Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 10, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Bendable battery and LED make up the first functional all-flexible electronic system- Evidence further suggests extra-terrestrial origin of quasicrystals
- Nanofibers may help treat heart attacks
- GM may have electric car breakthrough (Update)
- Physicists explore properties of electrons in graphene
- 'Theranostic' imaging offers means of killing prostate cancer cells
- Stem cells may prevent post-injury arthritis
- Populations survive despite many deleterious mutations: Scientists investigate evolutionary model of Muller's ratchet
- Why do organisms build tissues they seemingly never use?
- Pinning down the 'Island of Stability': Stabilizing shell effects in heaviest elements directly measured
- Math algorithm tracks crime, rumours, epidemics to source
- US finalizes privacy settlement with Facebook (Update 2)
- Photo mystery solved? Mars rover snapped pic of rocket stage crash, NASA says
- Of mice and melodies: Research on language gene seeks to uncover the origins of the singing mouse
- Google to sink pirate websites in search rankings
Space & Earth news
Chinese astronauts visit Hong Kong
Three astronauts from China's first manual space docking mission received a rowdy welcome from hundreds of flag-waving children as they arrived in Hong Kong on Friday for a four-day visit.
Patient Sucessfully Evacuated From Antarctica
A medical evacuation flight bringing a patient from the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station in Antarctica arrived safely in Christchurch, New Zealand at approximately 3 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Aug. 9.
To the stars: NASA selects small spacecraft technology demonstration missions
NASA has chosen three teams to advance the state of the art for small spacecraft in the areas of communications, formation flying and docking systems. The cutting-edge space technology flights are expected to take place in 2014 and 2015.
Wet weather could have delivered clean Olympic games
(Phys.org) -- The UK’s appalling summer of weather could have had an unexpected benefit for Olympic athletes and spectators – it could have delivered one of the least polluted Games in history, according to University of Manchester researchers. Atmospheric scientists are piloting up to eight flights around London, which started in the past month and will continue over the coming weeks, to measure carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and aerosol levels. They found that the long periods of stormy weather and low pressure have resulted in excellent air quality.
Mercury pollution, still spreading
Humans have known about mercury’s toxicity since ancient times, when work in mines that extracted cinnabar — the blood-red, mercury-containing ore — was considered a death sentence.
Project aims to remove space debris
(Phys.org) -- Low Earth Orbit is overcluttered with rogue objects and collision shrapnel that are a constant threat to spacecraft.
Climate impacts Lake Tahoe clarity and health
(Phys.org) -- Despite an extreme weather year, overall clarity at Lake Tahoe improved in 2011. Yet underlying trends portray a more complex picture of the Lake Tahoe ecosystem, according to the annual “Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2012,” released today by the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis.
New NASA mission ready to brave Earth's radiation belts
(Phys.org) -- NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission will send two spacecraft into the harsh environment of our planet's radiation belts. Final preparations have begun for launch on Thursday, Aug. 23, from Florida's Space Coast.
Probing Question: Is it possible to save coral reefs?
It's one thing for consumers to know intellectually that our gas-guzzling, polluting ways are taking their toll on the planet. It's another thing to connect all the dots in terms of actions and consequences. Yet, even as we continue to drive SUVs and convert wilderness areas into housing developments, we hold out hope that the environment will rebound.
Watching a train of storminess in the tropical Atlantic ocean
(Phys.org) -- This NOAA GOES-13 satellite image from 1745 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) today, August 9 shows some very active tropics. In the Atlantic Basin there are four areas that forecasters are watching.
Summer storm spins over Arctic
(Phys.org) -- An unusually strong storm formed off the coast of Alaska on August 5 and tracked into the center of the Arctic Ocean, where it slowly dissipated over the next several days.
Bizarre rock 'ice shelf' found in Pacific
A huge cluster of floating volcanic rocks covering almost 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 square miles) has been found drifting in the Pacific, the New Zealand navy said Friday.
NOAA raises hurricane season prediction despite expected El Nino
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, with 6 named storms to date, and may have a busy second half, according to the updated hurricane season outlook issued today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The updated outlook still indicates a 50 percent chance of a near-normal season, but increases the chance of an above-normal season to 35 percent and decreases the chance of a below-normal season to only 15 percent from the initial outlook issued in May.
Incredible view of an active region on the Sun
Wow! What a view of Active Region 1542 on the Sun! César Cantú from the Chilidog Observatory in Monterrey, Mexico says this is “another way” of looking at the active region.
2012 Perseid Meteor Shower
On the nights of Aug. 11th through 13th, the best meteor shower of the year will fill pre-dawn skies with hundreds of shooting stars. And that's just for starters. The brightest planets in the solar system are lining up right in the middle of the display.
Searching salt for answers about life on Earth, Mars
Wichita State University associate professor Mark Schneegurt recently had a paper published in the journal Astrobiology.
How much nitrogen is fixed in the ocean?
In order to predict how the Earth's climate develops scientists have to know which gases and trace elements are naturally bound and released by the ocean and in which quantities. For nitrogen, an essential element for the production of biomass, there are many unanswered questions. Scientists from Kiel, Bremen and Halifax have now published a research study in the international journal Nature showing that widely applied methods are part of the problem.
The earthquake risk and Europe
For the first time, scientists of the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences have succeeded in setting up a harmonized catalogue of earthquakes for Europe and the Mediterranean for the last thousand years. This catalogue consists of about 45,000 earthquakes.
Curiosity image: Traces of Landing
(Phys.org) -- This mosaic image shows part of the left side of NASA's Curiosity rover and two blast marks from the descent stage's rocket engines.
NASA sees tropical cyclones march across Atlantic: Ernesto, Florence, TD7, System 92L
Four tropical systems are marching across the Atlantic Ocean basin on August 10, 2012. NASA's GOES Project, located at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. has been busy creating images and animations of the four tropical cyclones, Ernesto, the remnants of Florence, Tropical Depression 7, and System 93L.
NASA sees two tropical cyclones in Eastern Pacific
The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season is in full swing and the Eastern Pacific seems like it's trying to catch up. On August 10, NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured Tropical Storm Gilma and a low pressure area that was once the Atlantic Basin's Tropical storm Ernesto, now moving off the western Mexican coast.
Hidden galactic nuclei
(Phys.org) -- At the core of most galaxies including our own Milky Way is a massive black hole. Material falling into the environment of the black hole heats up, and can radiate dramatically, sometimes also powering the ejection of bipolar jets of rapidly moving charged particles. These so-called active galactic nuclei (AGN) are observed to have roughly two types of characteristics: bright, rapidly moving hot gas with dust emission features, or dust absorption with modest (or no) fast gas.
Photo mystery solved? Mars rover snapped pic of rocket stage crash, NASA says
Space enthusiasts have been abuzz for days over whether the Mars rover Curiosity captured an extraterrestrial crash. On Friday, NASA declared the mystery solved.
Technology news
Mexico TV network seen winning in telecom dispute
(AP) — The administration of outgoing President Felipe Calderon is canceling telecom frequency concessions belonging to a potential rival of Mexican broadcasting giant Televisa, something analysts said Thursday appears to favor the television company.
Security researchers in force at USENIX Security
Everybody who's anybody in the no-longer-arcane field of computer security is out in force in Bellevue, Wash., this week at the 21st USENIX Security Symposium, the leading computer systems and networking security conference. Before the official kickoff Aug. 8, Computer Science and Engineering Ph.D. student Feng Lu presented a joint paper with fellow graduate student Jiaqi Zhang and CSE professor Stefan Savage at the 7th USENIX Workshop on Hot Topics in Security (HotSec '12) on Tuesday. Their paper, "When Good Services Go Wild: Reassembling Web Services for Unintended Purposes," is the subject of a report in MIT Technology Review about 'a menacing Facebook-Google mashup'.
Belgium: Possible flaw in nuclear plant
(AP) — A possible hairline crack in the steel tank containing the reactor at a Belgian nuclear plant poses no danger to the public, the country's nuclear regulatory agency said Friday.
UN director presses US to cut biofuel output
The head of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization urged the United States to halt its biofuel output to prevent a food crisis, in an editorial published by the Financial Times on Friday.
Tech firms begin to shift from Silicon Valley to San Francisco
Webster's defines a valley as "a stretch of low lands between hills or mountains." But for a growing number of tech entrepreneurs and workers, "Silicon Valley" is a squared-off patch surrounded by water, not mountain ranges.
Yahoo CEO mulling possible changes in strategy
(AP) — Recently hired Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer may scrap the Internet company's plan to reward its long-tormented shareholders with a multibillion-dollar payout later this year, underscoring the uncertainty accompanying new leadership.
Facebook 'like' in court over free speech
Freedom of speech on Facebook is at the heart of an appeals court case in Virginia involving an elected sheriff who fired staff members who "liked" his rival on the social networking site.
Anonymous claims it hacked Australian spy agency
Hacking group Anonymous on Friday claimed to have shut down a computer server belonging to Australia's domestic spy agency ASIO, reportedly briefly closing down access to its public webpage.
US video game sales drop for 8th straight month
(AP) — U.S. retail sales of new video game hardware, software and accessories fell for the eighth straight month in July as the industry continued to look ahead toward the release of new equipment to cure its woes.
US drone to map ancient Peru ruins
Archeologists in Peru plan to use a US-made drone to survey ancient Andean ruins, in the latest civilian application of the unmanned aerial vehicles used to hunt militants in the world's war zones.
Mining ' and Minding ' Her Ps and Qs
(Phys.org) -- Each time you connect to a secure website (say a bank’s website), you begin by downloading a certificate published by the site, which asserts that its Web address is legitimate. It also contains a public key that your computer can use to establish a secure connection, and this public key, ostensibly, prevents anyone else from spying on your connection.
Electronic recording of truck drivers' hours-of-service evaluated
(Phys.org) -- Safe operation of commercial vehicles depends upon drivers receiving enough sleep. But how to monitor that drivers are complying with hours-of-service requirements? Electronic onboard recording may be the solution. With funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institution are looking at the safety records for drivers and fleets who have been using the technology.
49.9-seconds: Gamera II sets new flight duration record for human-powered helicopters
(Phys.org) -- The National Aeronautic Association has certified the June 21, 2012, flight of Gamera II at 49.9 seconds, a new national record for human-powered helicopter flight duration, and submitted flight information to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for approval as a world record. Gamera II was designed, built and piloted by students at the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Microsoft preparing to open temporary stores for the holidays
Microsoft Corp. is getting ready for the year-end holiday shopping season by preparing temporary retail stores around the country.
Online accounts for Blizzard video games hacked
(AP) — The maker of video games such as "Diablo" and "World of Warcraft" is warning players that hackers have gained unauthorized access to some online accounts.
Belgian nuclear chief 'sceptical' reactor can be restarted
The head of Belgium's federal agency for nuclear safety AFCN said on Friday he was "sceptical" that an ageing reactor closed over fears of cracks could be restarted.
Researchers invent system for 3-D reconstruction of sparse facial hair and skin
Researchers at Disney Research, Zürich, ETH Zürich, and Cornell University have invented a system to digitize facial hair and skin. Capturing facial skin and geometry is a fundamental technology for a variety of computer-based special effects for movies. Conventional face capturing is well established and widely utilized in the entertainment industry to capture a three-dimensional model of an actor's face. However, up to now, no method was capable of reconstructing facial hair or even handling it appropriately. This omission is surprising as facial hair is an important component of our popular culture.
Researchers develop new physical face cloning method
Animatronics aims at creating physical robots that move and look like real humans. Many impressive characters have been created in this spirit, like those in the Hall of Presidents attraction at Walt Disney World. Until now, creating animatronic copies of real human individuals is a difficult and labor-intensive process requiring the manual work of skilled animators, material designers and mechanical engineers. Researchers at Disney Research, Zürich, ETH Zürich, and Walt Disney Imagineering R&D have developed a new computational design process for cloning human faces that could greatly simplify the creation of synthetic skin for animatronic characters.
GM may have electric car breakthrough (Update)
A small battery company backed by General Motors is working on breakthrough technology that could power an electric car 100 (160 kilometers) or even 200 miles (320 kilometers) on a single charge in the next two-to-four years, GM's CEO said Thursday.
Computer scientists explore secure browser design
(Phys.org) -- University of California, San Diego computer scientists explored a new approach to secure browser design in a paper presented in August 2012 at the 21st USENIX Security Symposium, the foremost research conference on computer network security. The authors are computer science professor Sorin Lerner and computer science Ph.D. students Dongseok Jang and Zachary Tatlock.
Autonomous robotic plane flies indoors (w/ Video)
For decades, academic and industry researchers have been working on control algorithms for autonomous helicopters — robotic helicopters that pilot themselves, rather than requiring remote human guidance. Dozens of research teams have competed in a series of autonomous-helicopter challenges posed by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); progress has been so rapid that the last two challenges have involved indoor navigation without the use of GPS.
Spanish group demos "Hiriko" fold-up urban EV (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Ten years ago, MIT’s Media lab began working on a concept for an urban vehicle to replace bicycle sharing, and other options people were using to get them to and from public transportation, to cover that first mile, as it’s known; the distance between where they live and the train station; or the last mile, from the train to where they work. It’s a problem that has become more urgent as congestion in city centers worsens over time as cities become ever more crowded.
US finalizes privacy settlement with Facebook (Update 2)
The Federal Trade Commission voted Friday to finalize its settlement with Facebook, resolving charges that the social network exposed details about users' lives without getting the required legal consent.
Google to sink pirate websites in search rankings
Google on Friday said it is tweaking its search formula to give higher priority to legal content and sink rankings for websites hit with piracy complaints.
Medicine & Health news
Woman gets new heart, kidney despite the odds
At age 32, Brandie Osborne has beaten the odds.
Zurich children's hospital lifts ban on circumcision
A Swiss hospital announced Friday that it has lifted a moratorium on religiously-motivated circumcisions imposed in July in the wake of a court ruling in neighbouring Germany.
Attitudes toward outdoor smoking ban at Moffitt Cancer Center evaluated
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center who surveyed employees and patients about a ban on outdoor smoking at the cancer center found that 86 percent of non-smokers supported the ban, as did 20 percent of the employees who were smokers. Fifty-seven percent of patients who were smokers also favored the ban.
Experts issue recommendations for treating thyroid dysfunction during and after pregnancy
The Endocrine Society has made revisions to its 2007 Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and postpartum. The CPG provides recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of patients with thyroid-related medical issues just before and during pregnancy and in the postpartum interval.
New approach of resistant tuberculosis
Scientists of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine have breathed new life into a forgotten technique and so succeeded in detecting resistant tuberculosis in circumstances where so far this was hardly feasible. Tuberculosis bacilli that have become resistant against our major antibiotics are a serious threat to world health.
Individualized care best for lymphedema patients: scientist
Millions of American cancer survivors experience chronic discomfort as a result of lymphedema, a common side effect of surgery and radiation therapy in which affected areas swell due to protein-rich fluid buildup. After reviewing published literature on lymphedema treatments, a University of Missouri researcher says emphasizing patients' quality of life rather than focusing solely on reducing swelling is critical to effectively managing the condition.
Cardiovascular benefits of taking statins outweigh diabetes risk
The benefits of taking statins to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease outweigh the increased risk of developing diabetes experienced by some patients who take these cholesterol-lowering drugs, according to an Article published Online First in The Lancet.
Estrogen and female anxiety: Study suggests lower levels can lead to more mood disorders
Some women’s vulnerability to anxiety and mood disorders may be explained by their estrogen levels, according to new research by Harvard and Emory University neuroscientists presented in this month’s issue of Biological Psychiatry.
Spending more on trauma care doesn't translate to higher survival rates: study
A large-scale review of national patient records reveals that although survival rates are the same, the cost of treating trauma patients in the western United States is 33 percent higher than the bill for treating similarly injured patients in the Northeast. Overall, treatment costs were lower in the Northeast than anywhere in the United States.
Teens' chronic stress is linked to time in poverty
(Medical Xpress) -- Childhood adversity is linked to chronic stress in adolescence, setting the stage for a host of physical and mental health problems, finds a new Cornell study published online in July in Psychological Science.
Marqibo approved for ph- acute lymphoblastic leukemia
(HealthDay) -- Marqibo (vincristine sulfate liposome injection) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with Philadelphia chromosome negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Study links age, insurance, but not race, to chemo rates
(HealthDay) -- For women with breast cancer, disease characteristics correlate significantly with chemotherapy receipt, with no indication of racial barriers to treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Psyllium reduces metabolic syndrome risk factors
(HealthDay) -- Consumption of the fiber supplement psyllium correlates with reductions in risk factors for metabolic syndrome, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Obesity Reviews.
High-risk heterosexuals should take HIV prevention pill, too
(HealthDay) -- Doctors should consider prescribing the HIV prevention pill Truvada to their heterosexual patients who are at high risk for the virus, not just high-risk gay and bisexual men, experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
Sharp spike seen in swine flu cases: CDC
(HealthDay) -- U.S. health authorities on Thursday reported a large jump in the number of H3N2 "swine" flu cases in humans.
Marqibo approved for rare leukemia
(HealthDay) -- Marqibo (vincristine sulfate liposome injection) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with a rare form of blood and bone marrow cancer, Philadelphia chromosome negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia, abbreviated ALL.
The Medical Minute: Debunking 'old wives' tales' about health
They’ve been repeated for decades, maybe even hundreds of years – so long that even some physicians have ceased to question their accuracy. Lurking in magazines, children’s books, and on unsuspecting tongues, their clichéd form is often too catchy to be questioned. They are what we oftentimes refer to as "old wives' tales."
New standards to improve diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome
(Medical Xpress) -- Sjögren's syndrome largely was unknown to the American public until tennis star Venus Williams withdrew from the U.S. Open last year and announced she had the autoimmune disease, in which a person’s white blood cells attack glands that produce tears and saliva.
Smoking sharply increases risk of certain cancers of the immune system and bone marrow
(Medical Xpress) -- Women who smoke increase their risk of developing certain cancers of the blood, immune system, and bone marrow new research shows today (Friday).
Thinking about giving, not receiving, motivates people to help others
(Medical Xpress) -- We’re often told to ‘count our blessings’ and be grateful for what we have. And research shows that doing so makes us happier. But will it actually change our behavior towards others?
Breast cancer survivors benefit from fat transfers after mastectomies
(Medical Xpress) -- When Susan McLain, 49, underwent a double mastectomy, she never imagined that she would look and feel better after reconstructive surgery than she did before breast cancer.
A new starring role for astrocytes
Astrocytes, previously thought of as helper cells for neurons, have recently been shown to send signals themselves. The signals are chemical not electrical and astrocytes send them to neurons, vascular cells and other astrocytes to improve the efficiency of synaptic signaling. A team led by Katsuhiko Mikoshiba and Hiroko Bannai at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, have described the mechanism that allows astrocytes to signal each cell in their network individually.
Pain really is in the mind, but not in the way you think
Everybody hurts, but not everybody keeps hurting. The unlucky few who do end up on a downward spiral of economic, social and physical disadvantage.
Patient data outage exposes risks of electronic medical records
Dozens of hospitals across the country lost access to crucial electronic medical records for about five hours during a major computer outage last month, raising fresh concerns about whether poorly designed technology can compromise patient care.
More younger people getting colorectal cancer
Carol Carr showed all the signs of colorectal cancer seven years ago, but doctors thought the 44-year-old Glen Burnie, Md., woman was too young to have the disease and never tested her for it.
Study adds to evidence daily aspirin linked to lower cancer mortality
A large new observational study finds more evidence of an association between daily aspirin use and modestly lower cancer mortality, but suggests any reduction may be smaller than that observed in a recent analysis. The study, appearing early online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), provides additional support for a potential benefit of daily aspirin use for cancer mortality, but the authors say important questions remain about the size of the potential benefit.
Screening debate typifies prostate cancer uncertainties
(HealthDay) -- Though prostate cancer makes the news a lot, much of the information seems conflicting or inconclusive, leaving men with few absolute answers.
Good news: Migraines hurt your head but not your brain
Migraines currently affect about 20 percent of the female population, and while these headaches are common, there are many unanswered questions surrounding this complex disease. Previous studies have linked this disorder to an increased risk of stroke and structural brain lesions, but it has remained unclear whether migraines had other negative consequences such as dementia or cognitive decline. According to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), migraines are not associated with cognitive decline.
New regulatory mechanism discovered in cell system for eliminating unneeded proteins
A faulty gene linked to a rare blood vessel disorder has led investigators to discover a mechanism involved in determining the fate of possibly thousands of proteins working inside cells.
Team creates new view of body's infection response
A new 3-D view of the body's response to infection – and the ability to identify proteins involved in the response – could point to novel biomarkers and therapeutic agents for infectious diseases.
Life expectancy has improved with childhood type 1 diabetes
(HealthDay) -- For children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, life expectancy has increased, with about a 15-year improvement seen from a 1950-1964 subcohort to a 1965-1980 subcohort, according to a study published online July 30 in Diabetes.
Good stability with artificial disc plus cage fusion
(HealthDay) -- For patients with multi-level cervical disc herniation, artificial cervical disc replacement and adjacent segment cage fusion achieves definite stabilization and satisfactory mobility, according to research published online July 24 in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
Prognostic factors identified in mucoepidermoid carcinoma
(HealthDay) -- Diagnosis of low- or intermediate-grade tumors is associated with significantly better overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the salivary glands, while advanced disease stage and perineural invasion are the most significant indicators of poor prognosis, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of Cancer.
Reasons for discontinuation vary by psoriasis treatment
(HealthDay) -- The reasons for discontinuation of commonly used treatments for psoriasis vary by treatment, according to a study published online July 30 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Prenatal whole genome sequencing: Just because we can, should we?
With whole genome sequencing quickly becoming more affordable and accessible, we need to pay more attention to the massive amount of information it will deliver to parents – and the fact that we don't yet understand what most of it means, concludes an article in the Hastings Center Report. The authors are current or former scholars at the National Institutes of Health's Department of Bioethics.
Key signal prepares immune cells to defend skin, brain
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified the molecular signal that triggers the development of immune cells that patrol the skin and brain.
Scientists show copper facilitates prion disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Many of us are familiar with prion disease from its most startling and unusual incarnations—the outbreaks of “mad cow” disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) that created a crisis in the global beef industry. Or the strange story of Kuru, a fatal illness affecting a tribe in Papua New Guinea known for its cannibalism. Both are forms of prion disease, caused by the abnormal folding of a protein and resulting in progressive neurodegeneration and death.
Study shows gene defect's role in autism-like behavior
Scientists affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute have discovered how a defective gene causes brain changes that lead to the atypical social behavior characteristic of autism. The research offers a potential target for drugs to treat the condition.
Stem cells may prevent post-injury arthritis
Duke researchers may have found a promising stem cell therapy for preventing osteoarthritis after a joint injury.
Nanofibers may help treat heart attacks
(Medical Xpress) -- Cardiovascular diseases kill over 17 million people a year globally, according to the World Health Organization, and many more suffer heart attacks but recover. Even those who do recover are more prone to suffer heart failure or future heart attacks because the heart tissue is damaged. Attempts to produce effective therapies to promote repair and regeneration of heart tissues and blood vessels have so far mostly been unpromising.
Biology news
Nanotechnology-enhanced DNA analysis
European researchers enhanced the selectivity of state-of-the-art genetic sequencing methods using nanotechnology. Immediate application in detection of strains of Salmonella and Staphylococcus should facilitate speedy identification and treatment of related illnesses.
Bid to revive Hong Kong's last incense plantation
He may not be able to resuscitate Hong Kong's long-dead incense trade but entrepreneur Chan Koon-wing is at least hoping to save the tree that gave the city its name centuries ago.
North American freshwater fishes race to extinction
North American freshwater fishes are going extinct at an alarming rate compared with other species, according to an article in the September issue of BioScience. The rate of extinctions increased noticeably after 1950, although it has leveled off in the past decade. The number of extinct species has grown by 25 percent since 1989.
World's first eyeless huntsman spider discovered
A scientist from the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt has discovered the first eyeless huntsman spider in the world. The accompanying study has been published by the scientific journal Zootaxa.
New technique yields never-before-seen information critical to biofuels research
(Phys.org) -- Pioneering mass spectrometry methods developed at Ames Laboratory are helping plant biologists get their first glimpses of never-before-seen plant tissue structures.
Stem cells thrive on superficial relationships
Stem cells are renowned for their capacity to develop into a wide range of mature cell types but they cannot maintain this flexibility on their own. In the body, neighboring cells help maintain this ‘pluripotent’ state. But to grow these cells in culture, scientists have had to devise a variety of specialized techniques.
'Selfish' DNA in animal mitochondria offers possible tool to study aging
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered, for the first time in any animal species, a type of “selfish” mitochondrial DNA that is actually hurting the organism and lessening its chance to survive – and bears a strong similarity to some damage done to human cells as they age.
Team develops new method for sequencing dark matter of life from a single cell
(Phys.org) -- An international team of researchers led by computer scientist Pavel Pevzner, from the University of California, San Diego, have developed a new algorithm to sequence organisms’ genomes from a single cell faster and more accurately. The new algorithm, called SPAdes, can be used to sequence bacteria that can’t be submitted to standard cloning techniques—what researchers refer to as the dark matter of life, from pathogens found in hospitals, to bacteria living deep in ocean or in the human gut.
Discovery may lead to better lure to detect fruit fly
(Phys.org) -- A certain species of yeast that UC Davis researchers found in "almost all" their samples of raspberries and cherries infested by the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) may lead to a better lure to detect the invasive pest in the field. A research team from the UC Davis Department of Entomology, the Department of Food Science and Technology, and a visiting professor from the University of Extremadura, Spain, found that the yeast, Hanseniaspora uvarum, appeared in just about every cherry, raspberry, and larva of the spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) that they sampled at collection points in Davis, Winters, and Watsonville.
Populations survive despite many deleterious mutations: Scientists investigate evolutionary model of Muller's ratchet
From protozoans to mammals, evolution has created more and more complex structures and better-adapted organisms. This is all the more astonishing as most genetic mutations are deleterious. Especially in small asexual populations that do not recombine their genes, unfavourable mutations can accumulate. This process is known as Muller's ratchet in evolutionary biology. The ratchet, proposed by the American geneticist Hermann Joseph Muller, predicts that the genome deteriorates irreversibly, leaving populations on a one-way street to extinction. In collaboration with colleagues from the US, Richard Neher from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology has shown mathematically how Muller's ratchet operates and he has investigated why populations are not inevitably doomed to extinction despite the continuous influx of deleterious mutations.
Why do organisms build tissues they seemingly never use?
(Phys.org) -- Why, after millions of years of evolution, do organisms build structures that seemingly serve no purpose?
Of mice and melodies: Research on language gene seeks to uncover the origins of the singing mouse
Singing mice (Scotinomys teguina) are not your average lab rats. Their fur is tawny brown instead of the common white albino strain; they hail from the tropical cloud forests in the mountains of Costa Rica; and, as their name hints, they use song to communicate.
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