MedWorm: Biology

Delft breakthrough in bioethanol production from agricultural waste

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Delft University of Technology) With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material: "More ethanol, less acetate and elimination of the major by-product glycerol." This week the invention was published in the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Biologists discover bacterial defense mechanism against aggressive oxygen

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)) Bacteria possess an ingenious mechanism for preventing oxygen from harming the building blocks of the cell. This is the new finding of a team of biologists that includes Joris Messens of VIB, a life sciences research institute in Flanders, Belgium, connected to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Flax and yellow flowers can produce bioethanol

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology) Surplus biomass from the production of flax sheaves, and generated from Brassica carinata, a yellow-flowered plant related to those which engulf fields in spring, can be used to produce bioethanol. This has been suggested by two studies carried out by Spanish and Dutch researchers and published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Lehigh receives grant to reduce cost of carbon capture at coal-fired power plants

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Lehigh University) A US Department of Energy grant will help develop methods of recovering and reusing heat generated by the compression of CO2 in a carbon-capture system. The goal is to facilitate carbon capture and sequestration and limit the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by coal-fired power plants. Unlike other modeling studies, which focus on specific components of the carbon-capture system, the Lehigh researchers will look at the entire power plant. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Genome-wide analysis of major intrinsic proteins in the tree plant Populus trichocarpa: Characterization of XIP subfamily of aquaporins from evolutionary perspective

BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Due to whole genome duplication, Populus has the largest number of MIPs identified in any single species. Non-XIP MIPs are similar in all four plant species considered in this study. Small and weakly polar residues at the helix-helix interface are group conserved presumably to maintain the hourglass fold of MIP channels. Substitutions in ar/R selectivity filter, insertion/deletion in loop C, increasing basic nature of loop D and loss of introns are some of the events occurred during the evolution of dicot XIPs. (Source: BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Environmentally-acquired bacteria influence microbial diversity and natural innate immune responses at gut surfaces

BMC Biology - Latest articles — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Early-life environment significantly affects both microbial composition of the adult gut and mucosal innate immune function. We observed that a microbiota dominated by lactobacilli may function to maintain mucosal immune homeostasis and limit pathogen colonization. (Source: BMC Biology - Latest articles)

Announcements

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:02:23 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 331, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

The Bentley Glass Memorial Endowment Fund

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:56 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 332, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Fading Identity of the Developing Organism

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:54 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 391-395, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Structure and Dynamics of Membranous Interfaces

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:52 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 417, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Owen's Ape and Darwin's Bulldog: Beyond Darwinism and Creationism

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:51 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 396, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Single Molecule Dynamics in Life Science

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:50 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 416-417, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Darwin's Gift to Science and Religion

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:49 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 396-397, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Mechanisms of Exocytosis

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:48 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 418, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Reframing Scopes: Journalists, Scientists, and Lost Photographs from the Trial of the Century

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:47 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 397-398, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Molecular Recognition and Polymers: Control of Polymer Structure and Self‐Assembly

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:46 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 417-418, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Medicine, Evolution, and Natural Selection: An Historical Overview

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:46 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 333-355, December 2009. ABSTRACT Contemporary Darwinian medicine is a still‐expanding new discipline, one of whose principal aims is to arrive at an evolutionary understanding of those aspects of the body that leave it vulnerable to disease. Historically, there was a precedent for this research; between 1880 and 1940, several scientists tried to develop some general evolutionary theories of disease as arising from deleterious traits that escape elimination by natural selection. In contrast, contemporary Darwinian medicine uses evolutionary theory to consider all the possible reasons why selection has left humans vulnerable to disease. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

The Reticulating Phylogeny of Island Biogeography Theory

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:42 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 357-390, December 2009. ABSTRACT Biogeographers study all patterns in the geographic variation of life, from the spatial variation in genetic and physiological characteristics of cells and individuals, to the diversity and dynamics of biological communities among continental biotas or across oceanic archipelagoes. The field of island biogeography, in particular, has provided some genuinely transformative insights for the biological sciences, especially ecology and evolutionary biology. Our purpose here is to review the historical development of island biogeography theory during the 20th century by identifying the common threads that run through four sets of contributions made during this period, including those by Eugene Gordo...

Book Review: Incredible Anaerobes: From Physiology to Genomics to Fuels

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:39 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 419-420, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Illustrated Dictionary of Orchid Genera

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:38 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 421, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Photosynthetic Protein Complexes: A Structural Approach

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:38 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 419, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Aptamers in Bioanalysis

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:37 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 418-419, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Field Guide to Tidal Wetland Plants of the Northeastern United States and Neighboring Canada: Vegetation of Beaches, Tidal Flats, Rocky Shores, Marshes, Swamps, and Coastal Ponds

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:36 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 420-421, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Index to Titles and Authors/Editors of Books Reviewed Volume 84 (2009)

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:35 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 433-446, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Plant Anatomy: An Applied Approach

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:35 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 420, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Index to Reviewers of Books Volume 84 (2009)

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:32 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 447-449, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Directory of Publishers

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:31 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 428-429, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Titles and Authors of Articles

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:28 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 431-432, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: What a Time I am Having: Selected Letters of Max Perutz

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:58 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 399-400, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Treasure Your Exceptions: The Science and Life of William Bateson

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:57 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 398-399, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Urban Herpetology

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:56 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 423, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: A Sea without Fish: Life in the Ordovician Sea of the Cincinnati Region

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:56 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 404, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Marine Ornamental Shrimp: Biology, Aquaculture and Conservation

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:55 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 423, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Mixed Effects Models and Extensions in Ecology with R

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:55 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 404-405, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: An Introduction to the Earth‐Life System

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:54 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 402-403, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Phenotypic Plasticity of Insects: Mechanisms and Consequences

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:53 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 422-423, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Tyrannosaurus rex: The Tyrant King

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:53 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 403-404, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Plant Nematodes: Methodology, Morphology, Systematics, Biology and Ecology

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:52 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 421-422, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Organization of Insect Societies: From Genome to Sociocomplexity

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:51 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 422, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Origins of Life in the Universe

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:51 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 402, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Future Bioethics: Overcoming Taboos, Myths, and Dogmas

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:51 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 401-402, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Animals and the Moral Community: Mental Life, Moral Status, and Kinship

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:50 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 400-401, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Death of the Animal: A Dialogue

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:49 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 401, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Philosophy and Animal Life

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:49 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 400, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Mammals of South America

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:48 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 426, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Prairie Dogs: Communication and Community in an Animal Society

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:48 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 425-426, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Birds of Pakistan

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:47 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 425, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Top 100 Birding Sites of the World

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:46 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 424-425, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:46 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 423-424, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Atmospheric Science for Environmental Scientists

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:45 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 405, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Announcements

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:45 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 331, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Cancer Biology

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:41 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 427, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Human Blood Plasma Proteins: Structure and Function

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:41 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 426-427, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Nature of the Rainforest: Costa Rica and Beyond

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:40 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 427-428, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Infectious Disease Ecology: Effects of Ecosystems on Disease and of Disease on Ecosystems

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:39 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 406, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: A Third Window: Natural Life Beyond Newton and Darwin

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:38 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 405-406, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Climate Change: The Science of Global Warming and Our Energy Future

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:37 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 407, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Ecology and Evolution of the Grass‐Endophyte Symbiosis

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:36 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 406-407, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Living with Fire: Fire Ecology and Policy for the Twenty‐First Century

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:35 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 408, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Forests Forever: Their Ecology, Restoration, and Protection

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:35 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 407-408, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Reticulate Evolution and Humans: Origins and Ecology

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:34 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 409-410, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Coalescent Theory: An Introduction

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:34 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 408-409, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Genial Gene: Deconstructing Darwinian Selfishness

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:33 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 410-411, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Question of Animal Culture

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:32 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 412-413, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Thermal Adaptations: A Theoretical and Empirical Synthesis

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:32 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 410, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Tinbergen's Legacy: Function and Mechanism in Behavioral Biology

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:31 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 412, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Evolution and Human Behavior: Darwinian Perspectives on Human Nature

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:31 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 411-412, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Smartest Animals on the Planet: Extraordinary Tales of the Natural World's Cleverest Creatures

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:30 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 414-415, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Pleasure Center: Trust Your Animal Instincts

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:29 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 414, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Sexual Coercion in Primates and Humans: An Evolutionary Perspective on Male Aggression Against Females

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:29 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 413-414, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Book Review: Animal Osmoregulation

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:28 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 416, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Evolution of Communicative Flexibility: Complexity, Creativity, and Adaptability in Human and Animal Communication

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:28 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 413, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: The Skeletal System

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:27 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 415-416, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Book Review: Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior

QRB Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:25 +0100

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 84, Issue 4, Page 415, December 2009. (Source: QRB Latest Issue)

Microorganism may provide key to combating giant salvinia throughout Louisiana

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Louisiana Tech University) A team of researchers at Louisiana Tech University has found that a naturally occurring microorganism acts as a natural herbicide against giant salvinia. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

ORNL, Los Alamos pioneer new approach to assist scientists, farmers

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Sustainable farming, initially adopted to preserve soil quality for future generations, may also play a role in maintaining a healthy climate, according to researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Los Alamos national laboratories. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Maize cell wall genes identified, giving boost to biofuel research

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Purdue University) Purdue University scientists have helped identify and group the genes thought to be responsible for cell wall development in maize, an effort that expands their ability to discover ways to produce the biomass best suited for biofuels production. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

New map of variation in maize genetics holds promise for developing new varieties

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Cornell University) A new study of maize has identified thousands of diverse genes in genetically inaccessible portions of the genome. New techniques may allow breeders and researchers to use this genetic variation to identify desirable traits and create new varieties that were not easily possible before. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Paleontologists find extinction rates higher in open-ocean settings during mass extinctions

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Cincinnati) Arnie Miller, University of Cincinnati professor of paleontology in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences, and co-author Michael Foote of the University of Chicago publish their research in the Nov. 20 issue of Science with their paper, "Epicontinental Seas Versus Open-Ocean Settings: The Kinetics of Mass Extinction and Origination." (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

New maize map to aid plant breeding efforts

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of California - Davis) A massive survey of genetic diversity in maize has produced a gene map that should pave the way to significant improvements in a plant that is a major source of food, fuel, animal feed and fiber around the world. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Many pregnant women avoid HIV screening in Africa

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine) "Prevention is the best cure" is a common expression, but what happens if preventative measures are not used? A large proportion of pregnant Ugandan women are going out of their way not to be HIV tested, increasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

NIEHS awards Recovery Act funds to focus more research on health and safety of nanomaterials

EurekAlert! - Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, is increasing its investment in understanding the potential health, safety and environmental issues related to tiny particles that are used in many everyday products such as sunscreens, cosmetics and electronics. The NIEHS will award about $13 million over a two-year period, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to bolster the NIEHS's ongoing research portfolio in the area of engineered nanomaterials. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

The gene complement of the ancestral bilaterian - was Urbilateria a monster?

Journal of Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Expressed sequence tag analyses of the annelid Pomatoceros lamarckii, recently published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, are consistent with less extensive gene loss in the Lophotrochozoa than in the Ecdysozoa, but it would be premature to generalize about patterns of gene loss on the basis of the limited data available.See research article http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/240. (Source: Journal of Biology)

Impact of oral melatonin on the electroretinogram cone response

Journal of Circadian Rhythms — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Oral melatonin appears to reach the eye through the circulation. When it is administered at a time of day when it is not usually present, melatonin appears to reduce input to retinal cones. We believe that the impact of melatonin on retinal function should be taken into consideration when used without supervision in chronic self-medication for sleep or circadian disorder treatment. (Source: Journal of Circadian Rhythms)

Exceptional error minimization in putative primordial genetic codes

Biology Direct — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The results of the computational experiments with putative primordial genetic codes that contained only two meaningful letters in all codons and encoded 10 to 16 amino acids indicate that such codes are likely to have been nearly optimal with respect to the minimization of translation errors. This near-optimality could be the outcome of extensive early selection during the co-evolution of the code with the primordial, error-prone translation system, or a result of a unique, accidental event. Under this hypothesis, the subsequent expansion of the code resulted in a decrease of the error minimization level that became sustainable owing to the evolution of a high-fidelity translation system.Reviewers: This article was reviewed by Paul Higgs (nominated by Arcady Mushegian), Rob Kn...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Pleistocene glaciations and contemporary genetic diversity in a Beringian fish, the broad whitefish, Coregonus nasus (Pallas): inferences from microsatellite DNA variation

Journal of Evolutionary Biology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The contemporary distribution of genetic variation within and among high latitude populations cannot be fully understood without taking into consideration how species responded to the impacts of Pleistocene glaciations. Broad whitefish, Coregonus nasus, a species endemic to northwest North America and the Arctic coast of Russia, was undoubtedly impacted by such events because its geographic distribution suggests that it survived solely within the Beringian refuge from where it dispersed post-glacially to achieve its current range. We used microsatellite DNA to investigate the role of glaciations in promoting intraspecific genetic variation in broad whitefish (N = 14 localities, 664 fish) throughout their North American range and in one Russian sample. Broad whitefish exhibited relatively h...

Fasting Upregulates PPARα Target Genes in Brain and Influences Pituitary Hormone Expression in a PPARα Dependent Manner

PPAR Research — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:13:15 +0100

PPARα is a lipid-activable transcription factor that mediates the adaptive response to fasting. Recent data indicate an important role of brain PPARα in physiological functions. However, it has not yet been shown whether PPARα in brain can be activated in the fasting state. Here we demonstrate that fasting of rats increased mRNA concentrations of typical PPARα target genes implicated in β-oxidation of fatty acids (acyl-CoA oxidase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase) and ketogenesis (mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase) in pituitary gland and partially also in frontal cortex and diencephalon compared to nonfasted animals. These data strongly indicate that fasting activates PPARα in brain and...

AGU Fall Meeting: Press room update, book hotels by Nov. 19

EurekAlert! - Biology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(American Geophysical Union) This updates for the AGU 2009 Fall Meeting contains a press room update, reminder to book hotels by Nov. 19, how tosearch abstracts by affiliation, the blog roll and more. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

UCR plant scientist's research spawns new discoveries showing how crops survive drought

EurekAlert! - Biology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of California - Riverside) Breakthrough research done earlier this year by a UC Riverside plant cell biologist has greatly accelerated scientists' knowledge on how plants and crops can survive difficult environmental conditions like drought. In only months since the discovery, six research papers in prestigious journals such as Science and Nature have been published that build on his work, a testament to the interest among plant scientists to nail down how exactly the stress signaling pathway works in plants. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Scientists unravel evolution of highly toxic box jellyfish

EurekAlert! - Biology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center) With thousands of stinging cells that can emit deadly venom from tentacles that can reach ten feet in length, the 50 or so species of box jellyfish have long been of interest to scientists and to the public. Yet little has been known about the evolution of this early branch in the animal tree of life. In a paper published today, researchers have unraveled the evolutionary relationships among the various species of box jellyfish, thereby providing insight into the evolution of their toxicity. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Beyond genomics, biologists and engineers decode the next frontier

EurekAlert! - Biology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Princeton University, Engineering School) A team of biologists and engineers has dramatically improved the speed and accuracy of measuring histones, an enigmatic set of proteins that influences almost every aspect of how cells and tissues function. The new method offers a long-sought tool for studying stem cells, cancer and other problems of fundamental importance to biology and medicine. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

An Epidemiological Survey of Blood Lead Level in Tibetan Youth 10-18 Years Old in Songpan, China.

Biological Trace Element Research — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The objective of this project was to conduct a preliminary investigation on the blood lead level of Tibetan youth. Chinese Han youth's BLL was also investigated as a control group. A total of 846 Tibetan youth and 785 Han youth were tested for BLL from September to October in 2007. Both of the mean BLL (6.4 mug/dL) and the frequency of high BLL (>/=10 mug/dL) of Tibetan youth (7.7%, 65 of 846) were lower than those of Han youth (6.7 mug/dL; 13.2%, 104 of 785). But they are still higher compared with the BLL of youth in developed countries (1.1 microg/dL; USA 2005 census). The BLL of boys was significantly higher than that of girls, both in Tibetan and Han youth (p = 0.033 and p = 0.000, respectively). The study shows that Chinese Han and Tibetan youth's lead poisoning prevention and tre...

In vivo imaging of the tonoplast intrinsic protein family in Arabidopsis roots

BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We have produced a comprehensive atlas of TIP expression in Arabidopsis roots, which reveals novel expression patterns for not previously studied TIPs. (Source: BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles)

Sexual selection and animal personality

Biological Reviews — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Consistent individual behavioural tendencies, termed "personalities", have been identified in a wide range of animals. Functional explanations for personality have been proposed, but as yet, very little consideration has been given to a possible role for sexual selection in maintaining differences in personality and its stability within individuals. We provide an overview of the available literature on the role of personality traits in intrasexual competition and mate choice in both human and non-human animals and integrate this into a framework for considering how sexual selection can generate and maintain personality. For this, we consider the evolution and maintenance of both main aspects of animal personality: inter-individual variation and intra-individual consistency. (Source: Biolog...

Phylogeographic reconstruction of a bacterial species with high levels of lateral gene transfer

BMC Biology - Latest articles — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We describe an Australian origin for B. pseudomallei, characterized by a single introduction event into Southeast Asia during a recent glacial period, and variable levels of lateral gene transfer within populations. These patterns provide insights into mechanisms of genetic diversification in B. pseudomallei and its closest relatives, and provide a framework for integrating the traditionally separate fields of population genetics and phylogenetics for other bacterial species with high levels of lateral gene transfer. (Source: BMC Biology - Latest articles)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

2 UNH faculty receive $1.4M in CAREER grants from NSF

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of New Hampshire) Two University of New Hampshire assistant professors have received prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development grants. Vaughn Cooper of the department of molecular, cellular and biomedical sciences received $1 million to better understand beneficial mutations in bacteria by engaging high school students in data collection. Christopher White of the mechanical engineering department received $400,000 to research flow dynamics of liquefied biomass. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Are female mountain goats sexually conflicted over size of mate?

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Alberta) Mountain goats are no exception to the general rule among mammals that larger males sire more and healthier offspring. But University of Alberta researcher David Coltman has found a genetic quirk that might make female mountain goats think twice about their romantic partners. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Petascale computational tools could revolutionize understanding of genomic evolution

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Penn State) Technological advances in DNA sequencing make determining how living things are related possible by analyzing the ways in which their genes have been rearranged on chromosomes. However, inferring these evolutionary relationships from rearrangement events requires massive computing impossible even on the most advanced computing systems available today. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Experts: Failure to focus on farming will undermine global climate agreement and increase hunger

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Burness Communications) Alarmed by a substantial oversight in the global climate talks leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month, more than 60 of the world's most prominent agricultural scientists and leaders underscored how the almost total absence of agriculture in the agreement could lead to widespread famine and food shortages in the years ahead. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

'No muss, no fuss' miniaturized analysis for complex samples developed

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) NIST researchers have created a novel and simple way to analyze samples that are complex mixtures -- such as whole milk, blood serum and dirt in solution -- by adapting a NIST-developed separation technique called gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Novel NIST connector uses magnets for leak-free microfluidic devices

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) NIST researchers have developed a new, inexpensive, reusable and highly efficient microfluidic connector. The NIST connector employs a ring magnet with a O-ring gasket on its bottom and a tube in its center set directly atop the inlet or outlet port of a microfluidic channel embedded in a glass chip. A disc magnet on the underside of the chip holds the first magnet -- and its tubing -- securely in place. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Small nanoparticles bring big improvement to medical imaging

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) A joint research team, working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has discovered a method of using nanoparticles to illuminate the cellular interior to reveal the slow, complex processes taking place in a living cell. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Moa get fewer: Landmark study

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of New South Wales) The evolutionary history of New Zealand's many extinct flightless moa has been re-written in the first comprehensive study of more than 260 sub-fossil specimens to combine all known genetic, anatomical, geological and ecological information about the unique bird lineage. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Extinct moa rewrites New Zealand's history

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Adelaide) DNA recovered from fossilized bones of the moa, a giant extinct bird, has revealed a new geological history of New Zealand, reports a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Alternative animal feed part of global fisheries crisis fix: UBC study

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of British Columbia) Finding alternative feed sources for chickens, pigs and other farm animals will significantly reduce pressure on the world's dwindling fisheries while contributing positively to climate change, according to University of British Columbia researchers. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

The challenge for biostatistics is in measuring the quality of life as regards health

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Elhuyar Fundazioa) The biostatistics research team at the Department of Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research of the University of the Basque Country is working on applied statistics based on health sciences and experimental sciences under the leadership of Inma Arostegui. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Petascale computing tools could provide deeper insight into genomic evolution

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Georgia Institute of Technology Research News) Research recently funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 aims to develop computational tools that will utilize next-generation petascale computers to understand genomic evolution. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Ladybugs taken hostage by wasps

EurekAlert! - Biology — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Montreal) Are ladybugs being overtaken by wasps? A University of Montreal entomologist is investigating a type of wasp present in Quebec that forces ladybugs to carry their larvae. These wasps lay their eggs on the ladybug's body, a common practice in the insect world, yet they don't kill their host. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Interstitial Lung Disease in Coppersmiths in High Serum Copper Levels.

Biological Trace Element Research — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Dagli CE, Tanrikulu AC, Koksal N, Abakay A, Gelen ME, Demirpolat G, Yuksel M, Atilla N, Tolun FI Coppersmith is a worker who uses copper most commonly for the production of kitchen appliances in Turkey. This is an ancient occupation practiced for centuries in Turkey. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of parenchymal lung diseases among coppersmiths in Kahramanmaras city in Turkey. Thirty coppersmiths were included to the study, and they all signed an informed consent. Demographics, spirometric test results and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans, and blood samples were obtained. Laboratory analysis of the serum samples showed that serum copper levels of the subjects were 0.93 +/- 0.14 mg/L. Serum copper level in control group was found as 0.70 +/- 0.1...

The Association of Metallothionein-4 Gene Polymorphism and Renal Function in Long-Term Lead-Exposed Workers.

Biological Trace Element Research — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chen HI, Chiu YW, Hsu YK, Li WF, Chen YC, Chuang HY The goal of this study is to investigate if metallothionein (MT) gene polymorphism affects the susceptibility to lead as well as renal function parameters and blood pressures (BP) in workers exposed to lead for extended period of time. By means of real-time polymerase chain reaction, the MT4-216 A/G genotypes classified as rs396230 in the single nucleotide polymorphism database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (database) were analyzed on 113 workers of a lead battery-recycling factory. Workers with G (mutant) allele were more susceptible to the toxic effects of lead on their systolic BP and serum renal function parameters. Their BP was 10 mmHg higher than those with wild-type (AA type) allele. Among subjec...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Genome scale transcriptome analysis of shoot organogenesis in Populus

BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The major regulatory events during plant cell organogenesis occur at early stages of dedifferentiation. The regulatory circuits reflect the combinational effects of transcriptional control and hormone signaling, and associated changes in light environment imposed during dedifferentiation. (Source: BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles)

Comparative analysis of the complete sequence of the plastid genome of Parthenium argentatum and identification of DNA barcodes to differentiate Parthenium species and lines

BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The genome sequence of the P. argentatum chloroplast will enrich the sequence resources of plastid genomes in commercial crops. The availability of the complete plastid genome sequence may facilitate transformation efficiency by using the precise sequence of endogenous flanking sequences and regulatory elements in chloroplast transformation vectors. The DNA barcoding study forms the foundation for genetic identification of commercially significant lines of P. argentatum that are important for producing latex. (Source: BMC Plant Biology - Latest articles)

Effects of Glycyrrhizic Acid on Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ), Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL), Serum Lipid and HOMA-IR in Rats

PPAR Research — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:13:14 +0100

This study was performed to determine the effects of GA on total PPARγ and LPL expression levels, lipid parameters and HOMA-IR. Oral administration of 100 mg/kg GA for 24 hours resulted in an increase in insulin sensitivity with decreases in blood glucose, serum insulin and HOMA-IR. Improvement in serum lipid parameters was also observed with a decrease in triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and an elevation in HDL-cholesterol. GA administration also resulted in up-regulation of total PPARγ and LPL expression levels in the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues, abdominal and quadriceps femoris muscles, as well as liver and kidney, with a significant up-regulation only in the visceral adipose tissue, abdominal and quadriceps femoris muscles....

Glimpsing a greener future

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of California - Irvine) It's the year 2060, and 75 percent of drivers in the Greater Los Angeles area have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that emit only water vapor. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Accidental discovery produces durable new blue pigment for multiple applications

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Oregon State University) An accidental discovery in a laboratory at Oregon State University has apparently solved a quest that over thousands of years has absorbed the energies of ancient Egyptians, the Han dynasty in China, Mayan cultures and more -- the creation of a near-perfect blue pigment. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Plants prefer their kin, but crowd out competition when sharing a pot with strangers

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(McMaster University) Plants don't mind sharing space with their kin but when they're potted with strangers of the same species they start invigorating their leaves, a study by McMaster University reveals. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Explore the science of familiar things -- and discover the 'Joy of Chemistry'

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Prometheus Books) If you're like most people, you probably think chemistry is too difficult to bother with outside of school and too clinical to be fun. But chemistry offers a magic to behold -- from fall foliage to the fundamentals of digestion -- as explained by educators Cathy Cobb and Monty L. Fetterolf in "The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Familiar Things." (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Soil experts to discuss terroir, the link between Earth, wine on Nov. 19 in DC

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(American Society of Agronomy) A Congressional educational briefing on Nov. 19 in Washington DC will shed light on how the balance of site selection and vineyard management blend together to provide distinctive grapes which can allow for unique wine characteristics. Soil scientists and vineyards from across the U.S. will present, The Essence of Earth and Wine: Terroir on Thursday, November 19, from 5:30-7:00 pm in 2168 Rayburn House Office Building (Gold Room). (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Study finds bees can learn differences in food's temperature

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of California - San Diego) Biologists at UC San Diego have discovered that honeybees can discriminate between food at different temperatures, an ability that may assist bees in locating the warm, sugar-rich nectar or high-protein pollen produced by many flowers. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Genomics to provide more effective treatment options for mining wastewater

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Genome BC) Companies that are faced with the challenge of cleaning up toxic wastewater from mining operations will soon have more reliable bioremediation options. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

The nature of cell-cycle checkpoints: facts and fallacies

Journal of Biology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The concept of checkpoint controls revolutionized our understanding of the cell cycle. Here we revisit the defining features of checkpoints and argue that failure to properly appreciate the concept is leading to misinterpretation of experimental results. We illustrate, using the mitotic checkpoint, problems that can arise from a failure to respect strict definitions and precise terminology. (Source: Journal of Biology)

Factors necessary to produce basoapical polarity in human glandular epithelium formed in conventional and high-throughput three-dimensional culture: example of the breast epithelium

BMC Biology - Latest articles — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These results provide new insights into the role of the basement membrane, and especially collagen IV, in the development of the apical pole, a critical element of the architecture of glandular epithelia. Also, the high-throughput culture method developed in this study should open new avenues for high-content screening of agents that act on mammary tissue homeostasis and thus, on architectural changes involved in cancer development. (Source: BMC Biology - Latest articles)

Trees and networks before and after Darwin

Biology Direct — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article was reviewed by Eric Bapteste, Patrick Forterre and Dan Graur. (Source: Biology Direct)

Warmer means windier on world's biggest lake

EurekAlert! - Biology — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Wisconsin-Madison) Rising water temperatures are kicking up more powerful winds on Lake Superior, with consequences for currents, biological cycles, pollution and more on the world's largest lake and its smaller brethren. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Tiny bubbles clean oil from water

EurekAlert! - Biology — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Utah) Small amounts of oil leave a fluorescent sheen on polluted water. Oil sheen is hard to remove, even when the water is aerated with ozone or filtered through sand. Now, a University of Utah engineer has developed an inexpensive new method to remove oil sheen by repeatedly pressurizing and depressurizing ozone gas, creating microscopic bubbles that attack the oil so it can be removed by sand filters. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Erratum: The role of dynamic conformational ensembles in biomolecular recognition

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 954 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio1209-954d Author: David D Boehr, Ruth Nussinov & Peter E Wright (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Erratum: Targeting proteins for degradation

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 954 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio1209-954c Author: Erin K Schrader, Kristine G Harstad & Andreas Matouschek (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Erratum: S1P1 signaling just keeps going and going and going...

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 954 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio1209-954b Author: Stuart Cahalan & Hugh Rosen (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Corrigendum: Persistent signaling induced by FTY720-phosphate is mediated by internalized S1P1 receptors

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 954 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio1209-954a Author: Florian Mullershausen, Frédéric Zecri, Cihan Cetin, Andreas Billich, Danilo Guerini & Klaus Seuwen (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Research highlights

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 876 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio.270 (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

On the mechanism of iron sensing by IRP2: new players, new paradigms

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Authors: Naoko Takahashi-Makise, Diane McVey Ward & Jerry Kaplan Two iron regulatory proteins (IRP1 and IRP2) regulate translation and/or stability of mRNAs encoding proteins required for iron storage, acquisition and utilization. Rather than IRP2 directly sensing iron concentrations, iron has been shown to regulate the level of the SKP1-CUL1-FBXL5 E3 ubiquitin ligase protein complex, which is responsible for IRP2 degradation. (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

PKR and the ribosome compete for mRNA

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Authors: Rebecca Toroney & Philip C Bevilacqua The RNA-activated protein kinase PKR inhibits translation initiation by sensing long viral double-stranded RNA. A new report indicates that PKR is also activated by a cellular mRNA, but only when ribosomes are not initiating translation. (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Genomic variations on a CoA biosynthetic theme

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 871 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio.267 Author: Andrei L Osterman A unique heterotrimeric assembly of individually inactive paralogs, two of which are also involved in regulating phosphatase activity, creates one of the key enzymes of coenzyme A biosynthesis in yeast, pointing to the possibility of a previously undescribed cross-talk between metabolic and signaling pathways. (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Deciphering bacterial language

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 870 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio.263 Author: Vanessa Sperandio Vibrio cholerae produces cholera autoinducer-1 (CAI-1), a signaling molecule previously believed to be synthesized by the CqsA enzyme. Here it is shown that CqsA does not directly synthesize CAI-1; instead, it synthesizes amino-CAI-1, which is then converted into CAI-1 in a CqsA-independent manner. (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Nitrate and nitrite in biology, nutrition and therapeutics

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Authors: Jon O Lundberg, Mark T Gladwin, Amrita Ahluwalia, Nigel Benjamin, Nathan S Bryan, Anthony Butler, Pedro Cabrales, Angela Fago, Martin Feelisch, Peter C Ford, Bruce A Freeman, Michael Frenneaux, Joel Friedman, Malte Kelm, Christopher G Kevil, Daniel B Kim-Shapiro, Andrey V Kozlov, Jack R Lancaster, David J Lefer, Kenneth McColl, Kenneth McCurry, Rakesh P Patel, Joel Petersson, Tienush Rassaf, Valentin P Reutov, George B Richter-Addo, Alan Schechter, Sruti Shiva, Koichiro Tsuchiya, Ernst E van Faassen, Andrew J Webb, Brian S Zuckerbraun, Jay L Zweier & Eddie Weitzberg Inorganic nitrate and nitrite from endogenous or dietary sources are metabolized in vivo to nitric oxide (NO) and other bioactive nitrogen oxides. The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway is emerging as an important mediator...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Come together

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, 863 (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio.272 The third Nature Chemical Biology symposium brought together nearly 200 scientists to explore the frontiers of chemical biology and drug discovery. (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

In this issue

Nature Chemical Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:01:51 +0100

Nature Chemical Biology 5, v (2009). doi:10.1038/nchembio.269 (Source: Nature Chemical Biology)

Vitrification of in vitro produced ovine embryos at various developmental stages using two methods.

Cryobiology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, both the developmental stage of IVP ovine embryos and the method of vitrification have a significant effect on the viability and developmental competence of sheep embryos. PMID: 19919830 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cryobiology)

Proteomic analysis of early phase of conidia germination in Aspergillus nidulans.

Fungal Genetics and Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study represents the first proteomic analysis of early phase of conidia germination and will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular events involved in conidia germination process. PMID: 19919853 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Fungal Genetics and Biology)

Elevation of PTH and PTHrp Induced by Excessive Fluoride in Rats on a Calcium-deficient Diet.

Biological Trace Element Research — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Xu H, Liu QY, Zhang JM, Zhang H, Li GS Study on the role of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrp) in the process of skeletal fluorosis, involved especially in calcium deficiency, is rare. We evaluated the level of serum PTH and mRNA expression of PTHrp in femur when rats were exposed to excessive fluoride with low-calcium diet. Wistar rats (n = 60) was divided into four groups, a control group, fluoride group, low-calcium group, and low-calcium fluoride group. The fluoride groups were treated with fluoride by drinking tap water containing 100 mg F-/L. The low-calcium diet contained 0.05% calcium. Serum was collected in the first, fourth, eighth, and 12th of phase for the detemination of PTH and Ca(2+). RNA extraction from femora was used to ...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Selection in utero: A biological response to mass layoffs

American Journal of Human Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Most research describing the biological response to unemployment appears appropriately motivated by clinical or public health concerns and focuses on death, disease, and medical care. We argue that expanding the work to include other outcomes could contribute to basic science. As an example, we use the response to mass layoffs to discriminate between two explanations of low ratios of male to female live births in stressed populations. One explanation asserts that ambient stressors reduce the ratio of males to females conceived. The other argues that the maternal stress response selects against males in utero. We show that selection in utero better explains the observed data. We conclude that human adaptation to the economic environment deserves scrutiny from a wider array of scientists tha...

The cost of conflict in aphid societies

Journal of Evolutionary Biology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Most social aphids are found within plant galls, inside of which clonally-derived family groups feed, and specialized larval castes forego reproduction and perform various cooperative tasks, including group defence. When unrelated aphids move between clones, conditions are ripe for conflict because galls and cooperative defence are shared resources that are vulnerable to exploitation. A key unknown is whether conflict is costly in aphid social groups. We show that diversity within groups is negatively correlated with performance in the North American social aphid, Pemphigus obesinymphae. A substantial fraction of productivity is invested into drifting. However, drifting aphids tend to mature and depart non-natal galls prior to the seasonal peak in fecundity. These results suggest that when...

Elsevier pilots new research tool 'Reflect' in its premier life science journal Cell

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Cell Press) Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced that the innovative research tool "Reflect," winner of Elsevier's Grand Challenge 2009, will be piloted on the research articles in the November 12 issue of Cell. The "Reflect" tool identifies the proteins, genes and small molecules mentioned in the Cell articles, and generates pop-up windows containing relevant contextual information, with additional links, about those entities. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Rapacious Rasberry ants march north

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Sam Houston State University) The invasion of this new species of ants has scientists intrigued, businesses concerned and fire ants running for the hills, said Jerry Cook, an entomologist at Sam Houston State University. Cook and other scientists are at a loss to explain the fast and furious spread of the rapacious ant, which is named after exterminator Tom Rasberry, who discovered the ant in 2002. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Sponges recycle carbon to give life to coral reefs

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(The Company of Biologists) Coral reefs live in some of the most nutrient deficient waters on the planet, so how do they survive? Jasper De Goeij has discovered that Halisarca caerulea sponges could be the key to reef survival. They recycle dissolved organic carbon that is unavailable to other reef residents and De Goeij publishes his discovery on November 13, 2009, in the Journal of Experimental Biology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

TEEB report released on the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity for policy makers

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

(Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres) Policy makers who factor the planet's multi-trillion dollar ecosystem services into their national and international investment strategies are likely to see far higher rates of return and stronger economic growth in the 21st century, a new report issued today says. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Evolutionary consequences of a search image.

Theoretical Population Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, the formation of a search image causes the predator to control the prey densities such that the ratio of available prey is kept constant by the predator. PMID: 19917301 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Theoretical Population Biology)

Plant cells taking shape: new insights into cytoplasmic control.

Current Opinion in Plant Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Szymanski DB The slow and irreversible changes in plant cell shape include the cytoplasmic control of cell wall yielding in response to turgor pressure and the genesis of intracellular trafficking routes to the cell cortex. However, we lack a clear understanding of how interactions between cytoskeletal arrays and endomembrane compartments influence the physical properties of the cell wall. Recent forward and chemical genetic screens and sophisticated imaging analyses are revealing novel intracellular compartments and cytoskeleton interactions that impact the patterns of cellulose synthesis at the plasma membrane. These baseline data on the growth behavior of cylindrical cells provide a useful framework to better understand cell type specific strategies to generate complex shap...

The ins and outs of four-tunneled Reoviridae RNA-dependent RNA polymerases.

Current Opinion in Structural Biology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: McDonald SM, Tao YJ, Patton JT RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) of the segmented double-stranded (ds) RNA viruses of the Reoviridae family exhibit distinguishing structural elements, enabling the enzymes to function within the confines of a proteinaceous core particle. These globular, cage-like polymerases are traversed by four well-defined tunnels, which not only allow template RNAs, nucleotides, and divalent cations to access the interior catalytic site, but also provide two distinct exit conduits for RNA templates and products-one leading out of the core and the other back inside the core. Although Reoviridae RdRps are intrinsically capable of binding template, their catalytic activities are tightly regulated by interactions with core shell proteins. This intra-particl...