Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 21, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Shape-changing liquid metal antenna could lead to responsive electronic devices- Cooperation vs. Competition: Greed is good -- but only a moderate amount
- Identical virus, host populations can prevail for centuries
- A $1000 genome could be reached by 2013
- End of an era: Last space shuttle comes home (Update 2)
- Chemists create molecular polyhedron
- Discovery in parent of one high-temperature superconductor may lead to predictive control
- Diamonds pinpoint start of colliding continents
- Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution
- With secondhand gene, 'freaky mouse' defeats common poison
- Tevatron experiments close in on favored Higgs mass range
- Gardening in the brain: Specialist cells prune connections between neurons
- Skin sentry cells promote distinct immune responses
- Parasites help reveal new ecological rules
- Social media study: Conservatives were top tweeters in 2010 elections
Space & Earth news
Fingerprinting fugitive dust
Each community of soil microbes has a unique fingerprint that can potentially be used to track soil back to its source, right down to whether it came from dust from a rural road or from a farm field, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) soil scientist.
University of Texas faculty bring science and policy to hydraulic fracturing debate
On July 10, The Denver Post published two side-by-side op-ed pieces on hydraulic fracturing. One by Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the American Gas Association, argued that the natural gas extraction process has led to an energy revolution in the U.S., one that reduces the nation's dependence on foreign energy, creates domestic jobs and safely helps the nation meet its diverse and growing energy needs while reducing its carbon footprint.
Grazing management effects on stream pollutants
Surface water quality is important for the proper function of aquatic ecosystems, as well as human needs and recreation. Pasturelands have been found to be major sources of sediment, phosphorus and pathogens in Midwest surface water resources. While poor grazing management may lead to contaminated surface water, little is known about the specific amount of pollution in pasture streams that can be attributed to grazing cattle.
Applause, but no tears in Mission Control at end
(AP) -- There was no crying in Mission Control.
US panel votes to bar climate funding
A panel of the US Congress on Thursday moved to bar foreign assistance related to climate change, defying President Barack Obama's calls to contribute as part of an international accord.
Space shuttle on verge of final landing
(AP) -- Perfect weather awaited space shuttle Atlantis on Thursday for the very last landing of the 30-year program.
Spitzer sees spider web of stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Those aren't insects trapped in a spider's web -- they're stars in our own Milky Way galaxy, lying between us and another spiral galaxy called IC 342. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope captured this picture in infrared light, revealing the galaxy's bright patterns of dust.
Shuttle Atlantis coming in for one final landing
Atlantis began its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere Thursday ahead of a final homecoming that brings down the curtain on NASA's 30-year space shuttle program.
Lowell Observatory astronomers chase Pluto's shadow across the Pacific ocean
(PhysOrg.com) -- On 23 June 2011, Pluto passed in front of a star and cast a small shadow on the Earth, and astronomers from Lowell Observatory were waiting. Four Lowell astronomers were among the scientists and crew who observed the rare occultation event from NASA's newest airborne observatory, SOFIA--the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. SOFIA sports a 100-inch (2.5-meter) telescope aboard a modified 747SP aircraft, and can fly up to 45,000 ft. to get above most of the cloud cover and water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere.
NASA sees Tropical Storms Bret and now Cindy frolic in North Atlantic
Two tropical storms are now in the open waters of the North Atlantic: Bret and Cindy. Both were captured on one image from NASA today. Both storms are hundreds of miles to the east-northeast of Bermuda and pose no threat to land areas.
Cigars and flowers as NASA savors shuttle's end
Cigars were passed around, flowers brightened desktops and pictures were snapped from all angles as NASA employees hugged, laughed and cried after the shuttle Atlantis landed one final time.
Russia declares 'era of Soyuz' after shuttle
Moscow on Thursday declared it was now "the era of the Soyuz" after the US shuttle's last flight left the Russian system as the sole means for delivering astronauts to the International Space Station.
Scientists develop plan to end the use of environmentally harmful chemicals on commercial crops
(Edmonton) Two University of Alberta researchers have published a step by step plan to one-day end the use of environmentally harmful chemicals on commercial crops by developing plants that produce their own fertilizer.
NASA satellite video and images show Dora become a major hurricane
A new image and video of major Hurricane Dora were released today from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Hot nights can compound danger from heat waves
(AP) -- The killer lurking in the shadows of the current heat wave may be hot nights.
Forest fires destroy a tenth of Greece in 25 years: report
Forest fires have devastated more than 10 percent of Greek territory in a 25-year period, mostly in the southern Peloponnese peninsula, a report published Thursday said.
Shuttle workers face layoffs, diminished staff
(AP) -- Kennedy Space Center workers in Florida celebrated and mourned the final space shuttle landing Thursday.
China sub makes first dive to below 4,000m
A Chinese submersible conducted the country's deepest manned dive ever Thursday in the latest milestone for China's deep-sea ambitions as it seeks to exploit the vast resources of the ocean floor.
Four unusual views of the Andromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy is revealed in unprecedented detail in four archive observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. They show stars and structure in the galaxy’s disc, the halo of stars that surrounds it, and a stream of stars left by a companion galaxy as it was torn apart and pulled in by the galaxy’s gravitational forces.
Elliptical galaxies much younger than previously thought?
(PhysOrg.com) -- The standard model for elliptical galaxies formation is challenged by a new result uncovered by an international team of astronomers from the Atlas3D collaboration. Team members from CNRS, CEA, CFHT, and the Observatoire de Lyon published in the scientific journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society the first results from their study on two elliptical galaxies exhibiting features characteristic of a fairly recent merging, suggesting they are five times younger than commonly thought.
Exoplanet aurora: An out-of-this-world sight
Earth's aurorae, or Northern and Southern Lights, provide a dazzling light show to people living in the polar regions. Shimmering curtains of green and red undulate across the sky like a living thing. New research shows that aurorae on distant "hot Jupiters" could be 100-1000 times brighter than Earthly aurorae. They also would ripple from equator to poles (due to the planet's proximity to any stellar eruptions), treating the entire planet to an otherworldly spectacle.
End of an era: Last space shuttle comes home (Update 2)
The space shuttle passed into history Thursday, the words "wheels stop" crackling over the cockpit radio for the very last time.
Diamonds pinpoint start of colliding continents
Jewelers abhor diamond impurities, but they are a bonanza for scientists. Safely encased in the super-hard diamond, impurities are unaltered, ancient minerals that can tell the story of Earth's distant past. Researchers analyzed data from the literature of over 4,000 of these mineral inclusions to find that continents started the cycle of breaking apart, drifting, and colliding about 3 billion years ago. The research, published in the July 22, 2011, issue of Science, pinpoints when this so-called Wilson cycle began.
Technology news
Harry Potter website adds Google magic
Author J.K. Rowling's website devoted to fictional wizard Harry Potter will feature a bit of Google magic when it debuts later this year in the United States, according to the Internet titan.
New York Times suffers quarterly loss
The New York Times Company said Thursday it lost $120 million in the second quarter, as income from digital subscriptions failed to make up for a steep write-down of its print newspaper assets.
'Star Wars'-themed Xbox 360 unleashed at Comic-Con
(AP) -- The Force will be with the Xbox 360.
NY Times Co. posts 2Q loss weighed by writedown
(AP) -- The New York Times Co. reported a second-quarter net loss Thursday because of an accounting adjustment it made for the declining value of its smaller newspapers. But early results from its flagship paper's paid digital subscription service showed promise.
Ericsson reports profit leap, shares slump
Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson reported Thursday a 65 percent jump in second quarter net profit on strong sales but this still fell short of expectations and its shares slumped.
iFraud: Entire Apple stores being faked in China (Update)
It looks almost exactly like a sleek Apple store. Sales assistants in blue T-shirts with the company's logo chat with customers. Signs advertising the iPad 2 hang on the white walls. Outside, the famous logo sits next to the words "Apple Store" - one of the few clues that the whole thing is a fake.
Pentagon looks to social media as new battlefield
The Pentagon is asking scientists to figure out how to detect and counter propaganda on social media networks in the aftermath of Arab uprisings driven by Twitter and Facebook.
Anonymous gives Colombian president a hack attack
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos on Wednesday tweeted that his Facebook page had been hit by the hacker group Anonymous, which took a swipe at the country's independence celebrations.
Prof Says Tech Entering the Age of the Algorithm
Software professionals may soon have a whole new category of colleagues: algorithm developers.
Taiwan's Acer to acquire US firm for $320 mn
Taiwan's leading personal computer vendor Acer said Thursday it plans to buy US-based technology company iGware for $320 million.
Team develops test for classifying force used in bottle stabbings
Engineers at the University of Leicester have for the first time created a way of measuring how much force is used during a stabbing using a broken bottle. The advance is expected to have significant implications for legal forensics.
Study: Regulatory hurdles hinder biofuels market
Regulatory hurdles abound for the successful commercialization of emerging liquid biofuels, which hold the promise of enhancing U.S. energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and serving as a driver for rural economic development, according to new U. of I. research.
Spotify sets sights on 'all the world's music'
After finally launching in the United States, Swedish online music star Spotify now has its sights set on building the world's largest music catalog.
Supercomputer lifts OSU land speed racer toward 400-mph goal
Building a battery-powered land speed vehicle capable of achieving a speed of 400+ miles per hour requires innovative components, corporate partnerships, hours of diligent preparation and a powerful supercomputer.
Google's lobbying bill tops $2M for 1st time in 2Q
(AP) -- Google Inc.'s quarterly lobbying expenses surpassed $2 million for the first time during the spring and early summer amid U.S. government scrutiny that hatched a wide-ranging investigation into the Internet search leader's business practices.
AT&T stays strong against threat of Verizon iPhone
(AP) -- AT&T Inc. saw a rebound in the number of new contract subscribers in the second quarter, showing resilience in the face of competition from Verizon's iPhone.
Australia mulls Facebook 18+
Australia on Thursday said it was considering upping the restrictions placed on Facebook, giving parents access to their children's pages and requiring proof of age at sign-up.
'Anonymous' fires back at hacker hunters
Notorious hacker group Anonymous on posted a defiant message to police Thursday and boasted of plundering sensitive data from NATO computers.
Microsoft 4Q profit climbs, Windows revenue dips
(AP) -- Microsoft says its net income rose 30 percent in the latest quarter as revenue from its Office software increased.
AMD rides new chip to 2Q profit
(AP) -- A new chip from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. combining general-purpose and graphics capabilities showed early signs of success as the company's earnings for the latest quarter were slightly better than what Wall Street had expected.
Tech leaders ponder future of mobile
The pace of innovation and change in mobile devices is so dizzying it is difficult to predict the winning platforms and products of the next few years.
Toyota's new pre-crash technology directs steering
Toyota is developing a safety technology that takes control of the steering so the vehicle can veer away when it isn't able to stop before impact.
GE announces 500 GB holographic disc writer that runs at Blue-Ray speed
(PhysOrg.com) -- GE's technology research group has announced the development of an optical disc writer capable of writing 500 GB of data onto a disc the same physical size as a DVD, at roughly the same speed as Blue Ray technology. This comes two years after announcing the holographic technology that was used to first imprint the discs with 25 times as much data as a Blue Ray Disc can hold.
Hackers claim to breach NATO security
A group of computer hackers on Thursday claimed to have breached NATO security and accessed hoards of restricted material.
Toyota demos 'Window to the World' vehicle back seat smart window technology (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Designers from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design and engineers from Toyota have been working together and have come up with a unique and innovative concept they call the "Window to the Word" where the window of the back seat of an automobile is converted into a see-through touch-screen device capable of allowing people, likely children, to draw images with their finger, magnify objects they see outside the car, learn by having objects they touch converted into another language, get distance for objects seen and be given information about objects they see.
Medicine & Health news
Retailers to bring fresh produce to many without
(AP) -- Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity moved a step forward Wednesday with the announcement that Wal-Mart and other retailers plan over the next five years to open or expand 1,500 stores in areas without easy access to fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods.
Even privately insured have hard time getting psychiatric care in Massachusetts: study
A new study by Harvard Medical School researchers published today [July 21] in the Annals of Emergency Medicine finds that access to outpatient psychiatric care in the greater Boston area is severely limited, even for people with reputedly excellent private health insurance. Given that the federal health law is modeled after the Massachusetts health reform, the findings have national implications, the researchers say.
Hot, Humid Weather Could Affect Asthma Sufferers
The Tristate has experienced a stint of heat waves this summer which have not only included high temperatures but also high humidity that has made the air feel like a perpetual sauna.
Study suggests obesity accelerates progression of cirrhosis
Researchers from the United States and Europe involved in an NIH-funded multicenter study have determined that increased body mass index (BMI) is an independent predictor of clinical decompensation in patients with compensated cirrhosis, independent of portal pressure and liver function. The findings suggest obesity accelerates cirrhosis progression and measures to reduce BMI could improve the prognosis for patients with advanced liver disease. Study details are available in the August issue of Hepatology.
Clinical tests for medicines made from genetically modified plants
UK regulators have approved Europe's first clinical trial of a monoclonal antibody produced from genetically modified plants. This landmark decision sets the stage for the testing, in humans, of an anti-HIV product made from genetically modified tobacco plants. It will open the door for trials of additional plant-derived medicines treating a range of diseases.
Metabolic syndrome increases risk of both major types of primary liver cancer
Incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have increased in the U.S. This population-based study publishing in the August issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, found that metabolic syndrome significantly increases risk of developing these primary liver cancers.
Cedars-Sinai movement disorders expert on international task force for dystonia treatment
Neurologist Michele Tagliati, MD, director of the Movement Disorders Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, served on an elite international task force commissioned by the Movement Disorder Society to provide insights and guidance on deep brain stimulation for dystonia, an uncommon condition that causes sustained, sometimes crippling muscle contractions.
Chronic pain in homeless people not managed well: study
Chronic pain is not managed well in the general population and it's an even greater challenge for homeless people, according to new research by St. Michael's Hospital.
Is anesthesia dangerous?
In pure numerical terms, anesthesia-associated mortality has risen again. The reasons for this are the disproportionate increase in the numbers of older and multimorbid patients and surgical procedures that would have been unthinkable in the past.
Minority participants crucial to effective aging studies
A new supplemental issue of The Gerontologist urges aging researchers to include representative samples of ethnically diverse populations in their work. The publication also identifies research priorities for moving the science of recruitment and retention forward, in addition to providing several strategies that scholars can employ in their work. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that non-white minorities will make up 42 percent of the country's 65-and-over population by 2050.
Elimination of national kidney allocation policy improves minority access to transplants
A new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation reveals that since the elimination of the kidney allocation priority for matching for HLA-B on May 7, 2003, access to kidney transplantation for minorities has been improved. Improvement is a result of a policy that reduced the requirements for tissue matching.
Health-care reform must involve psychologists, medical providers, educate patients
While some members of Congress and others are trying to repeal the healthcare reform law that was passed in 2010, known as the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," medical providers have begun to implement requirements as the law slowly phases in over the next several years. For reform to be successful, one University of Missouri public health expert has determined that professional associations for psychologists and other medical providers need to be at the forefront of the planning stages, and that everyone, including providers and patients, will need to be educated on rights and responsibilities.
Heat and humidity conspire for discomfort, danger
(AP) -- When it comes to the discomfort and health risks of the current heat wave, it's not just the heat or the humidity - it's both.
US pharmacy giant buys rival for $29.1 billion
Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts said Thursday it had reached a deal to buy its competitor Medco Health Systems for $29.1 billion, ahead of looming changes in the US healthcare system.
1 in 4 gay/lesbian high school students are homeless
Roughly 1 in 4 lesbian or gay teens and 15 percent of bisexual teens are homeless, versus 3 percent of exclusively heterosexual teens, finds a Children's Hospital Boston study of more than 6,300 Massachusetts public high school students. Moreover, among teens who were homeless, those who were gay, lesbian or bisexual (GLB) were consistently more likely than heterosexuals to be on their own, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.
Blue collar workers work longer and in worse health than their white collar bosses
While more Americans are working past age 65 by choice, a growing segment of the population must continue to work well into their sixties out of financial necessity. Research conducted by the Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine looked at aging, social class and labor force participation rates to illustrate the challenges that lower income workers face in the global marketplace. The study used the burden of arthritis to examine these connections because 49 million U.S. adults have arthritis, and 21 million suffer activity limitations as a result. The condition is also relatively disabling and painful but not fatal. The researchers found that blue collar workers are much more likely to work past 65 than white collar workers and are much more likely to suffer from conditions like arthritis, reducing their quality of life and work productivity.
How maternal smoking or nicotine use increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in later life
Scientists now understand more about why being exposed to nicotine while you were a fetus will increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease as an adult. "We have found distinct links between cigarette smoking or even using nicotine patches or gum and the long-term harm for the child," says Dr. DaLiao Xiao, a scientist who works at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California.
Chinese medicine could treat Parkinson's: HK study
Chinese medicine may be effective in battling certain symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and lessening side effects from the drugs used to treat the condition, according to a new study.
New clues about heart health uncovered by team of biomedical engineer
An engineering school isn’t where you normally hear about advancements that could improve heart health, but researchers at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering have used a device that simulates blood flow to uncover new information that could help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
How media can encourage our better side
(Medical Xpress) -- Violent media -- films, TV, videogames -- can encourage aggression, and lots of research says so. But psychologists haven't spent as much time looking at the ways media with more socially positive content help suppress meanness and prod us toward cooperation, empathy, and helpfulness. When and why might a game or a movie mobilize our better angels and squelch our devils?
Revolutionary biodegradable pellet targets glue ear infection
A revolutionary biodegradable pellet which slowly releases antibiotics into the middle ear could transform the lives of thousands of children who suffer from glue ear.
Study highlights success of brain surgery for severe epilepsy
(Medical Xpress) -- Two-thirds of people with severe and otherwise untreatable epilepsy were completely cured of their frequent seizures after undergoing neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, according to a new study that examined 143 of these patients two years after their operations.
Stronger social safety net leads to decrease in stress, childhood obesity
Social safety net programs that reduce psychosocial stressors for low-income families also ultimately lead to a reduction in childhood obesity, according to research by a University of Illinois economist who studies the efficacy of food assistance programs on public health.
Study: Subsidizing wages at long-term care facilities would cut turnover
Subsidizing the wages of caregivers at group homes would likely reduce worker turnover rates and help contain costs at long-term care facilities, according to new University of Illinois research.
Hepatitis C is transmitted by unprotected sex between HIV-infected men
Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered rare. But a new study by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides substantial evidence that men with HIV who have sex with other men (MSM) are at increased risk for contracting HCV through sex.
Hepatitis B vaccination for health care students lags behind recommendations
A study in the August issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), suggests that documentation of hepatitis B vaccination for health care students may fall short of current recommendations.
Hospital bacteria outbreak linked to nasal spray
Infection control researchers investigating a rare bacterial outbreak of Burholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) identified contaminated nasal spray as the root cause of the infections, leading to a national recall of the product. An article in the August issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), describes how researchers were able to trace the outbreak back to the nasal decongestant spray.
Alzheimer's debate: Test if you can't treat it?
Picture yourself in Barbara Lesher's shoes: 54 years old and fearing you are developing Alzheimer's disease.
Smartphone making your eyes tired?
Several reports indicate that prolonged viewing of mobile devices and other stereo 3D devices leads to visual discomfort, fatigue and even headaches. According to a new Journal of Vision study, the root cause may be the demand on our eyes to focus on the screen and simultaneously adjust to the distance of the content.
Adolescent boys among those most affected by Washington state parental military deployment
In 2007, nearly two million children in the United States had at least one parent serving in the military. Military families and children, in particular, suffer from mental health problems related to long deployments.
Liver, belly fat may identify high risks of heart disease in obese people
Obese people with high levels of abdominal fat and liver fat may face increased risks for heart disease and other serious health problems, according to research published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Vascular changes linked to dementia
The same artery-clogging process (atherosclerosis) that causes heart disease can also result in age-related vascular cognitive impairments (VCI), according to a new American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement published online in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Optimism associated with lower risk of having stroke
A positive outlook on life might lower your risk of having a stroke, according to new research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers may have discovered key to help women fight infections during pregnancy
A normal but concerning consequence of pregnancy is the fact that pregnant women are more susceptible to infection. University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have identified the underlying mechanisms for this physiologic immune suppression that may lead to new therapies to help ward off infections during pregnancy.
Govt proposes clearer labeling of meat additives
(AP) -- The Agriculture Department wants consumers to know when there's less chicken in their chicken.
Workings of brain protein suggest therapies for inherited intellectual disability, autism
Researchers now have a much clearer understanding of how mutations in a single gene can produce the complex cognitive deficits characteristic of Fragile X Syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. As the majority of patients with Fragile X Syndrome also display autism-like symptoms, the findings offer hope for treating both conditions.
Gardening in the brain: Specialist cells prune connections between neurons
Gardeners know that some trees require regular pruning: some of their branches have to be cut so that others can grow stronger. The same is true of the developing brain: cells called microglia prune the connections between neurons, shaping how the brain is wired, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Monterotondo, Italy, discovered. Published online today in Science, the findings could one day help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
Skin sentry cells promote distinct immune responses
A new study reveals that just as different soldiers in the field have different jobs, subsets of a type of immune cell that polices the barriers of the body can promote unique and opposite immune responses against the same type of infection. The research, published online on July 21st by Cell Press in the journal Immunity, enhances our understanding of the early stages of the immune response and may have important implications for vaccinations and treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Living-long paper withdrawn after data questioned
The authors of a widely reported study that offered an early glimpse into factors leading to long life are withdrawing the paper because of problems with some of the data they used.
Scientists complete first mapping of molecule found in human embryonic stem cells
Stem cell researchers at UCLA have generated the first genome-wide mapping of a DNA modification called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in embryonic stem cells, and discovered that it is predominantly found in genes that are turned on, or active.
Stopping a daily aspirin routine increases heart attack risk
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that people who have been diagnosed with heart disease and placed on a daily aspirin dose are at an increased risk of a heart attack if they stop taking the aspirin.
Biology news
Dolphins' 'remarkable' recovery from injury offers important insights for human healing
A Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) scientist who has previously discovered antimicrobial compounds in the skin of frogs and in the dogfish shark has now turned his attention to the remarkable wound healing abilities of dolphins.
Repairing our inner clock with a two-inch fish
Circadian rhythms — the natural cycle that dictates our biological processes over a 24-hour day — does more than tell us when to sleep or wake. Disruptions in the cycle are also associated with depression, problems with weight control, jet lag and more. Now Prof. Yoav Gothilf of Tel Aviv University's Department of Neurobiology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences is looking to the common zebrafish to learn more about how the human circadian system functions.
Scavenger cells accomplices to viruses
Mucosal epithelia do not have any receptors on the outer membrane for the absorption of viruses like hepatitis C, herpes, the adenovirus or polio, and are thus well-protected against pathogenic germs. However, certain viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus HIV, still manage to enter the body via the mucous membrane. Just how this infiltration occurs on a molecular level has been a mystery. Three hypotheses were discussed: firstly, that it's caused by mechanical damage to the mucous membrane; secondly, the presence of previously unknown receptors on the mucous membrane cells; and, thirdly, that the viruses are smuggled in via a kind of Trojan horse. Now, for the first time, cell biologists from the University of Zurich have succeeded in identifying the infection mechanism for adenoviruses.
Software helps synthetic biologists customize protein production
A software program developed by a Penn State synthetic biologist could provide biotechnology companies with genetic plans to help them turn bacteria into molecular factories, capable of producing everything from biofuels to medicine.
Paternity testing helps fill in family tree for Puget Sound's killer whales
In a study published online this month in the Journal of Heredity, NOAA researchers and others, using DNA testing to fill in a missing link in the lives of killer whales that seasonally visit Washington's Puget Sound, have discovered that some of the progeny they studied were the result of matings within the same social subgroups, or pods, that are part of the overall population.
A hot species for cool structures: Complex proteins in 3-D thanks to simple heat-loving fungus
A fungus that lives at extremely high temperatures could help understand structures within our own cells. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Heidelberg University, both in Heidelberg, Germany, were the first to sequence and analyse the genome of a heat-loving fungus, and used that information to determine the long sought 3-dimensional structure of the inner ring of the nuclear pore. The study was published today in Cell.
Forest fungus factory: New technology fights hemlock pest
An invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid, has been marching north along the Appalachians, killing almost every hemlock tree in its path. The adelgid has devastated forests in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. The pest recently arrived in Vermont and other parts of New England. So far, only extreme cold stops the adelgid.
As agricultural riches waylay pollinators, an endangered tree suffers
For the conservation of species, hostile territory might sometimes have its advantages. That's according to a study of pollen flow among trees found only in remnant patches of native Chilean forest. The data show that the pollinators those rare trees rely on can be waylaid by the abundance of resources found in agricultural lands. As a result, trees growing in native forest patches are more likely to mate successfully when separated by resource-poor pine plantations than by those more attractive farmlands.
Targeting toxin trafficking
Toxins produced by plants and bacteria pose a significant threat to humans, as emphasized by the recent effects of cucumber-borne Shiga toxin in Germany. Now, new research published on July 21st by the Cell Press journal Developmental Cell provides a clearer view of the combination of similar and divergent strategies that different toxins use to invade a human host cell.
Computer simulations aid understanding of bacterial resistance against commonly used antibiotics
A recent study into the interactions between aminoglycoside antibiotics and their target site in bacteria used computer simulations to elucidate this mechanism and thereby suggest drug modifications.
Puffins 'scout out' best migration route
(PhysOrg.com) -- Individual Atlantic puffins 'scout out' their own migration routes rather than relying on genetic ‘programming’ or learning routes from a parent, a new study suggests.
Marine mystery solved: 'Rare' bacteria in the ocean ain't necessarily so
(PhysOrg.com) -- A teaspoon of seawater contains thousands of naturally occurring bacteria. Scientists previously believed that less than half of these ocean microbes are actively taking up organic compounds, while the remainder -- a mix of rare species -- lie dormant.
Unlisted ingredients in teas and herbal brews revealed in DNA tests by high school students
Take a second look at your iced or steaming tea. Guided by scientific experts, three New York City high school students using tabletop DNA technologies found several herbal brews and a few brands of tea contain ingredients unlisted on the manufacturers' package.
Scientists identify seventh and eighth bases of DNA
For decades, scientists have known that DNA consists of four basic units -- adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. Those four bases have been taught in science textbooks and have formed the basis of the growing knowledge regarding how genes code for life. Yet in recent history, scientists have expanded that list from four to six.
Proteins enable essential enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA
Scientists have identified a family of proteins that close a critical gap in an enzyme that is essential to all life, allowing the enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA and start the activation of genes.
Parasites help reveal new ecological rules
Scientists at UC Santa Barbara and other institutions say their new research is expected to profoundly affect the field of ecology and can assist the management of ecosystems, including forests, lakes, and oceans. And it's all because of parasites.
An eye gene colors butterfly wings red
Red may mean STOP or I LOVE YOU! A red splash on a toxic butterfly's wing screams DON'T EAT ME! In nature, one toxic butterfly species may mimic the wing pattern of another toxic species in the area. By using the same signal, they send a stronger message: DON'T EAT US!
Chromosome number changes in yeast
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have uncovered the evolutionary mechanisms that have caused increases or decreases in the numbers of chromosomes in a group of yeast species during the last 100-150 million years. The study, to be published on July 21st in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, offers an unprecedented view of chromosome complement (chromosome number) changes in a large group of related species.
A $1000 genome could be reached by 2013
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new report published in the journal Nature describes the new machine created by Jonathan Rothberg of Ion Torrent Systems which uses semiconductors to decode DNA and takes them one step closer to being able to reach the goal of a $1000 human genome test.
Identical virus, host populations can prevail for centuries
A Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientist, analyzing ancient plankton DNA signatures in sediments of the Black Sea, has found for the first time that the same genetic populations of a virus and its algal host can persist and coexist for centuries. The findings have implications for the ecological significance of viruses in shaping algae ecosystems in the ocean, and perhaps fresh water as well.
Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution
For 150 years scientists have been trying to explain convergent evolution. One of the best-known examples of this is how poisonous butterflies from different species evolve to mimic each other's color patterns – in effect joining forces to warn predators, "Don't eat us," while spreading the cost of this lesson.
With secondhand gene, 'freaky mouse' defeats common poison
Over millennia, mice have thrived despite humanity's efforts to keep them at bay. A Rice University scientist argues some mice have found two ways to achieve a single goal -- resistance to common poison.
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