Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 29, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Epic volcanic activity flooded Mercury's north polar region- 'Perfect plastic' created
- Building better catalysts: Chemists find new way to design important molecules
- Water supersaturation in the Martian atmosphere discovered
- WISE mission finds fewer asteroids near Earth
- Scientists release most accurate simulation of the universe to date
- Researchers produce cheap sugars for sustainable biofuel production
- Engineers 'cook' promising new heat-harvesting nanomaterials in microwave oven
- Researchers develop technique to control light from nanoparticles
- New technology uses solar UV to disinfect drinking water
- New technique identifies first events in tumor development
- Russia's Yandex invests $15M in US search underdog
- If you're happy and you know it: Researchers trail Twitter to track world's mood swings
- How the bat got its buzz: Superfast muscles in mammals
- Pressurized vascular systems for self-healing materials
Space & Earth news
Research project shows calibration is key to spreading manure for maximum effectiveness
Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas AgriLife Research and West Texas A&M University cooperatively are conducting the project, titled “Development and Implementation of an Environmental Training Program for Manure and Compost Haulers/Applicators in the Texas High Plains.”
Like birds in the sky: Green flight challenge competition, day two
On the second day of the CAFE Green Flight Challenge, sponsored by Google, planes competing in the challenge flew like birds in the sky to test the fuel efficiency of their aircraft.
China counts down to space module launch
China will take its first step towards building a space station on Thursday when it launches an experimental module ahead of National Day celebrations.
Brazil court orders halt to work on $11 bln mega-dam
A federal court in Brazil has ordered a halt in construction at the controversial $11 billion Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, saying it would disrupt fishing by local indigenous people.
A new leaf turns in carbon science
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new insight into global photosynthesis, the chemical process governing how ocean and land plants absorb and release carbon dioxide, has been revealed in research that will assist scientists to more accurately assess future climate change.
On the trail of new planets
(PhysOrg.com) -- A project in which volunteers hunt online for new planets NASA may have missed is publishing its first results which show some remarkable finds.
NASA tests deep space J-2X rocket engine
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA conducted a 40-second test of the J-2X rocket engine Sept. 28, the most recent in a series of tests of the next-generation engine selected as part of the Space Launch System architecture that will once again carry humans into deep space.
Stardust discovered in far-off planetary systems
Searching for extra-solar planets -- which are planets outside of our solar system -- is very popular these days. About 700 planets are known at the moment, a number that is continuously rising due to refined observational techniques. Professor Alexander Krivov and his team of astronomers of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) just made a remarkable discovery: the scientists from the Astrophysical Institute were able to establish proof of so-called debris discs around two stars.
Canadian ice shelves halve in six years
Half of Canada's ancient ice shelves have disappeared in the last six years, researchers have said, with new data showing significant portions melted in the last year alone.
Mississippi mud: More water behind river's sediment rise
(PhysOrg.com) -- During the past several decades, upper Midwest state and local agencies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on extraordinary conservation efforts to prevent the Upper Mississippi River from filling with mud, waste and excess nutrients. Yet the waterway, which winds through prime agricultural lands, has seen a ten-fold increase in sediment since the early 20th century.
'Pacman Nebula' lives the high life
(PhysOrg.com) -- High-mass stars are important because they are responsible for much of the energy pumped into our galaxy over its lifetime.
Cosmic thread that binds us revealed
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers at The Australian National University have found evidence for the textile that forms the fabric of the Universe.
China launches module for space station
China launched an experimental module to lay the groundwork for a future space station on Thursday, underscoring its ambitions to become a major space power.
Galaxy caught blowing bubbles
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hubble's famous images of galaxies typically show elegant spirals or soft-edged ellipses. But these neat forms are only representative of large galaxies. Smaller galaxies like the dwarf irregular galaxy Holmberg II come in many shapes and types that are harder to classify. This galaxy's indistinct shape is punctuated by huge glowing bubbles of gas, captured in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Space telescopes reveal secrets of turbulent black hole
(PhysOrg.com) -- A fleet of spacecraft including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered unprecedented details in the surroundings of a supermassive black hole. Observations reveal huge bullets of gas being driven away from the gravitational monster and a corona of very hot gas hovering above the disk of matter that is falling into the black hole.
SpaceX says 'reusable rocket' could help colonize Mars
The US company SpaceX is working on the first-ever reusable rocket to launch to space and back, with the goal of one day helping humans colonize Mars, founder Elon Musk said Thursday.
New technology uses solar UV to disinfect drinking water
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of Purdue University researchers has invented a prototype water-disinfection system that could help the world's 800 million people who lack safe drinking water.
Scientists release most accurate simulation of the universe to date
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Bolshoi supercomputer simulation, the most accurate and detailed large cosmological simulation run to date, gives physicists and astronomers a powerful new tool for understanding such cosmic mysteries as galaxy formation, dark matter, and dark energy.
Epic volcanic activity flooded Mercury's north polar region
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ever since the Mariner 10 mission in 1974 snapped the first pictures of Mercury, planetary scientists have been intrigued by smooth plains covering parts of the surface. Some suspected past volcanic activity, but there were no telltale signs like protruding volcanoes. Also, Mercury's northern plains are the same brightness as its cratered highlands, yet different from volcanic deposits on the Moon, which are darker than the highlands.
WISE mission finds fewer asteroids near Earth
(PhysOrg.com) -- New observations by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, show there are significantly fewer near-Earth asteroids in the mid-size range than previously thought. The findings also indicate NASA has found more than 90 percent of the largest near-Earth asteroids, meeting a goal agreed to with Congress in 1998.
Water supersaturation in the Martian atmosphere discovered
(PhysOrg.com) -- New analysis of data sent back by the SPICAM spectrometer on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft has revealed for the first time that the planet's atmosphere is supersaturated with water vapour. This surprising discovery has major implications for understanding the Martian water cycle and the historical evolution of the atmosphere.
Technology news
Laser polishes components to a high-gloss finish
At present, components used in areas such as tool and die making generally have to be painstakingly polished by hand – but a recently developed automated process could soon offer a much faster solution. From November 29 to December 2 at the 2011 EuroMold exhibition in Frankfurt, Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting a machine tool that uses laser polishing to give even complex 3D surfaces a high-gloss finish.
Fujitsu develops high-performance distortion-compensation circuit
Fujitsu announced their development of a digital signal processing algorithm to compensate for waveform distortions in signals transmitted by fiber-optic cables in long-haul transmission systems of 100 km or more. Compared to conventional technology in widespread use in literatures, the size and power requirements of the new circuit are reduced by approximately 85%, and are reduced by approximately 50% compared to circuits previously developed by Fujitsu.
Warner Bros. launches show on Facebook
(AP) -- Warner Bros. is launching a Web series on Facebook that will personalize the show for viewers.
Enrique Iglesias spices up Zynga's 'CityVille'
(AP) -- Pop stars are lining up to make their debut in Facebook games from online game maker Zynga.
'Unfunny, unlike': The Onion joke raises eyebrows
The satirical news publication The Onion gets a lot of laughs by crossing the line. But even some of the most devoted fans of the popular humor outlet were complaining on Thursday that it may have gone too far.
Jackson doctor trial app tops App Store chart
An iPad application that offers a live stream of the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor hit the top of the charts in Apple's App Store on Thursday.
NinjaVideo leader pleads guilty to copyright charges
A co-founder of the NinjaVideo website that offered illegal downloads of movies and television shows pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy and criminal copyright infringement.
Theaters group upset Sony to end free 3-D glasses
(AP) -- Sony Corp.'s movie studio will save millions of dollars per movie after it told theater owners it will stop paying for 3-D glasses next May. But moviegoers could end up footing the bill.
Report: H-P bolsters defenses, hires Goldman Sachs
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard is beefing up its defenses in an effort to fend off activist investors who, with enough shares, could demand drastic changes at the company, according to a published report.
Yahoo! stays on course after CEO ouster
Yahoo! argued that the ouster of its chief executive has not knocked it off course, and that it was building on its strategy of making offerings more social and mobile.
US wants more info from Google on Motorola deal
Google said Wednesday the US Justice Department has asked for more information about its bid for Motorola Mobility but expressed confidence the $12.5 billion deal will get the green light.
Silicon ink is spot on, NREL experiments show
Ink can cause a mess, but the Silicon Ink developed by Innovalight behaves itself so well that when it is added to a solar cell it doesn't clump or spill, instead it boosts the cell's power by a startling, profit-boosting 5 to 7 percent.
Electromobility: new components going for a test run
The future belongs to electrical cars – that’s what most experts think. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of problems that have not been solved. This is the reason why researchers at 33 Fraunhofer institutes put their heads together in the Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility project to move electromobility one big step ahead. This two-year project was completed on July 30, 2011, and the demonstrator vehicles they came up with were showcased at the final event in Papenburg, Germany, on September 2, 2011, on the ATP test track.
Researchers have devised the world's first energy-storage membrane
A team from the National University of Singapore's Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative (NUSNNI), led by principle investigator Dr Xie Xian Ning, has developed the world's first energy-storage membrane.
Privacy groups ask FTC to investigate Facebook
(AP) -- Nine privacy groups have sent a joint letter to the Federal Trade Commission saying it should investigate the ways Facebook collects data about users' online activity after recent changes to its site.
Companies try to put a dent in Netflix
It's been a tedious couple of months for Netflix subscribers, who have seen a service they adored transformed by a dramatic increase in prices, unbundling of streaming video from DVDs by mail, and vanishing content.
Review: Software for recording now, playing later
(AP) -- If the idea of being stuck on a plane for hours without access to the movies in your Netflix queue fills you with dread, software that lets you record streaming videos from the Web and watch them later on your laptop may be an appealing solution.
YouTube service stumbles
YouTube service stumbled on Thursday, leaving some visitors frustrated that they couldn't watch videos at the popular website.
HP offers tour of your digital future
(PhysOrg.com) -- Never mind that HP Corporate keeps breaking off rudders. Never mind nobody even takes HP’s ability to stay open in the future for granted any more. And, please, never mind that HP, pre-Meg, was to turn its back on hardware and concentrate on software, a decision that is now up in the air. Just ignore the uncertainty and enjoy the view of four device concepts. HP’s creatives are still barreling ahead in their own rowboats while everyone outside HP clucks at the mothership.
It's all about the hair: Researcher develops better way to light and animate hair for Disney movies
(PhysOrg.com) -- It’s not every day that computer science students get invited to a Hollywood premiere to recognize the work they have done. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Iman Sadeghi, who recently graduated with a Ph.D. in computer science from the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego.
China web users top 500 million
China's online population -- the largest in the world -- has topped half a billion, the state Xinhua news agency reported Thursday, citing a senior official.
Russia's Yandex invests $15M in US search underdog
Blekko, a Silicon Valley startup trying to build a spam-free search engine, is getting some love from Russia.
Document shows how phone cos. treat private data
A document obtained by the ACLU shows for the first time how the four largest cellphone companies in the U.S. treat data about their subscribers' calls, text messages, Web surfing and approximate locations.
Medicine & Health news
Researchers devise index for predicting long-term survival after liver re-transplantation
Liver re-transplantation generally has an inferior outcome compared with a patient's first transplant, due to the technical demands of the surgery and because patients are often sicker than they were at the time of their first procedure.
Academic issues warning on schoolboy rugby
A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlights the injury risks for schoolboys playing rugby.
Study suggests glaucoma screenings are happening too late
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although it can be treated, new research shows Canadians may not be doing enough to protect themselves. According to a new study by Lawson Health Research Institute's Dr. Cindy Hutnik, many Canadian glaucoma patients are not screened until the disease has reached moderate or advanced stages.
How do you bring health care to the poor?
If you want to provide poor people in developing countries with decent health care, you need to overcome several barriers at the same time. That is the conclusion of researcher Bart Jacobs, based on years of research in Cambodia – and on his experience in several other low- and mid-income countries. The local community and existing social networks play an important role, but the authorities also have a role to play. His analysis has in the mean time been partly incorporated in Cambodian national policy, and it resulted in a PhD at the Antwerp Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Living with dementia and making decisions
People with dementia can still make decisions in their everyday lives and with support from partners can continue to do so as their condition advances. This is one of the preliminary findings of a two-year research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) into how married couples living with dementia make decisions on a daily basis.
Breast cancer screening
It can be difficult to sort through the many messages regarding breast cancer screening. Fancy billboards seen along the highways, recommendations made by your neighbor or the local newscaster, or mixed messages throughout the internet can cause confusion. What is the best way to screen for breast cancer?
Journalists suffer depression, PTSD as other first responders, says book
Journalists routinely report on conflicts, disasters and tragedies, but a new book by Ball State University's Mark Massé reveals that news media workers may suffer from stress, burnout and mental anguish as a result of being brutally close to the action.
Study finds consumers may have more control over health costs than previously thought
The historic RAND Health Insurance Experiment found that patients had little or no control over their health care spending once they began to receive a physician's care, but a new study shows that this has changed for those enrolled in consumer-directed health plans.
Cocaine users have 45 percent increased risk of glaucoma
A study of the 5.3 million men and women seen in Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinics in a one-year period found that use of cocaine is predictive of open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma.
When chefs move the fruit
Want to double fruit sales in schools? A new Cornell University study shows it is as easy as putting the fruit in a colorful bowl. According to research presented this week at the American Dietetic Association Conference in San Diego, CA by Brian Wansink, Professor at Cornell University, "Moving the fruit increased sales by 104%." This is only one of the changes proposed through the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (BEN).
Unintended pregnancy: What more can we do?
Prevention is better than cure – especially in the field of sexual and reproductive health and especially in Australia, where the teenage pregnancy and abortion rate is higher than in any other Western country.
Women with breast cancer continue to smoke, drink
New research shows that Australian women are prepared to make lifestyle changes, such as altering their diet, following diagnosis with breast cancer, however they are unwilling to give up alcohol and cigarettes - increasing their risk of further cancers.
CDC: Miners, construction, food workers smoke most
(AP) -- Construction workers, miners and food service workers top the list of occupations that smoke the most, according to a new government report. Experts say it might have as much to do with lower education levels as the jobs themselves.
ACCF/AHA release updated guideline to promote better management of peripheral artery disease
Peripheral artery disease, or "PAD," is a common and dangerous condition that affects tens of millions of Americans -- often unknowingly -- and can restrict blood flow to the legs, kidneys or other vital organs. PAD, which remains underdiagnosed, is often a sign of a more widespread accumulation of fatty deposits in the heart, brain or legs and, if untreated, it is one of the most common causes of preventable heart attack, stroke, leg amputations and death.
Diaphragm pacing system receives FDA approval for use with ALS patients
An electronic system that stimulates the nerve of the diaphragm muscles has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The system called NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) will help ALS patients breathe longer without the aid of a ventilator.
Republicans try to block funds for US health care reform
Republicans in the House of Representatives unveiled a bill Thursday that would block funding for President Barack Obama's health care reform as long as it is contested in the courts.
Killer cantaloupe, scary sprouts -- what to do?
(AP) -- Avoid foreign produce. Wash and peel your fruit. Keep it refrigerated. None of these common tips would have guaranteed your safety from the deadliest food outbreak in a decade, the one involving cantaloupes from Colorado.
Cantaloupe outbreak is deadliest in a decade
(AP) -- Health officials say as many as 16 people have died from possible listeria illnesses traced to Colorado cantaloupes, the deadliest food outbreak in more than a decade.
Cantaloupe illnesses and deaths expected to rise
(AP) -- Federal health officials said Wednesday more illnesses and possibly more deaths may be linked to an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe in coming weeks.
Tools and talk for Australia's new men
They've long been considered an Australian man's temple but the humble backyard shed is experiencing a super-sized renaissance, and they're bringing blokes back from the brink.
Dengue fever infects over 12,000 in Pakistan
Already cursed by floods and suicide bombings, Pakistan now faces a new menace from an unprecedented outbreak of the deadly tropical disease dengue fever.
Q&A: Key answers about listeria in fruit
(AP) -- Some questions consumers may have about listeria in cantaloupes.
Alcohol-related behavior changes -- blame your immune system
When you think about your immune system, you probably think about it fighting off a cold. But new research from the University of Adelaide suggests that immune cells in your brain may contribute to how you respond to alcohol.
Lifting the fog: Finding by neuro-oncologist could help eliminate 'chemo brain'
After receiving her medical degree in her homeland of Romania, Dr. Daniela Bota came to the U.S. to earn a doctorate in molecular biology to better understand why people develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Red wine ingredient resveratrol stops breast cancer growth
Cheers! A new research report appearing in the October 2011 issue of The FASEB Journal shows that resveratrol, the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, stops breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen. This discovery, made by a team of American and Italian scientists, suggests for the first time that resveratrol is able to counteract the malignant progression since it inhibits the proliferation of hormone resistant breast cancer cells. This has important implications for the treatment of women with breast cancer whose tumors eventually develop resistance to hormonal therapy.
Lift weights, eat mustard, build muscles?
New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that rats fed homobrassinolide, found in the mustard plant, produced an anabolic effect, and increased appetite and muscle mass, as well as the number and size of muscle fibers.
Scientists track neuronal stem cells using MRI
Carnegie Mellon University biologists have developed an MRI-based technique that allows researchers to non-invasively follow neural stem cells in vivo.
Scientists discover the proteins that control development of varicose veins
A new discovery published in the October 2011 print issue of The FASEB Journal explains for the first time what kicks off the process that causes varicose veins. In the article, researchers from Germany describe a single protein that binds to DNA to control gene function (called "transcription factor AP-1") and the subsequent production of a newly discovered set of proteins that significantly affect the development of varicose veins.
Scientists discover a 'master key' to unlock new treatments for autoimmune disorders
Imagine a single drug that would treat most, if not all, autoimmune disorders, such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and Lupus. That might not be so hard to do thanks to a team of researchers who have discovered a molecule normally used by the body to prevent unnecessary immune reactions. This molecule, pronounced "alpha v beta 6," normally keeps our immune systems from overreacting when food passes through our bodies, and it may be the key that unlocks entirely new set of treatments for autoimmune disorders. This discovery was recently published in research report appearing the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Powerful antibody-based strategy suggests a new therapeutic approach to diabetes and obesity
The work of a team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) led by Professor Nicholas Tonks FRS, suggests a way to overcome one of the major technical obstacles preventing a leading therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity from being addressed successfully by novel drugs.
Fiber the best bet to help kids with constipation
(Medical Xpress) -- Chronic constipation, or fewer than three bowel movements a week for two or more weeks, occurs in some 3% of children in Western countries and a new study published in Pediatrics shows that most common non-drug constipation remedies provide little relief.
Oral steroids linked to severe vitamin D deficiency in nationwide study
People taking oral steroids are twice as likely as the general population to have severe vitamin D deficiency, according to a study of more than 31,000 children and adults by scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their findings, in the September 28 online edition of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, suggest that physicians should more diligently monitor vitamin D levels in patients being treated with oral steroids.
Fatty acid test: Why some harm health, but others help
A major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other health- and life-threatening conditions, obesity is epidemic in the United States and other developed nations where it's fueled in large part by excessive consumption of a fat-rich "Western diet."
Researchers explain hormonal role in glucose and fat metabolism
Hormone researchers at the University of Houston (UH) have their sights set on providing long-term treatment options for diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases by better understanding estradiol, the most potent naturally occurring estrogen.
Diabetes and cancer: A shared biological basis
Contrary to what you might think, cancer and diabetes appear to have some biology in common. According to a report in the September 30th issue of the Cell Press journal, Cell, a pathway that initially drew attention for its role in embryonic stem cells and cancer also influences the odds that mice develop or resist diabetes.
Roads pave the way for the spread of superbugs
Antibiotic resistant E. coli was much more prevalent in villages situated along roads than in rural villages located away from roads, which suggests that roads play a major role in the spread or containment of antibiotic resistant bacteria, commonly called superbugs, a new study finds.
Researchers make breakthrough in understanding white matter development
Through the identification of a gene's impact on a signaling pathway, scientists at Children's National Medical Center continue to make progress in understanding the mechanics of a key brain developmental process: growth and repair of white matter, known as myelination. The study, published online in the September 2011 online edition of The Journal of Neuroscience, identified Sox17 as the gene that helps regulate the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway during the transition of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, or immature brain cells, to a more mature, differentiated state where they generate myelin.
Everyone's a little bit racist, but it may not be your fault, study suggests
Everyone's a little bit racist, posits the song from the musical Avenue Q. But it may not be your fault, according to research in the latest edition of the British Journal of Social Psychology. In looking for the culprit as to why people tend to display tinges of racism, sexism or ageism, even towards members of their own group, a research team, led by the Georgia Institute of Technology, found that our culture may be partially to blame.
Study finds promising drug treatment for improving language, social function in people with autism
Most drug therapy interventions for people with autism have targeted psychiatric problems, including aggression, anxiety and obsessive behavior. Now, University of Missouri researchers are examining the use of propranolol (a drug used to treat high blood pressure and control heart rate as well as to reduce test anxiety) to improve the primary traits associated with autism – difficulty with normal social skills, language and repetitive behaviors. MU researchers say the drug is a promising new avenue for improving language and social function.
Cancer vaccine quest begins at Mayo Clinic
A few weeks ago, the Mayo Clinic made an intriguing announcement: One of its scientists had discovered a possible way to prevent ovarian and breast cancer with vaccines. And Mayo was ready to start testing them in people.
Research provides unprecedented insight into fighting viral infections
Researchers at Rutgers and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School have determined the structure of a protein that is the first line of defense in fighting viral infections including influenza, hepatitis C, West Nile, rabies, and measles.
Hepatitis C patients likely to falter in adherence to treatment regimen over time
Patients being treated for chronic hepatitis C become less likely to take their medications over time, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Since the study also showed better response to the drugs when they're taken correctly, the researchers say the findings should prompt clinicians to assess patients for barriers to medication adherence throughout their treatment, and develop strategies to help them stay on track. The study is published online this month in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Computational modeling can help plan vaccine introduction, study finds
Proper planning before the introduction of new vaccines into a developing country's active immunization program could prevent storage problems and transportation bottlenecks that decrease the availability of existing vaccines by as much as two-thirds, according to a University of Pittsburgh study.
Knockout of protein prevents colon tumor formation in mice
A protein that regulates cell differentiation in normal tissue may play a different role in colon and breast cancer, activating proliferation of damaged cells, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.
Mechanism uncovered for the establishment of vertebrate left-right asymmetry
A research team at the Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht, demonstrates a mechanism by which left–right asymmetry in the body is established and maintained. The study, published in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics on September 29, offers a new model of how families of genes interact to promote and direct body asymmetry.
Single dose of hallucinogen may create lasting personality change
A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms," was enough to bring about a measureable personality change lasting at least a year in nearly 60 percent of the 51 participants in a new study, according to the Johns Hopkins researchers who conducted it.
Brain bank yields new clues to brain development
(Medical Xpress) -- The creation of brain cells doesn’t end at birth, but it has been hard to pin down how long the brain continues to create new, specialized cells. Now a study led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator David H. Rowitch and colleague Arturo Alvarez-Buylla concludes that in one region of the human brain, new cells are generated only until 18 months of age. The work relied on a new collection of specially prepared brain samples that Rowitch established with HHMI support. The new brain bank has also provided clues to why the brain can’t reverse the cellular damage that results from certain diseases.
Rival, predator, mate: Mapping the molecules that detect chemical cues
(Medical Xpress) -- The chemical cues that signal animals’ identity are so important to letting other individuals know how to behave in the presence of a member of their own species – whether to mate or fight, for example -- that most mammals have a sensory organ dedicated to detecting pheromones. Or so we thought.
Experts propose new unified genetic model for human disease
Based on a wide variety of genetic studies and analysis– from genome wide association studies looking for common variations in the DNA of many people with complex diseases to the sequencing of specific gene mutations thought to cause disease to whole genome sequencing – four Houston leaders in the field propose a unified genetic model for human disease.
Neuroscientists record novel responses to faces from single neurons in humans
Responding to faces is a critical tool for social interactions between humans. Without the ability to read faces and their expressions, it would be hard to tell friends from strangers upon first glance, let alone a sad person from a happy one. Now, neuroscientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), with the help of collaborators at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, have discovered a novel response to human faces by looking at recordings from brain cells in neurosurgical patients.
New technique identifies first events in tumor development
A novel technique that enables scientists to measure and document tumor-inducing changes in DNA is providing new insight into the earliest events involved in the formation of leukemias, lymphomas and sarcomas, and could potentially lead to the discovery of ways to stop those events.
'Alarm clock' gene explains wake-up function of biological clock
Ever wondered why you wake up in the morning -- even when the alarm clock isn't making jarring noises? Wonder no more. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified a new component of the biological clock, a gene responsible for starting the clock from its restful state every morning.
Large meta-analysis finds new genes for type 1 diabetes
The largest-ever analysis of genetic data related to type 1 diabetes has uncovered new genes associated with the common metabolic disease, which affects 200 million people worldwide. The findings add to knowledge of gene networks involved in the origin of this complex disorder, in which patients depend on frequent insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels.
Biology news
New shrimp technology could speed up race to feed the world
They may look like bunk beds on steroids, but a new shrimp production technology developed by a Texas AgriLife Research scientist near Corpus Christi promises to revolutionize how shrimp make it to our tables.
Test identifies Red Angus carriers of bone disease
A new test that detects a rare and deadly bone disorder in Red Angus is now available to cattle producers, thanks to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.
Rare white whale calf spotted off Australia
An extremely rare white humpback whale calf has been spotted near Australia's Great Barrier Reef in an event witnesses described Thursday as a "once in a lifetime experience".
Koalas' bellows boast about size
Koalas have a well-earned reputation for being dopey. Sleeping 19 hours out of every 24, and feeding for 3 of the remaining 5 hours, there doesn't seem to be much time for anything else in their lethargic lifestyle: that is until the mating season. Then the males begin bellowing. Benjamin Charlton from the University of Vienna, Austria, explains that they probably bellow to attract females and to intimidate other males. But what messages could these rumbling bellows communicate about their senders? Charlton and an international team of collaborators publish their discovery that the koalas are boasting about their size in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Climate change will show which animals can take the heat
Species' ability to overcome adversity goes beyond Darwin's survival of the fittest. Climate change has made sure of that. In a new study based on simulations examining species and their projected range, researchers at Brown University argue that whether an animal can make it to a final, climate-friendly destination isn't a simple matter of being able to travel a long way. It's the extent to which the creatures can withstand rapid fluctuations in climate along the way that will determine whether they complete the journey.
South Asia most dangerous for sea turtles: study
The waters around India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are home to the world's most endangered sea turtles, according to a study released Thursday aimed at setting a blueprint for global conservation.
Hundreds of plants, animals up for new protections
(AP) -- The Obama administration is taking steps to extend new federal protections to a list of imperiled animals and plants that reads like a manifest for Noah's Ark - from the melodic golden-winged warbler and slow-moving gopher tortoise, to the slimy American eel and tiny Texas kangaroo rat.
La Nina may dampen fall leaf colors
(PhysOrg.com) -- The weather in Pennsylvania this year won't soon be forgotten -- one of the wettest springs ever, followed by a record-breaking dry heat wave in July, followed by the remnants of a hurricane and tropical storm in August and September that caused historic flooding.
Weeds are vital to the existence of farmland species, study finds
Weeds, which are widely deemed as a nuisance plant, are vital to the existence of many farmland species according to a new University of Hull study published in the journal Biological Conservation today.
Autistic mice act a lot like human patients
UCLA scientists have created a mouse model for autism that opens a window into the biological mechanisms that underlie the disease and offers a promising way to test new treatment approaches.
Not quite 'roid rage: Complicated gene networks involved in fly aggression
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fruit fly aggression is correlated with smaller brain parts, involves complex interactions between networks of important genes, and often cannot be controlled with mood-altering drugs like lithium.
Sexy sons thanks to mom
It is not the superior genes of the father, but the mother's resource investment in the eggs that makes Zebra Finch males particularly attractive. A Swiss-Australian research team lead by evolutionary ecologists at the University of Zurich has challenged the theory that females mate with superior males to obtain good genes for their offspring.
Researchers discover fruit fly aphrodisiac
(PhysOrg.com) -- People, mostly of the male persuasion, have been searching the world for a true aphrodisiac for pretty much all of recorded history, unfortunately, the search has been mostly fruitless, which makes this latest discovery by a group of biologists all the more intriguing. As noted in their paper published in Nature, it appears the common fruit fly has found for itself, a substance that we humans can only dream about; a substance than when smelled, causes the smeller to engage in mating. Unfortunately, at least for the fruit fly, the stuff only works on males.
New technique gives precise picture of how regulatory RNA controls gene activity
A new technique developed by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine allows researchers to identify the exact DNA sequences and locations bound by regulatory RNAs. This information is necessary to understand how the recently identified RNA molecules control the expression of neighboring and distant genes.
How the bat got its buzz: Superfast muscles in mammals
As nocturnal animals, bats rely echolocation to navigate and hunt prey. By bouncing sound waves off objects, including the bugs that are their main diet, bats can produce an accurate representation of their environment in total darkness. Now, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Pennsylvania have shown that this amazing ability is enabled by a physical trait never before seen in mammals: so-called "superfast" muscles.
Strength in numbers? For wolves, maybe not
(PhysOrg.com) -- Watching a pack of wolves surround and hunt down much larger prey leaves most people with the impression that social predators live in groups because group hunting improves the odds of a kill. But according to findings by Utah State University wildlife ecologist Dan MacNulty, that explanation may not tell the whole story.
Apply public trust doctrine to 'rescue' wildlife from politics, researchers say
When a species recovers enough to be removed from the federal endangered species list, the public trust doctrine – the principle that government must conserve natural resources for the public good – should guide state management of wildlife, scientists say.
Tree frogs chill out to collect precious water
Research published in the October issue of The American Naturalist shows that Australian green tree frogs survive the dry season with the help of the same phenomenon that fogs up eyeglasses in the winter.
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