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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for August 1, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Energy storage device fabricated on a nanowire array- IQ level tied to choice of internet browser
- Researchers develop "net" nanodetector
- A simple slice of energy storage
- Astronomy without a telescope: The unlikeliness of being
- 'Significant' new round of funding for Twitter
- New sensor promises rapid detection of dangerous heavy metal levels in humans
- Found: Heart of darkness
- A better way to connect solar, wind to the grid
- Internet archivist seeks 1 of every book written
- Researchers turn Kinect game into a 3D scanner
- WHOI study reports microbes consumed oil in Gulf slick at unexpected rates
- Manipulating light at will
- Juno spacecraft prepares to launch
- High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity in middle age may shrink brain, damage thinking
Space & Earth news
US sets drought monitor's 'exceptional drought' record in July
The percent of contiguous U.S. land area experiencing exceptional drought in July reached the highest levels in the history of the U.S. Drought Monitor, an official at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said.
Research yields world food potential
The Australian National University and Bayer CropScience have signed a research agreement to develop new technology with the potential to produce higher yielding food crops.
New ponds take the waste out of wastewater
Research by Flinders University’s School of the Environment has shown that a shallow, high-rate pond system to treat wastewater will slash the loss to evaporation as well as boosting the rates of removal of bacterial and viral pathogens.
Nature's expert witnesses: Plants tell of environmental pollution
The poet William Blake once wrote that we could "see a world in a grain of sand." Today, environmental engineers are seeing the world beneath the surface through a greener part of nature: the trunks and branches of trees.
Melting glaciers signal climate change in Bolivia
Scientists and peasants combine traditional farming techniques and cutting-edge research to grow food sustainably in the high Andes, where the ecology is rapidly changing.
European ALMA antenna brings total on Chajnantor to 16
The first European antenna for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has reached new heights, having been transported to the observatory’s Array Operations Site (AOS) on 27 July 2011. The 12-metre diameter antenna has arrived at the Chajnantor plateau, 5000 metres above sea level. Here, it joins antennas from the other international ALMA partners, bringing the total number at the AOS to 16.
Bringing carbon capture to a rock near you
For coal-rich countries like the United States, the concept of "clean coal" is too intriguing to ignore. With the implementation of carbon capture and sequestration, America's most abundant energy resource could continue supplying half of the nation's electricity while emitting less carbon dioxide.
Record high radiation at crippled Japan nuke plant
Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said Monday it had monitored record high radiation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crippled by the March 11 quake and tsunami.
AgriLife Research 'genetically fingerprinting' E. coli from watersheds
The Lampasas and Leon Rivers watersheds have been listed as impaired by the state due to high counts of E. coli and other bacteria taken in the late 1990s, but from whom, what and where the contamination originates is unclear, say Texas AgriLife Research experts.
Organic carbon suggests Swedish lakes were less acidified
During the 1970s and 1980s, researchers and policymakers became increasingly worried about multiple consequences of acidic emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the stacks of power stations, and eventually they were controlled. In Europe, there was much concern about the effects on Sweden's many lakes, which were found to be in some cases strikingly acidic. The Swedish government instituted a program of countering the acidification by adding thousands of tonnes of lime to the lakes.
Taking a fresh look at the weather
Given the UK’s obsession with the weather, it would seem obvious that the basic understanding of how low pressure systems evolve has been known for a long time.
Beer-barrel bacteria breathe toxic brew
University of New South Wales researchers have shown that they can safely destroy hazardous industrial toxins in groundwater arising from PVC plastic production by injecting naturally occurring bacteria into a contaminated Sydney aquifer – an Australian first that raises hope of cleaning up this and similarly polluted sites around the country.
Nemesis is a myth
Danger looms from out of space: asteroids and comets are a threat to our planet. The history of Earth has always been punctuated by cosmic catastrophes. Several studies have claimed to have found periodic variations, with the probability of giant impacts increasing and decreasing in a regular pattern. Now a new analysis by Coryn Bailer-Jones from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) shows those simple periodic patterns to be statistical artifacts. His results indicate either that the Earth is as likely to suffer a major impact now as it was in the past, or that there has been a slight increase impact rate events over the past 250 million years.
Ancient tides quite different from today - some dramatically higher
The ebb and flow of the ocean tides, generally thought to be one of the most predictable forces on Earth, are actually quite variable over long time periods, in ways that have not been adequately accounted for in most evaluations of prehistoric sea level changes.
Dawn spacecraft gets cozy with massive asteroid
(AP) -- Scientists are busy poring over images of the massive asteroid Vesta, the first time it has been photographed up close.
Found: Heart of darkness
Astronomers using the 10-meter Keck II telescope in Hawaii have confirmed in a new paper that a troupe of about 1,000 small, dim stars just outside the Milky Way comprise the darkest known galaxy, as well as something else: a treasure trove of ancient stars.
WHOI study reports microbes consumed oil in Gulf slick at unexpected rates
More than a year after the largest oil spill in history, perhaps the dominant lingering question about the Deepwater Horizon spill is, "What happened to the oil?" Now, in the first published study to explain the role of microbes in breaking down the oil slick on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) researchers have come up with answers that represent both surprisingly good news and a head-scratching mystery.
Astronomy without a telescope: The unlikeliness of being
History has proved time and again that mathematical modelling is no substitute for a telescope (or other data collection device). Nonetheless, some theoreticians have recently put forward a statistical analysis which suggests that life is probably very rare in the universe – despite the apparent prevalence of habitable-zone exoplanets, being found by the Kepler mission and other exoplanet search techniques.
Juno spacecraft prepares to launch
In one week, NASA is scheduled to launch the Juno spacecraft on a mission to Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, to answer some fundamental questions about the gas giant and, in turn, about the processes that led to formation of our solar system.
Oxygen molecules found in deep space
ESA's Herschel space observatory has found molecules of oxygen in a nearby star-forming cloud. This is the first undisputed detection of oxygen molecules in space. It concludes a long search but also leaves questions unanswered.
Greenhouse gas impact of hydroelectric reservoirs downgraded
An international team of scientists has amassed the largest data set to date on greenhouse gas emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs. Their analysis, published today in the online version of Nature Geoscience, posits that these human-made systems emit about 1/6 of the carbon dioxide and methane previously attributed to them.
Aerosols affect climate more than satellite estimates predict
Aerosol particles, including soot and sulfur dioxide from burning fossil fuels, essentially mask the effects of greenhouse gases and are at the heart of the biggest uncertainty in climate change prediction. New research from the University of Michigan shows that satellite-based projections of aerosols' effect on Earth's climate significantly underestimate their impacts.
Ancient glacial melting process similar to existing concerns about Antarctica, Greenland
An analysis of prehistoric "Heinrich events" that happened many thousands of years ago, creating mass discharges of icebergs into the North Atlantic Ocean, make it clear that very small amounts of subsurface warming of water can trigger a rapid collapse of ice shelves.
Technology news
Spotting weaknesses in solid wood
Is there a hairline crack in the oak table? Was the window frame glued badly? Ultrasound thermography can reliably identify material defects during the production of wooden items. This allows rejects to be caught quickly and eliminated, and faulty goods to be repaired in good time.
Making runways safer
Airplanes undergo significant stresses during take-off and landing, and parts often become detached, putting subsequent runway users at risk. Until now, airport staff have had to monitor runways without technical assistance – an activity that is prone to errors. A new radar system is set to increase safety at airports.
New freeze-dry method good for processing fish
A quicker freeze-dry technique used to process salmon cubes could potentially be applied to add value to meat components considered to be less appealing, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researcher.
Solar power does not have a long shelf life
Storing power is complicated and expensive, but very often, especially far away from the regular power grids, there is no way around large batteries for grid-independent electricity consumers. It would make more sense to use the electricity when it is generated. This becomes possible with the help of a smart energy management system
Cashless parking
Vacant parking spaces in town are thin on the ground. Finding one is just as tiresome as making sure you have the right change for the parking machine. An adhesive microchip on the windshield will make things much easier by unlocking the door to cashless parking.
New owner is preparing Myspace for a remodel
Just a week after acquiring Myspace, Orange County, Calif., brothers Tim and Chris Vanderhook strolled through the firm's Beverly Hills headquarters and settled into a corner office with a stunning view of the Hollywood Hills.
Yahoo! takes to airwaves with sports radio
Yahoo! announced the launch Monday of Yahoo! Sports Radio as the Internet company seeks to turn its popularity as an online destination for sports fans into success over the airwaves.
How to make solar power 24/7
The biggest hurdle to widespread implementation of solar power is the fact that the sun doesn't shine constantly in any given place, so backup power systems are needed for nights and cloudy days. But a novel system designed by researchers at MIT could finally overcome that problem, delivering steady power 24/7.
Special software helps to save species
With the aim of better protecting endangered species, game wardens are studying the behavior of surviving great apes in the wild. This is often painstaking work because it is difficult to distinguish between different individuals. A new software system will make things easier by analyzing the animals’ faces for individual identification.
Data are traveling by light
Regular LEDs can be turned into optical WLAN with only a few additional components thanks to visible light communication (in short, VLC). The lights are then not just lighting up, they also transfer data. They send films in HD quality to your iPhone or laptop, with no loss in quality, quickly and safely.
Internet archivist seeks 1 of every book written
(AP) -- Tucked away in a small warehouse on a dead-end street, an Internet pioneer is building a bunker to protect an endangered species: the printed word.
New sensor promises rapid detection of dangerous heavy metal levels in humans
UC researchers have developed the first lab-on-a-chip sensor to provide fast feedback regarding levels of the heavy metal manganese in humans. The sensor is both environmentally and child friendly, and will first be field tested in Marietta, Ohio, where a UC researcher is leading a long-term health study on the potential health effects of heavy metals.
A better way to connect solar, wind to the grid
The sun makes sidewalks hot enough to fry eggs, the wind blows hard enough to tear fences, but if solar and wind energy can't be converted to the 60-hertz alternating current (AC) standard in the United States, it can't be connected to the grid for use in homes or offices.
'Significant' new round of funding for Twitter
Twitter announced on Monday it has closed a deal for a "significant" round of new funding led by Russian investment company DST Global.
IQ level tied to choice of internet browser
In a study that is likely to incite controversy, AptiQuant, a Vancouver, British Columbia based Psychometric Consulting company has released a report that it says shows users of Microsoft Internet Explorer have lower Intelligence Quotient’s (IQs) than do users of other internet browsers. The company is basing its claims on scores online users received when taking the online Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (IV) test.
Medicine & Health news
Experts offer pointers for optimizing radiation dose in head CT
An article in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology summarizes methods for radiation dose optimization in head computed tomography (CT) scans. Head CT is the second most commonly performed CT examination, with 28 percent of the total number of CT examinations.
Community hospital implements successful CT radiation dose reduction program
In an effort to reduce the radiation dose delivered by computed tomography (CT) scans, staff at a community-based hospital developed a comprehensive CT radiation dose reduction program which has allowed them to reduce the radiation dose delivered by CT scans at their facility, according to an article in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Colon cleansing has no benefit but many side effects including vomiting and death
Colon cleansing - it's been described as a natural way to enhance well-being, but Georgetown University doctors say there's no evidence to back that claim. In fact, their review of scientific literature, published today in the August issue of The Journal of Family Practice, demonstrates that colon cleansing can cause side effects ranging from cramping to renal failure and death.
Effects of tobacco use among rural African American young adult males
Tobacco related disease is a primary source of mortality for African American men. Recent studies suggest that "alternative" tobacco products may have supplanted cigarettes as the most common products used by young African Americans, according to new research published in the August 2011 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
Study finds that mobile phone technology helps patients manage diabetes
An interactive computer software program appears to be effective in helping patients manage their Type 2 diabetes using their mobile phones, according to a new study by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers. The study is being published in the September issue of the journal Diabetes Care. The study, one of the first to scientifically examine mobile health technology, found that a key measure of blood sugar control – the amount of hemoglobin A1c in a person's blood – was lowered by an average of 1.9 percent over a period of one year in patients using the mobile health software. The findings support the further exploration of mobile health approaches to manage many chronic conditions, including diabetes.
Using math to fight cancer
Researchers from the University of Miami (UM) and the University of Heidelberg in Germany have developed a mathematical model to understand and predict the progress of a tumor, from its early stages to metastasis, in hopes of creating highly personalized treatment strategies for patients who have cancer. The findings are published in Nature's new online journal Scientific Reports.
Spiritual retreat can lower depression, raise hope in heart patients
Attending a non-denominational spiritual retreat can help patients with severe heart trouble feel less depressed and more hopeful about the future, a University of Michigan Health System study has found.
Type 2 diabetes: 'Intensive' versus 'conventional' blood glucose control -- no clear picture
Research published in The Cochrane Library found that the risk of death and cardiovascular disease, such as stroke, was unchanged whether glucose control was intense or conventional. They did find, however, that when aiming to keep blood glucose levels at the lower intensive level, the chance of damaging small blood vessels in the body, potentially leading to damage in the eyes and kidneys, is reduced. But aiming for this lower level with the more intensive glucose control substantially increased the risk that a person's blood glucose could drop too low, potentially resulting in loss of consciousness or even death if untreated.
Report: New health care distribution model could save lives in developing countries
Each year millions of children and adults in the world's poorest countries die from lack of access to medicine and health care. A new report from Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business and the George W. Bush Institute offers a solution for improving distribution methods for health care information, products and services.
Insurers must cover birth control with no copays
(AP) -- The Obama administration says health insurance plans must cover birth control for women with no copays.
Study shows how we spend our time
Research into how we spend our time – in this country and other countries around the world – is the focus of an international conference, hosted this week by the University of Oxford and sponsored by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Office of National Statistics.
New dot com clinic treating people with OCD online
Researchers at Macquarie University are developing an innovative approach to helping people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The team at the eCentreClinic are exploring the use of internet-based treatments to provide people with OCD with a convenient, low-cost and effective alternative to face-to-face therapy.
Risk factors exposed for sudden cardiac death in post-menopausal women with coronary artery disease
A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania indicates that post-menopausal women with coronary artery disease and other risk factors are at an increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD).
IOF urges systematic osteoporosis management after vertebral fracture augmentation
A working group of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has issued a literature review of prospective controlled studies comparing the efficacy and safety of two minimally invasive techniques for vertebral augmentation after spine fracture: vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplasty (BKP). The review also lists important recommendations to facilitate the comparison of future studies and highlights research questions still unresolved.
Caregivers and their relatives disagree about care given, received
Caregivers and their relatives who suffer from mild to moderate dementia often have different perceptions regarding the amount and quality of care given and received. A study by researchers at Penn State and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging examined a major source of those differences -- caregivers do not understand the things that are important to their relatives with dementia.
New high-speed 3-D imaging system holds potential for improved cancer screening
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new imaging system that enables high-speed, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of microscopic pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus or colon. The new system, described in the Optical Society's (OSA) open access journal Biomedical Optics Express, is based on an emerging technology called optical coherence tomography (OCT), which offers a way to see below the surface with 3-D, microscopic detail in ways that traditional screening methods can't.
Barrier to effective treatment for seniors -- the cost of medicine
As many as one in ten elderly people in the US, registered with Medicare, do not stick to their prescribed medication because it is too expensive, according to Dr. Larissa Nekhlyudov and colleagues from Harvard Medical School. Their work, funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute, shows that cost-related medication non-adherence - skipping pills to make the medicine last longer, and not filling in a prescription because it is too expensive - is common among this group, whether or not they suffer from cancer.
Blood pressure drugs may offer benefits in valvular heart disease
Drugs used to treat blood pressure could offer significant benefits to patients with one of the most common forms of valvular heart disease, new research at the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside has revealed.
Examining gender disparities in injury mortality; men at exceptional risk
Men are more likely than die from injury than are women. Susan B. Sorenson, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, has evaluated nearly 30 years of national injury mortality data and found that men are at greater risk of injury mortality throughout their lives.
Project will study the neural basis of psychopathy
A leading University of Chicago researcher on empathy is launching a project to understand psychopathy by studying criminals in prisons.
Researchers use improved imaging technique; discover a better approach to diagnosing epilepsy
Using state-of-the-art, 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers may have uncovered a better approach to diagnosing epilepsy.
Key growth factor identified in T cell leukemia
Blocking a growth factor receptor cripples cancer growth in a form of T cell leukemia, according to a study published online on August 1 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Primary physicians may hold key to suicide prevention (w/ Video)
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. Every year millions of Americans think about taking their own lives. Sadly, each year tens of thousands die by suicide. While suicides can be a shock to family and friends, some warning signs exist. Often a simple question from a family doctor can be enough to start a person toward help and treatment.
Pain persists: Financial, domestic woes worsen after settlements for back injuries
Financial and domestic problems for workers -- particularly those who are African-American, have lower incomes, or are younger than 35 -- get progressively worse in the years after they have settled claims for painful, on-the-job back injuries, a new Saint Louis University study finds.
Genetic differences distinguish stomach cancers, treatment response
Stomach cancer is actually two distinct disease variations based on its genetic makeup, and each responds differently to chemotherapy, according to an international team of scientists led by researchers at Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School.
In the battle to relieve back aches, researchers create bioengineered spinal disc implants
Every year, millions of people contend with lower back and neck discomfort. With intent to ease their pain, Cornell University engineers in Ithaca and doctors at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City have created a biologically based spinal implant that could someday spell relief for these countless sufferers.
More than half of Americans drink alcohol: report
More than half of Americans aged 12 and up drink alcohol, a quarter binge-drank in the past month, and one in 14 teens has used marijuana, a US government agency says in a report on substance abuse.
Kids' anxiety, depression halved when parenting styled to personality
When it comes to rearing children, just about any parent will say that what works with one kid might not work with another. Parents use all sorts of strategies to keep kids from being cranky, grumpy, fearful or moody, while encouraging them to be independent and well-adjusted.
Obesity counseling should focus on neurobehavioral processes, not personal choice, researchers say
Current approaches to dietary counseling for obesity are heavily rooted in the notion of personal choice and will power – the ability to choose healthy foods and portion sizes consistent with weight loss while foregoing sweets and comfort foods.
Scientists reveal mechanism behind 'oncogene addiction' in acute leukemia
A team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has laid bare the mechanism behind a phenomenon called oncogene addiction in mice suffering from a form of leukemia that mimics acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in humans. Significantly, the team was able to mobilize their newly gained understanding to target "addiction" pathways in the model mice, resulting in rapid and complete eradication of the cancer, which is usually fatal and resistant to conventional chemotherapy.
Cigarette ads have tobacco foes fuming
A green cigarette? New magazine ads touting cigarettes with "additive-free" organic tobacco use the term "eco-friendly," prompting anti-smoking activists to fume.
Study links land use with spread of West Nile virus
Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a mathematical model showing a link between land cover pattern and the spatial spread of West Nile virus in New York City. The team’s findings, recently published in the journal PLoS Computational Biology, show a pattern of deceleration that has not been described before and could help public health officials more efficiently target disease control efforts.
Study shows protective benefits of DHA taken during pregnancy
An Emory University study published online today in Pediatrics suggests consuming Omega 3 fatty acids during pregnancy helps protects babies against illness during early infancy.
Anorexic at five in Britain
Nearly 100 children aged between five and seven in Britain have been treated for anorexia or bulimia in the past three years, according to figures released on Monday.
Smoking's up-side: Nicotine protects the brain from Parkinson's disease
If you've ever wondered if smoking offered society any benefit, a new research report published in The FASEB Journaloffers a surprising answer. Nicotine protects us from Parkinson's disease, and the discovery of how nicotine does this may lead to entirely new types of treatments for the disease.
New discovery brings customized tuberculosis therapies based on genotype closer to reality
Are you genetically predisposed to tuberculosis? Scientists may now be able to answer this question and doctors may be able to adjust their therapeutic approach based on what they learn. That's because new research presented in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that two frequent mutations in an immune system gene called TLR1 are responsible for cellular changes that ultimately make us less likely to resist the disease.
The dark side of Oxytocin
For a hormone, oxytocin is pretty famous. It’s the “cuddle chemical”—the hormone that helps mothers bond with their babies. Salespeople can buy oxytocin spray on the internet, to make their clients trust them. It’s known for promoting positive feelings, but more recent research has found that oxytocin can promote negative emotions, too. The authors of a new review article in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, takes a look at what oxytocin is really doing.
Caution urged in storing methyl bromide-treated produce
Operators of facilities that store or process crops treated with methyl bromide should take extra precautions to protect their workers from postharvest exposure to the fumigant, advise experts at UC Davis, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Leukemia drug reverses tamoxifen-resistance in breast cancer cells
Taking a leukemia chemotherapy drug may help breast cancer patients who don't respond to tamoxifen overcome resistance to the widely-used drug, new research from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson suggests.
New CMU brain imaging research reveals why autistic individuals confuse pronouns
Autism is a mysterious developmental disease because it often leaves complex abilities intact while impairing seemingly elementary ones. For example, it is well documented that autistic children often have difficulty correctly using pronouns, sometimes referring to themselves as "you" instead of "I."
Monkey see, monkey do? The role of mirror neurons in human behavior
We are all familiar with the phrase "monkey see, monkey do" – but have we actually thought about what it means? Over the last two decades, neuroscience research has been investigating whether this popular saying has a real basis in human behavior.
Helping children learn to understand numbers: It's all in the way we speak to them
Most people know how to count, but the way we master this ability remains something of a puzzle. Numerals were invented only around four to five thousand years ago, meaning it is unlikely that enough time has elapsed for specialized parts of the brain for processing numbers to evolve, which suggests that math is largely a cultural invention.
New composite material may restore damaged soft tissue
Biomedical engineers at Johns Hopkins have developed a new liquid material that in early experiments in rats and humans shows promise in restoring damaged soft tissue relatively safely and durably. The material, a composite of biological and synthetic molecules, is injected under the skin, then "set" using light to form a more solid structure, like using cold to set gelatin in a mold. The researchers say the product one day could be used to reconstruct soldier's faces marred by blast injuries.
Restoring blood flow
Tissue deprived of oxygen (ischemia) is a serious health condition that can lead to damaged heart tissue following a heart attack and, in the case of peripheral arterial disease in limbs, amputation, particularly in diabetic patients.
New research might help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
The discovery of a mechanism in the brain explains for the first time why people make particularly strong, long-lasting memories of stressful events in their lives and could help sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder.
New research supports upcoming Alzheimer's disease guidelines
Two new studies published in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) provide insight into the potential of positron emission tomography (PET) to differentiate between types of dementia and to identify pharmaceuticals to slow the progress of dementia. With proposed National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer's Association guidelines for detecting Alzheimer's-related brain changes expected in September, these articles give a preview of what may be to come.
Disease-causing tangle could spawn new materials
When most people hear the word amyloid, they immediately think of Alzheimer's disease. And indeed, it was in the brains of Alzheimer's patients that these dense protein masses were first identified. But it turns out that besides playing a role in a number of diseases, amyloids also play an important structural role in many organisms from bacteria to mammals, and might point the way to a whole new category of biologically inspired synthetic materials.
Study finds conformity does not equal cooperation
If you follow the pack are you more likely to co-operate with others in it? Not necessarily according to research into social behaviour by academics at the University of East Anglia.
Novel analysis sheds new light on the mechanisms of brain development
Scientists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science have taken an important step in identifying how the brain organizes itself during development. The findings, published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology today, describe – in more detail than ever before – the consequences of the loss of a key molecule involved in establishing proper brain architecture during brain development.
Discovers new asthma gene in African-Americans, replicates four others
A new national collaboration of asthma genetics researchers has revealed a novel gene associated with the disease in African-Americans, according to a new scientific report.
Scientists take a step towards developing better vaccines for bluetongue
Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have taken a step towards producing better vaccines against Bluetongue – an important disease of livestock - after successfully assembling the virus outside a cell. This research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could provide scientists with the tools to develop vaccines with useful new properties.
High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity in middle age may shrink brain, damage thinking
A new study suggests smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight in middle age may cause brain shrinkage and lead to cognitive problems up to a decade later. The study is published in the August 2, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Biology news
Tracking the mighty microbe
Jillian Banfield studies very, very small things, but her work is vast in its scope and impact. So vast, in fact, that her discoveries have implications for space, the human body and nearly everything in between.
Social challenges of synthetic biology examined
In the wake of last year's creation of the first self-replicating cell with a synthetic genome – which was quickly followed by a request from President Barack Obama for a report by the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues – a series of essays in the Hastings Center Report examines the social challenges that synthetic biology presents. Among the authors is the chair of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, who discusses its report on synthetic biology, and participants in The Hastings Center's project on ethical issues in synthetic biology.
Danger lurking below the sand
A voracious predator that devours prey larger than itself has been found lurking beneath Queensland's golden sandy beaches.
Study shows best places to protect marine mammals
(AP) -- From sea otters to blue whales, marine mammals are under stress from climate change, ocean acidification, hunting and other threats. Researchers have identified 20 important sites around the world where they say conservation efforts should concentrate.
Some plants duplicate their DNA to overcome adversity
Whatever does not kill a plant may actually make it stronger. After being partially eaten by grazing animals, for example, some plants grow bigger and faster and reproduce more successfully than they otherwise would. In a new study, researchers report that one secret to these plants' post-traumatic triumph lies in their ability to duplicate their chromosomes – again and again – without undergoing cell division.
Geneticists develop key conservation tool for imperiled amphibian species
Shy salamanders, flitting frogs and other anonymous amphibians, whose secretive ways may lead them into harm’s way, will be better protected thanks to a new conservation tool developed by University of Idaho genetic researchers.
Scientists map religious forests and sacred sites
Oxford scientists are aiming to produce a global map of the land owned or revered by the world’s religions. Many of these ‘religious forests’ and sacred sites contain some of the richest biodiversity in the world, including some of the highest numbers of threatened species.
Mechanism of sculpting the plasma membrane of intestinal cells identified
The research group of Professor Pekka Lappalainen at the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, has identified a previously unknown mechanism which modifies the structure of plasma membranes in intestinal epithelial cells. Unlike other proteins with a similar function, the new protein – named 'Pinkbar' by the researchers - creates planar membrane sheets.
Researchers decipher the molecular basis of blue-green algae
Under normal conditions, cyanobacteria, also termed blue-green algae, build up energy reserves that allow them to survive under stress such as long periods of darkness. They do this by means of a molecular switch in an enzyme. By removing this switch, it should be possible to use the excess energy of the bacteria for biotechnological purposes such as hydrogen production, without the bacteria suffering.
Microbial study reveals sophisticated sensory response
All known biological sensory systems, including the familiar examples of the five human senses – vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch – have one thing in common: when exposed to a sustained change in sensory input, the sense eventually acclimates and notices subsequent changes without continuing to compare each new change with the initial condition. This autonomous tuning of perceptions, known as sensory adaptation, has been recognized by scientists for more than a century, but a new study has demonstrated that even a simple microbe can achieve this feat with surprising sophistication.
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