Volume 8, Number 4 January 26, 2009

Physical sciences and technology Extrasolar planets Lab-on-a-chip Quantum communication Starburst galaxies Water on Mars Quantum dots Global warming Antarctic warming Climate modeling Convection in rotating systems Photovoltaics Photonic crystals Atmospheric oxygenation Galaxy formation Forests and global warming Quantum teleportation Carbon nanotubes Stretchable electronics Nanotechnology Graphene Denser holographic data storage Hydrogen production Quantum information Plate tectonics Quantum holography Microlasers Active galactic nuclei and star formation Global warming and ocean dead zones Large hadron collider Life sciences LINE-1 retrotransposon Histone methylation and stem cells Language origins and geneticics Sonic Hedgehog Bacterial swarms Extended phenotype Brain-imaging studies Cloning Rapid evolution Evolution of parasitism Homo floresiensis Neuron regeneration Cell nuclear membrane and aging Memory T cells Interleukin-1 trigger protein Theoretical model of brain coordination BAFF, B cells, and T regulatory cells Aggression, punishment, and monoamine oxidase A Nicotine sensitivity and the insula Longevity of "Indy" fruit flies Music as a memory cue Modeling the hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal axis Gene interaction and disease risk Metagenomics Poxvirus defenses Notch signaling Short-term memory and glutamate Bidirectional transcription Health and medicine Dementia AIDS Cancer Cardiovascular disease Avian flu Gene therapy Inflammatory bowel disease Clostridium difficile Rheumatoid arthritis Schizophrenia Kinase signaling and disease Stem cells Obesity Pathogenic bacteria and phenotypic noise Diabetes Low-carbohydrate diet and liver fat Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus Cancer biology Parkinson's disease Nanobiotechnology Cancer stem cells RNAi microbicide for herpes Antibiotics Autism Lupus Mediterranean diet Autoimmune disease Tuberculosis Calorie restriction and longevity Immune system enhancer Multiple sclerosis Alzheimer's disease Psoriasis

Physical sciences and technology

Extrasolar planets

1. January 19, 2009 - Smallest known exoplanet may actually be Earth-mass
2. January 21, 2009 - Super-Neptune Planet Found
3. January 22, 2009 - Distant "Super Neptune" Discovered
4. January 22, 2009 - 'Super-Neptune' Exoplanet Discovered - also here

Lab-on-a-chip

1. January 19, 2009 - World's First Deep Sea Lab-on-a-chip Sensors Proved To Work

Quantum communication

1. January 19, 2009 - Quantum communication through synergy

Starburst galaxies

1. January 20, 2009 - Frantic Activity Revealed In Dusty Stellar Factories - also here, here

Water on Mars

1. January 20, 2009 - Mars polar water is pure: study

Quantum dots

1. January 20, 2009 - Quantum-dot device detects DNA

Global warming

1. January 21, 2009 - Spring Coming Earlier, Study Says
2. January 21, 2009 - Scientists Agree Human-induced Global Warming Is Real, Survey Says - also here, here
3. January 22, 2009 - Summer springs sooner: study
4. January 22, 2009 - Global Impact Of Climate Change On Biodiversity - also here, here
5. January 22, 2009 - All Earth's Seasons Now Arrive Two Days Earlier, Researchers Report - also here, here, here, here
6. January 23, 2009 - Watching Treeline Advances In Canada's Arctic

Antarctic warming

1. January 21, 2009 - Antarctica is warming, not cooling: study
2. January 21, 2009 - Antarctica Is Getting Warmer Too
3. January 21, 2009 - Antarctica Heating Up, "Ignored" Satellite Data Show
4. January 21, 2009 - New evidence on Antarctic warming
5. January 21, 2009 - Even Antarctica is now feeling the heat of climate change
6. January 21, 2009 - Global warming hitting all of Antarctica: scientists
7. January 21, 2009 - Study: Antarctica joins rest of globe in warming
8. January 22, 2009 - Global warming hitting Antarctica hard
9. January 22, 2009 - Much Of Antarctica Is Warming More Than Previously Thought - also here
10. January 23, 2009 - Satellites confirm half-century of West Antarctic warming

Climate modeling

1. January 21, 2009 - New Tool Improves Reliability Of Climate Models

Convection in rotating systems

1. January 21, 2009 - New Insights Into Convection In Planets And Stars Gleaned From Novel Device That Charts Heat Transfer In Rotational Systems - also here

Photovoltaics

1. January 21, 2009 - Solarmer Energy expects sun to shine on invention - also here

Photonic crystals

1. January 21, 2009 - Fabricating 3D Photonic Crystals

Atmospheric oxygenation

1. January 21, 2009 - Starving bacteria bumped up early Earth's oxygen

Galaxy formation

1. January 21, 2009 - Dark matter filaments stoked star birth in early galaxies
2. January 22, 2009 - New Understanding Of The Origin Of Galaxies Advanced - also here, here

Forests and global warming

1. January 22, 2009 - Drought, heat killing trees in western N.America
2. January 22, 2009 - Everyday Tree Deaths Have Doubled
3. January 22, 2009 - U.S. Old-Growth Forests Withering With Warming
4. January 22, 2009 - Tree deaths double across western US
5. January 22, 2009 - Study: U.S. Trees Dying at Alarming Rate
6. January 22, 2009 - Global Warming May Be Killing Old-Growth Forests
7. January 23, 2009 - Climate killing trees twice as fast
8. January 23, 2009 - Climate shift 'killing US trees'
9. January 25, 2009 - Global Warming: Tree Deaths Have Doubled Across The Western U.S. - also here, here
10. January 26, 2009 - Research ties tree mortality trends to climate warming

Quantum teleportation

1. January 22, 2009 - Quantum Information Teleported Between Distant Atoms January 22, 2009 - Atom takes a quantum leap
2. January 22, 2009 - Atoms teleport information over long distance
3. January 22, 2009 - Information Teleported between Ions at a Distance
4. January 23, 2009 - Teleportation trick is step towards quantum computing
5. January 23, 2009 - Quantum Teleportation Between Distant Matter Qubits: First Between Atoms 1 Meter Apart - also here
6. February 2, 2009 - A Leap for Teleporting, Between Ions Feet Apart
7. February 3, 2009 - Teleporter sends ions on long-distance journey

Carbon nanotubes

1. January 22, 2009 - Semiconducting Nanotubes Produced In Quantity - also here, here
2. January 23, 2009 - Long, Stretchy Carbon Nanotubes Could Make Space Elevators Possible

Stretchable electronics

1. January 22, 2009 - Stretchable Electronics With A Twist - also here, here

Nanotechnology

1. January 22, 2009 - Smallest Possible Switch: Single Gold Atom Forms The Contact

Graphene

1. January 22, 2009 - Light-Speed Nanotech: Controlling the Nature of Graphene - also here, here

Denser holographic data storage

1. January 22, 2009 - Holographic discs set to smash storage records

Hydrogen production

1. January 23, 2009 - New Way To Produce Hydrogen Discovered - also here

Quantum information

1. January 23, 2009 - Quantum Technologies Move A Step Closer With Demonstration Of An 'Entanglement' Filter - also here

Plate tectonics

1. January 23, 2009 - The continents as a heat blanket - also here, here

Quantum holography

1. January 24, 2009 - How low can you go?
2. January 26, 2009 - World's smallest lettering created with molecular projector
3. January 28, 2009 - Sub-atomic-scale Writing Using a Quantum Hologram Sets New Size Record
4. January 31, 2009 - World's Smallest Letters

Microlasers

1. January 24, 2009 - Design Of Microlasers Could Be Improved, Based On New Theoretical Analysis - also here, here
2. January 24, 2009 - Plasmonic whispering gallery microcavity paves the way to future nanolasers - also here, here

Active galactic nuclei and star formation

1. January 25, 2009 - Supermassive Black Holes Not Guilty Of Shutting Down Star Formation - also here

Global warming and ocean dead zones

1. January 25, 2009 - Dramatic expansion of dead zones in the oceans - also here, here
2. January 25, 2009 - Global warming could suffocate the sea
3. January 26, 2009 - The Oceans' Global Warming Hangover
4. January 27, 2009 - Global warming to create oceanic dead zones
5. January 28, 2009 - Global Warming to Create "Permanent" Ocean Dead Zones?

Large hadron collider

1. January 25, 2009 - Europe's new atom-smasher chief signals caution after breakdown

Life sciences

LINE-1 retrotransposon

1. January 19, 2009 - Molecular Parasite Could Play An Important Role In Human Evolution - also here

Histone methylation and stem cells

1. January 19, 2008 - Large DNA Stretches, Not Single Genes, Shut Off As Cells Mature

Language origins and genetics

1. January 19, 2009 - Language Driven By Culture, Not Biology, Study Shows - also here

Sonic Hedgehog

1. January 19, 2009 - Researchers find new molecule to block 'Hedgehog' signaling in cancer, development

RNA and epigenetics

1. January 19, 2009 - Molecule 'creates complex humans'
   Abstract: http://www.cell.com/molecular-cell/abstract/S1097-2765(08)00810-1

Bacterial swarms

1. January 20, 2009 - Reversing helps bacterial swarms to spread

Extended phenotype

1. January 20, 2009 - European Evolutionary Biologists Rally Behind Richard Dawkins' Extended Phenotype

Brain-imaging studies

1. January 20, 2009 - Men 'can fight food urges better'
2. January 22, 2009 - Women Cannot Control Their Hunger As Well As Men, Study Shows - also here

Cloning

1. January 20, 2009 - Cloned horses could offer insight into DNA possibilities - also here

Rapid evolution

1. January 21, 2009 - Lizards Evolving Rapidly to Survive Deadly Fire Ants
2. January 23, 2009 - Evolution In Action: Native U.S. Lizards Are Adapting To Escape Attacks By Fire Ants - also here

Evolution of parasitism

1. January 21, 2009 - New Findings On The Evolution Of Parasitism

Homo floresiensis

1. January 21, 2009 - 'Hobbit' Skull Study Finds Hobbit Is Not Human
2. January 23, 2009 - "Hobbits" Were Separate Species, Skull Suggests

Neuron regeneration

1. January 22, 2009 - Worm gene offers clues to nerve cell repair: study
2. January 22, 2009 - Biologists ID Gene, Pathway for Nerve Regeneration in Worms - also here

Cell nuclear membrane and aging

1. January 22, 2009 - As Cells Age the Nucleus Lets the Bad Guys In
2. January 22, 2009 - Feeling Old? Blame Your Nuclear Pores
3. January 22, 2009 - The breakdown of barriers in old cells may hold clues to aging process - also here
4. January 23, 2009 - Leaky brain cell membranes linked to ageing

Memory T cells

1. January 22, 2009 - Immune memory debate heats up
2. January 23, 2009 - Decoding The Language Of Memory Cells - also here

Interleukin-1 trigger protein

1. January 22, 2009 - New Antiviral Protein Discovered In Human Body
2. January 23, 2009 - Key protein regulator of inflammation and cell death discovered - also here, here

Theoretical model of brain coordination

1. January 22, 2009 - Dynamical theory and novel 4-D colorimetric method reveal modus operandi of intact living brain - also here, here

BAFF, B cells, and T regulatory cells

1. January 23, 2009 - Baffling The Body Into Accepting Transplants - also here, here
2. January 29, 2009 - Hormone discovery may improve transplant rejection rate

Aggression, punishment, and monoamine oxidase A

1. January 23, 2009 - 'Warrior Gene' Predicts Aggressive Behavior After Provocation - also here, here

Nicotine sensitivity and the insula

1. January 23, 2009 - Nicotine Activates More Than Just The Brain's Pleasure Pathways - also here, here

Longevity of "Indy" fruit flies

1. January 23, 2009 - Scientists Unlock Possible Aging Secret In Genetically Altered Fruit Fly - also here, here

Music as a memory cue

1. January 23, 2009 - Popular Songs Can Cue Specific Memories, Psychology Research Shows - also here

Modeling the hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal axis

1. January 23, 2009 - Recalibrating 'fight or flight'

Gene interaction and disease risk

1. January 23, 2009 - Genetic interactions are the key to understanding complex traits - also here, here

Metagenomics

1. January 23, 2009 - Mixing genomics and geography yields insights into life and environment

Poxvirus defenses

1. January 23, 2009 - Researchers make breakthrough against poxviruses - also here, here

Notch signaling

1. January 25, 2009 - Type Of Supporting Cells Resistant To Notch Signaling Discovered

Short-term memory and glutamate

1. January 25, 2009 - Rsearchers discover brain's memory 'buffer' in single cells - also here, here
2. January 26, 2009 - Single cell 'can store memories'

Bidirectional transcription

1. January 25, 2009 - Rewrite the textbooks: Transcription is bidirectional - also here, here

Health and medicine

Dementia

1. January 19, 2009 - Go to a party to cut dementia risk, study suggests
2. January 19, 2009 - Easygoing, Social People May Get Dementia Less Often
3. January 19, 2009 - Staying calm 'prevents dementia'
4. January 20, 2009 - Social lifestyle cuts dementia risk: study
5. January 20, 2009 - Socially Active And Not Easily Stressed? You May Not Develop Dementia - also here, here
6. January 23, 2009 - Vitamin D 'is mental health aid'
7. January 24, 2009 - Low Levels Of Vitamin D Link To Cognitive Problems In Older People - also here

AIDS

1. January 19, 2009 - China rolls out two HIV drugs to tackle resistance
2. January 19, 2009 - Existing blood carbohydrate could fight HIV
3. January 23, 2009 - STDs disrupt genetic bottleneck that usually constrains HIV infection - also here

Cancer

1. January 19, 2009 - Chemical used in making rubber linked to cancer
2. January 20, 2009 - New Criteria For Measuring Tumor Size And Progression Will Help Ease Workloads In Clinical Trials
3. January 20, 2009 - Experimental Therapy Turns On Tumor Suppressor Gene In Cancer Cells - also here, here
4. January 21, 2009 - Smoking Linked To Most Male Cancer Deaths - also here, here
5. January 21, 2009 - Genetic Fingerprint of Prostate Cancer
6. January 21, 2009 - What is the risk factor for gastric cancer in a Costa Rican?
7. January 21, 2009 - Boosted immune system could devour brain tumours
8. January 22, 2009 - Breastfeeding May Prevent Breast Cancer
9. January 23, 2009 - Darkness, Melatonin May Stall Breast and Prostate Cancers
10. January 23, 2009 - Measles Virus May Be Effective Prostate Cancer Treatment - also here
11. January 23, 2009 - Implants Mimic Infection To Rally Immune System Against Tumors - also here, here

Cardiovascular disease

1. January 19, 2009 - Study doubts heart disease genetic testing value
2. January 19, 2009 - First heart attacks becoming less severe: U.S. study
3. January 20, 2009 - Bleeding Hearts Revealed With New Scan - also here, here
4. January 20, 2009 - Salt Reduction May Offer Cardioprotective Effects Beyond Blood Pressure Reduction
5. January 21, 2009 - Study doubts worth of heart gene test
6. January 21, 2009 - Less Severe First Heart Attacks Linked To Heart Disease Death Reductions - also here, here
7. January 22, 2009 - New Molecular Mechanism Associated With Arrhythmias Discovered: Possible Novel Target For Treating Arrhythmias - also here, here
8. January 22, 2009 - Abnormal Heart Function Associated With Reduced Capacity For Exercise - also here
9. January 22, 2009 - Impaired Kidney Function Raises Risk Of Heart Problems In The Elderly - also here
10. January 22, 2009 - Drug-coated stents less risky for heart bypass patients - also here
11. January 23, 2009 - Inflammation Worsens Danger Due To Atherosclerosis - also here, here

Avian flu

1. January 19, 2009 - China reports two new cases of bird flu, one dead
2. January 19, 2009 - China reports another human birdflu infection
3. January 19, 2009 - China reports third bird flu case in three days
4. January 19, 2009 - New death from bird flu in China
5. January 20, 2009 - 16-year-old Chinese boy dies from H5N1 bird flu - also here
6. January 20, 2009 - China announces third bird flu death this year
7. January 20, 2009 - China warns of "grim" fight against deadly bird flu
8. January 20, 2009 - Nepal bird flu sparks mass cull
9. January 20, 2009 - Fresh warning on China bird flu
10. January 21, 2009 - Two more Indonesians infected with bird flu: health ministry
11. January 24, 2009 - China reports 4th bird flu death in 2009

Gene therapy

1. January 19, 2009 - Heating up gene activation
2. January 20, 2009 - Gene Therapy Studied For Preeclampsia: New Clues To Mysterious Pregnancy Condition

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. January 19, 2009 - New Therapeutic Properties Of N-acetyl-L-cysteine Discovered
2. January 25, 2009 - Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Have Surprisingly High Folate Levels, Study Finds - also here, here

Clostridium difficile

1. January 19, 2009 - Gene Technology To Fight Lethal Hospital Acquired Infection - also here

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. January 19, 2009 - Novel Drugs Selectively Target Pathway Important In Rheumatoid Arthritis
2. January 21, 2009 - Anakinra For Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Modest Benefit With Some Risk, Study Suggests - also here

Schizophrenia

1. January 19, 2009 - Lack Of Grey Matter In Brain Is Linked To Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder
2. January 23, 2009 - Altered Brain Activity In Schizophrenia May Direct Focus On Self - also here, here
3. January 23, 2009 - Schizophrenic patients' frozen faces harm social interactions - also here

Kinase signaling and disease

1. January 19, 2009 - New Structural Motif In Key Enzymes: Essential To Prevent Autoimmune Disease; Key To Cancer Drug Resistance?

Stem cells

1. January 19, 2009 - British trials to use stem cells for stroke, blindness
2. January 19, 2009 - Stem cell eye surgery to be tried
3. January 23, 2009 - FDA allows first test of human stem cell therapy
4. January 23, 2009 - FDA OKs stem cell trial
5. January 23, 2009 - Right on Geron
6. January 23, 2009 - Green light for US stem cell work
7. January 23, 2009 - Historic trial to treat spinal injury with stem cells
8. January 23, 2009 - F.D.A. Approves a Stem Cell Trial
9. January 23, 2009 - US approves 1st stem cell study for spinal injury
10. January 23, 2009 - FDA OKs 1st Embryonic Stem Cell Trial
11. January 24, 2009 - Human embryonic stem cell trial wins approval
12. January 27, 2009 - Stem cells ready for prime time

Obesity

1. January 20, 2009 - Microbe Composition In Gut May Hold Key To One Cause Of Obesity - also here, here
2. January 21, 2009 - Family stress may make kids fat: study
3. January 22, 2009 - Three Genes That Increase Risk Of Severe Obesity In Kids And Adults Discovered
4. January 23, 2009 - Sleep disordered breathing and obesity: Independent effects, causes - also here

Pathogenic bacteria and phenotypic noise

1. January 20, 2009 - Pathogenic Microorganisms And Phenotypic Noise: Combat Zone Reconnaissance

Diabetes

1. January 20, 2009 - Advance Toward First Saliva Test For Type 2 Diabetes - also here
2. January 21, 2009 - New study to explore if anti-inflammatory drug can treat type 2 diabetes - also here
3. January 22, 2009 - Low Glycemic Diets Help Diabetics Control Blood Sugar, Review Suggests
4. January 23, 2009 - Cell Transplantation And Diabetes: New Sites, New Devices - also here

Low-carbohydrate diet and liver fat

1. January 20, 2009 - Low-carbohydrate Diet Burns More Excess Liver Fat Than Low-calorie Diet, Clinical Study Finds - also here, here

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

1. January 20, 2009 - MRSA head and neck infections increase among children - also here
2. January 20, 2009 - Study shows rise in antibiotic resistant pediatric head and neck infections
3. January 20, 2009 - MRSA's 'weak spot' uncovered
4. January 22, 2009 - MRSA's 'Weak Point' Visualized By Scientists
5. January 23, 2009 - Study finds MRSA in Midwestern swine, workers - also here, here
6. January 23, 2009 - A New Strain of Drug-Resistant Staph Infection Found in U.S. Pigs

Cancer biology

1. January 20, 2009 - Nitric oxide shown to cause colon cancer
2. January 25, 2009 - Cancer-causing Gene Discovery Suggests New Therapies - also here, here
3. January 25, 2009 - How Chemotherapy Drugs Block Blood Vessel Growth, Slow Cancer Spread - also here, here

Parkinson's disease

1. January 20, 2009 - Study to Test if Fading Sense of Smell Signals Onset of Parkinson's

Nanobiotechnology

1. January 20, 2009 - Micromotor could navigate human bloodstream
2. January 20, 2009 - Tiny motors may be big in surgery
3. January 20, 2009 - Tiny motor could power artery-cruising robots
4. January 21, 2009 - Medical 'microbot' to swim human arteries
5. January 21, 2009 - Special Nanotubes May Be Used As A Vehicle For Treating Neurodegenerative Disorders
6. January 23, 2009 - Nano-pill may give insulin jab the flick
7. January 23, 2009 - Microbot Motors Fit To Swim Human Arteries - also here
8. January 23, 2009 - Nano-tetherball Biosensor Precisely Detects Glucose - also here

Cancer stem cells

1. January 21, 2009 - Engineered Virus Targets And Kills Apparent Cancer Stem Cells In Neuroblastoma - also here, here

RNAi microbicide for herpes

1. January 21, 2009 - Topical treatment wipes out herpes with RNAi
2. January 22, 2009 - Experimental Topical Microbicide Offers Convenient, Long-lasting Protection Against Genital Herpes, Study Suggests

Antibiotics

1. January 21, 2009 - New Synthetic Compound Message to Drug-Resistant Bacteria: 'Resistance is Futile'

Autism

1. January 21, 2009 - Autistic traits 'spread widely'

Lupus

1. January 22, 2009 - Blocked Protein Prevents Lupus In Mouse Model

Mediterranean diet

1. January 23, 2009 - Mediterranean Diet Reduces Long-term Risk Of Subsequent Weight Gain And Obesity Among Adults

Autoimmune disease

1. January 23, 2009 - Unexpected finding opens up new way to stop autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection - also here
2. January 24, 2009 - Potential New Antibody Treatment For Autoimmune Diseases - also here, here

Tuberculosis

1. January 23, 2009 - New treatment option for latent tuberculosis - also here, here

Calorie restriction and longevity

1. January 23, 2009 - Eating less may not extend life - also here, here

Immune system enhancer

1. January 23, 2009 - Protein may boost body's defence system against infections and cancer

Multiple sclerosis

1. January 23, 2009 - Merck: New pill may work for MS

Alzheimer's disease

1. January 24, 2009 - Apple Juice Can Delay Onset Of Alzheimer's Disease, Study Suggests - also here, here

Psoriasis

1. January 25, 2009 - Scientists unmask genetic markers associated with psoriasis - also here
2. January 26, 2009 - Genetic 'hotspots' for psoriasis
3. January 27, 2009 - Scientists uncover new genetic variations linked to psoriasis
4. January 27, 2009 - Researchers identify 4 genetic hotspots associated with psoriasis

Copyright © 2009 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved