Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 1, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers boost silicon-based batteries- Brain may 'see' more than the eyes, study indicates
- Fermi telescope measures cosmic 'fog' produced by ancient starlight
- Using laser beams, scientists generate quantum matter with novel, crystal-like properties
- Ex-MIT company rethinks power-feasting amplifiers
- Sitting still or going hunting: Which works better?
- An elephant that speaks Korean (w/ Video)
- Review: Microsoft's Surface tablet no iPad, but better than other rivals
- Researchers find that gene related to germ cell formation is far older than first thought
- Researchers create 'endless supply' of myelin-forming cells
- Why are so many fairy-wrens blue?
- Stem cell study: Male fertility can be restored after cancer treatment
- Gene required for nerve regeneration identified
- New technique enables high-sensitivity view of cellular functions
- 'One real mystery of quantum mechanics': Physicists devise new experiment
Space & Earth news
Buildings key to beating earthquakes
Strong buildings in earthquake zones are by the best form of defence against tremors, University of Edinburgh expert says.
Dark matter is focus of global contest
University astronomers are inviting people around the world to help solve one of science's enduring mysteries.
Healthy groundwater ecosystems essential for clean groundwater
Underneath our feet, below the Earth's surface invisible to us, but vital for our needs is groundwater. It is a major source of drinking water in Europe and plays an important role in several aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In Germany alone groundwater accounts for two thirds of drinking water. Groundwater however is not lifeless, it contains at least 2 000 known species and numerous microorganisms which help to clean the groundwater and improve the quality of drinking water. Despite its importance, both to us and the ecosystem as a whole, its protection has not yet been established in law. The study was presented in Nature Scientific Reports.
Anthropocene continues to spark scientific debate
How have humans influenced Earth? Can geoscientists measure when human impacts began overtaking those of Earth's other inhabitants and that of the natural Earth system? Responding to increasing scientific recognition that humans have become the foremost agent of change at Earth's surface, organizers of this GSA technical session have brought together speakers and poster presentations from a variety of sources in order to answer these questions and define the "Geomorphology of the Anthropocene."
Scientists launch international study of open-fire cooking and air quality
Expanding its focus on the link between the atmosphere and human health, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is launching a three-year, international study into the impact of open-fire cooking on regional air quality and disease.
Last US shuttle's retirement means job losses
(AP)—Space shuttle Atlantis isn't going far to its retirement home. Early Friday, it will move just 10 miles (16 kilometers) to Kennedy Space Center's main tourist stop to be put on display in Florida.
Scientists look at climate change, the superstorm
Climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer stood along the Hudson River and watched his research come to life as Hurricane Sandy blew through New York.
Poles unearth rare 300-kilo meteorite, largest in Eastern Europe
Polish geologists have unearthed the largest meteorite ever found in Eastern Europe and are hoping the rare find will provide fresh clues about the composition of the Earth's inner core, they said Wednesday.
Scientist taking infrared laser look at forests
The old adage "you can't see the forest for the trees" might mean more to Dr. Sorin Popescu than most people.
A ghost in Cepheus
Described as a "dusty curtain" or "ghostly apparition," mysterious reflection nebula VdB 152 really is very faint. Far from your neighborhood on this Halloween Night, the cosmic phantom is nearly 1,400 light-years away.
Warmer climates don't necessarily mean more fertile soils, study says
(Phys.org)—Warmer climates won't necessarily speed the return of nitrogen to soils as scientists once thought, according to a Purdue University study.
Carbon tracking and climate models: Researchers study carbon cycling in deciduous trees
(Phys.org)—Using dogwood trees, scientists are gaining a better understanding of the role photosynthesis and respiration play in the atmospheric carbon dioxide cycle. Their findings will aid computer modelers in improving the accuracy of climate simulations.
3Qs: With Sandy, climate change 'loads the dice'
Though it's difficult to tie a specific storm like Hurricane Sandy to the phenomenon of climate change, Auroop Ganguly, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern, says "It is becoming increasingly harder to ignore the empirical evidence" that human-influenced climate change affects the weather.
Nereidum Montes helps unlock Mars' glacial past
(Phys.org)—On 6 June, the high-resolution stereo camera on ESA's Mars Express revisited the Argyre basin as featured in our October release, but this time aiming at Nereidum Montes, some 380 km northeast of Hooke crater.
Mighty Eagle scores longest, highest flight yet
(Phys.org)—The "Mighty Eagle," a NASA robotic prototype lander, reached its highest altitude and velocity—and longest duration—on Oct. 25 when it soared to a height of more than 150 feet during a flight that lasted about 45 seconds.
Why seas are rising ahead of predictions
Sea levels are rising faster than expected from global warming, and University of Colorado geologist Bill Hay has a good idea why. The last official IPCC report in 2007 projected a global sea level rise between 0.2 and 0.5 meters by the year 2100. But current sea-level rise measurements meet or exceed the high end of that range and suggest a rise of one meter or more by the end of the century.
NASA adds up Hurricane Sandy's rainfall from space
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, or TRMM, satellite acts as a rain gauge in space as it orbits the Earth's tropics. As TRMM flew over Hurricane Sandy since its birth on Oct. 21 it was gathering data that has now been mapped to show how much rain the storm dropped along the U.S. eastern seaboard.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Rosa's rains southeast of center
Wind shear is pushing the bulk of Tropical Storm Rosa southeast of the storm's center, and that's evident on infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite. Meanwhile System 99E, that was trailing behind Rosa on Oct. 31, has now "given up the ghost" as a result of that same wind shear.
Satellite captures Hurricane Sandy's Mid-Atlantic blackout
The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite captured a night-time view of New York City, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania that revealed the extent of the power outages caused from Hurricane Sandy's landfall on October 29. Suomi NPP is a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Department of Defense.
NASA sees Tropical Depression Nilam blanket southern India
After Tropical Cyclone Nilam made landfall in southeastern India NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead and saw the storm's clouds blanket the entire southern portion of the country from Chennai southward.
FOXSI: A next-generation X-ray telescope ready to fly
Those who watch the sun are regularly treated to brilliant shows – dancing loops of solar material rise up, dark magnetic regions called sunspots twist across the surface, and dazzling flares of light and radiation explode into space. But there are smaller, barely visible events, too: much smaller and more frequent eruptions called nanoflares. Depending on how many and how energetic these are, nanoflares may be the missing piece of the puzzle to help understand what seeds the cascade that causes a much bigger flare, or to explain how the sun transfers so much energy to its atmosphere that it's actually hotter than the surface.
International study suggests a massive black hole exists in the Sword of Orion
(Phys.org)—An international team of astrophysicists, including UQ's Dr Holger Baumgardt, has shed light on the long-standing mystery of the binding force behind a cluster of unruly and rapidly swirling stars located in the famous Sword of Orion.
Distant super-luminous supernovae found
(Phys.org)—Two 'super-luminous' supernovae - stellar explosions 10 to 100 times brighter than other supernova types - have been detected in the distant Universe.
Cassini Halloween treat: Titan glows in the dark
(Phys.org)—A literal shot in the dark by imaging cameras on NASA's Cassini spacecraft has yielded an image of a visible glow from Titan, emanating not just from the top of Titan's atmosphere, but also - surprisingly - from deep in the atmosphere through the moon's haze. A person in a balloon in Titan's haze layer wouldn't see the glow because it's too faint - something like a millionth of a watt. Scientists were able to detect it with Cassini because the spacecraft's cameras are able to take long-exposure images.
Astronauts take spacewalk to find ammonia leak (Update 2)
(AP)—Two spacewalking astronauts worked on a leaky radiator system outside the International Space Station on Thursday, just hours after barely dodging a menacing piece of orbiting junk.
Asteroid belts of just the right size are friendly to life
(Phys.org)—Solar systems with life-bearing planets may be rare if they are dependent on the presence of asteroid belts of just the right mass, according to a study by Rebecca Martin, a NASA Sagan Fellow from the University of Colorado in Boulder, and astronomer Mario Livio of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md.
Fermi telescope measures cosmic 'fog' produced by ancient starlight
(Phys.org)—Astronomers using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have made the most accurate measurement of starlight in the universe and used it to establish the total amount of light from all of the stars that have ever shone, accomplishing a primary mission goal.
Technology news
Americans take to social media to help post-Sandy
As Americans reeled from the aftermath of superstorm Sandy Wednesday, they took to tweeting, posting and crowdsourcing to mobilize much-needed aid and help those left without power or food.
US newspapers gain online, but print lags
US daily newspapers gained online readers over the past six months, but not enough to make up for declining print circulation, industry data showed Tuesday.
Megaupload boss plans relaunch on raid anniversary
Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom Thursday revealed plans to relaunch his file-sharing empire in January on the anniversary of his arrest in New Zealand on online piracy charges.
NIST provides draft guidelines to secure mobile devices
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published draft guidelines that outline the baseline security technologies mobile devices should include to protect the information they handle. Smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices, whether personal or "organization-issued," are increasingly used in business and government. NIST's goal in issuing the new guidelines is to accelerate industry efforts to implement these technologies for more cyber-secure mobile devices.
Farmbook: An app to re-empower farmers
A cell phone application enables Indian farmers to better negotiate the sale of their harvests. Farmbook is designed for use by this population segment, where illiteracy is very common.
Joint carbon nanotube memory program for high-density, next-generation memory below 20nm launched
Imec, a world-leading research institution in nanoelectronics and Nantero, Inc., a nanotechnology company using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the development of next-generation semiconductor devices, have announced a joint development program. The collaboration will focus on the carbon-nanotube-based memory developed by Nantero, NRAM, and its application in high-density next-generation memories with a size under 20nm. NRAM arrays will be manufactured, tested and characterized in imec's advanced nanoelectronics facilities.
Wipro hives off non-IT businesses, stock gains
(AP)—India's Wipro will separate its core information technology business from its consumer care and lighting, infrastructure engineering and medical diagnostics businesses, the company said Thursday.
Transport solutions for the future of the economy and environment
Traffic congestion is a serious problem. According to a recent study conducted by INRIX Europe, Belgium is the worst country in Europe for congestion, with motorists spending 55 hours a year in traffic jams, followed by Holland (50 hours) and Italy (29 hours). It is estimated that by 2050 the world's roads could see 4 billion vehicles: four times today's figure.
Seattle: Living Computer Museum not just for geeks
(AP)—For tourists with an interest in Seattle's role as a high-tech hub, there hasn't been much here to see, other than driving over to Microsoft headquarters in suburban Redmond to take pictures of a bunch of boring buildings.
Silicon Valley's heart with Obama but eyes stray
Silicon Valley is of two minds regarding who should be the next president of the United States.
Japan kicks off winter energy-saving campaign
Japan began imploring people to wrap up for its "warmbiz" winter energy-saving campaign on Thursday, despite Tokyo basking in warm sunshine.
James Murdoch easily re-elected to BSkyB board
(AP)—James Murdoch has been re-elected to the board of British Sky Broadcasting with little opposition.
A definitive digital guide to the US elections
A selection of websites, Twitter accounts, blogs and mobile apps to follow or use as the US presidential campaign enters its final stages ahead of the November 6 vote.
Britain gets first 4G mobile services
Britain's first super-fast 4G mobile Internet service was launched in 11 cities on Tuesday, allowing the kingdom to catch up with the global roll-out.
US Homeland Security sued for drone details
The Electronic Frontier Foundation said Wednesday it has sued the US Department of Homeland Security to obtain details about Predator drones on loan to domestic police departments.
Sony reduces loss on sales recovery, restructuring (Update)
(AP)—Sony Corp. reported Thursday a smaller flow of red ink for the fiscal second quarter on a sales recovery and restructuring efforts and stuck to its full year forecast for a return to profit from its worst loss in company history the previous year.
China launches probe of European solar silicon
China announced an anti-dumping probe Thursday of European exports of polysilicon used in making solar panels, adding to a flurry of trade disputes with the European Union and the United States.
EU introduces new road safety rules
European roads should be safer from Thursday when a whole slew of new safety rules come into force, part of efforts to cut auto accident deaths by 50 percent by 2020.
Wireless networks and security expert develops app to improve driving
You are driving along the interstate when your foot depresses the gas pedal. Almost immediately, a disembodied female voice from the smart phone on the center console beside you warns: "Sudden accelerate. Sudden accelerate. Sudden accelerate."
Looking for information? 'Data glasses' may be all you need
Putting on a pair of novel data glasses with an OLED microdisplay allows you to see not only the real world, but also a wealth of virtual information. Imagine looking through a repair manual; the trick here is that you turn the pages using just your eyes.
Dealing with power outages more efficiently
When there is a power failure, the utility companies, public officials and emergency services must work together quickly. Researchers have created a new planning software product that enables all participants to be better prepared for emergency situations.
New intracranial sensor serves to measure cerebral pressure
An increase in cerebral pressure may cause dementia and could destroy the brain. Companies have been seeking to find monitoring sensors that can be implanted into the brain, and read from outside the body. A tiny sensor may provide the help needed.
Production of fiber reinforced plastic components without release agents
Up to now, releasing components from molds has called for release agents. The problem is that the residues of these agents left behind must then be costly removed. Now, there is an alternative: a specially coated release film that leaves no residues.
Researchers use stunt kites to generate energy
It may seem as though the German plains are all but tapped out when it comes to wind energy production. To refute this theory researchers are sending stunt kites into the skies to harness the wind and convert the kinetic energy generated into electricity.
Bulletin: German nuclear exit delivers economic, environmental benefits
Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, the German government took the nation's eight oldest reactors offline immediately and passed legislation that will close the last nuclear power plant by 2022. This nuclear phase-out had overwhelming political support in Germany. Elsewhere, many saw it as "panic politics," and the online business magazine Forbes.com went as far as to ask, in a headline, whether the decision was "Insane—or Just Plain Stupid."
$100M pledged to US-Israeli electric car venture
U.S.-Israeli electric car venture Better Place says investors have pledged it $100 million in additional financing.
Researchers propose new building guidelines to clean up city air
As urban populations expand, downtown buildings are going nowhere but up. The huge energy needs of these skyscrapers mean that these towers are not only office buildings, they're polluters with smokestacks billowing out toxins from the rooftop. Our cities are dirtier than we think. New research from Concordia University just might clean them up.
US stolen phone database in operation
US mobile carriers began implementing a system this week to block the use of stolen mobile phones, part of an effort to curb rising thefts of smartphones such as the iPhone.
Russia puts first sites on new Internet blacklist
Russia on Thursday put into force a new law on the Internet that allows the government to block websites with banned content, prompting fears that it will be used to suppress free speech.
UK: Apple must apologize again over copycat claims
British judges say Apple needs to apologize once more for falsely claiming that South Korea's Samsung copied its iPad, the latest embarrassing episode in the tech rivals' world-spanning patent battle.
LinkedIn 3Q results sail past expectations
LinkedIn Corp. outpaced Wall Street's expectations with its third-quarter results, solidifying its status as an investor favorite at a time when other Internet companies have fallen from grace.
Maine firm sues Microsoft over Windows 8 elements
A small technology company based in Portland, Maine, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Microsoft over elements included in Windows 8.
Zynga builds new version of social game 'CityVille'
Zynga on Thursday launched a 3-D version of "CityVille," adding a new dimension as well as a mystery storyline in a sequel to the online social game.
FCC: Fresh fuel critical for storm-hit cell towers
(AP)—Federal regulators say wireless networks are inching back into operation in areas hit by Sandy, as carriers struggle to replenish diesel tanks at backup generators.
Research team turns real paper into changeable display medium
(Phys.org)—Researchers at the University of Tokyo's Naemura Group have succeeded in creating a changeable display medium using paper coated with a photo chromatic material. The system allows for drawing on paper using a pen that applies Frixion's friction thermo sensitive ink which becomes transparent when heated. The images created are captured by a camera and are sent in real time to a computer which can be used to alter the image. Erasing parts of the drawing are caused to occur on the paper by projecting light heat onto it from below. The resultant system allows for drawing images that can be changed automatically, such as having areas fill in, parts being removed or highlighted or even reproduced elsewhere on the paper. The research group calls their system a new kind of paper computing technology.
Predicting what topics will trend on Twitter
Twitter's home page features a regularly updated list of topics that are "trending," meaning that tweets about them have suddenly exploded in volume. A position on the list is highly coveted as a source of free publicity, but the selection of topics is automatic, based on a proprietary algorithm that factors in both the number of tweets and recent increases in that number.
Ex-MIT company rethinks power-feasting amplifiers
(Phys.org)—Technologists generally agree that power amplifiers have proven to be inefficient pieces of hardware. Turning electricity into radio signals, they eat into the battery life of smartphones and they waste power. One may find that a cellular phone cannot stream live video without running down the battery in minutes. Now a team of engineers have come up with an alternative amplifier technology that can extend smartphone battery life. Eta Devices, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an office in Stockholm, and cofounded by two MIT electrical engineering professors, Joel Dawson and David Perreault, offers a new amplifier design. The result is described in Technology Review as a "blazingly fast electronic gearbox." The engineers call their approach "asymmetric multilevel outphasing (AMO)." It is able to "intelligently" select, among voltages that can be sent across the transistor, the one that minimizes power consumption.
Medicine & Health news
Officials debate whether to scrap malaria program
The future of a pricey malaria program meant to provide cheap drugs for poor patients may be in jeopardy after health officials clashed over its effectiveness in two new reports.
World experts enlist to help Malaysia mitigate problem of poorer nutrition as incomes rise
With health problems like obesity and diabetes on the rise due to changing diets in emerging economies, Malaysia is forging new linkages between domestic and international scientists and institutions in hopes of mitigating the problem.
GlaxoSmithKline says Q3 net profits drop 18.5%
British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline said Wednesday that third-quarter net profits fell 18.5 percent from a year earlier to £1.12 billion ($1.80 billion, 1.39 billion euros), hit by weak conditions in Europe.
Yellow fever kills 32 in Sudan's Darfur: ministry
Mosquito-born yellow fever has killed 32 people in Sudan's conflict-plagued Darfur region this month, the health ministry said in a statement obtained by AFP on Wednesday.
Dementia patients need urgent support after diagnosis
There is an urgent need for support from outside the family after diagnosis of dementia according to a study led by researchers from the University of Hertfordshire.
Silicone dressings reduce painful skin reactions following radiation for breast cancer, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Skin reactions following radiation therapy for breast cancer have been the focus of a recent clinical trial conducted by Dr Patries Herst from the Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Otago, Wellington and a team of radiation therapists in public hospitals in Dunedin, Wellington and Palmerston North and Auckland Radiation Oncology.
Hobby Lobby asks judge to block health care law
(AP)—An arts and craft supply company says part of the new federal health care law should be blocked because it requires coverage for morning-after and week-after birth control pills.
Pfizer 3Q profit falls 14 pct on generic Lipitor (Update)
(AP)—Drug giant Pfizer Inc. said Thursday that its third-quarter profit fell 14 percent as sales plunged, mainly due to U.S. generic competition to cholesterol fighter Lipitor, long the world's top-selling drug.
Gauging the accuracy of breast cancer biomarker tests
A team led by David Rimm, professor of pathology at Yale School of Medicine, investigated protein expression in breast tissue biomarkers to determine whether the time from tissue removal to fixation in preservative can affect the accuracy of testing for cancer.
Report explores health care reform and U.S. election
As part of a collaboration between Yale and the London School of Economics (LSE), Zack Cooper, assistant professor of health policy and economics at Yale, has distilled the complexities of U.S. health care reform into a report designed to be accessible to a general audience.
Helping lung cancer sufferers self-manage breathlessness
(Medical Xpress)—Breathlessness is one of the most distressing symptoms of lung cancer for both the patients and their carers, but QUT researchers are developing techniques to help patients effectively manage it themselves, and help ease their fear and anxiety.
Acupuncture may relieve dry mouth, study finds
Patients diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck are treated with radiation, which damages their salivary glands, and in turn causes xerostomia, what experts call dry mouth. New research from the United Kingdom suggests that this unpleasant symptom can be relieved through the use of acupuncture. The finding was presented in the journal Annals of Oncology.
Weight can melt off when eating low-calorie frozen meals, fruits and vegetables, research finds
Improving health can be as easy as opening the freezer door. "Save time, save money, boost nutrition and control portions by eating low-calorie, frozen foods," advises Jessica Bartfield, MD, internal medicine.
Sleep problems cost billions
Insomnia and sleep apnoea are turning us into major health service consumers, causing us to be less productive at work, and may even lead to serious accidents.
A glimpse into neurosurgical risk prevention and the surgical checklist
The November issue of Neurosurgical Focus is dedicated to lessening the number and severity of adverse events surrounding neurosurgical intervention for a variety of disorders. Guest editors Alexander Khalessi (University of California, San Diego), James Forrest Calland (University of Virginia), Gabriel Zada (University of Southern California), and Michael Y. Wang (University of Miami Health System) selected 16 articles on systems-based quality improvement for neurosurgical procedures.
African American women with HIV/HCV less likely to die from liver disease
A new study shows that African American women coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are less likely to die from liver disease than Caucasian or Hispanic women. Findings in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, indicate that lower liver-related mortality in African American women was independent of other causes of death.
HJF works with global team to develop equine vaccine against deadly hendra virus
The technology used to develop a new vaccine as an aid in the prevention of clinical disease caused by Hendra virus in horses has been licensed from The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) by Pfizer Animal Health, a multinational animal health company with expertise in the discovery, development and manufacturing of innovative vaccines. The new vaccine, called Equivac HeV, is now available for use in Australia. The vaccine's availability was announced today during a news conference held by Pfizer Animal Health in Brisbane, Australia.
Fascia lata can substitute for nasal lining in reconstruction
(HealthDay)—Fascia lata, which is a thin, pliable, and vascularized tissue, can be effectively used as a substitute for nasal lining in complex total and subtotal nasal reconstruction procedures, according to a case series published online Oct. 29 in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Meningitis outbreak toll: 386 cases
An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled.
Living donors fare well following liver transplantation
Researchers in Japan report that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for donors following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was better than the general Japanese population (the norm). This study—one of the largest to date—found that donors who developed two or more medical problems (co-morbidities) after donation had significantly decreased long-term HRQOL. Full findings are published in the November issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
George Mason University researchers target breast cancer in three trials
A malarial drug is showing promise in stopping breast cancer before it starts, Mason researchers are discovering during a clinical trial.
Health of kidney disease patients: Diet and blood pressure
Three studies presented during the American Society of Nephrology's Annual Kidney Week provide new information on diet and blood pressure in kidney disease patients.
Man with bionic leg to climb Chicago skyscraper
(AP)—Zac Vawter considers himself a test pilot. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping to test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts.
Switzerland, Canada lift ban on Novartis flu vaccine
Swiss and Canadian health authorities on Wednesday lifted a ban on sales of flu vaccines made by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis after determining they were safe and efficient.
More evidence needed to support use of autism interventions
Interventions designed to improve core deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders are supported by varying levels of evidence, highlighting the need for well-designed studies to better evaluate the interventions, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
The cost of prescription drugs—a comparison of two countries
In the United States, the cost paid for statins (drugs to lower cholesterol) in people under the age of 65 who have private insurance continues to exceed comparable costs paid by the government in the United Kingdom (U.K.) by more than three fold. These results from Boston University's Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, are a follow up of an ongoing comparison of prescription drug costs between the U.S. and U.K. The initial results reported on relative drug costs in 2005. The current updated results for 2009 appear this week in the journal Pharmacotherapy.
Use of antipsychotic drugs improves life expectancy for individuals with schizophrenia
Results of a Johns Hopkins study suggest that individuals with schizophrenia are significantly more likely to live longer if they take their antipsychotic drugs on schedule, avoid extremely high doses and also regularly see a mental health professional.
Repeated surgeries appear to extend life of patients with deadliest of brain cancers
People who undergo repeated surgeries to remove glioblastomas—the most aggressive and deadliest type of brain tumors—may survive longer than those who have just a one-time operation, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
'World-first' surgery gives Australian boy new hope
Australian doctors Thursday hailed what they described as a world-first surgical treatment for a boy suffering from a rare disease that sends his blood pressure soaring and triggered a stroke.
Immunobiological functioning of toll-receptors revealed
The puzzle about the ancestral function of toll-receptors has been solved. For more than 25 years, researchers from medicine and biology have been studying toll-receptors, revealing functions in immune defence on the one hand and developmental biology on the other. A research team from Kiel University (Germany) is now reporting that toll-receptors have primarily served to identify germs and to control bacterial colonisation of organisms – typical immune defence functions. The study was now published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and has implications for human medical research.
Novel drug may stop eye disease
(Medical Xpress)—A new drug developed by researchers from Flinders University, in partnership with collaborators in Melbourne, could hold the key to better treatment of some blinding eye diseases.
Everyday drugs could combat dementia, according to major study
(Medical Xpress)—Medications used to treat hypertension, diabetes and skin conditions could be doubling as treatments for Alzheimer's within 10 years according to researchers. A groundbreaking new study funded by Alzheimer's Society and led by King's College London identifies four existing drugs and one drug class which could reduce risk or slow down symptoms of the disease. The study, published in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery today forms a key part of ongoing drug discovery work which aims to accelerate the search for a cure and drugs for dementia by looking at existing treatments.
Interaction of genes and environment influences obesity in children
(Medical Xpress)—Neither genes nor the environment alone can predict obesity in children, but when considered together a strong relationship emerges, according to researchers at Penn State, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The researchers found that children who have a genetic variant that makes them less sensitive to the taste of certain bitter compounds, also called "non-tasters," were significantly more likely to be obese than children who were "tasters" of these compounds—but only when they lived in an unhealthy food environment.
ADHD drugs do not raise risk of serious heart conditions in children, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Children taking central nervous system stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin do not face an increased risk of serious heart conditions during treatment, according to a new University of Florida study that confirms findings reported in 2011. Published in the British Medical Journal in August, the study contributes to a decade-long clinical and policy debate of treatment risks for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Could your relationship be contributing to your weight gain?
(Medical Xpress)—A University of Arizona study is looking at whether couples develop unhealthy eating and activity habits as a way of coping with relationship stress or bonding with their partner.
Researchers develop more reliable concussion tests
(Medical Xpress)—It could happen during a nasty spill on the ski slopes, a hard tackle at football practice, or even a car accident. ASU nursing student Sarah Hollowell sustained her concussion playing intramural softball, when she took a hit from a ball right between the eyes.
Gen X overtaking baby boomers on obesity
(Medical Xpress)—New research from the University of Adelaide shows that Generation X is already on the path to becoming more obese than their baby boomer predecessors.
Field study shows motivational effect of performance targets
(Medical Xpress)—In many areas of our everyday lives, goals are the norm. That not all of them are effective, however, is something which anyone who has seen their New Year resolutions crumbling with each passing month can confirm. "From the literature on motivation and goals we know that goals should be specific, measurable, accepted, realistic and limited in terms of time," says economist Sebastian Goerg from the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods in Bonn, commenting on the key to success. To clarify the relationship between work goals, monetary incentives and workers' performance, he and his colleague Sebastian Kube sent test subjects to look for books in a library. They discovered that a combination of self-chosen goals and monetary incentives had a particularly motivating impact on work performance.
High blood cholesterol is overlooked
High blood cholesterol, a serious hereditary disease, is far more common than previously recognised and not treated sufficiently. This is shown in new research from the University of Copenhagen and Herlev Hospital, and the results have recently been published in the well-reputed American scientific journal, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Humans are biased to look at eyes, not heads
New research published in Biology Letters today shows that humans are biased to look at eyes... even those of headless monsters!
Soy: No effect on menopausal hot flashes
(Medical Xpress)—A team of investigators led by UC Davis found that eating soy products such as soy milk and tofu did not prevent the onset of hot flashes and night sweats as women entered menopause.
Neuroscience reveals brain differences between Republicans and Democrats
With the U.S. presidential election just days away, new research from the University of South Carolina provides fresh evidence that choosing a candidate may depend more on our biological make-up than a careful analysis of issues.
Bowel cancer 'chemo swap' shrinks tumours, making surgery safer and easier
Giving some bowel cancer patients six weeks of chemotherapy before surgery can significantly shrink their tumour, making it easier to remove and potentially reducing the chances of the cancer coming back, according to results from a major Cancer Research UK-funded pilot study published this month in Lancet Oncology.
Smokers take 2.7 extra sick days per year, research shows
(Medical Xpress)—Smokers are costing the UK economy £1.4 billion by taking an average of two or three days more sick leave per year than their non-smoking colleagues, a new study has revealed.
Scientists develop sophisticated HIV detection test
(Medical Xpress)—Two researchers funded by the EU have succeeded in developing and testing a state-of-the-art HIV detection test. The Imperial College London, United Kingdom duo says the test is 10 times more sensitive than other methods used to identify this disease, and it is inexpensive. The potential to bring this innovative technique to market is strong, providing a way to diagnose HIV earlier. The findings were published in the journal Nature Materials.
Speaking up improves anaesthesiological treatment, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Errors in the operating theatre can have tragic consequences. Researchers from ETH Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich demonstrate that the efficiency of anaesthesia teams depends greatly on their ability to communicate openly and speak up constructively with regard to the performance of colleagues.
The HOIL1 gene: The cause of a new rare disease
The researcher Capucine Picard, working with the team from Inserm unit 980 "Human genetics and infections diseases"/Université Paris Descartes under the leadership of Jean-Laurent Casanova, along with researchers from a CNRS/Institut Pasteur laboratory headed by Alain Israël have succeeded in identifying the part played by the HOIL1 gene in cases of paradoxal association of an immune deficiency with a chronic autoinflammatory deficiency and a muscular deficiency in 3 children from 2 different families. This study once more highlights the importance of genetics in the body's response to infectious agents. These works were published on line in the review Nature Immunology, of 28.10.12.
Inflammation and cognition in schizophrenia
There are a growing number of clues that immune and inflammatory mechanisms are important for the biology of schizophrenia. In a new study in Biological Psychiatry, Dr. Mar Fatjó-Vilas and colleagues explored the impact of the interleukin-1β gene (IL1β) on brain function alterations associated with schizophrenia.
Program to up access to combo malaria therapy successful
(HealthDay)—Implementation of a series of national-scale pilot programs designed to increase the access and use of quality-assured artemisinin-based combination therapies (QAACTs) for malaria by the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm) has improved the availability, price, and market share of QAACTs, according to a study published online Oct. 31 in The Lancet.
For many, 'Superstorm' sandy could take toll on mental health
(HealthDay)—Some of the numbers are staggering: more than 75 Americans dead, thousands evacuated from their homes, millions left without power for days and billions of dollars in damage from "superstorm" Sandy.
Computational medicine enhances way doctors detect, treat disease
Computational medicine, a fast-growing method of using computer models and sophisticated software to figure out how disease develops—and how to thwart it—has begun to leap off the drawing board and land in the hands of doctors who treat patients for heart ailments, cancer and other illnesses. Using digital tools, researchers have begun to use experimental and clinical data to build models that can unravel complex medical mysteries.
Genetic test results for Lynch syndrome improved with new computer program
Many patients who have genetic testing for Lynch syndrome, a hereditary predisposition to colon cancer, receive the inconclusive result "variants of uncertain clinical significance." This can be a problem, as people with Lynch syndrome have a much higher probability to develop colon cancer, and often develop colon cancer at an earlier age than is common among the general population; consequently, they need to begin screening at a much younger age.
Caffeine's effect on the brain's adenosine receptors visualized for the first time
Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) has enabled scientists for the first time to visualize binding sites of caffeine in the living human brain to explore possible positive and negative effects of caffeine consumption. According to research published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, PET imaging with F-18-8-cyclopentyl-3-(3-fluoropropyl)-1-propylxanthine (F-18-CPFPX) shows that repeated intake of caffeinated beverages throughout a day results in up to 50 percent occupancy of the brain's A1 adenosine receptors.
New target discovered for food allergy treatment
Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered a novel target for the treatment of food allergies. Erwin Gelfand, MD, and his colleagues report in the October 2012 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that levels of the enzyme Pim 1 kinase rise in the small intestines of peanut-allergic mice. Inhibiting activity of Pim 1 markedly reduced the allergic response to peanuts.
Researchers report first effective treatment of tumors arising from common genetic disease NF1
Physician-researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have reported the first effective therapy for a class of previously untreatable and potentially life-threatening tumors often found in children.
A protein's role in helping cells repair DNA damage
(Medical Xpress)—In a new study, University at Buffalo scientists describe the role that a protein called TFIIB plays in helping cells repair DNA damage, a critical function for preventing the growth of tumors.
Researchers use blood testing to predict level of enzymes that facilitate disease progression
Predicting how atherosclerosis, osteoporosis or cancer will progress or respond to drugs in individual patients is difficult. In a new study, researchers took another step toward that goal by developing a technique able to predict from a blood sample the amount of cathepsins—protein-degrading enzymes known to accelerate these diseases—a specific person would produce.
Research identifies new therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease
Research led by Chu Chen, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has identified an enzyme called Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) as a new therapeutic target to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease. The study was published online November 1, 2012 in the Online Now section of the journal Cell Reports.
Laser-light testing of breast tumor fiber patterns helps show whose cancer is spreading
Using advanced microscopes equipped with tissue-penetrating laser light, cancer imaging experts at Johns Hopkins have developed a promising, new way to accurately analyze the distinctive patterns of ultra-thin collagen fibers in breast tumor tissue samples and to help tell if the cancer has spread.
Rethinking reading: study breaks new ground in reading development research
Many educators have long believed that when words differ on only one sound, early readers can learn the rules of phonics by focusing on what is different between the words. This is thought to be a critical gateway to reading words and sentences.
Regular physical activity reduces risk of dementia in older people
Regular physical activity may help older people reduce their chances of getting dementia.
Privacy vs. protection: Study considers how to manage epidemics in information blackouts
When foot-and-mouth disease swept through the British countryside in early 2001, more than 10 million sheep, cattle and pigs were slaughtered to control the disease. Despite the devastation, the disease was contained within ten months in part owing to the availability in that country of finely detailed farm data, which enabled mathematical modelers to make accurate predictions about the spread of the disease and suggest optimal ways of managing it.
Scientists identify new target for lung cancer treatment
A team of UC Davis investigators has discovered a protein on the surface of lung cancer cells that could prove to be an important new target for anti-cancer therapy. A series of experiments in mice with lung cancer showed that specific targeting of the protein with monoclonal antibodies reduced the size of tumors, lowered the occurrence of metastases and substantially lengthened survival time. The findings will be published in the November issue of Cancer Research.
Combination treatment may improve survival of breast cancer patients with brain metastases
Adding an angiogenesis inhibitor to treatment with a HER2-inhibiting drug could improve outcomes for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who develop brain metastases. In their report published online in PNAS Plus, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators report the first preclinical study combining antiangiogenic and anti-HER2 drugs in an animal model of brain metastatic breast cancer.
Trickle-down anxiety: Study examines parental behaviors that create anxious children
Parents with social anxiety disorder are more likely than parents with other forms of anxiety to engage in behaviors that put their children at high risk for developing angst of their own, according to a small study of parent-child pairs conducted at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
Study shows underlying connection between 'good' cholesterol and collagen in heart health
(Medical Xpress)—Arterial stiffening has long been considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Keeping arteries soft and supple might reduce disease risk, but the mechanisms of how arteries stave off hardening has remained elusive.
Heavy prenatal alcohol consumption linked to childhood brain development problems
(Medical Xpress)—Heavy drinking during pregnancy disrupts proper brain development in children and adolescents years after they were exposed to alcohol in the womb, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The study is the first to track children over several years to examine how heavy exposure to alcohol in utero affects brain growth over time.
Psychics fail tests of their abilities in academic setting
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from Goldsmiths, University of London, in an attempt to prove or disprove the notion that some people have the ability to read the thoughts of others, set up a structured environment to test such abilities – but after inviting many well known British psychics to take part in the study, only two agreed to participate: Patricia Putt and Kim Whitton. After performing blind "readings" of five hidden volunteers each, the psychics produced just one reading that was identifiable to the volunteer. A rate the researchers described as a failure due to it being equal to chance.
Unlocking the destiny of a cell
(Medical Xpress)— Scientists have discovered that breaking a biological signaling system in an embryo allows them to change the destiny of a cell. The findings could lead to new ways of making replacement organs.
Meth vaccine shows promising results in early tests
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have performed successful tests of an experimental methamphetamine vaccine on rats. Vaccinated animals that received the drug were largely protected from typical signs of meth intoxication. If the vaccine proves effective in humans too, it could become the first specific treatment for meth addiction, which is estimated to affect 25 million people worldwide.
Researchers create 'endless supply' of myelin-forming cells
(Medical Xpress)—In a new study appearing this month in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have unlocked the complex cellular mechanics that instruct specific brain cells to continue to divide. This discovery overcomes a significant technical hurdle to potential human stem cell therapies; ensuring that an abundant supply of cells is available to study and ultimately treat people with diseases.
Gene required for nerve regeneration identified
A gene that is associated with regeneration of injured nerve cells has been identified by scientists at Penn State University and Duke University. The team, led by Melissa Rolls, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State, has found that a mutation in a single gene can entirely shut down the process by which axons—the parts of the nerve cell that are responsible for sending signals to other cells—regrow themselves after being cut or damaged. "We are hopeful that this discovery will open the door to new research related to spinal-cord and other neurological disorders in humans," Rolls said. The journal Cell Reports will publish an early online copy of the paper on 1 November, and also will include the paper in the monthly issue of the journal, which will be published on 29 November 2012.
Stem cell study: Male fertility can be restored after cancer treatment
An injection of banked sperm-producing stem cells can restore fertility to male primates who become sterile due to cancer drug side effects, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Magee-Womens Research Institute. In their animal study, which was published today in Cell Stem Cell, previously frozen stem cells restored production of sperm that successfully fertilized eggs to produce early embryos.
Scientists discover gene switch important in cancer
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the University of Helsinki in Finland have shown that the "switches" that regulate the expression of genes play a major role in the development of cancer. In a study, published in Science, they have investigated a gene region that contains a particular single nucleotide variant associated with increased risk for developing colorectal and prostate cancers – and found that removing this region caused dramatic resistance to tumor formation.
Mass spectrometry helps researchers 'watch' how antibiotics attack tuberculosis bacteria inside cells
Weill Cornell Medical College researchers report that mass spectrometry, a tool currently used to detect and measure proteins and lipids, can also now allow biologists to "see" for the first time exactly how drugs work inside living cells to kill infectious microbes. As a result, scientists may be able to improve existing antibiotics and design new, smarter ones to fight deadly infections, such as tuberculosis. The new study was published in today's early online edition of Science.
Scientists develop promising therapy for Huntington's disease
(Medical Xpress)—There's new hope in the fight against Huntington's disease. A group of researchers that includes scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have designed a compound that suppresses symptoms of the devastating disease in mice.
Brain may 'see' more than the eyes, study indicates
(Medical Xpress)—Vision may be less important to "seeing" than is the brain's ability to process points of light into complex images, according to a new study of the fruit fly visual system currently published in the online journal Nature Communications.
Biology news
UN: Ocean-grabbing 'threatens world's fisheries'
Big fishing concerns are engaged in "ocean-grabbing," plundering the seas while scoffing at the environment and local interests, the UN's food watchdog said on Tuesday.
Citizen scientists 'helping discover Australia'
Amateur naturalists and other unpaid "citizen scientists" are playing a huge and vital role in the ongoing 'discovery' of Australia and all that it contains.
Diversity and abundance of some insect fauna in Krau Wildlife Reserve Forest, Malaysia
Concerned about habitat changes due to logging and rapid development, Universiti Teknologi MARA researchers recently conducted a study on the diversity of the important Hymenoptera group, which includes bees, wasps and ants. Their results will be useful in forest conservation programmes.
Cornell offers only U.S. salmonella dublin test for cattle
Salmonella can cause serious disease on cattle farms, killing calves, causing cows to abort, contaminating raw milk and harming humans along the way. As the cattle-adapted strain salmonella dublin creeps into the northeastern United States, veterinarians and farmers struggle to catch the bacteria in time to protect livestock because these bacteria often hide dormant in carrier animals, making the strain particularly hard to diagnose.
USDA patents method to reduce ammonia emissions
Capturing and recycling ammonia from livestock waste is possible using a process developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers. This invention could help streamline on-farm nitrogen management by allowing farmers to reduce potentially harmful ammonia emissions and concentrate nitrogen in a liquid product to sell as fertilizer.
Stem cells could heal equine tendon injuries
Tendon injuries affect athletic horses at all levels. Researchers from the University of Connecticut are studying the use of stem cells in treating equine tendon injuries. Their findings were published Oct. 16 in the Journal of Animal Science Papers in Press.
Novel technique to produce stem cells from peripheral blood
Stem cells are a valuable resource for medical and biological research, but are difficult to study due to ethical and societal barriers. However, genetically manipulated cells from adults may provide a path to study stem cells that avoid any ethical concerns. A new video-protocol in JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments), details steps to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from cells in the peripheral blood. The technique has been developed by Boston University's Dr. Gustavo Mostoslavsky and his colleagues.
Study details essential role of trust in agricultural biotech partnerships
Trust between partners is a fundamental requisite in agricultural biotech projects, according to Canadian researchers who today published insights from a four year study into what built or undermined trust in eight African case studies.
Pacific sharks disappearing into soup, study says
Pacific stocks of the oceanic whitetip shark, a favourite of fin soup enthusiasts, sank by as much as 17 percent a year between 1995 and 2010 despite catch and finning limits, a study said Wednesday.
Scaly-tailed possum re-discovered in Kimberley
An endemic mammal has been re-discovered in the eastern Kimberley, almost a century after its last recorded sighting.
Stopping the invasive Amur honeysuckle
(Phys.org)—As leaves drop in autumn, it's not only a good time to enjoy the reds, yellows and oranges drifting from the trees—it's also a good time to kill honeysuckle.
Typical populations of bedbugs can cause harmful blood loss in humans, research finds
(Phys.org)—For years, bedbugs have been turning up in sometimes odd and random places, such as subways, movie theaters, dressing rooms and schools, but scientists believed that to flourish, the insects would need more frequent access to human blood meals.
Researchers explore fuel from algae, insects in native grasses
(Phys.org)—Fuel made from algae and the discovery of insects that no one has ever seen in native grasses were among the research findings presented by South Dakota State University researchers at the 2012 Sun Grant National Conference, Science for Biomass Feedstock Production and Utilization, Oct. 2-5, in New Orleans.
Researchers help 'extinct in the wild' toad return home
(Phys.org)—Scientists from the University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory have helped to reintroduce a species of toad declared extinct in the wild to its native range-the world's first reintroduction of an extinct-in-the-wild amphibian. Kurt Buhlmann, an associate research scientist, and Tracey Tuberville, an assistant research scientist, both with the SREL, were part of a team that on Oct. 30 released 2,500 Kihansi spray toads into their historic habitat—a five-acre waterfall spray zone in the Kihansi Gorge in Tanzania.
Researchers advance ability to control biological processes at cell-level
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Weizmann Institute of Science identify a means of controlling biological processes that could help treatments for immune disease, neurological disorders and cancer.
The night life: Why we need bats all the time
The sight of bats hanging upside down in creepy caves or fleeing in fluttery flocks from their subterranean haunts at dusk like "bats out of hell" may spook even the most rational, otherwise unflappable observer.
Hardier cassava offers promise for hungry Africa
(AP)—From this field nestled among the lush rolling hills of Nigeria's southwest, the small plants rising out the hard red dirt appear fragile, easily crushed by weather or chance.
Image of a virus caught in the act
(Phys.org)—A dramatic image of a virus replicating and spreading through cells, destroying them as it goes, has been captured by University of Sydney researchers.
First mouse, now human, lab-grown eye tissue
Producing retinal tissue from human embryonic stem cells is now possible thanks to a team of researchers led by Yoshiki Sasai of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan.
Plants recognise pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms
Plant roots are surrounded by thousands of bacteria and fungi living in the soil and on the root surface. To survive in this diverse environment, plants employ sophisticated detection systems to distinguish pathogenic microorganisms from beneficial microorganisms.
UK butterfly populations threatened by extreme drought and landscape fragmentation
A new study has found that the sensitivity and recovery of UK butterfly populations to extreme drought is affected by the overall area and degree of fragmentation of key habitat types in the landscape.
Feedback loop maintains basal cell population
Notch – the protein that can help determine cell fate – maintains a stable population of basal cells in the prostate through a positive feedback loop system with another key protein – TGF beta (transforming growth factor beta), said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
High-flying geese take low profile over Himalayas
(Phys.org)—Bar-headed geese are star fliers of the bird world. As well as being striking looking creatures, they have become famous for making incredible annual migrations over the world's highest mountain peaks, the Himalayas. This spectacular migration seems even more arduous when you consider that oxygen levels at such high altitudes plummet to less than half their value at sea-level and temperatures are far below freezing. Humans that scale the world's highest mountains without oxygen can usually only take a few steps at a time before needing to recover, while the bar-headed goose was famed to fly on past, honking as it went.
Developmental bait and switch: Enzyme responsible for neural crest cell development
(Phys.org)—During the early developmental stages of vertebrates—animals that have a backbone and spinal column, including humans—cells undergo extensive rearrangements, and some cells migrate over large distances to populate particular areas and assume novel roles as differentiated cell types. Understanding how and when such cells switch their purpose in an embryo is an important and complex goal for developmental biologists. A recent study, led by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), provides new clues about this process—at least in the case of neural crest cells, which give rise to most of the peripheral nervous system, to pigment cells, and to large portions of the facial skeleton.
Why are so many fairy-wrens blue?
(Phys.org)—Researchers have long tried to explain the enormous diversity in colour of birds, and a new study is giving insights into why the humble fairy-wren, a colourful Australian bird, is radiantly blue.
An elephant that speaks Korean (w/ Video)
An Asian elephant named Koshik can imitate human speech, speaking words in Korean that can be readily understood by those who know the language. The elephant accomplishes this in a most unusual way: he vocalizes with his trunk in his mouth.
Researchers find that gene related to germ cell formation is far older than first thought
Harvard scientists have solved the long-standing mystery of how some insects form the germ cells – the cellular precursors to the eggs and sperm necessary for sexual reproduction – and the answer is shedding new light on the evolutionary origins of a gene that had long been thought to be critical to the process.
Could chloroplast breakthrough unlock key to controlling fruit ripening in crops?
Biologists may have unearthed the potential to manipulate the functions of chloroplasts, the parts of plant cells responsible for photosynthesis.
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