Volume 8, Number 18 May 4, 2009

Physical sciences and technology K-T mass extinction High-density optical digital storage Quantum entanglement Extrasolar planets Rotational seismology Polymer solar cells Nanotechnology Gamma-ray bursts Parity and extra Z-bosons Early massive galaxies Planck and Herschel telescopes Metamaterials Black holes Galactic ridge x-ray emissions Superconductivity Global warming Graphene Enceladus Milky Way's black hole Carbon nanotubes Quantum cryptography Plasmonics Novae Astrochemistry Starburst galaxies Earthquakes Solid helium Kervaire invariants Galaxy smoothness SETI@home Neutrino detectors James Webb Space Telescope Dark matter B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background Life sciences Macrophages Lymphatic system development SUMO, chromatin remodeling, and gene regulation Mimivirus Systems biology Blood cell development Extremophiles Modeling extinction of mutating viruses Cellular stress adaptation Gene expression and chromosomal topography RNA evolution RSV matrix protein Proteomics Circadian clock proteins Cellular targets of bacterial toxins Nonsense-mediated decay of RNA Cell reprogramming MicroRNA regulation Cowpea mosaic virus Gcn5, acetylation, and gene transcription Origins of life ELF4 and CD8 T cells Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior Oleoylethanolamide and long-term memory Reading Autism Schizophrenia Short-term memory Depression Visual expertise Object recognition Word recognition Oxytocin Glutamate and migraine Brain-imaging studies The hippocampus and reward processing Single neurons and brain activity Caffeine Long-term potentiation in the olfactory bulb Genetics of culture Health and medicine Cancer Nanobiotechnology Cardiovascular disease Alzheimer's disease Autoimmune disease Influenza vaccine Multiple sclerosis AIDS Inflammatory bowel disease Diabetes Gene therapy Psoriasis Parkinson's disease Drug delivery Hepatitis C H1N1 influenza Alcohol, wine, and longevity Stem cells Allergy/asthma switch Lupus Obesity Avian flu MicroRNA and diabetes Narcolepsy

Physical sciences and technology

K-T mass extinction

1. April 27, 2009 - Meteor didn't do in the dinos
2. April 27, 2009 - New Blow for Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Theory - also here
3. May 4, 2009 - Geoscientist offers new evidence that meteorite did not wipe out dinosaurs

High-density optical digital storage

1. April 27, 2009 - General Electric Develops a 500GB Optical Disc
2. April 27, 2009 - Optical disc offers 500GB storage

Quantum entanglement

1. April 27, 2009 - Quantum ghosts are helpful - also here

Extrasolar planets

1. April 27, 2009 - Missing planets attest to destructive power of stars' tides - also here
2. April 28, 2009 - Missing planets suggest stars 'eat' their young
3. April 29, 2009 - Sun-like star's 'oddball' planet
4. May 1, 2009 - Beware the Planet Eaters!

Rotational seismology

1. April 27, 2009 - Rotational Seismology May Soon Play Significant Role In Seismology And Earthquake Engineering

Polymer solar cells

1. April 27, 2009 - Polymer Solar Cell Plant Hooked Up To Grid In Denmark

Nanotechnology

1. April 27, 2009 - Single-molecule Nano-vehicles Synthesized
2. April 29, 2009 - Achieving optimal efficiencies for nanoengines
3. April 29, 2009 - Nanophysicists find unexpected magnetic effect: Kondo effect noted in single-atom contacts of pure ferromagnets - also here
4. May 7, 2009 - Kondo effect spotted in tiny magnetic wires

Gamma-ray bursts

1. April 27, 2009 - Most distant object in the universe spotted
2. April 28, 2009 - The Most Distant Object Yet Discovered in the Universe
3. April 28, 2009 - Farthest Known Object: New Gamma-Ray Burst Smashes Cosmic Distance Record
4. April 28, 2009 - Telescope snaps most distant object
5. April 28, 2009 - The Farthest Thing Ever Seen
6. April 28, 2009 - New Gamma-Ray Burst Smashes Cosmic Distance Record - also here, here
7. April 28, 2009 - Most distant known object in the universe
8. April 28, 2009 - Space Explosion Is Farthest Thing Ever Seen
9. April 28, 2009 - Cosmic blast sets distance mark
10. April 28, 2009 - Astronomers see oldest object in universe yet
11. April 28, 2009 - Beyond redshift eight
12. April 29, 2009 - Ancient gamma-ray burst is most distant object ever seen
13. April 29, 2009 - Exploding star is oldest object seen in universe
14. July 2, 2009 - Earliest astrophysical object yet seen

Parity and extra Z-bosons

1. April 28, 2009 - Particle physics study finds new data for extra Z-bosons and potential fifth force of nature - also here

Early massive galaxies

1. April 28, 2009 - Hubble Survey Reveals Formation Of Universe's First Massive Galaxies

Planck and Herschel telescopes

1. April 28, 2009 - Telescopes given 'go' for launch

Metamaterials

1. April 28, 2009 - Invisibility cloaks go optical

Black holes

1. April 29, 2009 - Running Amok in the Milky Way
2. April 29, 2009 - Rogue Black Holes May Roam the Milky Way - also here
3. April 29, 2009 - Hundreds of Rogue Black Holes May Lurk in Our Galaxy

Galactic ridge x-ray emissions

1. April 29, 2009 - Resolving a galactic mystery - also here

Superconductivity

1. April 29, 2009 - Iron-arsenic superconductors in class of their own - also here

Global warming

1. April 29, 2009 - A limit for carbon emissions: 1 trillion metric tons
2. April 29, 2009 - Humanity's carbon budget set at one trillion tonnes
3. April 29, 2009 - How Much Is Too Much?: Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions
4. April 30, 2009 - Save 'trillionth tonne' warn Oxford scientists
5. April 30, 2009 - Southern glaciers grow out of step with North - also here
6. May 1, 2009 - Glaciers show north-south climate divide
7. May 1, 2009 - Sea Salt Holds Clues to Climate Change - also here

Graphene

1. April 29, 2009 - Fledgling graphene circuit performs basic logic - also here

Enceladus

1. April 29, 2009 - Salt in Enceladus geyser points to liquid ocean

Milky Way's black hole

1. April 29, 2009 - Vanishing matter points to black hole in Milky Way

Carbon nanotubes

1. April 30, 2009 - Carbon nanotube device can detect colors of the rainbow - also here, here, here
2. May 1, 2009 - World's tiniest lamp spans quantum and classical physics

Quantum cryptography

1. April 30, 2009 - Making quantum cryptography practical - also here
2. May 3, 2009 - Breakthrough in quantum cryptography: Record in the transmission of entangled photon pairs
3. May 7, 2009 - Worldwide quantum security - also here

Plasmonics

1. April 30, 2009 - Method to integrate plasmonic technology with state-of-the-art ICs reported

Novae

1. April 30, 2009 - Understanding stellar explosions is less straightforward than previously thought - also here

Astrochemistry

1. April 30, 2009 - Astronomer to Search in Space for Precursors of Life

Starburst galaxies

1. April 30, 2009 - Starbursts in Dwarf Galaxies are a Global Affair
2. April 30, 2009 - Finding starburst galaxies

Earthquakes

1. April 30, 2009 - Lake Tahoe Region In U.S. May Be Due For Major Earthquake

Solid helium

1. April 30, 2009 - Supersolids seen in new light
2. May 1, 2009 - Frozen helium-4 may be an unusual 'superglass'

Kervaire invariants

1. May 1, 2009 - Hidden riddle of shapes solved

Galaxy smoothness

1. May 1, 2009 - Why Are Galaxies So Smooth?

SETI@home

1. May 1, 2009 - SETI@home completes a decade of ET search

Neutrino detectors

1. May 1, 2009 - Officials break ground for the world's most advanced neutrino experiment

James Webb Space Telescope

1. May 1, 2009 - The space giant is coming

Dark matter

1. May 2, 2009 - Lights Out for Dark Matter Claim?
2. May 2, 2009 - Another clue in the case for dark matter
3. May 4, 2009 - Fermi telescope explores high-energy 'space invaders' - also here
4. May 5, 2009 - Dark matter intrigue deepens
5. May 5, 2009 - High-energy Electrons Could Come from Pulsars -- or Dark Matter
6. May 7, 2009 - Dark matter signal recedes into the shadows

B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background

1. May 3, 2009 - Super-Sensors to Measure 'Signature' of Inflationary Universe - also here

Life sciences

Macrophages

1. April 27, 2009 - New study overturns orthodoxy on how macrophages kill bacteria - also here

Lymphatic system development

1. April 27, 2009 - Building the lymphatic drainage system - also here

SUMO, chromatin remodeling, and gene regulation

1. April 27, 2009 - SUMO protein guides chromatin remodeler to suppress genes - also here

Mimivirus

1. April 28, 2009 - Findings uncover new details about mysterious virus - also here
2. April 28, 2009 - Mimivirus up close

Systems biology

1. April 28, 2009 - Toward a systems biology map of iron metabolism - also here

Blood cell development

1. April 28, 2009 - Discovery a key to blood cell development - also here

Extremophiles

1. April 28, 2009 - The limits of life on Earth extended... in water
2. April 30, 2009 - In Ocean's Depths, Heat-Loving 'Extremophile' Evolves a Strange Molecular Trick

Modeling extinction of mutating viruses

1. April 28, 2009 - Mathematical Model Used To Explain Viral Extinction

Cellular stress adaptation

1. April 28, 2009 - Level of cellular stress determines longevity of retinal cells - also here

Gene expression and chromosomal topography

1. April 28, 2009 - To Understand the Blueprint of Life, Crumple It

RNA evolution

1. April 29, 2009 - Scientists make molecules that evolve, compete, mimick behavior of Darwin's finches - also here

RSV matrix protein

1. April 29, 2009 - Matrix protein key to fighting viruses - also here

Proteomics

1. April 29, 2009 - Protein effects of hormone replacement therapy uncovered - also

Circadian clock proteins

1. April 29, 2009 - PER:PER protein pair required for circadian clock function - also here

Cellular targets of bacterial toxins

1. April 29, 2009 - Researchers Make Significant Strides In Identifying Cause Of Bacterial Infections

Nonsense-mediated decay of RNA

1. April 30, 2009 - Recycler protein helps prevent disease - also here

Cell reprogramming

1. April 30, 2009 - Scientists turn adult skin cells into muscle and vice versa - also here
2. May 5, 2009 - Scientists explore new way to change cell's identity

MicroRNA regulation

1. May 1, 2009 - When cells reach out and touch - also here

Cowpea mosaic virus

1. May 1, 2009 - Scientists determine workings of potentially useful virus - also here

Gcn5, acetylation, and gene transcription

1. May 1, 2009 - Key function in protein, cell transcription identified

Origins of life

1. May 2, 2009 - Did asbestos help life evolve?

ELF4 and CD8 T cells

1. May 3, 2009 - Process controlling T cell growth and production identified - also here

Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior

Oleoylethanolamide and long-term memory

1. April 27, 2009 - Fatty Foods May Boost Memory
2. April 27, 2009 - Dietary fats trigger long-term memory formation - also here
3. April 27, 2009 - Fatty foods 'offer memory boost'

Reading

1. April 27, 2009 - Early brain activity sheds new light on the neural basis of reading - also here

Autism

1. April 27, 2009 - Autism may be linked to being firstborn, breech births or moms 35 or older - also here
2. April 28, 2009 - Researchers find first common autism gene
3. April 28, 2009 - Step Forward in Autism Genetics
4. April 28, 2009 - First common genetic risk factors for autism demonstrated
5. April 28, 2009 - Connectivity may play role in autism
6. April 28, 2009 - Genes 'have key role in autism'
7. April 29, 2009 - Gene variant found in 65% of autism cases
8. April 29, 2009 - Researchers find first common autism gene
9. April 29, 2009 - First neuroimaging study examining motor execution in children with autism reveals new insights
10. April 29, 2009 - Autism Genes Discovered; Help Shape Connections Among Brain Cells
11. April 29, 2009 - Researchers find common genetic variations in autistic people

Schizophrenia

1. April 27, 2009 - National study to identify genetic variants in schizophrenia
2. April 30, 2009 - Genetic variant impairs communication within the brain - also here

Short-term memory

1. April 28, 2009 - Some Short-term Memories Die Suddenly, No Fading - also here

Depression

1. April 28, 2009 - Study suggests new target for treatment of depression - also here
2. April 28, 2009 - Depression linked with accumulation of visceral fat - also here
3. May 2, 2009 - Drugs 'can help mild depression'

Visual expertise

1. April 28, 2009 - Study suggests left-side bias in visual expertise - also here

Object recognition

1. April 29, 2009 - A glimpse at vision: First impressions count - also here

Word recognition

1. April 29, 2009 - Brain processes written words as unique 'objects' - also here
2. April 29, 2009 - Research suggests words are seen as units and processed quickly

Oxytocin

1. April 29, 2009 - Oxytocin: Love potion #1? - also here

Glutamate and migraine

1. April 29, 2009 - Migraine prevention by targeting glutamate receptors?

Brain-imaging studies

1. April 30, 2009 - Researchers pinpoint the mechanisms of self-control in the brain - also here
2. May 1, 2009 - The Science of Self-Control

The hippocampus and reward processing

1. April 30, 2009 - The hippocampus plays a fundamental role in the computing of uncertainty - also here

Single neurons and brain activity

1. May 1, 2009 - A Single Neuron Can Change the Activity of the Whole Brain

Caffeine

1. May 1, 2009 - Your brain on -- and off -- caffeine - also here

Long-term potentiation in the olfactory bulb

1. May 3, 2009 - Neuroscientists discover long-term potentiation in the olfactory bulb

Genetics of culture

1. May 3, 2009 - Culture May Be Encoded in DNA

Health and medicine

Cancer

1. April 27, 2009 - Cholesterol drugs may cut risk of prostate cancer
2. April 27, 2009 - Group recommends baseline prostate testing at 40
3. April 27, 2009 - Nanosensor Arrays 'Smell' Cancer
4. April 27, 2009 - American Urological Association Counters Mainstream Recommendations With New Best Practice Statement On PSA Testing
5. April 27, 2009 - Statins May Exert Influence On Prostate Cancer Growth By Reducing Inflammation
6. April 27, 2009 - How An Antibody Helps The Immune System Reject Cancer
7. April 27, 2009 - Hormone Therapy Offers Potential Protective Effect Against Colon Cancer In Older Women
8. April 27, 2009 - Onyx/Bayer drug Nexavar flunks skin cancer trial
9. April 28, 2009 - Survival extended by Dendreon cancer vaccine - also here
10. April 28, 2009 - Acrylamide in food does not up lung cancer risk
11. April 28, 2009 - DNA protecting protein helps cancer drug to kill cells - also here
12. April 28, 2009 - Topical cream studied as way to treat skin cancer without the knife - also here
13. April 28, 2009 - Experimental drug shows promise against head and neck cancer - also here
14. April 28, 2009 - Gene alterations associated with response to anthracycline therapy for breast cancer - also here
15. April 28, 2009 - New diagnostic advance seen for head, throat cancer - also here
16. April 28, 2009 - Statins alter prostate cancer patients' PSA levels - also here
17. April 28, 2009 - Dietary acrylamide not associated with increased lung cancer risk in men - also here
18. April 28, 2009 - A longer lasting tumor blocker - also here
19. April 28, 2009 - Gene Expression Ratio Test Predicts Outcome In Mesothelioma Patients Treated With Surgery
20. April 28, 2009 - Antibody Targeting The Protein FGFR3 Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth
21. April 28, 2009 - Prostate cancer vaccine extends survival in study
22. April 28, 2009 - Doctors urge baseline test for prostate cancer - also here
23. April 29, 2009 - Controversial vaccine fights prostate cancer
24. April 29, 2009 - Prostate cancer immunotherapy significantly prolongs survival in men with advanced prostate cancer
25. April 29, 2009 - Finding will improve accuracy of cancer diagnosis
26. April 29, 2009 - Major Statin Study Reveals Several Important Findings For Reducing Prostate Cancer And Disease
27. April 29, 2009 - Vitamin K With Sorafenib Showed Anti-tumor Effects In Pancreas Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma
28. April 29, 2009 - Over-40s may benefit from aspirin
29. April 29, 2009 - Study bolsters hopes for prostate cancer vaccine rejected by FDA
30. April 30, 2009 - NASA's ENose can sense brain cancer cells - also here
31. April 30, 2009 - Study validates means to measure possible leukemia marker - also here
32. April 30, 2009 - Mother-daughter breast density study points way to earlier cancer risk assessment - also here
33. April 30, 2009 - Drug Therapy Reduces Neuroblastoma Tumor Growth In Pre-clinical Investigation
34. April 30, 2009 - Certain Ecologic Factors Associated With Greater Risk Of Bladder Cancer
35. April 30, 2009 - Men Treated For Localized Prostate Cancer Could Benefit From Pomegranate Juice Consumption
36. April 30, 2009 - New Study Argues For CT Colonography As Primary Colon Cancer Screening Test
37. May 1, 2009 - Drug combo helps with repeat cancers in women
38. May 1, 2009 - Can kidney disease cause cancer? - also here
39. May 1, 2009 - Improved Detection Of Bladder Tumors Reduces Cancer Recurrence
40. May 1, 2009 - TIP30 Inhibits Lung Cancer Metastasis, Study Suggests
41. May 3, 2009 - Early detection of lung cancer - also here
42. May 3, 2009 - Personalized treatment for early lung cancer - also here
43. May 3, 2009 - Women more vulnerable to tobacco carcinogens, new results show - also here

Nanobiotechnology

1. April 27, 2009 - Fresh Pot of Tea Strikes Anticancer Gold
2. April 28, 2009 - NanoViagra
3. April 30, 2009 - New technology shows promise against resistant staph infections - also here
4. April 30, 2009 - Cutaneous Application Of Nanoparticles Offers Hope For Treatment Of Erectile Dysfunction
5. May 3, 2009 - Nano-delivery could help tackle HIV
6. May 3, 2009 - Nanotechnology holds promise for STD drug delivery - also here

Cardiovascular disease

1. April 27, 2009 - Heart attacks: The tipping point - also here
2. April 27, 2009 - Different treatment options in chronic coronary artery disease - also here
3. April 28, 2009 - Arterial disease of the leg frequently overlooked in patients with heart disease
4. April 28, 2009 - ASA Plus Clopidogrel Reduces Heart Attack Risk In Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome, Study Suggests
5. April 29, 2009 - Excessive increase in heart rate before exercise doubles risk of sudden cardiac death in later life - also here
6. April 29, 2009 - Researchers identify stroke predictors in black patients
7. April 29, 2009 - Stroke Predictors In Black Patients Identified
8. April 30, 2009 - Controlling cholesterol, blood pressure adds up to prevent stroke
9. April 30, 2009 - Potential lung disease biomarkers yield clues to COX-2 inhibitor side effects - also here
10. April 30, 2009 - Urine screening test may one day predict coronary artery disease - also here
11. May 1, 2009 - Single gene defect can cause stroke, other artery diseases - also here

Alzheimer's disease

1. April 27, 2009 - Novel role of protein in generating amyloid-beta peptide - also here
2. April 27, 2009 - Neuronal Growth Factor Receptor -- Long Implicated In Alzheimer's Disease -- May Actually Protect The Neuron
3. April 29, 2009 - Lower Dementia Drug Dose Boosts Brain Function, Cuts Side Effects
4. April 30, 2009 - Research Finds Photos More Useful Than Words for Memory Recall - also here

Autoimmune disease

1. April 27, 2009 - 'Autoantibodies' may be created in response to bacterial DNA - also here
2. April 28, 2009 - Understanding a target of quinoline drugs - also here

Influenza vaccine

1. April 27, 2009 - Universal flu vaccine holds promise - also here

Multiple sclerosis

1. April 28, 2009 - "Good" cholesterol may guard against MS disability
2. April 29, 2009 - Cancer pill 'offers MS benefits'
3. April 30, 2009 - New pill to treat multiple sclerosis - also here
4. April 30, 2009 - Gray matter under attack in multiple sclerosis - also here
5. April 30, 2009 - Glutamate identified as predictor of disease progression in multiple sclerosis - also here
6. April 30, 2009 - Adding steroid drug to MS treatment may reduce disease activity - also here
7. April 30, 2009 - Tablet to treat multiple sclerosis seen as huge step forward

AIDS

1. April 28, 2009 - Re-awakening old genes to help in the fight against HIV - also here
2. April 30, 2009 - A new path for HIV entry
3. April 30, 2009 - HIV's undercover route to infection
4. April 30, 2009 - New view of HIV entry may lead to next generation of inhibitors - also here
5. April 30, 2009 - Cancer-causing virus associated with higher risk of new HIV infection - also here
6. May 1, 2009 - Ancestor of HIV in primates may be surprisingly young - also here
7. May 2, 2009 - If Started Early, HIV Treatment Reduces Death Rates Toward Background Levels In African Countries

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. April 28, 2009 - Stem cell focus for IBD wound healing

Diabetes

1. April 28, 2009 - Majority Of New Cases Of Diabetes In Older U.S. Adults Could Be Prevented By Following Modestly Healthier Lifestyles
2. April 29, 2009 - Potential preventative therapy for Type 1 diabetes - also here

Gene therapy

1. April 29, 2009 - Simulated gene therapy - also here
2. April 29, 2009 - Gene-laden Bubbles Grow New Blood Vessels
3. May 3, 2009 - Moving gene therapy forward with mobile DNA - also here

Psoriasis

1. April 29, 2009 - New clinical study probes how light fights psoriasis - also here
2. May 1, 2009 - Two-pronged Attack Works Best For Psoriasis Treatment
3. May 8, 2009 - Home light therapy psoriasis hope

Parkinson's disease

1. April 29, 2009 - Parkinson's: Neurons destroyed by 3 simultaneous strikes - also here
2. April 30, 2009 - Brain protein central to both Parkinson's, drug addiction identified - also here, here
3. May 1, 2009 - Gangliosides May Protect Against Parkinson's Disease

Drug delivery

1. April 29, 2009 - Researchers report oral delivery system for RNAi therapeutics

Hepatitis C

1. April 29, 2009 - New weapon fights hepatitis C
2. April 29, 2009 - Studies: Drug shows promise against hepatitis C
3. April 30, 2009 - Added anti-viral improves response, halves duration of hepatitis C treatment - also here
4. April 30, 2009 - Diabetes, Obesity And Hypertension Increase Mortality In Hepatitis C Patients

H1N1 influenza

1. April 30, 2009 - 1918 flu resulted in current lineage of H1N1 swine influenza viruses, study says - also here

Alcohol, wine, and longevity

1. April 30, 2009 - Half a glass of wine a day may boost life expectancy by five years - also here
2. May 5, 2009 - A little wine may make for a longer life

Stem cells

1. April 30, 2009 - Scientists shed light on inner workings of human embryonic stem cells - also here
2. April 30, 2009 - Better Targeting Of Stem Cells As Medication: Arteriosclerosis May Soon Be A Thing Of The Past

Allergy/asthma switch

1. April 30, 2009 - Scientists find the cellular on and off switch for allergies and asthma - also here

Lupus

1. April 30, 2009 - Decrease in sense of smell seen in lupus patients - also here
2. May 8, 2009 - People with lupus often have poor sense of smell

Obesity

1. May 1, 2009 - White tea -- the solution to the obesity epidemic? - also here

Avian flu

1. May 2, 2009 - Pigeon tests positive for H5N1 in Hong Kong

MicroRNA and diabetes

1. May 2, 2009 - MicroRNA Protects Beta Cells

Narcolepsy

1. May 3, 2009 - Genetic study confirms the immune system's role in narcolepsy
2. May 4, 2009 - Narcolepsy: A Case of the Body Attacking Itself?
3. May 4, 2009 - Immune fault 'link' to narcolepsy
4. May 5, 2009 - Narcolepsy linked to immune system
5. May 6, 2009 - Narcolepsy confirmed as autoimmune disorder

Copyright © 2009 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved