MedWorm: Biology

Cardiac natriuretic peptides act via p38 MAPK to induce the brown fat thermogenic program in mouse and human adipocytes

Journal of Clinical Investigation — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:32:05 +0100

The ability of mammals to resist body fat accumulation is linked to their ability to expand the number and activity of “brown adipocytes” within white fat depots. Activation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) can induce a functional “brown-like” adipocyte phenotype. As cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) and β-AR agonists are similarly potent at stimulating lipolysis in human adipocytes, we investigated whether NPs could induce human and mouse adipocytes to acquire brown adipocyte features, including a capacity for thermogenic energy expenditure mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). In human adipocytes, atrial NP (ANP) and ventricular NP (BNP) activated PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and UCP1 expression, induce...

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Thiol-ene reaction: a versatile tool in site-specific labelling of proteins with chemically inert tags for paramagnetic NMR

RSC - Chem. Commun. latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:38:22 +0100

Chem. Commun., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2CC17900H, CommunicationQing-Feng Li, Yin Yang, Ansis Maleckis, Gottfried Otting, Xun-Cheng SuSite-specific tagging of proteins with paramagnetic lanthanides generates valuable long-range structure restraints for structural biology by NMR spectroscopy. The thiol-ene addition reaction offers a powerful tool to tag proteins with paramagnetic metal ions in a chemically stable manner.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - Chem. Commun. latest articles)

Today's mystery bird for you to identify | @GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:03 +0100

Parents with chick? Subspecies? One species or two? Or ... ?Mystery Birds photographed at Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington (USA). [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]Image: Doug Schurman, 22 January 2012 (with permission) [velociraptorize].Canon 7D with the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens Question: These common North American mystery birds are strikingly different in size despite having the same colours and patterns. Why? Are these parent birds with one of their chicks? Are they different subspecies or are they two different species? Can you identify the taxonomic family and species for these birds?The Rules:1. Keep in mind that people live in zillions of different time zones, and some people are following on their smart phones. So let everyone play the game. Don't spoil it for ever...

Hunter's Moons: Astronomers Use Kepler Spacecraft to Search for Exomoons

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0100

Astronomers have discovered a trove of exoplanets --more than 700 worlds in orbit around distant stars, with leads on thousands of additional suspects. So now, naturally, they're beginning to ask: What moons might be in orbit about these planets? [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Insight Into Cell Aging Likely Following Discovery Of Extremely Long-Lived Proteins

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain. The scientists discovered that certain proteins, called extremely long-lived proteins (ELLPs), which are found on the surface of the nucleus of neurons, have a remarkably long lifespan... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Heart hormone helps shape fat metabolism

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study increases our understanding of fat tissue regulation and may lead to new therapies aimed at weight reduction. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

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New methodology assesses risk of scarce metals

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Yale University) Yale researchers have developed a methodology for governments and corporations to determine the availability of critical metals, according to a paper in Environmental Science & Technology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

A new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice found in Costa Rica

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Pensoft Publishers) Several periods of field work during 2008 have led to the discovery of a new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice in Costa Rica's high-altitude region Cerro de la Muerte. The discovery was made thanks to molecular data analysis of mitochondrial DNA. The collected records have also increased the overall knowledge of plant lice (one of the most dangerous agricultural pests worldwide) from the region with more that 20 percent. The study was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Nanorod-assembled order affects diffusion rate and direction

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Georgia Institute of Technology) Georgia Tech professor Rigoberto Hernandez studied the movements of a spherical probe amongst static nanorods. He found that the particles sometimes diffused faster in a nematic environment than in a disordered environment. That is, the channels left open between the ordered nanorods don't just steer nanoparticles along a direction, they also enable them to speed right through. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

The right recipe: Engineering research improves laser detectors, batteries

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Kansas State University) A Kansas State University researcher is developing new ways to create and work with carbon nanotubes -- ultrasmall tubes that look like pieces of spaghetti or string. These carbon nanotubes have the perfect ingredients for improving laser detectors and rechargeable batteries. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Satellite tracking reveals sea turtle feeding hotspots

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(United States Geological Survey) Satellite tracking of threatened loggerhead sea turtles has revealed two previously unknown feeding "hotspots" in the Gulf of Mexico that are providing important habitat for at least three separate populations of the turtles. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

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Highlights of the Biophysical Society 56th Annual Meeting

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Institute of Physics) The latest news and discoveries in medicine, physics, environmental science, and interdisciplinary fields will be featured at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society. The following summaries highlight a few of the meetings many noteworthy talks. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Chinese scientists Zhen-Yi Wang and Zhu Chen awarded 7th annual Szent-Gyorgyi Prize

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Deane, Smith & Partners) The National Foundation for Cancer Research announced today that Dr. Zhen-Yi Wang and Dr. Zhu Chen have been awarded the 7th annual Szent-Gyorgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research for their innovative research that led to the successful development of a new therapeutic approach to acute promyelocytic leukemia. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Cancer dynamics for identical twin brothers

Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this paper, a new mathematical model is developed to represent the interaction between healthy and cancer cells in the human body, focusing on the role of environmental factors and quality of life in the progression of cancer. We have investigated the dynamic effects of inputs on cancer growth, and provide an explanation of how cancer has variable behavior patterns throughout the lives of different patients. The behavior of the system with input and its trajectory patterns are investigated using trajectory patterns and stability analysis. The analysis suggests that a proper treatment method should change the dynamics of the cancer instead of only reducing the population of cancer cells and treatment burden. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)

Dysmorphometrics: the modelling of morphological abnormalities

Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The results clearly illustrate the unique power to reveal unusual form differences given only normative data with clear applications in both biomedical practice and research. (Source: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling)

Personalized therapy of lung cancer.

Onkologie — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:58:36 +0100

Authors: Thomas R, Wolf J Abstract The implementation of personalized approaches in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires a precise understanding of tumor biology, a reorientation of clinical development with a strong focus on genetically stratified early phase 'proof of concept' trials, the availability of high-quality 'realtime' genetic diagnostics, and the establishment of networks for molecular screening of lung cancer patients. To achieve this goal, a close interaction between basic researchers, clinical scientists, molecular pathologists, and pharmaceutical companies is essential. We believe that this approach is worth the effort, since personalized therapy in lung cancer has the potential to substantially improve survival in an increasing...

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Today's mystery bird for you to identify | @GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:30:01 +0100

This handsome Ethiopian mystery bird is placed into several taxonomic families, depending upon which authority you refer toMystery Bird photographed at Lalibela, northern Ethiopia (Africa). [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]Image: Dan Logen, 9 February 2011 (with permission) [velociraptorize].Nikon D300s, 200-400 mm lens at 400, f/5.6, 1/800 sec, ISO 800 Question: This handsome African mystery bird is endemic to Ethiopia and Eritrea. It also is placed into several taxonomic families, depending upon which authority you are referring to. Can you identify this mystery bird's taxonomic family(ies) and species?The Rules:1. Keep in mind that people live in zillions of different time zones, and some people are following on their smart phones. So let everyone play the game. Don't spoi...

Orange Rinds May Help Rid Cows of E. Coli

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

Name : Todd Callaway [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Peeling Away Microbes

Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

Name : Todd Callaway [More] (Source: Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology)

Birdbooker Report 208 | @GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Compiled by an ardent bibliophile, this weekly report includes books about mosses, scientific art and stream ecology that have been newly published in North America and the UKBooks to the ceiling, Books to the sky,My pile of books is a mile high.How I love them! How I need them!I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. ~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books. Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a long-running weekly report listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of these various publishing houses. New and Recent ...

Autophagy: A cyto-protective mechanism which prevents primary human hepatocyte apoptosis during oxidative stress.

Autophagy — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:12:21 +0100

Authors: Bhogal RH, Weston CJ, Curbishley SM, Adams DH, Afford SC Abstract The role of autophagy in the response of human hepatocytes to oxidative stress remains unknown. Understanding this process may have important implications for the understanding of basic liver epithelial cell biology and the responses of hepatocytes during liver disease. To address this we isolated primary hepatocytes from human liver tissue and exposed them ex vivo to hypoxia and hypoxia-reoxygenation (H-R). We showed that oxidative stress increased hepatocyte autophagy in a reactive oxygen species (ROS) and class III PtdIns3K-dependent manner. Specifically, mitochondrial ROS and NADPH oxidase were found to be key regulators of autophagy. Autophagy involved the upregulation of BECN1, LC3A, Atg7, Atg5 and Atg...

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Molecular Biology of Diabetes, Part II

Springer Medicine titles — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:01:08 +0100

Insulin Action, Effects on Gene Expression and Regulation, and Glucose TransportThese comprehensive yet concise collections of articles by world experts survey the latest findings on the molecular biology of diabetes and insulin action and synthesize a coherent understanding of the subject. Topics include the etiology of type I and type II diabetes, molecular and cellular aspects of insulin action, and the mechanism of the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. (Source: Springer Medicine titles)

Microbial exposures in infancy predict levels of the immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin‐4 in filipino young adults

American Journal of Human Biology — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions:This study builds on a growing body of literature demonstrating that early ecological conditions have long‐term effects on human biology by providing evidence that multiple proxies of microbial exposures in infancy are associated with adult IL‐4. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: American Journal of Human Biology)

Extreme behavioral lateralization and the remodeling of the distal humerus

American Journal of Human Biology — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: It could be stated that extreme handedness has an influence on the asymmetry of epicondyle of the humerus; nevertheless, this effect is more significant in the extreme right handed. This is likely to result from the necessity for left‐handed people to adapt themselves to the conditions of a dominantly “right‐handed” world. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: American Journal of Human Biology)

Physical activity, cardio‐respiratory fitness, and metabolic traits in rural mexican tarahumara

American Journal of Human Biology — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: This study suggests high levels of overweight and hypertension in the Tarahumara, and points to fitness and physical activity as potential intervention targets although findings should be confirmed in larger samples. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: American Journal of Human Biology)

Chemists develop faster, more efficient protein labeling

EurekAlert! - Biology — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(North Carolina State University) North Carolina State University researchers have created specially engineered mammalian cells to provide a new "chemical handle" which will enable researchers to label proteins of interest more efficiently, without disrupting the normal function of the proteins themselves or the cells in which they are found. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

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Rupert Sheldrake: the 'heretic' at odds with scientific dogma

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:04:00 +0100

Rupert Sheldrake has researched telepathy in dogs, crystals and Chinese medicine in his quest to explore phenomena that science finds hard to explainIt is not often, in liberal north London, that you come face to face with a heretic, but Rupert Sheldrake has worn that mantle, pretty cheerfully, for 30 years now. Sitting in his book-lined study, overlooking Hampstead Heath, he appears a highly unlikely candidate for apostasy; he seems more like the Cambridge biochemistry don he once was, one of the brightest Darwinians of his generation, winner of the university botany prize, researcher at the Royal Society, Harvard scholar and fellow of Clare College.All that, though, was before he was cast out into the wilderness. Sheldrake's untouchable status was conferred one morning in 1981 when, a co...

Russian Scientists Poised to be First to Reach Ice-Buried Antarctic Lake

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0100

At a tiny outpost in the middle of Antarctica, Russian scientists are poised to become the first humans to reach a massive liquid lake that has been cut off from the sunlit world for millennia, and may house uniquely adapted life forms that are new to science. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Brain Injury Rate 7 Times Greater among U.S. Prisoners

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

A car accident, a rough tackle, an unexpected tumble. The number of ways to bang up the brain are almost as numerous as the people who sustain these injuries. And only recently has it become clear just how damaging a seemingly minor knock can be. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is no longer just a condition acknowledged in military personnel or football players and other professional athletes. Each year some 1.7 million civilians will suffer an injury that disrupts the function of their brains, qualifying it as a TBI. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Lies We Tell Ourselves: How Deception Leads to Self-Deception (preview)

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar , a skeptical Judas Iscariot questions with faux innocence (“Don’t you get me wrong/I only want to know”) the messiah’s deific nature: “Jesus Christ Superstar/Do you think you’re what they say you are?” [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

A novel method for fast and robust estimation of fluorescence decay dynamics using constrained least-squares deconvolution with Laguerre expansion.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:38:31 +0100

We report a novel method for estimating fluorescence impulse response function (fIRF) from noise-corrupted time-domain fluorescence measurements of biological tissue. This method is based on the use of high-order Laguerre basis functions and a constrained least-squares approach that addresses the problem of overfitting due to increased model complexity. The new method was extensively evaluated on fluorescence data from simulation, fluorescent standard dyes, ex vivo tissue samples of atherosclerotic plaques and in vivo oral carcinoma. Current results demonstrate that this method allows for rapid and accurate deconvolution of multiple channel fluorescence decays without adaptively adjusting the Laguerre scale parameter. The appropriate choice of the scale parameter is essential for accurate ...

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STIR: software for tomographic image reconstruction release 2.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:38:20 +0100

We present a new version of STIR (Software for Tomographic Image Reconstruction), an open source object-oriented library implemented in C++ for 3D positron emission tomography reconstruction. This library has been designed such that it can be used for many algorithms and scanner geometries, while being portable to various computing platforms. This second release enhances its flexibility and modular design and includes additional features such as Compton scatter simulation, an additional iterative reconstruction algorithm and parametric image reconstruction (both indirect and direct). We discuss the new features in this release and present example results. STIR can be downloaded from http://stir.sourceforge.net. PMID: 22290410 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Physics in Medicine and Biol...

Time-of-flight PET data determine the attenuation sinogram up to a constant.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:38:09 +0100

Authors: Defrise M, Rezaei A, Nuyts J Abstract In positron emission tomography (PET), a quantitative reconstruction of the tracer distribution requires accurate attenuation correction. We consider situations where a direct measurement of the attenuation coefficient of the tissues is not available or is unreliable, and where one attempts to estimate the attenuation sinogram directly from the emission data by exploiting the consistency conditions that must be satisfied by the non-attenuated data. We show that in time-of-flight PET, the attenuation sinogram is determined by the emission data except for a constant and that its gradient can be estimated efficiently using a simple analytic algorithm. The stability of the method is illustrated numerically by means of a 2D simulation. ...

Time-reversal transcranial ultrasound beam focusing using a k-space method.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:58 +0100

Authors: Jing Y, Meral FC, Clement GT Abstract This paper proposes the use of a k-space method to obtain the correction for transcranial ultrasound beam focusing. Mirroring past approaches, a synthetic point source at the focal point is numerically excited, and propagated through the skull, using acoustic properties acquired from registered computed tomography of the skull being studied. The received data outside the skull contain the correction information and can be phase conjugated (time reversed) and then physically generated to achieve a tight focusing inside the skull, by assuming quasi-plane transmission where shear waves are not present or their contribution can be neglected. Compared with the conventional finite-difference time-domain method for wave propagation simulation...

Changes in lung tumor shape during respiration.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:48 +0100

Authors: Kyriakou E, McKenzie DR Abstract Evidence that some lung tumors change shape during respiration is derived from respiratory gated CT data by statistical shape modeling and image manipulation. Some tumors behave as rigid objects while others show systematic shape changes. Two views of lung motion are presented to allow analysis of the results. In the first, lung motion is viewed as a wave motion in which inertial effects arising from mass are present and in the second it is a quasistatic motion in which the mass of the lung tissues is neglected. In the first scenario, the extremes of tumor compression and expansion are expected to correlate with maximum upward and downward velocity of the tumor, respectively. In the second, they should occur at end exhale and end inhale, re...

Effect of ethanol injection on cavitation and heating of tissues exposed to high-intensity focused ultrasound.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:38 +0100

This study opens up the possibility of improved tumor ablation therapy via a combination of percutaneous ethanol injection and high-intensity focused ultrasound. PMID: 22290554 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Physics in Medicine and Biology)

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Reducing the staircasing error in computational dosimetry of low-frequency electromagnetic fields.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:27 +0100

Authors: Laakso I, Hirata A Abstract From extremely low frequencies to intermediate frequencies, the magnitude of induced electric field inside the human body is used as the metric for human protection. The induced electric field inside the body can be computed using anatomically realistic voxel models and numerical methods such as the finite-difference or finite-element methods. The computed electric field is affected by numerical errors that occur when curved boundaries with large contrasts in electrical conductivity are approximated using a staircase grid. In order to lessen the effect of the staircase approximation error, the use of the 99th percentile electric field, i.e. ignoring the highest 1% of electric field values, is recommended in the ICNIRP guidelines. However, the 99...

Electron slowing-down spectra in water for electron and photon sources calculated with the Geant4-DNA code.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:17 +0100

This study reports on the electron slowing-down spectra and mean energy per ion pair, the W-value, in water for monoenergetic electron and photon sources calculated with Geant4-DNA. These quantities depend on electron energy, but not on spatial or angular variables which makes them a good choice for testing the model of energy transfer processes. The spectra also have a scientific value for radiobiological modeling as they describe the energy distribution of electrons entering small volumes, such as the cell nucleus. Comparisons of Geant4-DNA results with previous studies showed overall good agreement. Some differences in slowing-down spectra between Geant4-DNA and previous studies were found at 100 eV and at approximately 500 eV that were attributed to approximations in models of vibratio...

Single-heartbeat electromechanical wave imaging with optimal strain estimation using temporally unequispaced acquisition sequences.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:37:06 +0100

Authors: Provost J, Thiébaut S, Luo J, Konofagou EE Abstract Electromechanical Wave Imaging (EWI) is a non-invasive, ultrasound-based imaging method capable of mapping the electromechanical wave (EW) in vivo, i.e. the transient deformations occurring in response to the electrical activation of the heart. Optimal imaging frame rates, in terms of the elastographic signal-to-noise ratio, to capture the EW cannot be achieved due to the limitations of conventional imaging sequences, in which the frame rate is low and tied to the imaging parameters. To achieve higher frame rates, EWI is typically performed by combining sectors acquired during separate heartbeats, which are then combined into a single view. However, the frame rates achieved remain potentially sub-optimal and this approac...

Fast reconstruction in magnetic particle imaging.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:36:56 +0100

Authors: Lampe J, Bassoy C, Rahmer J, Weizenecker J, Voss H, Gleich B, Borgert J Abstract Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a new tomographic imaging method which is able to capture the fast dynamic behavior of magnetic tracer material. From measured induced signals, the unknown magnetic particle concentration is reconstructed using a previously determined system function, which describes the relation between particle position and signal response. After discretization, the system function is represented by a matrix, whose size can prohibit the use of direct solvers for matrix inversion to reconstruct the image. In this paper, we present a new reconstruction approach, which combines efficient compression techniques and iterative reconstruction solvers. The data compression is based...

Development of an adjoint sensitivity field-based treatment-planning technique for the use of newly designed directional LDR sources in brachytherapy.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:36:45 +0100

Authors: Chaswal V, Thomadsen BR, Henderson DL Abstract The development and application of an automated 3D greedy heuristic (GH) optimization algorithm utilizing the adjoint sensitivity fields for treatment planning to assess the advantage of directional interstitial prostate brachytherapy is presented. Directional and isotropic dose kernels generated using Monte Carlo simulations based on Best Industries model 2301 I-125 source are utilized for treatment planning. The newly developed GH algorithm is employed for optimization of the treatment plans for seven interstitial prostate brachytherapy cases using mixed sources (directional brachytherapy) and using only isotropic sources (conventional brachytherapy). All treatment plans resulted in V100 > 98% and D90 > 45 Gy for the t...

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Beyond Gaussians: a study of single-spot modeling for scanning proton dose calculation.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:36:34 +0100

In this study, we developed a pencil beam algorithm for scanning proton dose calculation by focusing on properly modeling individual scanning spots. All modeling parameters required by the pencil beam algorithm can be generated based solely on a few sets of measured data. We demonstrated that low-dose halos in single-spot profiles in the medium could be adequately modeled with the addition of a modified Cauchy-Lorentz distribution function to a double-Gaussian function. The field size effects were accurately computed at all depths and field sizes for all energies, and good dose accuracy was also achieved for patient dose verification. The implementation of the proposed pencil beam algorithm also enabled us to study the importance of different modeling components and parameters at various b...

Complete electrode model in EEG: relationship and differences to the point electrode model.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:36:23 +0100

Authors: Pursiainen S, Lucka F, Wolters CH Abstract In electroencephalography (EEG) source analysis, a primary current density generated by the neural activity of the brain is reconstructed from external electrode voltage measurements. This paper focuses on accurate and effective simulations of EEG through the complete electrode model (CEM). The CEM allows for the incorporation of the electrode size, shape and effective contact impedance into the forward simulation. Both neural currents in the brain and shunting currents between the electrodes and the skin can affect the measured voltages in the CEM. The goal of this study was to investigate the CEM by comparing it with the point electrode model (PEM), which is the current standard electrode model for EEG. We used a three-dimension...

A finite difference method with periodic boundary conditions for simulations of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance experiments in tissue.

Physics in Medicine and Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:36:13 +0100

Authors: Russell G, Harkins KD, Secomb TW, Galons JP, Trouard TP Abstract A new finite difference (FD) method for calculating the time evolution of complex transverse magnetization in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy experiments is described that incorporates periodic boundary conditions. The new FD method relaxes restrictions on the allowable time step size employed in modeling which can significantly reduce computation time for simulations of large physical extent and allow for more complex, physiologically relevant, geometries to be simulated. PMID: 22297418 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Physics in Medicine and Biology)

CCND1 G870A Polymorphism with Altered Cyclin D1 Transcripts Expression Is Associated with the Risk of Glioma in a Chinese Population

DNA and Cell Biology — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:05:10 +0100

DNA and Cell Biology , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: DNA and Cell Biology)

Snakes Compete for Rooftops as Floods Hit East Australia

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:25:00 +0100

SYDNEY, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Thousands of Australians were cutoff by floodwaters on Saturday as heavy rain broke river banks [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Why do cells age? Discovery of extremely long-lived proteins may provide insight into cell aging and neurodegenerative diseases

ScienceDaily Headlines — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:09:09 +0100

One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

A single amino acid residue can determine the sensitivity of SERCAs to artemisinins

Nature Structural and Molecular Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:28:24 +0100

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 19, 264 (2012). doi:10.1038/nsmb0212-264 Author: Anne-Catrin Uhlemann, Angus Cameron, Ursula Eckstein-Ludwig, Jorge Fischbarg, Pavel Iserovich, Felipe A Zuniga, Malcolm East, Anthony Lee, Leo Brady, Richard K Haynes & Sanjeev Krishna (Source: Nature Structural and Molecular Biology)

A Time for Unity

AIBS BioScience Editorials — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:27:54 +0100

Although the US public remains for the most part favorably disposed to scientists, politically inspired efforts to discredit some kinds of science continue and could gain traction during what is likely to be an angry election year. Researchers, especially those working in fields that do not seem to offer the near-term promise of profitable products, have good reason to be apprehensive about their funding. Budget anxieties are driving up pressure on legislators to enact substantial cuts, and the brinksmanship on Capitol Hill suggests that ill-considered measures could be enacted through political grandstanding. Researchers worried about the future of the research enterprise should make efforts to stay informed and be ready to argue for its importance whenever the opportunity arises. The Un...

White House Begins to Map Course toward Bio-Based Economy

Washington Watch — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:26:34 +0100

Politicians and pundits clogged the airwaves last year with rhetoric about the state of the nation's economy. Amid this noise, a few economic policy initiatives did begin to take shape. For instance, last fall, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a request for comments on a draft policy to stimulate the bioeconomy. Scientists have long asserted that research is an investment that yields economic prosperity. A growing number of scientists and engineers have more recently advised that the biological sciences are poised to inspire transformative discoveries that can solve persistent problems while stimulating new economic opportunities. Indeed, in 2009, the National Research Council (NRC) released a 112-page report, A New Biology for the 21st Century: Ensuri...

Are Nuisance Jellyfish Really Taking Over the World's Oceans?

BioScience Press Releases — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:26:33 +0100

In recent years, media reports of jellyfish blooms and some scientific publications have fueled the idea that jellyfish and other gelatinous floating creatures are becoming more common and may dominate the seas in coming decades. The growing impacts of humans on the oceans, including overfishing and climate change, have been suggested as possible causes of this apparently alarming trend. A careful evaluation of the evidence by Robert H. Condon of Dauphin Island Sea Lab and his 16 coauthors, however, finds the idea that jellyfish, comb jellies, salps and similar organisms are surging globally to be lacking support. Rather, Condon and his colleagues suggest, the perception of an increase is the result of more scientific attention being paid to phenomena such as jellyfish blooms and media fa...

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Director of Biology Professional Science Masters - Illinois Institute of Technology

AIBS Classifieds — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:26:32 +0100

The Biology Division at Illinois Institute of Technology seeks candidates for Director of Biology Professional Science Masters (PSM) programs with significant experience at the interface of biology, industry, and government. For further information see http://iit.edu/csl/bio/people/openings.shtml (Source: AIBS Classifieds)

Faculty Positions in Biology - University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

AIBS Classifieds — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:26:32 +0100

The Biology Department at the University of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia seeks applicants for multiple faculty positions in all fields of biology for both female and male campuses. Faculty positions are open at the Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor levels and commence in September 2012. Candidates must have an earned doctorate in Biology or a related field. Specific duties include the development of research programs, undergraduate and graduate teaching, student advisement, and service activities. Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of application, a comprehensive current CV, and a summary of teaching and research interests. All materials should be sent electronically as a .pdf file to UofTabukBIO@yahoo.com The language of instruction at the University of Tabuk is Engli...

Synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of 1‐(2‐(8‐(benzyloxy)quinolin‐2‐yl)‐1‐butyrylcyclopropyl)‐3‐substituted urea derivatives

Chemical Biology and Drug Design — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:23:13 +0100

In the present study on the development of new anticonvulsants, sixteen new1‐(2‐(8‐(benzyloxy)quinolin‐2‐yl)‐1‐butyrylcyclopropyl)‐3‐substituted urea derivatives were synthesized and tested for anticonvulsant activity using the maximal electroshock (MES), subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) screens, which are the most widely employed seizure models for early identification of candidate anticonvulsants. Their neurotoxicity were determined applying the rotorod test. Three compounds 7a, 7e and 7m showed promising anticonvulsant activities in both models employed for anticonvulsant evaluation. The most active compound 7e showed the MES‐induced seizures with ED50 value of 14.3 mg/kg and TD50 value of 434 mg/kg after intraperitoneally injection to mice, which provided com...

Cell Biology: Push Me Pull You

Editors' Choice — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:12 +0100

A contractile ring composed of actin and myosin promotes cytokinesis—the final stage of cell division when daughter cells are physically separated from one another. The small GTPase RhoA regulates the … [Read more] (Source: Editors' Choice)

[News & Analysis] Cell Biology: Donation Spurs a Cell Observatory—And Bigger Plans

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

The Broad Institute received a $32.5 million gift last week to take on one of the biggest challenges in biology: mapping the molecular "circuitry" inside several kinds of mammalian cells.Author: Jocelyn Kaiser (Source: Science: Current Issue)

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Editors' Choice

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

Expression and distribution of creatine transporter and creatine kinase (brain isoform) in developing and mature rat cochlear tissues

Histochemistry and Cell Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:11:20 +0100

This study postulates that this CRT is developmentally regulated in the rat cochlea. CRT expression was measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the postnatal (P0–P14) and adult (P22–P56) rat cochlea. The maximum CRT expression was reached at the onset of hearing (P12), and this level was maintained through to adulthood. CRT immunoreactivity was strongest in the sensory inner hair cells, supporting cells and the spiral ganglion neurons. Cochlear distribution of the CK brain isoform (CKB) was also assessed by immunohistochemistry and compared with the distribution of CRT in the developing and adult cochlea. CKB was immunolocalized in the organ of Corti supporting cells, and the lateral wall tissues involved in K+ cycling, including stria vascularis and...

Role of leptin as antioxidant in obstructive sleep apnea: an in vitro study using electron paramagnetic resonance method

Sleep and Breathing — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:11:08 +0100

Conclusion Leptin is an antioxidant agent of possible use as a marker of OS and future risk of atherosclerotic disease in OSA. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s11325-012-0656-8Authors Madalina Macrea, Salem VA Medical Center, affiliate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USAThomas Martin, Salem VA Medical Center, affiliate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USALeon Zagrean, Physiology Department, “Carol Davila” School of Medicine, Bucharest, RomaniaZhenquan Jia, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27410, USAHara Misra, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia Tech Corporate Research, Black...

Today's mystery bird for you to identify | @GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:30:02 +0100

This distinctive Australian mystery bird is named for one of its life history traitsMystery Bird photographed in New South Wales, Australia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]Image: Marie-Louise Ng, 24 December 2011 (with permission) [velociraptorize].Nikon D7000 Question: This distinctive Australian mystery bird is named for one of its life history traits. What trait is that? Can you identify this bird's taxonomic family and species?The Rules:1. Keep in mind that people live in zillions of different time zones, and some people are following on their smart phones. So let everyone play the game. Don't spoil it for everyone else by identifying the bird in the first 24 to 36 hours.2. If you know the mystery bird's identity, answer the accompanying questions and provide subtle ID ...

Functional Characterization of Genetic Polymorphisms Identified in the Promoter Region of the Bovine PEPS Gene

DNA and Cell Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:28:01 +0100

DNA and Cell Biology , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: DNA and Cell Biology)

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The Science of Concussion and Brain Injury

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0100

How medicine, sports and society are trying to heal and protect the brains of millions amidst the growing awareness of the long-lasting effects of traumatic head injury [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Response to Pan's Letter

DNA and Cell Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:44:56 +0100

DNA and Cell Biology , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: DNA and Cell Biology)

Functional Polymorphism Located in MMP-9 Gene Promoter Is Strongly Associated with Obesity

DNA and Cell Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:44:50 +0100

DNA and Cell Biology , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: DNA and Cell Biology)

Social Clicks: Sounds Associated with African Languages Are Common in English

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

Some Africans click, but English speakers don’t. That’s been the conventional wisdom about click sounds, which serve as regular consonants in Zulu and Xhosa and a few other African languages but which were presumed to just be used in English for encouraging a horse, imitating a kiss, or expressing emotions such as disapproval or amazement. But researchers have recently found that clicks are far more prevalent in the world’s lingua franca than had been thought. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Quantum biology and Ockham’s razor

University of Bristol news — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:10:45 +0100

In a paper just published in Nature Chemistry, a team of University of Bristol scientists explores whether new models or concepts are needed to tackle one of the ‘grand challenges’ of chemical biology: understanding enzyme catalysis. (Source: University of Bristol news)

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Stranded dolphins in Cape Cod baffle scientists

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:51:53 +0100

The worst spate of dolphin strandings in a decade will be brought to the attention of CongressScientists in Cape Cod are trying to determine what is causing dolphins to swim dangerously close to shore, with more than 100 becoming stranded in the last three weeks.Members of Congress are due to be briefed on Friday about the strandings, the worst such event in more than a decade. Volunteers are maintaining coastal vigils and trying to get the animals back to sea."What is different about this particular event is that instead of having one discrete event, it is this string of ongoing strandings that started on 12 January and is just continuing," said Katie Moore, who manages marine mammal rescue operations for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. "It's day after day after day."Moore is d...

Marine ecology: Attack of the blobs

Nature — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:26:31 +0100

Nature 482, 7383 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/482020a Author: Mark Schrope Jellyfish will bloom as ocean health declines, warn biologists. Are they already taking over? (Source: Nature)

Rearranging the Cell's Skeleton- 2/1/12

Johns Hopkins Medicine News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:26:27 +0100

Cell biologists at Johns Hopkins have identified key steps in how certain molecules alter a cell’s skeletal shape and drive the cell’s movement. (Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine News)

New 'Super-Earth': A Potentially Habitable Planet?

TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:05:50 +0100

In an improbable spot, scientists say they've discovered a world like our own where water and biology might exist (Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories)

Scientists Analysing The Release Of Genetically Modified Insects Into The Environment Find The Available Scientific Information Can Be Misleading

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

While genetically modified plants have already been introduced into the wild on a large scale in some parts of the world, the release of genetically modified animals is still at a relatively early stage. A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plon, Germany has now published a study examining the free release of genetically modified insects in Malaysia, USA, and Cayman Islands... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Device Provides A Platform For Viewing Cancer Cells And Other Macromolecules In Dynamic, Life-Sustaining Liquid Environments

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

A photograph of a polar bear in captivity, no matter how sharp the resolution, can never reveal as much about behavior as footage of that polar bear in its natural habitat. The behavior of cells and molecules can prove even more elusive. Limitations in biomedical imaging technologies have hampered attempts to understand cellular and molecular behavior, with biologists trying to envision dynamic processes through static snapshots... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Study Of Human And Other Primate Brains Finds Extended Synaptic Development May Explain Our Cognitive Edge

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Over the first few years of life, human cognition continues to develop, soaking up information and experiences from the environment and far surpassing the abilities of even our nearest primate relatives. In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have identified extended synaptic development in the human brain relative to other primates, a finding that sheds new light on the biology and evolution of human cognition. "Why can we absorb environmental information during infancy and childhood and develop intellectual skills that chimpanzees cannot?" asks Dr... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Language and human nature:kurt goldstein's neurolinguistic foundation of a holistic philosophy

Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:27:19 +0100

This article will discuss the work of Kurt Goldstein, who is known for both his groundbreaking contributions to neuropsychology and his holistic philosophy of human nature. By focusing on Goldstein's neurolinguistic research, I want to reconstruct the empirical foundations of his holistic program without ignoring its cultural background. In this sense, Goldstein's work provides a case study for the formation of a scientific theory through the complex interplay between specific empirical evidences and the general cultural developments of the Weimar Republic. (Source: Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences)

New international standards to aid data sharing

MEDEV News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:38:29 +0100

Led by researchers at University of Oxford (UK) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) at Harvard University, (USA), more than 50 collaborators at over 30 scientific organizations around the globe have agreed on a common standard for integrating biological data sets. This will make it possible to consistently describe the enormous and radically different databases that are compiled in the biosciences in fields ranging from genetics to stem cell science, to environmental studies.This collaborative effort provides a way for scientists in widely disparate life science fields to co-ordinate each other's findings by allowing behind-the-scenes combination of the mountains of data produced by modern, technology driven science. This will allow researchers to put data to work more effectively a...

Functional Relationship of BAR/SH3 Domains of Endophilin [Membrane Biology]