PhysOrg Newsletter Tuesday, Oct 5

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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for October 5, 2010:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Cantilever bends repeatedly under light exposure for continuous energy generation
- Quantum computing research edges toward practicality in UCSB physics lab
- A hot new look at working fuel cells
- Genetics may not help you live to old age
- SkyLifter airship may one day carry buildings (w/ Video)
- Wonder carbon pioneers win Nobel Physics Prize (Update 4)
- New nanoparticles could improve cancer treatment
- Breakthrough e-display means electronics with high speed, high readability and low power usage
- MAVEN mission to investigate how Sun steals Martian atmosphere
- New family of liquid crystals created
- Report questions biometric technologies
- US consumers snapping up Android phones: survey
- Amino acid supplement makes mice live longer
- Structure of plastic solar cells impedes their efficiency, researchers find
- Undocumented language found hidden in India

Space & Earth news

Toxic mud spill kills four in Hungary
Hungary declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a toxic mud spill killed four people and injured 120 in what officials described as Hungary's worst-ever chemical accident.

Kepler mission team completes quarterly contact with the spacecraft
The Kepler Project Team completed another quarterly roll of the spacecraft Sept. 22-23, 2010. The roll will keep Kepler spacecraft power generation nominal for the fall season with proper alignment of the solar arrays toward the sun. During the contact with the spacecraft, engineers also downloaded another month of science data, marking the end of Quarter 6 science data collection. Quarter 7 science data collection has begun and the first month of Quarter 7 science data is expected to be downloaded approximately Oct. 22-23, 2010.

SOFIA Observatory Prepares For Early Science Flights
(PhysOrg.com) -- Testing of the entire integrated observatory system and individual subsystems on NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 747SP is slated to occur during October during a series of nighttime, ground-based observations.

Image: Spiral extraordinaire
Scientists have yet to discover what caused the strange spiral structure.

WISE mission warms up but keeps chugging along
After completing its primary mission to map the infrared sky, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has reached the expected end of its onboard supply of frozen coolant. Although WISE has 'warmed up,' NASA has decided the mission will still continue. WISE will now focus on our nearest neighbors -- the asteroids and comets traveling together with our solar system's planets around the sun.

NASA launches Himalayan monitoring system in Nepal
A new system that will allow scientists to monitor the impact of climate change in the Himalayas using images from NASA satellites was launched in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Storing carbon in rocks may help fight against climate change
(PhysOrg.com) -- As climate change continues to emerge as the biggest challenge of the 21st century, the race to come up with novel ways to deal with the threat has become more urgent than ever. Carbon capture and storage – which involves removing carbon dioxide, the main contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, from the atmosphere and storing it elsewhere – is one of the leading technological solutions to mitigate global climate change.

Russian Soyuz spacecraft damaged: engineer
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft due to launch in December suffered damage to its container in transit, its chief constructor said Tuesday in the latest hitch to the country's space programme.

NASA technology chief: We'll decide what rocket we want to build
NASA engineers -- not Congress -- must determine the design of America's next big spaceship to take humans beyond the moon, according to the agency's top technology official.

NASA mission 'E-Minus' one month to comet flyby
Fans of space exploration are familiar with the term T-minus, which NASA uses as a countdown to a rocket launch. But what of those noteworthy mission events where you already have a spacecraft in space, as with the upcoming flyby of a comet?

Arctic sea ice extent falls to third-lowest extent; downward trend persists
This September, Arctic sea ice extent was the third-lowest in the satellite record, falling below the extent reached last summer. The lowest- and second-lowest extents occurred in 2007 and 2008. Satellite data indicate that Arctic sea ice is continuing a long-term decline, and remains younger and thinner than it was in previous decades.

Animations show extent of Marcellus Shale development
(PhysOrg.com) -- The pace and extent of Marcellus Shale development across Pennsylvania can be "seen" in animated maps produced by the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.

Pushing the envelope
(PhysOrg.com) -- G327.1-1.1 is the aftermath of a massive star that exploded as a supernova in the Milky Way galaxy.

Doppler radars help increase monsoon rainfall prediction accuracy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Doppler weather radar will significantly improve forecasting models used to track monsoon systems influencing the monsoon in and around India, according to a research collaboration including Purdue University, the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

NASA AIRS Satellite instrument sees Tropical Depression 14W form
The northwestern Pacific Ocean is just as active as the Atlantic Ocean this hurricane season. The fourteenth tropical depression formed near Hainan Island, China this morning and its birth was captured by a NASA infrared satellite instrument. The NASA image showed the depression's strong thunderstorms near its center and east of its center.

GOES-13 sees another potential tropical depression in Caribbean Sea
The GOES-13 satellite passed over a low pressure area designated as "System 97L" earlier today and captured a visible image of the low in the eastern Caribbean Sea. System 97L appears in a good place for development into a tropical depression in the next day or two.

Stepping stones through time
Stromatolites are the most ancient fossils on Earth, and these structures built by microbes can still be found forming today in various places around the globe. Although they provide a straight line of life’s history from the past to the present, comparing modern and ancient stromatolites is not a straight-forward endeavor.

Geothermal mapping project reveals large, green energy source in coal country
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research produced by Southern Methodist University's Geothermal Laboratory, funded by a grant from Google.org, suggests that the temperature of the Earth beneath the state of West Virginia is significantly higher than previously estimated and capable of supporting commercial baseload geothermal energy production.

MAVEN mission to investigate how Sun steals Martian atmosphere
The Red Planet bleeds. Not blood, but its atmosphere, slowly trickling away to space. The culprit is our sun, which is using its own breath, the solar wind, and its radiation to rob Mars of its air. The crime may have condemned the planet's surface, once apparently promising for life, to a cold and sterile existence.

Wind farms affect local weather: study
Wind power is likely to play a large role in the future of sustainable, clean energy, but wide-scale adoption has remained elusive. Now, researchers have found wind farms' effects on local temperatures and proposed strategies for mediating those effects, increasing the potential to expand wind farms to a utility-scale energy resource.

Technology news

Iran claims computer worm is Western plot
(AP) -- Iran claimed Tuesday that a computer worm found on the laptops of several employees at the country's nuclear power plant is part of a covert Western plot to derail its nuclear program.

FCC seeks more info from Comcast, NBC Universal
(AP) -- The Federal Communications Commission is requesting additional information from Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal as it reviews the cable operator's plan to acquire a controlling stake in the media company.

Facebook film paints harsh portrait of Zuckerberg
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg may finally have a reason to add a "dislike" button.

Singapore Airlines to offer inflight wifi
Singapore Airlines said on Tuesday it will be able to offer passengers inflight wireless Internet access at 35,000 feet (10,600 metres) by next year.

Japan tech fair offers glimpse of future lifestyles
Hundreds of technology firms came together in Japan Tuesday to showcase the latest in high-end gadgetry, including wafer-thin speakers and a ring that can monitor your heart rate.

Monitoring your health with your mobile phone
Belgian Imec, together with TASS software professionals have developed a mobile heart monitoring system that allows to view your electrocardiogram on an Android mobile phone.

Blind inventors revolutionize computer access
For many blind people, computers are inaccessible. It can cost upwards of $1000 to purchase "screen reader" software, but two blind computer programmers from Australia have solved this problem.

Multimedia creates the buzz at Frankfurt book fair
The world's biggest book fair was inaugurated on Tuesday, with an increased number of exhibitors expected to focus on the digital and multimedia sectors that are rapidly transforming the industry.

Obama White House to install solar panels
President Barack Obama's administration said Tuesday it will install solar panels on the White House in a bid to encourage Americans in lesser known residences to embrace renewable energy.

Infiniti electric vehicle expected in 2013
Luxury automaker Infiniti will enter the electric vehicle market in 2013. Although details about the future Infiniti electric vehicle aren't available, the company recently released a new sketch to help keep the public interested in Infiniti's electrified vehicle future.

Study: U.S. challenging Asia in advanced batteries race
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the global race to develop and produce advanced lithium-ion batteries for these electric vehicles, the United States is well-positioned to be a worldwide leader.

Aircraft software puts greener, quieter flights on the horizon
(PhysOrg.com) -- Aeroplanes could be far better for the environment, create less noise and be safer for passengers thanks to new software developed by a University of Manchester academic.

Yahoo spruces up its online ads with Dapper deal
(AP) -- Yahoo is trying to spruce up its online advertising service by buying a startup called Dapper.

Apple faces $625 million fines over patents: report
Apple has decided to challenge a legal decision that could see it pay up to 625.5 million dollars in fines for infringing several patents, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Bricks made with wool
Spanish and Scottish researchers have added wool fibres to the clay material used to make bricks and combined these with an alginate, a natural polymer extracted from seaweed. The result is bricks that are stronger and more environmentally-friendly, according to the study published recently in the journal Construction and Building Materials.

Researchers design system to trace call paths across multiple networks
(PhysOrg.com) -- Phishing scams are making the leap from email to the world's voice systems, and a team of researchers in the Georgia Tech College of Computing has found a way to tag fraudulent calls with a digital "fingerprint" that will help separate legitimate calls from phone scams.

US consumers snapping up Android phones: survey
Smartphones powered by Google's Android software were the most popular among US consumers over the past six months ahead of the Blackberry and Apple's iPhone, the Nielsen Co. said on Tuesday.

Report questions biometric technologies
Television cop shows love "biometric" technologies -- fingerprints, eye scans and so on -- but a blue-ribbon panel report calls for caution on widespread use of biological identification.

Google asks court to dismiss Oracle patent suit
Google has asked a California court to throw out a lawsuit filed by Oracle that accuses the Internet search giant of violating patents held by the US business software company.

SkyLifter airship may one day carry buildings (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- An Australian aeronautical company is developing a giant balloon that will one day be capable of carrying payloads more than seven times the maximum load carried by a heavy cargo helicopter. The inventors hope the balloons will be able to carry disaster relief centers and even modular hospitals into remote areas.

Medicine & Health news

Child maltreatment investigations not associated with improvements in household risk factors
Household investigations for suspected child maltreatment by Child Protective Services may not be associated with improvements in common, modifiable risk factors including social support, family functioning, poverty and others, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

School-based program reduces risky sexual behaviors in South African teens
A school-based, six-session program targeting sexual risk behaviors appeared to reduce rates of unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners among South African sixth-graders, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Mental health courts appear to shorten jail time, reduce re-arrest for those with psychiatric illness
Special mental health courts appear to be associated with lower post-treatment arrest rates and reduced number of days of incarceration for individuals with serious psychiatric illnesses, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Researchers study afterbirth to learn what happens before birth and beyond
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are forging ahead with an important first step in the National Children's Study: Determining how to most accurately collect, preserve and analyze placentas to garner valuable information that may fuel new discoveries about children’s overall health and development. The National Children’s Study is the largest long-term study to better understand how children’s genes interact with the environment to influence their health.

MRI may predict continued decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment
Using advanced MRI and an artificial intelligence technique, researchers in Geneva, Switzerland, have identified a method that may help identify which individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will continue to decline, according to a study published online and in the December issue of Radiology.

Pa. firm to pay $23M for illegal bone cement tests
(AP) -- A medical devices company will admit criminality and pay the maximum $23 million fine for illegally testing bone cement on about 200 spinal patients, three of whom died in surgery, U.S. prosecutors said Monday.

MEPs and health professionals call for urgent action to tackle chronic diseases
Members of the European Parliament are calling on the Presidency of the EU and Member States to tackle urgently the problem of chronic non-communicable diseases that are responsible for 86% of all deaths in the WHO European Region. Their call is supported by an alliance of European health professionals, including ECCO – the European CanCer Organisation – and ESMO – the European Society for Medical Oncology.

Hunting the missing health link
Researchers at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have embarked on an ambitious study of the link among genetics, lifestyle, environment, and health that organizers hope will set the stage for a new generation of personalized disease analysis and medical care.

Prevention still the best medicine
Although the debate continues about the screening and treatment of illnesses such as breast cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, there is one fundamental piece of advice all physicians agree on: maintain a healthy lifestyle for preventive reasons.

Breast density study explores cancer risk factor
Mothers and daughters are participating in a first-of-its-kind study aimed at discovering the genes responsible for determining breast tissue density.

99 year old Skyper shows why aged care facilities should offer internet access
(PhysOrg.com) -- Internet access should be mandatory in all aged care facilities, according to a University of Melbourne expert.

Traveling for treatment: The case for and against
Medical tourism is to go under the microscope in a major new study, led by an academic from the University of York, which aims to assess its potential advantages and disadvantages.

'Paradigm shift' in how physicians treat peripheral artery disease
A balloon angioplasty device that sucks up dangerous plaque debris could trigger a "paradigm shift" in how physicians treat peripheral artery disease, researchers write in the current issue of Endovascular Today.

Elsevier's BrainNavigator 3.0 reflects the next step in enhancing neurological research
Elsevier today announced a new version of its online research tool BrainNavigator. The first version, introduced in 2008, was well received by the neuroscience researcher community and received the prestigious PROSE Award in 2009. In the updated version, BrainNavigator 3.0, Elsevier has added critical new content and functionality to give researchers additional tools to accelerate their research.

The gold standard in cancer staging now as Web tool
Springer is launching the AJCC e-Staging Tool, a web-based application which will improve the way cancer is staged. Designed to meet the needs of the entire multidisciplinary team in any facility that deals with cancer, the AJCC e-Staging Tool makes the process quicker, more efficient and more accurate. The content draws from the highly successful AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 7th edition, published by Springer in 2010.

Lifestyle choices and freedoms limit effectiveness of public health interventions
The Government's ability to intervene directly to protect people's health and well-being has reached its limits in modern society because the health issues of today are closely tied in with individual lifestyle choice and freedoms, a leading academic will say today (October 5).

Broken bones and medication
Although one in four women over 50 develops osteoporosis, most are unaware they have the disease — something Professor Suzanne Cadarette would like to change.

Early lung cancer detection
Researchers from Northwestern University and NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) have developed a method to detect early signs of lung cancer by examining cheek cells in humans using pioneering biophotonics technology.

Use of advanced radiology for injury-related emergency department visits increases significantly
From 1998 to 2007, the use of CT or MRI scans in emergency departments for injury-related conditions increased about 3-fold without a similar increase in the prevalence of the diagnosis of certain life-threatening trauma-related conditions, according to a study in the October 6 issue of JAMA.

Maternal influenza vaccination may be associated with flu protection in infants
Babies whose mothers who receive influenza vaccines while pregnant appear less likely to be infected with flu or hospitalized for respiratory illnesses in their first six months of life, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Radiation pharmacogenomics identifies biomarkers that could personalize cancer treatment
Radiation therapy is used to treat more than half of all cancer cases, but patient response to therapy can vary greatly. Genetics is increasingly being recognized as a significant contributor to inter-individual response to radiation, but the biology underlying response remains poorly understood. In a study published online today in Genome Research, researchers employed a pharmacogenomics approach to find biomarkers associated with radiation response that could help to more effectively tailor individual cancer treatments in the future.

Sleep loss limits fat loss
Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a study published October 5, 2010, in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Gene test aims for better heart disease detection
It's not a perfect test. Yet researchers report a key step for the first gene test aimed at reducing unnecessary angiograms - expensive and somewhat risky procedures that hundreds of thousands of Americans have each year to check for clogged arteries. Most of these exams, done in hospital cardiac catheterization labs, turn out negative.

Canadian helps severely disabled speak through music
Children immured within their severely disabled bodies may soon be able to communicate thanks to a newly unveiled device that translates physiological signals into music.

Vaccinations should continue as influenza pandemics epidemics wane
Influenza pandemics often come in multiple waves. As the one wave subsides, public health officials have to decide whether continuing vaccination programs is warranted to prevent or reduce a subsequent wave. In a new study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers report on a new computer model that can be used to predict both subsequent-wave mechanisms and vaccination effectiveness. They conclude that additional waves in an epidemic can be mitigated by vaccination even when an epidemic appears to be waning.

Largest human exomes data reveals an excess of low frequency non-synonymous coding variants
In a paper appearing in Nature Genetics today, an international research group reported the resequencing and analysis of 200 human exomes, established the largest data set for human exomes published so far and reveal an excess of low frequency deleterious non-synonymous genetic mutations. The collabrative team includes investigators from BGI-Shenzhen, UC Berkeley, University of Copenhagen and some other european institutions.

Emotional and physical wellness might be linked to longer life
A new study supports a belief that many people assume is true: You are more likely to live longer if you have remained physically and mentally fit.

Mice with human body's defenses
Therapeutic antibodies can be an efficient alternative when common drugs do not work anymore. However, antibodies obtained from blood of animals such as mice could not be used: The human immune system recognizes them as foreign and rejects them.

Umbilical cord blood not suitable for assessing allergy risk
For years, hospitals and researchers have been testing blood samples from the umbilical cords of newborn babies to assess the risk of allergy. Now a study at the University of Copenhagen has revealed that the biomarker in the blood that indicates the risk factor for allergy often comes from the mother rather than her baby.

Is your job making you fat?
Working nine-to-five may be the way to make a living, but it may be padding more than the wallet. According to a new study from the Université de Montréal, office-workers have become less active over the last three decades and this decreased activity may partly explain the rise in obesity. Their findings, published in the early online edition of Preventive Medicine, may have health implications for the millions of people toiling behind their desks.

Shortfalls in carotenoid intake may impact women's health
Only about a third of American women are meeting their fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which means they are likely missing out on potentially important breast and ovarian health benefits. Along with vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits and vegetables contain a type of phytonutrient called carotenoids, which research suggests help support women's health including breast and ovarian health.

Specific kidney cell could be key in the treatment of kidney failure in diabetes
Diabetes is the leading reason for kidney failure in the world, resulting in patients requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. New research has found a cell in the kidney called the podocyte could be the key to understanding why this happens.

A new type of pill for emergency contraception
By year's end, U.S. women will have two types of emergency contraceptive pills to choose from.

Neuroscience research may help patients recover from brain injury
New neuroscience research by life scientists from UCLA and Australia may potentially help people who have lost their ability to remember due to brain injury or disease.

Parkinson's disease protein impedes nerve signaling long before brain cells die
Parkinson’s disease patients have not benefited from any new type of standard treatment in decades. Even so, there have been important discoveries about the disease that may lead to whole new treatment strategies.

Unraveling stress: Understanding the mechanisms for coping
Stress is one of life's universal experiences -- everyone is familiar with it, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they do. But while stress is common, it is hardly simple. Dr. Alon Chen of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Neurobiology is working to clarify the biological underpinnings of stress and elucidate the brain’s mechanisms for coping with the condition.

Study links bullying to depression, other adult ailments
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Arizona family studies researchers report in the journal Developmental Psychology that high school students whose sexual orientation is at odds with social gender norms often find themselves victims of harassment and, later on in life, with psychological problems.

Researchers pool data to search for genetic risks in heart disease
In an unprecedented international project, researchers have found multiple genetic mutations that play a role in heart attack or coronary artery disease (CAD) risk.

Air pollution alters immune function, worsens asthma symptoms
Exposure to dirty air is linked to decreased function of a gene that appears to increase the severity of asthma in children, according to a joint study by researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

For cardiac arrest CPR performed by laypersons, chest compression-only may lead to better outcomes
In a comparison of outcomes in Arizona for out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cardiac arrest performed by bystanders, patients who received compression-only CPR were more likely to survive to hospital discharge than patients who received conventional CPR or no CPR, according to a study in the October 6 issue of JAMA.

Early use of hypertonic fluids does not appear to improve outcomes for severe traumatic brain injury
Patients with a severe traumatic brain injury (and not in shock because of blood loss) who received out-of-hospital administration of hypertonic fluids (a solution with increased concentration of certain electrolytes and thought to help reduce intracranial pressure) as initial resuscitation did not experience better 6-month neurologic outcomes or survival compared to patients who received a normal saline solution, according to a study in the October 6 issue of JAMA.

One in four US high school students binge drinks: study
Nearly one in four US high school students and one in seven adults binge drink, a public health danger that claims some 40,000 lives a year in the United States, a study showed Tuesday.

Limited number of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes cause most invasive pneumococcal disease
Contrary to current thinking, the group of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae responsible for most invasive pneumococcal disease worldwide is conserved across regions. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading bacterial cause of pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis in children, which together comprise more than 25% of the 10 million deaths estimated to have occurred in 2000 in children under 5 years of age, and preventable by access to appropriate vaccines.

T cell discovery shows promise for Type 1 diabetes treatment
A research team from the University of British Columbia and the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI) at BC Children's Hospital has identified the role of a type of T cell in type 1 diabetes that may lead to new treatment options for young patients.

Brain tumor disorder impairs chemical system responsible for attention
(PhysOrg.com) -- A genetic condition that increases risk of brain tumors may also impair development of the brain system that facilitates attention, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Fish oil linked to increased risk of colon cancer in mice
Fish oil – long encouraged by doctors as a supplement to support heart and joint health, among other benefits – induced severe colitis and colon cancer in mice in research led by Michigan State University and published this month in the journal Cancer Research.

The world is full of darkness, reflected in the physiology of the human retina, researchers say
Physicists and neuroscientists from the University of Pennsylvania have linked the cell structure of the retina to the light and dark contrasts of the natural world, demonstrating the likelihood that the neural pathways humans use for seeing are adapted to best capture the world around us.

Better cholesterol drugs may follow SLU researcher's breakthrough
Thanks to a discovery by a Saint Louis University researcher, scientists have identified an important microRNA that may allow us to better control cholesterol levels in blood.

Amino acid supplement makes mice live longer
When mice are given drinking water laced with a special concoction of amino acids, they live longer than your average mouse, according to a new report in the October issue of Cell Metabolism. The key ingredients in the supplemental mixture are so-called branched-chain amino acids, which account for 3 of the 20 amino acids (specifically leucine, isoleucine, and valine) that are the building blocks of proteins.

A thirst for excitement is hidden in your genes
Sensation seeking -- the urge to do exciting things -- has been linked to dopamine, a chemical that carries messages in your brain. For a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, scientists analyzed genes in the dopamine system and found a group of mutations that help predict whether someone is inclined toward sensation seeking.

Scientists shed light on how serotonin works
Scripps Research Institute scientists have shown for the first time that the neurotransmitter serotonin uses a specialized signaling pathway to mediate biological functions that are distinct from the signaling pathways used by hallucinogenic substances. The new findings could have a profound effect on the development of new therapies for a number of disorders, including schizophrenia and depression.

Blood test could diagnose Alzheimer's disease
A set of proteins found in blood serum shows promise as a sensitive and accurate way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found as part of a statewide study.

Genetics may not help you live to old age
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most people living to over 90 have avoided the three major causes of death: heart disease, cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Several areas on the human genome have been identified as being implicated in elevated risks of these major killers, but new research has surprisingly found that older people do not necessarily have fewer genetic risk factors for them.

Biology news

Citizens pitch in to help scientists track spead of sudden oak death
A map plotting the path of destruction that the tree-strangling pathogen known as sudden oak death is taking through the Bay Area shows new infestations in and around neighborhoods throughout the region.

MU College of Veterinary Medicine to study efficacy of cancer drug in dogs
A cancer drug that benefits people may soon benefit man's best friend.

MSU researchers discover chemical trigger that doubles the yield of algal lipids for biodiesel from farmed algae
Algal biofuel production could double in yield and in far less time, thanks to a chemical trigger discovered at Montana State University.

Birds could signal mass extinction
(PhysOrg.com) -- The first detailed measurements of current extinction rates for a specific region have shown that birds are the best group to use to track the losses. The study also reveals Britain may be losing species over ten times faster than records suggest, and the speed of loss is probably increasing: the losses from England alone may exceed one species every two weeks.

New fisheries system will save about $20 million, researchers find
Some fisheries in the United States are poised to undergo major changes in the regulations used to protect fish stocks, and Iowa State University researchers have estimated that the new system will be an economic boon to the fishing industry.

Growth factor essential to epicardial cell function: research
In research that one day may lead to the discovery of how to regenerate tissue damaged by heart disease, investigators at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles have identified PDGF as a key factor in the proliferation and transformation of epicardial cells, one type of cell that surrounds heart muscle and contributes to vessels.

Researchers identify key reproductive hormone in oldest vertebrate
Looking at a hagfish – an eyeless, snot-covered, worm-like scavenger of the deep – the last thing that comes to mind is sex. Yet the reproductive functioning of these ancient vertebrates is such an enduring enigma that a gold medal was once offered to anyone who could elucidate it.

Evolutionary tinkering produced complex proteins with diverse functions
By reconstructing an ancient protein and tracing how it subtly changed over vast periods of time to produce scores of modern-day descendants, scientists have shown how evolution tinkers with early forms and leaves the impression that complexity evolved many times.

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