Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 31, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Inverted polymer solar cell efficiency sets world record- Researchers ID chemical in cigarette smoke linked to lowered levels of 'good' cholesterol
- Researchers find glass shape influences consumption rate of lager
- Physician, glove thyself: Med Sensation has exam tool (w/ Video)
- Polymer coating allows nanoparticles to diffuse through the brain
- High-Tech fishing net finalist for Dyson Award
- An open platform revolutionizes biomedical-image processing
- Traumatic childhood may increase the risk of drug addiction: study
- Researchers develop new, less expensive nanolithography technique
- Small male fish use high aggression strategy
- Direction selection: New method for template-directed DNA synthesis in the 3' and 5' directions
- Google girds for battle in wake of Apple's legal victory
- A millimeter-scale, wirelessly powered cardiac device
- NASA to launch smartphone-operated nanosatellites
- Genetic link to prostate cancer risk in African Americans found
Space & Earth news
Ohio service planned for hero-astronaut Armstrong
(AP)—Lunar pioneers plan to attend a private service in Ohio for astronaut Neil Armstrong, following an event to announce a children's health fund in his honor.
Storms, drought overshadow UN climate talks
World climate change negotiators faced warnings Thursday that a string of extreme weather events around the globe show urgent action on emission cuts is needed as they opened new talks in Bangkok.
Chasing storms in space
There was probably no one looking forward to this morning with more anticipation than University of Alberta physics professor Ian Mann, when an Atlas rocket lifted a pair of NASA satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Using fertilizer wisely could help feed 9 billion people
Can the world's existing farmlands provide enough crops to satisfy the hunger of the nine billion people—up from seven billion currently—that demographers predict will be living on the planet by the mid-21st century? Or will more and more forests and other ecosystems have to be cleared to feed all the extra mouths?
Europe cereal crop harvest drops just 2.2%
The drought experienced in some parts of the world is unlikely to impact heavily on Europe's crop harvests, the European Commission said Friday in its production forecast for 2012-2013.
The Everglades still threatened by excess nutrients
Since 1985, a state agency has constructed and continues to maintain hundreds of square kilometers of wetlands built to regulate the amount of nutrients reaching the Everglades in southern Florida. But this is proving to be ineffective in controlling concentrations of phosphorous, a key nutrient, in the surface waters of the wetland, a new study by Zapata-Rios et al. shows. Historically, the Everglades have been a nutrient-poor environment, a characteristic that determines the delicate ecological balance and distinct flora and fauna in this region.
Climate: Could 'Dr. Strangelove' idea be an option?
A controversial idea to brake global warming, first floated by the father of the hydrogen bomb, is affordable and technically feasible, but its environmental impact remains unknown, a trio of US scientists say.
The radiation belt storm probes
(Phys.org)—Since the dawn of the Space Age, mission planners have tried to follow one simple but important rule: Stay out of the van Allen Belts. The two doughnut-shaped regions around Earth are filled with "killer electrons," plasma waves, and electrical currents dangerous to human space travelers and their spacecraft. Lingering is not a good idea.
Finding faults: evidence of past earthquakes
(Phys.org)—Delaware Geological Survey (DGS) scientists have uncovered hard proof of faults in northern Delaware, indicating the occurrence of earthquakes millions of years ago.
Curiosity's laser leaves its mark
Curiosity's head-mounted ChemCam did a little target practice on August 25, blasting millimeter-sized holes in a soil sample named "Beechey" in order to acquire spectrographic data from the resulting plasma glow. The neat line of holes is called a five-by-one raster, and was made from a distance of about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters).
Ice core reveals unusual decline in eastern Australian rainfall
Researchers from the ACE CRC and the Australian Antarctic Division have found evidence from ice cores of a long term decline in average annual rainfall in eastern Australia, with records revealing that rainfall since about 1920 is below the average of the past 1000 years.
PML goes to Mars: far-out thermal calibration
(Phys.org)—Sometimes the chain of measurement traceability – the unbroken series of links between a calibrated instrument and the official NIST standard – can get pretty long. But 250 million kilometers is remarkable, even for NIST.
A hot potential habitable exoplanet around Gliese 163
A new superterran exoplanet (aka Super-Earth) was found in the stellar habitable zone of the red dwarf star Gliese 163 by the European HARPS team. The planet, Gliese 163c, has a minimum mass of 6.9 Earth masses and takes nearly 26 days to orbit its star. Superterrans are those exoplanets between two and ten Earth masses, which are more likely composed of rock and water. Gliese 163 is a nearby red dwarf star 50 light years away in the Dorado constellation. Another larger planet, Gliese 163b, was also found to orbit the star much closer with a nine days period. An additional third, but unconfirmed planet, might be orbiting the star much farther away.
STAR TRAK: September 2012
Saturn will come into view about an hour after sunset in early September. At mid-northern latitudes, look for the yellow planet about 10 degrees high in the west-southwest well to the lower left (south) of the bright orange star Arcturus. Saturn will sink lower each day, and by month's end it will disappear into bright twilight an hour after sunset. It will pass behind the sun in late October, reappearing in the morning sky a few weeks later.
SOFIA to embark on new cycle of science observations
(Phys.org)—The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, a joint program between NASA and the German Aerospace Center DLR, is set to begin its first full cycle of science flights starting in November 2012 and extending through December 2013. SOFIA's Science Mission Operations Director Erick Young today announced the list of researchers who have been awarded time to study the universe with this unique infrared observatory.
Astronauts, family mourn humble hero Armstrong
(AP)—Neil Armstrong was a humble hero who saw himself as a team player and never capitalized on his celebrity as the first man to walk on the moon, mourners said Friday outside a private service attended by fellow space pioneers, including his two crewmates on the historic Apollo 11 mission.
Trade-offs between water for food and for curbing climate change
Earth's growing human population needs fresh water for drinking and food production. However, fresh water is also needed for the growth of biomass, which acts as a sink of carbon dioxide and thus could help mitigate climate change. Does the Earth have enough freshwater resources to meet these competing demands?
Low calcification in corals in the Great Barrier Reef
Reef-building coral communities in the Great Barrier Reef-the world's largest coral reef-may now be calcifying at only about half the rate that they did during the 1970s, although live coral cover may not have changed over the past 40 years, a new study finds. In recent decades, coral reefs around the world, home to large numbers of fish and other marine species, have been threatened by human activities such as pollution, overfishing, global warming, and ocean acidification; the latter affects ambient water chemistry and availability of calcium ions, which are critical for coral communities to calcify, build, and maintain reefs.
Wetlands the primary source of Amazon Basin methane
The Amazon basin is an important sink of carbon dioxide, but it is also a substantial source of atmospheric methane. Tropical wetlands, including those in the Amazon, are one of the largest sources of biogenic methane and globally represent roughly 13 percent of annual emissions of the greenhouse gas. Other sources of methane include fossil fuel or biomass burning. Through two intensive atmospheric methane sampling campaigns, Beck et al. determine the sources of Amazonian methane.
Solar storms can destabilize power grids at midlatitudes
The Sun is capable of disrupting electrical systems on Earth in a variety of ways, from solar flares and coronal mass ejections to proton storms. Typically, it is only objects far above the Earth's surface, or systems at high altitudes at polar latitudes, that are considered at risk except during the most powerful storms. Notable recent examples include solar activity during March 1989 and October 2003 (the "Halloween Storms"), which knocked out power in Quebec, Canada, and Sweden, respectively. Research by Marshall et al., however, finds that even a moderate event can have destructive effects far from the typical regions of concern.
Delivering solar geoengineering materials may be feasible and affordable
A cost analysis of the technologies needed to transport materials into the stratosphere to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth and therefore reduce the effects of global climate change has shown that they are both feasible and affordable.
Research group finds fungi spores contribute to cloud formation and rain in Amazon
(Phys.org)—An international team of researchers looking to understand the way nature originally caused cloud formation and subsequent rain to fall, have undertaken a study in the Amazon River basin, where scientists say, the air is much closer to its natural state than in other areas due to the constant influx of fresh air from over the ocean and nearly constant rainfall. There they have found, as they describe in their paper published in the journal Science, that fungi spores covered with organic gel, attract moisture leading to cloud formation and rain, which results in a form of feedback loop as the water evaporates.
How old are the first planets?
To build a planet you need lots of rubble and that means lots of heavy elements – stuff more massive than atoms of hydrogen and helium. The elemental composition of the collapsing nebula that gave birth to the Sun and the planets of the Solar System included things like iron, silicon and magnesium that form the bulk of rocky planets, and carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium and other such elements that are essential for life.
NASA to launch smartphone-operated nanosatellites
NASA is relying on a small team of engineers at its Ames Research Center at California's Moffett Field to develop three nanosatellites operated by smartphones.
Old fractures caused rare 8.6 magnitude earthquake
On 11 April 2012, an 8.6 magnitude earthquake occurred 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the coast of Sumatra. This earthquake was unusual in that it originated within the plate rather than at a plate boundary. In fact, it is the largest such earthquake in observed human history. The quake originated under the Wharton Basin in the Indian Ocean, where hundreds of kilometers of rock were under crushing tension, causing the plate to deform at its base. But this deforming zone was also absorbing tension as two plates, the Indian and Australian plates, rotated toward each other.
Earthquake hazards map study finds deadly flaws, researcher suggests improvements
(Phys.org)—Three of the largest and deadliest earthquakes in recent history occurred where earthquake hazard maps didn't predict massive quakes. A University of Missouri scientist and his colleagues recently studied the reasons for the maps' failure to forecast these quakes. They also explored ways to improve the maps. Developing better hazard maps and alerting people to their limitations could potentially save lives and money in areas such as the New Madrid, Missouri fault zone.
Technology news
Apple shoots down drone strike tracking iPhone app
The maker of an application that would alert iPhone users to US military drone strikes said Thursday that Apple has repeatedly shot down his efforts to get it into the App Store.
High-frequency multilayer inductor series with world's highest inductance value
TDK Corporation expanded its MLG0402Q series of high-frequency multilayer inductors with new types that achieve inductance values of up to 33 nH, the world's highest for a tiny 0402 inductor (EIA). With the development of these new components, the TDK MLG0402Q series now includes a total of 55 types with inductance values ranging from 0.2 nH to 33 nH, rated currents from 120 mA to 350 mA, and typical DC resistance values from 0.03 Ω to 2.71 Ω. Mass production began in August 2012.
Russia to develop naval missile defense system
(AP)—A top defense industry official reportedly says Russia plans to develop its own sea-based missile interceptor program similar to the U.S. Aegis system.
New economic electric water cooling pump for automobiles
The low cost, high efficiency electric pump offers an environmentally friendly alternative to mechanical counterparts. Aisin Seki Co., Ltd has now successfully developed a smaller, cheaper electric cooling pump through some effective efficiency optimisations.
Facebook focuses on business, not struggling stock
Even as their company has lost nearly half its market value, Facebook executives have had little to say in public about the stock. Instead, they've talked up new ad programs and launched new features, including a beefed-up version of Facebook's iPhone service, aimed at boosting their fledgling mobile business.
Cyber-crooks fool financial advisers to steal from clients
In a new twist, cyber-robbers are using ginned-up e-mail messages in attempts to con financial advisers into wiring cash out of their clients' online investment accounts.
What does smartphone war mean for innovation?
Steve Jobs didn't live to see the outcome of the bruising war that pitted his iPhone and iPad against mobile devices that use Google's Android software.
Bing adds Facebook photo search feature
Bing added a feature Thursday that lets people search through photos friends posted on Facebook.
Turning up the heat: Argonne's thermal cell facility puts vehicles to the test
(Phys.org)—Imagine having to don shades and a sun hat, then gloves and a heavy winter coat, all in the course of the same day.
Crowdsourcing breakthrough treatments for blood infections
If asked how today's toughest medical problems are being solved, most people would probably envision highly skilled physicians and scientists working countless hours with sophisticated lab equipment, not people sitting in their homes playing computer games. Yet DARPA feels the gamers of the world have something to contribute. By pooling the time of hundreds or even thousands of computer users, DARPA hopes to accelerate new research into better treatments for sepsis—an overwhelming infection of the bloodstream that affects thousands of servicemembers each year and often leads to death.
Light beams offer bright future for lighter-weight cars
(Phys.org)—Beams of light could one day replace the jumble of wires under a car bonnet, leading to lighter-weight and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Mini robot builds NPL probe
Precision engineering requires accurate measurements and these are often made using co-ordinate measuring machines, or CMMs.
Post-Fukushima meeting calls for more work on nuclear safety
A major international conference reviewing the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster in Japan in March 2011 wrapped up Friday calling for more to be done to improve nuclear safety.
Japan court rejects Apple patent claims against Samsung (Update)
A Japanese court Friday rejected Apple's claim that Samsung stole its technology, dealing a blow to the iPhone maker which last week won more than $1 billion in damages in the US from its bitter rival.
Making Web applications more efficient
Most major websites these days maintain huge databases: Shopping sites have databases of inventory and customer ratings, travel sites have databases of seat availability on flights, and social-networking sites have databases of photos and comments. Almost any transaction on any of these sites requires multiple database queries, which can slow response time.
An open platform revolutionizes biomedical-image processing
Ignacio Arganda, a young researcher from San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid) working for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the driving forces behind Fiji, an open source platform that allows for application sharing as a way of improving biomedical-image processing. Arganda explains to SINC that Fiji, which has enjoyed the voluntary collaboration of some 20 developers from all over the world, has become a de facto standard that assists laboratories and microscope companies in their development of more precise products.
Google girds for battle in wake of Apple's legal victory
Google Inc. bought ailing mobile device maker Motorola Mobility this year to stockpile patents for the war that was heating up with rival Apple Inc.
A millimeter-scale, wirelessly powered cardiac device
A team of engineers at Stanford has demonstrated the feasibility of a super-small, implantable cardiac device that gets its power not from batteries, but from radio waves transmitted from outside the body. The implanted device is contained in a cube just eight-tenths of a millimeter in radius. It could fit on the head of pin.
Rutgers team has ring prototype for touch authentication
(Phys.org)—What about using the same mobile device touchscreens used every day for direct authentication? What if your touch alone identifies you by code from the ring on your finger? A team from the WINLAB at Rutgers University has turned the what-ifs into a device that makes use of capacitive touchscreens on phones and tablets to confirm the user's identity. The device can provide an additional layer of protection alongside passwords. The device can send a few bits of data representing a password from a special battery powered ring (with flash memory) on the finger. The data is sent as tiny voltage bursts through the wearer's skin for phone-screen capture.
Physician, glove thyself: Med Sensation has exam tool (w/ Video)
(Phys.org)—An effort by two engineers and a medical student has resulted in a second glove prototype designed so that doctors can use it as enhanced data. The idea is to enable doctors to quantify touch, said Elishai Ezra, a graduate in engineering and one of the glove creators. The inventors now operate with their own company, Med Sensation. Their sensor-laden glove can perform physical examinations that can help doctors serving patients or even directly support self administering patients to find out more about their health.
Medicine & Health news
First simultaneous robotic kidney transplant, sleeve gastrectomy performed
Surgeons at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System are developing new treatment options for obese kidney patients.
Guidance to rehabilitate patients with hearing and balance problems and tinnitus
Hearing and balance-related problems are often chronic conditions which can be managed but not always cured. Now new guidance by the British Society of Audiology – devised in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research – promises to improve quality of life for patients with hearing and balance problems and tinnitus.
Hula found to be a promising cardiac rehabilitation therapy
For the first time ever, researchers have determined the metabolic equivalent for hula in a study that shows the Native Hawaiian dance form can be an effective and engaging cardiac rehabilitation therapy.
Too much protein HUWE1 causes intellectual disability
Two to three percent of the children are born with an intellectual disability. Possibly by a genetic defect, but in 80% of these cases, we do not know – yet - which genes are responsible. VIB researchers at KU Leuven show that increased production of the HUWE1 protein is the cause in some patients.
Therapies for spinal cord injury: On the cutting edge of clinical translation
The Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS) Publishing Group is proud to announce publication of the NACTN/AOSNA Focus Issue on Spinal Cord Injury, a supplement to the September issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, which is sponsored by AOSpine North America available in print and online.
Has osteoporosis treatment failed when a fracture occurs?
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has published practical guidelines to assist clinicians in assessing treatment efficacy in patients who experience a fracture while on medication for osteoporosis.
Mobile apps for diabetes present usability issues for older adults
Diabetes is prevalent among adults aged 65 and older and can lead to a number of other serious health issues. Maintaining control of blood glucose levels is one of the most important actions diabetics can take to control their illness. New technology is designed to make self-monitoring easier and more accessible than ever before, but often tech products fail to accommodate some older users. Human factors/ergonomics researchers Laura A. Whitlock and Anne Collins McLaughlin evaluated the usability issues that older adults may experience with one type of emerging technology, blood-glucose-tracking applications for mobile devices, and will present their findings at the upcoming HFES 56th Annual Meeting in Boston.
Healthy living into old age can add up to 6 years to your life
Living a healthy lifestyle into old age can add five years to women's lives and six years to men's, finds a study from Sweden published in the British Medical Journal today.
Kidney stones linked with small increased risk of later kidney problems
Kidney stones are associated with a small but significant increased risk of developing more serious kidney problems later in life, suggests a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
West Nile deaths in US mount, one dead in Maryland
The West Nile virus, responsible for more than 60 deaths in the United States so far this year, has now claimed its first victim in the eastern state of Maryland, state health officials said Thursday.
How gene profiling in emphysema is helping to find a cure
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is thought to affect almost three million people in the UK. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Medicine has identified genes whose activity is altered with increasing lung damage and, using a database of drug effects on gene activity (the Connectivity Map), finds that the compound Gly-His-Lys (GHK) affects the activity of these genes. When tested on human cells from lungs damaged by emphysema, GHK was able to restore normal gene activity and repair cell function.
More Yosemite tourists infected with deadly virus
Six visitors to California's famous Yosemite National Park have now been infected with a rare rodent-born virus, two of whom have died, officials said Thursday, in an update on the outbreak.
Genetic observation reveals a bone-weakening mechanism
(Medical Xpress)—An EPFL research team has used a novel method to identify a gene involved in bone building. Their results appear today in the advance online edition of the scientific journal Cell.
Judge weight and time worn to minimize backpack pain
(Medical Xpress)—As students of all ages load up their backpacks for the school year, they may be on their way to creating bad posture habits and increasing their risk for pain.
Eating your fruits and veggies
(Medical Xpress)—Teenagers in general are relatively unhealthy eaters. But minority teens in particular have higher rates of obesity and eat far fewer fruits and vegetables.
When prompted, fathers will talk with their kids about delaying sexual activity
Although mothers are usually the ones who have "the birds and the bees" talks with their children, with targeted prompting and guidance, fathers will also step up to the plate. That's the finding of a study in the American Journal of Health Promotion that analyzed mothers' and fathers' responses to a public health campaign about the benefits of having parent-child talks about delaying sexual activity.
Breathable treatment to help prevent asthma attacks
Details of a treatment that could help asthmatics fight infections that trigger 80% of asthma attacks, developed by University of Southampton spin-out company Synairgen, will be presented to European respiratory experts on Sunday 2 September.
Danish scientists solve old blood mystery
Scientists at the research centre MEMBRANES at Aarhus University, Denmark, have completed an old puzzle, which since the 60s from many sides has been regarded as impossible to complete. The challenge was to solve the structure of the protecting protein complex that forms when haemoglobin is released from red cells and becomes toxic. This toxic release of haemoglobin occurs in many diseases affecting red cell stability, e.g. malaria.
Immune system protein could explain pancreatitis
It is likely that the protein is also highly significant for other inflammatory diseases.
Researchers study use of MRI in osteoarthritis
A study conducted by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected a high prevalence of abnormalities associated with knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged and elderly patients that had no evidence of knee osteoarthritis in X-ray images.
Researchers investigating potential drug for treatement of Alzheimer's disease
A compound developed to treat neuropathic pain has shown potential as an innovative treatment for Alzheimer's disease, according to a study by researchers at Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute and Anesthesiology Institute.
Fear and driving opportunity motivated changes in driving behavior after 9/11
such as a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, or market collapse – often strikes twice. There is the damage caused by the event itself, as lives are lost or left in ruin. But there is also the second act, catalyzed by our response to the catastrophic event. This second act has the potential to cause just as much damage as the first.
Research yields two 'firsts' regarding protein crucial to human cardiac function
Florida State University researchers led by physics doctoral student Campion Loong have achieved significant benchmarks in a study of the human cardiac protein alpha-tropomyosin, which is an essential, molecular-level component that controls the heart's contraction on every beat.
Researchers say adolescent smoking prevention programs still critical
While many might see the case for programs to prevent adolescent cigarette smoking as already made, a pair of Wayne State University researchers believes that due to increasingly challenging economic times, policymakers need to be reminded to continue allocating funding for such programs.
Colpocleisis deemed safe for advanced pelvic organ prolapse
(HealthDay)—Colpocleisis is a safe and effective treatment for advanced pelvic organ prolapse; however, urinary frequency and urgency often persist after the procedure, according to research published in the September issue of Urology.
New treatment available for repeated occlusion of arteries
(HealthDay)—A new endovascular brachytherapy (EVBT) procedure using liquid beta-emitting rhenium-188 (Re-188) is safe and effective in preventing restenosis in people with long-segment femoropopliteal in-stent stenosis (ISS), according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of Endovascular Therapy.
German drug firm makes 1st apology for thalidomide
(AP)—The German manufacturer of a notorious drug that caused thousands of babies to be born with shortened arms and legs, or no limbs at all, issued its first ever apology Friday—50 years after pulling the drug off the market.
Intervention helps children with sickle cell disease complete MRI tests without sedation
Sitting still is tough for children, which makes MRI scans a challenge. The scans require that patients remain motionless for extended periods. Findings from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital showed that a brief, targeted intervention dramatically increases the likelihood that children as young as 5 years old will be able to undergo testing without sedation.
Cellphones AIDS tests studied in S.Africa, S.Korea
South African and South Korean researchers are working on making a smartphone capable of doing AIDS tests in rural parts of Africa that are the worst hit by the disease, a researcher said Friday.
Walking's benefits go beyond exercise
More Americans are going for a walk, a promising trend to help fight obesity and improve overall health, according to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Study looks at efforts to improve local food systems through policy
(Medical Xpress)—Communities attempting to improve their local food system are increasingly creating food policy councils as an important tool in that effort, but little research has been done into how those councils are functioning.
New prep for colon screen uses four pills, not liquid laxative
(HealthDay)—Prepping for a "virtual colonoscopy" at the Mayo Clinic now only involves swallowing four cleansing tablets, rather than the large amounts of liquid laxative typically required, researchers report.
Traumatic childhood may increase the risk of drug addiction: study
Previous research has shown that personality traits such as impulsivity or compulsiveness are indicators of an increased risk of addiction. Now, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests that these impulsive and compulsive personality traits are also associated with a traumatic upbringing during childhood. The study was published today, 31 August, in the journal American Journal Psychiatry.
Affluent people less likely to reach out to others in times of chaos, study suggests
(Medical Xpress)—Crises are said to bring people closer together. But a new study from UC Berkeley suggests that while the have-nots reach out to one another in times of trouble, the wealthy are more apt to find comfort in material possessions.
Genetic link to prostate cancer risk in African Americans found
Prostate cancer in African-American men is associated with specific changes in the IL-16 gene, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.
Researchers ID chemical in cigarette smoke linked to lowered levels of 'good' cholesterol
(Medical Xpress)—Cigarette smoking's association with heart disease has been known for decades, but researchers are still not certain what chemicals or molecular processes in the body form the basis of that link. Now University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville researchers have unlocked some of the specifics, finding that a toxic compound in cigarette smoke called benzo(a)pyrene slows the production of "good" cholesterol, also known as high-density lipoprotein, or HDL.
Biology news
Researchers launch new 'Rust-Tracker' to monitor deadly wheat fungus in 27 nations
The world's top wheat experts today reported a breakthrough in their ability to track Ug99 and related strains of a deadly and rapidly mutating wheat pathogen called stem rust that threatens wheat fields from East Africa to South Asia. With data submitted by farmers and scientists from fields and laboratories, the creators of the "Rust-Tracker" say they now can monitor an unprecedented 42 million hectares of wheat in 27 developing countries in the path of a windborne disease so virulent it could quickly turn a healthy field of wheat into a black mass of twisted stems and dried-up grains.
Surgery allows blind orangutan to see her babies
(AP)—A formerly blind Sumatran orangutan can see her baby twins for the first time after undergoing cataract surgery in the first such operation in Indonesia.
New edition of plant identification software released
A pair of researchers from the College of Natural Resources and Environment recently released the third edition of Woody Plants in North America, an interactive multimedia tutorial for woody plant identification. The DVD-based program contains a staggering 23,000 photographs and includes information on 920 native and ornamental plants.
Researchers investigate natural compounds in cranberries
(Phys.org)—Cranberries are already known to be rich in fiber, and to provide vitamin C and potassium, both of which are essential nutrients. But the tart, colorful berries are also a source of natural compounds known as polyphenols. These compounds have been the focus of a series of studies by former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chemist Ronald L. Prior and his colleagues.
No more sneezing, allergen free house plants
New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Plant Biology shows how targeting two bacterial genes into an ornamental plant (Pelargonium), can produce long-lived and pollen-free plants.
Devil disease is immortal, new study finds
(Phys.org)—The outlook for Tasmanian devils appears even worse following breakthrough research by the University of Sydney published in PLoS One, today.
Invertebrates on the brink
One fifth of the world's invertebrates may be heading for extinction according to 'Spineless', a report published today (Friday 31st) by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), in conjunction with IUCN and the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
Embryo transfer results in healthy purebred Yellowstone bison calf
Yellowstone National Park has two of the last remaining large herds of pure-bred bison in North America, but moving them out of the park to reproduce has been tough with public concerns over their widespread exposure to disease.
UK summers see moth population boom
(Phys.org)—Moths that spend their summers in the UK experience a population explosion with numbers increasing fourfold, a new study suggests, findings that are changing how we view insect migration.
'Flip-flop' switch discovered behind key cellular process
(Phys.org)—For organisms to grow and develop, they must produce tissues with distinct functions, each one made up of similar cells. These different tissues are derived from stem cells. How stem cells divide to create new cell types is known as asymmetric cell division, and is obviously crucial to the overall development of the organism. In plants, whose cells cannot migrate, the location where a stem cell undergoes asymmetric cell division must also be crucial to ensuring tissues develop in the correct place.
Researchers demonstrate how 'interfering' RNA can block bacterial evolution
(Phys.org)—Bacteria may be simple creatures, but unlike "higher" organisms they have a neat evolutionary trick. When the going gets tough, they can simply pick up and incorporate a loose bit of genetic material from their environment. It's instant evolution, no time-consuming mutations required. This process, known as horizontal gene transfer, is an important reason why nasty bacteria like pneumococci are often able to evade immune system attacks and antibiotic drugs.
The role of H3K9 in bringing order to the nucleus
(Phys.org)—Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have elucidated the histone modifications that lead to the sequestration of silent genes at the nuclear periphery. In a study published in the latest issue of Cell they show that at least two levels of histone H3 lysine 9 methylation trigger the anchoring of heterochromatin to the nuclear envelope.
Researchers find a protein that helps DNA repair in aging cells
(Phys.org)—Scientists have long wondered why cells lose their ability to repair themselves as they age. New research by scientists at the University of Rochester has uncovered two intriguing clues.
Small male fish use high aggression strategy
(Phys.org)—In the deserts of central Australia lives a tough little fish known as the desert goby, and a new study is shedding light on the aggressive mating behaviour of smaller nest-holding males.
High-Tech fishing net finalist for Dyson Award
(Phys.org)—Dan Watson, a Glasgow School of Art graduate, has won the UK leg of the James Dyson award for his innovative fishing net rings that light up and guide smaller fish through nets meant for larger prey. Called SafetyNet, the rings prevent smaller fish being thrown back dead into the sea after being culled. He along with seventeen other finalists will vie for the prestigious grand prize which will be announced November 8.
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