Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for January 5, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Proposed experiment offers new way to generate macroscopic entanglement- Graphene rips follow rules: Simulations show carbon sheets tear along energetically favorable lines
- Narrowest conducting wires in silicon ever made show the same current capability as copper
- Third lunar mineral - Tranquillityite found in Western Australia
- Scientists 'hijack' bacterial immune system
- Light makes write for DNA information-storage device
- Gestures improve language learning
- Whiff of 'love hormone' helps monkeys show a little kindness
- Location-based 'geo-fencing' apps raise privacy concerns
- First trial of a new hepatitis C vaccine shows promise
- Stephen Hawking to turn 70, defying disease
- Understanding the structure of the TAL effector may be key for targeted gene correction
- Cells can influence their own destiny, research finds
- Flatworms' minimalist approach to cell division reveals molecular architecture of human centrosome
- Cloud computing's ubiquity brings down prices
Space & Earth news
After quakes, owner to lower pressure in Ohio well
(AP) -- The owner of a northeast Ohio well used to dispose of wastewater from oil and gas drilling plans to remove material from it to help lower its inner pressure following 11 minor earthquakes.
What the mining debate is missing
As mining is resurging in North America, debates across the continent over mines are simplified: “Do we prioritize jobs or the environment? Companies or communities?” These are worthy debates. Yet should the issue of mining really be reduced to “pro-con” statements?
Chinese airlines 'won't pay EU carbon charge'
Chinese airlines will not pay a charge on carbon emissions imposed by the European Union from January 1, a national aviation industry group said Thursday.
More 'hollowed ground' on Mercury
The latest featured image from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, soon to complete its first year in orbit around Mercury, shows the central peak of the 78-mile (138-km) – wide crater Eminescu surrounded by more of those brightly-colored surface features dubbed “hollows”. Actually tinted a light blue color, hollows may be signs of an erosion process unique to Mercury because of its composition and close proximity to the Sun.
Ohio well owner undertakes study after earthquakes
(AP) -- An energy company that agreed to shut down operations of a northeastern Ohio brine injection well last week after earthquakes in the vicinity says it's commissioning a geologic study of the area.
STAR TRAK for January 2012
The planets Venus and Jupiter will dominate the sky as darkness falls during January. Jupiter will be twice as bright as any star, and Venus will be four times brighter than Jupiter.
Smoke particles are not all the 'SAME'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Where there's smoke, you need a functioning smoke detector that can tell the difference between, say, smoke particles and dust. Yet in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station, telling the difference between an actual fire and a false alarm may not be so simple.
China's space ambitions ally glory with pragmatism
As China pushes to become a global space power, experts say its ambitions go well beyond a symbolic moon landing, to satellite observation and a global positioning system to rival that of the United States.
Satellites: Europe's Arianespace sets 13 launches for 2012
European satellite launch operator Arianespace said on Thursday it had scheduled 13 missions for 2012, the first year in which it would deploy rockets in all three categories of payload.
Space station crew anticipating SpaceX Dragon's arrival
In a media chat on Wednesday three crew members from the International Space Station said they are anticipating the historic arrival of SpaceX’s Dragon cargo ship to the ISS next month. “For all of us, we’re very excited about it,” said ISS Commander Dan Burbank. “Number one, for the sake of the Space Station, that is critical capability — to resupply the station and be able to return critical hardware, or payloads… And down the road it also affords capability to actually deliver crew to the station. I think that is very exciting.”
Drought shrinks China's largest freshwater lake
China's largest freshwater lake has shrunk to its smallest size in years due to drought, state media and officials said Thursday, endangering the ecology in the area and fishermen's livelihoods.
Trouble in paradise: Ocean acidification this way comes
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.---Shakespeare, Macbeth
SOHO mission 'pick of the week' hits impressive milestone
(PhysOrg.com) -- In late November, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory's (SOHO) online "Pick of the Week" reached an impressive milestone: its 500th edition. This is an incredibly popular feature, which highlights one video or image of the sun each week.
Earth's massive extinction: The story gets worse
Scientists have uncovered a lot about the Earth's greatest extinction event that took place 250 million years ago when rapid climate change wiped out nearly all marine species and a majority of those on land. Now, they have discovered a new culprit likely involved in the annihilation: an influx of mercury into the eco-system.
Third lunar mineral - Tranquillityite found in Western Australia
(PhysOrg.com) -- Back in the heyday of the Apollo moon program, hundreds of pounds of rock samples were carted back to Earth by visiting astronauts. Those samples were then pored over more thoroughly by geologists than perhaps any other rocks in human history, and after all that study, three minerals were found that were unique to the moon: armalcolite, pyroxferroite and tranquillityite. The first two were subsequently found over the next ten years on the surface of the Earth as well, but the third, named after Tranquility Base, site of the first moon landing, had never been found here on this planet, at least not naturally, tranquillityite has been found in meteorite samples. But now that’s changed.
Technology news
Disney and Comcast reach a long-term deal
(AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that it reached a long-term agreement with the nation's largest TV signal provider, Comcast Corp., that extends their partnership into the next decade.
City research shows the investment and health risks of new nuclear build are low
As part of The SPRing Report published in December 2011, Professor Philip Thomas of the Risk Management, Reliability and Maintenance Group within City's Systems and Control Centre provided comparative analysis of the costs and safety considerations associated with nuclear, renewable and traditional, fossil fuel-based energy options.
US album sales rise for first time since 2004
(AP) -- U.S. album sales rose more than 3 percent last year for the first gain since 2004 - a sign that rising digital sales are finally stemming the decade-long decline of compact discs.
New research to help safer emergency aircraft landings
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) aviation researchers are developing an information system to help Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) make safer emergency landings and better enable their wider commercial use.
How much is Yahoo worth? The case for buying
(AP) -- It's losing business to Google and Facebook. Its stock has gone nowhere since 2008. It just announced its fourth CEO in five years. It's enough to make investors replace the exclamation point in the logo with a question mark.
Netflix stock surges with Internet video streaming
(AP) -- Netflix has released some statistics that indicate the video subscription service must be doing something right, even though investors and customers have been ridiculing it for much of the past six months.
Chinese video websites in court as industry grows
(AP) -- China's two biggest video websites are fighting in court over accusations they are misusing each other's programming as rivalry heats up in an industry that is luring viewers from bland state TV.
Japan plans futuristic farm in disaster zone
Japan is planning a futuristic farm where robots do the lifting in an experimental project on land swamped by the March tsunami, the government said Thursday.
Researchers develop cloud computing based disaster management system
(PhysOrg.com) -- Juan Li, assistant professor of computer science, and Samee U. Khan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, have developed an elaborate cloud computing based disaster management system.
New Yahoo CEO can't afford to dawdle on to-do list
(AP) -- When he takes over as Yahoo's CEO next week, Scott Thompson will be under more intense scrutiny than he faced the past three years while crafting PayPal's online payments service into one of the crown jewels in eBay Inc.'s operations.
Barnes & Noble falls on guidance cut, Nook review
(AP) -- Barnes & Noble is considering options for its quickly growing but expensive Nook e-book reading business, its latest attempt to regain profitability as the publishing industry adapts to the rising popularity of digital books and magazines.
6 tech trends to watch for in 2012
For tech companies, 2011 was feast or famine.
High-tech devices leave users vulnerable to spies
"You could now listen in 100 percent completely undetected" - that's the promise one company makes on its website to anyone who wants to eavesdrop on someone else's cellphone.
File sharing group seen as religious in Sweden
(AP) -- A file-sharing group that considers itself a spiritual organization said Thursday that Sweden has recognized it as a religious community.
Gartner lowers 2012 tech spending growth forecast
Research firm Gartner Inc. has lowered its global technology spending growth forecast because of the sluggish economy and the euro crisis.
HBO stops selling DVDs to Netflix
(AP) -- HBO fired a shot across Netflix's bow this week, confirming it will no longer sell discounted DVDs of hit shows like "Boardwalk Empire" to the subscription video service.
Mogees project delivers haptic symphony (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Creative sound-making is as fluid and changing as it implies, incorporating everything from troupes that bang on every hard surface imaginable to creators of electronic music, to musicians who craft their notes to reflect real conversation, to the new phenomenon, the Mogees.
Report: Kodak may file for bankruptcy
An uncomfortable suspicion that an icon of American business may have no future pushed investors to dump stock in Eastman Kodak Co. Wednesday.
Enterprising engineers build world's smallest microphone
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imagine what you could do with a microphone so small, it’s almost invisible to the naked eye. Clearly there would be practical uses, such as in creating hearing aids that no one would notice, or devices that could be applied with a mild adhesive on or near the mouth or jaw bone to allow for instant communications via Bluetooth technology; but what of other more clever applications, such as always-on implanted heart monitors or super-sensitive devices that could be used as hidden monitors to detect intruders or the presence of others for those with vision impairments.
Windows 8 readies push-button PC refresh, reset
(PhysOrg.com) -- Windows 8 is to deliver two new features that could help mute a past history of being the company that delivers blue screens of death and malware magnets. Briefly, Windows 8 is going to make Windows easier to deal with than ever before. Considering the competition Microsoft now faces, the time is ripe for this kind of pronouncement. In a blog dated January 4, the Windows 8 engineering team reveals two new options, refresh and reset.
Location-based 'geo-fencing' apps raise privacy concerns
Someone who is in a mall or near a favorite restaurant might get a message on their cellphone about a sale at a store or specials on the menu. Or they could be alerted that their child has left the school grounds.
Cloud computing's ubiquity brings down prices
If you've ever had your laptop stolen, watched your toddler baptize your PC with Pepsi, or had your MacBook come to a cold, dead stop, you know that the digital memories we store on our home computers are anything but indelible.
Medicine & Health news
Study shows antibiotic prophylaxis a vital weapon in preventing streptococcus b infection in newborns
A study investigating epidemiology of Streptococcus B infection worldwide has shown that the highest levels of infection are found in Africa, followed by the Americas and Europe. The study shows the use of prophylactic antibiotics in mothers at risk of Streptococcus B substantially reduces infection rates in newborns, and that such intervention, widely applied in high-income countries, should also be used in the developing world, at least until vaccines become available. Encouragingly, and unlike some other pathogens, the distribution of strains of Streptococcus B appears similar worldwide, and therefore vaccines in development could have near-universal applicability once licensed. The study is by Dr Karen Edmond, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, and colleagues.
Study shows genital herpes can reactivate even during high dose antiviral therapy
A study combining three trials of antiviral therapy to treat genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type 2/HSV-2) has shown that the virus can reactivate in 'breakthrough episodes' even when doses of antiviral therapy are high. Thus new therapies are needed to successfully prevent onward transmission of this common infection that affects some one in five of the general population. These are the conclusions of an Article published Online First by the Lancet, written by Dr Christine Johnston, University of Washington Virology Research Clinic, Seattle, WA, USA, and colleagues.
Australia: No higher risk from French implants
(AP) -- Australian health officials said they have found no evidence that potentially faulty French-made breast implants are at an increased risk of rupture in Australian women.
Doctors to remove Vietnamese man's 90kg tumour
A man left unable to walk by a tumour on his right leg that weighs more than the rest of his body went under the knife in Vietnam on Thursday to have the growth removed, hospital officials said.
Nepal's child malnutrition 'silent emergency'
Padma Biswokarma covers her young son with a blanket as she breastfeeds, a broad smile spreading across her face.
Twin Cities light rail project presents both opportunities and risks for health, according to report
The rezoning around a planned light rail line in the Twin Cities would create both opportunities and potential risks for the health of the people in the communities it would pass through, according to a health impact assessment (HIA) released today by PolicyLink, TakeAction Minnesota, and ISAIAH, a nonprofit coalition of 90 congregations of various faiths in the Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Cloud region. The HIA was made possible through a grant by the Health Impact Project, which is a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Vietnam culls over 2,500 chickens in bird flu fight
Vietnam has culled more than 2,500 chickens from a farm in the Mekong Delta area in an effort to contain a bird flu outbreak, officials said Thursday, amid heightened fears about the virus in the region.
Researchers successfully treat previously lethal doses of radiation
Multiple scenarios exist where warfighters may be exposed to high levels of radiation. Countermeasures against possible high doses of radiation are an ongoing high priority for Department of Defense research and development organizations.
Experts suggest all hospitalized patients have blood glucose levels tested
Hyperglycemia, or having high glucose levels in the blood, is a common, serious and costly health care problem in hospitalized patients. Today, The Endocrine Society released a clinical practice guideline (CPG) providing recommendations for practical and safe glycemic targets and describing protocols and system improvements required to achieve glycemic goals for hospitalized patients in a non-critical care setting.
Mobile phone app helps to predict success of IVF
(Medical Xpress) -- A mobile phone app which can predict the likelihood of successful IVF has been created by academics at the University of St Andrews.
URMC smoking cessation expert offers tips for smokers trying to quit
With the start of a New Year, millions of smokers across New York State and more throughout the U.S. will attempt to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is a popular resolution, and an appropriate one given World Health Organization estimates that smoking contributes to five million deaths each year. For smokers who are considering quitting as part of a new year’s resolution, pre-planning is an important step for a successful outcome.
Trauma centers increase use of non-surgical options for abdominal gunshot and stab wounds
An increasing number of abdominal gunshot and stab wounds are being treated without the need for unnecessary operations, according to a study in the January Trauma Supplement published by BJS, the British Journal of Surgery.
Prevalence of acid reflux has increased by half over the past decade
The prevalence of acid reflux experienced at least once a week has increased by almost 50% over the past decade, NTNU researchers report in a long term study of almost 80,000 people published online in Gut.
Starting smoking cessation medication earlier may make it easier to quit
Smokers planning to kick the habit may have more success if they begin using a cessation medication several weeks before they actually try to quit. Those are the results of a clinical trial conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and other institutions published recently in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Startup receives $4 million to develop drug delivery targeted to the back of the eye
Technology developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University for delivering drugs and other therapeutics to specific locations in the eye provides the foundation for a startup company that has received a $4 million venture capital investment.
French breast implant maker denounces 'untruths' in scandal
The founder of the French breast implant maker at the centre of a global health scare said Thursday much of the information emerging in the scandal was untrue but refused further comment.
Proton therapy effective prostate cancer treatment
Proton therapy, a type of external beam radiation therapy, is a safe and effective treatment for prostate cancer, according to two new studies published in the January issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics (Red Journal), the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) official scientific journal.
Consumer group questions review of breast implants
(AP) -- Consumer safety advocates are questioning the Food and Drug Administration about seemingly incomplete and erroneous data used to affirm the safety of silicone breast implants last year.
Dialysis treatments go green
Solar power can help offset high utility costs and make hemodialysis treatments more environmentally friendly, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings point the way to a 'green dialysis' future where utilities and other consumables are no longer taken for granted but are used and reused wisely.
Clinical trial demonstrates that rilonacept significantly reduces gout flares
A phase II clinical trial found that rilonacept, an inhibitor of the protein interleukin-1 (IL-1), significantly reduced acute gout flares that occur when initiating uric acid-lowering therapy. Results of the trial—the first placebo-controlled study investigating IL-1 targeted therapy in prevention of gout flares—show rilonacept to be generally well tolerated with no serious infections or treatment-related serious adverse events reported. Full findings are published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
When it comes to heart health, how much is too much vitamin D?
(Medical Xpress) -- New research by Johns Hopkins scientists suggests that vitamin D, long known to be important for bone health and in recent years also for heart protection, may stop conferring cardiovascular benefits and could actually cause harm as levels in the blood rise above the low end of what is considered normal.
New drug screening identifies chemical agents with potent anti-cancer activity
Drugs already approved for clinical use across a variety of therapeutic categories can be screened to identify effective agents for thyroid cancer according to a recent study accepted for publication in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). These findings could rapidly be implemented into a clinical trial to test how effective the treatment would be.
New sleep apnea device may reduce cost, time required for diagnosis
(Medical Xpress) -- UT Arlington bioengineering researchers have designed an innovative, ultrasonic sensor system that can accurately detect whether a person suffers from sleep apnea without the inconvenience or cost associated with an overnight stay in a sleep center.
People respond to immediate emotions in charitable giving
(Medical Xpress) -- When considering giving money to humanitarian crises people often donate in response to events that grab their immediate emotions, according to a recent study by CU-Boulder psychology professor Leaf Van Boven.
New approach to prostate cancer care draws patients with riskiest disease
(Medical Xpress) -- In choosing where they get treatment, prostate cancer patients tend to opt for a major cancer center if they have severe disease, but stick closer to home for less complicated cases, even when offered a model of care that taps numerous experts.
Scientists find genetic key to why some cancer patients don't respond to treatment
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from Newcastle University have identified a gene variation carried by 20% of the population which can significantly affect how patients with a rare type of blood cancer will respond to treatment.
Of life and limb
When someone loses a limb to war, accident, or disease, she can get an artificial limb that restores some of her lost movement. But even the best prosthesis doesn’t restore the sense of touch. And touch is what lets you grip an egg tightly enough that it doesn’t fall but loosely enough that you don’t smash it.
Migration at a young age is associated with increased risk of psychotic disorders
Recent research has found striking links between psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and certain types of international immigration. Now for the first time, a major study has found that immigrating in early childhood appears to carry the highest risk. The study, conducted in the Netherlands, found that the younger the age at migration, the higher the risk of psychotic disorders. Those who immigrated when under the age of five had a twofold higher risk than those who immigrated at age 10-14 years, and a threefold higher risk than those who immigrated as adults. The study—the first to include data on age at migration—suggests that there may be an early window of vulnerability.
Inflammation in depression: Chicken or egg?
An important ongoing debate in the field of psychiatry is whether inflammation in the body is a consequence of or contributor to major depression. A new study in Biological Psychiatry has attempted to resolve the issue.
Couch potato or elite athlete? A happy medium keeps colds at bay
Battling colds and doing (or pledging to do) more exercise are familiar activities for most of us in January. But different levels of exercise can actually significantly increase or decrease your chances of catching a respiratory infection, says Professor Mike Gleeson from Loughborough University.
Diabetic mice provide a surprising breakthrough for multiple sclerosis research
(Medical Xpress) -- In humans, active periods of the debilitating disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can last for mere minutes or extend to weeks at a time. They're caused by lesions in the brain that develop, partly heal, and then recur. Research into a cure has been difficult, because to date scientists have not been able to replicate these brain recurring symptoms in laboratory mice. That's frustrating because these lab animals, known as animal "models," are the primary tool for research into the mechanisms and potential treatments for MS.
Research proving link between virus and MS could point the way to treatment and prevention
A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London shows how a particular virus tricks the immune system into triggering inflammation and nerve cell damage in the brain, which is known to cause MS.
New practice model may reduce miscarriage after assisted reproduction
Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services today announced the publication of an article in the December issue of Reproductive BioMedicine Online about miscarriage rates following IVF treatment with frozen thawed embryos which may revolutionize clinical and laboratory practice.
Colorful plates boost a picky eater's appetite
Parents of picky eaters can encourage their children to eat more nutritionally diverse diets by introducing more color to their meals, according to a new Cornell University study. The study finds that colorful food fare is more appealing to children than adults. Specifically, food plates with seven different items and six different colors are particularly appealing to children, while adults tend to prefer fewer colors only three items and three colors.
Focusing on family helps mothers of technology-dependent children function
Normal everyday life for parents requires organization. Parents of children who require ventilators, oxygen, IVs and other tools to live, those day-to-day tasks can be time-consuming, difficult and stressful on the family. But researchers from Case Western Reserve University found that mothers who successfully integrate the care of the technology-dependent child into family life have families that function better.
Making personal health records more usable
Although personal health records are now securely accessible online to a large and growing number of individuals, little research has been conducted on opinions about their ease of use.
Fibroblasts contribute to melanoma tumor growth: study
Fibroblasts, cells that play a role in the structural framework of tissues, play an apparent role in melanoma tumor growth. Fibroblasts also contribute to melanoma drug resistance and may also facilitate the "flare" response when a tumor's metabolism is enhanced following a patient being removed from a targeted therapy, said researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.
Photoacoustic device finds cancer cells before they become tumors
Early detection of melanoma, the most aggressive skin cancer, is critical because melanoma will spread rapidly throughout the body. Now, University of Missouri researchers are one step closer to melanoma cancer detection at the cellular level, long before tumors have a chance to form. Commercial production of a device that measures melanoma using photoacoustics, or laser-induced ultrasound, will soon be available to scientists and academia for cancer studies. The commercial device also will be tested in clinical trials to provide the data required to obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for early diagnosis of metastatic melanoma and other cancers.
Crucial gene activator in slow-killing parasite identified
In the complicated life cycle of ancient flatworms that cause schistosomiasis, Case Western Reserve University researchers have identified a gene activator crucial to development of the parasites within humans – a potential target for a vaccine.
Novel brain tumor vaccine acts like bloodhound to locate cancer cells
A national clinical trial testing the efficacy of a novel brain tumor vaccine has begun at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the only facility in the Southeast to participate.
You say you don't care about dating a hottie?
Stating that you don't care if you land a partner who is "hot" or "sexy" is relatively commonplace. But what people say they want and what they actually want are often two very different things when it comes to romantic attraction.
Study finds statin costs 400 percent higher in US compared to UK
In the United States, the cost paid for statins (drugs to lower cholesterol) in people under the age of 65 who have private insurance is approximately 400 percent higher than comparable costs paid by the government in the United Kingdom (U.K.). These findings, from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, are the first results of a comprehensive comparison of prescription drug costs between the U.S. and U.K. The study appears on-line in the journal Pharmacotherapy.
UK experts: Assisted suicide legally possible
An independent panel of experts in the U.K. says there is a strong case for changing British law to help terminally ill people die.
Study finds air pollution linked to diabetes and hypertension in African-American women
(Boston) -The incidence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension increases with cumulative levels of exposure to nitrogen oxides, according to a new study led by researchers from the Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC) at Boston University. The study, which appears online in the journal Circulation, was led by Patricia Coogan, D.Sc., associate professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health and the SEC.
Your home's age important for child lead exposure
(AP) -- If you've been putting off repairing a peeling windowsill, or you're thinking of knocking out a wall, listen up: Check how old your house is. You may need to take steps to protect your kids from dangerous lead.
US proposes regulating face, hand transplants
The government wants to start regulating face and hand transplants just as kidneys, hearts and other organs are now, with waiting lists, a nationwide system to match and distribute body parts and donor testing to prevent deadly infections.
Two cities, one vast gap in child obesity
Doris Chang limits her three sons' intake of sweets and doesn't feed them any processed or frozen food. At their Manhattan Beach, Calif., home, she monitors the boys' time in front of the television and keeps them busy with baseball, basketball and karate.
Cancer drugs help the hardest cases of Pompe disease
Kids with Pompe disease fail because of a missing enzyme, GAA, that leads to dangerous sugar build-up, which affects muscles and movement. An enzyme replacement treatment pioneered at Duke University has saved many lives, but some children with Pompe disease produce an immune reaction that blocks the benefits of the life-saving enzyme treatment.
First trial of a new hepatitis C vaccine shows promise
(Medical Xpress) -- A new vaccine against the chronic liver disease hepatitis C has shown promising results in a first clinical trial in humans, Oxford University researchers report.
'Back talk' from blood cells to their progenitors is critical to balancing blood supply
(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to the body's blood supply, maintaining the right balance is crucial. UCLA stem cell scientists have now discovered that in the common fruit fly, this balancing act requires a complex "conversation" involving more parties than originally thought.
Herbal drug reduces the effects of alcohol
(Medical Xpress) -- Alcohol consumption can lead to those dreaded hangovers and even alcohol dependence. However, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has found a natural ingredient in the Asian tree Hovenia dulcis that seems to produce anti-alcohol effects.
Cells can influence their own destiny, research finds
In a major shake-up of scientists' understanding of what determines the fate of cells, researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have shown that cells have some control over their own destiny.
Understanding the structure of the TAL effector may be key for targeted gene correction
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have solved the three-dimensional structure of a newly discovered type of gene-targeting protein that has shown to be useful as a DNA-targeting molecule for gene correction, gene therapy and gene modification. The findings are published online in Science Express on Jan. 5.
Low vitamin D levels linked to depression, psychiatrists report
Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to depression, according to UT Southwestern Medical Center psychiatrists working with the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study. It is believed to be the largest such investigation ever undertaken.
Gestures improve language learning
(Medical Xpress) -- Learning a new language usually requires written and spoken instructions but a new study shows that the use of word-specific gestures may aid in the learning process and help students better retain new words.
Cell-CT: A new dimension in breast cancer research
Despite advances in both the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, the disease remains a leading worldwide health concern.
Biology news
Record $736k paid for single tuna fish in Japan
A deep-pocketed restaurateur shelled out nearly three-quarters of a million dollars for a single tuna, the most ever paid for the fish, at Japan's Tsukiji fish market on Thursday.
Stop abusing insecticides in rice
To prevent devastating insect pest outbreaks in rice that cause millions of dollars of damage, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has called for a ban on certain insecticides in rice production as part of its new Action plan to reduce planthopper damage to rice crops in Asia.
The bigger picture of population genomics
Not so long ago it was the work of many years to sequence the genome of a single organism: the human genome project, for example, took many laboratories a total of 13 years to complete. The availability of so-called next-generation sequencing methods makes it easy – and comparatively cheap – to sequence DNA, although sequencing the large number of individuals required for population genetics studies is still time-consuming and costly and has thus been restricted to few organisms.
NanoCAGE reveals transcriptional landscape of the mouse main olfactory epithelium
The problem in biology of how to identify the promoters of olfactory receptor genes (>1000 genes) has remained unsolved due to the difficulty of purifying sufficient material from the olfactory epithelium. Researchers at the RIKEN Omics Science Center, collaborating with scientists from Italy, Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have now solved this problem using nanoCAGE technology, which enables comprehensive analysis of transcription start sites (TSSs) from tiny biological samples.
UC Riverside bug expert visits Rwanda to solve mystery surrounding specialty coffee sector
The expertise of entomologists at the University of California, Riverside has a worldwide impact, with researchers tracking down the natural enemy of the Asian citrus psyllid in Pakistan, identifying insecticidal fungi to control katydids in Papua New Guinea, suppressing the cottony cushion scale in the Galapagos Islands, and collecting red palm weevils in Southeast Asia – to name just a few research projects.
Trees influence epiphyte and invertebrate communities
Studies in temperate regions have demonstrated that genetic differences between individual trees affect the ecological communities and ecosystem processes associated with them. Now scientists at Manchester University and Kew have examined the extent to which this phenomenon occurs between genetic variants of a single tree species in a diverse complex ecosystem such as a tropical forest.
World-first global study links climate to severe habitat loss
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a world first, University of Queensland and CSIRO scientists have measured the relationship between current climate, climate change and habitat loss on plants and animals on a global scale.
Perth slowly devouring its black Cockatoo species
WA Museum’s ornithology curator says black cockatoos, which once flocked to the Swan Coastal Plain in tens of thousands, could be extinct within 50 years.
Scientists urge balance in the war on antimicrobial resistance
Scientists are urging policymakers to reconsider priorities in efforts to understand and control antimicrobial resistance. The new research, published today, was led by Royal Veterinary College Principal Professor Stuart Reid in his previous position at the University of Glasgow.
Flexible adult stem cells, right there in your eye
In the future, patients in need of perfectly matched neural stem cells may not need to look any further than their own eyes. Researchers reporting in the January issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, have identified adult stem cells of the central nervous system in a single layer of cells at the back of the eye.
WCS documents pneumonia outbreak in endangered markhor
If they didn't have enough to worry about from dodging poachers, snow leopards, and landslides in Central Asia's rugged mountains, a population of endangered markhor—a majestic wild goat species—has contracted pneumonia, detected for the first time by the Wildlife Conservation Society and partners in Tajikistan and France.
ISU scientist helps find structure of gene-editing protein named Method of the Year
In the two and a half years since Adam Bogdanove, professor at Iowa State University in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, along with Matthew Moscou, a former graduate student in that department, discovered how a class of proteins from plant pathogenic bacteria find and bind specific sequences in plant genomes, researchers worldwide have moved fast to use this discovery.
World's first chimeric monkeys are born
Researchers have produced the world's first chimeric monkeys. The bodies of these monkeys, which are normal and healthy, are composed of a mixture of cells representing as many as six distinct genomes. The advance holds great potential for future research as chimeric animals had been largely restricted to mice, the researchers say. The report, published online ahead of the release of the January 20th issue of Cell, also suggests there may be limits to the use of cultured embryonic stem cells.
Dogs read our intent too: study
Dogs pick up not only on the words we say but also on our intent to communicate with them, according to a report published online in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 5.
Flatworms' minimalist approach to cell division reveals molecular architecture of human centrosome
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered that planarians, tiny flatworms fabled for their regenerative powers, completely lack centrosomes, cellular structures that organize the network of microtubules that pulls chromosomes apart during cell division.
Why humans choose running over walking
Other than Olympic race walkers, people generally find it more comfortable to run than walk when they start moving at around 2 meters per second – about 4.5 miles per hour.
Whiff of 'love hormone' helps monkeys show a little kindness
Oxytocin, the "love hormone" that builds mother-baby bonds and may help us feel more connected toward one another, can also make surly monkeys treat each other a little more kindly.
Scientists 'hijack' bacterial immune system
The knowledge that bacteria possess adaptable immune systems that protect them from individual viruses and other foreign invaders is relatively new to science, and researchers across the globe are working to learn how these systems function and to apply that knowledge in industry and medicine.
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