Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 5, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Graphene quantum dots could lead to low-cost solar cells and OLEDs- Talk softly but carry a tiny stick: Stroke prevention and recovery with nanotube-delivered siRNA
- Laser, electric fields combined for new 'lab-on-chip' technologies
- Surprising culprits behind cell death from fat and sugar overload
- Hot springs microbe yields record-breaking, heat-tolerant enzyme
- New semiconductor nanowire laser technology could kill viruses, improve DVDs
- Termites' digestive system could act as biofuel refinery
- Hubble telescope makes one millionth science observation
- Antonov creates a 3-speed transmission for electric cars
- No link found between cured meat and pancreatic cancer
- Moving beyond embryonic stem cells: Encouragement on the horizon
- How hot did Earth get in the past? Scientists uncovers new information
- Cyberattacks on South Korea-US a test run: McAfee (Update)
- True love acts as a painkiller: study
- Panasonic releases a solar charger with USB, AA battery slots and LED lights
Space & Earth news
Australia to unveil pollution tax
Australia will unveil the full details of its contentious pollution tax within days, Treasurer Wayne Swan said Tuesday, promising help for households facing higher energy bills.
New calculations suggest more than one in ten chance of colder UK winters
As the Sun enters a period of low solar activity over the next 50 years, new research has calculated the probability of unusually cold winter temperatures occurring in the UK.
Australian volcano eruptions overdue, new study confirms
(PhysOrg.com) -- Latest research into the age of volcanos in Western Victoria and South Australia has confirmed that the regions are overdue for an eruption, potentially affecting thousands of local residents.
Space shuttle's legacy: Soaring in orbit and costs
(AP) -- The space shuttle was sold to America as cheap, safe and reliable. It was none of those.
Showers, storms could delay shuttle launch: NASA
Showers and thunderstorms are likely to force a delay to this week's planned final launch of the space shuttle, NASA's weather officer said on Tuesday.
Space shuttle program: Triumphs and tragedies
When NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program is shuttered following the Atlantis mission in July, the University of Colorado Boulder will look back at a rich relationship filled with triumph and tragedy and look ahead to an evolving international program of government and private efforts that will send humans and cargo into orbit.
Final space shuttle to carry five CU-Boulder-built payloads
The University of Colorado Boulder is involved with five different space science payloads ranging from antibody tests that may lead to new bone-loss treatments to an experiment to improve vaccine effectiveness for combating salmonella when Atlantis thunders skyward July 8 on the last of NASA's 135 space shuttle missions.
Researchers push the boundary with high carbon emission scenarios
(PhysOrg.com) -- US and Swiss researchers have, for the first time, modelled a climate system with extremely high carbon emissions in an attempt to test the boundaries of the current computer simulation programs that inform us.
China oil spill to have long-term impact: report
An oil spill off China's eastern coast kept hidden from the public for weeks has caused long-term environmental damage that will hurt the area's fishing industry, state media reported Tuesday.
World's first 'live' video feed of Earth from space
(PhysOrg.com) -- The world's first high definition streaming video camera to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) has been announced by David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science at the UK Space Conference on 4 July. The project is a joint venture between Canada, Russia and the UK.
Hubble telescope makes one millionth science observation
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope crossed another milestone in its space odyssey of exploration and discovery. On Monday, July 4, the Earth-orbiting observatory logged its one millionth science observation during a search for water in an exoplanet's atmosphere 1,000 light-years away.
How hot did Earth get in the past? Scientists uncovers new information
The question seems simple enough: What happens to the Earth's temperature when atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase? The answer is elusive. However, clues are hidden in the fossil record. A new study by researchers from Syracuse and Yale universities provides a much clearer picture of the Earth's temperature approximately 50 million years ago when CO2 concentrations were higher than today. The results may shed light on what to expect in the future if CO2 levels keep rising.
Sounding rockets study how winds in space drive currents in the upper atmosphere
Some 50 miles up in the sky begins a dynamic region of the atmosphere known as the ionosphere. The region is filled with charged particles created by extreme ultraviolet radiation from the sun. At the base of the ionosphere, charged particle motions create a global current called the "atmospheric dynamo." Generally moving in loops from the equator to the poles, the dynamo changes daily based on solar heating and magnetic activity – but what keeps it moving isn't well understood.
Technology news
Britain shocked by hacking into slain girl's phone
(AP) -- Britain's long-running phone hacking scandal has taken a sickening twist, with claims that a tabloid newspaper hacked into the phone mail of an abducted teenage girl and may have hampered the police investigation into her disappearance.
Georgian president's son claims 'iPad typing record'
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's 15-year-old son on Tuesday joined his father as a global leader -- by claiming the world record for speed typing on an iPad.
Chocolate research shapes the future of gift shopping
Manufacturing and retail could get a boost from a newly-developed 3D chocolate printer.
Raiders of the lost amp
Energy harvesting is a process that captures energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, light, sound, vibration or motion. It can use this captured energy to improve the efficiency of existing systems or even to power new technologies.
Face science meets robot science
Your brain processes lots of tiny and subtle clues about faces whenever you interact with other people, and now scientists from Queen Mary, University of London and UCL (University College London) are investigating whether robots and computers can learn to do the same thing.
The apps that eat your wireless data
(AP) -- If you have a cellphone with a monthly limit on how much data you can use, here are some tips on what types of phone use will gobble up your precious megabytes:
Budgeting for wireless data on Verizon's new plans
(AP) -- Are you a wireless data glutton or a nibbler?
Netflix to stream movies, shows in Latin America
(AP) -- Netflix is expanding its movie and TV show streaming service into 43 countries throughout Latin America. It's the online movie rental company's largest international expansion yet.
World needs $1.9tn a year for green technology: UN
The world needs $1.9 trillion in green technology investments a year, with over half of that sum necessary for developing countries," the UN said Tuesday.
Twitter buys analytics startup BackType
Twitter announced on Tuesday that it has acquired BackType, a San Francisco-based startup that helps publishers measure the impact of their social media use.
Italian police raid notorious hackers group: report
Italian police Tuesday detained 15 suspected members of an international hackers cabal called "Anonymous" blamed for several major online attacks, an Italian newspaper reported.
Safer skies: New algorithm could help prevent midair collisions
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated that by 2020, all commercial aircraft — and small aircraft flying near most airports — must be equipped with a new tracking system that broadcasts GPS data, providing more accurate location information than ground-based radar. In anticipation of the deadline, the FAA has also charged MIT researchers with leading an investigation of the system's limits and capacities.
Antonov creates a 3-speed transmission for electric cars
(PhysOrg.com) -- There are a surprising number of designs out there for electric cars. Most of the design innovations are about creating a more efficient design. While this has meant, for the most part, that design innovations have focused on the creation of better batteries or other fuel cells to power the car but those are not the only ways to improve the electric engines.
Cyberattacks on South Korea-US a test run: McAfee (Update)
Cyberattacks on US and South Korean military websites in March may have been a test by North Korea or sympathizers, according to a report released Tuesday by computer security firm McAfee.
Medicine & Health news
Finger ratio points to penile length
The ratio between the second and fourth digits is linked to stretched penile length according to a study published online this week in Asian Journal of Andrology. This finding suggests that digit ratio can predict adult penile size and that the effects of prenatal testosterone may in part explain the differences in adult penile length.
Leading dentists question widespread use of porcelain crowns and veneers
Some dental patients are having unnecessary, expensive and aggressive restorative treatment for minor cosmetic problems because porcelain crowns and veneers are being overused, warns a leading dentist in July’s edition of the Faculty Dental Journal (FDJ).
PET scan with [11C]erlotinib may provide noninvasive method to identify TKI-responsive lung tumors
A non-invasive PET imaging technique may identify lung cancers that respond best to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), allowing doctors to better select patients for personalized therapy, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
ALK rearrangement found in nearly 10 percent of patients in Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium
ALK rearrangement has been found in 9.6% of lung cancer patients tested in the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium, and MET amplification in another 4.1%, reflecting how many patients might benefit from targeted therapies such as crizotinib, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
High EGFR expression a predictor for improved survival with cetuximab plus chemotherapy
High epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression was a good predictor of which lung cancer patients would survive longer when cetuximab (Erbitux) was added to first-line chemotherapy, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
EURTAC Phase III study: Erlotinib nearly doubles progression-free survival vs. chemotherapy
In the first phase III study to include Western lung cancer patients, first-line treatment with erlotinib (Tarceva) nearly doubled progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
Women with recurrent miscarriage have a good chance of having a pregnancy and live birth
Women who suffer from unexplained recurrent miscarriage (RM) need to know how long it might take them to achieve a live birth if they are not to lose hope and give up trying for a baby. There is currently no evidence-based treatment for RM, and therefore accurate counseling on the chances of achieving a live birth is essential, a Dutch researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Monday).
Researchers can predict accurately the outcome of pregnancies threatening to miscarry
Dr Kaltum Adam, an honorary clinical research fellow at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester (UK), told the annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology that around 20 percent of all pregnancies were complicated by threatened miscarriage, and up to 20 percent of these would miscarry.
Birth rates after ICSI increase in first trimester pregnancy loss after the age of 37
Women undergoing fertility treatment are more likely to give birth to a live baby after ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) if they are younger than 38 and 11 or more eggs have been retrieved from their ovaries in one ovarian stimulation cycle, according to analysis of one of the largest and longest-running ICSI programs at a single fertility clinic.
Long term prognosis for life birth after RM
The researchers studied the records of 987 women with a minimum of three consecutive miscarriages, who had been referred to a specialist RM clinic between 1986 and 2008. Using data from the National Danish Birth Register they were able to see how many of the women had achieved a live birth after referral to the clinic. They also looked at the impact of maternal age at the time of referral, and the number of previous miscarriages as prognostic markers for future live births. The ages of the women at referral to the clinic ranged from 20 to 46 years.
'Vanishing twin' explains increased risk of birth defects
Australian researchers have made the significant discovery that loss of a twin during very early pregnancy explains the increased risk of birth defects seen in multiple pregnancies after infertility treatment.
European Patient Organisation Fertility Europe launches the Special Families Campaign
Couples with fertility problems need hope and reliable information. In order to provide them with both, in June 2011 Fertility Europe launched in 19 European countries the first Special Families Campaign online.
Factors affecting obstetric outcomes of IVF singletons
Further evidence of how maternal characteristics can influence the development of children born after in vitro fertilization was presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Fertilization and Embryology today. A study of all 8941 IVF children born in Sweden between 2002 and 2006 where only one baby was born as a result of a single pregnancy showed that maternal age, primiparity, smoking, maternal infertility and body mass index, both over and underweight, were associated with an adverse perinatal outcome.
Singapore expertise pioneers quick and scarless surgery
Patients with gastric tumours in their stomach will no longer have to suffer an eight-hour long surgery, but instead can look forward to a short day surgery which last a few minutes to an hour without the need for hospitalisation.
Keep the precious eye in check
People with diabetes want to stay active and lead a healthy life free from complications such as kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. However, many patients cannot escape from the common threat of Diabetic Retinopathy, a sort of damage to the blood vessels in the retina caused by poor blood circulation, which can inflict permanent vision damage and eventually lead to blindness. Our eye seldom complains before vision damage is felt. Therefore, early detection through routine eye screening can spare the sight.
Not all tests are created equal: Identifying C. diff in hospital labs
A study from the microbiology lab at the Lifespan hospitals has found that some lab tests are much more accurate in identifying Clostridium difficile Toxin (C. diff) infection (CDI), which causes diarrhea. The findings indicate that a molecular method detects up to 50 percent more cases of C. diff than other methods. While molecular technology is more expensive, it allows for more cases to be identified and assists in patient safety efforts within the hospital in terms of preventing hospital-acquired C. diff infections. The study is published online the July issue of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
Poor countries have disproportionately higher burden of disease from stroke than from heart disease
Countries with lower national income have disproportionately higher rates of death and disability associated with stroke compared with ischemic heart disease, according to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Certain HIV medication associated with adrenal dysfunction in newborns of HIV-1 infected mothers
Infants of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infected mothers who were treated before and after birth with the protease inhibitor lopinavir-ritonavir were more likely to experience adrenal dysfunction, including life-threatening adrenal insufficiency in premature infants, compared with a zidovudine-based regimen, according to a preliminary report in the July 6 issue of JAMA.
Most PCIs (such as balloon angioplasty) performed in US for acute indications appear warranted
In an examination of the appropriateness of the widespread use of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), researchers found that of more than 500,000 PCIs included in the study, nearly all for acute indications were classified as appropriate, whereas only about half of PCIs performed for nonacute indications could be classified as appropriate, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA.
Common painkillers linked to irregular heart rhythm: study
Commonly used painkillers to treat inflammation are linked to an increased risk of irregular heart rhythm (known as atrial fibrillation or flutter), concludes a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Sitting for long periods doubles risk of blood clots in the lungs
Women who sit for long periods of time everyday are two to three times more likely to develop a life-threatening blood clot in their lungs than more active women, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Rose-colored beer goggles: Social benefits of heavy drinking outweigh harms
A study by University of Washington psychologists shows some people continue to drink heavily because of perceived positive effects, despite experiencing negative effects such as hangovers, fights and regrettable sexual situations.
Research in fish provides new clues about deadly form of liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although there are several treatment options available, they are largely unsuccessful because the disease is so poorly understood. Clinical studies of patients with HCC, combined with studies using mice and other animal models, have provided some clues, but many questions about how to diagnose and treat this deadly form of cancer remain. Zhiyuan Gong and Serguei Parinov from the National University of Singapore decided to pursue these questions using zebrafish as a model system. Their study uncovers new information that might help to diagnose and treat HCC in humans, and shows that zebrafish are a powerful and cost-effective model to study liver cancer. Gong and Parinov publish their results in Disease Models & Mechanisms on July 5th, 2011.
Heavy drinking linked to more frequent and more severe aggression in relationships
(Medical Xpress) -- Drinking by one or both partners increases levels of severity, anger and fear reported by victims of intimate partner aggression, according to a new study by University of Otago researchers.
Get cracking
(Medical Xpress) -- One of nature’s most perfect foods may be even better for us than previously thought.
Lung tumors in never-smokers show greater genomic instability than those in smokers
Lung adenocarcinomas in people who have never smoked show greater genome instability than those in smokers, supporting the theory that lung cancer in never smokers arises through different pathways, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
EU bans Egypt seed imports after E. coli outbreak
(AP) -- Egyptian sprout seeds blamed for a massive and deadly E. coli outbreak are still on the market and were shipped to more European countries than was previously believed, officials said Tuesday, as the EU announced a ban on further imports.
Early embryos can correct genetic abnormalities during development
Professor William G. Kearns told the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology that a three-day-old embryo (called a cleavage stage embryo) with an incorrect number of chromosomes (known as "aneuploidy") was capable of undergoing "a dynamic process of genetic normalisation" so that by day five, when it had developed to the blastocyst stage, it had become euploid, with the correct number of chromosomes.
Simple test gives accurate prediction of ovulation to help women become pregnant
This meant that the calendar method predicted ovulation correctly in only one in four women, whereas the ClearBlue Digital Ovulation test (20 test pack) predicted correctly in 99% of women over the same period.
Gum disease can increase the time it takes to become pregnant
Women who are trying to become pregnant should make sure they visit their dentist and brush their teeth regularly, after preliminary research revealed that gum disease potentially can lengthen the time it takes for a woman to become pregnant by an average of an extra two months.
Could ovarian stimulation cause an increase in chromosome copy number abnormalities?
Ovarian stimulation undertaken by women of advanced maternal age receiving fertility treatment may be disrupting the normal pattern of meiosis -- a critical process of chromosome duplication followed by two specialized cell divisions in the production of oocytes and sperm - and leading to abnormalities of chromosome copy numbers that result in IVF failure, pregnancy loss or, more rarely, the birth of affected children with conditions such as Down's syndrome, which is caused by the inheritance of three copies of chromosome 21.
Higher daily dose of aspirin could play key role in preventing heart attacks for those with diabetes
In some cases, an apple a day may keep the doctor away, but for people with diabetes, regular, over-the-counter Aspirin may also do the job.
New research shows that we control our forgetfulness
Have you heard the saying "You only remember what you want to remember"? Now there is evidence that it may well be correct. New research from Lund University in Sweden shows that we can train ourselves to forget things.
Radiation rates for breast cancer may be underestimated, study finds
More breast cancer patients than previously believed may be receiving radiation treatments after breast-conserving surgery, a University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center study shows.
Protein supplements give no benefit to athlete's performance, researchers find
(Medical Xpress) -- The sports drink industry makes millions of pounds from selling drinks and other supplements to people who want to increase their energy and stamina while exercising.
Large study reaffirms H1N1, seasonal flu vaccine safety
Back in spring 2009, the H1N1 influenza virus crossed the U.S. border and raised concerns that it might cause a full-scale epidemic in the fall. The Food and Drug Administration worked with other Health and Human Services agencies and vaccine manufacturers to quickly develop, license and distribute a vaccine to protect the public from this particularly virulent strain of the flu.
Losing weight, keeping it off might require distinct skill sets
A new study indicates that the practices that help people to lose weight and the practices that help them keep it off do not overlap much.
Researcher finds link between back pain and genetics
(Medical Xpress) -- A common complaint, back pain is one of the many side effects of aging. Over three quarters of the population experience it at some point, and until now, researchers have had little conclusive proof of the causes and mechanisms of the pain.
High folate intake may reduce risk of colorectal cancer
Intake of high levels of folate may reduce colorectal cancer risk, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food.
Behavioral treatment for migraines a cost-effective alternative to meds, study finds
Treating chronic migraines with behavioral approaches – such as relaxation training, hypnosis and biofeedback – can make financial sense compared to prescription-drug treatment, especially after a year or more, a new study found.
Diabetes drug side effects traced to fat action
For better or worse, a popular class of anti-diabetic drugs does more than lower blood sugar. One known as rosiglitazone (trade name Avandia) has been in the spotlight for its possible link to increased cardiovascular events, but it also seems to come with unexplained vascular benefits and an unwelcome tendency for weight gain. Now, two separate studies in the July Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, explore those other effects of the drugs known collectively as thiazolidinediones (TZDs), both of which stem from their activity in fat.
Findings in mice have potential to curb obesity, Type 2 diabetes
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have uncovered a pathway in mice that allows white fat – a contributor to obesity and type 2 diabetes – to burn calories in a way that's normally found in brown fat and muscle. The findings are in the July 6 edition of Cell Metabolism.
Metabolic shift may offer early cancer clue
Cancer cells are well known for their altered metabolisms, which may help them generate the energy they need for rapid growth. Using an emerging imaging technology, researchers reporting in the July Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, have discovered that those metabolic shifts actually develop even before detectable tumors form. By the same token, the studies in mice with liver cancer show that the altered tumor metabolism shifts back before established tumors shrink.
Study: Preventive use of one form of natural vitamin E may reduce stroke damage
Ten weeks of preventive supplementation with a natural form of vitamin E called tocotrienol in dogs that later had strokes reduced overall brain tissue damage, prevented loss of neural connections and helped sustain blood flow in the animals' brains, a new study shows.
Distract yourself or think it over? Two ways to deal with negative emotions
A big part of coping with life is having a flexible reaction to the ups and downs. Now, a study which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that people choose to respond differently depending on how intense an emotion is. When confronted with high-intensity negative emotions, they tend to choose to turn their attention away, but with something lower-intensity, they tend to think it over and neutralize the feeling that way.
'Gifted' natural vitamin E tocotrienol protects brain against stroke in three ways
A natural form of vitamin E called alpha-tocotrienol can trigger production of a protein in the brain that clears toxins from nerve cells, preventing those cells from dying after a stroke, new research shows.
Bone loss prevention experiment on the last space shuttle flight
Researchers in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering will be at the Kennedy Space Center for the last space shuttle launch of the NASA program as Atlantis departs for its final mission into Earth's orbit.
Patients at small, isolated, rural hospitals in US more likely to receive lower quality of care
In the first national study to examine care at critical access hospitals (CAHs) in rural areas of the U.S., Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that CAHs have fewer clinical capabilities, lower quality of care, and worse patient outcomes compared with other hospitals. The researchers found that patients admitted to a CAH for heart attack, congestive heart failure, or pneumonia were at greater risk of dying within 30 days than those at other hospitals. The study shows that despite more than a decade of policy efforts to improve rural health care, substantial challenges remain.
Twin study shows lifestyle, diet can significantly influence course of macular degeneration
Eating a diet high in vitamin D, as well as the nutrients betaine and methionine, might help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, according to new research conducted by Tufts Medical Center scientists. Their study of identical twins from the US World War II Twin Registry also found that the more a person smoked, the higher their risk of developing macular degeneration. The study, "Smoking, Dietary Betaine, Methionine, and Vitamin D in Monozygotic Twins with Discordant Macular Degeneration: Epigenetic Implications" published in the journal Ophthalmology on July 1, is the first to look at identical twin pairs in which one twin had early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the other had late stage AMD.
Healthy lifestyle associated with low risk of sudden cardiac death in women
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, exercising regularly, having a low body weight and eating a healthy diet, appears to lower the risk of sudden cardiac death in women, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA.
Satisfaction with the components of everyday life appears protective against heart disease
While depression and anxiety have long been recognised as risk factors for heart disease, there is less certainty over the beneficial effects of a 'positive' psychological state, Now, following a study of almost 8000 British civil servants, researchers say that a satisfying life is indeed good for the heart.
Couples report gender differences in relationship, sexual satisfaction over time
Cuddling and caressing are important ingredients for long-term relationship satisfaction, according to an international study that looks at relationship and sexual satisfaction throughout committed relationships, but contrary to stereotypes, tenderness was more important to the men than to the women.
Shrinking brain could aid diagnosis of clinical depression
(Medical Xpress) -- Parts of the brain appear to shrink when people suffer from severe depression, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.
Air pollution linked to learning and memory problems, depression
Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to physical changes in the brain, as well as learning and memory problems and even depression, new research in mice suggests.
No link found between cured meat and pancreatic cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- Previous research has suggested that the consumption of cured meat may have a possible link to pancreatic cancer risk however a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that there is no evidence of this.
True love acts as a painkiller: study
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science reveals that true love acts on areas of the brain responsible for pain and safety and works to minimize pain levels.
Infants learn to transfer knowledge by 16 months, study finds
Researchers have identified when an important milestone in infants' development occurs: the ability to transfer knowledge to new situations.
Researchers engineer functioning small intestine in laboratory experiments
Researchers at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles have successfully created a tissue-engineered small intestine in mice that replicates the intestinal structures of natural intestine -- a necessary first step toward someday applying this regenerative medicine technique to humans.
Surprising culprits behind cell death from fat and sugar overload
Excess nutrients, such as fat and sugar, don't just pack on the pounds but can push some cells in the body over the brink. Unable to tolerate this "toxic" environment, these cells commit suicide.
Talk softly but carry a tiny stick: Stroke prevention and recovery with nanotube-delivered siRNA
(Medical Xpress) -- Of the world’s leading causes of death, stroke ranks second – and occurring 8 out of 10 times is ischemic stroke: reduced blood supply to the brain creates a shortage of oxygen, glucose and other nutrients and an increase in metabolic waste, leading to neuronal damage that results in physiological impairment or death. At the molecular level, the genetic activation of the nucleic acid protein Caspase-3 – a member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family – is a major factor in loss of neuronal tissue and associated apoptosis (programmed cell death). Post-stroke treatments known to be effective at reducing or reversing damage involve preventing Caspase-3 activation, either by genetic or pharmacological intervention. Recently, however, a group of European researchers combined these modalities by using functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNT) – nanotubes made soluble by attaching certain molecules to their sidewalls ! 50; to deliver siRNA (silencing RNA) to ischemically-impacted neuronal tissue in vivo.
Biology news
Embedding microchips in ornamental shrubs
Radiofrequency Identification (RFID), or microchip technology, has been used for years in animal identification systems and is now being tested for use in plants. Researchers note that microchip techniques have varied applications for plants. The technology can be used to help guide visitors through parks and botanical gardens, to thwart theft of valuable plants, and to aid scientists and growers in monitoring plant health. For example, RFID codes have been used successfully with grapevines to create databases and to generate ''virtual gardens'' in which production, monitoring, global positioning system coordinates, and other data are archived.
Researchers study cotton gin dust emissions
The last of seven cotton gins is being tested this year as the fieldwork for a major 4-year cotton gin dust sampling project draws to a close. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists organized the project to intensively sample emissions from seven cotton gins across the Cotton Belt.
Cool-season grasses more profitable than warm-season grasses
Access to swine effluent or waste water can help a producer grow more grass. But a Texas AgriLife Researcher says the grass is "greener" economically if it is a cool-season rather than a warm-season variety.
National Zoo Welcomes Whooping Crane
After an 88-year-long hiatus North America's tallest bird, the statuesque whooping crane (Grus americana), is once again on exhibit at the Bird House at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park. An 11-year-old male whooping crane named Rocky left Homosassa Springs State Park in Florida and is now on exhibit in the nation's capital. Whooping cranes are one of only two crane species native to the United States. There are only eight other zoos in the U.S. which exhibit these birds.
Researchers release systems biology educational game
Researchers at the new Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have released the biomedical research organization's first digital learning game created through collaborations among scientists and education researchers.
A chaperone system guides tail-anchored membrane proteins to their destined membrane
Newly synthesized proteins can only fold into their correct three dimensional structure thanks to chaperones. In case of membrane proteins chaperones do not only prevent their aggregation, but also escort them to their destination and aid in membrane insertion. The underlying molecular mechanism has now been resolved for tail-anchored membrane proteins.
Gene secrets of the reef revealed
Australian scientists today announced they have sequenced the genome of the staghorn coral Acropora millepora, a major component of the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs worldwide.
New methods allow for insights into molecular mechanisms of regeneration
Researchers of the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB) at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have gained new insights into planarian flatworms, which are an attractive model for stem cell biology and regeneration. Close collaboration between four laboratories at the BIMSB led by Stefan Kempa, Christoph Dieterich, Nikolaus Rajewsky and Wei Chen has led to the identification of thousands of gene products, many of which are expressed and are important in stem cell function. This was achieved by precise characterization of all RNA-molecules expressed in the animals' cells, the so-called transcriptome, without using the genome sequence.
Research bolsters importance of horseshoe crab spawning for migrating shorebirds
Speculation that the welfare of a small, at-risk shorebird is directly tied to horseshoe crab populations is in part supported by new scientific research, according to a U.S. Geological Survey- led study published this week in Ecosphere, a journal of the Ecological Society of America.
Researchers flip the switch between development and aging in C. elegans
When researchers at the Buck Institute dialed back activity of a specific mRNA translation factor in adult nematode worms they saw an unexpected genome-wide response that effectively increased activity in specific stress response genes that could help explain why the worms lived 40 percent longer under this condition. The study, appearing in the July 6, 2011 edition of Cell Metabolism, highlights the importance of mRNA translation in the aging process. mRNA translation occurs after genetic messages have been transcribed in cells, when the encoded messages of genes are actually translated into functional proteins.
Fisher decline documented in California
The Hoopa Valley Tribe, in cooperation with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Massachusetts, reported a 73-percent decline in the density of fishers—a house-cat sized member of the weasel family and candidate for endangered species listing—on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in northwestern California between 1998 and 2005.
A pitcher perfect relationship
(PhysOrg.com) -- It seems counterintuitive, but in rare cases carnivorous plants and herbivorous animals nourish each other in a mutually beneficial relationship.
New research shows ants able to discern difference between threat levels
(PhysOrg.com) -- In an interesting study designed to determine how well ants are able to gauge a threat, Inon Scharf and his colleagues at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, have shown that even simple ants are able to clearly distinguish between serious threats and those that aren’t so dire. In their paper, published on Ethology, the team found that a species of forest ant, Temnothorax longispinosus, are able to tell on sight if an invader is a serious threat, or just a mild one, and to react more stringently when the stakes are higher.
The forces of attraction: How cells change direction
Many cell types in higher organisms are capable of implementing directed motion in response to the presence of certain chemical attractants in their vicinity. A team led by Dr. Doris Heinrich of the Faculty of Physics and the Center for NanoScience (CeNS) at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat (LMU) in Munich has developed a novel technique to expose an ensemble of living cells to rapidly varying concentrations of chemoattractants.
Scientists sequence DNA of cancer-resistant rodent
Scientists at the University of Liverpool, in partnership with The Genome Analysis Centre, Norwich, have generated the first whole-genome sequencing data of the naked mole-rat, a rodent that is resistant to cancer and lives for more than 30 years.
Parasitoid wasps protect lettuce and celery from pests
Scientists have found that a native British parasitoid wasp has been found to be very effective at controlling the shore flies that infest lettuce and celery greenhouses, damaging crops and annoying farmers.
Kinetochores prefer the 'silent' DNA sections of the chromosome
The protein complex responsible for the distribution of chromosomes during cell division is assembled in the transition regions between heterochromatin and euchromatin.
Moving beyond embryonic stem cells: Encouragement on the horizon
For nearly two decades, the medical world and the American public have grappled with the lightning-rod topic of stem cells, in particular the controversy surrounding cells from human embryos. But when researchers four years ago successfully "reprogrammed" adult body cells to become stem cells, some thought the ethical debate was nearly over. Those redirected cells, known as induced pluripotent cells, or iPS cells, show potential as therapy.
Captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research from the University of Kent, UK, has shown that serious behavioural abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees.
Hot springs microbe yields record-breaking, heat-tolerant enzyme
Bioprospectors from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found a microbe in a Nevada hot spring that happily eats plant material – cellulose – at temperatures near the boiling point of water.
Termites' digestive system could act as biofuel refinery
One of the peskiest household pests, while disastrous to homes, could prove to be a boon for cars, according to a Purdue University study.
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