Volume 8, Number 44 November 2, 2009

Physical sciences Paleoclimatology Large Hadron Collider Extrasolar planets Modeling the universe and dark energy Global warming Ocean oxygenation Microwave emissions from the galactic center Gamma-ray bursts Quantum gravity Dark matter Water on Mars Aerosols and climate change Kepler telescope Superstring theory Galactic dark matter Neutron stars Technology Nanotechnology Supercomputers Automated astrophysical discovery Robotics Spintronics Quantum communication Plasmonics Lab-on-a-chip Supercomputer modeling of inertial confinement fusion Carbon nanotubes Superconductivity Phase change memory Photovoltaics Life sciences Heterochromatin and hybrid steriliy B cell memory Cancer resistance of naked mole rats Telomere caps and chromosome protection Cell adhesion Organism size increases Nuclear pore complex DNA polymerase Cambrian explosion Germ cells from embryonic stem cells Part-time transcription factors Influenza virus antigenic drift Origins of SARS virus virulence Evolution of secondary sexual traits Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior Schizophrenia COMT, dopamine, and decision-making Dopamine, learning, and brain development Genetics of alcohol consumption Neuroprotection by HDAC blocking Serotonin, depression, and cultural attitudes towards individualism Voice perception Circadian rhythm Neural communication without synapses Palmitate, NMDA receptors, and long-term memory PET imaging of neuroinflammation Parallel visual systems Health and medicine Antidepressants Cardiovascular disease Cancer biology AIDS Obesity Cancer Inflammatory bowel disease Diabetes Avian flu Alzheimer's disease Anti-inflammatory effects of DHA Dietary fibre and inflammatory disease Spinal cord regeneration Serotonin, insulin, and diabetes Gene therapy Smoldering inflammation and dendritic cells Differential effects of statin drugs on neural cells and Alzheimer's disease Stem cells MicroRNA and cancer Hepatitis C Lupus Nanobiotechnology Parkinson's disease Rheumatoid arthritis Scleroderma Gene networks of autoimmune diseases Antibiotic resistance Drug delivery Drug discovery Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Hepatitis B

Physical sciences

Paleoclimatology

1. October 26, 2009 - Palms once grew in ice-free Arctic

Large Hadron Collider

1. October 26, 2009 - Particles are back in the LHC
2. October 26, 2009 - Particle beams injected into LHC

Extrasolar planets

1. October 26, 2009 - Detecting Life-Friendly Moons
2. October 29, 2009 - Simulations Show How Earth-Like Planets Can Form

Modeling the universe and dark energy

1. October 26, 2009 - Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to model origins of the unseen universe - also here

Global warming

1. October 26, 2009 - Statisticians reject global cooling
2. October 28, 2009 - North Carolina Sea Levels Rising Three Times Faster Than in Previous 500 Years, Study Says - also here
3. October 29, 2009 - Multiyear Arctic ice is effectively gone: expert
4. October 30, 2009 - Multiyear Arctic ice 'effectively gone'

Ocean oxygenation

1. October 26, 2009 - Like hungry teen, life on Earth had big growth spurts
2. October 29, 2009 - Effects of biological oxygen production 100 million years before it accumulated in atmosphere - also here

Microwave emissions from the galactic center

1. October 27, 2009 - Monster supernovae may explain galaxy's mystery haze

Gamma-ray bursts

1. October 28, 2009 - A Blast From the Deep, Dark Past
2. October 28, 2009 - Astronomers explore 'last blank space' on map of the Universe
3. October 28, 2009 - Blast from the Past Gives Clues About Early Universe - also here
4. October 28, 2009 - Most Distant Object Found; Light Pierced "Dark Age" Fog
5. October 28, 2009 - Most distant gamma-ray burst spotted
6. October 28, 2009 - Blast from the Very Far Past
7. October 28, 2009 - Violent Explosion Is Most Distant Object Ever Seen - also here
8. October 28, 2009 - Stellar blast is record-breaker
9. October 28, 2009 - Mega-star explosion most distant object ever seen
10. October 28, 2009 - Most Distant Object Yet Detected Carries Clues from Early Universe
11. October 29, 2009 - Astronomers spot most faraway object
12. October 30, 2009 - Gamma-ray burst is the most distant object ever observed
13. November 6, 2009 - In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...

Quantum gravity

1. October 28, 2009 - Gamma-ray photon race ends in dead heat; Einstein wins this round - also here
2. October 28, 2009 - Universe's quantum 'speed bumps' no obstacle for light
3. October 28, 2009 - Gamma-ray observations shrink known grain size of spacetime
4. October 28, 2009 - An intergalactic race in space and time
5. October 28, 2009 - Fermi Telescope Caps First Year With Glimpse of Space-Time - also here
6. October 28, 2009 - Space-Time Observations Find Einstein Still Rules
7. October 28, 2009 - Special relativity passes key test
8. October 28, 2009 - 7.3 Billion Years Later, Einstein's Theory Prevails
9. October 28, 2009 - Gamma-ray burst restricts ways to beat Einstein's relativity

Dark matter

1. October 28, 2009 - Is Fermi Seeing Dark Matter?
2. October 29, 2009 - Dark matter sleuths to design world's largest WIMP catcher

Water on Mars

1. October 28, 2009 - Channels from Mars Hale Crater - also here

Aerosols and climate change

1. October 29, 2009 - Aerosols cloud the climate picture
2. October 29, 2009 - Aerosols make methane more potent
3. October 29, 2009 - Interactions with Aerosols Boost Warming Potential of Some Gases - also here

Kepler telescope

1. October 30, 2009 - Planet hunt delayed

Superstring theory

1. October 30, 2009 - Superstring theory useful for experimental physics

Galactic dark matter

1. October 30, 2009 - Dark Matter in a Galaxy

Neutron stars

1. October 30, 2009 - Voices of long-dead stars haunt the galaxy

Technology

Nanotechnology

1. October 26, 2009 - Scientists first to trap light and sound vibrations together in nanocrystal - also here

Supercomputers

1. October 26, 2009 - Science at the petascale: Roadrunner supercomputer results unveiled - also here
2. October 29, 2009 - Roadrunner supercomputer simulates nanoscale material failure - also here

Automated astrophysical discovery

1. October 26, 2009 - New initiative to automate discovery of astrophysical phenomena

Robotics

1. October 26, 2009 - Robotic perception, on purpose

Spintronics

1. October 27, 2009 - Researchers create all-electric spintronics - also here

Quantum communication

1. October 27, 2009 - Research continues on secure, mobile, quantum communications - also here

Plasmonics

1. October 27, 2009 - Plasmons shine a light on catalysis

Lab-on-a-chip

1. October 28, 2009 - Breakthrough In Lab-on-Chip For Fast Cancer Detection And Therapy

Supercomputer modeling of inertial confinement fusion

1. October 28, 2009 - Roadrunner supercomputer models nonlinear physics of high-power lasers - also here

Carbon nanotubes

1. October 28, 2009 - Next-generation microcapsules deliver 'chemicals on demand' - also here

Superconductivity

1. October 29, 2009 - Pinning Down Superconductivity to a Single Layer - also here
2. October 29, 2009 - Slim, warm superconductors promise faster electronics
3. November 2, 2009 - High-temperature superconductor goes super thin

Phase change memory

1. October 29, 2009 - Intel Reports Breakthrough in Stacked, Cross Point Phase Change Memory Technology

Photovoltaics

1. October 30, 2009 - Porphyrin Dimers Increase Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Life sciences

Heterochromatin and hybrid steriliy

1. October 26, 2009 - A solution to Darwin's 'mystery of the mysteries' emerges from the dark matter of the genome - also here
2. October 26, 2009 - Researchers discover mechanism that prevents two species from reproducing - also here

B cell memory

1. October 26, 2009 - Immune cell memory tracked

Cancer resistance of naked mole rats

1. October 26, 2009 - Secrets of a cancer-free rodent
2. October 26, 2009 - Naked Mole Rat Wins the War on Cancer
3. October 26, 2009 - Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells - also here

Telomere caps and chromosome protection

1. October 26, 2009 - Common weed could provide clues on aging and cancer - also here

Cell adhesion

1. October 26, 2009 - Discovery Of A Novel Cell Adhesion Mechanism

Organism size increases

1. October 27, 2009 - Like a hungry teen, life on Earth had big growth spurts

Nuclear pore complex

1. October 27, 2009 - Biologists reveal structure of cell nucleus 'gatekeeper'

DNA polymerase

1. October 27, 2009 - Scientists Are First To Observe The Global Motions Of An Enzyme Copyinng DNA - also here

Cambrian explosion

1. October 27, 2009 - Novel Evolutionary Theory For The Explosion Of Life

Germ cells from embryonic stem cells

1. October 28, 2009 - Scientists turn stem cells into precursors for sperm, eggs - also here
2. October 28, 2009 - Scientists make cells that form eggs and sperm in lab
3. October 28, 2009 - Stem cell study leads to breakthrough in understanding infertility
4. October 29, 2009 - Scientists create egg, sperm precursor

Part-time transcription factors

1. October 29, 2009 - 'Moonlighting' molecules discovered - also here

Influenza virus antigenic drift

1. October 29, 2009 - Scientists Propose New Explanation for Flu Virus Antigenic Drift - also here

Origins of SARS virus virulence

1. November 30, 2009 - Two-pronged protein attack could be source of SARS virulence - also here

Evolution of secondary sexual traits

1. October 31, 2009 - Why do animals, especially males, have so many different colors? - also here

Neuroscience, psychology, and behavior

Schizophrenia

1. October 26, 2009 - Faulty 'wiring' in the brain triggers onset of schizophrenia - also here
2. October 27, 2009 - New 'schizophrenia gene' prompts researchers to test potential drug target - here

COMT, dopamine, and decision-making

1. October 26, 2009 - The Protein for Quick Decision-Makers

Dopamine, learning, and brain development

1. October 26, 2009 - Changes in brain chemicals mark shifts in infant learning - also here

Genetics of alcohol consumption

1. October 26, 2009 - Genes that drive you to drink (but don't make you an alcoholic) - also here
2. October 26, 2009 - A polymorphism of the μ-opioid receptor is linked to alcohol misuse among adolescents - also here

Neuroprotection by HDAC blocking

1. October 27, 2009 - Enzyme blocker may reverse nerve damage

Serotonin, depression, and cultural attitudes towards individualism

1. October 27, 2009 - 'Culture of we' buffers genetic tendency to depression - also here
2. October 27, 2009 - Eastern 'collectivist' culture may buffer against depression
3. October 28, 2009 - Genes drive behaviour, but culture can select genes: study

Voice perception

1. October 28, 2009 - Brain responds to human voice in one fifth of a second

Circadian rhythm

1. October 28, 2009 - Circadian surprise: Mechanism of temperature synchronization in drosophila - also here
2. October 28, 2009 - Disruption Of Circadian Rhythms Affects Both Brain And Body, Mouse Study Finds

Neural communication without synapses

1. October 29, 2009 - Brain Cells Chat, Even Without a Synapse

Palmitate, NMDA receptors, and long-term memory

1. October 30, 2009 - This is your brain on fatty acids - also here

PET imaging of neuroinflammation

1. October 30, 2009 - Unlocking mysteries of the brain with PET - also here

Parallel visual systems

1. October 30, 2009 - What You See Is Not Always What You Do

Health and medicine

Antidepressants

1. October 26, 2009 - Antidepressants 'work instantly'
2. October 27, 2009 - Hunting for the Prozac gene

Cardiovascular disease

1. October 26, 2009 - Location of body fat affects risk of blood clots in men, women - also here
2. October 26, 2009 - Angina in the legs? Time to alert patients and physicians - also here
3. October 26, 2009 - Concurrent imaging of metabolic and electric signals in the heart
4. October 26, 2009 - Leg artery disease often goes undetected
5. October 26, 2009 - Heart attacks become more common but less often fatal in women - also here
6. October 27, 2009 - Just one cigarette has harmful effect on the arteries of young healthy adults - also here
7. October 27, 2009 - Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin improves lipid control - also here
8. October 28, 2009 - No link seen between coffee and heart failure
9. October 28, 2009 - Research: Migraine increases stroke risk - also here
10. October 28, 2009 - 'Aura' migraines a stroke risk
11. October 29, 2009 - Low vitamin D tied to heart, stroke deaths
12. October 29, 2009 - High Blood Pressure Medicines Show Promise for Treating Heart Disease
13. October 30, 2009 - High fructose corn syrup: A recipe for hypertension - also here

Cancer biology

1. October 26, 2009 - Scientists identify a cellular pathway by which alcohol may promote cancer progression
2. October 26, 2009 - Alternatively spliced tissue factor identified as promising new biomarker for aggressive cancers - also here
3. October 26, 2009 - Chemosensitivity of cancer cells depends on their protein dependency - also here
4. October 27, 2009 - Link Between Alcohol And Cancer Explained: Alcohol Activates Cellular Changes That Make Tumor Cells Spread
5. October 29, 2009 - Study uncovers key to how 'triggering event' in cancer occurs - also here
6. October 29, 2009 - Th17 cells summon an immune system strike against cancer - also here
7. October 29, 2009 - Autoimmune disease cells harnessed to fight cancer
8. October 29, 2009 - Inhibitor of Heat Shock Protein is a Potential Anticancer Drug, Study Finds - also here

AIDS

1. October 26, 2009 - Sperm may play leading role in spreading HIV - also here
2. October 26, 2009 - T-Cell Vaccine Reduces Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Levels In Semen Of Monkeys During Primary Infection
3. October 27, 2009 - Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to create the largest HIV evolutionary tree - also here
4. October 27, 2009 - Combination antiretroviral therapy effective at reducing HIV resistance in mothers and babies - also here
5. October 28, 2009 - Jury still out on HIV vaccine results
6. October 29, 2009 - An antiviral leash for HIV?
7. October 29, 2009 - HIV tamed by designer 'leash' - also here

Obesity

1. October 26, 2009 - Obesity may hinder optimal control of blood pressure and cholesterol
2. October 29, 2009 - Upping fiber intake could help defeat belly fat

Cancer

1. October 26, 2009 - Physical scientists will apply laws of physics in cancer fight
2. October 26, 2009 - Do drug therapies raise risk of bladder cancer? - also here
3. October 26, 2009 - Study reveals possible link between IBD therapy and skin cancer - also here
4. October 26, 2009 - First national and evidence-based guidelines for brain cancer released - also here
5. October 26, 2009 - Barrett's esophagus patients have same survival rates as general population - also here
6. October 26, 2009 - Cardiologists Clear The Way For Lifesaving Breast Cancer Treatment
7. October 26, 2009 - Breast Reduction May Lead To Cancer Detection In Patients
8. October 27, 2009 - Study says combined therapy helps head, neck cancer
9. October 27, 2009 - Thyroid cancer a risk after childhood cancer
10. October 27, 2009 - WHO study suggests link between cell phones and tumors
11. October 27, 2009 - Cholesterol-lowering medicines may be effective against cancer - also here
12. October 27, 2009 - Method targets cancerous tumors
13. October 27, 2009 - Cancer research gets physical
14. October 27, 2009 - Adding tools against breast tumors
15. October 27, 2009 - Alternative to pap test does not appear to be better for detecting cervical cancer - also here
16. October 27, 2009 - Screening Guidelines For Breast, Cervical And Colorectal Cancers Redefined
17. October 28, 2009 - Scientists say curry compound kills cancer cells
18. October 28, 2009 - Physically active have reduced risk of prostate cancer
19. October 28, 2009 - A new explanation of 'Asian paradox' - also here
20. October 28, 2009 - High-definition colonoscopy detects more polyps - also here
21. October 28, 2009 - Gastroenterologists explore relationship between bacteria in the gut and breast cancer
22. October 28, 2009 - Is short-term Celecoxib intervention a effective method for preventing gastric carcinogenesis? - also here
23. October 28, 2009 - Curry spice 'kills cancer cells'
24. October 28, 2009 - AstraZeneca pulls submissions for lung cancer drug
25. October 29, 2009 - NSAIDs tied to reduced death after colon cancer
26. October 29, 2009 - Researchers use drug-radiation combo to eradicate lung cancer
27. October 30, 2009 - Coffee may lower endometrial cancer risk - also here
28. October 30, 2009 - Immunotherapy demonstrates long-term success in treating lymphoma - also here
29. October 30, 2009 - FDA concerns remain over new use for Schering drug
30. October 31, 2009 - 'One-stop' test for breast cancer to end agonising wait for result

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. October 26, 2009 - Probiotic found to be effective treatment for colitis in mice

Diabetes

1. October 26, 2009 - Protein critical for insulin secretion may be contributor to diabetes - also here
2. October 27, 2009 - Vegetables can protect unborn child against diabetes - also here
3. October 28, 2009 - Diabetes can be delayed with diet, exercise
4. October 28, 2009 - Lifestyle changes, drug lower type 2 diabetes risk
5. October 29, 2009 - A Decade Later, Lifestyle Changes Or Metformin Still Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk
6. October 29, 2009 - Dieting 'keeps diabetes at bay'

Avian flu

1. October 26, 2009 - Genes May Determine Susceptibility To H5N1 Avian Influenza A Virus Infection

Alzheimer's disease

1. October 27, 2009 - Epilepsy drugs could treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - also here
2. October 27, 2009 - Does diabetes speed up memory loss in Alzheimer's disease? - also here
3. October 27, 2009 - Is It A Visual Problem Or Alzheimer's? New Data Helps Doctors Make The Diagnosis
4. October 27, 2009 - Diabetics with Alzheimer's have slower memory loss
5. October 28, 2009 - Benefit of memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease not proven - also here

Anti-inflammatory effects of DHA

1. October 28, 2009 - Why fish oils help and how they could help even more - also here

Dietary fibre and inflammatory disease

1. October 28, 2009 - Fibre may keep asthma, diabetes at bay, study finds - also here

Spinal cord regeneration

1. October 28, 2009 - Regeneration can be achieved after chronic spinal cord injury - also here
2. October 30, 2009 - Geron, FDA agree on spinal injury drug trial
3. November 1, 2009 - Experts put their heads together

Serotonin, insulin, and diabetes

1. October 28, 2009 - 'Feel-good' hormone serotonin regulates blood sugar concentration

Gene therapy

1. October 28, 2009 - Gene therapy repairs injured human donor lungs for the first time - also here
2. October 30, 2009 - Researchers show efficacy of gene therapy in mouse models of Huntington's disease - also here

Smoldering inflammation and dendritic cells

1. October 28, 2009 - Dendritic cells spark smoldering inflammation in smokers' lungs - also here

Differential effects of statin drugs on neural cells and Alzheimer's disease

1. October 28, 2009 - Statins show dramatic drug and cell dependent effects in the brain - also here

Stem cells

1. October 28, 2009 - Stem cell therapy may offer hope for acute lung injury - also here
2. October 29, 2009 - Placental precursor stem cells require testosterone-free environment to survive - also here
3. October 30, 2009 - Geron trial may resume next year

MicroRNA and cancer

1. October 28, 2009 - MicroRNA-mediated metastasis suppression

Hepatitis C

1. October 28, 2009 - Vertex hep C drug helps tough to treat patients
2. October 31, 2009 - Vertex hep C drug works well in twice daily dosing
3. November 1, 2009 - Extending treatment after liver transplant may benefit patients with hepatitis C recurrence - also here

Lupus

1. October 29, 2009 - Lupus linked to heart disease

Nanobiotechnology

1. October 29, 2009 - Gold Nanoparticles Delivery Platinum Warheads to Tumors
2. October 30, 2009 - Nanoparticles Detect and Purge Metastases in Lymph Nodes
3. October 30, 2009 - Nano-Scale Drug Delivery For Chemotherapy - also here
4. November 1, 2009 - Smart drug delivery system -- Gold nanocage covered with polymer

Parkinson's disease

1. October 29, 2009 - Widely used cholesterol-lowering drug may prevent progression - also here
2. October 29, 2009 - Researchers find brain cell transplants help repair neural damage - also here

Rheumatoid arthritis

1. October 29, 2009 - Pain thresholds linked to inflammation and sleep problems in arthritis patients - also here
2. October 29, 2009 - Anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment does not increase cancer Risk in RA patients - also here

Scleroderma

1. October 29, 2009 - Geneticists hunt for scleroderma triggers - also here

Gene networks of autoimmune diseases

1. October 29, 2009 - JAX publishes online tool for exploring autoimmune disease gene networks

Antibiotic resistance

1. October 30, 2009 - Antibiotic-resistant bacteria strike drug of last resort

Drug delivery

1. October 30, 2009 - Magnetism Turns Drug Release On and Off

Drug discovery

1. November 1, 2009 - New targets for old drugs
2. November 2, 2009 - Old drugs reveal surprising new tricks

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

1. November 1, 2009 - MRSA strain linked to high death rates - also here

Hepatitis B

1. November 1, 2009 - Hepatitis B does not increase risk for pancreatic cancer - also here

Copyright © 2009 by Charles Daney, All Rights Reserved