Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 10, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Technology uses micro-windmills to recharge cell phones- 'Superlens' extends range of wireless power transfer
- How the brain makes myelination activity-dependent
- When less is more: Fewer proton relays improve catalytic rates
- Scientists cook up new electronic material
- Study finds progenitor cells engage in 'apical abscission' to differentiate into neurons
- WUSTL engineers provide free code to help build better batteries
- Malware on Yahoo ads turned user PCs into bitcoin miners
- Research trio offer new explanation for breakup of Larsen B Ice Shelf
- Scientists control cells following transplantation, from the inside out
- Volcanic lightning recreated in the lab
- Kepler team validates 41 new exoplanets with Keck I
- Fresh faced: Looking younger for longer
- Researchers uncover mechanism of genetic mutations known to cause familial Alzheimer's disease
- Study on bacteria-invading virus yields new discoveries
Astronomy & Space news
Seven questions for Dante Lauretta, leader of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission
Dante Lauretta, who is leading the UA's OSIRIS-REx NASA mission, talks about what it takes to reach an asteroid and how an electric guitar plays a role in the mission.
Musical space-weather reports from NASA's LRO mission
(Phys.org) —The latest tool for checking space weather is an internet radio station fed by data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO.
Kepler team validates 41 new exoplanets with Keck I
(Phys.org) —The Kepler team today reports on four years of observations from the W. M. Keck Observatory targeting Kepler's exoplanet systems, announcing results this week at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Washington. These observations, from Keck Observatory on the summit of Mauna Kea, confirm that numerous Kepler discoveries are indeed planets and yield mass measurements of these enigmatic worlds that vary between Earth and Neptune in size.
Technology news
Modelling modules lead to higher-quality aluminium
The Norwegian project "Modelling-assisted Innovation for the Aluminium DC Casting Process" (MINAC), has developed modelling tools that show the impact of even minute adjustments to the casting process on casthouse products. These findings will give the Norwegian aluminium industry a significant competitive advantage.
Google says sorry to Germany over 'Adolf Hitler Square'
Google apologised Friday after a major square in Berlin regained its Nazi-era name "Adolf Hitler" on its popular online Maps page for a few hours.
Google apologizes for "Hitler" name on maps
Google apologized Friday after a Berlin intersection briefly regained its Nazi-era name, Adolf-Hitler-Platz, on the Google Maps service.
Court to rule on television over Internet service
The Supreme Court will decide whether a startup company can offer live television broadcasts over the Internet without paying fees to broadcasters.
Tech giants battle for control of the car
As the car becomes a connected Internet device, the titans of the tech sector are battling for control of the wheel.
Infosys shares surge on stronger revenue forecast
Leading Indian IT outsourcer Infosys posted higher quarterly profit and raised its revenue projection for the year on Friday after gaining more than 50 international clients.
Sky no longer the limit for in-flight Internet service
Even over the moonscape Nevada desert travelling in a 1950s seaplane, the Internet is there.
Netflix will 'just work' for buyers of new 4K TVs
Netflix says video streaming in ultra-high definition will "just work" for buyers of new UHD sets from Sony, LG, Samsung, Vizio and others.
Natural gas exports: Slow walk or "danger zone"?
The debate over exporting liquefied natural gas is intensifying as the Energy Dept. considers an array of applications to ship the fuel to Japan, India and other countries where prices are far higher than in the United States.
Building a structure for efficiency
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, working with partners at the China Academy of Building Research (CABR), analyzed current and future building energy use in rural China and developed an assessment of the issues and options for improving capacity and implementation of a building energy standard. Though there are feasible options for improving energy efficiency in rural buildings, they researched the significant challenges in establishing support at a local level. Due in part to their work, China has recently adopted a voluntary building energy standard to guide local governments in their work with rural populations. Their research is helping China to take important steps to improve energy efficiency in rural buildings.
UA-developed avatar is helping to screen new arrivals at Bucharest airport
(Phys.org) —Border police in Romania are testing a technology developed at the University of Arizona that uses a virtual border agent to question international travelers and flag those that give off suspicious vibes.
You don't need a curved TV, but 4K is the future
There has been a lot of hype and misinformation in the press over the last few weeks about the future of television. At the CES Electronics Showin Las Vegas, curved screens and 4K TV are being touted as the next big thing for your living room. Despite the confusion, this might just be true. For 4K TV is the next key technology which will gain a foothold in high-end media distribution and the best way to enjoy it is on a curved screen.
How hackers turned online gaming into a real-life fiasco
A spate of internet hacking during the New Year period – including an attack on Skype by hacker group the Syrian Electronic Army, and another on social media photo sharing app Snapchat by website SnapchatDB – demonstrates the emergence of a new phase in hacking wars: corporate greed and hubris as the target, with a dose of social disruption.
Launch of operating system rival to iOS and Android is delayed
Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo said Friday that the launch of a new smartphone operating system to rival Google's Android and Apple's iOS had been pushed back owing to development delays.
Wearable tech sees all, so choose what you want to share
This week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has offered up a veritable smörgåsbord of wearable technology. We've seen devices of all kinds to tempt us into this new age. So now is the time to decide what you want from them and how much information you are willing to hand over to your friend via your arm.
Vibrations reveal state of bridge ropes
The new ResoBridge method has been developed to check bridges during running traffic within one day. It measures the vibrations of the tensioning ropes of externally prestressed concrete bridges. The test method developed by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology helps control the state of infrastructure facilities and optimizes early planning of necessary repairs. In the future, it may also be used to check cable-stayed bridges and constructions as well as hybrid towers of wind power plants.
UPNA researchers develop an ultra-low consumption chip
Researchers at the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre have developed a chip incorporating a new design of ultra-low consumption, digital analogue converter; it consumes 50 million times less than a conventional light bulb. This low consumption means that the device can be powered using the reduced energy captured from the environment (light, vibrations, temperature variations, etc.). That way, energy autonomy is achieved because no batteries are needed for it to function.
Fuel economy of vehicles sold last year at record-high
Gas mileage of new vehicles sold in the U.S. was 24.8 mpg in December, the same as the average for all of 2013—the best annual mark ever, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Target says data breach hit 70 mn customers (Update)
Giant US retailer Target said Friday that its recent data breach affected many more consumers and types of customer information than originally thought, and that the debacle hit December sales.
Gadget Watch: The desk that tells you to stand up
Sitting down all day is bad for you, or so doctors say. There's been a burst of interest in standing desks, but they're not that easy to use, and it's hard to motivate sitters to stand.
Cloud-computing boosts German software giant SAP
German software giant SAP said on Friday that cloud-computing boosted sales and earnings in the fourth quarter of 2013 and the year as a whole.
Spy fears: Somali militants ban mobile internet
Somalia's al-Qaida-linked group has ordered telecom companies to shut down mobile internet services over fears the U.S. can use the data to target militants.
Technology aims for perfect jump shot, golf swing (Update)
A connected basketball promises to improve your jump shot. Embedded sensors which gather and analyze data offer hope for a better swing in golf, baseball or tennis.
Gadget Watch: iPhone case lets you see heat
Remember the alien with heat vision in the movie "Predator"? You, too, can now stalk people in the jungle by their heat signatures—or check your home insulation for leaks, whichever is most useful to you.
Smartphone apps multiply, but so do germs
It may be your best friend, but your smartphone is also probably teeming with germs.
Tech gets in your head, literally, to ease stress
Yes, technology can get into your head, says the maker of a new brain-sensing headband that promises to reduced stress.
Electronics startups abound as barriers to entry come down
Tucked into the tiniest of corners of the gargantuan Consumer Electronics Show one night this week was Sonny Vu, the founder of Misfit.
TV makers fire up hype machine over UltraHD
Local resident Tony Holdip stood admiring the latest technological lust object on display at the world's largest consumer electronics show as a friend joined a crowd of amateur photographers snapping pictures of the immense 110-inch Samsung TV.
Smartphones replace keys in smart door locks
Gabriel Bestard-Ribas got tired of his house keys scratching his smartphone in his pocket, so he combined them.
Carmakers: Driverless cars need legal framework
Hydrogen- and solar-powered vehicles are on the streets. So are cars that can get you through stop-and-go traffic while you sit back and send texts from behind the wheel. Cars are even using radar, ultrasonic waves and cameras to jump into the passing lane and get around slowpokes.
Google team's neural network approach works on street numbers
(Phys.org) —A Google team has worked out a neural network approach to transcribe house numbers from Street View images, reading those house numbers and matching them to their geolocation. Google Street View has the user advantage of allowing the user to advance to street level to see the area of interest in detail. Google's accomplishment in automation is impressive both in the scope of the task involved and the way in which it was done. Consider that Google's Street View cameras have recorded massive numbers of panoramic images carrying massive numbers of house numbers. "We can for example transcribe all the views we have of street numbers in France in less than an hour using our Google infrastructure," said the researchers, who have authored the paper, "Multi-digit Number Recognition from Street View Imagery using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks." Ian J. Goodfellow, Yaroslav Bulatov, Julian Ibarz, Sacha Arnoud, Vinay Shet are the authors.
Gadget Watch: Look around in Sony's video headset
A virtual-reality headset from Sony almost puts you inside a video by allowing you to widen your view when you turn your head up, down or side to side.
Innovative soft robotics technology spawns new products
(Phys.org) —The robot gripper invented by researchers at the University of Chicago and Cornell University is now available commercially. Empire Robotics, the company founded to commercialize the invention, is taking orders for the limited first release of its product called Versaball, scheduled to ship later this month.
Planes, trains and automobiles: Traveling by car uses most energy
(Phys.org) —Fuel economy must improve 57 percent in order for light-duty vehicles to match the current energy efficiency of commercial airline flights, says a University of Michigan researcher.
Malware on Yahoo ads turned user PCs into bitcoin miners
(Phys.org) —Yahoo, has acknowledged that its service sites were used by hackers to enslave massive numbers of ordinary PCs who did so to generate bitcoins, and by extension, real earnings. Ads were placed on Yahoo web sites that when clicked by users, resulted in malware being installed on their computer. The malware reportedly caused no harm to user PC's other than to make them appear to run slower.
WUSTL engineers provide free code to help build better batteries
(Phys.org) —Lithium-ion batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, are in high demand, with a global market value expected to reach $33.1 billion in 2019. But their high price and short life need to be addressed before they can be used in more consumer, energy and medical products.
Technology uses micro-windmills to recharge cell phones
A UT Arlington research associate and electrical engineering professor have designed a micro-windmill that generates wind energy and may become an innovative solution to cell phone batteries constantly in need of recharging and home energy generation where large windmills are not preferred.
Medicine & Health news
US reports spike in suicides among youngest vets
There has been a sharp increase in the suicide rate among the youngest U.S. male veterans, and a smaller but still significant jump among women who served in the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Thursday.
Forced abortions highlight abuses in China policy
When her mind is clear, Gong Qifeng can recall how she begged for mercy. Several people pinned her head, arms, knees and ankles to a hospital bed before driving a syringe of labor-inducing drugs into her stomach.
GOP-led House again targets Obama health care law
President Barack Obama's health care law is back in Republican crosshairs as the GOP-led House weighs a bill that would impose new requirements on the administration.
Research partnership brings mindfulness/yoga practices to schools in Middle East
Palestinian educators, health professionals, social workers and refugee service providers recently received training in Transformative Life Skills (TLS)—a social-emotional learning program that aims to reduce students' stress and promote social-emotional health and physical wellness through mindfulness and yoga training—from a team of trainers and researchers from Penn State, the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and the Oakland-based nonprofit Niroga Institute.
Midwifery students learn about women over 40 having a baby
The Royal College of Midwives State of Maternity Services Report 2013, out this week, shows an increase in the number of older and obese mothers and a baby boom in 2012. Dr Tracey Mills, from The University of Manchester's School of Nursing, has provided the following reaction to the findings.
Child trafficking victims being let down by UK government, say experts
As Human Trafficking Awareness Day is marked across the world tomorrow (11 January), experts from Royal Holloway have condemned the Government for failing to put the welfare of child trafficking victims above concerns about immigration control.
ExRNA: Decoding messages between cells
RNA has long been known to perform yeoman's duty on the intracellular assembly line, following genetic instructions to help guide protein production.
Struggling with that New Year's resolution? How to hang in there
It's a time of year when many of us have made resolutions. The New Year feels like an ideal time to kick those old habits and replace them with habits that we hope will make us thinner/richer/younger-looking/insert-desirable-state-of-your-own-here.
Amount and types of fat we eat affect health and risk of disease
Healthy adults should consume between 20 percent and 35 percent of their calories from dietary fat, increase their consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, and limit their intake of saturated and trans fats, according to an updated position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Mechanism affecting risk of prostate cancer is found
A research group at Biocenter Oulu in Finland has identified a mechanism related to a transcription factor that binds much more strongly onto a particular SNP variant, thereby initiating a genetic programme which enhances prostate cancer proliferation and metastasis. The study opens up an important new direction in investigating the mechanisms related to the way in which SNP variations cause an elevated risk of prostate cancer and other human diseases. Published in Nature Genetics, the study was partly funded by the Academy of Finland.
Regorafenib: Hint of minor added benefit
Regorafenib (trade name: Stivarga) has been approved in Germany since August 2013 for adults with metastatic colorectal cancer in whom previous treatments are no longer effective or for whom these alternatives are not an option. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy specified by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).
Philippines bans lead after years-long campaign
The Philippines has banned the use of lead in a wide range of consumer products including toys and cosmetics, the government said Friday, after years of vocal campaigning by environmentalists.
Proposed Medicare drug change stirs access worries
In a move that some fear could compromise care for Medicare recipients, the Obama administration is proposing to remove special protections that guarantee seniors access to a wide selection of three types of drugs.
States urged to register compounding pharmacies
The federal government has sent letters to states and other stakeholders across the country calling on them to encourage compounding pharmacies to register as a producer of sterile drugs in an effort to protect the public.
Study: Athlete's first reaction in victory is dominance
Upon victory, an athlete's initial and instinctive reaction is one that displays dominance over his or her opponent, according to a new study published today in the journal Motivation and Emotion.
Researchers pursuing arthritis protein
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have investigated a special protein that appears in inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis. The findings have just been published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
India celebrates polio success, but sad legacy remains
Teenage shoe-shiner Amit contracted polio as a toddler, leaving him with damaged legs and a twisted spine. He has never seen a doctor and the country's eradication of the disease came too late for him.
New Japan research scandal brewing over Alzheimer's study
Japan's health ministry said Friday it was probing claims falsified data was used in an Alzheimer's disease study involving major pharmaceutical firms, a day after filing an unrelated criminal complaint against Swiss drugs giant Novartis.
Prescription drugs a 'tipping point' for dating violence among urban youth
(Medical Xpress)—A new University of Michigan Injury Center study recently found a link between misuse of prescription drugs and physical violence among dating partners.
The Medical Minute: Make preventive care part of your 2014 health focus
At the conclusion of the holiday hustle and bustle, likely replete with unhealthy eating, many focus on health in the new year. In addition to eating right and getting more exercise, another resolution should be to seek the advice of a primary care provider to see what preventive care you should consider to keep you at optimal health.
Scientists develop new approach to study how genetic variants affect gene expression
(Medical Xpress)—Each individual carries a unique version of the human genome. Genetic differences can influence traits such as height, weight and vulnerability to disease, but precisely what these genetic variants are and how they exercise their impact is mostly unknown. UCLA researchers have now developed a novel approach to study the ways in which these individual differences affect how strongly certain genes are "expressed"—that is, how they are translated into the proteins that do the actual work in cells.
Study: Stress management may contribute to weight loss
(Medical Xpress)—Many people know it's hard to lose weight and keep it off. A researcher in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recently completed a study comparing the effectiveness of two new weight loss and maintenance intervention programs.
Cancer death rates could be halved by 2030 with effective treatment
(Medical Xpress)—UK cancer death rates are likely to fall more rapidly between now and 2013 than they have done in the previous 20 years, according to research presented today by the UCL School of Pharmacy.
Midrange testosterone levels better for older men
(Medical Xpress)—Optimal levels of testosterone - meaning neither low nor high - in older men are associated with better survival, according to a study recently published by a team of UWA researchers in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Prediction of the future flu virus
Every year, influenza outbreaks claim hundreds of thousands of human lives. Though vaccination against flu is fairly efficient, the disease is difficult to exterminate because of the high evolutionary rate of the flu virus. Every year, new flu strains spread over the planet that differ slightly from those that were common a year before, which helps the virus to escape the immune response, and possibly compromises the efficiency of anti-viral drugs. Furthermore, from time to time, a drastically new strain appears, posing a threat of human pandemic. Both processes are due to changes in the viral genome, but of a different degree.
Evidence of harmful effect of bisphenol A-based plastics
Bisphenol A impairs the function of proteins that are vital for growth processes in cells. This finding has been reported by researchers from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the University of Wuppertal. The substance, short BPA, is contained in many plastic products and is suspected of being hazardous to health. To date, it had been assumed that bisphenol A produces a harmful effect by binding to hormone receptors. The chemist and biochemist team has discovered that the substance also affects the so-called small GTPases. They published their findings in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Teen concussions increase risk for depression
Teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Antibacterial agent boosts toothpaste effectiveness
Regular use of fluoride toothpaste containing triclosan, an antibacterial agent, and a copolymer, which helps prevent the triclosan from being washed away by saliva, reduces plaque, gingivitis, and bleeding gums and slightly reduces tooth decay compared to fluoride toothpaste without those ingredients, finds a new review in The Cochrane Library.
Engineer's ingenuity connects MS patient with touchscreen device
For all of its revolutionary promise, the touchscreen technology in smartphones and e-readers is leaving behind people with disabling diseases like multiple sclerosis. Although these patients are often cognitively engaged, they physically can't perform the full range of swipes and taps that unlocks a touchscreen device's potential. And that affects their quality of life.
Fighting asthma drug resistance
Current asthma treatments include drugs that open up the tubes of the lungs and corticosteroids that fight lung inflammation. Some patients, however, are stubbornly resistant to corticosteroids, limiting the therapies available to them. Shigeo Koyasu and Kazuyo Moro from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, in collaboration with Hiroki Kabata of the Keio University School of Medicine and Koichiro Asano of Tokai University and co-workers, have now found that the inflammatory protein called thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its downstream signaling molecules play key roles in the resistance of natural helper (NH) immune cells, a member of group 2 innate lymoid cells (ILC2s), to the anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroid treatment.
Friends in low places preserve gut health
The bacterial communities that live in our intestines should not be considered freeloaders—they contribute substantially to our well-being in a number of ways, including assisting in the breakdown of otherwise indigestible dietary fiber. Hiroshi Ohno from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences and colleagues have now discovered a mechanism by which this digestive assistance also helps to prevent gut inflammation.
Does caffeine enhance performance?
Unlike many drugs, caffeine may be taken legally by people of all ages, which helps make it the world's most widely used stimulant.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, is a highly debilitating, but often misunderstood, disorder.
Risk table acts as depression crystal ball
A risk table comprising modifiable risk factors associated with depression may potentially help health practitioners to predict the probability of depressive symptoms in elderly men later in life, a new study has found.
Children's brain imaging data bank could become a 'Google' tool for doctors
(Medical Xpress)—When an MRI scan uncovers an unusual architecture or shape in a child's brain, it's cause for concern: The malformation may be a sign of disease. But deciding whether that odd-looking anatomy is worrisome or harmless can be difficult. To help doctors reach the right decision, Johns Hopkins researchers are building a detailed digital library of MRI scans collected from children with normal and abnormal brains. The goal, the researchers say, is to give physicians a Google-like search system that will enhance the way they diagnose and treat young patients with brain disorders.
KIT researchers develop artificial bone marrow
Artificial bone marrow may be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem cells. A prototype has now been developed by scientists of KIT, the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, and Tübingen University. The porous structure possesses essential properties of natural bone marrow and can be used for the reproduction of stem cells at the laboratory. This might facilitate the treatment of leukemia in a few years. The researchers are now presenting their work in the Biomaterials journal.
Trial to test using ultrasound to move kidney stones
Almost one in 10 people will someday experience a kidney stone, which creates what is described as the most intense pain imaginable. This increasingly common condition leads to hundreds of thousands of surgeries in the United States each year.
Primary care practitioners hesitate to prescribe antidepressants for depressed teens
Pediatric primary care practitioners (PCPs) are reluctant to prescribe antidepressant medications to adolescent patients—even those with severe depression, reports a study in the January Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
Comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment improves pelvic floor dysfunction in women
One in three women suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), a range of symptoms which include bladder and bowel problems as well as pelvic pain, according to the American Urogynecologic Society. Now, University of Missouri researchers have demonstrated that a comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment significantly improves symptoms in women with PFD.
Europe watchdog advises suspending 'risky' osteoporosis drug
A committee of Europe's medicines watchdog on Friday recommended suspending the use of an osteoporosis drug, saying the risks, including heart attacks, outweighed the benefits.
Sealant gel approved for eye surgery
(HealthDay)—A sealant gel to prevent fluid leakage after cataract surgery has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
High uric acid level linked to coronary stent restenosis
(HealthDay)—A high level of serum uric acid prior to implantation of bare-metal coronary stents predicts stent restenosis, according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Mekinist plus tafinlar approved for late-stage melanoma
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Mekinist for use with another drug, Tafinlar, to treat advanced melanoma that is spreading or cannot be removed by surgery.
Living a full life, irregular heartbeat and all
(HealthDay)—Lawrence Schmelz spent a lot of time in the gym keeping his body fit—up to two hours a day, every day, at age 50.
Many Americans haven't checked out health insurance marketplaces
(HealthDay)—Despite a rush to enroll in December, many Americans who may be eligible for health insurance through the new state and federal marketplaces haven't shopped for coverage, a new survey shows.
Transcatheter valve implantation benefits even very elderly
(HealthDay)—Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is associated with acceptable clinical outcomes, even among very elderly patients, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Women more open to weight-loss surgery
(HealthDay)—Women are four times more likely than men to seek weight-loss surgery, a new study finds.
ACP introduces free 'High value care' case studies
(HealthDay)—In an effort to improve health care and eliminate wasteful practices, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed a series of High Value Care cases studies, available online for free.
US flu cases continue to climb
(HealthDay)—Flu season continues to tighten its grip on the United States, with 35 states now experiencing widespread influenza activity, federal officials reported Friday.
Researchers develop test to predict early onset of heart attacks
A new "fluid biopsy" technique that could identify patients at high risk of a heart attack by identifying specific cells as markers in the bloodstream has been developed by a group of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI).
New aspirin-based prodrug may prevent damage caused by chemotherapy
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a new prodrug that promises to reduce many of the negative side effects caused by cisplatin, a commonly prescribed chemotherapy treatment.
Wildfire smoke exposure linked to reduced immune system, lung functions
(Medical Xpress)—California wildfires in 2008 led to a natural experiment with monkeys living outdoors at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California, Davis, showing for the first time that exposure to high levels of fine particle pollution affects both development of the immune system and lung function.
Random chance may explain hereditary disease
(Medical Xpress)—A new study from Karolinska Institutet and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research shows that random chance decides whether the gene copy you inherit from your mother or the one from your father is used something which in turn may determine your risk of hereditary illnesses. The research, which is presented in the journal Science, may explain why an illness only afflicts some individuals even if they are carrying the same gene copy as their healthy relatives.
Unpacking the toolkit of human consciousness
No matter how different they seem—the learned and contemplative neuroscientist versus the toy orangutan with a penchant for off-color jokes—almost any adult who experiences them knows that Princeton University professor Michael Graziano is the voice behind his simian puppet Kevin. Yet to most listeners, Kevin—who acts as the comic relief when Graziano publicly presents his work—nonetheless has a distinct personality and consciousness—he seems aware of and comments on his surroundings in his own unique way.
Study finds progenitor cells engage in 'apical abscission' to differentiate into neurons
(Medical Xpress)—A pair of researchers working at the University of Dundee in the U.K. has discovered a new step during vertebrate neurogenesis—the process by which progenitor cells develop into neurons in embryos. In their paper published in the journal Science, Raman Das and Kate Storey describe how they used high-resolution live-cell imaging to observe early stage vertebrae brain development and in so doing discovered the previously unknown step during neurogenesis which they have called "apical abscission"—where precursor cells must leave the neural tube in which they develop to grow into different parts of the nervous system. In the same journal edition Samuel Tozer and Xavier Morin describe the process further in a Perspective piece.
Fresh faced: Looking younger for longer
Newcastle University researchers have identified an antioxidant Tiron, which offers total protection against some types of sun damage and may ultimately help our skin stay looking younger for longer.
Researchers uncover mechanism of genetic mutations known to cause familial Alzheimer's disease
New research, led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researcher Chunyu Wang, has solved one mystery in the development of Familial Alzheimer's Disease (FAD), a genetic variant of the disease that affects a small fraction of the Alzheimer's population. In a paper published online January 6 in the journal Nature Communications, Wang and his team follow the trail of two genetic mutations – V44M and V44A – known to cause FAD, and show how the mutations lead to biochemical changes long linked to the disease.
Autophagy predicts which cancer cells live and die when faced with anti-cancer drugs
(Medical Xpress)—When a tumor is treated with an anti-cancer drug, some cells die and, unfortunately, some cells tend to live. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Nature Cell Biology details a possible difference between the susceptible and resistant cells: the rate at which cells are able to cleanse themselves via the process known as autophagy.
How the brain makes myelination activity-dependent
(Medical Xpress)—A major question regarding how axons acquire a coat of myelin, is the role of spiking activity. It is known that in culture systems oligodendroctyes will at least try to wrap anything that feels like an axon—even dead axons and artificial tubes. As axons acquire additional layers of myelin they conduct signals faster, and presumably become more efficient. It would therefore seem logical that the nervous system should apportion the most myelin to those neurons that are seeing the greatest activity. In that way the brain gets the most bang for its buck, energetically speaking. A new study in PLOS Biology suggests that while myelination is in many cases activity-independent at first, neurons can significantly ramp things up by flipping various molecular switches, one which appears to be Neuregulin (NRG).
Biology news
New rice competes with weeds, offers high grain quality to boot
Using conventional breeding methods, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have developed a new rice cultivar that can hold its own against barnyardgrass and other costly weeds, opening the door to reduced herbicide use.
Making white layer cakes with more fiber or less fat
White layer cakes can be made with more fiber or less fat, without significantly undermining many of the qualities of this favorite treat. These improvements can be made to cakes that are prepared at commercial bakeries or to the boxed mixes sold for home bakers, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food technologist Mukti Singh.
Researchers aim to get upstream on antibiotic resistance
The battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria has taken to the high seas as a team of University of Alberta researchers received funding from the federal government to look at alternatives for fighting infection in salmon farms.
MaCuMBA continues to unlock the mysteries of marine microorganisms
The EC-funded MaCuMBA project is now in its second year as it works towards its objective of developing new methods for isolating and screening marine microorganisms using cultivation-dependent strategies. One of the most exciting developments for the project has been the discovery of the smallest aquatic bacterium ever described worldwide.
Namibia defends black rhino hunt
Namibia wildlife authorities on Friday defended the auction of permits to hunt black rhino, saying the kill was aimed at conserving the endangered species.
Dingoes vital for ecosystem health
Urgent action is needed to protect large carnivores, such as the Australian dingo, from the "unforseen" environmental consequences that will accompany further declines in their numbers, an international team fo ecologist has warned.
Un-beaching the whale: A non-trivial task to unearth important evolutionary insights
Cornwallis sank as he died, making a couple of revolutions on his way down, finally ending belly up and flippers akimbo, making a sort of "whale angel" on the ocean bottom.
Agricultural policy change drives increased pollination demand
Research involving botanists from Trinity College Dublin has shown that the demand for financially critical pollination services has risen five times as fast as the number of honeybee colonies across Europe. The mismatch is linked to agricultural policy changes and raises concerns about how countries will cope with losses of other wild pollinators, which could be critical in meeting the deficit when honeybees alone cannot pollinate all crops.
Tiny tag reveals record-breaking bird migration
A tracking device, which weighs less than a paperclip, has helped scientists uncover one of the world's great bird migrations.
Climate change threatens freshwater fish
(Phys.org) —New research has revealed that Western Australia's drying climate will impact fish migrations, putting further pressure on a number of native freshwater fish species.
Finding meaning in gene expression 'noise'
Static models of gene regulation networks are inevitably oversimplified, indicating how one gene specifically switches certain target genes on while turning others off. However, the reality is much more dynamic and thus noisier. Jay Shin and colleagues from the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies have now monitored one such network in individual cells at different time-points during the complex process of cellular maturation.
One species, two outcomes: Team seeks source of body louse pathology
A new study seeks to determine how one parasitic species can give rise to two drastically different outcomes in its host: The human body louse (Pediculus humanus) can transmit dangerous bacterial infections to humans, while the human head louse (also Pediculus humanus) does not.
Over 8,000 pig-nosed turtles rescued in Indonesia
Indonesian officials said on Friday they have rescued more than 8,000 baby pig-nosed turtles hidden in suitcases and thought to be destined for China and Singapore.
Radar reveals extraordinary ladybird flight paths
(Phys.org) —The extraordinary heights and speeds of ladybird flight paths have been revealed for the first time.
Living on islands makes animals tamer
(Phys.org) —Most of us have seen pictures and probably YouTube videos of "tame" animals on the Galapagos Islands, the biological paradise that was Charles Darwin's major source of inspiration as he observed nature and gradually developed his ideas about the importance of natural selection as a mechanism by which populations of organisms would change—evolve genetically—across generations, eventually becoming better and better suited to life in their current conditions.
Cilia use different motors for different tasks
Cilia—short, hair-like fibers—are widely present in nature. Single-celled paramecia use one set of cilia for locomotion and another set to sweep nutrients into their oral grooves. Researchers at Brown have discovered that those two cilia sets operate at different speeds when the viscosity of the environment changes. That suggests different molecular motors driving them, which could help explain how cilia have come to be used for so many different tasks in nature.
Scientists control cells following transplantation, from the inside out
Harvard stem cells scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and MIT can now engineer cells that are more easily controlled following transplantation, potentially making cell therapies, hundreds of which are currently in clinical trials across the United States, more functional and efficient.
Study on bacteria-invading virus yields new discoveries
Innovative work by two Florida State University scientists that shows the structural and DNA breakdown of a bacteria-invading virus is being featured on the cover of the February issue of the journal Virology.
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