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BioTechCircle News®
August 2011
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Issue 98
See all previous issues at archives: http://www.techmanage.net/research
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In this articles section: links to 107 free Web articles in 12 major categories.
There are 7 articles in our new “BTC’s News You Can Use” category. These articles contain vital new information for improving health and well being or issues that we feel you need to be aware of and can start using right away.
The major categories are in alphabetical order and further subdivided to make it easy for you to locate news and developments in technology, the business and the markets in the life science areas of interest to you. We’ve provided brief synopses to help you decide which articles you’d like to read. Simply click on the title to go directly to the original article.
Here are the major categories.
Agri-Biotech (11 articles)
Biobusiness Management (8 articles)
BTC’s News You Can Use (7 articles)
Drug Delivery (2 articles)
Industry (10 articles)
Investments/Government Support (5 articles)
Novel Applications (9 articles)
Organizations (1 article)
People Profiles (2 articles)
Platform Technologies (22 articles)
Research Advancements (20 articles)
Research Tools (10 articles)
For a brief explanation of how we categorize the articles, please see "Express Guide to Monthly Web Articles at: http://www.techmanage.net/expressguide_articles
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Subcategory: Animal
How Bats Stay on Target Despite the Clutter
Richard Lewis Brown University (28-Jul-11)
Differences in delay as short as 3 microseconds between parts of an echo is
enough to tell the bat the object may not be its target. The research could lead
to more precise targeting by sonar-led vehicles.
Critters Moving Away from Global Warming Faster
Seth Borenstein Yahoo!News (18-Aug-11)
About 2,000 species examined are moving away from the equator at an
average rate of more than 15 feet per day, about a mile per year, according to
new research. Species are also moving up mountains to escape the heat,
averaging about 4 feet a year.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Biofuels: An Ethical Framework
Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Chemical & Engineering News (15-Aug-11)
Discusses 5 principles to govern the ethical production of biofuels based on
an integrated analysis of all the ethical concerns of biofuel production,
recommendations on how to better set government policies to guide biofuel
production. Link to report.
Subcategory: Environment
Tohoku Tsunami Created Icebergs In Antarctica
NASA (08-Aug-11)
Proof that seismic activity can cause Antarctic iceberg calving might shed
some light on our knowledge of past events. Before and after photos show the
power of an earthquake and tsunami to break off large icebergs a hemisphere
away in Antarctica.
Subcategory: Environmental
Facts and Fascination: "Marine Biology" at 3000m Above Sea Level
Austrian Science Fund (02-Sep-11)
Research on lifestyle habits and climate 140 to 90 million years ago in the
Dolomites' Cretaceous period is presented in film and photos. Proved that sea
temperatures in the Mediterranean area rose by 10 to 12 degrees Celsius
during that period.
Algae-Based Fuel: Environmental Burden
Zak Richards Manufacturing.net (19-Aug-11)
Algae-based biodiesel production uses more energy in the form of
petroleum-powered processes than other biofuels. Algae-based biodiesel and
bioelectricity production processes also require substantial amounts of water
and emit more greenhouse gases.
Subcategory: Food
U of A Researchers Strive to Increase Awareness of Forgotten Essential Nutrient
Andrea Hill University of Alberta (05-Aug-11)
Choline, a nutrient found in foods such as egg yolks, liver and soybeans, does
not appear to be high on anyone’s list of eating priorities. Although produced
naturally in the liver, people can't produce enough to reap choline's benefits,
say researchers.
U of M Researchers Discover a Natural Food Preservative that Kills Food-borne
University of Minnesota (04-Aug-11)
Patented naturally occurring lantibiotic (a peptide produced by a harmless
bacteria) could be added to food to kill harmful bacteria like salmonella, E. coli
and listeria. Lantibiotics are easy to digest, nontoxic, do not induce allergies.
Subcategory: Materials
Why Don’t Spiders Drop off of Their Threads?
Prof. Horst Kessler TUM (17-Aug-11)
Scientists unveil a further secret of silk proteins and the mechanism that
imparts spider silk with its strength, which is 5x the tensile strength of steel
and is stronger then even the best currently available synthetic fibers.
Better Desalination Technology Would Help Solve World’s Water Shortage
Yale University (04-Aug-11)
Scientists believe a membrane could be developed that would filter boron and
chloride more efficiently at the same time as the salt is removed. Would result
in large energy, cost savings, especially for the 70% of the world's water used
in agriculture.
Subcategory: Microorganisms
Hidden Soil Fungus, Now Revealed, Is in a Class All Its Own
University of Michigan (11-Aug-11)
A type of fungus that's been lurking underground for millions of years,
previously known to science only through its DNA, has been cultured,
photographed, named and assigned a place on the tree of life. Its new class:
Archaeorhizomycetes.
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Subcategory: Bioethics
Britt Erickson Chemical & Engineering News (29-Aug-11)
Criticism of an updated rule meant to strengthen conflict-of-interest oversight
concerns access to the information. Instead of requiring conflict-of-interest
information to be publicly accessible on a website, institutions may opt for a
written request.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
IIT Installs Chicago’s First Advanced Wind Turbine
Illinois Institute of Technology (20-Jul-11)
The utility-grade research turbine is outfitted with high-performance
technology designed to increase output and reduce wear and tear on
components, which ultimately will increase the lifespan and performance of
the equipment.
Subcategory: Environmental
Solar Company That Got Federal Loan Shuts Down
Kevin Freking and Jason Dearen Manufacturing.net (31-Aug-11)
Third solar company to seek bankruptcy protectionin 2011 said that the
global economy as well as unfavorable conditions in the solar industry
combined to force the company to suspend its manufacturing operations.
Subcategory: Marketing
Time for Pharma to Face Social Media Fears?
Reeta Mehrishi and Sanjeev Sachdeva Bio-IT World (02-Aug-11)
By getting mired in regulatory and compliance challenges posed by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pharma companies are missing out on
a significant opportunity both for their businesses and their brands, authors
write.
Subcategory: Microorganisms
NIST Finds That Ethanol-Loving Bacteria Accelerate Cracking of Pipeline
Laura Ost National Institute of Standards and Technology (02-Aug-11)
Bacteria that feed on ethanol and produce acid boosted fatigue crack growth
rates by at least 25 times the levels occuring in air alone. Glutaraldehyde, a
biocide used in oil and gas operations, may help control bacterial growth
during ethanol transport.
Subcategory: Miscellaneous
Georgia Tech Researchers Demo Disaster Communications System
Georgia Tech (16-Aug-11)
A wireless system called LifeNet, designed to help first responders
communicate after disasters, is a mobile ad-hoc network that requires no
infrastructure such as Internet, cell towers or traditional landlines.
Subcategory: Patent/Intellectual Property Issues
Glenn Hess Chemical & Engineering News (02-Aug-11)
Ruling supports right of company to patent to "isolated" human genes that
account for most forms of breast and ovarian cancers. Researchers and
women’s health groups are unhappy, likely to ask for rehearing or seeking
review by the Supreme Court.
Brayden King orgtheory.net (26-Jul-11)
What if patent use is becoming decoupled from creativity? increasingly
patents are being used to stifle innovation by wiping out or financially
weakening companies that are actually trying to bring innovation to the
marketplace.
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Subcategory: Cardiology/ Vascular Diseases
2011 Invention Awards: A Mirror That Monitors Vital Signs
Gregory Mone Popsci (26-May-11)
A webcam in a monitor behind a 2-way mirror captures the changes in the
light reflected off the subject’s face when the heart beats. The computer
translates the light data into a heart rate reading.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Department of Energy Relaunches Energy.Gov
U.S. Department of Energy (04-Aug-11)
Energy.gov modernizes how consumers and businesses access the information
and resources they need to save money and energy while improving
Departmental staff’s ability to interact with the public and each other.
Subcategory: Miscellaneous
7 Medical Phone Peripherals You Should Know
Brian Dolan mobihealthnews (22-Jul-11)
These include an iPhone EKG, an integrated cell phone-glucometer system, a
nanosensor “tattoo” that allows sodium and blood oxygen levels to be
monitored, a system for prescribing eyeglasses and a microscope peripheral
for developing nations.
Subcategory: Neurology
Women and Men Anticipate Negative Experiences Differently, Study Suggests
Wellcome Trust (24-Aug-11)
Findings suggest that women's enhanced emotional responsiveness extends to
the anticipation of unpleasant events. Upon anticipation of an unpleasant
event, women may spontaneously engage strategies to counter the impact of
negative emotions.
Subcategory: Oncology
New Non-Invasive Test Helps Diagnose Prostate Cancer
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (03-Aug-11)
Scientists identified a fusion between 2 genes that’s present in around half of
all prostate cancers called TMPRSS2:ERG, highly specific for prostate
cancer—it’s not found in normal prostate tissue, nor in any other kinds of
cancer.
Rutgers Study: More Evidence that Caffeine Lowers Risk of Skin Cancer
Rutgers (15-Aug-11)
Study strengthens the theory that caffeine guards against certain skin cancers
at the molecular level by inhibiting a protein enzyme in the skin, known as
ATR. Not yet determined: whether topical caffeine inhibits sunlight-induced
skin cancer.
Subcategory: Pulmonary/ Respiratory Diseases
Penn Study Shows an Ancient Crop Effective in Protecting Against a 21st
Penn Medicine (09-Aug-11)
Researchers found that a diet of flaxseed given to mice not only protects lung
tissues from fibrosis before exposure to radiation, but can also significantly
reduce damage after exposure occurs.
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Subcategory: Nanotechnology
Researchers Develop and Test New Molecule as a Delivery Vehicle to Image and
Virginia Commonwealth University (03-Aug-11)
A nanoparticle filled with gadolinium, a sensitive MRI contrast agent for
imaging, and radioactive lutetium 177 to deliver brachytherapy, is capable of
delivering simultaneously effective treatment and imaging.
Subcategory: Privacy/ Records Management
Insulin Pumps, Monitors Vulnerable to Hacking
Jordan Robertson Techland (04-Aug-11)
A security researcher who is diabetic has identified flaws that could allow an
attacker to remotely control insulin pumps and alter the readouts of
blood-sugar monitors. As a result, diabetics could get too much or too little insulin.
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Subcategory: Academia/ Laboratories
Many Top US Scientists Wish They Had more Children
Rice University (08-Aug-11)
Academic science careers are tough on family life because of the long hours and the pressure of publishing and grant-getting needed to get tenure. Both men and women say having a science career means they will have fewer children than they wanted.
Subcategory: Drug Discovery
The Human Element in Toxicity Testing
Vanessa Ott Drug Discovery & Development (01-Aug-11)
Pharmaceutical companies seek ways to improve their research and
development hit rate, lower the cost of research, and reduce pipeline attrition
during drug development. The use of iPSC-derived human cell models may
have a significant positive impact.
Subcategory: Electronic Health Records
Personal Health Record Use is Poised for a Significant Upswing, Finds Frost &
Frost & Sullivan 11-Jul-11
Consumer adoption of Web-based personal health records (PHRs) is steadily
growing due to greater awareness of its value, increased use of electronic
health records by physicians and hospitals, new mobile technology tools.
Report abstract.
Subcategory: Employment/Jobs
Healthcare Industry Leads Market in IT Hiring
Lucas Mearian CIO (04-Aug-11)
IT jobs in healthcare are expected to grow by 20% annually through 2018,
"much faster than average." There are currently 176,090 healthcare IT jobs,
according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. CIO and CTO positions
show the most growth.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Renewable Energy's Achilles' Heel Is Storage
Charles Murray Design News (31-Aug-11)
Experts say that if more than 20% of our power came from renewables, we
would need storage. "It looks like nuclear is the power source that can take us
through the next 400 years. Solar and wind still have huge problems."
Energy Department Applauds World’s First Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy
U.S. Department of Energy (16-Aug-11)
Fuel cell, a combined heat, hydrogen, and power system, co-produces
hydrogen plus electricity and heat, making it a tri-generation system. A
hydrogen fueling station will be open to the public, supporting 25-50 fuel cell
electric vehicle fill-ups per day.
Subcategory: Environment
Human Influence on the 21st Century Climate: One Possible Future for the
Mary Beckman Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (05-Aug-11)
New computer modeling work indicates use of more nuclear and renewable
energy, choosing electricity over fossil fuels, reducing emissions through
technologies that capture and store carbon dioxide, and even using forests to
store carbon.
Subcategory: Geographic focus
Innovation & Opportunities-Chronic Diseases & Community Care-Trends in
Dr. Milind Sabnis Frost & Sullivan (01-Aug-11)
Slide show on changing demand for healthcare services resulting from a rising
middle clas and an aging population, specialized services delivery, shifting
trends from treatment to prevention and other issues.
Subcategory: Geriatrics
RIBA-II, the Next Generation Care-giving Robot
RIKEN (02-Aug-11)
A new robot using high-precision tactile sensors and flexible motor control
technology can lift a patient off bedding and into a wheelchair, taking Japan
one step closer to its goal of providing high-quality care for its growing elderly population.
Subcategory: Investees
Rock Report: State of Digital Health
Rock Health (01-Aug-11)
Slide show report on VC funding and entrepreneur perspectives on digital
health. Graphics, map identifying U.S. locations of VC-backed companies.
Links to digital health companies, healthstartup survey.
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Subcategory: Education
New Fellowship Funds Research for 48 International Graduate Students
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (04-Aug-11)
Offered for the first time, the $2 million commitment to the International
Student Research Fellowships will support science and engineering students
during their third, fourth, and fifth year of graduate school.
ONR Funded Smartphone App Exceeds 33,000 Downloads in First Three Weeks
Office of Naval Research (03-Aug-11)
Department of the Navy’s commitment to investing in K-12 science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and outreach is
vital as 50% of engineers will become eligible for retirement by 2020.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Chemical & Engineering News (15-Aug-11)
Experts are taking a more measured view of biofuels and their promise to be
affordable, available, and clean. Among the factors under scrutiny are raw
materials, environmental impact, social cost, and infrastructure
implementation.
Subcategory: Federal
Stem Cells: NIH Welcomes Dismissal of Llawsuit that Would Stop Funding of
Britt Erickson Chemical & Engineering News (01-Aug-11)
A federal judge has thrown out a case that in August 2010 briefly shut down
government-funded research on human embryonic stem cells and threatened to
stop the work altogether. The plaintiffs plan to review all options for an
appeal, however.
Subcategory: Geographic focus
U.S. Northeast Region to Launch $3.5 Billion in Industrial Projects in Third
Industrial Info Resources (11-Aug-11)
The Pharmaceutical & Biotech Industry has highest third-quarter project
starts, with $796 million divided over just 21 projects. The largest is Merck's
$120 million project in New Jersey, to expand the former Schering-Plough
building. Free registration.
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Subcategory: Disease Prevention
VIDEO: Scientists Use Mosquitoes To Test Water Quality
IMPO (25-Aug-11)
A Costa Rican researcher has discovered a type of mosquito that can be used
to identify safe river water for human consumption. The mosquito and their
larvae become poisoned by polluted water or die from lack of oxygen.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Solar Power Company Plans Giant Arizona Tower, Second Tallest Structure on
Ned Potter ABC World News (27-Jul-11)
In the desert of western Arizona, a power company proposes to build the
world's tallest chimney -- a tower, 2,600 feet tall, that would be the
centerpiece of a giant non-polluting power plant, making electricity from the
heat of the sun.
Sun-Less Solar Cells Could Make Energy From Anything Hot
Kit Eaton Fast Company (01-Aug-11)
Photovoltaic cells that convert heat, not sunlight, to electricity may turn out
to be the solution for capturing all the energy we waste through heat. Could
include areas such as the hot back of your TV or even from the hot water you
let down the drain.
Subcategory: Environment
MIT Students Install 10,000 Revolutionary Solar Bottle Lamps in Manila Slums
Tafline Laylin Inhabitat (29-Jul-11)
Fill a bunch of 1-liter plastic bottles with water and bleach, insert them into
holes cut into a metal roof, seal the holes so they don't leak and what do you
get? Light, equivalent to a standard 60 watt light bulb. Lasts ~ 5 years, thanks
to the bleach.
Subcategory: Environmental
VIDEO: First Erasable Electronic Paper
IMPO (19-Aug-11)
A rewritable electronic paper ''i2R e-Paper'' that can be re-used up to 260
times may soon replace the conventional paper used for millions of signs and
posters for commercial purposes, train tickets and other applications such as
security badges.
Subcategory: Imaging
Bruce Barcott The Atlantic 01-Jul-11
Why "next-generation" camouflage works: it has to do with the way the eye
and the brain interact. Focal vision involves our direct attention, ambient
vision is constantly processing visual information in our periphery and
ignores perceived "white noise."
Subcategory: Materials
Southampton Engineers Fly the World’s First ‘Printed’ Aircraft
University of Southampton (28-Jul-11)
A nylon laser sintering machine fabricated the airplane, building it up layer by
layer. No fasteners were used; all equipment was attached using ‘snap fit’
techniques so that the entire aircraft can be put together without tools in
minutes.
Subcategory: Miscellaneous
IMPO (10-Aug-11)
A Texas man has invented a machine that can make drinkable water out of air.
The "drought master" can make 5-7 gallons of pure water in a day. Making a
gallon only costs 4 cents in electrical charges and building one only takes 2
hours.
Subcategory: Musculoskeletal
Running Robot: MABEL Is Now the World's Fastest Two-legged Robot with Knees
University of Michigan (15-Aug-11)
With a peak pace of 6.8 miles per hour, the robot MABEL may be precursor
to exoskeletons that enable wheelchair-bound people to walk again or that give
rescuers super-human abilities, and powered prosthetic limbs. Includes video.
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Subcategory: Environment
Apple Unveils Exciting New Pictures of Its Foster & Partners Designed Green
Tafline Laylin Inhabitat (15-Aug-11)
Description and photo gallery of Apple's new campus, planned to open in
2015. Features include a circular design, natural ventilation and
energy-efficiency via an on-campus power plant.
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Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
13-Year-Old Makes Solar Power Breakthrough by Harnessing the Fibonacci
Andrew Michler Inhabitat (19-Aug-11)
After studying how trees branch in a very specific way, Aidan Dwyer created
a solar cell tree that produces 20-50% more power than a uniform array of
photovoltaic panels. The biomimicry study earned Aidan a provisional U.S
patent.
Subcategory: Environmental
Jack Loechner Media Post Research Brief (16-Aug-11)
The Super Green population, which accounts for 5% of all U.S. adults, are
76% more likely than the average adult to have an annual household income of
$150K or greater. They are more likely to own homes valued above $500K.
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Subcategory: Cell Therapy
A Patient's Own Skin Cells may One Day Treat Multiple Diseases
UC Davis (04-Aug-11)
Problems that have been identified with use of induced pluripotent stem cells
(iPSCs) to treat many diseases as an alternative or adjuvant therapy to drugs
or surgery likely can be overcome, allowing iPSCs to "jump from the
laboratory dish to patients."
Subcategory: Computing Systems
IBM Working On Chips That Behave Like Brains
Jordan Robertson Manufacturing.net (18-Aug-11)
Prototype chips said to process data more like how humans digest
information than the chips that now power PCs and supercomputers. The
new chips have parts that behave like digital "neurons" and "synapses" for
computing, communication and memory.
Subcategory: Drug Discovery
Carmen Drahl Chemical & Engineering News (22-Aug-11)
Researchers are trying to gain a better understanding of how general
anesthetics work. They are also developing tools to help them search for new
anesthetics. And tadpoles are an important part of the process. Article and
video.
UC Riverside Chemists Transform Acids into Bases
University of California, Riverside (28-Jul-11)
Research makes impossible a reality, making possible a vast array of chemical
reactions – such as those used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology
industries, manufacturing new materials, and research academic institutions.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Catalyst that Makes Hydrogen Gas Breaks Speed Record
Mary Beckman Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (11-Aug-11)
Enzyme coupled with a nickel-based catalyst is shown to work 10 times
faster than the original protein found in water-dwelling microbes, producing
100,000 molecules of hydrogen gas every second.
Subcategory: Evolution Research
Vertebrate Evolution Occurred in Genetically Distinct Epochs
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (19-Aug-11)
Describes 3 separate eras of genetic evolution: regulatory mutations occurring
near genes involved in guiding embryonic development, mutations affecting
the genes that regulate cell-to-cell signaling, genes involved in cells’ internal
signaling pathways.
Subcategory: Gene Therapy
Gene-therapy Success for Children Born without Functioning Immune System
Wellcome Trust (25-Aug-11)
Therapies have been developed to treat 2 conditions commonly known as
'boy in the bubble' syndrome: X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency
(X-SCID) and adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined
immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID).
Subcategory: Genomics
Your Genome Structure, Not Genetic Mutations, Makes You Different
Brandon Keim Wired Science (29-Jul-11)
It might seem counterintuitive that big changes have been harder to detect than
small ones, but it’s a consequence of how genomes are read. But variations in
structure may be responsible for most genetic difference among people.
Subcategory: Lab-on-a-chip/ DNA Chips/
New UC Sensor Promises Rapid Detection of Dangerous Heavy Metal Levels in
M.B. Reilly University of Cincinnati (01-Aug-11)
Researchers have developed the first lab-on-a-chip sensor to provide fast
feedback regarding levels of the heavy metal manganese in humans. The sensor
is both environmentally and child friendly.
Subcategory: Materials
Utah Researcher Helps Artist Make Bulletproof Skin
Lynn DeBruin Manufacturing.net (22-Aug-11)
A bio-art project to create bulletproof skin has given a Utah State researcher
even more hope his genetically engineered spider silk can be used to help
surgeons heal large wounds and create artificial tendons and ligaments.
Nancy W. Stauffer MIT News (28-Jul-11)
A new photovoltaic energy-conversion system can be powered solely by
heat, generating electricity with no sunlight at all via a novel way of
engineering the surface of a material to convert heat into precisely tuned
wavelengths of light.
Megan Fellman Northwestern University (02-Aug-11)
A novel nanostructure promotes growth of new blood vessels, shows promise
as a therapy for conditions where increased blood flow is needed to supply
oxygen to tissue. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the protein the
nanostructure mimics.
One Box of Girl Scout Cookies Worth $15 Billion
Rice University (04-Aug-11)
Graphene is a material valued for its toughness and conductivity. At a
commercial rate for pristine graphene ($250/2-inch square)a box of traditional
Girl Scout shortbread cookies could turn a $15 billion profit. Video, photo
links.
UCLA Engineers Create Polymer Light-emitting Devices that Can Be Stretched
UCLA (04-Aug-11)
Stretchable electronics, an emerging class of electronic materials that can bend
and stretch, have a wide range of potential applications, including wearable
electronics, "smart skins" and minimally invasive biomedical devices that can
move with the body.
Subcategory: Microorganisms
UMass Amherst Research Team Discovers New Conducting Properties of
Janet Lathrop University of Massachusetts Amherst (07-Aug-11)
A fundamental, previously unknown property of microbial nanowires in the
bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens is that it allows electron transport across
long distances. Discovery represents a fundamental change in understanding of
biofilms.
Subcategory: Musculoskeletal
Back, Neck Pain Sufferers Could Find Relief with Cornell-developed Spinal
Anne Ju Cornell University (01-Aug-11)
Artificial implant replaces intervertebral discs in the spinal column. Collagen
which wraps around the outside of the disc and a hydrogel called alginate fills
in the middle. Seeding the implants with cells repopulate the structures with
new tissue.
Subcategory: Nanotechnology
The Petri Dish Gets a Makeover
Lauren Gravitz Technology Review (23-Aug-11)
A nanopore membrane could let hospital laboratories identify the presence of
dangerous bacteria up to 5 times faster than conventional methods. Could
reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and provide more reliable water-quality test
results.
Subcategory: Proteomics
DNA Construction Software Saves Time, Resources and Money
Lynn Yarris Berkeley News (16-Aug-11)
DNA construction is used for a wide variety of purposes, including genetic
studies, medical research, and the development of advanced biofuels. New
software also identifies which strategy would be the most cost-effective.
Carmen Drahl Chemical & Engineering News (26-Jul-11)
Researchers have obtained an atomic-resolution image of a G-protein-coupled
receptor (GPCR) together with its G protein partner. Iimplications for both
fundamental biochemistry and drug design.
Researchers Use Neutrons to Spy on the Elusive Hydronium Ion: Los Alamos
Team Sees Unprecedented Proof of Ion's Role in Enzymatic Process
Los Alamos National Laboratory (08-Aug-11)
Could aid in treatment of peptic ulcers or acid reflux disease, allow for more
efficient conversion of woody waste into transportation fuels; may help
provide a better understanding of metabolic transfer of energy in living cells or
living organisms.
Armchair Science: DNA Strands That Select Nanotubes Are First Step to a
Michael Baum NIST (02-Aug-11)
Armchair-form single wall carbon nanotubes, needed to make “quantum
wires” for low-loss, long distance electricity transmission and wiring, can be
purified from tailored single strands of DNA.
Courtney Humphries Technology Review (29-Aug-11)
New study reveals the influence of large RNA molecules called lincRNAs
(short for large intergenic noncoding RNAs) in controlling stem cells. Single
lincRNAs seem to interact with and control large complexes of proteins.
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Subcategory: Cardiology/ Vascular Diseases
Courtney Humphries Technology Review (16-Aug-11)
Optogenetics, using a combination of genetic manipulation and simple pulses
of light, allows scientists to control beating heart cells, pointing the way
toward a better pacemaker. May be possible to inject a small amount of
light-sensitive donor cells.
Subcategory: Dermatology
New Composite Material May Restore Damaged Soft Tissue
Johns Hopkins Medicine (01-Aug-11)
Liquid material, a composite of biological and synthetic molecules, shows
promise in restoring damaged soft tissue relatively safely and durably.
Injected under the skin, it is then “set” using light to form a more solid
structure
Subcategory: Geriatrics
Old Blood Impairs Young Brains
Courtney Humphries Technology Review (31-Aug-11)
And vice versa. Mouse study suggests that age-related chemical signals in
blood impair the growth of new neurons, but young blood can refresh old
brains. The process of neurogenesis thus may be affected from outside the
brain.
Yale Researchers Show how Memory Is Lost — and Found
Yale University (27-Jul-11)
The neural networks in the brains of the middle-aged and elderly have weaker
connections and fire less robustly than in youthful ones. Research suggests
that this condition is reversible. Video: How Memory Is Lost - and Found
Subcategory: Immunology/ Infectious Diseases
Antibody Recognizes Many Strains of Flu Virus
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (08-Aug-11)
Scientists have now discovered a human antibody, CH65, that recognizes
many different flu strains. Understanding more about this antibody may help Institute
scientists design a longer-lasting vaccine against the influenza virus.
Scientists Develop New Technology to Help Understand Bacterial Infections
Wellcome Trust (31-Aug-11)
New approach, using lateral molecular force microscope (LMFM) for
studying molecules within their natural environment will help researchers
understand how bacteria infect our cells. Measured changes in UspA1 protein
with Moraxella catarrhalis infection.
Subcategory: Metabolism: Obesity, Diabetes
Study of Metabolites Reveals Genetic Influence on Human Metabolism
Wellcome Trust (01-Sep-11)
Previously unknown association of mannose, a natural sugar, with
diabetes-associated variants identified. This link suggests a new line of
research to examine the role of mannose in diabetes, both as a diagnostic and
as part of the disease process.
Gene ‘Overdose’ Significantly Increases Risk of Extreme Thinness
Wellcome Trust (01-Sep-11)
Scientists have discovered a genetic variant that makes men 23 times and
women 5 times more likely to be underweight. The variant affects 1 in 2000
people, involves duplication of part of chromosome 16, resulting in an
abnormal ‘dosage’ of genes.
Subcategory: Miscellaneous
Research Offers New Way to Target Shape-shifting Proteins
Wellcome Trust (30-Aug-11)
The antibiotic molecule Rifamycin SV can stop the formation amyloid fibrils,
that cause joint pain in people receiving kidney dialysis. Could lead to insights
into Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and type II diabetes.
Subcategory: Musculoskeletal
Elena Ledda European Research Media (16-Aug-11)
Wood transformed into a type of ceramic that is identical to the mineral part
of the bone (hydroxyapatite, which makes up 80% of it) can be inserted into
the gap of a fractured bone and stimulate the cells to wrap themselves around it.
Researchers Find 29 New Genetic Variants Associated with Multiple Sclerosis
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (11-Aug-11)
Many of the newly identified risk-related genes are immune system-related, in
particular implicate T-helper cell differentiation in the pathogenesis of MS.
The results also highlighted previously reported risk factors such as vitamin D
deficiency.
Subcategory: Neurology
Disease Protein’s Mistaken Identity
Celia Henry Arnaud Chemical & Engineering News (22-Aug-11)
A better understanding of a-synuclein’s structure could help biologists figure
out its normal function and provide a new therapeutic target for Parkinson’s
disease. Rather than an unfolded monomer, the tetramer could point to new
treatments.
Ready to Learn? Brain Scans Can Tell You
Anne Trafton MIT News (19-Aug-11)
Activity in a specific part of the brain, known as the parahippocampal cortex
(PHC), predicts how well people will remember a visual scene. Adds a new
element to the longstanding question of why we remember certain things
better than others.
Purdue Receives $2.1 Million to Study Link between Personality Traits, Health
Purdue News (10-Aug-11)
Study will focus on older adults, but some of their health and personality
information will be provided since they were young adults. Will track if
people's personality changed, extent to which the trait changers matter for
health and longevity.
Scientists Control Sleep and Social Activity with Light
Emily Singer Technology Review (28-Jul-11)
Optogenetics technology allows researchers to explore a growing range of
behavior. Light targeting the prefrontal cortex of the brain is used to trigger,
then alleviate social deficits in mice resembling those seen in autism.
Subcategory: Oncology
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (19-Aug-11)
Interferons appear to hold broad therapeutic potential as scientists explain
how each type I interferon triggers its own set of antiviral and anticancer
functions while acting through the same receptor.
Genetically Modified "Serial Killer" T Cells Obliterate Tumors in Patients
with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Penn Medicine (10-Aug-11)
Sustained remissions of up to a year is shown among a small group of
advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients treated with
genetically engineered versions of their own T cells. Within 3 weeks, the
tumors had been obliterated.
Engineered Viruses Selectively Kill Cancer Cells
Alla Katsnelson Technology Review (31-Aug-11)
A single injection of a virus that has been genetically engineered to kill cancer
cells can reliably infect tumors and leave healthy tissue unharmed. Findings
help lay the groundwork for a new type of cancer medicine using
cancer-killing viruses.
Subcategory: Pulmonary/ Respiratory Diseases
Artificial Lung Is Microfluidics Marvel
Doug Smock Design News (04-Aug-11)
Current artificial lungs require bulky compressed oxygen tanks. A prototype
of a portable or implantable artificial lung weighs about 20 grams (0.71
ounces); measuring 6"x6"x4" tall, it is about the volume of the human lung.
Subcategory: Test Systems - Chemistry/Biochemistry
Method Could Resolve Nanosilver's Cloudy Toxicity Picture
Naomi Lubick Chemical & Engineering News (08-Aug-11)
Manufacturers add silver nanoparticles to consumer products such as clothing
to exploit the particles' antimicrobial properties. Nanosilver can harm
organisms such as algae, but it's unclear whether silver nanoparticles or silver
ions cause the toxicity.
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Subcategory: Computing Systems
A Look At IBM's Brain-Like Computer Chips
IMPO (29-Aug-11)
Video. Prototypes offer further evidence of the growing importance of
"parallel processing," or computers doing multiple tasks simultaneously. The
chips process data more like how humans digest information than chips that
now power PCs and supercomputers.
Subcategory: Drug Discovery
Gene Expression Data Matches Old Drugs to New Uses
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (19-Aug-11)
New computer program compares gene expression patterns from diseased
cells with those from cells treated with individual drugs. When the program
finds a gene pattern that matches, it suggests a potential drug-disease pair.
Subcategory: Energy/ Fuel
Univ. of Miami Scientists Found Way To Identify Manmade Biofuels in
University of Miami (03-Aug-11)
Thanks to a unique isotopic signature found in vehicle emissions, scientists
have discovered a technique to track urban atmospheric plumes.
Subcategory: Evolution Research
Gut Coils with Help from Its Elastic Neighbor
Caroline Perry Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (10-Aug-11)
Researchers show that a "simple" balance of forces determines the form of the
gut, as differences in growth rates between the gut tube and the neighboring
mesenteric tissue force the tube to coil, regardless of the space constraints.
Researchers Discover Oldest Evidence of Nails in Modern Primates
Danielle Torrent University of Florida (15-Aug-11)
Researchers recovered and analyzed the oldest fossil evidence of fingernails in
modern primates, confirming the idea nails developed with small body size
and disproving previous theories nails evolved with an increase in primate
body size.
Subcategory: Imaging
Detecting an Unexpected Delay at Ultrafast Speed
Riken Research (05-Aug-11)
Molecules that suddenly transform into new structures when stimulated by
photons or electrons play key roles in many chemical, biological processes.
Ultrafast laser spectroscopy reveals new insights into rearrangements of
light-driven chemical structures.
Subcategory: Lab-on-a-chip/ DNA Chips/
Erika Gebel Chemical & Engineering News (10-Aug-11)
Researchers have developed a microfluidic chip that allows scientists to
monitor thousands of cells individually by trapping them in tiny pits, an
efficient way to monitor rare events in a large population of cells.
Subcategory: Mouse/ Rat Models
New Resource to Unlock the Role of MicroRNAs
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (08-Aug-11)
mirKO is a 'library' of mutant mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells in which
individual, or clustered groups of microRNA genes, have been deleted. Using
these tools researchers can create cells or mice lacking specific microRNAs.
Subcategory: Neurology
Kaspar the Friendly Robot Helps Autistic Kids
Maria Cheng The Washington Post (10-Mar-11)
A robot is programmed to do things like smile, frown, laugh, blink and wave
his arms. Experts say robots are much safer for autistic children to relate to
than people because there's less for them to interpret and they are very
predictable.
Subcategory: Proteomics
Largest-Ever Map of Interactions of Plant Proteins Produced
National Science Foundation (28-Jul-11)
Known as an "interactome," the new Arabidopsis network map defines 6,205
protein-to-protein Arabidopsis interactions involving 2,774 individual
proteins. May help scientists improve plant species used in agriculture and
pharmaceuticals.
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