Volume 7, Number 2 January 14, 2008

Physical sciences and technology Galaxies Photonic crystals Carbon nanotubes Hubble Space Telescope Graphene Global warming Bose-Einstein condensates Black holes Antimatter and black holes Extrasolar planets Gamma-ray bursts Hidden quasars Plate tectonics and planet habitability Brain-computer interface Isolated star clusters Dark matter 'DNA origami' gene activity tool Nanotechnology and photovoltaics Planet formation Nanotechnology Antarctic ice loss Plastic optical fiber Dark energy Supernova remnants Solar cells Neutrinos Superconductivity Spin Hall effect for photons Life sciences Great Ordovician biodiversification event Sexual dimorphism Bacterial size Female mating strategy Gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor blockade Long-term memory consolidation Cell cycle genes Cancer stem cells Sleep MicroRNA and cancer Brain-imaging studies Gene transcription Cancer biology Brain and nervous system development Co-evolution of choosiness and cooperation Evolution of sex Brain satiety recognition MicroRNA DNA replication and epigenetics Health and medicine Autism Avian flu Health benefits of vitamin D Sirtuin-based diabetes drugs Cancer Antioxidants Parkinson's disease Drug addiction Cardiovascular disease Longevity-enhancing lifestyle Nanobiotechnology Weight-loss drugs Schizophrenia Alzheimer's disease Celiac disease Stem cells Diabetes AIDS Gene therapy Cholesterol Soy isoflavones and fat distributions Metabolic syndrome Obesity and depression Weight loss diets

Physical sciences and technology

Galaxies

1. January 7, 2008 - How to Make a Milky Way
2. January 8, 2008 - Galaxy's spiral arms point in opposite directions
3. January 8, 2008 - Baby Versions of Milky Way Spotted
4. January 9, 2008 - Astronomy Team Discovers Ancestors Of Milky Way-type Galaxies - also here, here
5. January 9, 2008 - Milky Way 'ancestors' discovered
6. January 10, 2008 - An Inconvenient Galaxy: Arms Winding 'Backwards' - also here
7. January 10, 2008 - Spiral Galaxy Winds Backwards
8. January 13, 2008 - Galaxy 'Hunting' Made Easy: Quasars Light The Way

Photonic crystals

1. January 7, 2008 - Researchers bend light through waveguides in colloidal crystals

Carbon nanotubes

1. January 7, 2008 - Plumbing Carbon Nanotubes
2. January 8, 2008 - Printable, Flexible Carbon-Nanotube Transistors

Hubble Space Telescope

1. January 8, 2008 - Upgraded Hubble telescope to be 90 times as powerful
2. January 8, 2008 - High Hopes for Hubble
3. January 8, 2008 - Hubble Telescope upgrade on hold
4. January 9, 2008 - US shuttle glitches may delay Hubble mission: NASA
5. January 9, 2008 - Fix will give Hubble major boost
6. January 10, 2008 - NASA Announces Details Of Hubble Servicing Mission - also here, here

Graphene

1. January 8, 2008 - Carbon nanosheets promise super-fast chips
2. January 8, 2008 - Graphene makes movement easy for electrons
3. January 21, 2008 - Graphene breaks speed record - also here
4. January 23, 2008 - Graphene Speed Record

Global warming

1. January 8, 2008 - 2008 Likely To Be One Of The Top-ten Warmest Years
2. January 13, 2008 - Older Arctic Sea Ice Replaced By Young, Thin Ice - also here, here
3. January 13, 2008 - Study: Northeast Winters Warming Fast - also here

Bose-Einstein condensates

1. January 8, 2008 - BEC goes with the flow

Black holes

1. January 8, 2008 - VLBA Movies Reveal New Details of Cosmic Jets
2. January 9, 2008 - Rogue Black Holes May Abound in Milky Way
3. January 9, 2008 - Rogue Black Holes Might Fill Our Galaxy
4. January 9, 2008 - Colossal Black Hole Shatters the Scales
5. January 10, 2008 - Biggest black hole in the cosmos discovered
6. January 10, 2008 - Middleweight black holes roam the galaxy undetected
7. January 10, 2008 - Earth under threat from rogue black holes
8. January 10, 2008 - Galaxy May Hold Hundreds Of Rogue Black Holes - also here, here
9. January 10, 2008 - Hundreds of "Rogue" Black Holes May Roam Milky Way
10. January 10, 2008 - New X-ray Source In Nearby Galaxy Spawns Mystery - also here
11. January 10, 2008 - Even Thin Galaxies Can Grow Fat Black Holes - also here
12. January 10, 2008 - Even Thin Galaxies Pack Hefty Black Holes
13. January 11, 2008 - Thin galaxies harbour big secret
14. January 11, 2008 - Rapidly Whirling Black Holes Revealed - also here, here
15. January 11, 2008 - Light Echo Show From Wrenching Gravity Outside Black Hole Predicted - also here
16. January 12, 2008 - Monster Black Holes Soon to Collide?
17. January 12, 2008 - Rapid spin for giant black holes

Antimatter and black holes

1. January 9, 2008 - Galaxy's antimatter may leak from black holes
2. January 9, 2008 - Integral discovers the galaxy's antimatter cloud is lopsided - also here
3. January 9, 2008 - Mystery gamma-ray source pinned to vampire stars - also here, here
4. January 10, 2008 - Vast Cloud Of Antimatter Traced To Binary Stars
5. January 11, 2008 - Source of Mysterious Antimatter Found

Extrasolar planets

1. January 9, 2008 - Planet collision could explain alien world's heat
2. January 9, 2008 - Have Astronomers Observed the Aftermath of a Distant Planetary Collision? - also here
3. January 9, 2008 - Faraway Planets Collided, Study Suggests
4. January 11, 2008 - Balloon-borne telescope could image exoplanets

Gamma-ray bursts

1. January 9, 2008 - Mysterious Explosion Detected In The Distant Past, Halfway Back To Big Bang - also here, here

Hidden quasars

1. January 9, 2008 - Hidden Population of Powerful Black Holes Revealed in Large Sky Survey

Plate tectonics and planet habitability

1. January 9, 2008 - Earth: A Borderline Planet For Life? - also here

Brain-computer interface

1. January 10, 2008 - Brain-controlled computer switches on in a heartbeat

Isolated star clusters

1. January 10, 2008 - Stars in the Middle of Nowhere

Dark matter

1. January 10, 2008 - Astronomers Find Rare Double Einstein Ring
2. January 10, 2008 - Astronomers produce first detailed map of dark matter in a supercluster
3. January 11, 2008 - The violent lives of galaxies: Caught in the cosmic matter web - also here
4. January 11, 2008 - The secret life of galaxies
5. January 12, 2008 - Hubble Finds Double Einstein Ring - also here, here
6. January 14, 2008 - Dark matter "scaffolding" of galactic supercluster mapped
7. January 15, 2008 - Hubble peers into dark matter web
8. January 17, 2008 - Pools of Invisible Matter Mapped in Space

'DNA origami' gene activity tool

1. January 10, 2008 - Researchers make nano-scale DNA research tool - also here
2. January 11, 2008 - Nanotechnology innovation may revolutionize gene detection in a single cell - also here, here

Nanotechnology and photovoltaics

1. January 10, 2008 - New Nanostructured Thin Film Shows Promise For Efficient Solar Energy Conversion - also here, here

Planet formation

1. January 10, 2008 - 2 unusual older stars giving birth to second wave of planets - also here, here
2. January 10, 2008 - Big Space Thing Looks Like a Moth
3. January 10, 2008 - Planets form twice for old stars
4. January 11, 2008 - Aged stars parent second wave of planets
5. January 11, 2008 - Circumstellar Dust Takes Flight In 'The Moth' - also here
6. January 21, 2008 - Amazing Old Stars Give Birth Again

Nanotechnology

1. January 10, 2008 - Forces out of nothing - also here
2. January 11, 2008 - Large Cluster Complexes With Almost 500 Silver Atoms Synthesized - also here
3. January 11, 2008 - Body Heat To Power Cell Phones? Nanowires Enable Recovery Of Waste Heat Energy - also here, here
4. January 15, 2008 - Nanowires convert heat to electricity

Antarctic ice loss

1. January 10, 2008 - As Arctic Ice Melts, South Pole Ice Grows
2. January 11, 2008 - Antarctic ice loss speeding up
3. January 13, 2008 - Antarctic Ice Loss - also here, here
4. January 14, 2008 - Escalating Ice Loss Found in Antarctica

Plastic optical fiber

1. January 11, 2008 - Plastic fibres to bring cheap super-fast broadband
2. January 13, 2008 - Plastic Fiber Slashes Network Costs

Dark energy

1. January 11, 2008 - Super-computer Could Throw Light On 'Mysterious' Dark Energy - also here, here

Supernova remnants

1. January 11, 2008 - Supernova remnants dance in the LMC - also here, here, here

Solar cells

1. January 11, 2008 - New Stable And High-efficiency Solar Cells Developed

Neutrinos

1. January 11, 2008 - Designing a test of neutrinos as dark matter candidates
2. January 16, 2008 - Upgraded neutrino detector could root out dark matter

Superconductivity

1. January 11, 2008 - Physicists report novel interaction between superconductivity and magnetism
2. January 12, 2008 - New Understanding For Superconductivity At High Temperatures - also here

Spin Hall effect for photons

1. January 11, 2008 - Light exhibits spin Hall effect

Life sciences

Great Ordovician biodiversification event

1. January 7, 2008 - Did asteroids boost life on Earth?

Sexual dimorphism

1. January 7, 2008 - Evolution Of Male-female Differences Within A Shared Genome

Bacterial size

1. January 7, 2008 - Big Predators May Need Large Size To Conquer Prey, But Not True For Bacteria

Female mating strategy

1. January 7, 2008 - Sexual Conflict Resolution? Mating Frequency And Fitness In Fruit Flies

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor blockade

1. January 7, 2008 - Human Hormone Blocker Found To Help Prevent Obesity And Diabetes

Long-term memory consolidation

1. January 7, 2008 - Naps May Boost Memory
2. January 8, 2008 - Naps Help Your Memory, New Study Suggests - also here

Cell cycle genes

1. January 8, 2008 - 480 Genes That Control Human Cell Division Identified

Cancer stem cells

1. January 8, 2008 - Forever Young: Differentiation Blocked In Tumor Stem Cells
2. January 11, 2008 - Stem cells make bone marrow cancer resistant to treatment - also here

Sleep

1. January 8, 2008 - Why Sleep?

MicroRNA and cancer

1. January 9, 2008 - MicroRNAs Keep Tumors in Place
2. January 10, 2008 - Molecules can block breast cancer's ability to spread
3. January 11, 2008 - Small Molecule Can Prevent Spread Of Breast Cancer, Study Suggests - also here

Brain-imaging studies

1. January 9, 2008 - You Must Not Remember This
2. January 10, 2008 - Hypnosis Study Reveals Brain's 'Amnesia Centers' - also here
3. January 12, 2008 - Brain Response Differences In The Way Women With IBS Anticipate And React To Pain
4. January 13, 2008 - Culture Influences Brain Function, Study Shows - also here

Gene transcription

1. January 9, 2008 - New Light Shed On The Mechanics Of Gene Transcription - also here

Cancer biology

1. January 9, 2008 - Researchers find key to stopping cancer in its tracks
2. January 11, 2008 - Tumor Time Bombs Set Off by Stem Cells
3. January 11, 2008 - Common molecule notifies immune system of prostate cancer - also here
4. January 13, 2008 - Protein Expressed At Tumor Boundary May Be Essential To Tumor's Invasive Potential

Brain and nervous system development

1. January 10, 2008 - Two Proteins, Called BERT And ERNI, Control Brain Development - also here

Co-evolution of choosiness and cooperation

1. January 10, 2008 - Why It Pays To Be Choosy: The Co-evolution Of Choosiness And Cooperation

Evolution of sex

1. January 10, 2008 - Evolution Of The Sexes: What A Fungus Can Tell Us

Brain satiety recognition

1. January 10, 2008 - Overweight People May Not Know When They've Had Enough - also here, here

MicroRNA

1. January 10, 2008 - New twist in microRNA biology reported - also here, here

DNA replication and epigenetics

1. January 13, 2008 - New Discoveries About The Protein That Oversees DNA Replication

Health and medicine

Autism

1. January 7, 2008 - Mercury-vaccine link to autism disproven: study - also here
2. January 7, 2008 - Genetic hotspot for autism found
3. January 8, 2008 - Removing Thimerosal From Vaccines Did Not Reduce Autism Cases In California, Report Finds - also here, here
4. January 8, 2008 - Mercury's removal doesn't stop autism's rise, study shows
5. January 9, 2008 - DNA defect linked to 1 percent of autism cases
6. January 10, 2008 - Three studies suggest gene raises autism risk
7. January 10, 2008 - Novel Chromosome Abnormality Appears To Increase Risk Of Autism - also here, here
8. January 10, 2008 - Recurrent Genetic Deletion Linked To Autism, Study Shows - also here
9. January 10, 2008 - Rare genetic hot spot is linked to autism
10. January 10, 2008 - Study: Rare Gene Change Linked to Autism
11. January 11, 2008 - New Genetic Link To Autism Discovered By Studying Speech - also here
12. January 11, 2008 - Autism Risk Higher In People With Gene Variant - also here
13. January 11, 2008 - Researchers move 2 steps closer to understanding genetic underpinnings of autism - also here, here

Avian flu

1. January 7, 2008 - China says latest bird flu outbreak under control - also here
2. January 9, 2008 - Polish bird flu under control
3. January 10, 2008 - Bird flu strikes UK wildlife
4. January 10, 2008 - China says son likely infected father with bird flu
5. January 10, 2008 - Bird flu virus stable but mutation risks remain: OIE
6. January 10, 2008 - Deadly H5N1 bird flu kills three swans in England

Health benefits of vitamin D

1. January 7, 2008 - Vitamin D deficiency linked to heart, stroke risk
2. January 7, 2008 - More sun is healthy, despite skin cancer risk, study says
3. January 8, 2008 - More Sun Exposure May Be Good For Some People - also here, here
4. January 8, 2008 - Lack Of Vitamin D May Increase Heart Disease Risk - also here
5. January 8, 2008 - Enjoy the sun on doctor's orders
6. January 9, 2008 - Fighting cancer with sunshine

Sirtuin-based diabetes drugs

1. January 7, 2008 - Resveratrol-like drug works in humans-Sirtris
2. January 7, 2008 - Sirtris Announces Positive Results with Proprietary Version of Resveratrol, SRT501, in a Phase 1b Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Study

Cancer

1. January 7, 2008 - Fatherhood linked to prostate cancer risk
2. January 8, 2008 - BRCA genes get help in causing breast cancer-study
3. January 8, 2008 - Statins cut cancer risk, too: U.S. study
4. January 8, 2008 - Docetaxel Given After Doxorubicin Reduces Recurrence, Study Suggests - also here
5. January 8, 2008 - Improving Prognosis And Treatment Of Lung Cancer - also here
6. January 9, 2008 - Missing molecules key to breast cancer spread - also here
7. January 9, 2008 - Immune rejection drug shrinks rare tumors
8. January 9, 2008 - Breast Cancer Risk Varies Significantly Among BRCA1 And BRCA2 Carriers - also here, here
9. January 9, 2008 - Fatherhood Linked To Prostate Cancer Risk
10. January 9, 2008 - Statin Use May Be Associated with Reduced Cancer Risk, Says Study
11. January 9, 2008 - Transplant Drug Sirolimus Shrinks Tumors, Improves Lung Function - also here, here
12. January 10, 2008 - New breast cancer screening test would use saliva
13. January 10, 2008 - How Less Can Be More When Treating Some Kidney Cancers - also here, here
14. January 11, 2008 - Ovary removal ups breast cancer survival for some
15. January 11, 2008 - Saliva Test To Detect Breast Cancer Could Be Done By Dentist, Study Suggests - also here
16. January 11, 2008 - Protein helps pancreatic cancer cells evade immune system and spread - also here
17. January 13, 2008 - Genetic Breakthrough Offers Promise In Tackling Kidney Tumors - also here, here

Antioxidants

1. January 7, 2008 - New Cranberry Hybrid High In Antioxidants

Parkinson's disease

1. January 7, 2008 - Breaking Down The Potential Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Parkinson Disease
2. January 7, 2008 - Risk factors for Parkinson's disease under study
3. January 9, 2008 - Trichloroethylene (TCE) Is A Risk Factor For Parkinsonism, Study Shows
4. January 9, 2008 - Can A Smell Test Predict Parkinson's Disease?

Drug addiction

1. January 7, 2008 - Assembling The Jigsaw Puzzle Of Drug Addiction - also here
2. January 8, 2008 - Drug addiction genes identified - also here

Cardiovascular disease

1. January 7, 2008 - New gene identified for condition that causes blood clots in brain
2. January 7, 2008 - Study: Anxiety May Be Bad for Your Heart - also here
3. January 8, 2008 - Anxious people have higher heart risk
4. January 9, 2008 - Healthy Smile May Promote A Healthy Heart
5. January 10, 2008 - Genetic link to high cholesterol found - also here
6. January 10, 2008 - A few extra pounds may harm kids' heart health
7. January 10, 2008 - High Blood Pressure In Older Adults Traced To Gene's Effects In Blood Vessels - also here
8. January 11, 2008 - Anxiety and depression predict events in heart patients
9. January 11, 2008 - Anxiety Hikes Heart Attack Risk - also here
10. January 11, 2008 - Eat Less Or Exercise More? Either Way Leads To More Youthful Hearts - also here, here
11. January 12, 2008 - Construction Of Heart Modelling Leads Path To New Therapies - also here, here
12. January 13, 2008 - Risk Factors For Blood Clots, Venous Thromboembolism, In Women Identified
13. January 13, 2008 - Is Your Heart Racing For The Wrong Reason?

Longevity-enhancing lifestyle

1. January 8, 2008 - Four health changes can prolong life 14 years
2. January 8, 2008 - Healthy living 'can add 14 years' - also here, here, here
3. January 9, 2008 - Study: These habits can add 14 years
4. January 9, 2008 - Four Health Behaviors Can Add 14 Extra Years Of Life
5. January 9, 2008 - A drink a day for a longer life: study
6. January 9, 2008 - Staying Active And Drinking Moderately Is The Key To A Long Life, Study Suggests - also here, here
7. January 9, 2008 - A little alcohol 'can be healthy'

Nanobiotechnology

1. January 8, 2008 - Magnetically Guided Nanoparticles May Deliver Treatment To Organs - also here
2. January 8, 2008 - For Remote-Control Cells, Just Add Magnets
3. January 9, 2008 - Researchers Use Magnetic Fields, Rather Than Drugs, To Control Cellular Signaling - also here

Weight-loss drugs

1. January 9, 2008 - New Diet Drug in Battle of the Bulge
2. January 9, 2008 - Metformin helps with antipsychotic weight loss
3. January 9, 2008 - Diabetes Medication And Lifestyle Changes Can Help Treat Weight Gain Induced By Antipsychotic Drugs - also here
4. January 10, 2008 - Experimental Weight-loss Drug Cuts Appetite, Burns More Energy, Study Suggests - also here

Schizophrenia

1. January 9, 2008 - Ethnicity Predicts How Gene Variations Affect Response to Schizophrenia Medications
2. January 9, 2008 - Genetic variant predicts antipsychotic response for schizophrenia patients by ethnicity
3. January 10, 2008 - New Treatment Mechanisms For Schizophrenia - also here

Alzheimer's disease

1. January 9, 2008 - Reversal Of Alzheimer's Symptoms Within Minutes In Human Study
2. January 10, 2008 - People live 4.5 years after dementia strikes: study
3. January 10, 2008 - Dementia drug instant hit claim
4. January 11, 2008 - Arthritis drug may ease dementia: case-report
5. January 11, 2008 - People With Dementia Survive On Average Four And A Half Years After Diagnosis - also here, here
6. January 11, 2008 - Memantine and Alzheimer's disease - also here

Celiac disease

1. January 9, 2008 - Celiac Disease: Discovery Of Enzyme's Structure May Lead To New Treatments

Stem cells

1. January 9, 2008 - New Insight Into Factors That Drive Muscle-building Stem Cells - also here
2. January 10, 2008 - Stem cell breakthrough leaves embryos unharmed
3. January 10, 2008 - Embryos Survive Stem Cell Harvest
4. January 10, 2008 - Embryo-friendly technique produces stem cells - also here
5. January 10, 2008 - Niche Control Of Stem Cell Function - also here
6. January 11, 2008 - Lab Cites Stem Cell Advance
7. January 12, 2008 - Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Created Without The Destruction Of Embryos

Diabetes

1. January 9, 2008 - Carrot cake study on sugar in type 2 diabetes - also here
2. January 10, 2008 - Statins seen beneficial for nearly all diabetics
3. January 10, 2008 - Findings show how alcohol lowers blood sugar
4. January 10, 2008 - Low glucose most likely in early diabetic pregnancy
5. January 10, 2008 - Researchers Trigger Insulin Production In Diabetic Mice - also here, here
6. January 11, 2008 - How Antioxidant Therapy May Play A Role In The Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes

AIDS

1. January 10, 2008 - HIV helpers can be hijacked
2. January 11, 2008 - Gene scan finds hundreds of possible AIDS targets
3. January 11, 2008 - Genomic Screen Nets Hundreds Of Human Proteins Exploited By HIV
4. January 11, 2008 - New Picture Of HIV-1's Protein Jacket Identifies Target For Antibody-based Vaccine - also here, here
5. January 11, 2008 - Study Finds Possible Targets for H.I.V. Drugs
6. January 11, 2008 - Proteins Found That AIDS Virus Preys On - also here
7. January 15, 2008 - Uncovering The Achilles' Heel Of The HIV-1 Envelope - also here

Gene therapy

1. January 10, 2008 - Gene Therapy Cancers Prompt Design of Safer Virus
2. January 10, 2008 - Freeze-dried Tendon Implants Loaded With Gene Therapy Prove Effective In Mice - also here, here
3. January 12, 2008 - Gene therapy implants for tendons

Cholesterol

1. January 10, 2008 - Cholesterol May Actually Pose Benefits, Study Shows - also here, here
2. January 11, 2008 - Genetic Factors Behind High Cholesterol Illuminated - also here, here
3. January 12, 2008 - Breakthrough In Lowering Bad Cholesterol, Fatty Acid Levels Reported - also here
4. January 12, 2008 - Bad cholesterol genes discovered
5. January 13, 2008 - New genetic variants associated with lipid levels, risk for coronary artery disease - also here
6. January 13, 2008 - Scientists associate 6 new genetic variants with heart disease risk factor - also here, here
7. January 17, 2008 - Study Locates Cholesterol Genes; Finds Surprises About Good, Bad Cholesterol - also here

Soy isoflavones and fat distributions

1. January 11, 2008 - Soy may thwart belly-fat gain after menopause

Metabolic syndrome

1. January 11, 2008 - Pediatricians call for a cohesive definition of metabolic syndrome in children

Obesity and depression

1. January 12, 2008 - Obesity, Depression Often Coexist In Middle-Aged Women

Weight loss diets

1. January 13, 2008 - Most Effective Weight Loss Diet Revealed, According To New Study

Copyright © 2008 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved