Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 22, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Now see this: Anti-inflammatory treatment reverses stroke-induced compromise in sensory learning- Nvidia says Kal-El chip will have five cores
- Smarter robot arms (w/ video)
- Advanced electron microscope sheds light on metal embrittlement
- Brain imaging reveals the movies in our mind
- Scientists observe how superconducting nanowires lose resistance-free state
- Nanoscale nonlinear light source created
- Roll over Einstein: Law of physics challenged (Update 2)
- Robot influences behavioral development of quail chicks
- Controlling silicon evaporation allows scientists to boost graphene quality
- Aboriginal Australians: The first explorers
- Sex segregation in schools detrimental to equality
- Nitrate levels rising in northwestern Pacific ocean: study
- Over the hump: Ecologists use power of network science to challenge long-held theory
- Zebras versus cattle: Not so black and white
Space & Earth news
SOFIA observatory on first overseas deployment
On Sept. 16, at 10:10 a.m. local time, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, lifted off from its base at Palmdale, Calif., flying east en route to Cologne, Germany, for its first international deployment. After conducting astronomical research during the flight, SOFIA landed at the Cologne-Bonn Airport, shortly before 7 a.m. local time.
Plant experiments take root on space station to inspire students
A unique science project designed to sow the excitement of scientific discovery in students is sprouting this week aboard the International Space Station. The Plants in Space project will allow students and teachers to examine root growth in microgravity and compare the results with those from plants used in their own ground-based experiments.
Scientists probe Indian Ocean for clues to worldwide weather patterns
An international team of researchers will begin gathering in the Indian Ocean next month to study how tropical weather brews there and then moves eastward along the equator with reverberating effects around the entire globe. They will use a vast array of tools ranging from aircraft and ships to moorings, radars, and numerical models.
China's farm subsidies soar but OECD states' at record low
China's subsidies to farmers soared six-fold between 2008 and 2010 to $147 billion, making it the global leader, OECD data showed Wednesday, in what could complicate trade liberalisation talks.
Ariane rocket launches satellites after strike delay
An Ariane rocket launched two communications satellites into orbit Wednesday, after strike action at the Kourou space centre in French Guiana delayed take-off by a day.
Six coronal mass ejections in 24 hours
The sun let loose with at least six coronal mass ejections (CMEs) -- solar phenomena that can send solar particles into space and affect electronic systems in satellites -- from 7 PM ET on September 18, 2011 until 1 PM on September 19.
UARS update: NASA refines crashing satellite's debris region and location
This video from Analytical Graphics, Inc. shows an updated animated analysis of the break up of the the 6 ton, bus-sized UARS satellite. It likely will burn up at an altitude between 80-45 kilometers, with an estimated 26 pieces of debris re-entering the atmosphere for land fall or splash down. The debris zone is predicted to be about 500 miles long.
Two million sick from Pakistan floods
Two million Pakistanis have fallen ill from diseases since monsoon rains left the southern region under several feet of water, the country's disaster authority said Thursday.
Neil Armstrong says US space program 'embarrassing'
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, told lawmakers Thursday that the end of the space shuttle era has left the American human spaceflight program in an "embarrassing" state.
From the comfort of home, Web users may have found new planets
Since the online citizen science project Planet Hunters launched last December, 40,000 web users from around the world have been helping professional astronomers analyze the light from 150,000 stars in the hopes of discovering Earth-like planets orbiting around them.
Saturn's moon Enceladus spreads its influence
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chalk up one more feat for Saturn's intriguing moon Enceladus. The small, dynamic moon spews out dramatic plumes of water vapor and ice -- first seen by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in 2005. It possesses simple organic particles and may house liquid water beneath its surface. Its geyser-like jets create a gigantic halo of ice, dust and gas around Enceladus that helps feed Saturn's E ring. Now, thanks again to those icy jets, Enceladus is the only moon in our solar system known to influence substantially the chemical composition of its parent planet.
Nitrate levels rising in northwestern Pacific ocean: study
Changes in the ratio of nitrate to phosphorus in the oceans off the coasts of Korea and Japan caused by atmospheric and riverine pollutants may influence the makeup of marine plants and influence marine ecology, according to researchers from Korea and the U. S.
El Nino and the tropical Eastern Pacific annual cycle run to the same beat
Phase synchronization is a phenomenon in which separate oscillatory systems develop joint coherent behavior by some nonlinear mechanism. First described in 1673 by Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens, this phenomenon occurs for instance when an applauding audience suddenly starts to clap in unison or when human breathing patterns lock to multiples of the heart beat.
Computer simulation shows Solar System once had an extra planet
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study published on arXiv.org shows that, based on computer simulations, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune may not have been the only gas giants in our solar system. According to David Nesvorny from Colorado’s Southwest Research Institute, our current solar system could never have happened without the existence of a fifth planet.
Model provides successful seasonal forecast for the fate of Arctic sea ice
Relatively accurate predictions for the extent of Arctic sea ice in a given summer can be made by assessing conditions the previous autumn, but forecasting conditions more than five years into the future depend on understanding the impact of climate trends on the ice pack, new research shows.
NASA refines satellite crash course, a bit
NASA on Thursday refined the crash course of a six-ton defunct satellite, saying it is likely to miss North America, though its exact landing spot remains unknown.
Technology news
Disney hopes game character makes it to big screen
(AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. has used mobile games to promote its movies, but now it's trying something new: launching a cuddly character in a game in the hope he makes it to the big screen someday.
Logitech cuts 2012 targets on economic uncertainty
Swiss computer peripherals maker Logitech on Thursday cut its 2012 full-year targets amid economic uncertainty in industrialised states.
Research makes desalination easier to swallow
"We live in one of the driest places on earth, and so the opportunity to create new sources of water for the Australian community is incredibly important," said Professor Saravanamuth Vigneswaran, Director of UTS Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW).
Industry and neutron science: Working to make a match
Industrial users are starting to eye the potential of neutron science for solving problems that can't be solved in any other way. At the same time, the Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor neutron science facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are exploring ways to woo such users and to make a match of it, to the benefit of both.
Integrated bioinformatics gateways portal and interface
An easy-to-use bioinformatics interface has been developed by a research group led by Tetsuro Toyoda called the RIKEN Bioinformatics And Systems Engineering division (BASE), Yokohama. The web-service-based tool, called Semantic-JSON, and the portal, BioLOD, integrate access to information contained within genomics, proteomics, and other ‘omics’-based data repositories.
Twitter buys startup that analyzes online sharing
Julpan on Wednesday announced that Twitter has bought the startup that specializes in sifting relevant or important data from blogs, tweets, and other online social content.
Samsung starts new chip line to boost flash memory
Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker, said Thursday it has begun mass production at a new line to raise production of flash memory chips used in tablets and smartphones.
Mulling Meg Whitman: HP considers CEO shakeup
(AP) -- As trial balloons go, Hewlett-Packard's not-so-secret handwringing -over whether to dump CEO Leo Apotheker and replace him with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman- was a success. Investors like the idea. News that the company's board is mulling a leadership change pushed the stock up more than 7 percent on Wednesday.
Google wins Australian advert case
Global Internet giant Google won a court case against Australia's competition regulator Thursday over claims that sponsored links at the top of its search results were misleading to consumers.
Remote island paradise to be powered by coconuts and sunshine
In the Malay language, the coconut palm is called "pokok seribu guna," meaning "the tree of a thousand uses." Make that one thousand and one. In just over a year's time, the entire chain of the Tokelau islands plans to get 100 percent of their energy from a heavenly mix of coconuts and sunshine, according to United Press International.
New energy in search for future wind
Scientists are taking the first steps to improve estimates of long-term wind speed changes for the fast-growing wind energy sector, intended to reduce the risks for generators in a changing climate.
Simulating turbulent combustion speeds design
Air and fuel mix violently during turbulent combustion. The ferocious mixing needed to ignite fuel and sustain its burning is governed by the same fluid dynamics equations that depict smoke swirling lazily from a chimney. Large swirls spin off smaller swirls and so on. The multiple scales of swirls pose a challenge to the supercomputers that solve those equations to simulate turbulent combustion. Researchers rely on these simulations to develop clean-energy technologies for power and propulsion.
Tests to assess how elevators, fire systems perform in earthquakes
Structural engineers at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering are preparing for a series of earthquake tests focused on nonstructural components, including a functioning elevator, stairs, ceilings, and passive and active fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers and partition walls, in a full-scale, five-story concrete building on the world’s largest outdoor shake table.
I'm out of the office, so please read this spam
(AP) -- If you're prone to mistyping email addresses, here's a new thing to worry about: you could be a target for spammers trying to sell you a dream vacation or a diet product by pretending to be one of your friends or colleagues.
HP to name Meg Whitman as CEO
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard is set to name Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO and California candidate for governor, as its new CEO, forcing aside Leo Apotheker after just 11 months on the job.
France pockets 936 mn euros in 4G frequency auction
France took in 936 million euros ($1.3 billion) from the auction of frequencies to build fourth-generation mobile telephone networks, telecommunications regulator Arcep said on Thursday.
SDSC announces scalable, high-performance data storage cloud
The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, today announced the launch of what is believed to be the largest academic-based cloud storage system in the U.S., specifically designed for researchers, students, academics, and industry users who require stable, secure, and cost-effective storage and sharing of digital information, including extremely large data sets.
Cellphones spread into pre-teen demographic
Brandon Gonzales has been carrying his black Pantech cellphone with the slide-out keyboard for two years. Brandon is 12.
As H-P's CEO, Whitman an imperfect fit
Hewlett-Packard Co.'s decision to fire CEO Leo Apotheker after just 11 months and replace him with former eBay chief Meg Whitman is another dizzying turn of the executive merry-go-round at a company whose leadership issues are tearing it apart.
FBI arrests suspect over Sony hacking
The FBI on Thursday arrested a member of the LulzSec hacking group suspected over a massive cyberattack earlier this year on Japanese electronics giant Sony, officials said.
The hidden power of moss
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at Cambridge University are exhibiting a prototype table that demonstrates how biological fuel cells can harness energy from plants.
Facebook redesigns profiles, adds 'timeline'
Facebook is dramatically redesigning its users' profile pages to create what CEO Mark Zuckerberg says is a "new way to express who you are."
Smarter robot arms (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A combination of two algorithms developed at MIT allows autonomous robots to execute tasks much more efficiently — and move more predictably.
Medicine & Health news
NHS has 'wasted' $976 million on synthetic insulin in past decade
The NHS has stumped up an extra £625 million over the past decade on synthetic forms of insulin, when the recommended human alternatives— which are considerably cheaper— would have probably been just as effective, reveals research published online in BMJ Open.
Study reveals rise in prostate biopsy complications and high post-procedure hospitalization rate
In a study of complication rates following prostate biopsy among Medicare beneficiaries, Johns Hopkins researchers have found a significant rise in serious complications requiring hospitalization. The researchers found that this common outpatient procedure, used to diagnose prostate cancer, was associated with a 6.9 percent rate of hospitalization within 30 days of biopsy compared to a 2.9 percent hospitalization rate among a control group of men who did not have a prostate biopsy. The study, which will be published in the November 2011 issue of The Journal of Urology, was posted early online.
Fruits and vegetables submerged by flood water are not safe to eat
Now that communities across the state have dried out and are repairing damages from Tropical Storm Lee, a gardening expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences reminds backyard gardeners that fruits and vegetables are not safe to consume if they have been partially or completely submerged in flood water or have come in contact with contaminated water.
Diabetics less likely to get contraceptive services, study finds
Women with diabetes are less likely than women without chronic diseases to get contraceptive counseling or use reversible contraceptives, according to a study led by a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researcher that was published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The study’s authors say family planning services are critical for diabetic women because diabetics who become pregnant when their blood sugar is uncontrolled have an increased risk of birth defects.
The key to lower dose CT fluoroscopy for spine injections is reducing the dose of the planning CT
The radiation dose for a CT fluoroscopy is about half that for conventional fluoroscopy to guide epidural steroid injections, however, the dose is substantially more than conventional fluoroscopy when a full lumbar planning CT scan is performed as part of the CT-guided procedure, a new study shows.
Resident conferences that focus on mistakes result in higher quality of care
Residents who attend conferences that focus on missed or misinterpreted cases are 67% less likely to miss important findings when reading on-call musculoskeletal x-ray images, a new study shows.
Error rate higher in breast imaging reports generated by automatic speech recognition
Breast imaging reports generated using an automatic speech recognition system are nearly six times more likely to contain major errors than those generated with conventional dictation transcription, a new study in Canada shows.
University of Kentucky spinoff licensed to develop Alzheimer's treatment
CoPlex Therapeutics has signed an exclusive global license agreement with Hawthorn Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize hawAD14, a preclinical oral small molecule candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Nurses at dozens of Calif. hospitals strike
(AP) -- Nurses began picketing Thursday morning outside dozens of Northern and Central California hospitals as part of a one-day strike over benefit cuts and other concessions sought by hospital management.
FDA phases out inhaler due to environmental impact
(AP) -- Asthma patients who rely on over-the-counter inhalers will need to switch to prescription-only alternatives as part of the federal government's latest attempt to protect the Earth's atmosphere.
Vitamin D deficiency linked with airway changes in children with severe asthma
Children with severe therapy-resistant asthma (STRA) may have poorer lung function and worse symptoms compared to children with moderate asthma, due to lower levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to researchers in London. Lower levels of vitamin D may cause structural changes in the airway muscles of children with STRA, making breathing more difficult. The study provides important new evidence for possible treatments for the condition.
Kidney damage and high blood pressure
The kidney performs several vital functions. It filters blood, removes waste products from the body, balances the body's fluids, and releases hormones that regulate blood pressure. A number of diseases and conditions can damage the kidney's filtration apparatus, such as diabetes and immune disorders. This damage leads to a condition called nephrotic syndrome, which is characterized by protein in the urine, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and swelling (edema). People with nephrotic syndrome retain salt and water in their bodies and develop swelling and high blood pressure as a result.
Cassava - not always so healthy
Cassava based products are establishing a growing foothold in the Australian health food market, however, new research shows that some imported products contain dangerous levels of the poison cyanide.
Brain-collection practices on trial in Maine
(AP) -- The practices of a prestigious medical research institute that studies schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are on trial in Maine, where the organization collected at least 99 brains from organ donors.
New study proposes public health guidelines to reduce the harms from cannabis use
A new research study conducted by an international team of experts recommends a public health approach to cannabis - including evidence-based guidelines for lower-risk use - to reduce the health harms that result from the use of cannabis. Led by CAMH scientist and CIHR/PHAC Chair in Applied Public Health (Simon Fraser University, Vancouver) Dr. Benedikt Fischer, the study is being published in the September/October 2011 issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH).
One million more children living in poverty since 2009, new census data released today shows
Between 2009 and 2010, one million more children in America joined the ranks of those living in poverty, bringing the total to an estimated 15.7 million poor children in 2010, an increase of 2.6 million since the recession began in 2007, according to researchers from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.
Cardiac rehabilitation programs benefit patients after mini or mild stroke
Cardiac rehabilitation, traditionally used after heart attack to prevent future heart problems, seems similarly effective for people who have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mild stroke, according to new research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Opioids linked to higher risk of pneumonia in older adults
Opioids -- a class of medicines commonly given for pain -- were associated with a higher risk of pneumonia in a study of 3,061 adults, aged 65 to 94, e-published in advance of publication in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study from researchers at Group Health Research Institute and the University of Washington (UW) also found that benzodiazepines, which are drugs generally given for insomnia and anxiety, did not affect pneumonia risk.
Time to stop giving toxic drugs to kidney transplant patients?
Patients who receive kidney transplants must take lifelong medications that, while preventing organ rejection, can also compromise other aspects of health. Immunosuppresive drugs called calcineurin inhibitors protect transplanted organs from being rejected, but they can be toxic to the kidneys over the long term and can make patients susceptible to infection, cancer, and other threats.
Elderly breast cancer patients risk treatment discrimination
Stockholm, Sweden: Women diagnosed with breast cancer late in life are at greater risk of dying from the disease than younger patients, assuming they survive other age-related conditions, according to a study to be presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress on Saturday. The results point to shortcomings in patient care for elderly women as well as differences in the progress of the disease.
Finding relief in ritual: A healthy dose of repetitive behavior reduces anxiety
What do a patient with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a basketball star, and an animal in captivity have in common? According to new research from Tel Aviv University, they share a clear behavioral link that reduces stress.
Age, race, debt linked to docs' board certification
(Medical Xpress) -- New research shows that the likelihood of a medical school graduate becoming board certified is linked to age at graduation, race and ethnicity, and level of debt.
Obese now outnumber hungry: Red Cross
Obese people now outnumber the hungry globally, but hardship for the undernourished is increasing amid a growing food crisis, the International Federation of the Red Cross warned Thursday.
What causes MRI vertigo? Machine's magnetic field pushes fluid in the inner ear's balance organ
A team of researchers says it has discovered why so many people undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially in newer high-strength machines, get vertigo, or the dizzy sensation of free-falling, while inside or when coming out of the tunnel-like machine.
'Toolkit' makes medical procedures less stressful for children with autism
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center has joined with Autism Speaks to create a resource for physicians and parents of children with autism to better prepare for blood draws and other routine medical procedures. This new toolkit, called “Taking the Work Out of Blood Work: Helping Your Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder – A Parent’s Guide,” and the companion: “Taking the Work Out of Blood Work: Helping Your Patient with an Autism Spectrum Disorder – A Provider’s Guide,” was created to help families and health care providers make necessary medical procedures less stressful.
Researchers develop drug-like molecules to improve schizophrenia treatment
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have identified chemical compounds that could lead to a major advance in the treatment of schizophrenia.
With more choice, friends are more similar -- but not closer
People prefer to make friends with others who share their beliefs, values, and interests. The more choice people have, the more their friends are alike, according to research published in Group Processes and Intergroup Relations.
New system finds prostate cancer spread earlier than conventional imaging
Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a way to image the spread of a particularly dangerous form of prostate cancer earlier than conventional imaging in use today, which may allow oncologists to find and treat these metastases more quickly and give patients a better chance at survival.
10 infected with polio in China outbreak
At least 10 people in northwestern China have contracted a highly infectious strain of polio, in the first outbreak of the disease in the country for 12 years, a United Nations group said Thursday.
Novel technique reveals both gene number and protein expression simultaneously
Researchers have discovered a method for simultaneously visualizing gene number and protein expression in individual cells. The fluorescence microscopy technique could permit a detailed analysis of the relationship between gene status and expression of the corresponding protein in cells and tissues, and bring a clearer understanding of cancer and other complex diseases, according to researchers who led the study.
Atrial fibrillation may be root cause of some severe mitral regurgitation cases
Mitral regurgitation is a common heart valve disorder, where blood flows backwards through the mitral valve when the heart contracts and reduces the amount of blood that is pumped out to the body. It is a serious condition with many foundational causes. Now, a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has for the first time linked atrial fibrillation (AF) to some cases of mitral regurgitation (MR). The new study is published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Email sexual advice study highlights problems raised by different ages and cultures
More than two-thirds of men who contacted an email advice service run by a leading sexual advice charity had erection problems, which were frequently linked to loss of sex drive, according to research in the October issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.
Cellular origin of a rare form of breast cancer identified
Identifying the cellular origins of breast cancer might lead to earlier diagnosis and more efficient management of the disease. New research led by Charlotte Kuperwasser of Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) has determined that common forms of breast cancer originate from breast cells known as luminal epithelial cells while rarer forms of breast cancer, such as metaplastic carcinomas, originate from basal epithelial cell types. The study was published online ahead of print this week in PNAS Early Edition as part of its breast cancer special feature.
Singing after stroke? Why rhythm and formulaic phrases may be more important than melody
After a left-sided stroke, many individuals suffer from serious speech disorders but are often able to sing complete texts relatively fluently. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany, have now demonstrated that it is not singing itself that is the key. Instead, rhythm may be crucial. Moreover, highly familiar song lyrics and formulaic phrases were found to have a strong impact on articulation – regardless of whether they were sung or spoken. The results may lead the way to new rehabilitative therapies for speech disorders.
Virus kills breast cancer cells in laboratory
A nondisease-causing virus kills human breast cancer cells in the laboratory, creating opportunities for potential new cancer therapies, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers who tested the virus on three different breast cancer types that represent the multiple stages of breast cancer development.
No harm to mice testes from BPA in utero
Bisphenol A (BPA), a common component of plastic used in many consumer products, has recently become infamous -- and banned in some places -- because it can mimic natural estrogen in the body. A new study by Brown University toxicologists, however, finds that male mice whose mothers were exposed even to high doses of BPA while pregnant developed no signs of harm to their testes as adults.
Newly identified antibodies may improve pneumonia vaccine design
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered how a novel type of antibody works against pneumococcal bacteria. The findings, which could improve vaccines against pneumonia, appear in the September/October issue of mBio, the online journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Cancer protein's surprising role as memory regulator
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School have found that a common cancer protein leads a second, totally different life in normal adult brain cells: It helps regulates memory formation and may be implicated in Alzheimer's disease.
Decoding vaccination: Researchers reveal genetic underpinnings of response to measles vaccine
Researchers at Mayo Clinic are hacking the genetic code that controls the human response to disease vaccination, and they are using this new cipher to answer many of the deep-seated questions that plague vaccinology, including why patients respond so differently to identical vaccines and how to minimize the side effects to vaccination.
Brain continues to develop well into our 20s: research
The human brain doesn't stop developing at adolescence, but continues well into our 20s, demonstrates recent research from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
Rethinking gifted education policy -- a call to action
Michael Jordan, Lady Gaga and Angelina Jolie. Most people can probably name some award-winning athletes, musicians, and actors. But, if you were asked to name the winners of last year's Nobel Prizes in Economics, Physics, or Literature, could you do it?
Scores got sick, 1 died trying to kill bedbugs
(AP) -- Worried about bedbugs? Maybe you should be more concerned about the insecticides used to get rid of them.
First ever multi-cellular model of Zellweger's syndrome developed
Research groups worldwide have tried to develop a simple model of a rare, fatal disease called Zellweger's syndrome but none has succeeded, until researchers at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta did so in fruit flies.
Rotavirus vaccination leads to large decreases in health care costs, doctor visits
(Medical Xpress) -- Vaccinating infants against rotavirus has resulted in dramatic decreases in health care use and treatment costs for diarrhea-related illness in U.S. infants and young children, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study is published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cancer drug may also work for scleroderma
A drug used to treat cancer may also be effective in diseases that cause scarring of the internal organs or skin, such as pulmonary fibrosis or scleroderma.
Early research shows dietary supplement may lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
UCLA researchers demonstrated that an over-the-counter dietary supplement may help inhibit development of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, conditions that are involved in the development of Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which affect millions worldwide.
Virus discovery helps scientists predict emerging diseases
Fresh insight into how viruses such as SARS and flu can jump from one species to another may help scientists predict the emergence of diseases in future.
New targets for the control of HIV predicted using a novel computational analysis
A new computational approach has predicted numerous human proteins that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) requires to replicate itself. These discoveries "constitute a powerful resource for experimentalists who desire to discover new targets for human proteins that can control the spread of HIV," according to the authors of this study that appears in the Sept. 22, 2011 issue of PLoS Computational Biology, a journal published by the Public Library of Science.
Five new genes affecting the risk of coronary artery disease identified
An international consortium of scientists reports the discovery of five new genes that affect the risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attacks in a study to be published in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics on September 22nd.
Monogenic defects responsible for intellectual disability and related disorders
(Medical Xpress) -- For over 15 years, genome research has focussed – largely unsuccessfully – on the quest for common genetic risk factors for widespread diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and cancer. One of the reasons for this is that many different genetic disorders can be hidden behind these diseases, and not uncommonly defects in individual genes are involved. However, most of these genetic defects are still unexplained.
Hedging your bets: How the brain makes decisions about related bits of information
(Medical Xpress) -- When making decisions based on multiple interdependent factors—such as what combination of stocks and bonds to invest in—humans look at how the factors correlate with each other, according to a new study by researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and University College London.
Discovery may lead to mitochndria syndrome treatment
Mitochondrial depletion syndrome accounts for about 11 percent of the cases of children born with common myopathies and a more mild form of the syndrome affecting adults. A new finding by Cornell researchers may lead to a nutrition-based treatment with B vitamins.
Research group maps receptors in mouse vomeronasal organ
(PhysOrg.com) -- Science is more often than not a field where very small steps in progress are the norm. Researchers can toil away for years on projects that to some might seem trivial; but it’s these small steps by many that lead to big breakthroughs by the few. Nowhere is this more apparent than in neuroscience. Trying to understand how the myriad of nerve cells that exist in living creatures do what they do is like trying to understand the intricacies of love, or the actions of individual molecules in a vast ocean. One example of this is Catherine Dulac, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Fifteen years ago, she and a group of colleagues discovered the first receptor genes; now she and a new group have developed a way to show which individual sensors in the vomeronasal organ respond to which chemicals. The team has published its results in the journal Nature.
Men and women cooperate equally for the common good
Stereotypes suggest women are more cooperative than men, but an analysis of 50 years of research shows that men are equally cooperative, particularly in situations involving a dilemma that pits the interests of an individual against the interests of a group.
Researchers find gut bacteria teaches immune cells to see them as friendly
(Medical Xpress) -- Most people know that the gut (human or otherwise) has bacteria in it that helps in the proper digestion of food. But how these bacteria manage to evade destruction by the immune system has been a mystery. Now, new research by a group working out of Washington University in St. Lois, as described in their paper published in the journal Nature, shows that such bacteria mange to survive by teaching T cells to see them as friends, rather than foes.
More doubt on virus, chronic fatigue connection
A study supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could not validate or confirm previous research findings that suggested the presence of one of several viruses in blood samples of people living with chronic fatigue syndrome. The new study also could not find the viruses in blood samples of healthy donors who were previously known to not have the viruses.
Brain imaging reveals the movies in our mind
Imagine tapping into the mind of a coma patient, or watching one's own dream on YouTube. With a cutting-edge blend of brain imaging and computer simulation, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, are bringing these futuristic scenarios within reach.
Now see this: Anti-inflammatory treatment reverses stroke-induced compromise in sensory learning
(Medical Xpress) -- One of the many potential consequences of ischemic stroke – a lesion, or localized pathological change in the brain, in which blood flow insufficient to meet metabolic demand leads to poor oxygen supply (cerebral hypoxia) – is compromise to two different visual plasticity paradigms: sensory learning (the enhancement of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity of the open eye after monocular deprivation, or MD, in which vision in one eye is blocked) and ocular dominance, or OD, plasticity (a shift in the ocular dominance of neurons in the binocular part of the visual cortex toward the open eye after MD). A standard view holds that changes in the activity of the major thalamocortical afferents to the visual cortex (the afferents from the left and right eye) are sufficient to induce OD-plasticity.
Biology news
Livestock sellers should provide more information about disease risk, say researchers
University of Warwick Scientists from the UK research councils’ Rural Economy and Land Use program say that better information for buyers could provide the key to controlling many endemic livestock diseases.
Bijou's abnormally large clitoris leads to big surprise
Bijou is an 18-month old French bulldog that appears perfectly normal at first glance. She is healthy and her behavior is exemplary. However, her owner brought her to the Université de Montréal Faculty of Veterinary Medicine because he was intrigued by a particular feature: she has a disproportionately large clitoris!
Kenya moves elephants to ease trouble with humans
Kenyan rangers Thursday began relocating 50 rampaging elephants back to the renowned Maasai Mara game reserve to stem rising human deaths and property destruction in outlying villages.
Europe's first human embryonic stem cell trial approved
A US biotech company said Thursday it will soon begin the first-ever European trials using human embryonic stem cells in an experimental treatment for people with a form of juvenile blindness.
Fluid equilibrium in prehistoric organisms sheds light on a turning point in evolution
Maintaining fluid balance in the body is essential to survival, from the tiniest protozoa to the mightiest of mammals. By researching recent genomic data, Swiss researchers have found genetic evidence that links this intricate process to a turning point in evolution.
Fears for koalas as study reveals 'marked decline'
Australia's much-loved koala is under increasing threat and should be considered a vulnerable species, an official report found Thursday, with habitat loss seeing their numbers plunge.
Limits for mountain trail use identified
A new study on human impact to wildlife in some of Canada's most popular national parks has identified limits at which trails can be used before ecological disturbance takes place. The study led by University of Calgary Masters graduate, J. Kimo Rogala, is published in the current online issue of the journal Ecology and Society. Rogala was a student of professor Marco Musiani in the Faculty of Environmental Design.
Improving evolutionary Tree of Life: Study provides robust molecular phylogeny for mammalian families
An international research team led by biologists at the University of California, Riverside and Texas A&M University has released for the first time a large and robust DNA matrix that has representation for all mammalian families. The matrix – the culmination of about five years of painstaking research – has representatives for 99 percent of mammalian families, and covers not only the earliest history of mammalian diversification but also all the deepest divergences among living mammals.
Zebras versus cattle: Not so black and white
African ranchers often prefer to keep wild grazers like zebra off the grass that fattens their cattle. But a new study by UC Davis and Kenyan researchers shows that grazing by wild animals doesn't always harm -- and can sometimes benefit -- cattle. The results are published Sept. 23 in the journal Science.
Single wild female
(PhysOrg.com) -- The release of a single female guppy into the wild can generate entire new populations, even with no males present, according to new research.
Female promiscuity can rescue populations from harmful effects of inbreeding
Females in inbred populations become more promiscuous in order to screen out sperm from genetically incompatible males, according to new study by the University of East Anglia.
Scientists discover important step in sperm reprogramming
When sperm meets egg, the chemical instructions that tag sperm cells must be erased so that human life can start anew. One way these instructions are erased is through demethylation, the removal of specific chemical tags or methyl groups that dot the underlying DNA of cells. Though scientists have known about this phenomenon for a decade, exactly how such "reprogramming" occurs has proved elusive.
Aquarium fishes are more aggressive in reduced environments, a new study finds
An angry glare from the family goldfish might not be the result of a missed meal, but a too-humble abode. Fish in a cramped, barren space turn mean, a study from Case Western Reserve University has found. Ornamental fishes across the U.S. might be at risk, all 182.9 million of them.
Close up look at a microbial vaccination program
A complex of proteins in the bacterium E.coli that plays a critical role in defending the microbe from viruses and other invaders has been discovered to have the shape of a seahorse by researchers with the U.S Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). This discovery holds far more implications for your own health than you might think.
Bioengineers reprogram muscles to combat degeneration
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have turned back the clock on mature muscle tissue, coaxing it back to an earlier stem cell stage to form new muscle. Moreover, they showed in mice that the newly reprogrammed muscle stem cells could be used to help repair damaged tissue.
DNA study suggests Asia was settled in multiple waves of migration
An international team of researchers studying DNA patterns from modern and archaic humans has uncovered new clues about the movement and intermixing of populations more than 40,000 years ago in Asia.
Bowhead whales using the Northwest Passage
(PhysOrg.com) -- According to a new study published in Biology Letters, the climate changes and melting of ice in the Northwest Passage are leading to the mingling of two bowhead whale populations that have been separated by ice for close to 10,000 years.
Aboriginal Australians: The first explorers
An international team of researchers has for the first time sequenced the genome of a man who was an Aboriginal Australian. They have shown that modern day Aboriginal Australians are the direct descendents of the first people who arrived on the continent some 50,000 years ago and that those ancestors left Africa earlier than their European and Asian counterparts. The work is published this evening (22 September 2011) in the journal Science.
New approach challenges old ideas about plant species and biomass
For decades, scientists have believed that a relationship exists between how much biomass plant species produce and how many species can coexist.
Over the hump: Ecologists use power of network science to challenge long-held theory
For decades, ecologists have toiled to nail down principles explaining why some habitats have many more plant and animal species than others.
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