The genomic DNA sequencing of an extinct Pleistocene cave bear species–the kind of stuff once reserved for science fiction–has been logged into scientific literature thanks to investigators from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI). This study, published in the June 2 online edition of the journal Science, has set the research community’s sights on traveling back in time through the vehicle DNA sequencing to reveal the story of other extinct species including our ne
Finding could have implications for Alzheimer’s disease
Abnormal prion proteins are little understood disease agents involved in causing horrific brain-wasting diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in people, mad cow disease in cattle and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk. Now, new research suggests that a variant form of abnormal prion protein–one lacking an “anchor” into the cell membrane–may be unable to signal cells to start the lethal disease process, accordi
In the time it takes to read this sentence, your fingernail will have grown one nanometer. That’s one-billionth of a meter and it represents the scale at which electronics must be built if the march toward miniaturization is to continue.
Reporting in the June 3 issue of the Journal Science, an international team of researchers shows how control over materials on this tiny scale can be extended to create complex patterns important in the production of nano-electronics.
About
University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering researchers have discovered a new way to make a diesel-like liquid fuel from carbohydrates commonly found in plants.
Reporting in the June 3 issue of the Journal Science, Steenbock Professor James Dumesic and colleagues detail a four-phase catalytic reactor in which corn and other biomass-derived carbohydrates can be converted to sulfur-free liquid alkanes resulting in an ideal additive for diesel transportation fuel. Co-re
A male fly’s sexual courtship of a female fly is a complicated business of tapping, singing, wing vibration, and licking, but a single gene is all that is needed to produce this complex behavior, according to new research published in this week’s issue of the journal Cell.
The gene encodes the Fruitless protein. Male and female flies carry different versions of the fruitless protein, as a result of sex-specific splicing of the mRNA. The male form of Fruitless is c
When gene is disabled, young flies don’t grow up
University of Utah researchers showed that a fruit fly gene is crucial for determining when juveniles begin to mature into adults, and how the transformation initially proceeds. Understanding this process in humans may help explain how adorable children become surly teenagers.
When the DHR4 gene is disabled, fruit flies prematurely begin metamorphosis – maturation from an immature larva to a sexually active adult. It is the
Human activities are causing ocean temperatures to rise, according to a paper published in the American journal Science on 3 June, 2005.
Tim Barnett, the lead author on the paper said: ‘The evidence, based on computer models and observations in the field, is so strong that it should put an end to any debate about whether humanity is causing global warming.’
In the paper the scientists describe how they have been able to rule out natural climate variability and solar or
Poor education may be linked to bad health, but simply putting more of us through university will not ensure adults are fit and well, according to new research sponsored by the ESRC.
Though highly educated men and women are generally healthier, what happens in childhood and beyond is key to our well-being later in life, says the study led by Dr. Tarani Chandola, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London (UCL).
And his report found no evid
A recent study determined that patients who underwent recent cardiac surgical procedures and had prolonged stay in the intensive care unit had lower survival rates and lower quality of life.
Dr. Vinayak Bapat at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London and his team looked at a study group of 89 patients who had undergone various cardiac procedures and survived the following 30 days, and a control group with similar parameters but who were discharged from the ICU within 48 hours postopera
An international team of scientists has performed the most detailed ever study of the evolution of the Universe.
They have traced the evolution of the cosmos from the ’Big Bang’ 13.7 billion years ago to the present day — in a project similar in complexity to tracking the movement of every single person on Earth.
But instead of tracking people, the team — which includes University of Nottingham scientists — has modelled the paths of 10 billion particles of elusive
The Agami Heron has a height of just 70 cm. It can be distinguished from other herons especially by its predominantly chocolate-coloured plumage and its very long beak (2). The bird is described as solitary, grouping together only in the reproductive period, in small colonies. They are sometimes associated with other bird species The Agami heron is observed in Central and South America. However, its rarity and discreet behaviour mean that little is known about its biology or ecologica
The ESTEC Test Centre is one of the four major test centres in Europe for the verification of spacecraft at system level, the others being Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG), INTESPACE (ITS), and the Alcatel Test Centre in Cannes. In general there is good visibility for these large test centres, and also for the Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL) centre of excellence for optics testing.
However, visibility for smaller facility providers is less evident. In fact there have
Becoming the market leader in the neurostimulation sector, by initially helping blind patients regain their sight, is the vision of Bonn-based start-up company IIP-Technologies.
IIP has made considerable progress in developing the first ‘intelligent’ retina implant in the world. Thanks to this implant it is possible to restore limited eyesight to people who have lost their sight following retina degeneration.
In Germany alone, about 60,000 people suffer from retinitis pi
Researchers at the Alberta Research Council Inc. (ARC) have completed a pilot study identifying a more efficient technology to insulate homes, reducing space heating costs for homeowners. Researchers proved by combining direct solar collection and heat storage technology with existing structural insulated panel system (SIPS), energy consumption for space heating could be reduced by 48 per cent.
The study focused on measuring energy consumption during a peak energy load perio
Nature abounds with examples of bacteria that can thrive in extreme situations—surviving on toxic chemicals, for instance. In a paper published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) May 25, University of Michigan researchers show how some bugs manage to do that: by harnessing other potentially harmful chemicals known as free radicals to degrade the toxins they live on.
Such insights could lead to new ways of engineering bacteria to clean up environmental
Without use of antibiotics
A method for controlling bacterial activity without antibiotics by interfering with their communication process has been developed by a young Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher.
For his work, Adel Jabbour will be presented with a Kaye Innovation Award on June 6 during the 68th meeting of the Hebrew University Board of Governors. Jabbour, a Ph.D. student, conducted his work under the supervision of Prof. Morris Srebnik of the School of
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