Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for February 24, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Your brain on dye: Imaging neuronal voltage with fluorescent sensors and molecular wires- Increasing rainfall may affect winds: study
- In a new microchip, cells separate by rolling away
- Cyber-security expert finds new flaw in smartphones
- Light-emitting nanocrystal diodes go ultraviolet: Biomedical device potential for robust, implantable product
- Statins linked with lower depression risk in heart patients
- Solar Impulse completes 72 hour simulated flight
- How heavy and light isotopes separate in magma
- Study: We're getting less friendly on Facebook
- Apple Germany disables push email service
- Protecting the climate by reducing fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions
- Curiosity, the stunt double
- Study magnetizes carbon nanoparticles for cancer therapy
- Researchers induce PTSD symptoms in mice
- Astrophysicist team suggests axions could explain dearth of lithium-7 in dark matter theory
Space & Earth news
Scientists call for protection of deep sea coral reefs from European fishing fleets
A team of scientists is calling for the urgent introduction of marine protected areas after producing evidence of long-term damage being done to deep-sea coral reefs by European fishing fleets.
Ozone suite on Suomi NPP continues more than 30 years of ozone data
A new satellite instrument suite is now sending back detailed information about the health of the Earth's ozone layer, the shield that protects the world’s population from harmful levels of the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
Study IDs new marine protected areas in Madagascar
A new study by the University of California, Berkeley, Wildlife Conservation Society, and others uses a new scientific methodology for establishing marine protected areas in Madagascar that offers a "diversified portfolio" of management options – from strict no-take zones to areas that would allow fishing.
Homes near Japan nuke plant may be banned for ever
Japan on Friday said some areas surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was wrecked last year by a massive tsunami will likely remain permanently off-limits.
New research points to erosional origin of linear dunes
Linear dunes, widespread on Earth and Saturn's moon, Titan, are generally considered to have been formed by deposits of windblown sand. It has been speculated for some time that some linear dunes may have formed by "wind-rift" erosion, but this model has commonly been rejected due to lack of sufficient evidence. Now, new research supported by China's NSF and published this week in GSA BULLETIN indicates that erosional origin models should not be ruled out.
W. Pa. tests: Chemicals in drilling area water
(AP) -- A western Pennsylvania woman says state environmental officials refused to do follow-up tests after their lab reported her drinking water contained chemicals that could be from nearby gas drilling.
World Bank proposes global coalition to save oceans
The World Bank was on Friday to propose a coalition of governments, global organisations and other groups to protect the oceans, aiming to raise $1.5 billion in the next five years for the purpose.
Princeton system tracks drought to aid disaster relief
Drought is often the precursor to disaster, but getting leads on its stealthy approach through remote or war-torn areas can be so difficult that relief agencies sometimes have little time to react before a bad situation becomes a calamity.
Fixing climate: Beyond carbon dioxide
Climate scientists at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this week were elated to hear that the United States and five other countries had agreed to work toward cutting pollutants other than carbon dioxide thought to cause about a third of current human-influenced global warming. After all, many of them had done the work that led directly to the pact, by showing the effects of such substances, and how emissions might be reduced.
Small-scale soil studies provide big benefits
When it comes to studying microbial communities in soil, the smaller the sample, the better. Only by approaching the scale at which microbes interact and function, the micron scale, can scientists understand how the community works. To that end, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assayed sub-millimeter-sized soil aggregates to determine biomass and enzyme potential.
Tree-ring science takes on the modern age
Whether it's learning how forests respond to environmental change or answering questions about the history of ancient cultures, trees continue to be a solid source of information for many kinds of researchers.
NuSTAR's mirrors baked in Zhang's glass kitchen
(PhysOrg.com) -- It pays to persevere. No one knows this better than Will Zhang.
Panoramic images of Great Barrier Reef will take millions on virtual dives
Internet surfers will soon be able to go below the surface to immerse themselves in the spectacular coral and marine life of the Great Barrier Reef, under a joint venture between global technology giant Google, the University of Queensland Global Change Institute and insurance company Catlin.
Extending the habitable zone for red dwarf stars
Scientists have long thought that planets had to orbit very close to small and dim red dwarf stars in order to be warm enough for life. New research challenges that assumption.
Curiosity, the stunt double
With a pair of bug-eyes swiveling on a stalk nearly 8 feet off the ground, the 6-wheeled, 1800-lb Mars rover Curiosity doesn’t look much like a human being. Yet, right now, the mini-Cooper-sized rover is playing the role of stunt double for NASA astronauts.
Protecting the climate by reducing fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have been used in recent years in increasing quantities as substitutes for CFCs, are also climatically very active and many are also extremely long-lived. In the renowned journal Science an international team of researchers recommends that the most potent of these gases also be regulated. This could save the positive «side effect» of the Montreal Protocol for the global climate.
Increasing rainfall may affect winds: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- Falling raindrops produce friction as they drop through the atmosphere to the ground, and this dissipates the kinetic energy, converting it into diffuse heat. Now researchers in the US have used recently-obtained satellite data to calculate the energy dissipation, and they have discovered it is a surprisingly major component of the atmosphere’s overall energy system.
Technology news
Amadeus posts 2011 profit of 453.7 bn euros
The Spanish group Amadeus, a world leading technology provider for the travel and tourism industries, posted on Friday a jump of 657 percent in 2011 net profit, owing to one-off effects.
India PM blames foreign NGOs for anti-nuclear demos
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh blamed US non-profit groups in an interview published Friday for whipping up anti-nuclear demonstrations that have stalled two new atomic plants.
Kodak -- and film -- saying goodbye to the Oscars
(AP) -- Each year at the Oscars ceremony, Hollywood says goodbye to stars and filmmakers who've died. This year, the award show will bid adieu to the Kodak Theatre.
Bazaarvoice, Proto Labs surge in market debuts
(AP) -- A splashy Wall Street debut by Bazaarvoice Inc. and Proto Labs Inc. is the latest sign that investor appetite for initial public offerings has rebounded after a dismal IPO market in 2011.
Ohio man given choice of Facebook apology or jail
(AP) -- A man who was threatened with jail time for posting comments about his estranged wife on his personal Facebook page unless he posted daily apologies for a month says the court ruling violates his freedom of speech.
Navy launches new communications satellite
(AP) -- The Navy has launched a new communications satellite after two weather-related scrubs last week.
Steve Jobs birthday wishes fly on Twitter
Twitter was abuzz on Friday with loving words for Steve Jobs on what would have been the late Apple co-founder's 57th birthday,
Hackers dog LA police canine association
Members of hacker group Anonymous took credit Thursday for an online raid of the Los Angeles Police Canine Association and the posting of personal and potentially embarrassing information.
Company claiming iPad trademark sues Apple in US
(AP) -- Apple Inc. is facing yet another challenge to its use of the iPad trademark in China - this time in a court in California.
German software giant SAP raises dividend
German software giant SAP said on Friday it would pay a substantially increased dividend to shareholders for 2011, its 40th anniversary year, which was its best-ever in terms of profits.
Games for nature
Can digital games and virtual worlds help us save nature? Conservation scientists Bruno Monteferri, Chris Sandbrook and Bill Adams explore whether computer gaming is a new frontier for conservation.
CU team's efficient unmanned aircraft jetting toward commercialization
Propulsion by a novel jet engine is the crux of the innovation behind a University of Colorado Boulder-developed aircraft that’s accelerating toward commercialization.
Cebit 2012: The wireless bicycle brake, a prototype on an exciting mission
A German computer scientist has developed a reliable wireless bicycle brake.
Anonymous hits Ohio FBI partner website
(AP) -- Hackers allied to the loose-knit Anonymous movement on Friday claimed responsibility for vandalizing an Ohio FBI partner website, replacing its homepage with the video for rap hit "Gangsta's Paradise."
Green fuel versus black gold: Is bioethanol more environmentally benign option to petroleum-derived fuels?
A life cycle assessment of growing crops for fuel as opposed to refining and using fossil fuels has revealed that substitution of gasoline by bioethanol converted from energy crops has considerable potential for rendering our society more sustainable, according to a Japanese study published in the International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy.
Print, online ad revenue fall at Washington Post
The Washington Post Co. reported a lower fourth-quarter net profit Friday on weakness at its education division and declining print and online advertising revenue at its flagship newspaper.
Judge awards iPhone user $850 in throttling case
(AP) -- When AT&T started slowing down the data service for his iPhone, Matt Spaccarelli, an unemployed truck driver and student, took the country's largest telecommunications company to small claims court. And won.
Anonymous vandalizes US prison contractors' site
(AP) -- The website of an international prison contractor was defaced by hackers who on Friday replaced the company's home page with a hip-hop homage devoted to former death row inmate Mumia Abu Jamal.
Los Angeles Times to begin charging for online access
The Los Angeles Times said Friday that it will begin charging online readers next month, the latest major US newspaper to require a subscription to its website.
US hedge fund seeks five seats on AOL board
A US hedge fund with a large stake in AOL laid claim on Friday to five seats on the board of directors of the Internet company and criticized the strategy of the current management.
Apple Germany disables push email service
Apple says it has disabled the push email function for its mobile devices in Germany in an ongoing patent dispute with rival Motorola.
Study: We're getting less friendly on Facebook
(AP) -- Whether it's pruning friends lists, removing unwanted comments or restricting access to their profiles, Americans are getting more privacy-savvy on social networks, a new report found.
Solar Impulse completes 72 hour simulated flight
Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg completed a 72-hour non-stop flight Friday -- but in a simulator for the new Solar Impulse aircraft planned for a 2014 world tour using only solar energy.
Cyber-security expert finds new flaw in smartphones
Just as U.S. companies are coming to grips with threats to their computer networks emanating from cyber-spies based in China, a noted expert is highlighting what he says is an even more pernicious vulnerability in smartphones.
Medicine & Health news
The genetic basis for age-related macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, especially in developed countries, and there is currently no known treatment or cure or for the vast majority of AMD patients. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Medicine has identified genes whose expression levels can identify people with AMD, as well as tell apart AMD subtypes.
States file suit over Obama's birth control plan
Seven US states have filed a lawsuit challenging a requirement in President Barack Obama's 2010 health care law that religious organizations provide insurance covering birth control.
Patients benefit from modern radiation technology
Patients with tumors and other life-threatening conditions are benefiting from the steady evolution of radiosurgery and radiotherapy, treatments that are often described as "incisionless surgery” or "surgery without the knife.”
UK: Minimum alcohol price not set high enough
Following Prime Minister David Cameron's vow last week to tackle binge drinking, new research from Newcastle University has highlighted the need for a strong approach to alcohol pricing.
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms indicated
Population-based screening for often fatal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) should be given serious consideration, according to a new study from the University of Otago, Wellington.
The moth and the air freshener: The secrets of scent
University of Arizona Regents' Professor John G. Hildebrand has been elected to the Council of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition, he is being honored for his lifetime accomplishments on how olfaction, the sense of smell, influences the behavior of animals, from bugs to humans.
3Qs: Taking a patient-facing approach to health care
The United States spends $2 trillion in health care annually. New technologies and approaches to health care have led to a growing field in health informatics, which has a focus on both the clinical and personal aspects of the industry. Northeastern University news office asked Timothy Bickmore, an associate professor in the College of Computer and Information Science, to discuss the impact this field can have on the health care industry as a whole, as well as Northeastern’s new PhD program in health informatics.
New solution for a sensitive problem
Swiss scientists at Empa have worked with the industrial partner Incosan GmbH to develop a multi-layer pad and special briefs to make daily life easier for people suffering from incontinence. The products recently came onto the market.
A new radiotherapy technique significantly reduces irradiation of healthy tissue
Researchers at the University of Granada and the university hospital Virgen de las Nieves in Granada have developed a new radiotherapy technique that is much less toxic than that traditionally used and only targets cancerous tissue.
Many elderly now bring companion on doctor's visit
(HealthDay) -- About one-third of seniors still living on their own take a companion -- usually a spouse or other family member -- to their routine doctor's office visits, researchers report.
A million chances to save a life: Penn Medicine crowdsourcing contest maps lifesaving AEDs in Philadelphia
Would you be able to find an automated external defibrillator if someone's life depended on it? Despite an estimated one million AEDs scattered around the United States, the answer, all too often when people suffer sudden cardiac arrests, is no.
Children now eligible for screening test for bacterium
(HealthDay) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded approval for a breath test that screens for a common ulcer-causing germ, to include children aged 3 years to 17.
Study examines number of GP visits before cancer patients are referred to specialists
More than three quarters (77%) of cancer patients who first present to their family doctors (GPs) with suspicious symptoms are referred to hospital after only one or two consultations, a new study has found. However, the new research also shows a wide variation in the number of times a cancer patient sees their general practitioner before they are referred to a specialist, with the most pre-referral consultations occurring when the cancer was one of the less common types, or when the patient was either female, young, or an older person from an ethnic minority. The research was published today, 24 February, in the journal The Lancet Oncology.
Specific antipsychotic drugs increase risk of death in elderly dementia patients
Nursing home residents over the age of 65 who take certain antipsychotic medication for dementia are at an increased risk of death, suggests a research paper published today in the British Medical Journal.
Natural method for clearing cellular debris provides new targets for lupus treatment
Cells that die naturally generate a lot of internal debris that can trigger the immune system to attack the body, leading to diseases such as lupus.
Characteristics of fathers with depressive symptoms
Voluminous research literature attests to the multiple negative consequences of maternal depression and depressive symptoms for the health and development of children. In contrast, there is a profound paucity of information about depressive symptoms in fathers according to a follow up study by NYU School of Medicine researchers in the February 23rd online edition of Maternal and Child Health Journal.
New insights into understanding brain performance
(Medical Xpress) -- People who take Ritalin are far more aware of their mistakes, a University of Melbourne study has found.
Reseacher finds possible lipid metabolism disorder in children with autism
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Alabama researcher Dr. Yasmin Neggers, a professor of human nutrition and hospitality management, found a possible lipid metabolism disorder in children with autism.
Research allows doctors to predict menopause symptoms
(Medical Xpress) -- Doctors could soon be able to predict the type and duration of menopausal symptoms an individual woman is likely to experience thanks to new findings from The University of Queensland (UQ).
Study shows significant state-by-state differences in black, white life expectancy
(Medical Xpress) -- A UCLA-led group of researchers tracing disparities in life expectancy between blacks and whites in the U.S. has found that white males live about seven years longer on average than African American men and that white women live more than five years longer than their black counterparts.
Vaccinating adults with new pneumonia vaccine more cost-effective: researcher
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study suggests vaccinating adults against one of the most common causes of pneumonia with a new vaccine, which has virtually eliminated this infection in children, is more cost effective than using the current vaccine. Yale researcher Dr. Eugene Shapiro agrees with the study’s findings in an editorial published in the current issue of JAMA.
Researchers uncover new operations of cancer suppressor
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the University of Dundee studying an important tumour suppressor, which is involved in at least a quarter of all cancers, have uncovered new ways in which it works.
New clues to muscle wasting in elderly people
Permanent disconnection between nerves and muscles may be the reason behind progressive loss of muscle mass and function in elderly people, Perth-based researchers have found.
Hepatitis C, a leading killer, is frequently undiagnosed but often curable
(Medical Xpress) -- Hepatitis C virus — not AIDS-causing HIV — is the leading chronic virus infection leading to death in the United States, and its victims most often are baby boomers. More than half who are infected do not know it.
In the genes, but which ones? Earlier studies that linked specific genes to intelligence were largely wrong
For decades, scientists have understood that there is a genetic component to intelligence, but a new Harvard study has found both that most of the genes thought to be linked to the trait are probably not in fact related to it, and identifying intelligence’s specific genetic roots may still be a long way off.
Rib fractures linked to circulatory disorder often seen in athletes
(Medical Xpress) -- Surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified tiny fractures and other rib abnormalities in patients treated for a circulatory condition called venous thoracic outlet syndrome.
Novel bioactive peptides promote wound healing in vivo
Researchers have combined bioactive peptides to successfully stimulate wound healing. The in vitro and in vivo study, published today in PLoS ONE, demonstrates that the combination of two peptides stimulates the growth of blood vessels and promotes re-growth of tissue. Further development of these peptides could lead to a new treatment for chronic and acute wounds.
New knowledge on the pharmacology of dopamine stabilizers
A study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that a new drug for Huntington's disease – pridopidine or dopamine stabiliser ACR16 – might operate via previously unknown mechanisms of action. Researchers have found that at very low concentrations, ACR16 binds to the sigma-1 receptor, a protein in the brain important to neuronal function and survival. This new knowledge can be used to develop future treatments for schizophrenia, involuntary Parkinsonian tremors and neurodegenerative diseases.
Training parents is good medicine for children with autism behavior problems
(Medical Xpress) -- Children with autism spectrum disorders who also have serious behavioral problems responded better to medication combined with training for their parents than to treatment with medication alone, Yale researchers and their colleagues report in the February issue of Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
One-two punch: Cancer therapy more potent when it hits two targets
Simultaneous targeting of two different molecules in cancer is an effective way to shrink tumors, block invasion, and stop metastasis, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have found—work that may improve the effectiveness of combination treatments that include drugs like Avastin.
Contraceptives work well in obese women, but hormone levels lower
(HealthDay) -- Hormonal contraceptives appear to thwart pregnancy just as well in overweight and obese women as those of normal weight despite markedly lower pregnancy-prevention hormone levels among heavier females, a group of reproductive experts said.
Prevalence of screening for Lynch syndrome varies
(HealthDay) -- Screening for Lynch syndrome, the most common form of inherited colorectal cancer, after a colorectal cancer diagnosis is common at comprehensive cancer centers but not community hospitals, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Doctors find new way to predict recurrent stroke
New research from the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) shows that using a CT (computerised tomography) scan, doctors can predict if patients who have had a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke, with neurological symptoms such as weakness or speech issues, are at risk for another more severe stroke. This vital information can help doctors decide if stronger medications should be used to prevent future episodes, or if a patient can be safely sent home.
Miracle diet pill? A safe drug is elusive
(AP) -- The battle of the bulge has been a big, fat failure for U.S. drugmakers. But that hasn't stopped them from trying.
Skin tests catch metal sensitivity before joint replacement
(HealthDay) -- Testing patients for metal hypersensitivity before they receive joint or bone implants helps identify those at increased risk for complications due to metal hypersensitivity, a new study shows.
Male pattern baldness linked to prostate symptoms
(HealthDay) -- Early-onset of male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia [AGA]) may be a marker of male urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
UVB preferred for treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis
(HealthDay) -- Ultraviolet B (UVB) is preferred by dermatologists for first-line treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in both healthy male and female patients, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Model predicts death due to acetaminophen overdose
(HealthDay) -- Model for Acetaminophen-induced Liver Damage (MALD), a mathematical model that utilizes commonly obtained laboratory values, including overdose amount and time elapsed since overdose, is effective for predicting outcomes in patients with acute liver failure due to acetaminophen overdose, according to research published online Feb. 13 in Hepatology.
Researchers induce PTSD symptoms in mice
(Medical Xpress) -- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition in which people find themselves experiencing intense fear following a traumatic experience due to unrelated circumstances. It’s quite common in soldiers returning from the battlefield but can also be found in people that have experienced an assault, abuse or tragedy such as surviving a hurricane or tornado. And because it can persist for years after the initial trauma, those that suffer from it can find their lives seriously disrupted. Because of this, research into ways to treat the condition has been ongoing by both military and civilian entities. Now, a French team of researchers has found, as they describe in their paper published in Science, a way to induce what appears to be PTSD symptoms in mice, a move that could help scientists better understand the chemical processes that go on in the brain in people with the disorder.
'Popeye' proteins help the heart adapt to stress
(Medical Xpress) -- A family of proteins named after Popeye play an essential role in allowing the heart to respond to stress, according to a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The finding could help scientists develop new treatments for abnormal heart rhythms.
Statins linked with lower depression risk in heart patients
Patients with heart disease who took cholesterol-lowering statins were significantly less likely to develop depression than those who did not, in a study by Mary Whooley, MD, a physician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Your brain on dye: Imaging neuronal voltage with fluorescent sensors and molecular wires
(Medical Xpress) -- Optically monitoring the brain’s neuronal activity can be accomplished in several ways, including electrochromic dyes, hydrophobic anions, calcium imaging, or voltage-sensitive ion channels. Fluorescence imaging is an attractive method due to its ability to map the electrical activity and communication of multiple spatially resolved neurons. While this complements traditional electrophysiological measurements, historically fluorescent voltage imaging has been limited by the difficulty of developing sensors that give both large and fast responses to voltage changes. Recently, however, scientists in the Department of Pharmacology and other areas in the University of California at San Diego’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute have designed, synthesized, and implemented fluorescent sensors in the form of photo-induced electron transfer (PeT)-based molecular wire probes for voltage imaging in neurons. Moreover, they have used these so-called Voltag! eFluor sensors to perform single-trial detection of synaptic and action potentials in cultured hippocampal neurons and intact leech ganglia.
Biology news
Seven arrested in US crackdown on rhino trade
US officials announced Thursday the arrest of seven people in a crackdown on the illegal global trade in endangered black rhinoceros horns.
Be selective when choosing herd bulls for cattle operation
Beef producers don’t want to miss out on profit potential when it comes to selection and performance of breeding bulls, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist.
Asian honey bees defend threat by banding together and shaking abdomens
Theory suggests that signals between prey and predator can coevolve. In order for an ‘I see you’ display to evolve, the prey species must be able to back up its ‘I see you’ with action, by outrunning the predator, collective mobbing, escape to a refuge, or any other mechanism that prevents the predator from making a kill. Without such action, even if it is rarely applied, it is difficult to see how an ‘I see you’ display could evolve.
Two-headed tortoise goes on show in Ukraine
A two-headed Central Asian tortoise has gone on show at the natural science museum in Kiev where visitors will be able to observe the different eating habits of each head over the next two months.
Cunning super-parasitic wasps sniff out protected aphids and overwhelm their defenses
In the war between parasite and host, the parasitic wasp, Aphidius ervi, and the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, are locked in a battle for survival. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Biology shows that this cunning parasite sniffs out differences between protected and unprotected aphids, and alters its egg-laying strategy, in order to overwhelm aphid defenses and ensure survival of wasp offspring.
500 elephants killed in Cameroon park in 2 months
Nearly 500 elephants have been killed in a Cameroon national park in less than two months by poachers from Sudan and Chad, a park official told AFP on Thursday.
Rising temperatures impact on major pest of rice
(PhysOrg.com) -- Rice crop plaguing insects may struggle to survive in a warming climate, scientists from the University of Birmingham have found.
Crocodiles rock the treadmill for research
Crocodiles have been put through their paces on a treadmill as part of a James Cook University research project to help determine which muscles they use to breathe.
Fill 'er up with tobacco? Berkeley lab-led team explores new path to biofuels
(PhysOrg.com) -- Mention biofuels and most people think of corn ethanol. Some may think of advanced biofuels from switchgrass or miscanthus. But tobacco? Not likely.
12% of marine species in tropical Eastern Pacific threatened
Twelve percent of marine species surveyed in the Gulf of California, the coasts of Panama and Costa Rica and the five offshore oceanic islands and archipelagos in the tropical eastern Pacific are threatened with extinction, according to a study by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and its partners. Main threats to the region's marine flora and fauna include over-fishing, habitat loss and increasing impacts from the El Nino Southern Oscillation.
Bird brains follow the beat: Capacity to move in time with music may be connected with ability to learn speech
Even though typical dance-floor activity might suggest otherwise, humans generally demonstrate a remarkable capacity to synchronize their body movements in response to auditory stimuli. But is this ability to move in time to musical rhythm a uniquely human trait?
Invading crayfish success down to appetite and disease
The North American signal crayfish could be driving the native white-clawed crayfish from British waterways, because it eats more and is much less fussy about its food than the native critter.
Robot fish found able to lead real fish (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers studying schooling in fish have discovered that a real fish will follow a robot fish if it will help them use less energy swimming. This is the conclusion of a pair of engineers from New York’s Polytechnic Institute who built a small robot fish, as they describe in their paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, that other fish would follow in a controlled environment.
Researchers identify structure of key control element behind protein misfolding that can lead to disease
The gold standard for nanotechnology is nature's own proteins. These biomolecular nanomachines – macromolecules forged from peptide chains of amino acids - are able to fold themselves into a dazzling multitude of shapes and forms that enable them to carry out an equally dazzling multitude of functions fundamental to life. As important as protein folding is to virtually all biological systems, the mechanisms behind this process have remained a mystery. The fog, however, is being lifted.
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