PhysOrg Newsletter Monday, Dec 6

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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 6, 2010:

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Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New type of nuclear fission discovered
- Pure nanotube-type growth edges toward the possible
- Study reveals how taking an active role in learning enhances memory
- Physicists unravel mystery of repetitive DNA segments
- Scientists crash lead nuclei together to create the hottest and densest nuclear material ever
- Scientists find gene linked to congenital heart defect
- Understanding shape-shifting polymers (w/ Video)
- New nanotube material stays rubbery over a more than 1,000 degree temperature range
- Medieval England twice as well off as today's poorest nations
- Man's best friend helps to solve puzzle of a genetic disorder
- Imitating someone's accent makes it easier to understand them
- Extensive regeneration in nerve connecting eye to brain achieved
- Indigenous peoples adapt to climate change
- Insulin levels found to affect breast cancer survival
- Why married men tend to behave better

Space & Earth news

Mayan village in Mexico impacted by climate change
(AP) -- The first time Araceli Bastida Be heard the phrase "climate change" was on TV two years ago. Then she began to understand why strange things had been happening in her village.

More nations may pledge carbon limits at UN talks
(AP) -- More countries are expected this week to pledge specific actions to limit carbon emissions over the next decade, in what would be "very good news" for arduous negotiations on a climate change agreement, says host country Mexico.

Fledgling ecosystem at Chicken Creek lets scientists observe how soil, flora and fauna develop
How do ecosystems develop? No one really knows, yet. There is however one project, unique in the world, seeking to answer this question. In a former open-pit coal mining area in Brandenburg, Germany, a surface of six hectares was partitioned off and then left to its own resources. Scientists from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), in collaboration with researchers from other institutions, are studying the development of soil, flora, and fauna there. With this research they aim to establish the factors that have a particularly strong influence on developing ecosystems.

Iron deficiency in soil threatens soybean production
An expansion of soybean production into areas where soybean has seldom, if ever, been grown can be problematic for some farmers. Soils having high pH values and large amounts of calcium and/or magnesium carbonate are notoriously iron deficient. Iron deficient soils in the North Central United States are estimated to reduce soy bean production by 12.5 million bushels every year.

UN climate talks move into decisive phase
(AP) -- U.N. climate talks moved into their decisive week Monday with the agenda dominated by future cuts in carbon emissions and keeping countries honest about their actions to control global warming.

Image: Speck between rings
Saturn's moon Atlas can be seen just above the center of this Cassini spacecraft image as it orbits in the Roche Division between Saturn's A ring and thin F ring.

Programming error caused Russian satellite failure: report
A programming error may have caused a rocket carrying three Russian navigation satellites to fail to reach orbit, a Russian space agency source told the RIA Novosti news agency on Monday.

Measuring air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide in the open ocean
A team led by scientists at the United Kingdom's National Oceanography Centre have measured the air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide in the open ocean at higher wind speed then anyone else has ever managed. Their findings are important for understanding how interactions between the oceans and the atmosphere influence climate.

Using satellite technology to map Mangroves
Mangroves are among the most biologically important ecosystems on the planet, and a common feature of tropical and sub-tropical coastlines. But ground-based evidence suggests these vital coastal forests have been strained in many regions because of harvesting for food, fuel, and medicine. Now, scientists have used satellite images to compile the most comprehensive map of mangroves worldwide, which should help in future efforts in monitoring and conservation.

'S' is for space station
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are helping children learn their ABC's and vocabulary through educational demonstrations of how they live and work in space.

Astronomy without a telescope -- Through a lens darkly
Massive galactic clusters – which are roughly orientated in a plane that is roughly face-on to Earth – can generate strong gravitational lensing. However, several surveys of such clusters have reached the conclusion that these clusters have a tendency towards lensing too much – at least more than is predicted based on their expected mass.

First Australians did not boost fire activity
(PhysOrg.com) -- The arrival of the first people in Australia about 50,000 years ago did not result in significantly greater fire activity, according to a landmark new research report on the continent's fire history going back 70,000 years.

So you think you can solve a cosmology puzzle?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cosmologists have come up with a new way to solve their problems. They are inviting scientists, including those from totally unrelated fields, to participate in a grand competition. The idea is to spur outside interest in one of cosmology's trickiest problems -- measuring the invisible dark matter and dark energy that permeate our universe.

The worm that turned on heavy metal
Researchers in South America have studied the viability of using earthworms to process hazardous material containing high concentrations of heavy metal for the bioremediation of old industrial sites, landfill and other potentially hazardous areas. They provide details of a possible approach in the International Journal of Global Environmental Issues this month.

Will V445 puppis become a Ia supernova?
As the “V” in the designation of V445 Puppis indicates, this star was a variable star located in the constellation of Puppis. It was a fairly ordinary periodic variable, although with a rather complex light curve, but still showing a distinct periodicity of about fifteen and a half hours. It wasn’t especially bright, yet something seemed to tug at my memory regarding the star’s name as I scanned through articles to write on. Just over a year ago, Nancy wrote a post on V445 Puppis stating it’s a supernova just waiting to happen. A new article challenges this claim.

US company's spacecraft launch delayed to Thursday
American company SpaceX will attempt Thursday to launch its first space capsule into orbit and back, in a key test for the future of commercial space flight as NASA winds down its shuttle program.

Technology news

Preventing gridlock -- developing next-generation Internet infrastructure
To keep pace with society's ever increasing data-transmission requirements, a new project funded under the EU 7th Framework Programme, is set to develop the next generation internet infrastructure to enhance the capacity of broadband core networks providing increased bandwidth of 100 times current capacity.

Massive outage takes down blogging site Tumblr
(AP) -- The popular blogging site Tumblr is working to recover from an outage that's left it out of service for at least 15 hours.

Washington Post watching online pay experiments
The Washington Post is monitoring efforts by The New York Times and other newspapers to charge readers online but has no plans to do the same for now, the Post Co. chairman said Monday.

Facebook's new facelift plays up photos, friends (Update)
(AP) -- Facebook is redesigning the profile pages of its 500 million-plus users to make it more of a reflection of their real lives and emphasize one of the site's most popular features, photos.

WikiLeaks reveals US global interests
WikiLeaks has released a secret list of infrastructure from pipelines to smallpox vaccine suppliers whose loss or attack by terrorists could "critically impact" US security in the view of the State Department.

GM's EN-V Envisions Future of Personal Mobility
Rapid urbanization, aging populations and more demand for personal mobility globally present challenges today’s vehicles will be hard-pressed to meet. Envisioning what that future will need gave birth to the Electric Networked Vehicle, or EN-V.

Sprint to start phasing out Nextel network in 2013
(AP) -- Sprint Nextel Corp. on Monday said it will start phasing out the Nextel part of its network in 2013, a decision that follows near-constant subscriber losses since Sprint bought Nextel in 2005.

Fujitsu develops wide-area traffic simulator featuring virtual driving experience
Fujitsu Laboratories Limited today announced the development of a wide-area traffic simulation system that reproduces in real-time the behavior of tens of thousands of vehicles located across a wide area of roadway, and enables users to virtually ride inside of one of the vehicles and drive it.

Gift Guide: Winners for every kind of gamer
Nearly three-quarters of American households own a device that's used specifically for video games, whether it's a console, a handheld device or a dedicated computer, according to Nielsen Co. Add to that all the people who play games on their smart phones or their home or work PCs, and no one's immune.

Vt. city stumbles in effort to do telecom itself
(AP) -- Tired of waiting for state-of-the-art communications technology, voters of Vermont's biggest city decided in 2000 to form their own company to provide telephone, Internet and cable TV service.

Imec reports progress in deep sub-micron scaling for logic and memory
At the International Electron Devices Meeting in San Francisco Imec's advanced CMOS research program reports promising advances in scaling logic, DRAM and non-volatile memory.

Google opens e-book store in challenge to Amazon (Update)
(AP) -- Google Inc. is making the leap from digital librarian to merchant in a challenge to Amazon.com Inc. and its Kindle electronic reader.

Swiss cut off bank account for WikiLeaks' Assange
(AP) -- The Swiss postal system stripped WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of a key fundraising tool Monday, accusing him of lying and immediately shutting down one of his bank accounts.

Profiling based on mobile, online behavior: A privacy issue
It's illegal for businesses and law enforcement to profile a person based on their race, gender, or ethnicity, yet millions of Americans are being profiled every day based on their online consumer behavior and demographics.

Medicine & Health news

Panel issues comprehensive US food allergy guidelines
An expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has issued comprehensive U.S. guidelines to assist health care professionals in diagnosing food allergy and managing the care of people with the disease.

Heart-attack risk increases rapidly after rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed
The risk of having a heart attack is 60 per cent higher just a year after a patient has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, according to research published in the December issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Two studies provide insight into stroke risk and prevention in young sickle cell anemia patients
Monthly blood transfusions combined with daily medication to remove the resulting excess iron remains the best approach for reducing the risk of recurrent strokes in young patients with sickle cell anemia, according to a preliminary analysis of a multicenter trial that includes St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

JAK inhibitors producing significant response in myelofibrosis patients
Two janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are substantially improving treatment of myelofibrosis in patients, say Mayo Clinic researchers who are presenting results of several clinical trials at the 52nd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Dec. 4 in Orlando.

Virginia Tech, Carilion team with physician to create digital ER pediatric response chart
A well-known paper-based medical chart used by pediatric emergency personnel across America is undergoing a 21st century boost in an collaborative effort between Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, Roanoke-based Carilion Clinic Children's Hospital, and the physician who created the original method some 25 years ago.

Challenging HIV through social networking
Tapping into young people's use of online social networks presents health agencies with a powerful opportunity to help control the rise in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in homeless youth in Los Angeles. According to new research1 by Sean Young from UCLA and Eric Rice from USC in the US, online social networking - and the topics discussed on these networks - have the potential to affect sexual risk behaviors. Targeting homeless youths with sexual health messages, by exploiting their use of these networks, is likely to be an effective way to reach and influence them to reduce sexual risk behaviors. The study is published online in Springer's journal AIDS and Behavior.

Smoking widespread among youth with diabetes, raising heart disease risk
Cigarette smoking is widespread among children and young adults with diabetes yet few health care providers are counseling children and young adults with diabetes to not smoke or stop smoking, according to a new report from the SEARCH Study Group, published online in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Stress and neck pain more common in women than men
Neck pain is more common in women than men, irrespective of occupation or age. Stressed young women develop more neck pain than their male counterparts. Women also perceive everyday life to be more stressful, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Exposure to death and dying can have a positive impact
Exposure to death and dying does not negatively affect palliative and hospice care professionals and can actually have positive benefits, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Starting dialysis too early can increase risk of death
Patients who are starting dialysis too early are at an increased risk of death, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Infected prosthetic knees cause problems
The number of people that undergo an operation to have a prosthetic knee joint is increasing. One reason is that the population is getting older, another is that people are also getting heavier, which is a factor in the development of osteoarthritis. The number of knee replacement operations has increased by 9 per cent a year in recent years.

Study finds long-term prognosis is excellent for most children with seizures
Mayo Clinic researchers studied more than 200 children with epilepsy and found that even if the cause of focal-onset seizures cannot be identified and they do not fit into a known epilepsy syndrome, long-term prognosis is still excellent. This study was presented at the American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting in San Antonio on Dec. 4.

New aortic valve without open heart surgery
Siemens Healthcare developed a new, smart visualization and guidance technology, which facilitates implantation of an aortic replacement valve by means of a catheter. The technology spares patients the trauma of surgery and cuts total per-patient costs. As the research magazine Pictures of the Future reports in its latest issue, the procedure has to date been performed on over 150 patients in Europe with an average age of 78.

Emeritus: On the trail of aflatoxin
In the spring of 1960, a mysterious liver disease killed hundreds of thousands of turkeys in the United Kingdom. The outbreak was soon traced to ground peanut meal, shipped from Brazil and contaminated with mold that produces a poison known as aflatoxin.

Early physical therapy for low back pain associated with less subsequent health care utilization
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is pointing to a new study on low back pain in Medicare patients in its efforts to encourage the newly established Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to promptly launch a demonstration project on direct access to physical therapist services that was recommended in the recent health reform law.

Fewer guessing games for lung cancer patients
A study published in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine identified positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans as a potentially useful tool for predicting local recurrence in lung cancer patients treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). RFA, which uses localized thermal energy to kill cancer cells, is increasingly used as an alternative treatment for patients unable to undergo surgery or other therapies to treat lung cancer.

Hope for severe cold hands
Many people experience painful, numb cold hands as they go back and forth into wintry weather. Yet for some people cold, swollen, chapped hands may be a sign of blocked or constricted blood vessels. Most of these cases are a normal reaction to cold exposure and are easily treated. Yet, in some cases cold hand could be the first sign of a systemic autoimmune disease and very harmful if left untreated.

Germ inspector helps prevent hospital infections
(AP) -- This is no ordinary intensive care unit: Every doctor, nurse, friend or loved one must cover their clothes with a bright yellow gown and don purple gloves before entering a patient's room so some scary germs don't hitch a ride in or out.

Sports participation does not guarantee that children get enough physical activity
Only about one-fourth of children participating in organized sports—such as baseball, softball or soccer—receive the government-recommended amount of physical activity during team practices, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the April 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Teens who perpetrate dating violence also likely to perpetrate violence involving siblings or peers
Dating violence among adolescents is common and those who physically assault dating partners are also likely to have perpetrated violence involving siblings and peers, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

The LouseBuster returns
Four years after the LouseBuster prototype made headlines when research showed the chemical-free, warm-air device wiped out head lice on children, a new study reveals that a revamped, government-cleared model is highly effective.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens singled out for punishment
Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents are about 40 percent more likely than other teens to be punished by school authorities, police and the courts, according to a study by Yale University researchers. Published in the January 2011 issue of the journal Pediatrics, the study is the first to document excessive punishment of LGB youth nationwide.

Study finds family acceptance of LGBT youth protects against depression, substance abuse, suicide
For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between accepting family attitudes and behaviors towards their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children and significantly decreased risk and better overall health in adulthood. The study shows that specific parental and caregiver behaviors -- such as advocating for their children when they are mistreated because of their LGBT identity or supporting their gender expression -- protect against depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in early adulthood.

New tool in the early detection of bowel disease
An international team of researchers led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a new kind of endoscope to aid the early detection and diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Researchers find way to cut food-irradiation levels by half
A team of Texas AgriLife Research engineers has developed a way to cut by as much as half the amount of irradiation needed to kill 99.999 percent of salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens on fresh produce.

Phase I trial indicates ponatinib may thwart most resistant CML
A new drug appears to help chronic myeloid leukemia patients who are out of treatment options after first- and second-line drugs have failed them or because their cancer cells have a mutation that makes them resistant from the start, researchers reported at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

Drug prevents post-traumatic stress syndrome
when a severely stressful event triggers exaggerated and chronic fear – affects nearly 8 million people in the United States and is hard to treat. In a preclinical study, Northwestern Medicine scientists have for the first time identified the molecular cause of the debilitating condition and prevented it from occurring by injecting calming drugs into the brain within five hours of a traumatic event.

Early safety results promising for Phase I/II trial of gene therapy treatment of hemophilia B
Investigators report no evidence of toxicity in the four hemophilia B patients enrolled to date in a gene therapy trial using a vector under development at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and UCL (University College London) to correct the inherited bleeding disorder.

Social stress leads to atherosclerosis
Studies on genetically engineered mice show that social stress activates the immune system and accelerates the development of atherosclerosis. Commonly used drugs to reduce blood pressure, however, may stop this process. This is the conclusion of a thesis presented at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Value of exercise combination shown in diabetes study
Performing a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training has been found to improve glycemic levels among patients 
with type 2 diabetes, compared to patients who did not exercise,
 according to a study in the Nov. 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Parkinson's drug could treat restless leg syndrome
A drug prescribed for Parkinson's disease may also treat restless leg syndrome without the adverse side effects of current therapies, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.

Heart prevention in people with diabetes using vitamin B1
Diabetes leaves the heart more vulnerable to stress as less oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the heart and other organs. Heart damage can be caused by high levels of glucose entering cardiovascular cells, which forms toxins that accelerate the ageing of the cell.

Elucidation of the 3D structure of Chikungunya virus
French researchers at the Pasteur Institute and the CNRS, in collaboration with the Synchrotron SOLEIL, have solved the three-dimensional structures of the glycoproteins that envelop the chikungunya virus. This discovery allows us to understand how this protein complex is activated in order to allow the virus to invade target cells. Activation is a key step in the viral life cycle, and its elucidation provides essential information for the development of antiviral strategies, for prevention and treatment.

Breaking down mental health barriers in children
Parents face many barriers in seeking help for their child’s mental health problems, according to new research led by experts in psychiatry at The University of Nottingham.

Mammogram sensitivity depends on menstrual cycle
Try to schedule your screening mammogram during the first week of your menstrual cycle. It might make breast cancer screening more accurate for pre-menopausal women who choose to have regular mammograms. This recommendation comes from an article published online December 3 in Radiology by Diana Miglioretti, PhD, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute.

Personalized vaccine for lymphoma patients extends disease-free survival by nearly 2 years
A personalized vaccine is a powerful therapy to prevent recurrence among certain follicular lymphoma patients, according to the latest results of ongoing research led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The new findings show that when these patients – whose tumors are marked by a specific protein that may be present in up to half of people with this type of cancer -- receive a vaccine made from their own tumor cells, disease-free survival is improved by nearly two years, compared with patients who receive a placebo. Based on the new analysis, the team thinks they can explain why the results of previous trials of similar therapeutic cancer vaccines were not as strong as expected.

Bacteria seek to topple the egg as top flu vaccine tool
Only the fragile chicken egg stands between Americans and a flu pandemic that would claim tens of thousands more lives than are usually lost to the flu each year.

A flu vaccine that lasts: Scientists consider prospects for a universal influenza vaccine
The costly, time-consuming process of making, distributing and administering millions of seasonal flu vaccines would become obsolete if researchers could design a vaccine that confers decades-long protection from any flu virus strain. Making such a universal influenza vaccine is feasible but licensing it may require innovation on several fronts, including finding new ways to evaluate the efficacy of vaccine candidates in clinical trials, conclude scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Mindfulness-based therapy helps prevent depression relapse
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears to be similar to maintenance antidepressant medication for preventing relapse or recurrence among patients successfully treated for depression, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Depression treatment rates increase over past decade, but psychotherapy declines
The rate of depression treatment increased between 1998 and 2007 but at a slower rate than during the previous decade, and the percentage of patients treated with psychotherapy continued to decline, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Sex, race, place of residence influence high blood pressure incidence
High blood pressure may help to explain why deaths from heart disease and stroke vary according to geography, race and sex, researchers reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Children who attend group child care centers get more infections then, but fewer during school years
Children who attend large group child care facilities before age 2½ appear to develop more respiratory and ear infections at that age, but fewer such illnesses during elementary school years, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Psychotic-like symptoms associated with poor outcomes in patients with depression
Among patients with depression, the presence of many aspects of illness which may be associated with bipolar disorder does not appear to be associated with treatment resistance—evidence against the common hypothesis that some cases of difficult-to-treat depression are actually unrecognized bipolar disorder, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the April 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. However, many patients with depression also report psychotic-like symptoms, such as hearing voices or believing they are being spied on or plotted against, and those who do are less likely to respond to treatment.

Have restless legs syndrome during pregnancy? It may reappear later on
Women with transient restless legs syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy appear to be at a higher risk of developing a chronic form of RLS later in life or have the same symptoms during future pregnancies, according to new research published in the December 7, 2010, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. RLS is a sleep-related motor disorder that causes an unpleasant feeling in the legs. The condition generally worsens during rest at night and improves with movement. Symptoms tend to progress with age.

People with severe mental illness 12 times more likely to commit suicide
People with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, are 12 times more likely to commit suicide than average, according to research released today by King's Health Partners.

'Beating heart' technology could revolutionize field of heart transplantation
(PhysOrg.com) -- The heart transplantation team at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical is currently leading a national, multicenter phase 2 clinical study of an experimental organ-preservation system that allows donor hearts to continue functioning in a near-physiologic state outside the body during transport.

Scientists shed light on blood flow problems in dementia
Scientists in Bristol have uncovered some of the processes responsible for the blood flow problems connected with Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings could see existing drugs used for leaky blood vessels trialled as potential Alzheimer’s treatments.

Study identifies drug resistance of CLL in bone marrow and lymph nodes
In research to be presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting, investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston offer a new explanation of why chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) tends to recur in the lymph nodes and bone marrow after being cleared from the bloodstream by chemotherapy. Their findings will be reported during in an oral session on Monday, Dec. 6.

Exposure to more diverse objects speeds word learning in tots
Two toddlers are learning the word "cup." One sees three nearly identical cups; the other sees a tea cup, a sippy cup and a Styrofoam cup. Chances are, the second child will have a better sense of what a cup is and -- according to a new University of Iowa study -- may even have an advantage as he learns new words.

Combining exenatide with insulin may be 'best result ever' for diabetes patients: UNC expert
A new study finds that combining the newer diabetes drug exenatide with insulin provides better blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes than insulin alone and helps promote weight loss.

Gene-environment interactions could influence several psychiatric disorders
(PhysOrg.com) -- Male mice born with a genetic mutation that's believed to make humans more susceptible to schizophrenia develop behaviors that mimic other major psychiatric illnesses when their mothers are exposed to an assault to the immune system while pregnant, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

Study on skin formation suggests strategies to fight skin cancer
In a study published in the journal Developmental Cell, Sarah Millar PhD, professor of Dermatology and Cell & Developmental Biology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and colleagues demonstrate that a pair of enzymes called HDACs are critical to the proper formation of mammalian skin.

Imitating someone's accent makes it easier to understand them
In conversation, we often imitate each other's speech style and may even change our accent to fit that of the person we're talking to. A recent study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that imitating someone who speaks with a regional or foreign accent may actually help you understand them better.

Extensive regeneration in nerve connecting eye to brain achieved
Damage to the optic nerve, connecting the eye with the brain, is a major cause of blindness. The most common culprit is glaucoma, estimated to affect more than 4 million Americans. There is currently no way to restore the lost vision, because the optic nerve, like other nerves in the mature central nervous system (CNS), cannot regenerate. Now, scientists at Children's Hospital Boston report achieving the greatest regeneration to date in the mammalian optic nerve.

Man's best friend helps to solve puzzle of a genetic disorder
(PhysOrg.com) -- Observations in purebred dogs led an international team of scientists from Duke University Medical Center and other institutions to make an important gene discovery in a devastating human genetic condition hallmarked by severe inflammation of the respiratory system, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD).

Insulin levels found to affect breast cancer survival
(PhysOrg.com) -- Women treated for breast cancer who have elevated levels of circulating insulin face substantially higher mortality rates than their peers with lower levels, according to a new study authored by a Yale School of Public Health researcher. The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Why married men tend to behave better
Researchers have long argued that marriage generally reduces illegal and aggressive behaviors in men. It remained unclear, however, if that association was a function of matrimony itself or whether less "antisocial" men were simply more likely to get married.

Researchers develop innovative, freely available software to purify mass spectrometry data
Researchers at University of Toronto and the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, as well as colleagues in Michigan and Scotland, have developed an innovative computational approach -- the first of its kind worldwide -- designed to analyze mass spectrometry data. The software, called SAINT (Significance Analysis of INTeractome), will allow researchers globally to quickly assess the reliability and accuracy of protein binding data, helping to further their studies of cancer and other illnesses.

Scientists find gene linked to congenital heart defect
(PhysOrg.com) -- A gene that can cause congenital heart defects has been identified by a team of scientists, including a group from Princeton University. The discovery could lead to new treatments for those affected by the conditions brought on by the birth defect.

Study reveals how taking an active role in learning enhances memory
Good news for control freaks! New research confirms that having some authority over how one takes in new information significantly enhances one's ability to remember it. The study, in the journal Nature Neuroscience, also offers a first look at the network of brain structures that contribute to this phenomenon.

Biology news

Eutrophication makes toxic cyanobacteria more toxic
Continued eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, combined with an ever thinner ozone layer, is favouring the toxic cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Air force flight control improvements may result from flying insect research
Flying insects' altitude control mechanisms are the focus of research being conducted in a Caltech laboratory under an Air Force Office of Scientific Research grant that may lead to technology that controls altitude in a variety of aircraft for the Air Force.

Missouri grapes hold key to improving world grape production
In a few years, a sip of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir may include a taste of the "Show-Me" State. The state grape of Missouri – the Norton variety grown at many vineyards around the state – is resistant to powdery mildew, a fungal pathogen that affects winemaking grapes around the world. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri are working to identify valuable genes from the Norton grape for eventual transfer into other grapes to make them less susceptible to mildew, decrease fungicide use and increase world-wide grape production.

New book on 100 years of Illinois birds
A new book, Illinois Birds: A Century of Change, literally took 100 years to write. The first comprehensive survey of birds in Illinois was conducted from 1906-1909. It was repeated from 1956-1958 and a technical book was written comparing the two surveys. When the 100-year anniversary of that first survey was approaching, ornithologists Mike Ward, Jeff Walk, Steve Bailey, and Jeff Brawn seized the window of opportunity to do it again and write a book, this time with 100 years of data, lots of pictures, and a broader appeal.

Forest pests accumulating despite regulations
Nonindigenous insects and pathogens continue to become established in US forests with regularity despite regulations intended to prevent this, according to a study published in the December 2010 issue of BioScience. The study, by a team led by Juliann E. Aukema of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, California, found that nonindigenous insects are being newly detected in US forests at a rate of about 2.5 per year, and high-impact insects and pathogens that cause significant effects in forests, including tree death, are being newly detected every 2 to 2.5 years. The rate of detection of harmful forest invaders seems to have increased in the past two decades.

Researchers: Include data about societal values in endangered species decisions
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is excluding significant research findings about human threats to protected species, researchers argue, even when the law governing the agency's actions requires the use of all relevant data in determining whether species need protection from extinction.

Sumatran 'tiger map' reveals tiger population higher than expected
Scientists have created the highest resolution map of the Sumatran tiger distribution ever produced, revealing that the island now hosts the second largest tiger population on earth. The research, carried out with the Wildlife Conservation Society's Indonesia Program and Forum HarimauKita, will be published in a special issue of Integrative Zoology, on tiger conservation and research methodologies.

Ravenous foreign pests threaten national treasures
Foreign pests are eating their way through our national forests, destroying majestic scenery and costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

New microscopic life aboard the RMS Titanic
A brand-new bacterial species has been found aboard the RMS Titanic, which is contributing to its deterioration. The discovery reveals a potential new microbial threat to the exterior of ships and underwater metal structures such as oil rigs.

Researchers discover a way to delay Christmas tree needle loss
Researchers at Universite Laval, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Agricultural College, have discovered what causes Christmas tree needles to drop off, and how to double the lifespan of Christmas trees in homes. The authors presented their findings in a recent issue of the scientific journal Trees.

Shy trout size it up
Personality is not just a feature unique to humans and pets. Scientists at the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) have revealed that also brown trout have individual characters and show different personalities.

Unlocking the chromosome
Advances in our understanding of basic biological processes and human disease owe much to the groundbreaking research of scientists at the Chromosome Dynamics Laboratory at RIKEN Advanced Science Institute.

Working in concert
As cells go about the process of building new proteins, each amino acid gets delivered individually to the protein-synthesizing machinery of the ribosome by a specialized transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule. This process is generally facilitated by a variety of RNA synthetase enzymes, with each type of amino acid-attached tRNA formed as the product of a distinct synthetase.

Mice use vocalization patterning to determine whether to mate or not
They are quiet as church mice ... or are they? It turns out there is a racy conversation going on in this biology lab at Washington State University in Vancouver, Washington; one that might make a preacher blush! But the conversation isn't between scientists, but rather three very sighted and excited mice.

Immune function boosted by life in the wild
Life in a demanding environment with limited resources might be better for the immune system than living in comfort, according to new research from the University of Bristol.

Scientists identify mechanism responsible for spreading biofilm infections
Scientists from the National Institutes of Health have discovered how catheter-related bacterial infection develops and disseminates to become a potentially life-threatening condition. The study, which included research on Staphylococcus epidermidis in mice implanted with catheters, could have important implications for understanding many types of bacterial biofilm infections, including those caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).

Albino kookaburras found in northern Australia
Australian wildlife workers on Monday said they had discovered a never-before-seen pair of blue-winged albino kookaburras, believed to have been swept from their nests in a wild storm.

Researchers report pacific sperm whales exposed to PAHs, pesticides, other pollutants
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Texas Tech University whale researcher said she and others found evidence of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and persistent organic pollutants, including the pesticide DDT, in Pacific Ocean-dwelling sperm whales.

Fleshing out the life histories of dead whales
Dead whales that sink down to the seafloor provide a feast for deep-sea animals that can last for years. Previous research suggested that such "whale falls" were homes for unique animals that lived nowhere else. However, after sinking five whale carcasses in Monterey Canyon, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) found that most of the animals at these sites were not unique to whale falls, but were common in other deep-sea environments as well. Nonetheless, the whale-fall communities did include a few very abundant animals that were "bone specialists," including 15 species of bone-eating Osedax worms and several newly discovered species of bone-eating snails.

Increasing biomass through double-cropping system nets mixed results
(PhysOrg.com) -- Trying to increase the amount of biomass available for ethanol production has led Iowa State University researchers to explore a double-cropping system that netted mixed results.

Scientists test commonly used antibodies
If a strand of your DNA was stretched out completely, it would be more than six feet long. It's hard to imagine that it can fit inside the nucleus of one of your cells, but that's exactly how it works.

Metabolism models may explain why Alzheimer's disease kills some neuron types first
Bioengineers from the University of California, San Diego developed an explanation for why some types of neurons die sooner than others in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. These insights, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology on November 21, come from detailed models of brain energy metabolism developed in the Department of Bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

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