Volume 7, Number 41 October 13, 2008

Physical sciences and technology Graphene Global warming CO2 levels, ocean currents, and climate Quantum communications Nanotechnology Extrasolar planets Controlled fusion Galaxy evolution Large Hadron Collider Photovoltaics DNA nanotechnology Superconductivity Spintronics Galaxy collisions Earthquakes Phase change memory Quantum gravity and grand unification Early galaxies Virtual reality Star birth and early development Robotics Carbon nanotubes Cosmic strings Mass extinctions Quantum chaos Climate modeling Hurricanes and global warming Life sciences Avian dactyls DNA damage in minibacteria G protein-coupled receptors Cheap genome sequencing Ediacaran fauna Cell movement Amino acid chirality Brain-imaging studies Non-coding RNA and gene expression Antidepressants and conditioning Collective bacterial cell dynamics Dendrite growth and glutamate receptors Asymmetry in meiotic cell division Learned safety Behavioral indications of fertility Induced pluripotent stem cells Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator Circadian rhythm, GABA, and memory Senecavirus Bacterial virulence factors Neuromuscular receptors Zebrafish embryonic development Shark parthenogenesis Time series analysis of brain information flow NIH epigenomics program Immune system Embryonic stem cell differentiation Association formation Health and medicine Exercise and fat metabolism Cancer Bipolar disorder Autism Antibiotic resistance Inflammatory bowel disease Cardiovascular disease Antidepressants Cancer biology Metabolic syndrome and cancer Memory problems Nanoscopic drug discovery Diabetes Tuberculosis Unsaturated fatty acids and appetite Gene therapy Malaria Aging, stem cells, and cancer Stem cells Autoimmune diseases Alzheimer's disease Obesity, macrophages, inflamation, and diabetes Rheumatoid arthritis SIRT1 and cancer Avian flu Antioxidants in cocoa AIDS Prions The immune system and herpes simplex virus Macular degeneration and the innate immune system Schizophrenia Stem cells and cancer Vaccine technology Antibiotics

Physical sciences and technology

Graphene

1. October 6, 2008 - New Graphene-based Material Clarifies Graphite Oxide Chemistry
2. October 10, 2008 - Scaling up graphene production

Global warming

1. October 6, 2008 - Most Alaskan Glaciers Retreating, Thinning, Or Stagnating - also here
2. October 7, 2008 - NASA study finds rising Arctic storm activity sways sea ice, climate - also here, here
3. October 8, 2008 - Arctic Soil May Contain Nearly Twice Greenhouse-Gas Producing Material Than Previously Estimated - also here, here
4. October 9, 2008 - Sea levels could rise one metre by 2100: German institute
5. October 10, 2008 - Satellite Data Reveals Extreme Summer Snowmelt In Northern Greenland - also here, here

CO₂ levels, ocean currents, and climate

1. October 6, 2008 - Gas from the past gives scientists new insights into climate and the oceans - also here

Quantum communications

1. October 6, 2008 - In quantum channels, zero plus zero can equal non-zero
2. October 7, 2008 - Long-Lasting Quantum Memory Leads to Long-Distance Quantum Communication
3. October 8, 2008 - World first for sending data using quantum cryptography
4. October 9, 2008 - Quantum encryption sets speed record
5. October 9, 2008 - 'Unbreakable' encryption unveiled

Nanotechnology

1. October 6, 2008 - Playing Pinball with Atoms - also here

Extrasolar planets

1. October 6, 2008 - Huge Planet Defies Explanation
2. October 7, 2008 - Exotic Object Orbiting Star Stirs Exoplanet Classification Rethink - also here
3. October 7, 2008 - CoRoT discovery challenges the definition of extra-solar planets
4. October 7, 2008 - Telescope detects odd-ball object
5. October 11, 2008 - Astronomers detect exoplanet orbiting closer to its parent star than any other known planet
6. October 12, 2008 - How Dust Rings Point To Exo-Earths With Supercomputer's Help - also here
7. October 14, 2008 - Star-hugging planet is hottest and fastest found
8. October 16, 2008 - Hottest Planet Ever Discovered

Controlled fusion

1. October 6, 2008 - Europe follows fusion twin track
2. October 8, 2008 - Europe moves forward with laser-fusion plans

Galaxy evolution

1. October 6, 2008 - Satellite galaxies cling onto their haloes
2. October 12, 2008 - Visiting dwarfs put home-grown galaxies in the shade

Large Hadron Collider

1. October 6, 2008 - Bad connection caused atom smasher shutdown
2. October 16, 2008 - "Big Bang" collider glitch was electrical fault: CERN

Photovoltaics

1. October 6, 2008 - Scientists create solar cells with a twist
2. October 9, 2008 - New Optics For Improved Solar Power Generators

DNA nanotechnology

1. October 7, 2008 - Nanotech comes alive
2. October 8, 2008 - Using Living Cells As Nanotechnology Factories - also here

Superconductivity

1. October 8, 2008 - Scientists Engineer Superconducting Thin Films - also here, here, here
2. October 8, 2008 - Scientists make ultrathin superconducting films
3. October 9, 2008 - Ultrathin films form 'warm' superconductor
4. October 10, 2008 - Researchers team up to probe iron-arsenic superconductors with new instrument - also here, here
5. October 13, 2008 - Interface superconductor turns up the heat

Spintronics

1. October 8, 2008 - An Attractive Source for Spintronics
2. October 8, 2008 - Simple temperature change creates spin current
3. October 10, 2008 - New spintronics effect could lead to magnetic batteries

Galaxy collisions

1. October 8, 2008 - Stars Stop Forming When Big Galaxies Collide - also here, here
2. October 9, 2008 - Galactic hit-and-run leaves trail of destruction
3. October 10, 2008 - High-speed crash makes galaxies 'sterile'

Earthquakes

1. October 8, 2008 - How Many Earthquakes Are There?

Phase change memory

1. October 8, 2008 - New Invention Could Change Design Of Future Memory Storage Devices - also here, here

Quantum gravity and grand unification

1. October 8, 2008 - Fuzziness On The Road To Physics' Grand Unification Theory - also here, here

Early galaxies

1. October 8, 2008 - Cosmic eye telescope used to spot distant galaxy
2. October 9, 2008 - Cosmic Eye Sheds Light On Early Galaxy Formation, Just Two Billion Years After Big Bang - also here

Virtual reality

1. October 9, 2008 - Virtual Reality Breathes Second Life Into Language Teaching - also here, here
2. October 11, 2008 - Reality To Go: 3-D Virtual Reality On Mobile Devices

Star birth and early development

1. October 9, 2008 - Unique Multi-wavelength Portrait Of Star Birth - also here
2. October 10, 2008 - Young stellar objects: The source of gas emission around Herbig Ae/Be stars
3. October 10, 2008 - Astronomers Get Best View Yet Of Infant Stars At Feeding Time - also here, here
4. October 14, 2008 - Infant Stars Caught Feeding

Robotics

1. October 9, 2008 - Robots: The Bizarre And The Beautiful

Carbon nanotubes

1. October 9, 2008 - Gecko-like glue is said to be stickiest yet
2. October 9, 2008 - Physicists pull off the gecko's feat
3. October 9, 2008 - Gecko-grip material aims to be the end of glue
4. October 10, 2008 - New glue out-geckos geckos
5. October 10, 2008 - Mimicking Gecko Feet: Dry Adhesive Based On Carbon Nanotubes Gets Stronger - also here, here, here
6. October 15, 2008 - As Sticky as a Gecko ... but Ten Times Stronger!

Cosmic strings

1. October 9, 2008 - Cosmic strings might emit cosmic sparks, answer cosmological questions

Mass extinctions

1. October 10, 2008 - Species Extinction By Asteroid A Rarity - also here, here

Quantum chaos

1. October 10, 2008 - Mathematicians crack quantum chaos conjecture - also here, here

Climate modeling

1. October 10, 2008 - Scientists resolve long-standing puzzle in climate science - also here, here

Hurricanes and global warming

1. October 12, 2008 - Future Risk Of Hurricanes: The Role Of Climate Change - also here, here

Life sciences

Avian dactyls

1. October 6, 2008 - Gene Expression In Alligators Suggests Birds Have 'Thumbs' - also here

DNA damage in minibacteria

1. October 6, 2008 - Genetic Damage In Minibacteria In Aphids And Ants Repaired By Faulty Copying

G protein-coupled receptors

1. October 6, 2008 - Structure of important neurological receptor defined - also here

Amino acid chirality

1. October 6, 2008 - Rock Offers Mirror-Image Clues to Life's Origins

Cheap genome sequencing

1. October 6, 2008 - $5,000 genome next year, company promises

Ediacaran fauna

1. October 6, 2008 - Earliest animal footprints uncovered

Cell movement

1. October 7, 2008 - Landmark Discovery Of 'Engine' That Drives Cell Movement - also here

Brain-imaging studies

1. October 7, 2008 - Individuals With Social Phobia See Themselves Differently - also here
2. October 10, 2008 - Risk and reward compete in brain - also here, here

Non-coding RNA and gene expression

1. October 7, 2008 - Early-stage gene transcription creates access to DNA - also here, here

Antidepressants and conditioning

1. October 8, 2008 - Mice overcome fear, depression with natural Prozac

Collective bacterial cell dynamics

1. October 8, 2008 - Bioengineers Fill Holes In Science Of Cellular Self-organization - also here, here

Dendrite growth and glutamate receptors

1. October 8, 2008 - Protein shown to play a key role in normal development of nervous system - also here

Asymmetry in meiotic cell division

1. October 8, 2008 - Mechanism of asymmetry in meiotic cell division probed - also here, here

Learned safety

1. October 8, 2008 - Learned safety cheers depressed mice: An animal model of behavioral intervention for depression
2. October 9, 2008 - Learning How Not To Be Afraid - also here

Behavioral indications of fertility

1. October 8, 2008 - The Come-Hither Voice
2. October 8, 2008 - Siren voice means she's fertile
3. October 29, 2008 - Women's Voices Become More High-pitched During Ovulation

Induced pluripotent stem cells

1. October 9, 2008 - New method generates stem cells safely from mice
2. October 10, 2008 - Stem cell generation from ordinary cells now safe
3. October 12, 2008 - Researchers find easier way to make stem cells
4. October 12, 2008 - Eliminating Viral Vector In Stem Cell Reprogramming - also here, here

Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator

1. October 9, 2008 - Genetic analysis reveals how a single species of bacterium thrives on its own three kilometers underground
2. October 9, 2008 - Goldmine bug DNA may be key to alien life
3. October 9, 2008 - One is the loneliest number for mine-dwelling bacterium
4. October 10, 2008 - Journey Toward The Center Of The Earth: One-of-a-kind Microorganism Lives All Alone - also here, here
5. October 10, 2008 - Planet's loneliest bug revealed

Circadian rhythm, GABA, and memory

1. October 9, 2008 - Circadian Clock May Be Critical For Remembering What You Learn, Researchers Say - also here, here

Senecavirus

1. October 9, 2008 - Structure Of 'Beneficial' Virus That Can Infect Cancer Cells Solved - also here

Bacterial virulence factors

1. October 9, 2008 - Researchers Discover How Infectious Bacteria Can Switch Species - also here, here
2. October 9, 2008 - Evolution of virulence regulation in Staphylococcus aureus - also here

Neuromuscular receptors

1. October 9, 2008 - Stabilizing Force for Good Communication Between Neurons and Muscle Cells Found - also here, here

Zebrafish embryonic development

1. October 9, 2008 - Zebrafish development tracked cell by cell
2. October 10, 2008 - Digital blueprint for fish created
3. October 11, 2008 - Digital Zebrafish Embryo Provides First Complete Developmental Blueprint Of A Vertebrate - also here, here

Shark parthenogenesis

1. October 10, 2008 - Virgin shark got pregnant in Virginia aquarium
2. October 10, 2008 - Some female sharks may be able to reproduce without males
3. October 10, 2008 - Shark "Virgin Birth" Confirmed
4. October 10, 2008 - Scientists: Virginia shark's pup a 'virgin birth'
5. October 11, 2008 - 'Virgin Birth' By Shark Confirmed: Second Case Ever
6. October 14, 2008 - Scientists say shark reproduced asexually

Time series analysis of brain information flow

1. October 10, 2008 - Scientists Adapt Economics Theory To Trace Brain's Information Flow - also here, here

NIH epigenomics program

1. October 10, 2008 - Outcry at scale of inheritance project

Immune system

1. October 11, 2008 - Crucial Control In Long-lasting Immunity Discovered - also here, here

Embryonic stem cell differentiation

1. October 11, 2008 - Unlocking Stem Cell, DNA Secrets To Speed Therapies - also here, here

Association formation

1. October 12, 2008 - Insects Trained In Quest For Artificial Nose

Health and medicine

Exercise and fat metabolism

1. October 6, 2008 - Just one exercise session speeds fat metabolism
2. October 6, 2008 - For Insulin Sensitive Overweight Patients, One Session Of Exercise Improves Metabolic Health, New Research Suggests

Cancer

1. October 6, 2008 - Two drugs don't boost lung cancer survival: Roche
2. October 6, 2008 - Disparities In Head And Neck Cancer Patients - also here, here
3. October 6, 2008 - New Studies Highlight The Importance Of Bowel Prep And Effectiveness Of Colonoscopy
4. October 6, 2008 - Issues Related To Multiple Myeloma Treatment - also here, here
5. October 6, 2008 - Women Require Less Tobacco Exposure Than Men To Increase Colon Cancer Risk
6. October 6, 2008 - H. Pylori bacteria may help prevent some esophageal cancers - also here, here
7. October 6, 2008 - Ulcer-Causing Bug May Also Prevent Cancer
8. October 6, 2008 - Endoscopic therapy may offer an alternative to surgery - also here
9. October 6, 2008 - New therapeutic treatment approach improves survival in esophageal cancer patients
10. October 6, 2008 - Task force: Colon cancer screenings can stop at 75
11. October 7, 2008 - Novel Lung Cancer Vaccine Trial Launched
12. October 7, 2008 - Older Renal Cancer Patients Appear To Benefit From Sorafenib Treatment - also here
13. October 7, 2008 - Stool DNA Testing For Colorectal Cancer Has Potential, But Challenges Remain - also here
14. October 7, 2008 - New Study Examines Effectiveness Of Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests - also here
15. October 7, 2008 - Red Wine May Lower Lung Cancer Risk - also here, here
16. October 7, 2008 - Overweight men face higher risk of dying of prostate cancer
17. October 7, 2008 - Meat 'ups prostate cancer risk'
18. October 8, 2008 - New Diagnostic Test For Rare Leukemia Appears To Give Faster Results, Study Finds - also here
19. October 8, 2008 - Pediatric Study Finds Alternatives For Radiation Of Low-grade Brain Tumors - also here, here
20. October 8, 2008 - Largest Review Of Its Kind Associates Anti-inflammatory Drugs With Reduced Breast Cancer Risk - also here
21. October 8, 2008 - New, Tiny, Super-sensitive Probe Could Cut Colon Polyp Removal In Half, Study Suggests - also here, here
22. October 8, 2008 - New risk factor for prostate cancer - also here
23. October 8, 2008 - Painkillers 'cut breast cancer'
24. October 8, 2008 - Firm Says Test Judges Risk For Common Breast Cancers
25. October 9, 2008 - Red wine may ward off lung cancer: study
26. October 10, 2008 - Cancer common after liver transplantation - also here
27. October 10, 2008 - Lung cancer in non-smokers a separate disease
28. October 10, 2008 - Turning Cancer Friend Into Cancer Foe - also here, here
29. October 10, 2008 - New Screening Technologies Improve Detection Of Polyps During Colonoscopy - also here
30. October 10, 2008 - Early Breast Cancer: LHRH Agonists Show Considerable Promise
31. October 10, 2008 - On the trail of a targeted therapy for blood cancers - also here
32. October 12, 2008 - Two more genes linked to common skin cancer
33. October 12, 2008 - Tamoxifen Chemoprevention Tied To Early Detection Of Breast Cancer - also here, here

Bipolar disorder

1. October 6, 2008 - A severe childhood mood disorder often lasts into young adulthood
2. October 10, 2008 - Bipolar Disorder In Children Appears Likely To Continue Into Young Adulthood

Autism

1. October 6, 2008 - Toddlers' Focus On Mouths Rather Than On Eyes Is Predictor Of Autism Severity
2. October 7, 2008 - What Happens When We Ask Autistic Persons What Is Wrong With Them?
3. October 8, 2008 - Scientist studies brain activity, facial recognition as a step in autism research
4. October 8, 2008 - Connections between vision and movement examined - also here
5. October 12, 2008 - Important Clue To Learning Deficit In Children With Autism - also here, here

Antibiotic resistance

1. October 6, 2008 - Disinfectants Can Make Bacteria Resistant To Treatment - also here

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. October 6, 2008 - Vitamin D deficiency common in patients with IBD, chronic liver disease - also here
2. October 7, 2008 - Form Of Crohn's Disease Traced To Disabled Gut Cells - also here
3. October 10, 2008 - Outlook For Crohn's Disease Improves Thanks To New Therapies - also here

Cardiovascular disease

1. October 6, 2008 - Racial differences for brain bleeds suggest stroke risk greater than thought for blacks
2. October 8, 2008 - Eating dark chocolate may keep heart healthy
3. October 8, 2008 - Racial Differences For Brain Bleeds Suggest Stroke Risk Greater Than Thought For Blacks
4. October 8, 2008 - Pneumococcal Vaccine Associated With 50 Percent Lower Risk Of Heart Attacks - also here
5. October 8, 2008 - Study: Even occasional smoking can impair arteries - also here
6. October 8, 2008 - Study provides insight on a common heart rhythm disorder - also here, here
7. October 8, 2008 - Novel Imaging Approach May Assist in Predicting Success of Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation - also here
8. October 9, 2008 - Obesity tied to early heart attack
9. October 9, 2008 - Chicken legs may control high blood pressure: study
10. October 9, 2008 - Blood test may soon find heart disease
11. October 9, 2008 - Blood test finds coronary disease
12. October 10, 2008 - One Dose Of Hormone May Halt Cell Suicide Following A Heart Attack, Study Suggests
13. October 12, 2008 - Drug may reduce coronary artery plaque

Antidepressants

1. October 7, 2008 - St. John's Wort effective for depression: study
2. October 8, 2008 - St. John's wort relieves symptoms of major depression - also here
3. October 8, 2008 - Taking herb 'helps depression'

Cancer biology

1. October 7, 2008 - Battling Cancer, One Cell At A Time - also here
2. October 7, 2008 - Metastatic Movements In 3-D - also here, here
3. October 8, 2008 - Scientists Trace A Novel Way Cells Are Disrupted In Cancer
4. October 12, 2008 - Hodgkin Lymphoma: New Characteristics Discovered; Cytokines Help Tumor Cells Evade Immune System - also here

Metabolic syndrome and cancer

1. October 7, 2008 - Metabolic Syndrome Ups Colorectal Cancer Risk - also here, here

Memory problems

1. October 7, 2008 - Occasional Memory Loss Tied To Lower Brain Volume - also here

Nanoscopic drug discovery

1. October 7, 2008 - Nanoscopic screening process to speed drug discovery - also here, here
2. October 12, 2008 - Nanotechnology boosts war on superbugs - also here, here
3. October 12, 2008 - 'Nanotech search' for antibiotics

Diabetes

1. October 7, 2008 - Study links 'hygiene hypothesis' to diabetes prevention - also here
2. October 8, 2008 - Proteins Involved In Blood Vessel Dysfunction In Type 2 Diabetes Are Identified - also here, here
3. October 9, 2008 - Levels Of Key Hormone During First Trimester Of Pregnancy Could Lead To Earlier Diagnosis Of Gestational Diabetes

Tuberculosis

1. October 7, 2008 - New vaccines may not reduce TB incidence
2. October 8, 2008 - Lifesaving TB Vaccine A Step Closer - also here, here
3. October 8, 2008 - Protein key in new uni TB vaccine
4. October 9, 2008 - Gene with probable role in human susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis identified - also here, here
5. October 10, 2008 - Scientists identify gene that may make humans more vulnerable to pulmonary tuberculosis - also here

Unsaturated fatty acids and appetite

1. October 7, 2008 - Olive oil ingredient ups the time between meals
2. October 10, 2008 - How Fatty Foods Curb Hunger - also here

Gene therapy

1. October 7, 2008 - New research may help to design better gene therapy vectors

Malaria

1. October 8, 2008 - Scientists map genomes of two malaria parasites
2. October 8, 2008 - New parasite genomes for malaria
3. October 8, 2008 - Malaria Parasites Use "Cloaking Devices" to Trick Body
4. October 8, 2008 - Genome sequences of 2 malaria parasites defined
5. October 9, 2008 - Scientists map more malaria strains
6. October 9, 2008 - Genome Of Parasite That Causes Relapsing Malaria Decoded - also here

Aging, stem cells, and cancer

1. October 8, 2008 - Old Age Causes Problems for Gut Cells

Stem cells

1. October 8, 2008 - Human Testicles Yield Stem Cells
2. October 8, 2008 - Stem cells emerge at night
3. October 8, 2008 - A key mechanism regulating neural stem cell development is uncovered - also here
4. October 8, 2008 - Time of day influences yield for pharmacologically stimulated stem cell mobilization - also here
5. October 8, 2008 - Testicles 'are stem cell source'
6. October 8, 2008 - Stem cells from testicles an option to embryos
7. October 9, 2008 - Can Stem Cells Heal Damaged Hearts? No Easy Answers, But Some Signs Of Hope - also here
8. October 9, 2008 - Scientists explore new source of stem cells
9. October 9, 2008 - Testicles could provide 'ethical' stem cells
10. October 12, 2008 - Fat-regenerating 'Stem Cells' Found In Mice - also here

Autoimmune diseases

1. October 8, 2008 - Neurotransmitter Defect May Trigger Autoimmune Disease - also here

Alzheimer's disease

1. October 8, 2008 - Possibilities -- But No Proof -- To Prevent Alzheimer's

Obesity, macrophages, inflamation, and diabetes

1. October 8, 2008 - Killing 'Angry' Immune Cells In Fat Could Fight Diabetes - also here

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. October 9, 2008 - Biogen discontinues experimental arthritis drug

SIRT1 and cancer

1. October 9, 2008 - Gene thought to promote tumor growth has opposite role in a kind of breast cancer
2. October 11, 2008 - New Findings May Improve Treatment Of Inherited Breast Cancer - also here

Avian flu

1. October 9, 2008 - Double Flu Jab Needed Against Bird Flu Pandemic - also here
2. October 10, 2008 - Deadly bird flu virus found at German farm: EU

Antioxidants in cocoa

1. October 9, 2008 - New study re-emphasizes natural cocoa powder has high antioxidant content

AIDS

1. October 9, 2008 - Scientists Find First Immune Responses to HIV Infection Ineffective
2. October 10, 2008 - Drug-resistant HIV strains turning up in China
3. October 12, 2008 - AIDS vaccine focus shifts after disappointments
4. October 12, 2008 - Body's anti-HIV drug explained - also here, here

Prions

1. October 9, 2008 - First synthetic prion could settle vCJD controversy
2. October 10, 2008 - Tracking Down The Cause Of Mad Cow Disease: First Synthetic Prion Protein With An Anchor - also here

The immune system and herpes simplex virus

1. October 10, 2008 - Keeping herpes infection in check: researchers describe immune system strategies - also here, here

Macular degeneration and the innate immune system

1. October 10, 2008 - Genetic Finding Implicates Innate Immune System In Major Cause Of Blindness - also here
2. October 13, 2008 - Age-related Macular Degeneration: New Genetic Association Identified

Schizophrenia

1. October 10, 2008 - Indo-Australian study identifies genetic region involved in schizophrenia risk

Stem cells and cancer

1. October 10, 2008 - A link between mitochondria and tumor formation in stem cells - also here, here
2. October 11, 2008 - Breast Stem Cell Fate Is Regulated By 'Notch' - also here
3. October 11, 2008 - Key Proteins In Blood Stem Cell Replication Pinpointed - also here

Vaccine technology

1. October 12, 2008 - RNA Molecules, Delivery System Improve Vaccine Responses, Effectiveness - also here, here

Antibiotics

1. October 12, 2008 - Nano-levers could speed up hunt for superbug drugs

Copyright © 2008 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved