Volume 8, Number 35 August 31, 2009

Physical sciences and technology Extrasolar planets Photovoltaics Quantum gravity Grid computing Supercomputers Ocean acidification Robotics Dark matter Variability of stellar mass ratios Microfluidics Water on Mars B meson decay anomaly Sunspot cycles Molecular electronics 3-D microelectronics Solar activity and climate Arrow of time Superconductivity Nanotechnology Gamma-ray astronomy Star formation in the Milky Way's central molecular zone Cygnus X-1 Protoplanetary disks Earthquakes Paleoclimatology Nanoplasmonic laser Life sciences Heat shock response, protein folding, and aging Induced pluripotent stem cells Mammalian X chromosome silencing Identifying gene copy number variations Leptin Avian sex gene Adipogenesis Enzyme database Human genome mutation rate Rapid evolution Early human symbolic behavior Primate genome evolution Ghrelin and circadian rhythm Cloning Measurement of gene copy number Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior Face perception Neuronal translational control proteins Eye motion and visual perception Antidepressants Depression Gene expression and synaptic connectivity Memory formation and recall Placebo effect Brain-imaging studies Specific language impairment Vocabulary learning Health and medicine Cancer Sugar health guideline Dementia Tuberculosis Stem cells Cardiovascular disease Fat distribution and metabolic complications of obesity Multiple sclerosis Parkinson's disease Asthma Drug delivery Diabetes Alzheimer's disease MicroRNA and cancer Avian flu Inflammation and insulin resistance Prions Cancer biology Celiac disease Hepatitis C Nanobiotechnology Combined obesity, diabetes, cholesterol drug Antibiotic resistance Psoriasis Antibiotics RNA interference therapeutics for cancer Gene therapy Aging-related immune system problems AIDS Polyphenols

Physical sciences and technology

Extrasolar planets

1. August 24, 2009 - Extrasolar planets at full tilt
2. August 26, 2009 - Why Does Exoplanet WASP-18b Exist?
3. August 26, 2009 - New "Impossible" Planet May Be on a Death Spiral
4. August 26, 2009 - Kamikaze Planet
5. August 26, 2009 - Found: The planet that shouldn't exist
6. August 26, 2009 - Newfound Planet Might Be Near Death
7. August 26, 2008 - Suicidal planet seems on death spiral into star
8. August 27, 2009 - Extrasolar Hot Jupiter: The Planet That 'Shouldn't Exist'
9. August 27, 2009 - Is 'hot Jupiter' too close for comfort?
10. August 27, 2009 - A new exoplanet to test tide theories

Photovoltaics

1. August 24, 2009 - Lower-cost solar cells to be printed like newspaper, painted on rooftops - also here
2. August 26, 2009 - Solar cells achieve new energy record
3. August 27, 2009 - 43 percent: New solar power world record

Quantum gravity

1. August 24, 2009 - Rewriting general relativity? Putting a new model of quantum gravity under the microscope - also here

Grid computing

1. August 24, 2009 - Grid computing, the new commodity - also here

Supercomputers

1. August 24, 2009 - NASA expands high-end computing system for climate simulation

Ocean acidification

1. August 24, 2008 - Research finds higher acidity in Alaska waters

Robotics

1. August 25, 2009 - Inventor Demonstrates Humanoid Robot's Latest AI Abilities

Dark matter

1. August 25, 2009 - Has PAMELA Already Seen Dark Matter?

Variability of stellar mass ratios

1. August 25, 2009 - Star-birth myth 'busted'
2. August 27, 2009 - Astronomers bust star ratio myth

Microfluidics

1. August 25, 2009 - LEGO toy helps researchers learn what happens on nanoscale - also here

Water on Mars

1. August 25, 2009 - Mars Canyon Formed When Plug Was Pulled, Study Suggests

B meson decay anomaly

1. August 26, 2009 - Particle imbalance may upset the apple cart
2. September 7, 2009 - Belle Finds a Hint of New Physics in Extremely Rare B Decays

Sunspot cycles

1. August 26, 2009 - Solar Mystery Solved

Molecular electronics

1. August 26, 2009 - Hankering for molecular electronics? Grab the new NIST sandwich - also here

3-D microelectronics

1. August 26, 2009 - Researchers grow nanowire crystals for 3-D microchips

Solar activity and climate

1. August 27, 2009 - Sunspots stir oceans
2. August 27, 2009 - Study: Small fluctuations in solar activity, large influence on the climate - also here
3. August 27, 2009 - Sun's Cycle Alters Earth's Climate
4. August 28, 2009 - Sun causes 'La Nina-like effect' on earth
5. August 28, 2008 - Sunspots linked to Pacific rain
6. August 31, 2009 - How Sunlight Controls Climate
7. September 1, 2009 - A Solar-Cycle Climate Trigger

Arrow of time

1. August 27, 2009 - Physicist Proposes Solution to Arrow-of-Time Paradox

Superconductivity

1. August 27, 2009 - Scientists Detect 'Fingerprint' of High-Temp Superconductivity Above Transition Temperature - also

Nanotechnology

1. August 27, 2009 - Fusion of Nanocircuits, Bio-membranes Creates New Hybrid Technology
2. August 28, 2009 - 'Acoustic tweezers' can efficiently and effectively move tiny objects - also here, here
3. August 28, 2009 - Antibody Replacements Just a 'Click' Away

Gamma-ray astronomy

1. August 27, 2009 - Large Area Telescope First Year Data Released

Star formation in the Milky Way's central molecular zone

1. August 28, 2009 - Massive Stars Near the Galactic Center

Cygnus X-1

1. August 28, 2009 - Cygnus X-1: Still a 'Star' After All Those Years - also here

Protoplanetary disks

1. August 28, 2009 - Warped debris disks around stars are blowin' in the wind - also here

Earthquakes

1. August 28, 2009 - Slowly Slip-Sliding Faults Don't Cause Earthquakes - also here

Paleoclimatology

1. August 28, 2009 - New Temperature Reconstruction From Indo-Pacific Warm Pool

Nanoplasmonic laser

1. August 30, 2009 - Plasmonic laser puts the squeeze on light
2. August 30, 2008 - Nanolasers offer super-tight focus
3. August 31, 2009 - World's smallest semiconductor laser heralds new era in optical science - also here, here, here
4. August 31, 2009 - Tiny Laser Could Light the Way to New Microchip Technology

Life sciences

Heat shock response, protein folding, and aging

1. August 24, 2009 - Misfolded proteins: The fundamental problem is aging - also here

Induced pluripotent stem cells

1. August 24, 2009 - Retina cells grown from skin-derived stem cells - also here
2. August 24, 2008 - Skin cells changed into retina tissue
3. August 28, 2009 - One step to human pluripotency
4. August 28, 2009 - One-gene method makes safer human stem cells

Mammalian X chromosome silencing

1. August 24, 2009 - Aurora B answers an XIST-ential question - also here

Identifying gene copy number variations

1. August 24, 2009 - Scientists develop new method to detect copy number variants using DNA sequencing technologies - also here

Leptin

1. August 25, 2009 - Leptin leads to hamster baby boom

Avian sex gene

1. August 26, 2009 - Bird sex gene found
2. August 26, 2009 - A gene for feathered fellas
3. August 27, 2009 - Sex determining gene found in birds

Adipogenesis

1. August 26, 2009 - New genetic mechanism that controls body's fat-building process found - also here

Enzyme database

1. August 26, 2009 - Rutgers-Camden developing enzyme function database

Human genome mutation rate

1. August 27, 2009 - Human mutation rate revealed
2. August 27, 2009 - We are all mutants: Measurement of mutation rate in humans by direct sequencing - also here

Rapid evolution

1. August 27, 2009 - Mice living in sandy hills quickly evolved lighter coloration - also here
2. August 27, 2008 - Mouse set to be 'evolution icon'

Early human symbolic behavior

1. August 27, 2009 - Tiny ancient shells point to earliest fashion trend - also here

Primate genome evolution

1. August 28, 2009 - Human-chimp interbreeding challenged

Ghrelin and circadian rhythm

1. August 28, 2009 - Scientists Discover Hunger's Timekeeper

Cloning

1. August 30, 2009 - Researchers improve zebrafish cloning methods

Measurement of gene copy number

1. August 30, 2009 - Counting duplicated genome segments now possible - also here

Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior

Face perception

1. August 24, 2009 - What she sees in you -- facial attractiveness explained - also here

Neuronal translational control proteins

1. August 24, 2009 - Fly eyes help researchers 'see' new proteins involved in memory - also here

Eye motion and visual perception

1. August 25, 2009 - New study suggests the brain predicts what eyes in motion will see - also here

Antidepressants

1. August 25, 2009 - Antidepressants: Benefit of SNRI is proven - also here

Depression

1. August 25, 2009 - Depression Causes Malfunctions in Brain's Pleasure Center - also here
2. August 28, 2009 - Teetotallers more likely to be depressed - also here

Gene expression and synaptic connectivity

1. August 26, 2009 - Getting wired: How the brain does it - also here

Memory formation and recall

1. August 26, 2009 - Rats' mental 'instant replay' drives next moves - also here

Placebo effect

1. August 26, 2009 - It's not all in your head: Descending neural mechanisms of placebo-induced pain control

Brain-imaging studies

1. August 27, 2009 - Skin-disease patients show brain immunity to faces of disgust
2. August 27, 2009 - Brain Blocks Out Expressions of Disgust in Patients With Disfiguring Skin Condition
3. August 28, 2009 - New research findings pave the way to more accurate interpretation of brain imaging data
4. August 30, 2009 - Neuroscientists find brain region responsible for our sense of personal space - also here

Specific language impairment

1. August 27, 2009 - Researchers report gene associated with language, speech and reading disorders - also here

Vocabulary learning

1. August 28, 2009 - Familiar and newly learned words are processed by the same neural networks in the brain

Health and medicine

Cancer

1. August 24, 2009 - 'Better' test for asbestos cancer
2. August 24, 2009 - Virus blamed for half of penile cancers
3. August 24, 2009 - Teens, young adults with leukemia living longer - also here
4. August 24, 2009 - FDA narrows drug label usage
5. August 24, 2009 - New technique can help diagnose mesothelioma - also here
6. August 24, 2009 - Young leukemia and lymphoma patients live longer today than in years past - also here
7. August 24, 2009 - Study finds promise in combined transplant/vaccine therapy for high-risk leukemia - also here
8. August 24, 2009 - New prognostic marker for human breast cancer - also here
9. August 24, 2009 - Early, aggressive treatment recommended for critically ill patients with hematological malignancy - also here
10. August 24, 2009 - Surgeon Training Found Effective In Breast Cancer Sentinel Lymph Node Trial
11. August 25, 2009 - Could smoking pot cut risk of head, neck cancer?
12. August 25, 2009 - Unlocking the body's defenses against cancer - also here
13. August 25, 2009 - Reinterpretation of proximal colon polyps called hyperplastic in 2001 - also here
14. August 25, 2009 - Melanosome dynamics and sensitivity of melanoma cells to chemotherapy - also here
15. August 25, 2009 - Long-term tamoxifen use increases risk of an aggressive, hard to treat type of second breast cancer - also here
16. August 25, 2009 - Blood-flow metabolism mismatch predicts pancreatic tumor aggressiveness - also here
17. August 25, 2008 - Tamoxifen link to second tumours
18. August 25, 2008 - Ovarian cancer 'is being missed'
19. August 26, 2009 - Researchers investigate ultrasound use to treat cancer
20. August 26, 2009 - Gene assay to help to predict lung cancer treatment resistance - also here
21. August 26, 2009 - New molecular markers for tumor aggressiveness in biliary tract cancer - also here
22. August 26, 2009 - PPAR-g agonists have potential therapeutic role in gastric carcinoma?
23. August 26, 2009 - D2 lymphadenectomy improves the long-term survival for patients with node-negative gastric cancer - also here
24. August 26, 2009 - Small peptide found to stop lung cancer tumor growth in mice - also here
25. August 26, 2009 - More than half of women with ovarian cancer face delay in diagnosis
26. August 26, 2009 - New test offers better diagnosis of asbestos cancer
27. August 26, 2009 - Golden Nanotubes Used for Imaging Agent to Detect Tumor Cells, Map Sentinel Lymph Node
28. August 27, 2009 - Prostate cancer diagnosed earlier, race gap narrows
29. August 27, 2009 - Prostate cancer: Racial disparity gap narrows, men diagnosed at younger age
30. August 28, 2009 - Tick saliva could hold cancer cure: Brazilian scientists
31. August 29, 2008 - Elderly skin 'raises cancer risk'
32. August 30, 2009 - Gold nanotech breath test may show lung cancer early
33. August 30, 2009 - Breathalyzer test detects lung cancer: study
34. August 30, 2009 - Breath-testing for cancer using gold
35. August 30, 2008 - 'Cancer hope' from WWII-era drug
36. August 31, 2009 - A Breathalyzer for Cancer
37. August 31, 2009 - Nanoparticle test may detect lung cancer
38. September 1, 2009 - Breathalyser test detects lung cancer

Sugar health guideline

1. August 24, 2009 - Heart group draws hard line on sugar intake
2. August 25, 2008 - Americans urged to cut way back on sugar

Dementia

1. August 24, 2009 - High blood pressure linked to early memory problems
2. August 24, 2009 - High blood pressure linked to memory problems in middle age - also here
3. August 25, 2008 - Keyboard style could give early warning of dementia
4. August 25, 2009 - Study links high blood pressure to memory trouble
5. September 3, 2009 - High blood pressure linked to memory woes

Tuberculosis

1. August 24, 2009 - Smokers seen twice as likely to develop active TB
2. August 24, 2009 - Smoking increases risk of developing active TB - also here
3. August 28, 2009 - Urine LAM-ELISA poor at diagnosing TB - also here

Stem cells

1. August 24, 2009 - Improvement of liver stem cell engraftment by protein delivery
2. August 24, 2008 - Cancer hope over stem cell drug
3. August 24, 2008 - Stem cell spinal injury trial put on hold
4. August 27, 2009 - Spinal injury drug developed cysts in animals: Geron - also here
5. August 27, 2009 - Cysts stall stem cell trial?

Cardiovascular disease

1. August 24, 2009 - Low-carb diets linked to atherosclerosis and impaired blood vessel growth - also here
2. August 24, 2009 - Why 'thick' blood protects from a heart attack - also here
3. August 24, 2009 - Mild glucose intolerance in pregnancy may be associated with cardiovascular risk - also here
4. August 24, 2009 - New Technique Prevents Major Cause For Heart-related Stroke
5. August 24, 2008 - Low-carb diets 'damage arteries'
6. August 24, 2008 - Researchers Design Patches of Cells to Repair Damaged Hearts
7. August 25, 2009 - Researchers identify gene variant linked to effectiveness of plavix - also here
8. August 25, 2009 - Women slightly more likely to die than men in the 30 days following a heart attack
9. August 25, 2009 - Genetic variation associated with poorer response, cardiovascular outcomes with use of clopidogrel
10. August 26, 2009 - New troponin tests pinpoint heart attacks faster
11. August 26, 2009 - Risk Of Death Following Acute Coronary Syndromes Different For Men, Women
12. August 26, 2008 - New blood tests find heart attacks quicker, better
13. August 27, 2009 - Hopelessness raises stroke risks for women: study
14. August 27, 2009 - Beta-blockers and stroke -- new insights into their use for older people - also here
15. August 27, 2009 - Simple test may identify stroke survivors at risk of another cardiovascular event
16. August 27, 2009 - Hopelessness linked to thickening of neck arteries, stroke in healthy women
17. August 27, 2009 - Regular electrocardiograms may help physicians identify patients at risk of sudden cardiac death - also here
18. August 28, 2009 - Studies tipping toward surgery to prevent strokes
19. August 28, 2009 - Abnormal Heartbeats Caused By Changes In Ion Channel Density
20. August 28, 2009 - Feelings Of Hopelessness Linked To Stroke Risk In Healthy Women
21. August 30, 2009 - Boehringer stroke drug proves a winner in trial
22. August 30, 2009 - Newer Anti-Clotting Medication Found to Be More Effective
23. August 30, 2008 - Exercise beats angioplasty for some heart patients
24. August 30, 2008 - New AstraZeneca drug reduces heart patients' risks
25. August 30, 2008 - Study shows experimental drug cuts stroke risk

Fat distribution and metabolic complications of obesity

1. August 24, 2009 - Fat in the liver -- not the belly -- is a better marker for disease risk - also here

Multiple sclerosis

1. August 24, 2009 - Important development in the treatment of multiple sclerosis reported
2. August 24, 2008 - Hopes raised for MS treatment
3. August 26, 2009 - National search for proteins that cause MS

Parkinson's disease

1. August 24, 2009 - When cells run out of fuel - also here
2. August 28, 2009 - Scientists discover nerve growth factor with therapeutic potential in Parkinson's disease

Asthma

1. August 24, 2008 - Apple-shaped women's asthma risk
2. August 28, 2009 - Novel genetic region identified for childhood asthma in Mexicans

Drug delivery

1. August 25, 2009 - Scientists discover potential new drug delivery system

Diabetes

1. August 25, 2009 - Researchers evaluate resistance training for diabetes prevention
2. August 27, 2009 - The anti-diabetic effects of sodium tungstate revealed - also here

Alzheimer's disease

1. August 25, 2009 - More obesity blues: Obese people are at greater risk for developing Alzheimer's - also here
2. August 25, 2008 - Obese People Have 'Severe Brain Degeneration'

MicroRNA and cancer

1. August 25, 2009 - MicroRNA in human saliva may help diagnose oral cancer - also here
2. August 27, 2009 - Predicting cancer prognosis - also here

Avian flu

1. August 25, 2009 - New Study Finds Wild Pikas Are Natural Mammalian Hosts To H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus
2. August 26, 2009 - Bird flu leaves the nest -- adapting to a new host - also here

Inflammation and insulin resistance

1. August 26, 2009 - Study finds molecular link between insulin resistance and inflammation - also here

Prions

1. August 26, 2009 - Gene mutation alone causes transmissible prion disease - also here
2. August 28, 2008 - Rogue proteins spread prion diseases all by themselves

Cancer biology

1. August 26, 2009 - 'Hedgehog' pathway may hold key to anti-cancer therapy - also here
2. August 27, 2009 - Researchers Identify New, Cancer-Causing Role for Protein - also here
3. August 27, 2009 - Checkpoint protein provides armor against cancer drugs - also here

Celiac disease

1. August 26, 2009 - Antimicrobial antibodies in celiac disease: Trick or treat? - also here

Hepatitis C

1. August 26, 2009 - Is endotoxin receptor CD14 rs2569190/C-159T gene correlated with chronic hepatitis C?

Nanobiotechnology

1. August 26, 2009 - Biological Mechanism For Delivering Nanoparticles Into Tissue: Potential Drug Delivery System
2. August 27, 2009 - Researchers pinpoint neural nanoblockers in carbon nanotubes - also here

Combined obesity, diabetes, cholesterol drug

1. August 27, 2009 - New fat-fighting drug has anti-diabetes action too
2. August 27, 2009 - 'Fatostatin' is a turnoff for fat genes

Antibiotic resistance

1. August 27, 2009 - New genes give gut bacteria antibiotic resistance
2. August 27, 2009 - Gut harbors antibiotic resistance

Psoriasis

1. August 27, 2009 - Gene variation is 'major genetic determinant of psoriasis' - also here

Antibiotics

1. August 27, 2009 - The path to new antibiotics: Researchers find vulnerable enzyme in pathogens - also here
2. August 28, 2008 - Scientists may have new tool in bacteria fight

RNA interference therapeutics for cancer

1. August 27, 2009 - Scientists improve delivery of cancer-fighting molecules - also here

Gene therapy

1. August 28, 2009 - Scientists construct 'off switch' for Parkinson therapy

Aging-related immune system problems

1. August 28, 2009 - Immune defect is key to skin aging - also here

AIDS

1. August 28, 2009 - HIV subtype linked to increased likelihood for dementia

Polyphenols

1. August 28, 2009 - Fruit Is Even Better For You Than Previously Thought

Copyright © 2009 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved