Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 22, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- New dinosaur species discovered on 'lost continent' (w/ Video)- Research gives insight into using graphene in electronics
- Former physicist investigates May 6 flash crash
- Human-powered ornithopter becomes first ever to achieve sustained flight (w/ Video)
- Introducing Stringbike: the bike with no chain (w/ Video)
- Vegetative state patients may soon be able to communicate
- Berkeley lab scientists reveal path to protein crystallization (w/ Video)
- Hot topic in earth sciences: The mantle plume model and Siberian 'traps'
- Neuroscientists reveal how the brain learns to recognize objects
- Salmonella creates environment in human intestines to foster its own growth
- Ocean cooling contributed to mid-20th century global warming hiatus
- Scientists reveal structure of dangerous bacteria's powerful multidrug resistance pump
- Cell division typically associated with cancer may also protect the liver from injury
- Video simulations of real earthquakes made available to worldwide network
- Swiss solar plane completes flight across Switzerland
Space & Earth news
Image: Twitchell canyon fire
The Expedition 24 crew aboard the International Space Station photographed the Twitchell Canyon Fire in central Utah on Sept. 20.
ESA's Rosetta comet-chaser goes LEGO
(PhysOrg.com) -- What does a scientist do to visualise a space journey? Build a model, of course. A model of Europe's Rosetta comet-chaser made out of LEGO blocks started out in this small way and has grown into a high-fidelity Rosetta Lander Education Kit.
ChemCam to study rocks from Mars
The NASA Mars Science Laboratory Project's rover, Curiosity, will carry a newly delivered laser instrument named ChemCam to reveal what elements are present in rocks and soils on Mars up to 7 meters (23 feet) away from the rover.
Breaking waves in the stellar lagoon (w/ Video)
The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a dramatic view of gas and dust sculpted by intense radiation from hot young stars deep in the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8). This spectacular object is named after the wide, lagoon-shaped dust lane that crosses the glowing gas of the nebula.
Huge post-tropical Hurricane Igor drenched Newfoundland, Canada
Hurricane Igor may have transitioned into a post-tropical hurricane late yesterday, but when he approached Newfoundland, Canada and merged with an area of low pressure it resulted in heavy rainfall throughout the region. NASA satellites captured Igor's northern march toward the Labrador Sea yesterday.
GOES-13's wide view of Atlantic's Tropical Storm Lisa and low, Pacific's Georgette
The GOES-13 satellite may be stationed in orbit over the eastern U.S., but it has a wide field of view from the eastern Atlantic to the eastern Pacific, and today it captured three tropical cyclones in one image.
Martian moon Phobos may have formed by catastrophic blast
Scientists now have firm indications that the Martian satellite Phobos formed relatively near its current location via re-accretion of material blasted into Mars' orbit by some catastrophic event. Two independent approaches of compositional analyses of thermal infrared spectra, from ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Global Surveyor missions, yield very similar conclusions. The re-accretion scenario is further strengthened by the measurements of Phobos' high porosity from the Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) on board Mars Express. These results will be presented by Dr. Giuranna and Dr. Rosenblatt at the European Planetary Science Congress in Rome.
Mercury's comet-like appearance spotted by satellites looking at the Sun
Scientists from Boston University's Center for Space Physics reported today that NASA satellites designed to view the escaping atmosphere of the Sun have also recorded evidence of escaping gas from the planet Mercury. The STEREO mission has two satellites placed in the same orbit around the Sun that the Earth has, but at locations ahead and behind it. This configuration offers multi-directional views of the electrons and ions that make up the escaping solar wind. On occasion, the planet Mercury appears in the field of view of one or both satellites.
Opportunity finds possible meteorite
(PhysOrg.com) -- Images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took at the end of an 81-meter (266-foot) drive on Sept. 16 reveal a dark rock about 31 meters (102 feet) away. The rover's science team has decided to go get a closer look at the toaster-sized rock and determine whether it is an iron meteorite.
An elegant galaxy in an unusual light (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new image taken with the powerful HAWK-I camera on ESO's Very Large Telescope at Paranal Observatory in Chile shows the beautiful barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 in infrared light. NGC 1365 is a member of the Fornax cluster of galaxies, and lies about 60 million light-years from Earth.
Super harvest moon to produce rare twilight glow
For the first time in almost 20 years, northern autumn is beginning on the night of a full Moon. The coincidence sets the stage for a "Super Harvest Moon" and a must-see sky show to mark the change of seasons.
Spring on Titan brings sunshine and patchy cloud
Titan's northern hemisphere is set for mainly fine spring weather, with polar skies clearing since the equinox in August last year. Cassini's VIMS instrument has been monitoring clouds on Titan continuously since the spacecraft went into orbit around Saturn. Now, a team led by Sébastien Rodriguez (AIM laboratory - Universite Paris Diderot) has used more than 2000 VIMS images to create the first long-term study of Titan's weather that includes the equinox, using observational data. Dr. Rodriguez will be presenting the results at the European Planetary Science Congress in Rome on Wednesday 22nd September.
Ocean cooling contributed to mid-20th century global warming hiatus
The hiatus of global warming in the Northern Hemisphere during the mid-20th century may have been due to an abrupt cooling event centered over the North Atlantic around 1970, rather than the cooling effects of tropospheric pollution, according to a new paper appearing today in Nature.
Hot topic in earth sciences: The mantle plume model and Siberian 'traps'
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Michigan Technological University researcher may have solved a long-standing mystery in earth science studies. In Siberia there exist stepped, large-scale basaltic formations known as "traps." "Nobody really knew how these were formed," says Aleksey Smirnov, assistant professor of geophysics at Michigan Tech.
Video simulations of real earthquakes made available to worldwide network
A Princeton University-led research team has developed the capability to produce realistic movies of earthquakes based on complex computer simulations that can be made available worldwide within hours of a disastrous upheaval.
Technology news
SolarEagle unmanned aircraft to fly non-stop for 5 years
The Boeing Company on Sept. 14 signed an agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and fly the SolarEagle unmanned aircraft for the Vulture II demonstration program. Under the terms of the $89 million contract, SolarEagle will make its first demonstration flight in 2014.
Enough 'Farmville'? Facebook revamps game updates
(AP) -- More than 200 million people play games on Facebook each month. This means about 300 million members of the world's largest online social network don't.
Wheel in a corset
Are lightweight construction materials suitable for extremely stressed and safety-relevant components such as car wheel? Tests and calculations show that fiber-reinforced plastics are highly damage-tolerant and distinctly superior to aluminum in car wheels. Researchers have already produced a prototype lightweight wheel.
Microsoft: Millions download freshly-launched Internet Explorer 9
Millions of people have downloaded Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) since Microsoft released the test version of its next-generation Web browser a week ago.
Adobe 3Q net income soars, outlook disappoints
(AP) -- Adobe Systems Inc. posted a 69 percent jump in quarterly net income Tuesday but its shares tumbled after the software company said its revenue in the current quarter would be less than what Wall Street expected.
Over 500,000 iPads on AT&T network: CEO
AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson said Tuesday that over half a million iPad owners were using the US telecom giant's cellular network and new tablet computers were expected to help drive growth.
Microsoft raises dividend 23 percent to 16 cents
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday it is raising its quarterly dividend for the first time in two years in a move that will return more of the software maker's nearly $37 billion cash hoard to its shareholders.
India launches mobile phone share trading
India has launched stock trading on mobile phones, hoping to capitalise on the country's position as the world's fastest-growing handset market by catering to tech-savvy investors.
Czechs halt Google's 'Street View,' cite privacy
(AP) -- The Czech Republic has refused to grant Google permission to expand its "Street View" because the mapping feature invades peoples' privacy, the government's privacy watchdog said Wednesday.
Servers perform well in cooler temperatures
Lots of energy can be saved by using outside air directly for cooling in data centers in the north. In a study by researchers of Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT and the University of Helsinki, computers functioned correctly over extended periods of time when run in harsh winter temperatures. Commercial, off-the-shelf computers ran well even when the outside temperature was -22C (-8F).
New luggage inspection methods identify liquid explosives
Liquid explosives are easy to produce. As a result, terrorists can use the chemicals for attacks -- on aircraft, for instance. In the future, new detection systems at airport security checkpoints will help track down these dangerous substances. Researchers are currently testing equipment in their special laboratories.
Superfast mobile 3G networks boom: UN telecoms agency
Superfast third generation (3G) mobile phone networks have expanded nearly tenfold in four years, outstripping fixed line broadband, the UN's telecoms agency said on Wednesday.
Times Co. expects revenue decline on print ad slide
The New York Times Co. said Wednesday it expects revenue to fall up to three percent in the current quarter as print advertising revenue continues to slide.
Canada's privacy body to look into Facebook 'Like' button
Canada's privacy commissioner said Wednesday that Facebook has addressed her concerns but she was opening a new probe of the sharing of the social networking site's "Like" button with other websites.
Endesa, Nissan in deal for electric auto recharge points
Spanish energy group Endesa said Wednesday it has signed an agreement with Japanese automaker Nissan to set up a network of recharge points for electric cars.
Australian 17-year-old blamed for Twitter chaos (Update)
A 17-year-old Australian schoolboy Wednesday said he unwittingly caused a massive hacker attack on Twitter which sent users to Japanese porn sites and took out the White House press secretary's feed.
Virtual island could revolutionize tourist trade sector
Three-dimensional versions of Mediterranean islands will be updated virtually automatically with current information from a range of public and private databases. The European research project may launch a "revolution" in the tourist trade sector.
Swiss solar plane completes flight across Switzerland
Switzerland's sun-powered plane Solar Impulse flew across the country Wednesday, in a new achievement following its historic 24-hour flight.
Introducing Stringbike: the bike with no chain (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hungarian bicycle designers have unveiled their new Stringbike in Padova, Italy. The design replaces the traditional chain with a symmetrical rope and pulley system, which they say is more efficient, makes for a more comfortable ride, and provides improved maneuverability around winding streets.
Human-powered ornithopter becomes first ever to achieve sustained flight (w/ Video)
Aviation history was made when the University of Toronto's human-powered aircraft with flapping wings became the first of its kind to fly continuously.
Medicine & Health news
Aeras and Crucell announce Phase II clinical trial start in Kenya
Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell N.V. and the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation today announced the start of a Phase II clinical trial in infants of the jointly developed tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate, AERAS-402/Crucell Ad35.
Biomechanical measurements reveal high heels effect for professional dancers
With ballroom dancing once again on our screens, all eyes are on the sequins and steps. Well, not quite all eyes. British and Chinese scientists are more interested in the height of the ladies' high heels rather than the torsos and twists and have a few strict words on health and safety for professional dancers.
Titanium foams replace injured bones
Flexible yet rigid like a human bone, and immediately capable of bearing loads: a new kind of implant, made of titanium foam, resembles the inside of a bone in terms of its structural configuration. Not only does this make it less stiff than conventional massive implants. It also promotes in-growth into surrounding bones.
Novartis gains FDA approval for new MS drug
(AP) -- Federal health regulators have approved the first pill to treat the underlying causes of multiple sclerosis, a debilitating nervous system disorder that has traditionally been treated with injectable drugs.
Terlipressin treatment for gastrointestinal bleeding reduces serum sodium
A new study published in the October issue of the journal Hepatology found that patients with severe portal-hypertensive bleeding who are treated with terlipressin may experience an acute reduction of sodium in their blood. This reduction in serum sodium, known as hyponatremia, can cause adverse reactions such as neurological complications, and is rapidly reversible upon terlipressin withdrawal. Researchers suggest that serum sodium should be closely monitored in these patients and caution that use of solutions with high sodium content to treat this condition may cause a too rapid recovery of sodium leading to adverse events.
Northwestern first site open for spinal cord stem cell trial
Northwestern Medicine is the first site open for enrollment in a national clinical research trial of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for participants with a subacute thoracic spinal cord injury. Following the procedure, participants will receive rehabilitation treatment at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).
Space-age device to deliver more efficient health care on Earth and above
On an exploration mission, an astronaut has an accident and appears to have serious injuries as the spacecraft speeds to its destination. The ensuing scene is hectic as the other crew members try to get a grasp on the situation and provide appropriate treatment. Efficient use of time and resources may be the difference between life and death.
Positive behavioral interventions programs found to improve student behavior and learning
Adopting the evidence-based procedures of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) helped 21 elementary schools reduce student suspensions, office discipline referrals and improve student academic achievement, according to a study published in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. SWPBIS is a rapidly expanding approach to improving educational environments that is estimated to be used in more than 9,000 schools nation-wide.
Chromium picolinate may lessen inflammation in diabetic nephropathy
Taking chromium picolinate may help lessen inflammation associated with diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), say researchers at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. In a study comparing diabetic mice treated with chromium picolinate with those that received placebo, the researchers found that mice who received the supplement had lower levels of albuminuria (protein in the urine), an indication of kidney disease.
Healthy plant sterols: A daily 'drip' is best
(PhysOrg.com) -- Plant-derived sterols and stanols are known to be heart healthy compounds. When consumed in amounts greater than those found naturally in foods, these compounds lower blood cholesterol concentrations in humans. To help consumers gain this benefit, food companies add sterols and stanols to foods.
Athletes face tough hits, players susceptible to concussions
With the recent deaths of football players top of mind, parents and coaches should always be mindful of the risks of concussions. Kim Gorgens, assistant professor and neuropsychologist at the University of Denver (DU), says that the average football player receives 103 Gs when hit during a game. Most concussions deliver 95 Gs to the human body upon impact.
Physical limitations of breast cancer survivors
Women who survive breast cancer often suffer from functional limitations that affect motion, strength and dexterity, which may adversely affect all-cause and competing-cause survival but not breast cancer survival, according to a study published online September 22 in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
German government approves unpopular health reform
Germany's embattled government signed off on an unpopular reform of the creaking healthcare system Wednesday that will increase the financial burden on patients.
Genetic factor in osteoporosis discovered
Spanish researchers have confirmed there is a genetic risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures. Although more studies are still needed, these findings will make it possible to take preventive measures.
Sildenafil benefit small in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sildenafil failed to significantly increase exercise capacity, but did improve arterial oxygenation, shortness of breath and quality of life in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), in the first randomized trial of the medication for IPF. The study is published in the August 12, 2010, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Smoking during pregnancy may harm the child's motor control and coordination
Women who smoke during pregnancy run the risk of adversely affecting their children's coordination and physical control according to a new study from Orebro University, Sweden, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Catheter ablation benefits younger adults with irregular heartbeat
Patients under age 45 had fewer major complications than older patients and comparable improvement after a medical procedure to treat irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, in a study reported in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, an American Heart Association journal.
Higher diabetes risk dominant in US South asians, not immigrants
South Asians living in the United States are at much higher risk for type 2 diabetes than are whites and immigrants from other Asian countries, a new small study reveals.
Largest-ever breast cancer surgery study published
A less invasive surgical procedure for detecting breast cancer spread has for the first time been proven to achieve the same cancer survival and recurrence control as traditional lymph node removal surgery in patients whose initial sentinel node biopsy tested negative for cancer. These findings are reported by an international team led by University of Vermont and Vermont Cancer Center physician-researcher David Krag, M.D., in the September 21 "Online First" edition of Lancet Oncology.
Taribavirin offers a safe, effective alternative for chronic hepatitis C
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and 50 other centers found that weight-based dosing of taribavirin reduces rates of anemia while increasing sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV). Full details of this study are available in the October issue of Hepatology.
Young teens who play sports feel healthier and happier about life
Taking part in sports is good all round for young teens: physically, socially, and mentally, according to a new study1 by Dr. Keith Zullig and Rebecca White from West Virginia University in the US. Their research shows that middle-school teenagers who are physically active and play on sports teams are more satisfied with their life and feel healthier. Zullig and White's paper is published online in Springer's journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.
Study finds inflammation causes some postsurgical neuropathies
A new Mayo Clinic study found that nerve inflammation may cause the pain, numbness and weakness following surgical procedures that is known as postsurgical neuropathy. The development of postsurgical neuropathies is typically attributed to compression or stretching of nerves during surgery. This new research shows that, in some cases, the neuropathy is actually caused by the immune system attacking the nerves and is potentially treatable with immunosuppressive drugs. The study was published in this month's issue of Brain.
Taste genes predict tooth decay
Dental caries is a highly prevalent disease that is disproportionately distributed in the population. Caries occurrence and progression is known to be influenced by a complex interplay of both environmental and genetic factors, with numerous contributing factors having been identified including bacterial flora, dietary habits, fluoride exposure, oral hygiene, salivary flow, salivary composition, and tooth structure. Previous reports have characterized the influence of the genetic variation on taste preferences and dietary habits.
New drug could help stop the spread of disease during cough: research
What if there was a drug that could completely eliminate airborne disease transmission that occurs when someone coughs? Researchers at the University of Alberta believe they have found a way to achieve this.
IVF does not negatively affect academic achievement
Children conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) perform at least as well as their peers on academic tests at all ages from grade 3 to 12, according to a new University of Iowa study.
Talking while walking puts Parkinson's patients at risk for falls
We've all heard the saying about people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time, but it turns out that walking and talking is difficult enough, especially for people with Parkinson's disease who are at increased risk for falls with injury.
Toward the first nose drops to treat brain cancer
Scientists are reporting the development and successful initial testing of a new form of methotrexate -- the mainstay anticancer drug -- designed to be given as nose drops rather than injected. It shows promise as a more effective treatment for brain cancer, they say. The report appears in ACS' Molecular Pharmaceutics journal.
Health law kicks into 2nd gear; does it help me?
(AP) -- The nation's new health care law turns 6 months old Thursday and starts delivering protections and dollars-and-cents benefits that Americans can grasp. But it won't affect all consumers the same way, which may cause confusion.
Acetylation may contribute to dementia and Alzheimer's disease
A new study uncovers a protein modification that may contribute to the formation of neuron-damaging neurofibrillary tangles in the human brain. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 23 issue of the journal Neuron, may lead to new strategies for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that result from pathological aggregation of tau protein.
For sufferers of an early-onset dementia, career choice may determine location of disease in brain
In an international study of patients with a devastating type of dementia that often strikes in middle age, researchers have found intriguing evidence that career choice may influence where the disease takes root in the brain.
Losing your religion deemed unhealthy
(PhysOrg.com) -- People who leave strict religious groups are more likely to say their health is worse than members who remain in the group, according to a Penn State researcher.
New computer-tomography method visualizes nano-structure of bones
A novel nano-tomography method developed by a team of researchers from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, the Paul Scherrer Institute and the ETH-Zurich opens the door to computed tomography examinations of minute structures at nanometer resolutions. Three-dimensional detailed imaging of fragile bone structures becomes possible. Their first nano-CT images will be published in Nature tomorrow. This new technique will facilitate advances in both life sciences and materials sciences.
Getting off tract: Polyglutamine disease involves other regions of protein
Many genes code for proteins that have a "polyglutamine tract," several glutamine amino acid residues in a row. Nine inherited neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), are associated with mutations that cause abnormally long polyglutamine tracts. One theory suggests that accumulation of proteins with extra glutamines damages and kills neurons. However, there is evidence that glutamine tract expansion alone is not sufficient to cause disease.
NYC public school students have high levels of access to convenience stores with unhealthy food
Most studies of the food choices available near public schools have focused on fast food outlets rather than the full range of options available to schoolchildren. A new study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health examined the patterns of exposure to a broad range of food outlets for school children in New York City.
Stem cell technique offers new potential to treat blindness
(PhysOrg.com) -- University College London scientists are pioneering a stem cell treatment to replace diseased parts of the retina, which could lead to a future treatment for retinal diseases that affect around 3,000 children in the UK.
The Medical Minute: Treatment options for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer develops in the glandular tissue of the male prostate, a reproductive gland situated below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The urinary sphincter (muscle that controls the flow of urine) is situated just below the prostate gland, and the nerves which allow a man to have an erection run on either side of the prostate. The prostate produces part of the fluid in semen.
Study: Doctors overprescribe antibiotics for respiratory infections
Doctors frequently misuse antibiotics when treating patients hospitalized with respiratory tract infections (RTIs), according to a study to be published in the November issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
Gum disease found to be significant public health concern
The prevalence of periodontal disease in the United States may be significantly higher than originally estimated. Research published in the Journal of Dental Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) suggests that the prevalence of periodontal disease may have been underestimated by as much as 50 percent. The implication is that more American adults may suffer from moderate to severe gum disease than previously thought.
Study finds mammograms offer modest benefit
(AP) -- Mammograms don't help women over 50 as much as has been believed, new research suggests.
Discovery may pave way for new approaches to prevent infections in the womb
Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have established in mice the mechanism that detects and responds to the presence of bacteria in the womb - a discovery that opens up the possibility of new preventative treatments for diseases like pelvic inflammatory disease and Chlamydia.
New treatment for severe aortic stenosis shown to save lives, researchers say
Implantation of a new bioprosthetic-tissue valve into the hearts of patients who have severe aortic stenosis and are too sick or too old for open-heart surgery has been found to both save lives and improve the quality of those lives, according to a new multicenter study, to be published online at 2 p.m. Pacific time today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Largest genetic study of asthma points towards better treatments
An international study looking at DNA from over 26,000 people has identified several genetic variants that substantially increase susceptibility to asthma in the population. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, will help scientists to focus their efforts to develop better therapies for the illness.
Putting on the pounds after weight loss? Hit the gym to maintain health gains
Although obesity is a major risk factor for disease, much of the threat may be associated with the metabolic (or cardiometabolic) syndrome, a cluster of risk factors related to diabetes and heart disease. Losing weight can improve health and reduce many of these risk factors. However, many people struggle to keep the weight off long-term. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that people who perform resistance training while regaining weight can help maintain strides in reducing their risks for chronic disease.
Study links normal function of protein, not its build up inside cells, to death of neurons
A study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators links the muscle weakness and other symptoms of a rare neurodegenerative disease to a misstep in functioning of a normal protein, rather than its build-up inside cells. The finding offers insight into the mechanism driving common nervous system disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
Neuroscientists reveal how the brain learns to recognize objects
(PhysOrg.com) -- Understanding how the brain recognizes objects is a central challenge for understanding human vision, and for designing artificial vision systems. (No computer system comes close to human vision.) A new study by MIT neuroscientists suggests that the brain learns to solve the problem of object recognition through its vast experience in the natural world.
Cell division typically associated with cancer may also protect the liver from injury
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that a form of cell division typically associated with cancer called multipolar mitosis can yield diverse, viable cells capable of protecting the liver from injury and poisonous substances, such as pesticides, carcinogens or drugs. Their findings are published online in the journal Nature.
Humanized mice may provide clues to better prevent and treat typhoid fever
Better treatments and prevention for typhoid fever may emerge from a laboratory model that has just been developed for the disease. The model is based on transplanting human immune stem cells from umbilical cord blood into mice that are susceptible to infections.
Less pain for learning gain: Research offers a strategy to increase learning with less effort
Scientists long have recognized that many perceptual skills important for language comprehension and reading can be enhanced through practice. Now research from Northwestern University suggests a new way of training that could reduce by at least half the effort previously thought necessary to make learning gains.
Vegetative state patients may soon be able to communicate
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Cambridge University in the UK have been able to communicate with brain-injured patients in "locked states" commonly referred to as persistent vegetative states (PVS). They predict such patients will soon be able to communicate and perhaps even move themselves around in motorized wheelchairs.
Biology news
Early reproduction retains fertility in cheetah females
Reproduction in free-ranging female cheetah in Namibia is far better than expected. Their reproductive organs are healthy and approximately 80 percent of their young reach adulthood. With these findings, German scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin have overturned the established dogma that cheetahs generally reproduce badly due to their low genetic diversity. The scientists demonstrated that female fertility critically depended on the age at which they conceived their first litter.
China tops world in catch and consumption of fish
China leads the world in tonnage of fish caught annually as well as the amount of fish consumed, according to new findings reported in National Geographic magazine.
Chimps' future prompts debate over NM primate lab
(AP) -- A decision to move 186 chimpanzees from a southern New Mexico facility to Texas is pitting government officials and scientists against a coalition of elected officials and animal rights advocates, including New Mexico's governor and famed primate researcher Dr. Jane Goodall.
Honeybee democracies offer insights, says new book
(PhysOrg.com) -- When honeybees seek a new home, they choose the best site through a democratic process that humans might do well to emulate, says a Cornell biologist in his new book, "Honeybee Democracy" (Princeton University Press).
Tracking down pathogenic yeasts
If the human immunological system is weakened, yeast fungi that are normally harmless can be transformed into a lethal danger. This is why researchers at Fraunhofer are using next-generation sequencing to track down one of the most frequent pathogens for fungal infections among humans.
Malaysian authorities save hundreds of lizards
Malaysian wildlife authorities said Wednesday they had seized 422 clouded monitor lizards being smuggled out of the country and destined for cooking pots in Asia.
80 pilot whales stranded on New Zealand beach
(AP) -- At least 40 out of 80 pilot whales that stranded themselves on a remote northern New Zealand beach have died, and more whales are joining them on land, officials said Wednesday.
'Extinct' frogs haven't croaked -- scientists
Delighted conservationists announced on Wednesday they had found two species of African frog and a Mexican salamander that had been feared to extinct.
A promising genus for biofuel production with Chlorella microalgae genome
The analysis of the complete genome of Chlorella microalgae, a promising genus for biofuel production, has been completed by the Laboratoire Information Genomique et Structurale of CNRS, France, which is currently heading an international collaboration involving American and Japanese laboratories. The detailed elucidation of the Chlorella genome, also widely used as a food supplement, will make it possible to rationalize its industrial use. This analysis has also brought to light unexpected findings at the fundamental level: it suggests that Chlorella could have a sexual cycle (which had gone unnoticed so far) and that a virus probably gave it the capacity to synthesize chitin-rich cell walls, a unique property in algae. This work is published online on The Plant Cell journal's website.
Searching in the microbial world for efficient ways to produce biofuel
With the help of genetic materials from a cow's rumen, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are developing new ways to break down plant fibers for conversion into biofuel.
Dim the lights, save the birds: US conservationists
New York's lit-up skyline, which brightens the nocturnal cityscape delighting residents and tourists alike, is a menace to migrating birds, say ornithologists calling for the lights to be dimmed.
Sandia using pathogen detection technology for understanding algal pond collapse
(PhysOrg.com) -- Armed with a pathogen detection technology honed through internal investments, as well as a recent $800K grant secured through the Department of Energy's Biomass Program, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are tackling algal pond collapse, an issue that may be preventing some companies from producing the amount of algae it will take to make algal biofuels a cost-effective form of alternative energy.
California's largest burrowing owl population is in rapid decline
New surveys show a 27-percent drop in the number of breeding burrowing owls in California's Imperial Valley and provide some of the most striking evidence yet that the species is badly in need of state protections. Recent surveys of the state's largest burrowing owl population have been conducted by the Imperial Irrigation District. The Imperial owl population has declined from an estimated 5,600 pairs in the early 1990s to 4,879 pairs in 2007, then dropped sharply to 3,557 pairs in 2008.
Genetically altered salmon? It doesn't stop there
(AP) -- We've always played with our food - even before we knew about genes or how to change them.
Microbiologists find source of fungus's damaging growth
Candida albicans, a fungus that kills more than 10,000 people with weakened immune systems each year, grows more dangerous as it forms and extends long strands of cells called hyphal filaments. In a paper published this month, UT Health Science Center San Antonio microbiologists describe a key factor involved in this damaging growth.
Ecologists find new clues on climate change in 150-year-old pressed plants
Plants picked up to 150 years ago by Victorian collectors and held by the million in herbarium collections across the world could become a powerful - and much needed - new source of data for studying climate change, according to research published this week in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Ecology.
Scientists convert carbon-dioxide emissions to useful building materials, using genetically altered yeast
Every year, about 30 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide are pumped into the Earth's atmosphere from power plants, cars and other industrial sources that rely on fossil fuels. Scientists who want to mitigate carbon dioxide's effects on global climate have started experimenting with storing the gas underground, a process known as carbon sequestration. However, there are still many unknowns surrounding the safety and effectiveness of that strategy.
Researchers crack cuckoo egg mystery
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have discovered that cuckoo eggs are internally incubated by the female bird for up to 24 hours before birth, solving for the first time the mystery as to how a cuckoo chick is able to hatch in advance of a host's eggs and brutally evict them.
Researcher links maternal genes to selfish behavior
If you are more inclined to love thyself than thy neighbor, it could be your mother's fault.
Salmonella creates environment in human intestines to foster its own growth
A study led by researchers at UC Davis has found how the bacteria Salmonella enterica — a common cause of food poisoning — exploits immune response in the human gut to enhance its own reproductive and transmission success. The strategy gives Salmonella a growth advantage over the beneficial bacteria that normally are present in the intestinal tract and promotes the severe diarrhea that spreads the bacteria to other people.
Scientists reveal structure of dangerous bacteria's powerful multidrug resistance pump
A team at The Scripps Research Institute has detailed the structure of a member of the only remaining class of multidrug resistance transporters left to be described. The work has implications for combating dangerous antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, as well as for developing hardy strains of agricultural crops.
Malaria parasite crossed to Man from gorilla: scientists
The parasite that causes the most lethal strain of malaria among humans crossed the species barrier from gorillas, scientists reported on Wednesday.
New species of sea slug discovered
Sometimes, treasures can be found in your own backyard -- especially if you know what to look for. This is what happened to Jeff Goddard, project scientist with the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara.
Researchers engineer adult stem cells that do not age
(PhysOrg.com) -- Biomedical researchers at the University at Buffalo have engineered adult stem cells that scientists can grow continuously in culture, a discovery that could speed development of cost-effective treatments for diseases including heart disease, diabetes, immune disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
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