Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 25, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Scientists grow ultrahigh-purity carbon nanotubes- Researchers find boomerang shaped colloid does not conform to Brownian motion
- Nanoscale engineering boosts performance of quantum dot light emitting diodes
- Controlling the birth of neurons through the critical mTOR pathway
- Seeing the dark: New experiment could finally shed light on the mysteries of dark matter
- How the kettle got its whistle
- Field-effect transistors get a boost from ferroelectric films
- IEA ups wind power target for global electricity by 2050
- Physicists aim to make transition to quantum world visible
- Lou Gehrig's disease: From patient stem cells to potential treatment strategy in one study
- Reading ancient climate from plankton shells
- Understanding DNA damage: Modeling how low energy electrons damage DNA may improve radiation therapy
- New microscopes reveal live, developing cells in unprecedented 3-D clarity
- Researchers explain the flagellar synchronisation of swimming algae
- New atomic layer-by-layer InGaN technology offers breakthrough for solar cell efficiency
Space & Earth news
Watch live on October 25: Defending Earth from asteroids with Neil Tyson
Hundreds of thousands of asteroids orbit the Sun, and a very few have a high risk of striking Earth. But a direct hit can be devastating, as evidenced by the explosion over Chelyabinsk, Russia, this February of a meteor no larger than a small barn, which injured more than 1,000 people.
Climate change studies analyse risks and resilience in urban Vietnam
Three reports published today provide policymakers with concrete proposals to reduce the diverse threats that climate change poses to different communities in urban areas of Vietnam.
Astronomer contributes to study of black hole ingesting matter
An international team of astronomers that includes a Rutgers professor have shared remarkably detailed observations of a black hole caught in the act of ingesting and expelling matter from the center of a galaxy. These observations, made with a powerful new array of radio telescopes in Chile, will give scientists new insights into how black holes and the galaxies that host them evolve together.
Loss and damage from climate change
An open access special issue of the International Journal of Global Warming brings together, for the first time, empirical evidence of loss and damage from the perspective of affected people in nine vulnerable countries. The articles in this special issue show how climatic stressors affect communities, what measures households take to prevent loss and damage, and what the consequences are when they are unable to adjust sufficiently. The guest-editors, Kees van der Geest and Koko Warner of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn, Germany, introduce the special issue with an overview of key findings from the nine research papers, all of which are available online free of charge.
Cold front coming to swallow remnants of Tropical Storm Lorenzo
Satellite imagery on Oct. 25 showed a cold front approaching the remnants of Tropical Storm Lorenzo in the central Atlantic Ocean.
NASA sees Typhoon Lekima stretching out and closing its eye
NASA's TRMM satellite observed Typhoon Lekima's shrinking eye on Oct. 24, and by the Oct. 25, the eye had shrunk to just 4 nautical miles. TRMM also observed very heavy rainfall occurring around the eyewall of the storm.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Francisco becoming extra-tropical
Cold air, mid-latitude westerly winds and wind shear are taking a toll on Tropical Storm Francisco and transitioning the storm into a cold core low pressure area. NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Francisco as it spread a blanket of clouds and showers over Japan on Oct. 25.
Tracking micropollutants in Lake Geneva
Antibiotics, urban pesticides, and other contaminants accumulate where wastewater is released into Lake Geneva. Using computer simulations, EPFL researchers have shown that the risk they pose is highest during summer and that they degrade most efficiently during the winter.
Why is comet ISON green?
Undoubtedly, you've been seeing the recent images of Comet ISON now that it is approaching its close encounter with the Sun on November 28. ISON is currently visible to space telescopes like the Hubble and amateur astronomers with larger telescopes. But you might be wondering why many images show the comet with a green-ish "teal" or blue-green color.
Scientists closer to linking community structure to carbon cycling activity in soil
(Phys.org) —In the first efforts to directly link 1) soil physical structure with microbial community composition in single aggregates, and then 2) composition directly with bioactivity, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory studied soil macroaggregates, or clumps
Fossil fuel's 'double whammy' to wildlife
The Earth's richest areas for biodiversity – northern South America and the western Pacific Ocean – are threatened by future fossil fuel extraction.
Good tidings for coastal communities
The sea sustains life but also threatens it. An innovative design concept by Ed Barsley aims to contend with rising seawater by welcoming it into our coastal settlements.
New low-cost, nondestructive technology cuts risk from mercury hot spots
Hot spots of mercury pollution in aquatic sediments and soils can contaminate local food webs and threaten ecosystems, but cleaning them up can be expensive and destructive. Researchers from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and University of Maryland, Baltimore County have found a new low-cost, nonhazardous way to reduce the risk of exposure: using charcoal to trap it in the soil.
Scientists develop new method to help global coasts adapt to sea-level rise
A team of scientists, led by the University of Southampton, has developed a new method to help the world's coasts adapt to global sea-level rises over the next 100 years.
Mexico does not love Raymond, NASA sees weaker storm
South-central Mexico was inundated with heavy rains from Hurricane Raymond during the week of Oct. 20, and Raymond has finally weakened to a tropical storm and is moving away from the coast. Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite showed that the heaviest rainfall in the weaker storm was now away from the Mexican coast.
UK urges EU to cut red tape and clear way for shale
Britain mounted a fresh crusade Friday to slash EU red tape London says strangles business—with a core demand that Brussels does not interfere with legislation on fracking.
European cargo freighter to undock from ISS
Europe's heaviest-ever cargo carrier to the International Space Station is set to undock on Monday after completing its mission, according to a European Space Agency (ESA) blog.
Reading ancient climate from plankton shells
Climate changes from millions of years ago are recorded at daily rate in ancient sea shells, new research shows.
Technology news
Feds won't investigate Tesla electric car fire
U.S. auto safety regulators have decided not to open a formal investigation into the Oct. 2 fire that damaged a Tesla electric car near Seattle.
MTV to premiere series on app
MTV is releasing a full season of a new series about a luckless high school football team on its mobile application Friday, a week before the first episode is shown on television.
Albania to stop online gambling abroad
Albania will close access to all Internet betting sites abroad in an effort to stop the outflow of money from one of the poorest countries in Europe.
Britain must act now or face power shortages within a decade, report says
The capacity margin of the GB electricity system could continue to fall over the next five years as old generating plants close, presenting an increasing risk of power cuts, according to a report published last week by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
GM announces 1.8 megawatt solar project in Ohio
General Motors announced today that a 1.8-megawatt rooftop solar array at its Toledo Transmission plant in Ohio would be completed next month.
UK police cast doubt on 3D-printed 'gun parts' (Update)
Police in northern England thought they'd made a major discovery, but they may have jumped the gun.
Philips breaks off deal with Funai (Update)
Royal Philips NV said Friday it has ended a $200-million sale and licensing deal it struck this year with Japan's Funai Electric Co. and will seek damages for breach of contract.
Landslide sensors may save lives worldwide
Using technology found in cell phones, inexpensive sensors being tested at Monte Sano State Park might one day soon save lives by giving advance warning of deadly landslides in at-risk areas around the world.
Brazil 'wants to question tech giants'
Shocked by evidence of eavesdropping on government communications, Brazilian police intend to ask US permission to question the heads of tech giants, Globo television reported Friday.
Germany, Brazil want UN privacy resolution
Germany and Brazil are working on a UN General Assembly resolution aimed at highlighting international anger at US data snooping in other countries, diplomats said Friday.
Chip growth leads Samsung to another record profit
Samsung Electronics Co. reported another record quarterly profit as a revival in its semiconductor business and strong shipments of cheaper handsets offset flat sales of high-end smartphones.
'YouTube readying paid music sevice'
Google's video-sharing arm YouTube is preparing to launch a paid music service this year competing against other streaming outlets, with the added feature of video, media reports said Friday.
IEA ups wind power target for global electricity by 2050
(Phys.org) —The new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) is out with a forecast that wind may generate 18 percent of world electricity by 2050, which is a target higher than the 12 percent estimate posted in its earlier roadmap report in 2009. Wind power currently generates 2.6 percent of the world's electricity. The new report that came out earlier this month titled Technology Roadmap: Wind Energy - 2013 edition, details the advances in technology that make the rise from the current 2.6 percent possible. In this 2050 scenario, it is offshore wind that will drive much of the growth, with lower costs, down 45 percent, helping to boost offshore's share of wind power from about 2 percent now to 6 percent in 2020 and 25 percent in 2050. The report carries a number of key findings, some of which are as follows:
Medicine & Health news
Children with brain injuries nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression
In a study presented Oct. 25 at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, researchers found that compared to other children, 15 percent of those with brain injuries or concussions were diagnosed as depressed—a 4.9 fold increase in the odds of diagnosed depression.
Portable vision screening devices accurately identify vision problems in young children
Portable screening devices allow pediatricians to successfully screen children for vision problems, including amblyopia, according to an abstract presented Oct. 25 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.
Health insurance penalty delayed as federal exchange comes under fire
(HealthDay)—U.S. consumers who sign up for health insurance by March 31 won't face tax penalties for being uninsured during the first three months of 2014, the Obama administration said Thursday.
Progress in stem cell research could advance Muscular Dystrophy treatment
A large scale scientific collaboration led by France's Pierre and Marie Curie University and national institute of health and medical research has generated significant advances in treatment for muscular dystrophies by targeting muscle stem cells.
Recognizing cancer diseases at an early stage: Researchers develop label-free automatic cancer diagnostics
Researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have developed a new spectroscopic method to support pathologists in diagnosing cancer. In the Journal of Biophotonics and the Analyst they compared conventional procedures for colon cancer identification with a novel method called label-free spectral histopathology. "Contrary to previous methods we no longer have to stain the tissue in order to detect cancer," says Professor Klaus Gerwert from the Protein Research Unit Ruhr within Europe (PURE) at the RUB. "In the future, this will give us the opportunity to classify a tissue sample automatically as being either normal or diseased."
Antibody fragment ameliorates first hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in mice
Researchers at the Biosciences Unit of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), in collaboration with the UAB Institute of Neurosciences (INc), have conducted trials with mice by injecting a specific antibody fragment against soluble aggregates of the Ab peptide, responsible for the toxicity and cell death characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. The beneficial effects were seen at the behavioural, cellular and molecular levels five days after an intraperitoneal dose was administered.
Can the redistribution of surplus food really improve food security?
While surplus food redistribution has been promoted as a way of reducing food waste and food poverty, a paper published recently in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management concludes that unless a distinction is drawn between genuine waste to be recovered and surplus to be redistributed for community benefit, surplus food as a resource is unlikely to be fully utilised.
Peer pressure can influence food choices at restaurants
If you want to eat healthier when dining out, research recommends surrounding yourself with friends who make healthy food choices. A University of Illinois study showed that when groups of people eat together at a restaurant at which they must state their food choice aloud, they tend to select items from the same menu categories.
Novo Nordisk recalls batches of diabetes drugs
Batches of Novo Nordisk's diabetes treatments NovoMix 30 FlexPen and Penfill are being recalled, the European Medicines Agency said on Friday.
'High-risk' organs from deceased donors safe when screened with current methods
Approximately 10% of deceased donor kidneys are considered "high-risk" for infection (HIV, HCV, HBV) and disease transmission according to criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But new research suggests that many of these organs are safe and therefore should not be labeled as high-risk. Results of this study will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2013 November 5-10 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
What determines which sources within an episode are successfully remembered?
Memory about a core item (such as a word, object, or picture) is called item memory while memory about the context or related features of a core item is defined as source memory. What determines which sources within an episode are successfully remembered is of particular interest to researchers. Behavioral evidence suggests that the orientation of a memory task influences whether the related source of the item will be remembered later.
Baylor, DNAnexus, Amazon Web Services collaboration enables largest-ever cloud-based analysis of genomic data
With their participation in the completion of the largest cloud-based analysis of genome sequence data, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center are helping to usher genomic scientists and clinicians around the world into a new era of high-level data analysis. (A "cloud" is a virtual network of remote internet servers used to store, manage and process information.)
Expert panel issues recommendations for 'Dyspnea Crisis'
An American Thoracic Society panel of experts is calling for better care for thousands of Americans who suffer severe shortness of breath as a result of advanced lung and heart disease. These episodes can be very frightening for patients and caregivers, and the increased anxiety often makes the symptoms worse. In the current issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, the panel suggests that patients work with their providers to develop individualized actions plans that can keep these episodes from turning into emergencies.
Depressiona key link between intimate partner violence and food insecurity
Women who experience physical, mental or sexual abuse at the hands of their partners have an increased likelihood of being food insecure. That's according to a new study out of the University of Houston Texas Obesity Research Center (TORC), which may prove valuable to those creating interventions for those populations.
Synthetic vitamin D receptor ligands reduce murine kidney fibrosis
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with kidney disease including fibrosis. Some studies have even suggested that treatment with vitamin D or vitamin D analogs can reduce renal fibrosis; however, the pathways targeted by vitamin D therapy are not completely understood.
Obama admin. taps contractor to fix health website
The Obama administration turned to a private contractor on Friday to take the lead in resolving the computer problems that have plagued President Barack Obama's biggest domestic initiative, his health care law.
Repeal SGR formula and replace sequestration cuts internists tell Budget Conference Committee
Internists today provided input to the recently appointed Congressional Budget Conference Committee members, providing them with specific recommendations to reform Medicare physician payments and replace the sequestration cuts with more responsible ways to reduce the deficit. In an nine-page letter written on behalf of the American College of Physicians (ACP), President Molly Cooke, MD, FACP, told the conferees that the medical profession is committed to doing its part to improve quality and lower costs, but that Congress must also do its part by repealing the Medicare SGR formula and ending the "devastating" cuts to medical research and public health programs from sequestration.
Optimizing the early years to ensure a lifetime of health
Recent research has found that a dramatic dance between genes and experience shape the architecture of the developing brain, most profoundly during the first 1,000 days of life.
Sleep apnea is associated with subclinical myocardial injury
Obstructive sleep apnea is known to be associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Now a new study indicates that OSA is associated with subclinical myocardial injury, as indicated by increased high sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) levels. Elevated hs-TnT levels are predictive of both coronary heart disease (CHD) and heart failure (HF) in the general population. This is the first study to demonstrate an independent association between sleep apnea severity and this marker of early myocardial injury.
Exercise during pregnancy improves vascular function of offspring into adulthood
Exercise during gestation has the potential to program vascular health in offspring into their adulthood, in particular significantly altering the vascular smooth muscle, shows a new study published today in the journal Experimental Physiology.
Important step towards stem cell-based treatment for stroke
Brain infarction or stroke is caused by a blood clot blocking a blood vessel in the brain, which leads to interruption of blood flow and shortage of oxygen. Now a reserach group at Lund University, Sweden, has taken an important step towards a treatment for stroke using stem cells.
Early periods may signal greater diabetes risk, study suggests
(HealthDay)—Girls who start menstruating earlier than most may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in adulthood, a new study suggests.
Physicians should motivate and retain top employees
(HealthDay)—Even in a time of declining reimbursements, smart employers should know how to motivate and retain superstar employees in their practice, according to an article published Oct. 10 in Medical Economics.
Race, ethnicity has no impact on long-term mortality in T2DM
(HealthDay)—For adults with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, race/ethnicity has no significant impact on the long-term risk of death, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
4,800 calories: That's what is in an average trick-or-treat haul
(Medical Xpress)—For most kids Halloween is all about the candy. It is estimated that each child's bag of goodies contains about 4,800 calories and has 3 cups of sugar and 1½ cups of fat. The real horror in the Halloween trick-or-treat bag is how it adds to an already scary epidemic of childhood obesity.
Hope of new treatment for severe asthma patients
New research from Japan brings hope of a new treatment for asthma patients resistant to corticosteroids. In a study published today in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences and Keio University in Japan report that a type of lymphocytes called natural helper (NH) cells plays a critical role in corticosteroid resistance and demonstrate that the anti-psychotic drug Pimozide can be used to overcome resistance to steroids in severe asthma patients.
Sexy sensations: The interplay of the senses in sexual attraction
Our senses serve the purpose of relaying information about our environment back to the brain, where it is deconstructed, made sense of and then acted upon.
Scientists discover tool to understand nerve cells
(Medical Xpress)—A team of international scientists is one step closer to understanding neurodegenerative diseases after developing a tool to explore how nerve cells become damaged.
Seven new markers discovered for hard-to-treat breast cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Pioneering research from Breakthrough Breast Cancer scientists has discovered seven molecular markers that contribute to the behaviour of triple negative breast cancers, revealing new insight into this aggressive sub-type of the disease.
Learning how organs form explains fatal birth defects
(Medical Xpress)—Symmetry in vertebrates only goes skin deep – many internal organs grow differently left to right. Cornell researchers have discovered a temporary molecular traffic system that starts an embryo's organs growing in the proper direction and without it triggers devastating diseases and defects.
Novel inhibitor implicates the TORC2 kinase in genome stability
(Medical Xpress)—FMI scientists have identified a novel inhibitor, which synergizes with low-doses of other DNA damaging agents, to induce a dramatic chromosome fragmentation even in normal cells. Unexpectedly, the compound acts an as inhibitor of a large kinase complex called TORC2, which regulates actin polymerization. With this study the scientists revealed a previously unappreciated link between the cytoplasmic regulator TORC2, actin, and repair of DNA damage.
Older volunteers in better physical health than younger peers
Adults 70 or older who regularly volunteer are in better physical health than those just a few years younger, according to new research from Purdue University.
DNA variants may influence COPD patients' response to inhaled bronchodilators
Several novel gene variants may help explain the response of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to inhaled bronchodilators, according to a meta-analysis reported today (Oct. 25) at the American Society of Human Genetics 2013 meeting in Boston.
Genetic variants associated with bronchodilator responsiveness
A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) reveals several new gene variants that are associated with how people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) respond to inhaled bronchodilators. COPD is a progressive breathing disorder that limits airflow in the lungs. Bronchodilators are medicines used to alleviate respiratory disorder symptoms.
Experimental drug reduces brain damage, eliminates brain hemorrhaging in rodents afflicted by stroke
An experimental drug called 3K3A-APC appears to reduce brain damage, eliminate brain hemorrhaging and improve motor skills in older stroke-afflicted mice and stroke-afflicted rats with comorbid conditions such as hypertension, according to a new study from Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).
Cantilever sensory array: The Rosetta Stone for antibiotic resistance?
On October 25, JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments will publish a novel technique to confront the problem of antibiotic resistance. According to Dr. Joseph Ndieyira, one of the developers involved in the technique, "The use of this technology will allow scientists to understand how antibiotics work, how bacteria develop resistance, and what molecular mechanisms could be exploited to get around their defense mechanisms."
Social service barriers delay care among women with abnormal cancer screening
A recent study performed by researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC), Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), and Tufts Medical Center found that women with multiple barriers to healthcare, especially those with social barriers such as problems with housing and income, experienced delays in cancer screening follow up compared to those with fewer barriers or no social barriers.
Parents greatly underestimate how often their children are cyberbullied
Cyberbullying has become a destructive force in many children's lives. After multiple suicides by children being cyberbullied, parents, more than ever, need to be aware of their children's online activity. A recent paper published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication found that parents underestimate how often their children engage in risky online behavior, like cyberbullying and viewing pornography.
Next-gen sequencing identifies genes associated with speech disorder
A collaborative team of researchers has used next generation sequencing to identify clinically relevant genetic variants associated with a rare pediatric speech disorder. The findings are published in the September 16, 2013 issue of the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
A cost-effective way toward personalized cancer drugs
Before a cancer patient embarks on a course of treatment, tests can be carried out to establish whether or not the chosen cytostatic agent combination is likely to be effective. But the time-consuming and expensive nature of traditional testing methods is prohibiting their widespread use. Collaborating with DITABIS Digital Biomedical Imaging Systems AG and scientists from Universitäts-Frauenklinik Tübingen, Fraunhofer researchers have developed a cost-effective, automated system that allows doctors to determine which medications will prove most benefit for each patient. The "DiagnoSYS" system will be on show at BIOTECHNICA 2013 (Booth E09 in Hall 9), which will take place from October 8-10 in Hannover, Germany.
FDA approves GE brain imaging tool for Alzheimer's (Update)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a radioactive imaging chemical from General Electric to help screen patients for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
New study shows promise for first effective medicine to treat cocaine dependence
New research published in JAMA Psychiatry reveals that topiramate, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches, also could be the first reliable medication to help treat cocaine dependence.
Researchers say supplement cuts muscle loss in knee replacements
Twenty grams of essential amino acids taken twice daily for a week before and for two weeks after knee-replacement surgeries helped 16 patients, mean age 69, recover faster and with much less muscle atrophy than a control group ingesting a placebo.
Young obese women could reduce their stroke risk
Sophia Antipolis, 29 October 2013: The global campaign to tackle stroke is highlighted today on World Stroke Day with the slogan "Because I care…". The phrase showcases the role of caregivers in supporting people who have suffered a stroke and aims to correct misinformation about the disease, such as the misconception that stroke only happens later in life.
Call for World Bank to redefine poverty indicator to include the life of the unborn child
The World Bank must define life expectancy, its key poverty indicator, as starting at the time of conception and not at the time of birth if millions of lives are to be saved from injury or death. International public health experts, writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, said that definitional oversight, in which the life of the child is inadvertently cut into two, 'inside' and 'outside' the womb, covers up risks to the fetus and is particularly unfair to children born in areas increasingly at risk to disasters and already disadvantaged by poverty, hunger and social deprivation. This segmented definition, said the authors, should be replaced by a new inclusive way of thinking about 'the unborn child'.
Researchers identify molecule that could aid lung cancer detection, treatment
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have discovered a molecule that could help lead to the non-invasive detection of lung cancer as well as its treatment. Using RNA sequencing, the team looked at airway epithelial cells and identified a regulatory molecule that was less abundant in people with lung cancer and inhibits lung cancer cell growth. The findings, which are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that this molecule may aid in diagnosing lung cancer in earlier stages and could potentially, when at healthy levels, aid in treating the disease.
Multiple, distinct Y chromosomes associated with significant excess risk of prostate cancer
An analysis of the genealogical and medical records of males in Utah's multi-generational families strongly supports the case that inherited variations in the Y chromosome, the male sex chromosome, play a role in the development of prostate cancer, according to a study presented today (Friday, Oct. 25) at the American Society of Human Genetics 2013 meeting in Boston.
New study shows positive personal growth following breast cancer diagnosis
Although being diagnosed with breast cancer is usually an extremely stressful experience for most women, a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that there also can be unexpected benefits.
US approves more powerful, pure hydrocodone drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a stronger, single-ingredient version of the painkiller hydrocodone, the widely-abused prescription medicine for chronic pain.
Genetic analysis of risk for painkiller dependence points to nervous system
(Medical Xpress)—An analysis of the genomes of 12,000 of addicts and non-addicts revealed some unexpected risk factors for dependence on opiates, a class of drug that includes both heroin and commonly-used painkillers, a new study in the journal Biological Psychiatry shows.
Doubling forces against glioblastomas: Two-drug combination slows malignant brain tumors in mice
(Medical Xpress)—A novel combination of two oral targeted drugs dramatically slowed the growth of glioblastoma brain tumors in mice and significantly extended the animals' survival, report scientists at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Lou Gehrig's disease: From patient stem cells to potential treatment strategy in one study
Although the technology has existed for just a few years, scientists increasingly use "disease in a dish" models to study genetic, molecular and cellular defects. But a team of doctors and scientists led by researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute went further in a study of Lou Gehrig's disease, a fatal disorder that attacks muscle-controlling nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Controlling the birth of neurons through the critical mTOR pathway
(Medical Xpress)—The native peoples of Easter Island are known locally as the Rapa Nui. In the 1970s, a potent antifungal was discovered in a bacterium that lives in the soil there. Researchers named the molecule, rapamycin, after the island and its people. Since that time, rapamycin has gone on to have an illustrious career, proving itself as a potent immunosuppressant in organ transplantation, in cardiology, and in the treatment of several kinds of cancer. An important target molecule regulated by rapamycin was later discovered in yeast, and was descriptively named TOR, for "target of rapamycin." The mammalian version of TOR, mTOR, has emerged as a central regulator of the state of cell, and gates the levels of many proteins through its actions at the level of their translation.
Biology news
Over 100 rhinos poached in S.Africa in past month
Poachers have killed more than 100 rhinos in South Africa over the past four weeks, pushing the death toll so far this year towards 800, official figures showed Friday.
Tough new varieties set to revive profitable chickpea industry
Chickpea has emerged as Australia's most important cool season grain legume, according to the 2012 season crop data - and new disease-resistant varieties are expected to revive and develop a profitable chickpea industry in Western Australia.
Guarding the country against foreign animal diseases
A deadly animal virus is on the loose, treading through Russia and knocking on the doors of Eastern Europe and Asia. After its introduction into the Republic of Georgia and the Caucasus region in 2007 and spread into Russia, the virus that causes African swine fever (ASF) was spotted for the first time last year in Ukraine, putting European and Asian countries on high alert. The virus moves quickly, killing 100 percent of infected pigs within a week in some instances.
FDA proposes rules to make animal food safer (Update)
Amid incidents of pets dying from dog treats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing long-awaited rules to make pet food and animal feed safer.
Texas hunters to auction permit to kill black rhino
A Texas hunting club said Friday it aims to raise up to a million dollars for endangered black rhinoceroses by auctioning off a permit to kill one in Namibia.
Public opinion in conservation: Does it matter?
Public preferences and values must be considered if the use of systematic conservation planning is to attract public and policy support according to a recent UWA study.
What you need to know about jellyfish attacks on salmon farms
Tens of thousands of farmed salmon are dead after a swarm of mauve stinger jellyfish swept through an open-ocean salmon farm in Ireland. Tourists in France and Spain must contend with these summer visitors, too. Where are these mauve stingers coming from? Why now?
Scientists find unusual new species in Kilauea caldera
(Phys.org) —Scientists at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa have formally described an unusual new species found so far in only one cave in Kilauea Caldera on Hawaii Island.
3-D scans reveal deep-sea anglerfish's huge final meal (w/ Video)
Museum imaging experts discover that an anglerfish in the collections ate a fish twice its length, giving it an enormous expanded stomach.
Algorithm reveals complex protein dynamics behind gene expression
(Phys.org) —In yet another coup for a research concept known as "big data," researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a computerized algorithm to understand the complex and rapid choreography of hundreds of proteins that interact in mindboggling combinations to govern how genes are flipped on and off within a cell.
Proteins in one of the world's main biodiesel plants have been mapped—and it does not look good
The castor oil plant produces some very fatty beans from which oil is refined into biodiesel in several countries, eg. Brazil. Now a team of researchers from the University of Southern Denmark along with researchers from Brazil have succeeded in mapping proteins of the bean, and thus it may now be possible to alter the bean's structure in order to get even more out of the bean than today. The researcher's work however shows that this may not be an easy task.
Angel or demon: Can a potentially invasive plant bring a positive influence to a region?
Can invasive species be beneficial for the region? A recent study, published in the open access Journal of Hymenoptera Research, aimed to obtain empirical data on the activity and distribution of the bee species Braunsapis puangensis in the Suva area of Fiji and examine its association with the invasive creeping daisy Sphagneticola trilobata. The paper suggests that the invasive creeping daisy could in fact have a positive influence on a wild bee pollinator species, thus benefitting crops and biodiversity on the islands.
The most widespread ant and its new relative: A revision of the genus Paratrechina
Long considered to be one of the most species-rich ant genera, latest research has stripped the ant genus Paratrechina down to a single species- Paratrechina longicornis. This particular ant is one of the most widely distributed, found in nearly every tropical and subtropical location on the planet due to accidental human transport, and is considered one of the world's worst invasive ant species. A recent review of the genus in the open access Journal of Hymenoptera Research announces the discovery of a second species P. zanjensis, which presents a step forward into determining the native range of P. longicornis.
Fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats proves hardy survivor
(Phys.org) —After taking an in-depth look at the basic biology of a fungus that is decimating bat colonies as it spreads across the U.S., researchers report that they can find little that might stop the organism from spreading further and persisting indefinitely in bat caves.
Study challenges prevailing view of invasive species
(Phys.org) —Zebra mussels. Asian carp. Kudzu. Chances are you recognize these names as belonging to invasive species—plants or animals that are relocated from their native habitat to a foreign land, only to prove so prolific that they take over their new home. Except that's not how the story usually goes, according to a new study.
Gravity plays a role in keeping cells small
(Phys.org) —The effects of gravity are relevant when building houses or flying airplanes, but biologists have generally accepted that the average cell is too small for gravity to play a role in how it is built or behaves. A finding by Princeton University researchers now shows gravity imposes a size constraint on cells. The results provide a novel reason why most animal cells are small and of similar size.
Researchers explain the flagellar synchronisation of swimming algae
The beating of flagella is one of the basic principles of movement in the cellular cosmos. However, up to now, scientists were unsure as to how the movements of several of these small cellular appendages are synchronised. Dresden-based researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and the MPI for the Physics of Complex Systems have now succeeded in demonstrating how the green alga Chlamydomonas synchronises the movements of its two flagella using a resourceful rocking movement. To do this, the researchers started by developing a theoretical model which they were then able to substantiate in experiments with the microscopic breaststroke swimmers: when the two flagella lose their rhythm, the cell begins to rock. This causes the swimming movements to slow down or accelerate. The resulting synchronisation mechanism is based solely on the coupling of the two movements of the body and the flagella; no special sensors or chemical signals are nee! ded.
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