Volume 6, Number 17 April 23, 2007

Physical sciences and technology Gravity Probe B Lab-on-a-chip Submillimeter electromagnetic waves Atom interferometry as a test of general relativity Dark matter Ocean currents Climate change and hurricanes Upper limits on Higgs boson mass Ultracool dwarf stars Quantum theory and 'reality' Planetary 'danger' zones Brown dwarfs Origins of continental rock Quantum computing Global warming Solar cells Optical lattices RS Ophiuchi Carbon nanotubes Solar activity and global warming Computer simulation of stellar interiors Gas outflows from black holes Quantum chromodynamics Nanotechnology Life sciences Genetic evolution in chimpanzees vs. humans Bacterial genome Re-evolution of sexual reproduction in soil mites Signal control in the central nervous system Evolution of bacterial flagella Axonal transport of proteins Homo floresiensis Temporal sequence in memory Membrane fusion in cells Sex determination in lizards Visual processing Neuron participation in memory formation Genes activated during learning and memory Proteomics Wound healing Social memory Metacognition in monkeys Olfaction Control of prefrontal cortex networks Sleep and relational memory Evolutionary developmental biology of the central nervous system Health and medicine Cancer Cancer vaccines MicroRNA as tumor suppressor Nanoparticle biomarker detection Diabetes Gene therapy for Parkinson's disease Stem cells Alzheimer's disease Avian flu High omega-6 fat levels, inflammation, and depression Persistent effects of early heart disease risk factors Genetic factors in myelination Influenza and heart disease Hypertension Cancer risks from nanoparticles Nanoparticle gene therapy for cancer Malaria AIDS Parkinson's disease Salt and cardiovascular disease Hepatitis Methamphetamine Genetic factors in cardiovascular disease Stem cells and cancer Antioxidants in fruit Resveratrol content of wine Green tea and autoimmune disease Polyphenols and anthocyanins in berries Dichloroacetate Crohn's disease

Physical sciences and technology

Gravity Probe B

1. April 16, 2007 - Gravity probe measures Earth's dent in space-time
2. April 16, 2007 - Still Waiting: Gravity Experiment Reports Partial Success
3. April 16, 2007 - Gravity Probe B backs general relativity
4. April 16, 2007 - Einstein was right, probe shows
5. April 17, 2007 - Scientists Provide First Public Peek At Gravity Probe B Results - also here, here
6. April 18, 2007 - Gravity Probe B

Lab-on-a-chip

1. April 16, 2007 - Lab-on-a-chip: High-pressure Chemistry In Ultra Small Pressure Cooker

Submillimeter electromagnetic waves

1. April 16, 2007 - New World Record In Generation Of High-frequency Submillimeter Waves Set - also here, here

Atom interferometry as a test of general relativity

1. April 16, 2007 - A new way to test general relativity

Dark matter

1. April 17, 2007 - Dark matter looks to be particularly wimpy
2. April 19, 2007 - Search For Dark Matter Particles Moves Underground
3. April 22, 2007 - Dark Matter Charted Out To Five Billion Light Years

Ocean currents

1. April 17, 2007 - Decades needed to tell whether ocean currents are slowing

Climate change and hurricanes

1. April 17, 2007 - Global warming may spur wind shear, sap hurricanes
2. April 17, 2007 - Researchers Debate Warming, Hurricanes - also here
3. April 18, 2007 - Wind shear may cancel climate's effect on hurricanes
4. April 18, 2007 - Global Warming Increases Wind Shear, Reduces Hurricanes, Climate Model Shows - also here

Upper limits on Higgs boson mass

1. April 17, 2007 - Tevatron collider yields new results on subatomic matter, forces
2. April 23, 2007 - Tevatron's Higgs Quest Quickens

Ultracool dwarf stars

1. April 17, 2007 - Wimpy Stars Barely Hanging On
2. April 19, 2007 - White Dwarf And Ultra-cool Dwarf Keep Their Distance - also here

Quantum theory and 'reality'

1. April 18, 2007 - Quantum Theory Fails Reality Checks
2. April 18, 2007 - Physicists bid farewell to reality?
3. April 20, 2007 - Quantum physics says goodbye to reality

Planetary 'danger' zones

1. April 18, 2007 - Danger zones mapped for developing planets
2. April 18, 2007 - Stellar Danger Zones, Planets Not Welcome
3. April 19, 2007 - Astronomers Map Out Planetary Danger Zone - also here, here
4. April 19, 2007 - Navigating the Stellar Minefield
5. April 19, 2007 - Huge Hot Stars Create Planetary "Danger Zones"

Brown dwarfs

1. April 18, 2007 - Failed Stars Still Have a Pulse
2. April 18, 2007 - Brown Dwarfs Beaming Like Pulsars
3. April 20, 2007 - Radio Active Brown Dwarfs Are A New Class Of Pulsar
4. April 20, 2007 - Dwarf stars emit powerful pulse

Origins of continental rock

1. April 18, 2007 - Making Continents in Planetary Hiccups

Quantum computing

1. April 18, 2007 - First use of Deutsch's Algorithm in a cluster state quantum computer

Global warming

1. April 19, 2007 - World needs to axe greenhouse gases by 80pct: report
2. April 19, 2007 - Sudden sea level surges threaten 1 billion: study - also here
3. April 19, 2007 - Researchers forecast 1 in 3 chance of record low sea ice in 2007 - also here

Solar cells

1. April 19, 2007 - Improved Self-Assembly of Nanomaterials May Enhance Solar Cells
2. April 20, 2007 - Baking boosts efficiency of plastic solar cells
3. April 20, 2007 - New Plastic Solar Cell Breaks Efficiency Record - also here, here
4. April 21, 2007 - Nanoscale 'Trees' Improve Efficiency of Cheap Plastic Solar Cells

Optical lattices

1. April 19, 2007 - Microscope could scan optical lattices

RS Ophiuchi

1. April 20, 2007 - Hubble Space Telescope Reveals The Aftermath Of 'Star Wars' - also here

Carbon nanotubes

1. April 20, 2007 - Probing The Inner Secrets Of Multi-layer Carbon Nanotubes - also here

Solar activity and global warming

1. April 20, 2007 - Astronomer Backs Link Between Greenhouse Gases And Climate Change

Computer simulation of stellar interiors

1. April 20, 2007 - 'Van Gogh' Simulations Give New Insight Into Turbulent Stars - also here

Gas outflows from black holes

1. April 20, 2007 - Black Holes May Fill the Universe with Seeds of Life
2. April 20, 2007 - Black Holes Exhale Enormous Gas Cloud
3. April 21, 2007 - XMM-Newton Pinpoints Intergalactic Polluters - also here

Quantum chromodynamics

1. April 20, 2007 - Perturbative QCD fails for Compton scattering

Nanotechnology

1. April 21, 2007 - Physicist develops natural motor technique

Life sciences

Genetic evolution in chimpanzees vs. humans

1. April 16, 2007 - Chimps 'more evolved' than humans
2. April 16, 2007 - Chimps Are Champs of Genetic Changes
3. April 18, 2007 - Chimps have the jump on us in evolution
4. April 21, 2007 - Human-chimp Gene Study Upsets Long-held View

Bacterial genome

1. April 16, 2007 - Extreme-living bacteria has genome sequenced

Re-evolution of sexual reproduction in soil mites

1. April 16, 2007 - Bringing Sex Back

Signal control in the central nervous system

1. April 16, 2007 - Information Processing In The Central Nervous System: The Signalling System Controlling Movement

Evolution of bacterial flagella

1. April 17, 2007 - A Complex Tail, Simply Told

Axonal transport of proteins

1. April 17, 2007 - Stop And Go: Proteins Important In Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease Travel In The Slow Lane - also here

Homo floresiensis

1. April 18, 2007 - Hobbit Hominids Lived the Island Life

Temporal sequence in memory

1. April 18, 2007 - Sleep Enforces The Temporal Sequence In Memory - also here, here

Membrane fusion in cells

1. April 18, 2007 - Biologists Prove Critical Step In Membrane Fusion

Sex determination in lizards

1. April 19, 2007 - Genes versus heat - a reptile sex trigger
2. April 19, 2007 - For Bearded Lizards, Heat Trumps Genes When It Comes to Gender

Visual processing

1. April 19, 2007 - Can You Believe Your Shifty Eyes?
2. April 19, 2007 - How The Brain Copes With Shifty Eyeballs - also here, here

Neuron participation in memory formation

1. April 19, 2007 - The Brain May Use Only 20 Percent of Its Memory-Forming Neurons
2. April 20, 2007 - Researchers Unlock Key To Memory Storage In Brain - also here

Genes activated during learning and memory

1. April 19, 2007 - Scientists Identify Genes Activated During Learning And Memory - also here

Proteomics

1. April 20, 2007 - Scientists Film Proteins At Work By Freezing Them At Different States - also here

Wound healing

1. April 20, 2007 - Wound Healing: Scientists Identify Key Function Of A Molecule

Social memory

1. April 20, 2007 - Forming Social Memories

Metacognition in monkeys

1. April 20, 2007 - Monkeys' Ability To Reflect On Their Thoughts May Have Implications For Infants, Autistic Children - also here

Olfaction

1. April 20, 2007 - Lily Of The Valley Fragrance: Determining Interactions With Scent Receptors

Control of prefrontal cortex networks

1. April 20, 2007 - Brain networks strengthened by closing ion channels - also here, here

Sleep and relational memory

1. April 21, 2007 - To Understand The Big Picture, Give It Time - And Sleep - also here, here

Evolutionary developmental biology of the central nervous system

1. April 21, 2007 - Human Brain Has Origin in Lowly Worm
2. April 22, 2007 - The Origin Of The Brain Lies In A Worm

Health and medicine

Cancer

1. April 16, 2007 - Effect of broccoli, soy on cancer cells explained
2. April 16, 2007 - Red and processed meat linked to breast cancer
3. April 16, 2007 - PSA test poor predictor of prostate cancer outcome
4. April 16, 2007 - ImClone cancer drug trials mixed but encouraging
5. April 16, 2007 - Breastfeeding may protect against breast cancer
6. April 16, 2007 - Progress Toward A Targeted Therapy For A Specific Form Of Leukemia - also here
7. April 16, 2007 - Eat Your Fruits And Vegetables: One Extra Serving Per Day May Lower Your Risk Of Head And Neck Cancer
8. April 16, 2007 - Breast Cancer Risk Linked To Epigenetic Changes Related To Race, Smoking And Birth Size - also here
9. April 16, 2007 - Mold By-product Kills Multiple Myeloma - also here
10. April 16, 2007 - Snake Venom As Therapeutic Treatment Of Cancer?
11. April 16, 2007 - Investigational Cancer Drug Targets Critical Proteins - also here
12. April 16, 2007 - Detecting Head Or Neck Cancer With Oral Rinse
13. April 16, 2007 - Breath Test To Identify Early Stage Lung Cancer
14. April 16, 2007 - Enhancing Chemotherapy's Efficacy: New Agent Has Synergistic Effect With Standard Drugs - also here
15. April 16, 2007 - New imaging method shows whether treatment for advanced prostate cancer is working
16. April 17, 2007 - Soy, broccoli anti-cancer link explained
17. April 17, 2007 - Breastfeeding may protect older mothers from cancer
18. April 17, 2007 - Aspirin reduces overall cancer and mortality rates - also here
19. April 17, 2007 - Researchers link gene mutation to Erbitux response
20. April 17, 2007 - Bringing Cancer to the Dinner Table: Breast Cancer Cells Grow Under Influence of Fish Flesh
21. April 17, 2007 - Genetic Instability And Development Of Second Primary Tumors After Hodgkin's Disease
22. April 17, 2007 - Untreated Asthma May Increase Risk Of Lung Metastasis
23. April 17, 2007 - Determining Risks Of Second Cancers Among Survivors Of Cervical Cancer
24. April 17, 2007 - Scientists Induce Cell Death In Leukemia - also here, here
25. April 17, 2007 - Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer For Women Who Delay Childbirth - also here
26. April 17, 2007 - High Levels Of Antibodies, Low Levels Of Cancer?
27. April 17, 2007 - Can Aspirin Help Keep Cancer At Bay?
28. April 17, 2007 - Blood DNA Can Be Early Predictor Of Liver Cancer - also here
29. April 17, 2007 - Popular Herbal Supplement Hinders Growth Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells - also here
30. April 17, 2007 - Accurately Predicting Pancreatic Cancer Risk
31. April 17, 2007 - Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows
32. April 17, 2007 - Risk Of Second Malignant Neoplasms After Childhood Leukemia And Lymphoma
33. April 17, 2007 - Cetuximab and irinotecan combination increases survival in metastatic colorectal cancer
34. April 17, 2007 - Researchers develop pancreas cancer risk model
35. April 18, 2007 - Cannabis compound slows lung cancer in mice
36. April 18, 2007 - Race differences in breast cancer due to biology
37. April 18, 2007 - Chromosomes Tell Tale Of Patient's Risk For New, Future Cancer - also here, here
38. April 18, 2007 - Genes And Biomarkers That Allow Doctors To Choose The Right Therapy For The Right Patient
39. April 18, 2007 - Detection Of Melanoma By Dermatologists Linked With Higher Survival Rates - also here
40. April 18, 2007 - Long-term Use Of Adult-strength Aspirin Linked To A Moderate Decreased Cancer Risk - also here
41. April 18, 2007 - HRT linked to ovarian cancer risk
42. April 19, 2007 - Virus Sent To Attack Brain Tumors From The Inside Out
43. April 19, 2007 - HRT increases risk of dying from ovarian cancer
44. April 19, 2007 - Two studies link hormones and cancer in women
45. April 19, 2007 - Key Gene That May Be A Marker Of Breast Cancer Metastasis Identified - also here
46. April 19, 2007 - Cetuximab Increases Survival In Advanced Colorectal Cancer Patients - also here
47. April 19, 2007 - Strong Link Between Breast Cancer And Hormone Replacement Therapy Found
48. April 19, 2007 - Black Raspberries Yield Possible Skin Cancer Treatment
49. April 19, 2007 - Boosting Immune 'Killer Cells,' Increases Antibody Effectiveness Against Cancer - also here
50. April 19, 2007 - Nutrients In Certain Vegetables May Provide Cancer-fighting Benefit - also here, here
51. April 19, 2007 - Enzyme Could Be Used To Predict Survival And Recurrence Rates For Nasopharyngeal Cancer
52. April 19, 2007 - Decrease in breast cancer incidence linked to drop in hormone replacement
53. April 19, 2007 - Decrease in breast cancer rates related to reduction in use of hormone replacement therapy
54. April 19, 2007 - Reaction to report on breast cancer incidence in 2003 in US
55. April 19, 2007 - Breast Cancer Drop Tied To Less Hormone Use
56. April 19, 2007 - Hormones Can Raise Breast Cancer Risk - also here
57. April 20, 2007 - Why cisplatin kills breast cancer cells when other drugs fail
58. April 20, 2007 - Molecular signature may identify cisplatin-sensitive breast tumors
59. April 20, 2007 - Researchers Report Ability to Detect Cancer at Earliest, Curable Stage
60. April 21, 2007 - Novel Drug Shows Potential For Treating Leukemia - also here, here
61. April 22, 2007 - Knocking Out Survival Protein Could Aid Leukemia Treatment - also here

Cancer vaccines

1. April 16, 2007 - Antigenics vaccine shows promise in brain cancer
2. April 16, 2007 - Brain Tumor Vaccine Trial Shows Promising Results - also here, here
3. April 18, 2007 - Breast Cancer Vaccine Stimulates Potent Immune Response To Cancer Cells
4. April 20, 2007 - Head And Neck Cancer Vaccine Targets Proteins To Create Immune Response - also here
5. April 20, 2007 - Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Halts Progression Of Disease In Some Patients - also here
6. April 20, 2007 - Cancer Vaccines: Taking A Jab At Cancer By Stimulating The Immune System

MicroRNA as tumor suppressor

1. April 16, 2007 - MicroRNAs as tumor suppressors - also here
2. April 26, 2007 - MicroRNAs Can Be Tumor Suppressors - also here, here

Nanoparticle biomarker detection

1. April 16, 2007 - Smart Hydrogel Nanoparticles For Serum Cancer Biomarkers Harvesting
2. April 22, 2007 - Nano-nose sniffs out sickness
3. April 26, 2007 - Scientists Create Nano Nose Aimed At Sniffing Out Diseased Cells - also here

Diabetes

1. April 16, 2007 - Two drugs comparable for diabetes in children
2. April 16, 2007 - No Sign That Ethnic Groups' Genes Cause Diabetes
3. April 19, 2007 - Standard Long-acting Insulin As Good As Newer Medications
4. April 20, 2007 - Exercise may lower diabetes risk in older adults

Gene therapy for Parkinson's disease

1. April 16, 2007 - Novel Gene Therapy Hints at Improvement - also here, here

Stem cells

1. April 16, 2007 - Stem cell study zeroes in on ALS cause
2. April 18, 2007 - Stem Cells Decrease Ischemic Injury And Restore Brain Function - also here, here
3. April 18, 2007 - Stem Cells Provide New Tool For Studying Disease And Identifying ALS Drugs - also here, here
4. April 20, 2007 - System For Expanding Stem Cells To Form Cartilage Tissue Under Development

Alzheimer's disease

1. April 17, 2007 - Sound-system spots early Alzheimer's in brain waves
2. April 17, 2007 - Alzheimer's And Dementia: Brain Structure Changes Years Before Memory Loss Begins
3. April 17, 2007 - Research Could Lead To Treatment For Alzheimer's Disease - also here, here
4. April 17, 2007 - Brain changes seen in Alzheimer's victims before memory loss
5. April 19, 2007 - Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Brain Lesions
6. April 20, 2007 - Brain structure changes precede impaired cognition

Avian flu

1. April 17, 2007 - US approves first bird flu vaccine for people
2. April 17, 2007 - FDA approves Sanofi bird flu vaccine
3. April 17, 2007 - U.S. approves first bird flu vaccine for people
4. April 19, 2007 - Bird Flu Genome Study Shows New Strains, Western Spread
5. April 19, 2007 - Map Predicting Spread Of Avian Flu - also here
6. April 20, 2007 - Tamiflu key to treat bird flu, avoid steroids: WHO
7. April 21, 2007 - Bangladesh says bird flu spread to more farms

High omega-6 fat levels, inflammation, and depression

1. April 17, 2007 - Fatty acid tied to depression and inflammation - also here

Persistent effects of early heart disease risk factors

1. April 17, 2007 - Heart Disease: Having Elevated Risk Factors In Young Adulthood Raises Later Risks Too - also here
2. April 25, 2007 - Heart disease risk should be assessed early

Genetic factors in myelination

1. April 17, 2007 - Researchers discover gene crucial for nerve cell insulation - also here

Influenza and heart disease

1. April 18, 2007 - Flu triggers heart attacks, study shows
2. April 18, 2007 - Flu Is A Trigger Of Heart Attacks, Researchers Say

Hypertension

1. April 18, 2007 - Panel backs new use of Bristol hypertension drug

Cancer risks from nanoparticles

1. April 18, 2007 - Nanoparticles Can Damage DNA, Increase Cancer Risk - also here

Nanoparticle gene therapy for cancer

1. April 18, 2007 - Intravenous Nanoparticle Gene Therapy Shows Activity In Stage IV Lung Cancer - also here, here
2. April 18, 2007 - Novel Viral-based Gene Therapy Targets Tumors, Leave Normal Cells Alone

Malaria

1. April 18, 2007 - Malaria-infected mice cured by 1 dose of new drug - also here

AIDS

1. April 19, 2007 - Natural peptide protects against HIV
2. April 20, 2007 - Natural Ingredient Of Human Blood Effectively Blocks HIV
3. April 21, 2007 - Peptide that thwarts HIV found

Parkinson's disease

1. April 19, 2007 - Dairy food linked with Parkinson's disease in men
2. April 22, 2007 - Parkinson's Drugs Undergoing Tests - also here

Salt and cardiovascular disease

1. April 19, 2007 - Salt may affect more than blood pressure: study
2. April 19, 2007 - Cutting salt 'reduces heart risk'
3. April 20, 2007 - Low-salt diet prevents heart attacks and strokes
4. April 20, 2007 - Eating Less Salt Could Prevent Cardiovascular Disease - also here, here
5. April 20, 2007 - Scientists prove that salty diet costs lives

Hepatitis

1. April 19, 2007 - Hepatitis A And Hepatitis C Attack Same Protein To Block Immune Defenses, Scientists Find - also here

Methamphetamine

1. April 19, 2007 - Lab Finds Meth Receptor That Could Lead To New Therapy - also here

Genetic factors in cardiovascular disease

1. April 19, 2007 - Twin Studies Reveal Genetic Components Leading To Cardiac And Kidney Disease - also here

Stem cells and cancer

1. April 19, 2007 - Discoveries Thrust Cancer-initiating Stem Cells Into A Larger Role In Cancer Biology And Treatment - also here

Antioxidants in fruit

1. April 20, 2007 - Fruit proves better than vitamin C alone

Resveratrol content of wine

1. April 20, 2007 - Resveratrol Content Varies Among Red Wines

Green tea and autoimmune disease

1. April 20, 2007 - Green Tea And EGCG May Help Prevent Autoimmune Diseases - also here, here

Polyphenols and anthocyanins in berries

1. April 20, 2007 - Strawberry Daiquiris: The Extra-healthy Cocktail? - also here, here
2. April 20, 2007 - Fruity cocktails count as health food, study finds

Dichloroacetate

1. April 20, 2007 - Cheap molecule may attack tumours

Crohn's disease

1. April 21, 2007 - Susceptibility To Crohn's Disease -- An Important New Clue - also here

Copyright © 2007 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved