Volume 7, Number 40 October 6, 2008

Physical sciences and technology Water on Mars Airy beams Carbon nanotubes Photovoltaics Astroparticle physics Robotics Galaxy diversity Dark energy Nanotechnology Supernovae Ocean acidification Galactic magnetic fields Linac Coherent Light Source Stellar birth rates Solar system formation Metamaterials Grid computing Naked black holes Arctic sea ice Dark matter Quantum communications Hydrogen storage Earthquakes Life sciences Bioinformatics Metagenomics Antioxidants and longevity Cortisol and aggression Brain-imaging studies Synaesthesia Speciation Diet, IGF-1, and longevity Exercise and brain metabolism Ultraconserved DNA regions Sexual selection Illusory pattern perception DNA repair MicroRNA Gene regulation Creative problem solving Visual perception of moving objects Coordination of cell movement Methanotrophic archaea Bacterial response to stress Functional architecture of the brain Systems biology Cell gradient sensing Evolutionary psychology Commensals and the immune system Adipocyte precursor cells Fat metabolism Opioid receptors and drug addiction Gluconeogenesis Attention and the thalamus Health and medicine Complement proteins and cancer Cancer Gene therapy Cardiovascular disease Adiponectin and cancer Influenza Cancer biology Influenza antivirals Tuberculosis Multiple sclerosis Prions Autism Drug delivery AIDS Diabetes Obesity Antibacterial properties of honey Sirtuin therapeutics Obesity, the hypothalamus, and NF-κB Rheumatoid arthritis Antibiotics Nanobiotechnology Inflammatory bowel disease Stem cells Antidepressants Avian flu

Physical sciences and technology

Water on Mars

1. September 29, 2008 - Water's Role in Martial Chemistry Becoming Clearer
2. September 29, 2008 - NASA extends Phoenix mission as snow falls on Mars
3. September 29, 2008 - Snowfall Seen on Mars
4. September 29, 2008 - Phoenix finds evidence of past liquid water on Mars
5. September 30, 2008 - Phoenix Finds Signs of Once-Liquid Water on Mars
6. September 30, 2008 - Robot lander detects snow falling on Mars
7. September 30, 2008 - Mars Lander Sees Falling Snow On Red Planet, Soil Data Suggest Liquid Past - also here
8. September 30, 2008 - Phoenix detects Red Planet snow
9. September 30, 2008 - Snow is the surprising forecast for Mars
10. September 30, 2008 - Mars lander finds minerals suggesting past water

Airy beams

1. September 29, 2008 - Light throws a curve ball

Carbon nanotubes

1. September 29, 2008 - Breakthrough for carbon nanotube materials
2. October 4, 2008 - Study On Properties Of Carbon Nanotubes, Water Could Have Wide-ranging Implications - also here

Photovoltaics

1. September 30, 2008 - Solar Cell Sets World Efficiency Record At 40.8 Percent
2. October 5, 2008 - Scientists develop solar cells with a twist - also here
3. October 9, 2008 - 'Stamp' method brings bendy, transparent solar cells

Astroparticle physics

1. September 30, 2008 - The 'Magnificent Seven' Of European Astroparticle Physics Unveiled To The World - also here

Robotics

1. September 30, 2008 - A Robot In Every Home?
2. October 1, 2008 - Your Robotic Friend, The Humanoid Robot

Galaxy diversity

1. September 30, 2008 - When It Comes to Galaxies, Diversity Is Everywhere - also here
2. October 6, 2008 - Galaxy Diversity Reveals Clues to Cosmic Evolution

Dark energy

1. September 30, 2008 - Do We Live in a Giant Cosmic Bubble?
2. October 1, 2008 - Teams merge for dark-energy mission

Nanotechnology

1. October 1, 2008 - Manipulating the quantum properties of diamond impurities is a step closer to quantum computing, finer-scale microscopes
2. October 2, 2008 - Zooming way in, technique offers close-ups of electrons, nuclei - also here
3. October 2, 2008 - NMR reaches the nanoscale
4. October 3, 2008 - Nanowire technology could make LCDs brighter, thinner, and cheaper

Supernovae

1. October 1, 2008 - Infrared Echoes Give NASA's Spitzer A Supernova Flashback - also here, here

Ocean acidification

1. October 1, 2008 - Ocean acidification turns up the volume

Galactic magnetic fields

1. October 1, 2008 - Galaxy is Surprisingly Magnetic
2. October 1, 2008 - Precocious galaxy's magnetic field is bizarrely strong
3. October 2, 2008 - First Detection Of Magnetic Field In Distant Galaxy Surprises Astronomers - also here, here
4. October 2, 2008 - Young Galaxy's Magnetism Surprises Astronomers

Linac Coherent Light Source

1. October 1, 2008 - Sensing the Energy: Calibrating the LCLS

Stellar birth rates

1. October 2, 2008 - More Star Births Than Astronomers Have Calculated - also here, here

Solar system formation

1. October 2, 2008 - Our Solar System Born in 'Little Bang'
2. October 3, 2008 - 'Little Bang' Triggered Solar System Formation - also here, here

Metamaterials

1. October 2, 2008 - Invisibility cloak for water waves

Grid computing

1. October 3, 2008 - CERN computer grid links 7,000 scientists
2. October 4, 2008 - World's Biggest Computing Grid Launched - also here

Naked black holes

1. October 3, 2008 - No Naked Black Holes

Arctic sea ice

1. October 3, 2008 - A Near-Record Arctic Melting
2. October 3, 2008 - Arctic Sea Ice Hits Second-lowest Recorded Extent, Likely Lowest Volume - also here, here
3. October 4, 2008 - Arctic Sea Ice Annual Freeze-up Underway - also here, here
4. October 8, 2008 - Arctic ocean covered by thin ice

Dark matter

1. October 3, 2008 - Dark matter makes galaxy's stars live long and prosper

Quantum communications

1. October 3, 2008 - Laser cracks 'unbreakable' quantum communications

Hydrogen storage

1. October 3, 2008 - High-tech sponge could take hydrogen cars further
2. October 8, 2008 - New Material Could Speed Development Of Hydrogen Powered Vehicles - also here

Earthquakes

1. October 5, 2008 - Tectonic fragment linked to Tokyo's quake peril: scientists

Life sciences

Bioinformatics

1. September 29, 2008 - Researchers develop new self-training gene prediction program for fungi

Metagenomics

1. September 30, 2008 - Microbes 'Run The World': Metagenomics Increasingly Used To Characterize Them

Antioxidants and longevity

1. September 30, 2008 - New study on antioxidants shows mixed results for life extension

Cortisol and aggression

1. September 30, 2008 - Antisocial behaviour hormone link
2. September 30, 2008 - Bad boys can blame behaviour on their hormones
3. October 1, 2008 - "Fight or flight" hormone limits aggression: study
4. October 5, 2008 - Antisocial Behavior May Be Caused By Low Stress Hormone Levels

Brain-imaging studies

1. September 30, 2008 - Herd mentality rules in financial crisis

Synaesthesia

1. September 30, 2008 - Do we all have some synaesthetic ability?

Speciation

1. October 1, 2008 - Cichlid fish vision change helped species diverge
2. October 1, 2008 - What you see is how you evolve
3. October 1, 2008 - Changes in sense organs could be splitting cichlids in an African lake into two species
4. October 1, 2008 - Red Fish, Blue Fish, One Fish Becomes Two Fish
5. October 1, 2008 - Love is blind for fish in murky waters
6. October 2, 2008 - Red fish, blue fish, speciation?
7. October 2, 2008 - New Fish Species May Emerge Because Of How Females See Males
8. October 7, 2008 - The Color of Evolution: How One Fish Became Two Fish

Diet, IGF-1, and longevity

1. October 1, 2008 - Cutting protein along with calories decreases IGF-1, a growth factor linked to cancer in humans

Exercise and brain metabolism

1. October 1, 2008 - During Exercise, Human Brain Shifts Into High Gear On 'Alternative Energy' - also here, here

Ultraconserved DNA regions

1. October 1, 2008 - Researchers investigate the dispensability of our DNA
2. October 2, 2008 - Mysterious snippets of DNA withstand eons of evolution - also here

Sexual selection

1. October 2, 2008 - Female birds sacrifice health to create more colourful eggs
2. October 4, 2008 - Traits Produced By Melanin May Signal The Bearer's Capacity To Combat Free Radicals - also here, here

Illusory pattern perception

1. October 2, 2008 - When Seeing IS Believing - also here
2. October 2, 2008 - Lack of control seen fueling superstitions
3. October 2, 2008 - This Is Getting Out of Control
4. October 3, 2008 - 'Illusions driving market havoc'
5. October 6, 2008 - Chaos may make you see 'things'

DNA repair

1. October 2, 2008 - DNA Repair: Structure Of The Mre11 Protein Bound To DNA - also here, here

MicroRNA

1. October 2, 2008 - Short RNAs Show A Long History: MicroRNAs Found In Animals That Appeared A Billion Years Ago - also here, here

Gene regulation

1. October 2, 2008 - Cells Coordinate Gene Activity With FM Bursts, Scientists Find - also here, here
2. October 3, 2008 - Simple Twists Of Fate - also here

Creative problem solving

1. October 2, 2008 - How Distractions Facilitate Creative Problem-solving - also here

Visual perception of moving objects

1. October 2, 2008 - Car or pedestrian -- How we can follow objects with our eyes - also here

Coordination of cell movement

1. October 2, 2008 - Scientists identify a molecule that coordinates the movement of cells - also here

Methanotrophic archaea

1. October 2, 2008 - Ancient Microbes Hint at Life's Limits

Bacterial response to stress

1. October 3, 2008 - Don't Stress! Bacterial Cell's 'Crisis Command Center' Revealed - also here
2. October 8, 2008 - Scientists unravel bacteria's stress buster
3. October 8, 2008 - Protection for stressed-out bacteria identified

Functional architecture of the brain

1. October 3, 2008 - Direct Recording Shows Brain Signal Persists Even In Dreamless Sleep - also here

Systems biology

1. October 3, 2008 - Artificial Cells: Models Of Eel Cells Suggest Electrifying Possibilities

Cell gradient sensing

1. October 3, 2008 - Chemical 'orienteering': how accurately can cells follow a chemical trail to find their way around?

Evolutionary psychology

1. October 3, 2008 - Why your boss is white, middle-class and a show-off - also here

Commensals and the immune system

1. October 4, 2008 - DNA Of Good Bacteria Drives Intestinal Response To Infection - also here, here

Adipocyte precursor cells

1. October 4, 2008 - Obesity Clue: Newly Identified Cells Make Fat - also here, here

Fat metabolism

1. October 4, 2008 - Making Metabolism More Inefficient Can Reduce Obesity - also here, here

Opioid receptors and drug addiction

1. October 5, 2008 - Variations In Key Genes Increase Caucasians’ Risk Of Heroin Addiction

Gluconeogenesis

1. October 5, 2008 - Regulating energy supply to the brain during fasting - also here, here

Attention and the thalamus

1. October 5, 2008 - Crick was right about 'vision filter' in the brain

Health and medicine

Complement proteins and cancer

1. September 29, 2008 - A complement for cancer?
2. October 1, 2008 - Immune System Can Hurt As Well As Help Fight Cancer, Study Shows - also here

Cancer

1. September 29, 2008 - Promising Approach In Prevention And Treatment Of Pancreatic Cancer
2. September 29, 2008 - Hormone Therapy May Be Safe For Postmenopausal BRCA Mutation Carriers
3. September 29, 2008 - Why Does Gecko, A Chinese Traditional Medicine, Have Anti-tumor Effects?
4. September 29, 2008 - Childhood Cancer Survivors Continue To Have Higher Mortality Rates than the General Population
5. September 29, 2008 - Big babies 'risk breast cancer'
6. September 29, 2008 - Breastfeeding 'cuts cancer risk'
7. September 29, 2008 - Black men in raised prostate risk
8. September 30, 2008 - Study links birth size and breast cancer - also here
9. September 30, 2008 - Big bubs at higher risk of breast cancer
10. September 30, 2008 - Extra Copies Of EGFR Gene Signal Poor Prognosis For Vulvar Cancer - also here
11. September 30, 2008 - Most Adults Under 50 Unlikely To Need Colorectal Screening, Study Suggests - also here, here
12. September 30, 2008 - Age Alone Should Not Be Used To Determine Whether To Treat Prostate Cancer With Hormones, Research Suggests
13. September 30, 2008 - Radiation Device May Customize Therapy, Enable Some To Avoid More Lengthy Treatment
14. September 30, 2008 - Birth Size Is A Marker Of Susceptibility To Breast Cancer Later In Life - also here, here
15. September 30, 2008 - Study finds association between hepatitis B and pancreatic cancer
16. September 30, 2008 - Vitamin 'may blunt cancer drugs'
17. September 30, 2008 - Big babies at higher risk of breast cancer
18. October 1, 2008 - Genetic link found to colon cancer in study
19. October 1, 2008 - Spit proteins could lead to oral cancer test: study
20. October 1, 2008 - Hepatitis B Exposure May Increase Risk For Pancreatic Cancer - also here, here
21. October 1, 2008 - Scientists Establish New Blood Test To Better Evaluate Prostate Cancer
22. October 1, 2008 - Surgical Treatment Provides New Option For Some Colorectal Cancer Patients - also here, here
23. October 1, 2008 - Colon Cancer Link To Obesity Uncovered - also here
24. October 1, 2008 - Raised risk of prostate cancer in Black men
25. October 1, 2008 - Vitamin C reduces benefits of cancer drugs: study
26. October 1, 2008 - Computers could read mammograms
27. October 1, 2008 - Computers help docs spot breast cancer on X-rays
28. October 2, 2008 - Colonoscopy Associated With Reduced Colorectal Cancer Incidence - also here, here
29. October 2, 2008 - Saliva Proteins Could Help Detection Of Oral Cancer - also here
30. October 2, 2008 - Vitamin C Supplements May Reduce Benefit From Wide Range Of Anti-cancer Drugs - also here
31. October 2, 2008 - MRI Spots Early Breast Cancer In Mice - also here, here
32. October 2, 2008 - A taste for scorpion venom could be cancer's undoing
33. October 3, 2008 - Genetic tests may pinpoint who should get Avastin
34. October 3, 2008 - Breakthrough Optical Technology To Assess Colon Cancer Risk, Accuracy - also here, here
35. October 3, 2008 - Liver Transplant Recipients Almost Three Times More Likely To Develop Cancer - also here
36. October 3, 2008 - Novel Anti-tumor Vaccine Developed - also here, here
37. October 3, 2008 - Epstein-Barr Virus Protein Contributes To Cancer - also here, here
38. October 3, 2008 - Second Lumpectomy For Breast Cancer Reduces Survival Rates - also here, here
39. October 5, 2008 - Breast Cancer Cells Recycle To Escape Death By Hormonal Therapy - also here
40. October 5, 2008 - Single jab cancer therapy backed

Gene therapy

1. September 29, 2008 - Novel Attempt Of Gene Therapy For Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Cardiovascular disease

1. September 29, 2008 - Tests start on pill that could lengthen millions of lives
2. September 30, 2008 - Danish study finds HRT does not raise heart attack
3. September 30, 2008 - Novel Approaches To Heart Disease And Inflammation
4. September 30, 2008 - LIAI launches new division to look at novel approaches to heart disease and inflammation
5. October 2, 2008 - Hormone Replacement Therapy And Heart Attack Risk: Danish Study Provides New Information
6. October 5, 2008 - Multi-drug 'polypill' finally to tackle heart problems

Adiponectin and cancer

1. September 30, 2008 - Genetic link found to colon cancer in study

Influenza

1. September 30, 2008 - New Applied Biosystems test diagnoses flu fast
2. September 30, 2008 - Faster genetic test for flu virus approved

Cancer biology

1. September 30, 2008 - How A 'Stuck Accelerator' Causes Cancer Cell Expansion
2. October 1, 2008 - Mechanism Used By Gene To Promote Metastasis In Human Cancer Cells Identified - also here, here
3. October 2, 2008 - Colon Cancer: Researchers Take Important Steps Forward In Understanding Cause
4. October 2, 2008 - Cells That Avoid Suicide May Become Cancerous - also here, here
5. October 2, 2008 - Net widens as more proteins implicated in cancer spread

Influenza antivirals

1. September 30, 2008 - Naturally Occurring 'Protective RNA' Used To Develop New Antiviral Against Influenza

Tuberculosis

1. September 30, 2008 - TB Bacterium Uses Its Sugar Coat To Sweeten Its Chances Of Living In Lungs - also here

Multiple sclerosis

1. September 30, 2008 - MS Patients Have Higher Spinal Fluid Levels Of Suspicious Immune Molecule - also here, here

Prions

1. September 30, 2008 - Is There More To Prion Protein Than Mad Cow Disease? - also here, here

Autism

1. September 30, 2008 - Groundbreaking findings on autism to be presented at Carnegie Mellon international symposium
2. October 5, 2008 - Autism genes can add up to genius

Drug delivery

1. September 30, 2008 - Ultrasound-activated microbubbles for localized delivery of cancer drugs developed

AIDS

1. October 1, 2008 - Study pushes back origin of AIDS pandemic
2. October 1, 2008 - Tissue sample suggests HIV has been infecting humans for a century
3. October 1, 2008 - HIV/AIDS Emerged as Early as 1880s
4. October 1, 2008 - HIV's time of origin confirmed
5. October 1, 2008 - A Viral Blast From the Past
6. October 1, 2008 - Study traces AIDS virus origin to 100 years ago
7. October 1, 2008 - Pfizer drug helps advanced HIV at 48-week mark
8. October 2, 2008 - 'Fossil' HIV reveals virus history
9. October 2, 2008 - HIV jumped species earlier than thought
10. October 2, 2008 - HIV/AIDS Pandemic Began Around 1900, Earlier Than Previously Thought - also here
11. October 2, 2008 - New findings indicate HIV/AIDS pandemic began around 1900, earlier than previously thought - also here
12. October 2, 2008 - HIV Drug Maraviroc Effective For Drug-resistant Patients - also here, here
13. October 3, 2008 - Scientists 'See' How HIV Matures Into An Infection - also here, here
14. October 3, 2008 - What HIV Needs: Identification Of Human Factors May Yield Novel Therapeutic Targets For HIV - also here
15. October 3, 2008 - Colonial clue to the rise of HIV

Diabetes

1. October 1, 2008 - Analogue or human insulins OK for type 2 diabetes

Obesity

1. October 1, 2008 - Why A Mother's High-fat Diet Contributes To Obesity In Her Children - also here, here
2. October 2, 2008 - Genes Influence Effectiveness Of Weight-loss Drug - also here, here

Antibacterial properties of honey

1. October 1, 2008 - Honey Effective In Killing Bacteria That Cause Chronic Sinusitis

Sirtuin therapeutics

1. October 1, 2008 - Sirtris' review of sirtuin therapeutics for diseases of aging in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery

Obesity, the hypothalamus, and NF-κB

1. October 2, 2008 - Calorie overload sends the brain haywire: study
2. October 2, 2008 - Research team discovers brain pathway responsible for obesity
3. October 3, 2008 - Brain Pathway Responsible For Obesity Found: Too Many Calories Send Brain Off Kilter - also here
4. October 3, 2008 - New twist in brain obesity riddle

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. October 2, 2008 - Rheumatoid arthritis tied to joint surgery in past

Antibiotics

1. October 2, 2008 - Groundbreaking Discovery May Lead To Stronger Antibiotics - also here, here

Nanobiotechnology

1. October 2, 2008 - Nanoparticles Used To Deliver Treatment For Brain, Spinal Cord Injuries - also here, here, here
2. October 3, 2008 - Nanodiamond drug device could transform cancer treatment - also here, here
3. October 27, 2008 - Nanodiamond Drug Device Could Transform Cancer Treatment

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. October 3, 2008 - Stomach 'bug' may lead to inflammatory bowel woes
2. October 5, 2008 - Form of Crohn's disease traced to disabled gut cells
3. October 5, 2008 - Inflammatory bowel gene uncovered

Stem cells

1. October 3, 2008 - Role Of Stem Cells In Renewing The Cornea - also here

Antidepressants

1. October 3, 2008 - Millisecond brain signals predict response to fast-acting antidepressant - also here

Avian flu

1. October 4, 2008 - S.Korea reports new case of suspected bird flu
2. October 5, 2008 - DNA-based Vaccine Shows Promise Against Avian Flu - also here

Copyright © 2008 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved