Volume 8, Number 25 June 22, 2009

Physical sciences and technology Protoplanetary disks Gamma-ray bursts Bismuth telluride electronics Nanotechnology Supernovae Earth's mantle Paleoclimatology Brown dwarfs Global warming Magnetars Quantum technology Photovoltaics Bose-Einstein codensate black hole analogue Water on Mars Quantum coherence Extrasolar planets Ferroelectric materials for digital storage Spintronics Superconductivity Carbon nanotubes Sunspots Controlled fusion Grid computing Earthquakes Graphene Quantum computing Large Hadron Collider Life sciences Ultramicrobacteria Speciation REST, gene expression, and evolution T cells Proteomics Dendritic cells Evolution of gene regulation in bacteria Parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells Sexual selection Epigenetics and RNA transcription Embryonic development of neural crest cells Gene regulatory networks MicroRNA Limb regeneration Bacterial foresight Complement system of the immune response Modeling tissue connectivity networks Bioinformatics Induced pluripotent stem cells Extremophiles Proteins DNA repair Control of cell division Synthetic biology Herpes virus capsids Copy number variation Rapamycin and immune memory Notch signaling and asymmetric cell division Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior Mitochondria in neurons Depression Consciousness Face recognition Brain-imaging studies Memory formation Autism Synaptic vesicle recycling Same-sex behavior in animals Cerebral asymmetry in processing emotions Extraversion, inflammation, and interleukin-6 Visual attention Synapse formation CaMKII-α and synaptic plasticity Health and medicine Cancer Alzheimer's disease Diabetes Drug discovery Psoriasis Hepatitis C Prions Rheumatoid arthritis Stem cells Metabolic syndrome Nanobiotechnology Autoimmune diseases Aging, cancer, and p16INK4a Cancer stem cells Cardiovascular disease Estrogen, dopamine, and neurological disease Inflammatory bowel disease Multiple sclerosis Drug delivery Malaria Cancer biology Auto-inflammatory disease Tissue engineering BMI and life expectancy Lupus Vinegar and fat metabolism Hormone therapy and reduced body fat Sirtuin, glucose level, and cholesterol Influenza vaccines AIDS Obesity and insulin resistance Avian flu

Physical sciences and technology

Protoplanetary disks

1. June 15, 2009 - Planetary Preemies?

Gamma-ray bursts

1. June 15, 2009 - Mysterious Gamma-Ray Bursts May Have Ties to Failed Black Holes

Bismuth telluride electronics

1. June 15, 2009 - New exotic material could revolutionize electronics - also here

Nanotechnology

1. June 15, 2009 - Scientists invent 1.2nm molecular gear - also here
2. June 15, 2009 - Scientists Create Custom 3-dimensional Structures With 'DNA Origami'
3. June 17, 2009 - Shape matters in the case of cobalt nanoparticles - also here
4. June 19, 2009 - Researchers achieve breakthrough in effort to develop tiny biological fuel cells
5. June 22, 2009 - Molecule gears up

Supernovae

1. June 15, 2009 - Unique sky survey brings new objects into focus
2. June 17, 2009 - Supernova may be in a new class
3. June 19, 2009 - Quirky supernova could be something new

Earth's mantle

1. June 15, 2009 - New study closes in on geologic history of Earth's deep interior - also here

Paleoclimatology

1. June 15, 2009 - Sediment yields climate record for past half-million years - also here
2. June 17, 2009 - Ancient Ice Age, Once Regarded As Brief 'Blip' Found To Have Lasted For 30 Million Years
3. June 17, 2009 - When palm trees gave way to spruce trees - also here
4. June 21, 2009 - Ice Sheets Can Retreat 'In a Geologic Instant,' Study of Prehistoric Glacier Shows

Brown dwarfs

1. June 16, 2009 - Weird Brown-Dwarf Weather

Global warming

1. June 16, 2009 - Climate change is already having an impact across the US - also here
2. June 16, 2009 - New US climate report dire, but offers hope
3. June 17, 2009 - Global Warming Impacts In Every Corner of the United States
4. June 18, 2009 - CO₂ Levels Highest in Two Million Years
5. June 18, 2009 - CO₂ higher today than last 2.1 million years - also here
6. June 18, 2009 - Scientists warn of climate catastrophe
7. June 18, 2009 - Aerosol cooling overestimated, says new study
8. June 19, 2009 - The mystery of particles
9. June 19, 2009 - How aerosols mask climate change
10. June 19, 2009 - How climate change might affect the US

Magnetars

1. June 16, 2009 - Giant eruption reveals 'dead' star - also here

Quantum technology

1. June 16, 2009 - The Dawn Of Quantum Applications

Photovoltaics

1. June 16, 2009 - Transparent Solar Cells Made For Windows
2. June 17, 2009 - A Polymer Solar Cell with Near-Perfect Internal Efficiency

Bose-Einstein codensate black hole analogue

1. June 16, 2009 - Black-hole analogue traps sound
2. June 16, 2009 - Physicists create 'black hole for sound'

Water on Mars

1. June 17, 2009 - First hard evidence found of a lake on Mars
2. June 17, 2009 - Evidence Found for Ancient Mars Lake
3. June 18, 2009 - First Proof of Ancient Shores Found
4. June 18, 2009 - Evidence found of lake on Mars
5. June 18, 2009 - Research team finds definitive evidence for ancient lake on Mars - also here
6. June 18, 2009 - New images show evidence of ancient Martian lake

Quantum coherence

1. June 17, 2009 - Working out a timescale for quantum operations

Extrasolar planets

1. June 17, 2009 - Odd discovery may help refine theories about how planets form
2. June 17, 2009 - Planet Found with Oddly Tilted Orbit

Ferroelectric materials for digital storage

1. June 17, 2009 - Discovery could help electronics industry enter new phase - also here

Spintronics

1. June 17, 2009 - Spintronic -- the new electronic? - also here

Superconductivity

1. June 17, 2009 - Researchers discovers how strain at grain boundaries suppresses high-temperature superconductivity - also here

Carbon nanotubes

1. June 17, 2009 - Biomimetic-engineering design can replace spaghetti tangle of nanotubes in thermal material
2. June 18, 2009 - Scientists report significant advances in flexible electronics research

Sunspots

1. June 17, 2009 - Sun's Strange Lull Explained
2. June 18, 2009 - A Yawn From the Napping Sun
3. June 18, 2009 - Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved? - also here
4. June 18, 2009 - 'Sluggish' jet streams linked to quiet Sun
5. June 18, 2009 - Sunspots revealed in striking detail by supercomputers - also here
6. June 18, 2009 - Supercomputers Give Inside Look at Sunspots
7. June 19, 2009 - Solar Sleuths Tackle the "Quiet Sun"
8. June 19, 2009 - Sunspot Delay Due to Sluggish Solar "Jet Stream"?
9. June 19, 2009 - Solar sleuths tackle mystery of quiet sun

Controlled fusion

1. June 17, 2009 - Fusion falters under soaring costs
2. June 18, 2009 - Nuclear fusion power project to start in 2018: official
3. June 18, 2009 - ITER fusion experiment faces three-year delay

Grid computing

1. June 18, 2009 - New technology enables high-speed data transfer

Earthquakes

1. June 18, 2009 - Natural deep earth pump fuels earthquakes - also here

Graphene

1. June 18, 2009 - Scientist Finds Plumber's Wonderland On Graphene

Quantum computing

1. June 18, 2009 - Superconducting qubits show promise

Large Hadron Collider

1. June 19, 2009 - "Big Bang" collider set for autumn restart: CERN
2. June 20, 2009 - Large Hadron Collider restart delayed till October

Life sciences

Ultramicrobacteria

1. June 15, 2009 - A tiny frozen microbe may hold clues to extraterrestrial life - also here
2. June 15, 2009 - Microbe Wakes Up After 120,000 Years
3. June 15, 2009 - 'Resurrection bug' revived after 120,000 years
4. June 17, 2009 - Ultrasmall Microbes Revived After 120,000 Years On Ice
5. June 24, 2009 - Frozen bacterium is 120,000 years old

Speciation

1. June 15, 2009 - On the Road to a New Species
2. June 17, 2009 - Splitting two birds with one gene

REST, gene expression, and evolution

1. June 15, 2009 - Gene evolution process discovered - also here

T cells

1. June 15, 2009 - A second chance for dangerous T-cells - also here
2. June 15, 2009 - GARP makes the difference - also here
3. June 16, 2009 - Rare disorder gives modelers first glimpse at immune system development - also here

Proteomics

1. June 15, 2009 - TRAPping proteins that work together inside living cells - also here

Dendritic cells

1. June 15, 2009 - Novel discovery in dendritic cell signalling pathways pave the way for new therapeutic targets - also here

Evolution of gene regulation in bacteria

1. June 15, 2009 - Evolution of gene regulation

Parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells

1. June 16, 2009 - Pluripotency: the third option?

Sexual selection

1. June 16, 2009 - Why do we choose our mates? Ask Charles Darwin, prof says - also here
2. June 18, 2009 - Mate selection: How does she know he'll take care of the kids? - also here

Epigenetics and RNA transcription

1. June 16, 2009 - New piece found in the puzzle of epigenetics - also here

Embryonic development of neural crest cells

1. June 16, 2009 - Scientists identify gene vital to early embryonic cells forming a normal heart and skull - also here

Gene regulatory networks

1. June 16, 2009 - Cells are like robust computational systems - also here

MicroRNA

1. June 16, 2009 - Mean new microRNA data analysis method gives sharper results - also here
2. June 17, 2009 - Genome-wide map shows precisely where microRNAs do their work - also here

Limb regeneration

1. June 17, 2009 - Mexican salamander may yield clues for amputees

Bacterial foresight

1. June 17, 2009 - Bacteria can plan ahead - also here
2. June 30, 2009 - Bacteria anticipate upcoming events

Complement system of the immune response

1. June 17, 2009 - Structures from the human immune system's oldest branch shed light on a range of diseases - also here

Modeling tissue connectivity networks

1. June 17, 2009 - Computer scientists develop model for studying arrangements of tissue networks by cell division - also here

Bioinformatics

1. June 18, 2009 - Method for computing evolutionary trees could revolutionize evolutionary biology - also here

Induced pluripotent stem cells

1. June 18, 2009 - Researchers edit genes in human stem cells - also here

Extremophiles

1. June 19, 2009 - Highest Microbial Life Found Around Volcanic Vents

Proteins

1. June 19, 2009 - Researchers observe single protein dimers wavering between two symmetrically opposed structures - also here

DNA repair

1. June 19, 2009 - BRIT1 allows DNA repair teams access to damaged sites - also here

Control of cell division

1. June 19, 2009 - Researchers explore how cells reconcile mixed messages in decisions about growth - also here

Synthetic biology

1. June 19, 2009 - Natural Computing And Synthetic Biology Techniques Advanced For Treating Diseases
2. May 20, 2009 - Engineered DNA counts it out

Herpes virus capsids

1. June 20, 2009 - Punching Holes Into Herpes Viruses

Copy number variation

1. June 21, 2009 - DNA template could explain evolutionary shifts - also here

Rapamycin and immune memory

1. June 21, 2009 - Transplant drug stimulates immune memory - also here
2. June 26, 2009 - Drug enhances power of vaccines

Notch signaling and asymmetric cell division

1. June 21, 2009 - Fate in fly sensory organ precursor cells could explain human immune disorder - also here

Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior

Mitochondria in neurons

1. June 15, 2009 - Protein regulates movement of mitochondria in brain cells - also here

Depression

1. June 16, 2009 - Gene plus stress equals depression debate
2. June 16, 2009 - Sad News for "Depression Gene"
3. June 16, 2009 - Report on Gene for Depression Is Now Faulted
4. June 17, 2009 - Much touted 'depression risk gene' may not add to risk after all - also here
5. June 17, 2009 - Analysis does not support association between genetic marker, stress and risk of depression

Consciousness

1. June 16, 2009 - Brain energy use key to understanding consciousness - also here

Face recognition

1. June 16, 2009 - Putting a name to a face may be key to brain's facial expertise - also here, here

Brain-imaging studies

1. June 16, 2009 - Brain Regions Responsible for Empathy Mapped by Researchers
2. June 17, 2009 - New Cortex Study Uncovers How We Recognize What is True and What is False - also here

Memory formation

1. June 16, 2009 - Memories may be formed throughout the day, not just while sleeping - also here
2. June 18, 2009 - Scientists capture the first image of memories being made - also here

Autism

1. June 16, 2009 - Study finds autistics better at problem-solving - also here

Synaptic vesicle recycling

1. June 16, 2009 - How A Protein Helps Nerve Cells Recycle Synaptic Vesicles

Same-sex behavior in animals

1. June 16, 2009 - Same-sex behavior seen in nearly all animals - also here
2. June 16, 2009 - Do Gay Animals Change Evolution?

Cerebral asymmetry in processing emotions

1. June 17, 2009 - Brain detects happiness more quickly than sadness - also here

Extraversion, inflammation, and interleukin-6

1. June 17, 2009 - 'Life force' linked to body's ability to withstand stress

Visual attention

1. June 17, 2009 - Study discovers clues into how eyes search
2. June 19, 2009 - Neural noise created during binocular rivalry - also here

Synapse formation

1. June 18, 2009 - Researchers visualize formation of a new synapse - also here

CaMKII-α and synaptic plasticity

1. June 19, 2009 - Generation of a severe memory-deficit mutant mouse by exclusively eliminating the kinase activity of CaMKIIalpha - also here

Health and medicine

Cancer

1. June 15, 2009 - Men warned of greater cancer risk
2. June 15, 2009 - Estrogen may reprogram prostate cancer gene in black men
3. June 15, 2009 - New method separates cancer cells from normal cells - also here
4. June 15, 2009 - Radioactive skin patch can treat cancer - also here
5. June 15, 2009 - Prostate cancer test improves prediction of disease course - also here
6. June 15, 2009 - Female farm workers at highest risk of leukaemia
7. June 15, 2009 - New approach for treating recurrent prostate cancer on the horizon - also here
8. June 15, 2009 - Research leads to advanced trials of new cancer treatment - also here
9. June 15, 2009 - DKK-3 and WIF-1: Proteins related to liver cancer development?
10. June 15, 2009 - Advances in liver surgery enable the prospect of curative treatment for more patients
11. June 15, 2009 - Females are usually at higher risk than males in a maternal history of non-GCs
12. June 15, 2009 - Decision tool for prostate cancer patients helps men customize treatment in anxious time - also here
13. June 15, 2009 - SPECT Provides High-quality Images Of Small Tumors
14. June 15, 2009 - Hormone Therapy May Confer More Aggressive Properties To Prostate Tumors
15. June 16, 2009 - "Virtual colonoscopy" may be an option, study shows
16. June 16, 2009 - CT scan nearly as good as regular colonoscopy
17. June 16, 2009 - Novel light-sensitive compounds show promise for cancer therapy - also here
18. June 16, 2009 - Hungry cells - also here
19. June 16, 2009 - Potential for noninvasive brain tumor treatment - also here
20. June 16, 2009 - Prototype Breast Cancer Imaging System May Improve Patient Care
21. June 16, 2009 - Cancer boost from whole carrots
22. June 17, 2009 - Team homes in on genetic causes of neuroblastoma
23. June 17, 2009 - Whole-cooked carrots "better for fighting cancer"
24. June 17, 2009 - Carrots cooked whole contain more anti-cancer compound
25. June 17, 2009 - Gene silencing in colorectal cancer may prove useful
26. June 17, 2009 - Key found to how tumor cells invade the brain in childhood cancer - also here
27. June 17, 2009 - Gene findings revealing reasons for neuroblastoma risk
28. June 17, 2009 - Less invasive CT-scan based colorectal cancer screening method shows good accuracy - also here
29. June 17, 2009 - Polyomavirus Infection In Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Better Outcomes
30. June 17, 2009 - Adding SNPs To Breast Cancer Risk Model Does Not Increase Accuracy Meaningfully
31. June 17, 2009 - Chemical Fingerprint Of Barrett's Esophagus Identified
32. June 17, 2009 - Ultrasonics Improves Surgeons' View When Removing Tumors From The Pituitary Gland
33. June 18, 2009 - Missing DNA could cause neuroblastoma
34. June 18, 2009 - Promising biomarker and candidate tumor suppressor gene identified for colorectal cancer - also here
35. June 18, 2009 - Targeting tumor behavior may lead to new liver cancer drugs - also here
36. June 18, 2009 - Improved method developed to test carcinogen risk - also here
37. June 18, 2009 - Key Gene In Deadly Inflammatory Breast Cancer Identified
38. June 19, 2009 - Green tea could delay prostate cancer: U.S. study
39. June 19, 2009 - Green tea may affect prostate cancer progression - also here
40. June 19, 2009 - Green tea 'slows prostate cancer'
41. June 19, 2009 - Dramatic outcomes in prostate cancer study - also here
42. June 19, 2009 - Radically Different Approach To Treating Early Breast Cancer
43. June 19, 2009 - 'Surprise' prostate result probed
44. June 20, 2009 - No change in bone cancer deaths

Alzheimer's disease

1. June 15, 2009 - Popular Alzheimer's theory may be false trail - also here
2. June 15, 2009 - X-Rays for Early Alzheimer's Disease Detection - also here
3. June 15, 2009 - Depression may increase risk of Alzheimer's disease in people with memory problems - also here
4. June 15, 2009 - PET scans may improve accuracy of dementia diagnosis - also here
5. June 16, 2009 - New technique opens door to early Alzheimer's diagnosis - also here
6. June 16, 2009 - Measuring brain atrophy in patients with mild cognitive impairment
7. June 16, 2009 - New data demonstrate potential for early detection of Alzheimer's disease
8. June 18, 2009 - Cerebrospinal fluid shows Alzheimer's disease deterioration much earlier - also here

Diabetes

1. June 15, 2009 - Sleep apnea occurring during REM sleep is significantly associated with type 2 diabetes - also here
2. June 16, 2009 - Researchers find genetic markers to help fight diabetes - also here
3. June 18, 2009 - Supplement Could Reduce Risk of Gestational Diabetes in Pregnant Women
4. June 18, 2009 - Benefit of glinides is not proven - also here
5. June 18, 2009 - Aerobically unfit young adults on road to diabetes in middle age - also here, here

Drug discovery

1. June 15, 2009 - Chemists develop Distributed Drug Discovery - also here

Psoriasis

1. June 15, 2009 - Psoriasis associated with cardiovascular disease and increased mortality - also here

Hepatitis C

1. June 15, 2009 - FibroTest attributes to generate decision trees in hepatitis C
2. June 16, 2009 - Good news for some hard-to-treat hepatitis C patients - also here

Prions

1. June 15, 2009 - How Prion Protein Damages Brain Cells

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. June 15, 2009 - Tracking levels of key biomarkers reflects disease activity and progression of rheumatoid arthritis
2. June 16, 2009 - Disclosing Feelings May Help The Course Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
3. June 16, 2009 - Relationship Between Bone Density And Erosion In Arthritis
4. June 16, 2009 - Genes That Regulate Human Circadian Rhythm Significantly Disturbed In Individuals With Arthritis
5. June 16, 2009 - Drug slows early stage arthritis
6. June 18, 2009 - New Treatment Strategy Offers Hope To Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Who Failed All Other Therapies

Stem cells

1. June 15, 2009 - Human Embryonic Stem Cells Could Safely Treat Eye Diseases, Research Suggests
2. June 17, 2009 - Hysterectomies a stem cell source
3. June 18, 2009 - Fallopian tubes offer new stem cell source - also here
4. June 19, 2009 - Stem cells points to early MD development
5. June 19, 2009 - Donor Stem Cell Transplantation Associated With Survival Benefit For Patients With Leukemia

Metabolic syndrome

1. June 15, 2009 - Natural Hormone Offers Hope For Treatment Of The Metabolic Syndrome
2. June 19, 2009 - Patients with lower urinary tract symptoms more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome - also here

Nanobiotechnology

1. June 16, 2009 - Nanoparticles could someday lead to end of chemotherapy - also here

Autoimmune diseases

1. June 16, 2009 - Study discovers link in childhood brain disease research
2. June 18, 2009 - Study May Redefine How A Chronic Auto-immune Disease Is Diagnosed

Aging, cancer, and p16INK4a

1. June 16, 2009 - Test detects molecular marker of aging in humans - also here
2. June 16, 2009 - Hope for test to measure ageing

Cancer stem cells

1. June 16, 2009 - Researchers develop model that may help identify cancer stem cells - also here

Cardiovascular disease

1. June 16, 2009 - Income, education, important factors in heart disease risk - also here
2. June 16, 2009 - Trans fats hinder multiple steps in blood flow regulation pathways - also here
3. June 16, 2009 - Analysis of drug-eluting stents data demonstrates safety, efficacy in on-and-off-label use - also here
4. June 17, 2009 - Enzyme doesn't act alone in atrial fibrillation - also here
5. June 17, 2009 - Different Systems Of Measuring Treatment Intensity In Hypertension Care Compared
6. June 17, 2009 - Advanced Image Analysis Can Provide Better Risk Assessment In Hardening Of The Arteries
7. June 18, 2009 - 'Motion-frozen' Technology Meets High-definition PET: Helping Heart Patients

Estrogen, dopamine, and neurological disease

1. June 16, 2009 - Could hormones explain gender differences in neurological disease? - also here

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. June 16, 2009 - Powerful nutrient cocktail can put kids with Crohn's into remission - also here

Multiple sclerosis

1. June 16, 2009 - Two Gene Locations Linked To Multiple Sclerosis Discovered

Drug delivery

1. June 16, 2009 - Reengineering A Food Poisoning Microbe To Carry Medicines And Vaccines

Malaria

1. June 17, 2009 - Experts uncover how malaria gets into host cells

Cancer biology

1. June 17, 2009 - Research uncovers clues to virus-cancer link - also here
2. June 17, 2009 - Scientists Find Faster, Cheaper Way to Identify Cancer-Causing Genes
3. June 18, 2009 - Cancer-causing protein can also help fight the tumors it causes - also here

Auto-inflammatory disease

1. June 18, 2009 - U.S. approves Novartis auto-inflammatory drug

Tissue engineering

1. June 18, 2009 - 3D printing for new tissues and organs - also here

BMI and life expectancy

1. June 18, 2009 - Japanese study shows overweight people live longest

Lupus

1. June 18, 2009 - Novel DNA Vaccine Leads To Kidney Damage Prevention In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Models

Vinegar and fat metabolism

1. June 19, 2009 - New evidence that vinegar may be natural fat-fighter

Hormone therapy and reduced body fat

1. June 19, 2009 - Hormone Therapy Plus Physical Activity Reduce Belly Fat, Body Fat Percentage After Menopause

Sirtuin, glucose level, and cholesterol

1. June 19, 2009 - Gene Inhibition May Help Normalize Type 2 Diabetes

Influenza vaccines

1. June 20, 2009 - New Vaccination Strategy May Protect Against Both Lethal 1918 And H5N1 Influenza Viruses

AIDS

1. June 21, 2009 - A new weapon in the war against HIV-AIDS: Combined antiviral and targeted chemotherapy - also here
2. June 21, 2009 - Researchers uncover approach for possibly eradicating HIV infection

Obesity and insulin resistance

1. June 21, 2009 - The battle for CRTC2: How obesity increases the risk for diabetes - also here

Avian flu

1. June 21, 2009 - Newly Discovered Interferon Response May Offer Early Control Of H5N1 Influenza Virus

Copyright © 2009 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved