Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for October 19, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Campaign to build 1837 Babbage's Analytical Engine- Astronomers find weird, warm spot on an exoplanet
- McMaster researchers say not all stem cells the same
- Father and son send iPhone and HD camera into stratosphere (w/ Video)
- Biology rides to computers' aid
- Coming soon: Manufacturing with every atom in its proper place
- Wild ideas take flight on cutting edge of clean tech
- Sniffing out shoe bombs: A new and simple sensor for explosive chemicals
- Elephant seals improve maps of Antarctic seafloor
- Google to bring Dead Sea Scrolls online
- The comet cometh: Hartley 2 visible in night sky
- Water's choice: A tale of two numbers and the order they predict
- First direct evidence that response to alcohol depends on genes
- Brain might be key to leptin's actions against type 1 diabetes
- Yahoo 3Q profit doubles, revenue still lackluster
Space & Earth news
New international standard for spacecraft docking
Partners in the International Space Station programme have agreed on a new standard for docking systems, which will be capable also of implementing berthing. The agreement allows a range of compatible, but not necessarily identical, mechanisms for spacecraft docking. A first agreed version of the Interface Definition Document will be released on 25 October.
Scientists say Asia's corals dying en masse
Coral reefs in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean are dying from the worst bleaching effect in more than a decade, Australian marine scientists said Tuesday.
Image: Pinwheel of star birth
Though the universe is chock full of spiral-shaped galaxies, no two look exactly the same. This face-on spiral galaxy, called NGC 3982, is striking for its rich tapestry of star birth, along with its winding arms.
Old logging practices linked to high erosion rates
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Oregon researchers say the landscape of the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest is threatened by old logging and road-building practices; recent fires and rains have produced erosion rates four times higher than previous periods over 2,000 years.
Martian lakes, seas formed by emerging underground aquifers
Researchers at the Planetary Science Institute have found a new explanation for how seas and lakes may have once developed on Mars.
Drought may threaten much of globe within decades
The United States and many other heavily populated countries face a growing threat of severe and prolonged drought in coming decades, according to a new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) scientist Aiguo Dai. The analysis concludes that warming temperatures associated with climate change will likely create increasingly dry conditions across much of the globe in the next 30 years, possibly reaching a scale in some regions by the end of the century that has rarely, if ever, been observed in modern times.
Elephant seals improve maps of Antarctic seafloor
(PhysOrg.com) -- Oceanographers are using data collected by elephant seals to improve their map of the seafloor on Antarctica's continental shelf. The new map results from a collaboration between Daniel Costa, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, who has been studying southern elephant seals in the region, and oceanographer Laurie Padman of Earth & Space Research in Corvallis, Oregon.
The comet cometh: Hartley 2 visible in night sky
(PhysOrg.com) -- Backyard stargazers with a telescope or binoculars and a clear night's sky can now inspect the comet that in a little over two weeks will become only the fifth in history to be imaged close up. Comet Hartley 2 will come within 17.7 million kilometers (11 million miles) of Earth this Wed., Oct. 20 at noon PDT (3 p.m. EDT). NASA's EPOXI mission will come within 700 kilometers (435 miles) of Hartley 2 on Nov. 4.
Professors urge one-way Martian colonization missions
For the chance to watch the sun rise over Olympus Mons, or maybe take a stroll across the vast plains of the Vastitas Borealis, would you sign on for a one-way flight to Mars?
Father and son send iPhone and HD camera into stratosphere (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A father and young son from New York have succeeded in sending an HD camera and iPhone 19 miles high into the upper stratosphere and recording the flight.
Astronomers find weird, warm spot on an exoplanet
(PhysOrg.com) -- Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal a distant planet with a warm spot in the wrong place.
Technology news
Microsoft software head Ray Ozzie to depart
(AP) -- Bill Gates' successor as Microsoft's Chief Software Architect, Ray Ozzie, is leaving the company after five years.
China denies cartel-like behaviour on rare earths
A senior Chinese trade official on Tuesday denied the country was dictating prices of rare earth metals to the world and insisted shipments of the minerals to Japan were never blocked.
High performance materials for the tunnel of the century
Among those celebrating the breakthrough of the longest rail tunnel in the world on October 15th 2010 were Empa engineers and researchers. Their task was to ensure that the tunnel remains dry for the next hundred years – quite a “job of the century” in itself.
Behind Cablevision, Fox tiff, a broader strategy
(AP) -- The contract dispute that has left 3 million Cablevision subscribers without Fox programming since the weekend may be just one move in a broader chess match between broadcast TV companies and subscription TV providers.
Record US holiday spending on gadgets: CEA
Americans will spend a record amount on consumer electronics this holiday season, devoting nearly a third of their gift budget to gadgets, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) said Tuesday.
IBM's 3Q tops views but shares hit by worries
(AP) -- IBM Corp.'s third quarter was a textbook example of how the company makes money even in an uncertain economy.
Google reaffirms commitment to China
Google vice president John Liu on Tuesday reaffirmed the firm's commitment to China, the world's largest web community, after its harsh battle this year with Beijing over censorship and cyberattacks.
New perspective in the CAVE with 3-D computer-assisted virtual environment
Hollywood movie studios aren't the only ones embracing 3-D technology. Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies are using a new 3-D computer-assisted virtual environment -- or CAVE -- to literally walk into their data and examine it from various angles.
Inter-cloud data security technology developed by Fujitsu
Fujitsu Laboratories Limited today announced the development of security technology that enables confidential data to be safely shared among different computing clouds.
Efficient computer network on a chip
Satellite TV without having to set up a receiver dish. Digital radio on your mobile phone without your batteries quickly running flat. The advanced calculations needed for these future applications are made possible by a microchip with relatively simple processors that can interact and communicate flexibly. These are among the findings of research at the Centre for Telematics and Information Technology of the University of Twente carried out by Marcel van de Burgwal, who obtained his PhD on 15 October.
Times Co. posts 4.3 million dollar quarterly net loss
The New York Times Co. reported a quarterly net loss on Tuesday as an increase in digital advertising revenue was not enough to offset declines in print advertising and circulation revenue.
EMC's 3Q net up 58 pct as revenue climbs
(AP) -- EMC Corp., the world's No. 1 maker of data-storage computers, said Tuesday its profit rose 58 percent the third quarter as spending by corporations continued to recover and the winds of technological change blew in its favor.
UN report: Growth in mobile contracts slowing
(AP) -- The U.N. telecommunications agency says the number of new mobile phone contracts is slowing as cell phone usage reaches saturation point.
Conserving resources: Producing circuit boards with plasma
There is a large growth market for flexible circuits, RFID antennas and biosensors on films. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST are presenting a new technology at K 2010, the international trade fair for plastics and rubber. The experts can now apply conductive metal circuits to plastic substrates in a process that is energy- and material-conserving and thus more sustainable.
Canadian report says Google breached privacy laws
Google contravened privacy laws when it inadvertently collected personal information from unsecured wireless networks as it mapped Canadian streets, Canada's privacy czar announced Tuesday.
Microsoft touts games for Xbox 360 motion controller
Microsoft unveiled an array of Xbox 360 videogames tailored for play using the movement-sensing Kinect controller set to debut in November.
Apple, Blackberry spar over smartphone sales, tablets
Canada's Research In Motion fired back at Apple's Steve Jobs on Tuesday over his claims that the iPhone is outselling the Blackberry and that seven-inch tablet computers have no future.
China a surprise leader in clean energy: study
The world's top polluter, China, is a surprise leader in clean energy efforts, a study showed Tuesday, outstripping the United States and Japan and leaving Australia lagging far behind.
Intel to spend up to $8B on US manufacturing
(AP) -- Intel Corp. on Tuesday revealed the scope of its latest infusion to keep its factories cutting-edge and push the chip industry's pace: an investment of up to $8 billion to build a new factory in Oregon and upgrade four existing plants in Arizona and Oregon.
Microsoft sends Office into the Internet 'cloud'
Microsoft on Tuesday sent its Office business suite into the Internet "cloud" as it further adapted to a shift away from the packaged software on which the firm's fortunes were built.
Wild ideas take flight on cutting edge of clean tech
Spray-on solar panels, power beaming down from outer space and gasoline-like fuel made from bacteria. Sound far-fetched? Maybe, but these and other futuristic concepts for producing power are being taken seriously in scientific, business and academic circles. Some have even raised millions in funding.
Yahoo 3Q profit doubles, revenue still lackluster
Yahoo Inc. shuffled through another quarter of sluggish growth, a performance that may further test the patience of the Internet company's already restless shareholders.
Campaign to build 1837 Babbage's Analytical Engine
(PhysOrg.com) -- A campaign based in the UK is hoping to construct Charles Babbage's steam-powered Analytical Engine, a prototype computer around the size of a steam locomotive, which Babbage designed in 1837. While elements of the engine have been constructed in the past a complete working model has never been built.
Medicine & Health news
NHS reforms could mean more patients seeking treatment abroad, warn experts
Spain's excellent record on organ donation rates has nothing to do with its presumed consent legislation, say experts in an article published in the British Medical Journal today.
Change in how paramedics use oxygen could reduce deaths
A change to the way paramedics use oxygen when treating patients with chronic lung disease could cut the death rate in these cases by up to 78%, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Cataract surgery saves lives, dollars by reducing auto crashes
Cataract surgery not only improves vision and quality of life for older people, but is also apparently a way to reduce the number of car crashes. The research will be presented today's at the Scientific Program of the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) – Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting. Cataract surgery not only improves vision and quality of life for older people, but is also apparently a way to reduce the number of car crashes. The research will be presented today's at the Scientific Program of the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) – Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting.. It is the largest, most comprehensive ophthalmic education conference in the world.
Badly burned Texas man waits for face transplant
(AP) -- Dallas C. Wiens wants to be able to smile, to smell the rain, to feel his 3-year-old daughter's kisses.
Australian HIV numbers on the rise
Australia has reported its highest number of HIV infections since the early 1990s but cases of most other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections have dropped, according to data compiled by UNSW researchers.
Patients protest Chinese doctor's risky surgery
(AP) -- At one moment, the Chinese urologist seemed to be at the height of his career: He had invented a surgical procedure to help patients overcome incontinence and was training doctors in America and elsewhere. The next, Dr. Xiao Chuanguo was in handcuffs, confessing that he'd hired thugs to attack two persistent critics who called him a fraud.
Visceral adiposity index directly correlated to viral load in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C
Researchers at the University of Palermo in Italy provide the evidence that a higher visceral adiposity index score—a new index of adipose dysfunction—has a direct correlation with viral load and is independently associated with both steatosis and necroinflammatory activity in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1 CHC). Details of this study are available in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Prostate cancer patients are at increased risk of precancerous colon polyps
Men with prostate cancer should be especially diligent about having routine screening colonoscopies, results of a new study by gastroenterologists at the University at Buffalo indicate.
NHLBI launches body cooling treatment study for pediatric cardiac arrest
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has launched the first large-scale, multicenter study to investigate the effectiveness of body cooling treatment in infants and children who have had cardiac arrest. The Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest (THAPCA) trials total more than $21 million over six years.
Adiponectin shows potential in blocking obesity-related carcinogenesis
A research team from Emory University School of Medicine investigated the role between adiponectin and leptin in obesity-related carcinogenesis. Their findings, published in the November issue of Hepatology, suggest that the protein hormone adiponectin has potential for inhibiting the oncogenic actions of leptin, namely in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and could offer a promising therapy for the disease.
Inflammatory breast cancer focus of new report
A rare and deadly form of breast cancer that often goes unrecognized by clinicians and patients alike is the focus of a new report from leading researchers. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) has made headlines as an unrecognized and misunderstood form of breast cancer. It has a younger age of onset, progresses rapidly, and has lower overall survival compared to other breast cancers. For the new report, leading researchers led by Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D., of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia outline IBC's unique clinical presentation, pathology, epidemiology, imaging, and biology and detail the current management of the disease. The report appears online on CA First Look, and will appear in the November/December 2010 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
New clinical trial explores role of vitamin D in preventing esophageal cancer
In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physicians at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center who are Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researchers are exploring the role of Vitamin D in preventing esophageal cancer. Principal Investigator Linda Cummings, MD, along with Amitabh Chak, MD, and Gregory Cooper, MD, from the UH Digestive Health Institute, is recruiting patients with Barrett's esophagus to measure the effects of Vitamin D on protein levels that may influence the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
J&J sales of OTC products plunges 40 pct in 3Q
(AP) -- U.S. sales of Johnson & Johnson's nonprescription medicines plunged 40 percent in the third quarter as an embarrassing string of product recalls hurt sales and consumer trust. That, combined with the lingering global recession and some initial price cuts from the health care overhaul, contributed to anemic earnings for the health care giant.
Heavy alcohol use suggests a change in normal cognitive development in adolescents
Alcohol, to an adolescent, is often seen as a rite of passage. Many teenagers view alcohol (as well as other drugs) as a gateway to adulthood, but are often blissfully unaware of the damage that it can cause to their bodies. A new study of the effects of excessive alcohol and other drugs in adolescents has shown that both alcohol and marijuana overuse can cause serious detrimental effects on the development of the teenage mind.
Implementing program for operating room staff emphasizing teamwork appears to reduce surgical deaths
Hospitals that had operating room personnel participate in a medical team training program that incorporates practices of aviation crews, such as training in teamwork and communication, had a lower rate of surgical deaths compared to hospitals that did not participate in the program, according to a study in the October 20 issue of JAMA.
Alcohol increases reaction time and errors during decision making
There has been an abundance of research on the effects of alcohol on the brain, but many questions regarding how alcohol impairs the built-in control systems are still unknown. A new study released in the January 2011 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, which is currently available at Early View, explores that subject in detail and found that certain brain regions involved in error processing are affected more by alcohol than others.
Proton therapy safe, effective for early-stage lung cancer patients
Proton beam therapy is safe and effective and may be superior to other conventional treatments for Stage I inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, according to a study in the October issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology-Biology-Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
McSleepy meets DaVinci
In a world first, a completely robotic surgery and anesthesia has been performed at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). The DaVinci surgical robot, which lets surgeons work from remote locations, was put to work this summer, whereas the anesthesia robot, nicknamed McSleepy, has been providing automated anesthesia since 2008. The two combined to perform the first all-robotic surgery on a prostatectomy patient at the Montreal General Hospital.
Newborn hearing screening linked with improved developmental outcomes for hearing impaired children
Children with permanent hearing impairment who received hearing screening as newborns had better general and language developmental outcomes and quality of life at ages 3 to 5 years compared to newborns who received hearing screening through behavioral testing, according to a study in the October 20 issue of JAMA.
Big VA study shows surgery checklist saves lives
(AP) -- Which hip is being repaired? Is this the right anesthesia? Do we have all the right surgery tools?
Shock tactics: Bioelectrical therapy for cancer and birth defects?
Stem cell therapies hold increasing promise as a cure for multiple diseases. But the massive potential of a healthy stem cell has a flip side, as faulty regulation of stem cells leads to a huge range of human diseases. Even before birth, mistakes made by the stem cells of the foetus are a major cause of congenital defects, and cancer is also caused by the body losing control of stem cell function. Guiding stem cells along the correct pathways and, where necessary, reversing their mistakes is the goal of everyone in this field.
Western diet exacerbates sepsis
High fat diets cause a dramatic immune system overreaction to sepsis, a condition of systemic bacterial infection. An experimental study in mice, published in the open access journal BMC Physiology, has shown that a diet high in saturated fat, sugars and cholesterol greatly exaggerates the inflammatory response to sepsis.
Watching violent TV, video games desensitizes teenagers and may promote more aggressive behavior
Watching violent films, TV programmes or video games desensitises teenagers, blunts their emotional responses to aggression and potentially promotes aggressive attitudes and behaviour, according to new research published online today in the Oxford Journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (Tuesday 19 October).
It is unclear if programs to encourage cycling are effective
More research and evaluation are needed to determine the most effective community programmes to encourage cycling, says a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Power of meditation in response to stress: new study
A study is under way at Emory University testing the value of meditation in helping people cope with stress. The Compassion and Attention Longitudinal Meditation Study (CALM) will help scientists determine how people’s bodies, minds and hearts respond to stress and which specific meditation practices are better at turning down those responses.
New imaging technology enlightened by biomedical engineering
A Faculty of Engineering professor is conducting biomedical research that could have profound effects on medical imaging and the delivery of drugs by using light and ultrasound. Roger Zemp, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, researches photo-acoustic imaging -- literally making vivid, high-resolution images of the "sound" of light.
Risk of heart attack and stroke following dental treatment outweighed by long-term benefits
Research published today suggests that invasive dental treatment, such as extractions, carries a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and heart attack over the short term. However, the authors of the study, which was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation, stress that any increase in risk is likely to be outweighed by the long-term benefits of such treatment.
Major component in turmeric enhance effect of chemotherapy drug in head and neck cancer
Curcumin, the major component in the spice turmeric, when combined with the drug Cisplatin enhances the chemotherapy's suppression of head and neck cancer cell growth, researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center have found.
Vitamin E in front line of prostate cancer fight
Survival rates of the world's most common cancer might soon be increased with a new vitamin E treatment which could significantly reduce tumour regrowth.
Study reveals how sex hormones influence right heart function
In the largest human study to date on the topic, researchers have uncovered evidence of the possible influence of human sex hormones on the structure and function of the right ventricle (RV) of the heart.
Inhaling nitric oxide eases pain crises in sickle cell patients
Inhaling nitric oxide appears to safely and effectively reduce pain crises in adults with sickle cell disease, researchers report.
Research brings cure for Parkinson's disease a step closer
An international collaboration led by academics at the University of Sheffield, has shed new light into Parkinson's disease, which could help with the development of cures or treatments in the future.
Air pollution exposure increases risk of severe COPD
Long term exposure to low-level air pollution may increase the risk of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to researcher s in Denmark. While acute exposure of several days to high level air pollution was known to be a risk factor for exacerbation in pre-existing COPD, until now there had been no studies linking long-term air pollution exposure to the development or progression of the disease.
Study shows that dogs help autistic children adapt
Dogs may not only be man's best friend, they may also have a special role in the lives of children with special needs. According to a new University of Montreal study, specifically trained service dogs can help reduce the anxiety and enhance the socialization skills of children with Autism Syndrome Disorders (ASDs). The findings published this year in Psychoneuroendocrinology may be a relatively simple solution to help affected children and their families cope with these challenging disorders.
Professional sports persons should drink more water
Top sports persons must always perform to their maximum capacity, making them the most vulnerable to the effects of dehydration. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the Universidad de Castilla la Mancha (UCLM) reveals that 91% of professional basketball, volleyball, handball and football players are dehydrated when they begin their training sessions.
SHIP protein identified as a B-cell tumor suppressor
Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. White blood cells divide again and again, spreading abnormally throughout the body. Lymphomas can arise from two types of white blood cells, T cells or B cells, which divide uncontrollably when the molecular mechanisms that keep them in check go awry. A new study led by Robert Rickert, Ph.D., professor and director of the Inflammatory Diseases Program at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham), explores the roles of two enzymes, called SHIP and PTEN, in B cell growth and proliferation.
Use of DHA fish oil capsules does not decrease postpartum depression in mothers
In contrast to the findings of some studies and the recommendations that pregnant women increase their intake of fish oil via dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) because of the possible benefits, a randomized trial that included more than 2,000 women finds that use of DHA supplements did not result in lower levels of postpartum depression in mothers or improved cognitive and language development in their offspring during early childhood, according to a study in the October 20 issue of JAMA.
Scientists find gene linked to alcoholism
Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have discovered a gene variant that may protect against alcoholism.
Scientists promote soy by currying favor with Indian taste buds
University of Illinois scientists think they have solved an interesting problem: how to get protein-deficient Indian schoolchildren to consume soy, an inexpensive and complete vegetable protein. What's more, they've joined forces with an Indian foundation that can get the high-protein soy snack they've developed into the hands of 1.2 million hungry kids who need it.
Insulin sensitivity may explain link between obesity, memory problems
Because of impairments in their insulin sensitivity, obese individuals demonstrate different brain responses than their normal-weight peers while completing a challenging cognitive task, according to new research by psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin.
Study reveals superior sedation method for children
Procedural sedation and analgesia is an essential element of care for children requiring painful procedures in the emergency department. The practice of combining ketamine and propofol, two common medications used in emergency departments, has become more popular. However, until recently, it was unclear whether this practice was superior to the use of either agent alone, especially in children.
Fetal alcohol exposure associated with a decrease in cognitive performance
It has been known for many years that drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause serious and irreversible damage to the fetus. However, new research exploring memory deficits in children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) or fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) may be able to aid in the creation of new therapies and treatments.
Docs not immune to drug marketing: study
Pharmaceutical promotion may cause doctors to prescribe more expensively, less appropriately and more often, according to a new study co-authored by York University professor Joel Lexchin.
Cheaper, more effective treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease possible
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found that new disease pathways involving more than one cell type leads to Type 1 Gaucher disease, a rare genetic disorder in which fatty substances called glycosphingolipids accumulate in cells, resulting in liver/spleen enlargement, osteoporosis, bone pain, and increased risk of cancer and Parkinson's disease.
Recycling pacemakers may alleviate burden of heart disease across the globe
Millions worldwide die each year because they can't afford a pacemaker. Meanwhile heart patients in the United States say they'd be willing to donate theirs after death to someone in need.
First trimester of pregnancy linked to allergy risk
A new study published on Wednesday boosts suspicions that a child's risk of allergies could be linked to the season that coincides with the first three months of pregnancy.
Bioelectrical signals turn stem cells' progeny cancerous
Biologists at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences have discovered that a change in membrane voltage in newly identified "instructor cells" can cause stem cells' descendants to trigger melanoma-like growth in pigment cells. The Tufts team also found that this metastatic transformation is due to changes in serotonin transport. The discovery could aid in the prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer and vitiligo as well as birth defects.
New clues to how cancer-related proteins plasmin, thrombin lose inhibition
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new technique that searches blood for the tiniest remnants of broken down proteins has revealed new information about how cells crank up cancer activators called proteases. The results improve researchers' understanding of the mechanics of breast cancer and point to where to look for possible indicators of early disease.
Blood thinning breakthrough announced
A team of scientists led by the University of Manchester have reported an important breakthrough and simplification in the control of oral anticoagulation, the blood thinning treatment with warfarin and similar drugs currently given to approximately 1 million patients in the UK for thrombotic disorders.
Friends share personal details to strengthen relationships in US, but not in Japan
In the United States, friends often share intimate details of their lives and problems. However, such self-disclosure is much less common in Japan. A new study by an American researcher living in Japan finds that this may be because of the different social systems in the two countries, and in particular the extent to which there are opportunities to make new friends.
Novel regulatory process for T cells may help explain immune system diseases
A newly identified regulatory process affecting the biology of immune system T cells should give scientists new approaches to explore the causes of autoimmunity and immune deficiency diseases.
Gene activity in the brain depends on genetic background
Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science have found that the same genes have different activity patterns in the brain in individuals with different genetic backgrounds. These findings may help to explain individual differences in the effectiveness and side-effect profiles of therapeutic drugs and thus have implications for personalized medicine. The study is available in this week's online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
First direct evidence that response to alcohol depends on genes
Many studies have suggested that genetic differences make some individuals more susceptible to the addictive effects of alcohol and other drugs. Now scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory provide the first experimental evidence to directly support this idea in a study in mice reported in the October 19, 2010, issue of Alcoholism Clinical Experimental Research.
Brain might be key to leptin's actions against type 1 diabetes
New findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggest a novel role for the brain in mediating beneficial actions of the hormone leptin in type 1 diabetes.
New research shows people are better at strategic reasoning than was thought
When we make decisions based on what we think someone else will do, in anything from chess to warfare, we must use reason to infer the other's next move -- or next three or more moves -- to know what we must do. This so-called recursive reasoning ability in humans has been thought to be somewhat limited.
Biology news
Family tree could identify species vulnerable to invaders, climate change
Change has been the norm for Wisconsin's forests over the last 50 years, and the next 50 are unlikely to pass quietly.
Judge focuses on carp DNA in lawsuit over locks
(AP) -- The reliability of DNA testing suggesting Asian carp may already be in waterways near Lake Michigan was the focus of final arguments Monday in a lawsuit seeking the closure of Chicago-area shipping locks to halt the spread of the invasive fish.
No cloned steaks on EU plates
The European Union on Tuesday announced plans for a five-year ban on animal cloning for food production as well as a traceability system for imports of semen and embryos of clones.
From bees to coral reefs: How humans impact partnerships in the natural world
Mutually beneficial partnerships among species may play highly important but vastly underrecognized roles in keeping the Earth's ecosystems running, a group of evolutionary biologists suggests in a study.
The world is not flat: Exploring cells and tissues in three dimensions
The cells and tissues in our bodies grow, develop and interact in a highly complex, three-dimensional world. Likewise, the various microbial pathogens that invade our bodies and cause infectious disease interact with this complex 3-D tissue milieu. Yet the methods of culturing and studying human cells have traditionally been carried out in two dimensions on flat impermeable surfaces. While such 2-D culturing and modeling efforts have produced a steady stream of critical insight into cell behavior and the mechanisms of infection and disease, 2-D cell cultures have key limitations in terms of accurately reproducing the tissue environment in vivo, that is, the environment found within a living organism.
More than 200 new snails of the same genus described in a single study
Two world experts in micro molluscs, Anselmo Peñas and Emilio Rolán, have made an unprecedented description in a scientific publication of a combined total of 209 snail species. Commissioned by the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, the study was unveiled in September in the French capital, and it covers the most new species from a single genus of any study to date.
Biologist hopes new 'condos' will help Galapagos penguins stave off extinction
Think of it as Habitat for Penguinity. A University of Washington conservation biologist is behind the effort to build nests in the barren rocks of the Galápagos Islands in the hope of increasing the population of an endangered penguin species.
Invasive fruit fly found in North Carolina
(PhysOrg.com) -- A potentially important invasive insect species – the fruit fly Drosophila suzukii, or spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) – winged its way to North and South Carolina this summer. The insect has the potential to cause up to 20 percent crop loss in host fruit.
How parasites react to the mouse immune system may help to shape their control
How parasites use different life-history strategies to beat our immune systems may also provide insight into the control of diseases, such as elephantiasis and river blindness, which afflict some of the world's poorest communities in tropical South-East Asia, Africa and Central America. The research is due to be published next week in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology.
Functional nerve cells from adult skin cells generated by UConn scientists
Scientists at the University of Connecticut Health Center have successfully converted stem cells derived from the adult skin cells of four humans into region-specific forebrain, midbrain, and spinal cord neurons (nerve cells) with functions. The research is a key step toward realizing the cells’ potential to treat various neurodegenerative diseases.
UT professor defines play, discovers even turtles need recess
Seeing a child or a dog play is not a foreign sight. But what about a turtle or even a wasp? Apparently, they play, too.
Bacteria gauge cold with molecular measuring stick
Some bacteria react to the cold by subtly changing the chemistry of their outer wall so that it remains pliable as temperatures drop. Scientists identified a key protein in this response mechanism a few years ago, but the question of how bacteria sense cold in the first place remained a mystery. Based on a study by scientists at Rice University and Argentina's National University of Rosario, the answer is: They use a measuring stick.
New sensor derived from frogs may help fight bacteria and save wildlife
Princeton engineers have developed a sensor that may revolutionize how drugs and medical devices are tested for contamination, and in the process also help ensure the survival of two species of threatened animals.
Old bees' memory fades; mirrors recall of mammals
A study published Oct. 19 in the open access journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE, shows that not just human memories fade. Scientists from Arizona State University and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences examined how aging impacts the ability of honey bees to find their way home.
McMaster researchers say not all stem cells the same
Until now it's been thought that human stem cell lines are all identical and possess the same ability to differentiate, or change into more specific cell types. But new research from McMaster University has shown there are subsets of stem cells that respond differently depending on what stem cell properties are measured and what test is used.
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