes have heart defects that could make exercising perilous, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. This is the first research to examine the acumen of pediatric cardiologists from several health-care institutions in using ECGs to detect rare heart conditions associated with sudden cardiac death.
Greater seizure frequency seen in women with epilepsy during anovulatory cycle
A recent multi-center study determined that women with generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) had a greater number of seizures during anovulatory cycles—menstrual cycles where an egg is not released—than in cycles where ovulation occurs. According to the study publishing today in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), reproductive steroids may play a role in GTCS occurrence.
Weight-loss surgery cost-effective for all obese
(Medical Xpress) -- Bariatric surgery is not only cost-effective for treating people who are severely obese, but also for those who are mildly obese, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings support making bariatric surgery available to all obese people, the researchers say.
Scientists discover new mechanism that may be important for learning and memory
(Medical Xpress) -- New findings in mice suggest that the timing when the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is released in the brain’s hippocampus may play a key role in regulating the strength of nerve cell connections, called synapses. Understanding the complex nature of neuronal signaling at synapses could lead to better understanding of learning and memory, and novel treatments for relevant disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.
Genetic analysis of costly cattle disease may aid in vaccine development
Researchers at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine say proteins common to multiple strains of Anaplasma marginale, a tick-borne pathogen that costs the U.S. cattle industry millions of dollars annually and is even more devastating in developing countries, could hold the key to developing an effective vaccine against the disease.
Study: No magic bullet to improve diet, stem obesity epidemic
(Medical Xpress) -- Will people eat healthier foods if fresh fruits and vegetables are available in stores near their homes? Will they eat less fast food if restaurants are not in their neighborhoods?
Latest research shows how cancer cells react to chemotherapy
EU-funded researchers have made good progress in understanding how cancer cells can sometimes resist the effects of chemotherapy. This new knowledge will move forward the development of increasingly effective cancer treatments and could go some way to reducing relapse, good news for cancer patients and scientists alike.
The secret to successful aging
Whether we choose to accept or fight it, the fact is that we will all age, but will we do so successfully? Aging successfully has been linked with the "positivity effect", a biased tendency towards and preference for positive, emotionally gratifying experiences. New research published in Biological Psychiatry now explains how and when this effect works in the brain.
Study challenges baby formula claim
Despite the formula being recommended in public health guidelines set out by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, the new study, published online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found there was no benefit in using hypoallergenic (partially hydrolysed whey) formula to prevent allergies in high-risk infants up to seven years of age, compared to a conventional cow's milk based formula.
Lymphoma drug shrinks dog tumors, could lead to human treatment
There are many kinds of cancers of the immune system, but one, Activated B-Cell Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or ABC-DLBCL, is particularly common and pernicious. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine have shown for the first time that dogs that develop this disease spontaneously share the same aberrant activation of a critical intracellular pathway with humans. They also found that a drug designed to disrupt this pathway helps to kill tumor cells in the dogs’ cancerous lymph nodes.
How the mole got its 12 fingers
Polydactyly is a hereditary anomaly that is relatively common in both humans and animals. Moles also have additional fingers. In their case, however, the irregularity compared to the five-finger formula of land vertebrates is the norm. An international team of researchers head-ed by paleontologists from the University of Zurich has now uncovered the background to the development of the mole's extra "thumb": A bone develops in the wrist that stretches along the real thumb, giving the paw a bigger surface area for digging.
No difference in women's and men's self-esteem in youth and early adulthood, study finds
Self-esteem increases during adolescence, then slows in young adulthood, but contrary to popular belief, there is no significant difference between men's and women's self-esteem during either of those life phases, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Current, not prior, depression predicts crack cocaine use
(Medical Xpress) -- Women who are clinically depressed at the time they enter drug court have a substantially higher risk of using crack cocaine within four months, according to a new study. Because current but not past depression was associated with a higher risk of use, the study published in the journal Addiction suggests that addressing depression could reduce the number of women who fail to beat crack addiction in drug court.
Environmental factors predict underserved children's physical activity
In 2005, Jeffrey Martin, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology, health and sport studies in Wayne State University's College of Education, found that children living in underserved communities are less physically active than their higher-income counterparts. Now, in a follow-up study, Martin has found environmental factors that may affect underserved children's physical activity and fitness levels: classmate support, gender and confidence. The study was published in the June 2011 issue of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.
Diners who use big forks eat less: study
Researchers have found a new way to control the amount we eat: use a bigger fork. While numerous studies have focused on portion sizes and their influence on how much we eat, researchers Arul and Himanshu Mishra and Tamara Masters looked at how bite sizes affect quantities ingested.
A mutation in a protein-sorting gene is linked with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson disease (PD) is a devastating incurable disease in which degeneration of dopamine neurons in the brainstem leads to tremors and problems with movement and coordination. An increasing proportion of patients appear to be genetically predisposed to disease. Now, two independent research groups have identified a mutation associated with an inherited form of PD. The papers, published by Cell Press in the July 9 issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, provide new insight into the pathogenesis of late-onset PD and present compelling evidence that implicates a novel protein-recycling pathway in neurodegeneration.
Study uses new stem cell therapy in patients up to 19 days after stroke
The first Texas patient has been enrolled by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) in the country's first double-blind clinical trial studying the safety and efficacy of an innovative stem cell therapy that can be given up to 19 days after an ischemic stroke.
Early-stage melanoma tumors contain clues to metastatic potential
Wanderlust in a person can be admirable or romantic. In a cancerous tumor, it may be lethal.
Stereotypes can affect how women angels' invest, according to new study
Stereotypes about gender affect investment decision-making, even among successful women, researchers concluded in a new study on how gender affects investing strategies.
Stem cell study reveals complexity of glue molecule's role in cancer
A protein molecule that 'glues' cells together and so has a key role in cancer is also responsible for many other important functions of cells, a new study has found.
Your brain on androids
Ever get the heebie-jeebies at a wax museum? Feel uneasy with an anthropomorphic robot? What about playing a video game or watching an animated movie, where the human characters are pretty realistic but just not quite right and maybe a bit creepy? If yes, then you've probably been a visitor to what's called the "uncanny valley."
Speed limit on babies' vision
Babies have far less ability to recognize rapidly changing images than adults, according to research from the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain. The results show that while infants can perceive flicker or movement, they may not be able to identify the individual elements within a moving or changing scene as well as an adult.
The unfolding 'SAGA' of transcriptional co-activators
Successful gene expression requires the concerted action of a host of regulatory factors. Long overshadowed by bonafide transcription factors, coactivators—the hanger-ons that facilitate transcription by docking onto transcription factors or modifying chromatin—have recently come to the fore.
A new gene identified for restless legs syndrome
People suffering from restless legs syndrome (RLS) experience unpleasant sensations in the legs at night for which the only remedy is movement. Now, an international consortium from Europe, Canada and the US has identified new genetic risk factors for the disease. Carriers of these risk variants have an increased likelihood of developing RLS. This finding, which will be published on July 14th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, presents new opportunities for future research of this disorder.
Conglomeration of perinatal and neonatal conditions increase risk of autism
(Medical Xpress) -- In a new study published in Pediatrics, researchers reveal that in addition to possible genetic vulnerability and environmental factors, certain perinatal and neonatal conditions show as increased risk in the later development of autism.
Is meditation the push-up for the brain?
(Medical Xpress) -- Two years ago, researchers at UCLA found that specific regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger and had more gray matter than the brains of individuals in a control group. This suggested that meditation may indeed be good for all of us since, alas, our brains shrink naturally with age.
Our brains have multiple mechanisms for learning
(Medical Xpress) -- One of the most important things humans do is learning this kind of pattern: when A happens, B follows. A new study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, examines how people learn, and finds that they use different mental processes in different situations.
Researchers uncover a new piece of the puzzle in the development of our nervous system
Researchers at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM) are among the many scientists around the world trying to unearth our nervous system's countless mysteries. Dr. Artur Kania, Director of the IRCM's Neural Circuit Development research unit, and a postdoctoral fellow in his laboratory, Dr. Tzu-Jen Kao, recently uncovered a new piece of the puzzle.
Stem cell foundation for muscular dystrophy treatment
Research at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University could lay the groundwork for new muscular dystrophy treatments.
Researchers say liars can't completely suppress facial expressions
Mark Frank has spent two decades studying the faces of people lying when in high-stakes situations and has good news for security experts.
When the brain remembers but the patient doesn't
Brain damage can cause significant changes in behaviour, such as loss of cognitive skills, but also reveals much about how the nervous system deals with consciousness. New findings reported in the July 2011 issue of Elsevier's Cortex demonstrate how the unconscious brain continues to process information even when the conscious brain is incapacitated.
Cancer gene therapy from camels
Nanobodies produced from camel blood have unique properties, which can be used in future drug development. New research published in Journal of Controlled Release confirms that camel blood can help scientists in the fight against cancer.
Alzheimer's prevention better than a cure
In a new study published in Nature, Dr. Sam Gandy from Mount Sinai Medical Center argues that finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease may be near impossible and that the best hope for researchers is to focus on prevention, including treatments some 20 years before symptoms even begin.
UCSF confirms first adenovirus to jump between monkeys and humans
A novel virus that spread through a California monkey colony in late 2009 also infected a human researcher and a family member, UCSF researchers have found, the first known example of an adenovirus "jumping" from one species to another and remaining contagious after the jump.
Biology news
Vietnam releases sacred turtle in good health
(AP) -- State media say a rare giant turtle considered sacred in Vietnam has been released back into a Hanoi lake.
Report calls for urgent reform of kangaroo industry
The University of Technology, Sydney think tank on kangaroos – THINKK, has called for a number of policy changes to improve welfare standards in the industry in its latest report, Welfare implications of commercial kangaroo killing: Do the ends justify the means?
Acidifying oceans could hit California mussels, a key species
Ocean acidification, a consequence of climate change, could weaken the shells of California mussels and diminish their body mass, with serious implications for coastal ecosystems, UC Davis researchers will report July 15 in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Major breakthrough on how viruses infect plants
(PhysOrg.com) -- CSIRO plant scientists have shed light on a problem that has puzzled researchers since the first virus was discovered in 1892 – how exactly do they cause disease?
Scientists call for cost-effective conservation
Britain could get more benefit from its conservation budget if it paid more attention to how effective and cost-efficient previous efforts to protect biodiversity have proved.
Summer's superfruit challenged: Latin American blueberries found to be 'extreme superfruits'
One of the treats of summer—fresh, antioxidant-rich blueberries—has new competition for the title of "superfruit."
Enzymes for cell wall synthesis conserved across species barriers
Plants have neither supportive bone tissue nor muscles, and yet they can form rigid structures like stalks and even tree trunks. This is due to the fact that plant cells are enveloped by a stable cell wall. The main component of the plant cell wall is cellulose, which represents almost 50 percent of the total cell wall material and, at one billion tonnes per year, is the most frequently produced macromolecule in nature.
Ready, go!
Just like orchestra musicians waiting for their cue, RNA polymerase II molecules are poised at the start site of many developmentally controlled genes, waiting for the "Go!"- signal to read their part of the genomic symphony. An assembly of transcription elongation factors known as Super Elongation Complex, or SEC for short, helps paused RNA polymerases to come online and start transcribing the gene ahead, found researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
Borneo rainbow toad seen for 1st time in 87 years
Scientists scouring the mountains of Borneo spotted a toad species last seen in 1924 by European explorers and provided the world with the first photographs of the colorful, spindly legged creature, a researcher said Thursday.
Male African cichlid fish go from 'zero to 60' when mating calls, researchers find (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- In African cichlid fish society, only the dominant male reproduces. But Stanford researchers have found that if the dominant male disappears, a subordinate cichlid can rise to the procreative occasion with stunning speed, having kept its reproductive apparatus idling in low gear for the occasion. Other species, including mammals with similar social structures from mice to rhinos, may use the same approach.
Mythical sea creatures can reveal scientific truth
Sightings of mythical sea monsters can provide important statistical data, according to a leading expert in the field from the University of St. Andrews.
Scientists present evidence for groundbreaking evolution theory
The popular belief among scientists that certain sequences of DNA are relatively unimportant in the evolutionary process has been turned on its head by two Murdoch University researchers.
New mechanism in the regulation of human genes
Scientists at the Technical University of Munich and the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen and along with their colleagues from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg and the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona have discovered how the U2AF protein enables the pre-mRNA to be spliced to form the mRNA, which serves as a template for protein synthesis in the body.
Mutant two-headed snake wows visitors at Ukrainian zoo
A snake with two heads, each able to think and eat separately and even steal food from each other, has become a popular attraction at a Ukrainian zoo.
Breaking down cellulose without blasting lignin
Feared by realtors and homeowners alike, dry rot due to the fungus Serpula lacrymans causes millions of dollars worth of damage to homes and buildings around the world. This brown rot fungus' capacity to break down the cellulose in wood led to its selection for sequencing by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in 2007, with the goal of identifying the enzymes involved in the degradation process and using the information to improve cellulosic biofuels production.
Loss of large predators disrupting multiple plant, animal and human ecosystems
The enormous decline of large, apex predators and "consumers" ranging from wolves to lions, sharks and sea otters may represent the most powerful impacts humans have ever had on Earth's ecosystems, a group of 24 researchers concluded today in a new report in the journal Science.
Editing the genome
The power to edit genes is as revolutionary, immediately useful and unlimited in its potential as was Johannes Gutenberg's printing press. And like Gutenberg's invention, most DNA editing tools are slow, expensive, and hard to use—a brilliant technology in its infancy. Now, Harvard researchers developing genome-scale editing tools as fast and easy as word processing have rewritten the genome of living cells using the genetic equivalent of search and replace—and combined those rewrites in novel cell strains, strikingly different from their forebears.
New research proves parrot chicks learn their names from parents
In a bit of interesting research whose missions was to find out if green-rumped parrots learn the calls that are used by themselves and others to identify them in their flock, or if such calls are innate, and others learn the name from the chicks, researchers from Cornel University swapped eggs between nests in a wild group of the birds, then set about filming and recording the action as it unfolded. The results of their efforts have been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, and it turns out it’s the parents of the chicks, generally called parrotlets, that give their young their identifiers, rather than simply listening to what originates from the little chicks beaks when they begin chirping.
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