Volume 5, Number 44 October 30, 2006

Physical sciences and technology Σb baryons Mass extinctions Carbon nanotubes Astrochemistry Water on Mars Earthquakes Very early galaxies Stellar sorting in a globular cluster Ancient climate change Brain-computer interfaces Supercomputing Historical variation in ocean salinity Controlled fusion Extrasolar planets Unusual nova event Supernovae Radio telescope SETI Robotics Nanotechnology Helium-3 abundance in the universe Gamma rays produced near supermassive black holes Formation of massive stars Life sciences Cancer Harmful effects of picornavirus infection Mouse models of human immune system Diet and preservation of mental acuity Eye color and mate preference Avian flu Diabetes Memory T cells Rapid learning and the dentate gyrus Learning and neuron growth NMDA receptors and memory Subliminal perception Bacterial magnetism Evolution of cooperation in bacteria Evolutionary connection between brain size and food supply Sexual selection and fitness inheritance Vertebrate colonization of land Honeybee genome Alcohol and heart attack risk Stem cells Hepatitis B Structure of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Possible fatal effects of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections Cargo transport in neurons Cellular transport proteins Alzheimer's disease Effects of alcohol on memory Communication among killer T cells Bacterial quorum sensing Hox genes and limb architecture Insect family tree Evolution of flu virus Eye and brain development gene Tuberculosis Trivirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes Nanoparticle drug delivery Genetic code of breast and colon cancers Control of chromosome distribution in mitosis Social amoebae and the evolution of multicellular organisms AIDS

Σ_b baryons

1. October 23, 2006 - Exotic Relatives Of Protons And Neutrons Discovered - also here
2. October 24, 2006 - Undergraduate Helps Discover Beautiful Quark Combinations
3. October 25, 2006 - New Baryons Discovered
4. October 29, 2006 - New particles turn up in the US
5. November 17, 2006 - Team discovers exotic relatives of protons and neutrons
6. November 17, 2006 - More Letters in the Particle Alphabet

Mass extinctions

1. October 23, 2006 - Mass extinction’s cause: 'Sick Earth'
2. October 24, 2006 - Far More Than A Meteor Killed Dinos, Evidence Suggests - also here, here
3. October 24, 2006 - Double whammy causes mass extinctions
4. October 24, 2006 - New Theory For Mass Extinctions - also here
5. October 30, 2006 - "Dinosaur Killer" Asteroid Only One Part of New Quadruple-Whammy Theory

Carbon nanotubes

1. October 23, 2006 - Modification Turns Ultra-Short Nanotubes into Molecule-Like Drug Capsules

Astrochemistry

1. October 23, 2006 - Alcohol cloud found in space

Water on Mars

1. October 24, 2006 - Martian Soils Point to Ancient Acid Ocean -- And a Dearth of Life
2. October 24, 2006 - Mineral Discovery Explains Mars' Landscape - also here
3. October 27, 2006 - Soil minerals point to planet-wide ocean on Mars

Earthquakes

1. October 25, 2006 - Moon and rain could mean quakes
2. October 28, 2006 - Earthquake Swarms Not Just Clustered Around Volcanoes, Geothermal Regions - also here

Very early galaxies

1. October 25, 2006 - Astronomers Weigh Baby Galaxies, 200 Million Years Old

Stellar sorting in a globular cluster

1. October 25, 2006 - Hubble Yields Direct Proof Of Stellar Sorting In A Globular Cluster - also here

Ancient climate change

1. October 25, 2006 - Appalachians Triggered Ancient Ice Age
2. October 26, 2006 - Appalachian Mountains, Carbon Dioxide Caused Long-ago Global Cooling

Brain-computer interfaces

1. October 25, 2006 - Electronic chip, interacting with the brain, modifies pathways for controlling movement

Supercomputing

1. October 25, 2006 - Twenty-two Projects Keep Supercomputer Super Busy

Historical variation in ocean salinity

1. October 25, 2006 - Warming May Make Atlantic Less Salty

Controlled fusion

1. October 26, 2006 - Another Step Toward Fusion Energy: Nevada Terawatt Facility Makes Important Advance - also here

Extrasolar planets

1. October 26, 2006 - Europe Goes Searching For Rocky Planets - also here

Unusual nova event

1. October 26, 2006 - Latest views of the V838 Monocerotis light echo from Hubble - also here
2. October 30, 2006 - Bizarre stellar outburst continues to baffle

Supernovae

1. October 26, 2006 - Star Explosion is Suprisingly Neat & Tidy
2. November 1, 2006 - Peeling Back a Supernova's Layers
3. November 1, 2006 - NASA's Spitzer Peels Back Layers Of Star's Explosion - also here, here, here, here

Radio telescope SETI

1. October 26, 2006 - Radio Telescopes May Aid Hunt for Alien Life

Robotics

1. October 27, 2006 - Vision-body link tested in robot experiments
2. October 27, 2006 - Good Information? It's Not All About The Brain - also here

Nanotechnology

1. October 27, 2006 - Flash of UV light solidifies nano-surfaces

Helium-3 abundance in the universe

1. October 27, 2006 - On the case of the "missing" helium
2. October 27, 2006 - Big Bang Theory Saved - also here, here
3. October 27, 2006 - Scientists crack open stellar evolution - also here
4. October 31, 2006 - Scientists Crack Open Stellar Evolution
5. November 6, 2006 - Missing Helium Mystery Solved: Big Stars Ate It

Gamma rays produced near supermassive black holes

1. October 28, 2006 - Discovery Of Gamma Rays From The Edge Of A Black Hole - also here, here

Formation of massive stars

1. October 29, 2006 - Snake On A Galactic Plane!

Cancer

1. October 23, 2006 - Study offers innovative profile of enzyme that aids tumor growth
2. October 23, 2006 - Excess weight worsens ovarian cancer prognosis
3. October 23, 2006 - Stay trim to cut cancer risk
4. October 23, 2006 - Study suggests breast cancer different in blacks
5. October 23, 2006 - Racial Disparity In Breast Cancer Outcome Linked To Aggressive Tumors
6. October 24, 2006 - Study Identifies Women With Breast Cancer Most Likely To Benefit From Aromatase Inhibitor
7. October 24, 2006 - Doctors use, study alternative cancer test
8. October 25, 2006 - Killing Brain Tumors From Within: A 'Trojan Horse' Approach - also here, here
9. October 26, 2006 - Scientists identify cancer-blocking protein
10. October 26, 2006 - Genetic Variation Impacts Aspirin's Effectiveness In Preventing Colon Cancer - also here, here
11. October 27, 2006 - Experimental drug might help treat bowel cancer
12. October 27, 2006 - Pioneering Study Looks At P53's Role In Tumor-stroma Interactions - also here
13. October 27, 2006 - New Cancer Drug Hope - also here, here
14. October 27, 2006 - New study warns against linking ethnic identity to breast cancer genes
15. October 29, 2006 - Grape Seed Extract Halts Cell Cycle, Checking Growth Of Colorectal Tumors In Mice

Harmful effects of picornavirus infection

1. October 23, 2006 - Viral infections may contribute to memory loss
2. October 23, 2006 - Virus may affect memory decades later - also here, here, here
3. October 24, 2006 - Forgetful? Virus may be eating your brain
4. October 24, 2006 - Central Nervous System Viral Infection Can Lead To Memory Deficits

Mouse models of human immune system

1. October 23, 2006 - New lab mice pave way for novel studies of human infection

Diet and preservation of mental acuity

1. October 23, 2006 - Vegetables slow memory loss in old age
2. October 24, 2006 - Vegetables, Not Fruit, Help Fight Memory Problems In Old Age - also here
3. October 24, 2006 - Vegetables may keep brains young, study finds
4. October 26, 2006 - Curry may keep elderly minds sharp - also here

Eye color and mate preference

1. October 23, 2006 - Blue Eyes -- A Clue To Paternity - also here

Avian flu

1. October 23, 2006 - Study Identifies North American Wild Bird Species That Could Transmit Bird Flu - also here
2. October 23, 2006 - North American birds in avian flu study
3. October 24, 2006 - World can't yet let down its guard on bird flu, U.N. says - also here
4. October 26, 2006 - Russia fights bird flu, no human cases

Diabetes

1. October 23, 2006 - Diabetes Gene Carries Similar Risk To Obesity - also here
2. October 25, 2006 - Hostility and stress predict insulin resistance
3. October 27, 2006 - Obesity pill may treat diabetes

Memory T cells

1. October 23, 2006 - Scientists Find A Key To Immune System's Ability To Remember - also here, here

Rapid learning and the dentate gyrus

1. October 23, 2006 - Neuroscientists pinpoint brain site for rapid learning

Learning and neuron growth

1. October 23, 2006 - Study in birds suggests method of learning affects how the brain adds neurons

NMDA receptors and memory

1. October 23, 2006 - Researchers add to understanding of how brain cells communicate - also here

Subliminal perception

1. October 23, 2006 - Subliminal Nude Pictures Focus Attention
2. October 23, 2006 - Erotic Images Entice Even When Invisible
3. October 25, 2006 - Erotic images prove useful in coaxing out unconscious brain activity - also here, here, here

Bacterial magnetism

1. October 23, 2006 - Researchers reveal mystery of bacterial magnetism

Evolution of cooperation in bacteria

1. October 24, 2006 - Diversity Promotes Cooperation Among Microbes

Evolutionary connection between brain size and food supply

1. October 24, 2006 - Study Suggests Evolutionary Link Between Diet, Brain Size In Orangutans - also here

Sexual selection and fitness inheritance

1. October 24, 2006 - Most Desirable Mates May Not Sire Prolific Offspring
2. October 24, 2006 - High-fitness Males Produce Low-fitness Daughters, And High-fitness Mothers Produce Low-fitness Sons
3. October 24, 2006 - Sexiest parents deliver average offspring
4. October 24, 2006 - Sexual selection comes at a cost

Vertebrate colonization of land

1. October 24, 2006 - Steep Oxygen Decline Halted First Land Colonization By Earth's Sea Creatures - also here

Honeybee genome

1. October 24, 2006 - Honey Bee Genome Holds Clues To Social Behavior - also here, here
2. October 25, 2006 - Honeybees have their genome sequenced
3. October 25, 2006 - Social Honeybee Shares Genetic Secrets
4. October 25, 2006 - Bees Buzz to New Heights
5. October 25, 2006 - Professor Analyzes Nuclear Receptors In Bee Genome - also here
6. October 25, 2006 - Bee fossil, DNA generate a buzz
7. October 25, 2006 - The Honeybee's Genome Could Be Its Savior
8. October 26, 2006 - Bee genome gets scientists buzzing
9. October 26, 2006 - Secrets Revealed In Sequencing Of Honey Bee Genome
10. October 26, 2006 - Scientists Identify 36 Genes, 100 Neuropeptides In Honey Bee Brains - also here
11. October 26, 2006 - Honey Bee Genome: Social Insect Creates Buzz For Agricultural, Biomedical Research
12. October 26, 2006 - Biological Clock Of Honey Bee More Similar To Humans Than To Insects
13. October 27, 2006 - Out Of Africa: Scientists Uncover History Of Honey Bee - also here
14. October 27, 2006 - Honey Bee Chemoreceptors Found For Smell And Taste - also here, here
15. October 27, 2006 - Insights Into Honey Bee Sex Gene Could Bring Sweet Success In Breeding
16. October 28, 2006 - Researcher Traces The Evolution Of Honey Bee Gender
17. October 29, 2006 - Researchers Create Buzz Over Social Behavior Genetics - also here
18. October 30, 2006 - Bee Genome Information Housed at University
19. November 20, 2006 - Honeybee genome to enable genetic study of social behaviour

Alcohol and heart attack risk

1. October 24, 2006 - Healthy men who drink moderately have reduced risk of heart attack
2. October 24, 2006 - Further evidence that moderate drinking reduces men's heart attack risk - also here

Stem cells

1. October 24, 2006 - Stretching bone marrow stem cells pushes them towards becoming blood vessel - also here, here
2. October 25, 2006 - Human virus makes fat stem cells fatter
3. October 25, 2006 - Older embryos can survive stem-cell extraction
4. October 27, 2006 - Fat Stem Cells Being Studied As Option For Breast Reconstruction - also here

Hepatitis B

1. October 25, 2006 - Novartis drug for chronic hepatitis B gets FDA nod

Structure of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

1. October 25, 2006 - Scientists Unravel 'Molecular Inch-worm' Structure Of Walking-pneumonia Bacterium - also here

Possible fatal effects of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections

1. October 25, 2006 - Cell wall of pneumonia bacteria can cause brain and heart damage

Cargo transport in neurons

1. October 25, 2006 - Researchers Find 'Zip Code' Spurs Cargo Transport In Neurons

Cellular transport proteins

1. October 25, 2006 - Why Biological Loads Do Not Get Caught Up When Being Transported Through Cells - also here

Alzheimer's disease

1. October 25, 2006 - Naturally Occurring Enzyme Can Break Down Key Part Of Alzheimer's Plaques - also here, here
2. October 28, 2006 - Brain Research Supports Drug Development From Jellyfish Protein
3. October 29, 2006 - Scientists Develop New Treatments For Alzheimer's Disease - also here, here

Effects of alcohol on memory

1. October 25, 2006 - Heavy, chronic drinking can cause significant hippocampal tissue loss
2. October 26, 2006 - Moderate Drinking May Boost Memory

Communication among killer T cells

1. October 26, 2006 - Immune Cell Communication Key To Hunting Viruses - also here, here

Bacterial quorum sensing

1. October 26, 2006 - Chemists Decode Bacterial 'Conversations' In Effort To Block Deadly Infections

Hox genes and limb architecture

1. October 26, 2006 - Discovery Of A Molecular Mechanism Underlying Limb Architecture - also here

Insect family tree

1. October 26, 2006 - New Genetic Analysis Forces Re-draw Of Insect Family Tree - also here

Evolution of flu virus

1. October 27, 2006 - New Study Has Important Implications For Flu Surveillance - also here

Eye and brain development gene

1. October 27, 2006 - Key Gene Controlling Eye Lens Development Identified

Tuberculosis

1. October 27, 2006 - Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Is Emerging Threat

Trivirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes

1. October 27, 2006 - Three-in-one virus killer prevents common, often fatal infections

Nanoparticle drug delivery

1. October 27, 2006 - Creating nanodevices for delivery of vaccines

Genetic code of breast and colon cancers

1. October 28, 2006 - Experts crack cancer 'gene codes'

Control of chromosome distribution in mitosis

1. October 28, 2006 - How Daughter Cells Get Their Share Of Genetic Material

Social amoebae and the evolution of multicellular organisms

1. October 29, 2006 - Social Amoebas' Family Tree Reveals Evolutionary Clues - also here

AIDS

1. October 29, 2006 - New Strategy For AIDS Vaccination: HIV Exploits Competition Among T-cells

Copyright © 2006 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved