Volume 7, Number 8 February 25, 2008

Physical sciences and technology Hydrogen generation Oceans and climate change Global warming Water on Mars Computer vision Milky Way Nanotechnology Gravitationally lensed galaxies Organic electronics DNA nanotechnology Fiber optic communications Graphene Cosmic inflation Dark matter web Solar cells Pulsars and magnetars Carbon nanotubes Quantum computing Black holes Exascale computing Computer language translation Eta carinae James Webb Space Telescope Plate tectonics Life sciences Helicases Human-pathogen protein interactions Eye movement and visual perception Fear and the amygdala Consciousness Context and visual perception 1918 influenza pandemic Population genetics Animal intelligence Choanoflagellates Modern human origins Neurophonetics Long-term memory Human culture and natural selection Human genetic diversity Oxidative stress Sex differences in episodic memory Napping and memory Emotions and brain activity Cancer stem cells CREB and long-distance signaling in developing neurons Cell signaling Bacterial microcompartments Protein-protein interactions MicroRNA and innate immune response Neurogenesis in fruit flies Iconic abilities in great apes Insulin resistance Bacterial defense against immune systems Health and medicine Avian flu Cancer Stem cells Optical frequency comb breath analysis Diabetes Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Cardiovascular disease AIDS Malaria Cocaine addiction Cortisol, anger, and healing Alzheimer's disease Modeling HIV epidemics Tuberculosis Parkinson's disease Antidepressants Autism Inflammatory bowel disease Antibiotics and mathematical modeling of epidemics Gene therapy for cancer Schizophrenia Antibiotic resistance Mitochondria and cellular health

Physical sciences and technology

Hydrogen generation

1. February 18, 2008 - Solar cell speeds hydrogen production
2. February 19, 2008 - Solar Cell Directly Splits Water To Produce Recoverable Hydrogen
3. February 20, 2008 - New Aluminum-rich Alloy Produces Hydrogen On-demand For Large-scale Uses - also here, here

Oceans and climate change

1. February 18, 2008 - Southern Ocean rise due to warming, not ice
2. February 24, 2008 - Climate Change Has Major Impact On Oceans

Global warming

1. February 19, 2008 - Solar evidence points to human causes of climate change
2. February 21, 2008 - Greenland's Rising Air Temperatures Drive Ice Loss At Surface And Beyond - also here, here
3. February 22, 2008 - Antarctic glaciers surge to ocean

Water on Mars

1. February 20, 2008 - Martian crater records aftermath of Amazon-like flood
2. February 20, 2008 - Water gushes created "staircases" on Mars: study
3. February 21, 2008 - Unique Martian Formation Reveals Brief Bursts Of Water - also here, here
4. February 21, 2008 - Research Explains Formation of Unique Martian Fans
5. February 25, 2008 - How Groundwater Shaped Mars

Computer vision

1. February 20, 2008 - Teaching Computers to See Like a Human
2. February 20, 2008 - Learning About Brains From Computers, And Vice Versa

Milky Way

1. February 20, 2008 - Milky Way twice as thick as we think
2. February 20, 2008 - Milky Way is much bigger than we thought

Nanotechnology

1. February 20, 2008 - Strengthening Fluids With Nanoparticles - also here, here
2. February 20, 2008 - Chemists measure copper levels in zinc oxide nanowires - also here, here

Gravitationally lensed galaxies

1. February 20, 2008 - Dozens Of Gravitationally Lensed Galaxies Discovered In Distant Universe - also here
2. March 4, 2008 - Universe Loaded With Natural Magnifying Glasses
3. March 6, 2008 - Gravity Helps Astronomers See the Unseen

Organic electronics

1. February 20, 2008 - Directed self-ordering of organic molecules for electronic devices - also here, here

DNA nanotechnology

1. February 20, 2008 - Researchers Discover New Way to Store Information Via DNA - also here

Fiber optic communications

1. February 20, 2008 - Fiber-optic booster on a chip
2. February 24, 2008 - Flawless Data Reception For Internet And Other Fiber-based Telecommunications - also here

Graphene

1. February 20, 2008 - Graphene Takes the Heat
2. February 21, 2008 - Computers get to work on graphene ribbon

Cosmic inflation

1. February 20, 2008 - Vector inflation points the way

Dark matter web

1. February 21, 2008 - Giant ropes of dark matter found in new sky survey
2. February 22, 2008 - Found! Biggest web of dark matter
3. February 22, 2008 - Astronomers Discover Largest-ever Dark Matter Structures Spanning 270M Light-years - also here, here

Solar cells

1. February 21, 2008 - Dark Side of Solar Cells Brightens
2. February 22, 2008 - Cloudy Outlook For Solar Panels: Costs Substantially Eclipse Benefits, Study Shows - also here
3. February 22, 2008 - Energetic Nanoparticles Swing Sunlight Into Electricity
4. February 22, 2008 - Moth eyes may hold key to more efficient solar cells

Pulsars and magnetars

1. February 21, 2008 - Right Before Our Eyes
2. February 21, 2008 - A Magnetar in Sheep's Clothing
3. February 22, 2008 - Powerful Explosions Suggest Neutron Star Missing Link - also here, here
4. February 22, 2008 - Jekyll-Hyde neutron star discovered by researchers

Carbon nanotubes

1. February 21, 2008 - Nanotube Wires Made To Operate At Speed Of Commercial Chips

Quantum computing

1. February 21, 2008 - Analogue logic for quantum computing - also here

Black holes

1. February 22, 2008 - Black hole defends its heavyweight title

Exascale computing

1. February 22, 2008 - Fastest Computer: One Million Trillion 'Flops' Per Second Targeted - also here

Computer language translation

1. February 22, 2008 - Fast-learning Computer Translates From Four Languages

Eta carinae

1. February 22, 2008 - Rare Massive Star, Eta Carinae, Produces Vast Winds Of Colliding Electrically-charged Particles

James Webb Space Telescope

1. February 23, 2008 - Minaturized 'SIDECAR' Drives Webb Telescope's Signal - also here

Plate tectonics

1. February 23, 2008 - Surprise On Journey To Center Of The Earth: Light Tectonic Plates Lead The Way - also here, here

Life sciences

Helicases

1. February 18, 2008 - Probing A DNA Repair Enzyme - also here

Human-pathogen protein interactions

1. February 18, 2008 - Human-pathogen Protein Interactions Illuminated With Bioinformatics - also here

Eye movement and visual perception

1. February 18, 2008 - Why Does The World Appear Stable While Our Eyes Move?

Fear and the amygdala

1. February 18, 2008 - Very Young Found To Process Fear Memories In Unique Way

Consciousness

1. February 19, 2008 - Nature Of Consciousness: How Activity Of Single Neurons In Human Brain Reflect Conscious Perception - also here

Context and visual perception

1. February 19, 2008 - How Believing Can Be Seeing: Context Dictates What We Believe We See

1918 influenza pandemic

1. February 19, 2008 - Spread Of 1918 Flu Pandemic Explained - also here

Population genetics

1. February 20, 2008 - On the origin of deleterious mutations

Animal intelligence

1. February 20, 2008 - Animals are smart, but not savants
2. February 20, 2008 - Do Animals Think Like Autistic Savants? - also here
3. February 22, 2008 - Do animals think like autistic savants?

Choanoflagellates

1. February 20, 2008 - Genome Of Marine Organism Tells Of Humans' Unicellular Ancestors

Modern human origins

1. February 20, 2008 - Gene studies confirm "out of Africa" theories - also here
2. February 21, 2008 - Out of Africa: Human odyssey traced in detail
3. February 21, 2008 - Ancient 'Out of Africa' migration left stamp on European genetic diversity - also here
4. February 21, 2008 - Massive Genetic Study Supports "Out of Africa" Theory
5. February 22, 2008 - DNA Study Supports African Origin of Man - also here, here, here, here

Neurophonetics

1. February 20, 2008 - Linguist Tunes In To Pitch Processing In Brain

Long-term memory

1. February 20, 2008 - New Patterns Of Brain Activation Used In Forming Long-term Memories Identified - also here, here
2. February 23, 2008 - Secrets Of Memories' Staying Power Revealed Through Genetic Tags In Mice - also here

Human culture and natural selection

1. February 20, 2008 - Human Culture Subject To Natural Selection, Study Shows - also here

Human genetic diversity

1. February 21, 2008 - Most Detailed Global Study Of Genetic Variation Completed
2. February 21, 2008 - Largest yet survey of human genetic diversity

Oxidative stress

1. February 21, 2008 - Genetic Pathway Critical To Disease, Aging Found - also here

Sex differences in episodic memory

1. February 21, 2008 - Sex Differences In Memory: Women Better Than Men At Remembering Everyday Events - also here, here

Napping and memory

1. February 21, 2008 - Six-minute nap 'may boost memory'

Emotions and brain activity

1. February 22, 2008 - Advertisers, Neuroscientists Trace Source Of Emotions In Brain

Cancer stem cells

1. February 22, 2008 - Precancerous Stem Cells Can Form Tumor Blood Vessels - also here

CREB and long-distance signaling in developing neurons

1. February 22, 2008 - Scientists Shed Light On Long-distance Signaling In Developing Neurons - also here, here

Cell signaling

1. February 22, 2008 - Mechanism discovered in worm defecation identifies potentially widespread cell-to-cell communication - also here, here

Bacterial microcompartments

1. February 22, 2008 - Biochemists reveal details of mysterious bacterial microcompartments - also here

Protein-protein interactions

1. February 22, 2008 - Novel method to reveal drug targets - also here, here

MicroRNA and innate immune response

1. February 24, 2008 - Single MicroRNA Fine-tunes Innate Immune Response - also here

Neurogenesis in fruit flies

1. February 24, 2008 - Mammalian-like Neurogenesis In Fruit Flies - also here
2. February 29, 2008 - Building Brains: Mammalian-like Neurogenesis In Fruit Flies

Iconic abilities in great apes

1. February 24, 2008 - Inside The Head Of An Ape

Insulin resistance

1. February 24, 2008 - Novel Link Between Excessive Nutrient Levels And Insulin Resistance Uncovered - also here

Bacterial defense against immune systems

1. February 24, 2008 - Bacteria Use 'Invisibility Cloak' To Hide From Human Immune System - also here

Health and medicine

Avian flu

1. February 18, 2008 - China confirms new human death from bird flu
2. February 18, 2008 - Indonesian boy dies of bird flu
3. February 19, 2008 - Dead poultry raises bird flu alarm in Vietnam
4. February 20, 2008 - Bird flu remains dangerous as it continues to mutate
5. February 21, 2008 - Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Tibet
6. February 24, 2008 - Woman in China's Guangdong has suspected bird flu

Cancer

1. February 18, 2008 - Early Gastric Cancer Can Be Seen With Optimal Band Imaging With Endoscopy - also here
2. February 18, 2008 - 'Cancer link' to heavy mobile use
3. February 19, 2008 - Physical job activity may cut prostate cancer risk
4. February 19, 2008 - HSP90: New Point Of View On Melanoma Of The Eye - also here, here
5. February 19, 2008 - Innovative Therapy For Hard-to-treat Solid Tumors Developed
6. February 19, 2008 - Which Men Are Likely To Have Persistent Prostate Cancer?
7. February 20, 2008 - Birth control pills may lower colon cancer risk
8. February 20, 2008 - Novel Highly Potent Anticancer Drug From The Sea Identified
9. February 20, 2008 - Overweight And Obese Men Have Lower PSA Values, Even Before They Get Prostate Cancer - also here, here
10. February 20, 2008 - NIST, NCI, SAIC partner on new method for detecting HER2 breast cancer
11. February 21, 2008 - Diet patterns tied to breast, ovarian cancers
12. February 21, 2008 - New Strategy For Normalizing Tumor Blood Supply Identified - also here, here
13. February 21, 2008 - Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancers More Likely To Spread To Other Organs - also here
14. February 21, 2008 - Missing Chromosome Predicts Brain Tumor Patients' Response To Treatment - also here
15. February 21, 2008 - Vaccine/antibody Therapy Effective, Milder Side Effects In Melanoma And Ovarian Cancer - also here
16. February 21, 2008 - Nightime light linked to cancer
17. February 21, 2008 - Decision on Genentech's Avastin could set new standard - also here
18. February 22, 2008 - Diet tied to breast and ovarian cancer risks
19. February 22, 2008 - Low cholesterol linked to stomach cancer risk
20. February 22, 2008 - FDA OKs Genentech's Avastin for breast cancer
21. February 22, 2008 - Stress may limit women's ability to fight HPV
22. February 22, 2008 - Immune System Versus Solid Tumor: An Example Of The Immune System Winning
23. February 22, 2008 - Tumor-killing Virus Selectively Targets Diseased Brain Cells - also here, here
24. February 22, 2008 - A novel hMSH2 gene mutation in colorectal cancer patients?
25. February 22, 2008 - FDA Clears Avastin for Breast Cancer - also here, here, here
26. February 22, 2008 - Study shows genes' role in lung cancer
27. February 24, 2008 - China gene experts search for answers on diabetes

Stem cells

1. February 18, 2008 - Stem Cell Therapy Trials To Mend Shattered Bones Coming Soon - also here, here
2. February 18, 2008 - Stem cell hope for bone fractures
3. February 19, 2008 - Stem cells help rats recover function after stroke - also here
4. February 20, 2008 - Human Embryonic Stem Cells Fix Stroke-Afflicted Rats
5. February 20, 2008 - Company's stem cells treat diabetes in mice - also here
6. February 20, 2008 - A Sweet Success for Embryonic Stem Cells
7. February 20, 2008 - Human Stem Cells Aid Stroke Recovery In Rats - also here
8. February 20, 2008 - Stem cell jabs reverse damage after strokes, doctors claim
9. February 21, 2008 - Insulin-secreting cells produced by stem cells

Optical frequency comb breath analysis

1. February 18, 2008 - Asthma, Cancer Diagnoses May Be Just a Breath Away
2. February 19, 2008 - Laser could provide breath test for cancer, asthma - also here
3. February 19, 2008 - Laser light may be able to detect diseases on the breath - also here
4. February 20, 2008 - Laser Light Can Detect Potential Diseases Via Breath Samples - also here
5. February 22, 2008 - Optical 'Frequency Comb' Can Detect The Breath Of Disease - also here

Diabetes

1. February 19, 2008 - Cortisol underlies diabetes-related mental woes
2. February 19, 2008 - Vildagliptin improves control of type 2 diabetes
3. February 20, 2008 - A1C test not accurate for diabetics on dialysis
4. February 20, 2008 - Standard Test For Blood Sugar Control Not Accurate In Diabetic Dialysis Patients - also here, here
5. February 22, 2008 - Older diabetics at risk of physical disabilities

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

1. February 19, 2008 - Community-acquired MRSA infection often fatal
2. February 19, 2008 - Immune System Protein Starves 'Staph' Bacteria, Could Lead To New Treatments
3. February 20, 2008 - Mathematical Modeling Offers New Approaches To Fight Dual-resistant Hospital Infections

Cardiovascular disease

1. February 19, 2008 - Single pill helps controls BP, cholesterol
2. February 20, 2008 - High BMI linked to death from stroke
3. February 20, 2008 - Depression plus hostility poses heart risk
4. February 21, 2008 - Daytime dozing may be warning sign of stroke
5. February 21, 2008 - Naps, Mammograms May Predict Stroke Risk - also here
6. February 21, 2008 - Stroke rate up for women in 30s to 50s - belly fat, obesity blamed - also here
7. February 21, 2008 - Focus On Atrial Fibrillation Recognizes Growing Importance Of Common Arrhythmia
8. February 22, 2008 - Study hints stroke drug could have wider use
9. February 22, 2008 - Obesity Linked To Stroke Increase Among Middle-aged Women - also here, here
10. February 22, 2008 - Study: Being Fit Can Lower Stroke Risk - also here, here
11. February 22, 2008 - Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure
12. February 22, 2008 - Daytime Dozing Linked To Increased Stroke Risk In Elderly
13. February 22, 2008 - Daytime dozing 'stroke warning'
14. February 22, 2008 - Atherosclerosis solution is likely many years away - also here
15. February 23, 2008 - Stroke Risk Factors May Signal Faster Cognitive Decline In Elderly - also here
16. February 24, 2008 - Moderate Level Of Aerobic Fitness May Lower Stroke Risk - also here
17. February 26, 2008 - Rise in midlife stroke in women linked to obesity

AIDS

1. February 19, 2008 - Imitating Monkey's 'Jumping Genes' Could Lead To New Treatments For HIV - also here, here
2. February 21, 2008 - Structure Of Protein That Mutates DNA Of The AIDS Virus HIV-1 Determined - also here
3. February 21, 2008 - Protein In Deer Tick Saliva Prevents HIV-1 From Attaching To T Cells
4. February 22, 2008 - Immune System Reactivated In Adults With HIV: Thymus Producing New T-cells

Malaria

1. February 19, 2008 - Early Detection Of Cerebral Malaria Possible, Animal Study Indicates

Cocaine addiction

1. February 19, 2008 - Cocaine's effects on brain metabolism may contribute to abuse - also here, here

Cortisol, anger, and healing

1. February 20, 2008 - Anger slows healing process after injury

Alzheimer's disease

1. February 20, 2008 - Childhood Lead Exposure Linked To Alzheimer's Disease, Study Suggests
2. February 22, 2008 - Protein May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease
3. February 22, 2008 - Computers could be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease - also here
4. February 23, 2008 - Memory Loss And Other Cognitive Impairment Becoming Less Common In Older Americans - also here, here

Modeling HIV epidemics

1. February 20, 2008 - Novel Mathematical Model Predicts New Wave Of Drug-resistant HIV Infections In San Francisco

Tuberculosis

1. February 20, 2008 - Key to TB's 'staying power' unlocked
2. February 21, 2008 - Vitamin E May Increase Tuberculosis Risk In Male Smokers With High Vitamin C Intake - also here, here

Parkinson's disease

1. February 20, 2008 - Research focuses on risk factor for Parkinson's disease
2. February 22, 2008 - Could Parkinson's Disease Risk Be Assessed Early Enough To Allow For Preventative Treatment?

Antidepressants

1. February 21, 2008 - Comparison Of Venlafaxine And SSRIs In The Treatment Of Depression - also here
2. February 22, 2008 - As Depression Symptoms Improve With Antidepressants, Hopelessness Can Linger - also here
3. February 23, 2008 - Potential Antidepressant Compounds Synthesized
4. February 24, 2008 - Antidepressant Effects Of Ketamine Explored - also here, here

Autism

1. February 21, 2008 - Gene Research May Help Explain Autistic Savants

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. February 22, 2008 - Inflammatory Bowel Disease May Mimic Gynecological Disorders In Clinical Presentation
2. February 22, 2008 - Safer And More Effective Way To Treat Crohn's Disease - also here

Antibiotics and mathematical modeling of epidemics

1. February 22, 2008 - Changing The Way Antibiotics Are Prescribed May Be Key To Controlling Epidemics

Gene therapy for cancer

1. February 22, 2008 - Gene Therapy 'Trains' Immune System To Destroy Brain Cancer Cells And Reverses Behavioral Deficits - also here

Schizophrenia

1. February 22, 2008 - Siblings Of Schizophrenia Patients Display Subtle Shape Abnormalities In Brain - also here, here

Antibiotic resistance

1. February 22, 2008 - The structure of resistance

Mitochondria and cellular health

1. February 24, 2008 - New test shows source of disease side-effects
2. February 24, 2008 - New chemical tool kit manipulates mitochondria, reveals insights into drug toxicity - also here, here

Copyright © 2008 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved