AGRICULTURE/BIOTECHNOLOGY/GENETIC ENGINEERING
WHEN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL LINES FAIL TO MEET CONSENT STANDARDS (S-Oct. 17, 2008) A recent review of the consent documents for obtaining the embryos used to create the human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines approved for federal funding in the United States suggests that the consent provisions do not meet the current standards for hESC research specified by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences (NAS) and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). (1611) IT’S THE SEQUENCE, STUPID! (S-Oct. 17, 2008) Differences in regulatory DNA sequences drive species-specific gene expression. (1612) TRAIL OF MARE’S MILK LEADS TO FIRST TAMED HORSES (S-Oct. 17, 2008) Herds of horses still race across the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan, and the people in that harsh environment have long depended on the animals, riding them, eating their meat, and exploiting their skins for clothes. Indeed, the oldest accepted evidence for horse domestication – equine bones and chariots found together and dated to 2000 B.C.E. – come from the region. (1613) EYEING OIL, SYNTHETIC BIOLOGISTS MINE MICROBES FOR BLACK GOLD (SOct. 24, 2008) Biotechnology researchers want to reengineer microorganisms to turn agricultural products into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. (1614) LAST-DITCH EFFORTS TO SAVE CENTER AT VANGUARD OF STEM CELL RESEARCH (S-Oct. 24, 2008) After outing its CEO and board, the Australian Stem Cell Centre hopes to regroup around a plan that rebalances research and commercial goals. (1615) STEM-CELL LAW GOES TO THE POLLS (Nature-Oct. 30, 2008) Last years Sean Morrison, a stem-cell scientist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, received an e-mail from a women wanting to donate extra embryos from her in vitro fertilization procedure towards his research into Parkinson‟s disease. (1616) U.K. APPROVES NEW EMBRYO LAW (S-Oct. 31, 2008) With the enthusiastic support of the scientific community, the British House of Commons has overwhelmingly approved a wideranging bill that expands the country‟s rules governing work with human embryos. (1617) ANEUPLOIDY ADVANTAGES? (S-Oct. 31, 2008) The gain or loss of specific chromosomes can determine whether a cell becomes tumorigenic. (1618) ALL ABOARD FOR THE FLIGHT OF YOUR LIFE (NS-Nov. 1, 2008) Space tourism may stall on the launch pad if passengers continue to travel at their own risk. (1619)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
ONE IN FIVE MEN GET THE ‘ANDROPAUSE’ (NS-Nov. 1, 2008) Could hormone replacement therapy become commonplace in older men? (1620) GENERATION OF MOUSE INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS WITHOUT VIRAL VECTORS (S-Nov. 7, 2008) Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been generated from mouse and human somatic cells by introducing Oct3/4 and Sox2 with either Klf4 and cMyc or Nanog and Lin 28 using retroviruses or lentiviruses. (1621) OBAMA TO SWEEP AWAY STEM CELL RESTRICTIONS (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) “This will end a sad chapter in American scientific history… We‟ve been operating with one hand tied behind our back” (1622) WHO’S FOR THE HOT SEAT? (Economist-Dec. 6, 2008) A court decision limits the scope of police DNA databases. (1623)
ARMAMENT/DISARMAMENT
BIOSAFETY LAB PASSES DISASTER TEST (Nature-Oct. 22, 2008) US officials dedicate a new research complex containing high containment labs for deadly pathogens: the $175-million Galveston National Laboratory in Texas. (1624) AFTER THE ANTHRAX (SA-Nov. 2008) Has increased biodefense spending really made us safer? By John Dudley Miller. (1625) IRAN TESTS NEW MISSILE FROM WARSHIP (PO-Dec. 8, 2008) Iran‟s military test fired a new surface-to-surface missile from a warship as part of exercises along a strategic shipping route, state media reported. (1626)
ASTRONOMY/COSMOLOGY/SPACE SCIENCE
MARS MISSIONS FACE COST CRUNCH (Nature-Oct. 16, 2008) In Europe and America, future missions are in doubt. (1627) A LOW-FREQUENCY RADIO HALO ASSOCIATED WITH A CLUSTER OF GALAXIES (Nature-Oct. 16, 2008) Clusters of galaxies are the largest gravitationally bound objects in the Universe, containing about 10 15 solar masses of hot (108)K gas, galaxies and dark matter in a typical volum of 10 Mpc3. Magnetic fields and relativistic particles are mixed with the gas as revealed by giant „radio haloes‟, which arise from diffuse, megaparsec-scale synchrotron radiation at cluster center. (1628) DARK ENERGY: THE QUEST FOR GALAXIES (Nature-Oct. 16, 2008) Astronomers
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December. 2008
searching for evidence of the mysterious energy that is speeding up the expansion of the Universe have discovered three new galaxy clusters. They used a microwave survey technique that could rival existing ways of searching for dark energy. (1629) PLUMES OF METHANE IDENTIFIED ON MARS (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) More than four years after researchers first said they had found methane gas on Mars, a scientist claims that he has “nailed” the controversial detection and identified key sources of the gas. (1630) HOW DO GALAXIES FORM? (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) A study of galaxies indicates that galaxy formation may be regulated by a single parameter. This unexpected finding shows that prevailing views on the process could need revision. (1631) THE LARGE HADRON COMPUTER (PT-Nov. 2008) Plans for dealing with the torrent of data from the Large Hadron Collider‟s detectors have made the CERN particle-physics lab, yet again, a pioneer in computing as well as physics. Andreas Hirstius describes the challenges of processing and storing data in the age of petabyte science. (1632) AN ILLUMINATING DARK HALO (Nature-Nov. 6, 2008) A large simulation reveals that most of the detectable signal from dark matter in our Milky Way probably comes from the main, smooth Galactic halo, rather than from small clumps. (1633) MARS COLONIES COULD LIVE ON SOLAR POWER (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) While NASA‟s Phonix lander slowly dies of power loss in the darkening Martian arctic, the space agency is weighing up the pros and cons of nuclear and solar power for a human mission to Mars. (1634) OUR SPECIAL PLACE (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) Could Earth be smack bang in the center of a vast cosmic void? Copernicus would turn in his grave, says Marcus Chown. (1635) ONLY THE TIP OF THE MARTIAN ICEBERG (NS-Nov. 22, 2008) The mission may be at an end, but its legacy lives on. Last week, NASA declared the Phoenix mission over after the robotic lander ran out of power. Now the work of analyzing its discoveries begins, and follow-up missions are already being dreamed up. (1636) SOLAR WIND RIPS MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE (N-Dec. 1, 2008) Researchers have found new evidence that the atmosphere of Mars is being stripped away by solar wind. It‟s not a gently continuous erosion, but rather a ripping process in which chunks of Martian air detach themselves from the planet and tumble into deep space. This surprising mechanism could help solve a longstanding mystery about the Red planet. (1637) UNIQUE EXTRA SOLAR PLANET ORBITS FAST-ROTATING HOT STAR (N-Dec. 6, 2008) Three undergraduate students, from Leiden University in the Netherlands, have discovered
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
an extrasolar planet. The extraordinary find, which turned up during their research project, is about five times as massive as Jupiter. This is also the first planet discovered orbiting a fastrotaiting hot star. (1638) LIQUID WATER EVIDENCE ON SATURN’S MOON DISCOVERED (N-Dec. 17, 2008) NASA has discovered evidence that one of Saturn‟s moons has a spreading Earth like crust, strengthening the theory that there is a liquid water sea beneath the surface. High-resolution images taken by the Cassini space craft of Enceladus has changed over time. (1639) INTACT H2 ATOMS’ STREAM FOUND ON SUN (N-Dec. 17, 2008) Solar flares are the most powerful explosions in the solar system. Packing a punch equal to a hundred million hydrogen bombs, they obliterate vicinity. Not a single atom should remain intact. At least that‟s how it‟s supposed to work. (1640) SCIENTISTS FIND HOLE IN EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD (PO-Dec. 18, 2008) Recent satellite observations have revealed the largest breach yet seen in the magnetic field that protects Earth from most of the sun‟s violent blasts researchers reported. (1641)
COMPUTER/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
HIGHER-ORDER CELLULAR INFORMATION PROCESSING WITH SYNTHETIC RNA DEVICES (S-Oct. 17, 2008) The engineering of biological systems is anticipated to provide effective solutions to challenges that include energy and food production, environmental quality, health and medicine. (1642) A HELPING HAND FOR EARLY DEMENTIA (NS-Nov. 1, 2008) Software that can interpret brain scans to “read people‟s minds” could help those developing common forms of dementia get better treatment. (1643) THE E-DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW (NS-Nov. 8, 2008) Online therapies can reach millions and sometimes get better results than conventional treatments. (1644) HUMANS SET TO FOLD AS POKER BOTS RAISE THE STAKES (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) Computer software that can beat top poker players could bring advances in financial markets and biology. (1645) NOT YE OLDE BANNERS (Economist-Nov. 29, 2008) Internet advertising will be relatively unscathed in the downturn. (1646) COMPUTER MOUSE TURNS 40 (N-Dec. 3, 2008) IT rose from humble beginnings to become an essential piece of computer hardware. But as the computer mouse turns 40, there are
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
signs that it could finally be heading for the big electronic scrapheap in the sky. (1647) THE WORM TURNS (Economist-Dec. 6, 2008) A cyber-attack alarms the Pentagon. (1648) MICROSOFT PLANS QUICK-FIX FOR IE (N-Dec. 18, 2008) Microsoft is due to issue a patch to fix a security flaw believed to have affected as many as 10,000 websites. The emergency patch should be available from 1800 GMT on 17 December. (1649)
ECOLOGY/ENVIRONMENT
MOST DEVASTATING MASS EXTINCTION FOLLOWED LONG BOUT OF SEA SICKNESS (S-Oct. 17, 2008) Dying in a cesspool may not have the popular appeal of perishing in a giant asteroid impact, but fouled water are looking more and more like the cause of the ocean‟s greatest mass extinction 252 million years ago. (1650) GLOBAL WARMING THROWS SOME CURVES IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN (S-Oct. 24, 2008) The first explicit link between global warming and ocean salinity changes comes in a study in press in Geophysical Research Letters. (1651) GLOBAL WARMING (Economist-Dec. 20, 2008) Why the world has taken to chilies. (1652) GEM OF THE OCEAN (Economist-Dec. 20, 2008) A dozen ocean-cleaners and a pint of Guinness, please. (1653)
ENERGY/NUCLEAR ENERGY
THE COOLEST SOURCE OF ENERGY EVER (NS-Nov. 22, 2008) A clever trick with seawater could supply the world with limitless clean, green electricity. (1654) POWER STRUGGLE (Economist-Dec. 6, 2008) Will France continue to lead the global revival of nuclear power? (1655)
HEALTH/MEDICINE
PARADOXICAL EFFECTS OF TIGHTLY CONTROLLED BLOOD SUGAR (S-Oct. 17, 2008) Researchers are puzzling over recent trials that had great success in lowering blood sugar in type 2 diabetics but no success in reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease. (1656) METABONOMICS (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) Organisms often respond in complex and unpredictable ways to stimuli that cause disease or injury. By measuring and mathematically
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
modeling changes in the levels of products of metabolism found in biological fluids and tissues, metabonomics offers fresh insight into the effects of diet, drugs and disease. (1657) CHOLESTEROL VEERS OFF SCRIPT (S-Oct. 10, 2008) Recent drug trials have produced surprising results; along with genetics research, these findings have put in question some longheld beliefs. (1658) THE VACCINE SEARCH GOES ON (SA-Nov. 2008) Repeated failure in the quest for an AIDS vaccine have sent investigators back to the drawing board by David I. Watkins. (1659) CAN HIV BE CURED? (SA-Nov. 2008) Eliminating HIV from the body would require flushing the virus out of its hiding places and preventing those reservoirs from being refilled. A tall order but perhaps not impossible by Mario Stevenson. (1660) HUNGER LEAVES ITS MARK ON FETAL DNA (NS-Nov. 1, 2008) Six decades after their pregnant mothers were starved during the Second World War, the genes of Dutch men and women retain chemical changes that may put them at risk of diabetes and cancer. (1661) CONSCIOUSNESS AND ANESTHESIA (S-Nov. 7, 2008) When we are anesthetized, we expect consciouness to vanish. But does it always? Although anesthesia undoubtedly induces unresponsiveness and amnesia, the extent to which it causes unconsciousness is harder to establish. (1662) A SHOT IN THE DARK (NS-Nov. 8, 2008) Flu vaccinations do save lives, but they are nowhere near as effective as generally claimed, says health analyst Robert Taylor. (1663) DRUG PROJECTS MICE FROM HEART FAILURE (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) A drug seems to protect mice from heart failure even when enormous pressure is placed on their hearts. If the results can be replicated in humans, it could help millions of people avoid some of the long-term consequences of a heart attack. (1664) HARMLESS VIRUS HARNESSED TO ATTACK TUMOURS (NS-Nov. 15, 2008) Injections of reovirus, a harmless virus that infects most people at some point but rarely causes symptoms, appears to boost the action of cancer drugs. (1665) THE IDEAL AND THE GOOD (Economist-Nov. 29, 2008) Deploying the drugs used to treat AIDS may be the way to limit its spread. (1666) EARLY TREATMENT CAN REDUCE HIV CASES: RESEARCH (N-Dec. 1, 2008) Universal and annual voluntary testing followed by immediate anti-retroviral therapy treatment can reduce new HIV cases by 95 percent within 10 years a research group of HIV specialists in
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
WHO said. (1667) CELIAC DISEASE IN KIDS (News-Dec. 1, 2008) Celiac disease is a painful digestive disorder that can be controlled by eliminating gluten from the diet. Gluten is found in foods that contain wheat, barley, rye or oats. (1668) OBESITY LINKED TO UNHEALTHY HEARTBEAT (PO-Dec. 2, 2008) Obesity raises the risk of atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heartbeat that can lead to stroke and early death if not controlled, researchers said. (1669) FAMILY HISTORY IMPORTANT FOR PREDICTING CANCER RISK (PO-Dec. 3, 2008) Do you know family health history? If you don‟t, experts say you should. Knowing whether your relatives have had illnesses like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease can help predict your risk of developing the same diseases. (1670) ‘APPLE JUICE PROTECTS FROM ASTHMA’ (FP-Dec. 3, 2008) Drinking apple juice prepared from concentrated juice helps reduce asthma symptoms in children. (1671) EARLY DIAGNOSIS TO CUT AIDS DEATHS (FP-Dec. 4, 2008) A new United Nations report says early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve the prospects for survival of newborn babies exposed to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. (1672) NEW DRUG IN THE OFFING TO CURE JET LEG (PO-Dec. 6, 2008) Researchers in Australia have identified a new drug that could potentially ease jet leg and sleep disorders caused by working in shifts. (1673) SCIENTISTS FILM LIVE WORKING OF IMMUNE SYSTEM (N-Dec. 6, 2008) Scientists using futuristic technology have filmed live one of the most exciting events in human innards how a parasite infects an immune cell and spreads through out the body. (1674) WOMEN STRESSED DURING PREGNANCY HAVE UNHAPPY KIDS (PO-Dec. 8, 2008) Women stressed during pregnancy were more likely to have children with a higher risk of developing behavioral and emotional problems. (1675) DEADLY LUNG DISEASE, HEART ATTACKS LINKED (FP-Dec. 8, 2008) Patients with a deadly lung disease are three times as likely to experience severe coronary events – including heart attacks than their normal counter parts according to a recent study. (1676) INTESTINAL ‘SLEEVE’ MIMICS EFFECTS OF GASTRIC BYPASS (FP-Dec. 8, 2008) Lining the upper small intestine with an impermeable sleeve may be as effective as invasive gastric bypass surgery to help people lose weight and avoid diabetes, a new report says. (1677)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
FUNGUS CAN SLASH HEART ATTACK, OBESITY AND DIABETES RISK (FP-Dec. 9, 2008) A vegetarian superfood, which is made from fungus, can cut the risk of having a heart attack and help people stay slim. (1678) INJECTABLE BONE’ HELPS IN QUICKLY HEALING FRACTURES (FP-Dec. 9, 2008) A material that can be squirted into broken bones where it hardens within minutes, has been developed by UK scientists. (1679) HOW TO COPE WITH ACID REFLUX (FP-Dec. 9, 2008) Most people suffer acid reflux symptoms at some point. It can strike at any time but usually at night or after a large meal. (1680) DRUG FOR LEUKEMIA PATIENT SURVIVAL (FP-Dec. 9, 2008) A combination of Genetech Inc‟s cancer drug Rituxan and chemotherapy reduces by 41 percent the risk of death or cancer progression, compared with chemotherapy alone, for patients with a common form of leukemia the company said. (1681) MENTAL DISORDERS ON THE RISE GLOBALLY (N-Dec. 10, 2008) The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) as part of their pre-conference activities conducted a seminar on Prevention of Depression. A statement said that the Speaker was Dr.Amin A Gadit, Professor of Psychiatry, at the Memorial University of Canada. He said that mental illnesses are reaching alarming proportions all over the globe without a bar to age or sex. Gadit was of the view that one in four people develop mental health problems during the life time span. (1682) GENETIC MUTATION LINKED TO EYE CANCER: REPORT (N-Dec. 12, 2008) Canadian researchers have discovered a gene mutation that can lead to the most common eye cancer. According to Catherine Van Raamsdonk, an assistant professor of medical genetics at the University of British Columbia who led a team of researchers, a genetic mutation in a gene called GNAQ could be responsible for up to 45 per cent cases of uveal melanoma. (1683) HEPATITIS PATIENTS ASKED TO AVOID TRADITIONAL HEALERS (PO-Dec. 12, 2008) The Hepatitis B and C patients have been advised to remain careful about unauthorized campaigns by certain traditional healers claiming 100% cure of hepatitis B and C. (1684) MOST NEWER ANTIPSYCHOTICS NO BETTER THAN OLDER ONES (FP-Dec. 12, 2008) Antipsychotic drugs have traditionally been classified as “first” or “second” generation, but these classifications aren‟t valid and drugs should be prescribed on a patient-by-patient basis, new research suggests. (1685) SCIATICA PAIN DURING PREGNANCY (News-Dec. 12, 2008) As the developing baby inside you grows, it can begin to press on a sciatic nerve. This can cause pain that can extend
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
from your lower back to your foot. Here are suggestions to help reduce sciatica pain during pregnancy, courtesy the American Pregnancy Association. (1686) SMALL BREAST TUMOURS MAY NEED MORE TREATMENT (FP-Dec. 14, 2008) Some women with small breast tumors may have a greater risk of the cancer recurring after treatment than has been believed and might benefit from taking the drug Herceptin, a new study suggests. (1687) PANIC DISORDER, HEART ATTACKS LINKED (PO-Dec. 14, 2008) People diagnosed with panic attacks have a greater risk of suffering a heart attack than the normal population, says a study. The research found that people who were younger than 50 when first diagnosed had a significantly higher risk of subsequent heart attacks or myocardial infaractions (MI), but this was not the case in older people. (1688) BRAIN PLAYS KEY ROLE IN PREVENTING OBESITY (N-Dec. 14, 2008) An overactive brain enzyme may play a role in preventing weight gain and obesity, according to the latest finding. (1689) DIABETES LINKED WITH COLIC (N-Dec. 15, 2008) Type 1 diabetes and the food intolerance disorder coeliac disease appear to share a common genetic origin, UK research suggest. (1690) WOMEN WHO CUT OUT CARBOHYDRATES ‘COULD LOSE THEIR MEMORY’ (News-Dec. 16, 2008) A study has found that dieters who avoid starchy foods do worse in mental tests than those who are allowed some pasta, bread and potatoes. Carbohydrates are such an important source of energy for the brain that mental performance drops after just a week on an Atkins-style diet, the scientists found. (1691) NEW PSYCHOTHERAPY EFFECTIVE IN MOST EATING DISORDERS (N-Dec. 17, 2008) Researchers have developed a new form of psychotheraphy that is effective in most cases of eating disorders in adults. Eating disorders are serious mental health problems and can be very distressing for both patients and their families,” said Christopher Fairburn, professor and principal research fellow at the University of Oxford. (1692) LANDMARK SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENTS (D-Dec. 20, 2008) A feat of biological alchemy that offers scientists the hope of growing replacement organs from patients‟ skin cells has been named scientific break through of the year. (1693) PEOPLE WHO EXERCISE ON WORKDAYS SUFFER LESS STRESS (News-Dec. 20, 2008) People who exercise on workdays are more productive, happier and suffer less stress than on non-gym days, scientists revealed. (1694)
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December. 2008
VORICONAZOLE EFFECTIVE FOR FUNGAL INFECTIONS (News-Dec. 21, 2008) Researchers have found that the drug Voriconazole to be highly effective against fungal infections caused by AIDS, cancer treatment or organ replacement, according to a new study. (1695) US SCIENTISTS RECREATE NERVE DISEASE FOR STUDY (D-Dec. 22, 2008) US scientists have created the first human model for studying a devastating nerve disease, which allows them to watch how the disease develops and could help researchers find a way to treat it. (1696) PHOTO-DYNAMIC THERAPY, NEW WAY TO TREAT MASCULAR PROBLEM (PODec. 23, 2008) President Ophthalmologic Society Pakistan (OSP) Professor Tehseen Sahi has said that photo-dynamic therapy is a modern way to treat mascular degeneration which causes disturbance to the sight. (1697) BREATHING LIFE INTO INJURED LUNGS (N-Dec. 23, 2008) For the first time in the world, transplant surgeons at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network used a new technique to repair an injured donor lung that was unsuitable for transplant, and then successfully transplanted it into a patient. The use of this technique could significantly expand the lung donor organ pool and improve outcomes after transplantation. (1698) ADD HONEY TO DIET FOR GOOD HEALTH (PO-Dec. 28, 2008) Adding a little honey to the diet does more than just satisfy a sweet tooth. Honey can boost levels of healthy antioxidants. (1699) SLEEP DISORDER SIGNALS NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE (N-Dec. 29, 2008) People with a disorder that causes them to kick or cry out during deep sleep are more likely to develop dementia or Parkinson‟s disease a new Canadian study suggests. (1700) VITAMIN B1 GOOD FOR DIABETICS WITH KIDNY DISORDERS (N-Dec. 30, 2008) A new study from Warwick University has found that daily doses of vitamin B1 can help reverse kidney damage in people with diabetes. (1701) FLOWERING PLANTS SPEED POST-SURGERY RECOVERY (N-Dec. 31, 2008) Contact with nature has long been suspected to increase positive feelings, reduce stress, and provide distraction from the pain associated with recovery from surgery. Now, research has confirmed the beneficial effects of plants and flowers for patients recovering from abdominal surgery. (1702) CHILLY CONDITIONS POSE GREATER RISK TO HEART PATIENTS (PO-Dec. 31, 2008) Though heart attacks can occur anytime, winter season especially mornings may pose
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December. 2008
greater risk to the people regardless where they live. (1703)
HEALTH PHYSICS/SAFETY
NSF-EPA CENTERS STUDY SAFETY OF NANOMATERIALS (PT-Nov. 2008) With belttightening the norm these days, a 17 September announcement by NSF and the US Environmental Protection Agency was especially welcome. (1704) RARE ISOTOPES IN THE COSMOS (PT-Nov. 2008) Such stellar processes as heavyelement formation and x-ray bursts are governed by unstable nuclear isotopes that challenge theorists and experimentalists alike. (1705) BIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS LEACH FROM DISPOSABLE LABORATORY PLASTICWARE (S-Nov. 7, 2008) Recent reports of leaching of bisphenol A and antimony into foods and beverages from polycarbonate and polyethylene terepthalate containers, respectively, have drawn attention to plastics as potential sources of bioactive environmental contaminates. (1706) NEW UK REPORT OUTLINES ROLE FOR ‘LOW CARBON NUCLEAR’ IN CUTTING EMISSIONS (Nucnet-Dec. 1, 2008) The UK should reduce national emissions by at least 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050 with a reliance on greater use of low-carbon electricity generating technology including nuclear, according to a new report published today. (1707) TURBINE DAMAGE EXPECTED TO KEEP COOK-1 DOWN UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER (NWK-Dec. 4, 2008) The outage at American Electric Power‟s Cook-1 expected to last into second-half 2009 and could extend into 2010, AEP said in a December 1 press statement. (1708)
HYDROLOGY/GEOSCIENCE
LABORATORY SIMULATION OF VOLCANO SEISMICITY (S-Oct. 10, 2008) The physical processes generating seismicity within volcanic edifices are highly complex and not fully understood. We report results from a laboratory experiment in which basalt from Mount Etna volcano (Italy) was deformed and fractures. (1709) VOLCANIC SYMPHONY IN THE LAB (S-Oct. 10, 2008) Analysis of acoustic signals from lab samples links rapid pressure drops of pore fluids with low-frequency volcanic earthquakes. (1710) THE STORY OF O2 (S-Oct. 24, 2008) How did biological, geochemical, and geophysical processes produce an atmosphere that allowed complex animal life to evolve? (1711)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
ASSESSING GROUND SHAKING (S-Oct. 31, 2008) Monitoring and modeling the complex interaction of seismic waves with soils is critical for mitigating earthquakes risks. (1712) A LAW TO STOP THE WELLS RUNNING DRY (NS-Nov. 8, 2008) When underground water sources straddle national boundaries the poor risk losing out to the powerful. (1713)
MANAGEMENT/INFORMATION
CHINA’S SCIENTIST PREMIER (S-Oct. 17, 2008) In a rare one-on-one interview Premier Wen Jiabao spoke with Science about China‟s efforts to ground its economic and social development in sound science. (1714) BIG CHANGES MAY LOOM FOR SMALL BUSINESS RESEARCH PROGRAM (PTNov. 2008) Congress weighing more funding for grants program and letting in venture-capitalcontrolled companies. (1715) NO ACCOUNTING IN IRAQ (SA-Dec. 2008) How badly damaged are the archaeological remains of ancient Mesopotamia? By Peter Brown. (1716) A QUESTION OF CLASS (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) Fundamental misunderstandings about classification can lead scientists down unproductive or dangerous paths, argue Jeffrey Parsons and Yair Wand. (1717) CHINA’S GREEN FUTURE (FEER-Dec. 2008) Given the ailing state of the economy in the United States, may believed that President-elect Barack Obama would backtrack on his campaign promises on climate change. (1718) SCISSORS AND STONE (Economist-Dec. 6, 2008) The banking crisis is blunting the effect of rate cuts. (1719) A SUITABLE BUSINESS (Economist-Dec. 20, 2008) Middle-class India now celebrates entrepreneurial success. Can forgive failure? (1720) THE NEW AGE OF THE TRAIN (Economist-Dec. 20, 2008) A big engineering prefect highlights the contradictions of Britain‟s railways. (1721) CHIEF US REGULATOR PROPOSES SHARED ‘SAFETY-REGULATE’ DATABASES (Nucnet-Dec. 2, 2008) Countries with commercial nuclear programmes have been urged to ensure they maintain and share databases with „significant safety-related” information with each other. (1722)
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December. 2008
NEW UK POLL SHOWS MAJORITY FAVOUR NUCLEAR ROLE IN ENERGY MIX (Nucnet-Dec. 4, 2008) A majority of UK citizens support nuclear power as part of a balanced energy mix, according to a new national opinion poll released today. (1723) GCC NUCLEAR VISION CHALLENGES ARAB WORLD’S TECHNOLOGY FOCUS (NWK-Dec. 4, 2008) If experienced foreigners hired by Persian Gulf states succeed in setting up and then managing nuclear power plants on their territory, the geographic center of the Arab nuclear world will shift to the east, according to analysts and participants in energy programs in the region. (1724) GERMANY SETS CRITERIA FOR COUNTRIES SEEKING ITS AID ON NUCLEAR POWER (NWK-Dec. 4, 2008) Any country wanting cooperation from Germany in the field of nuclear power must first have undertaken a feasibility study on non-nuclear methods of power generation according to a German administration official. (1725) EC AIMS TO STRENGTHEN REGULATORS WITH NEW NUCLEAR SAFETY DIRECTIVE (NWK-Dec. 4, 2008) The European Commission last week released a proposed nuclear safety directive calling for compliance at a minimum with high-level nuclear safety principles and aimed at enhancing the authority of national nuclear regulators. (1726)
MATERIALS
BORDERLINE METALS (Nature-Oct. 30, 2008) The standard model of metals is found to fail in several cases. The long sought – after marginal state in which such a breakdown occurs has been identified in a metal on the border of ferromagnetism. (1727)
PLASTIC COOLERS (SA-Nov. 2008) Getting a bigger chill out of polymers that respond to
electric fields by Steven Ashley. (1728)
SCIENCE
RNA COMPUTING IN A LIVING CELL (S-Oct. 17, 2008) A system based on RNA can perform simple logical computations within a living cell, marking a step toward programming cell behavior. (1729) FROM SIGNALS TO PATTERNS: SPACE, TIME, AND MATHEMATICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY (S-Oct. 17, 2008) We now have wealth of information about molecular signals that act on cells in embryos, but how do the control systems based on these signals generate pattern and govern the timing of developmental events? (1730)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
MAKING THE PAPER (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) Gut bacteria may safeguard against a form of diabetes. (1731) NEW LOOK AT CANCER DRUGS (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) The medical theme complements the fund-rising goal of Durchleuchtet – which in German means both „illuminated with light‟ and „X-rayed‟. (1732) CELLS ENFORCE AN ION CURTAIN (Nature-Oct. 23, 2008) Metal cofactors are an essential part of many proteins. But how is the right choice of metal made? For bacteria, one answer is to change the cellular compartment where cofactor insertion occurs. (1733) SALMON STUDY SPARKS ROW OVER DAMS (Nature-Oct. 30, 2008) “Everybody assumed that we would simply see much higher mortality in the dammed system.” (1734) MORE THAN SKIN DEEP (S-Oct. 31, 2008) Scientists still don‟t know what causes sclerderma, a complex disease often marked by toughening skin and widespread internal fibrosis, but they‟re developing potential treatments nonetheless. (1735) SHEDDING LIGHT (NS-Nov. 1, 2008) The strange thing about Einstein‟s special relativity is that the theory was spot on – even though an essential assumption was way off-beam. Mark Buchanan discovers the dark side of E=mc2. (1736) INDUSTRY SHIFTS FOCUS TO IMMUNOLOGY AND CANCER (Nature-Nov. 6, 2008) Caridology and anaemia lose out in the hunt for the next pharmaceutical blockbusters. (1737) INDIVIDUAL GENOMES DIVERSITY (Nature-Nov. 6, 2008) The link between a person‟s genetic ancestry and the traits – including disease risk – that he or she exhibits remain elusive. Routine sequencing of the genomes of an African and an Asian individual offer a step forward. (1738) PRIVATE LIFE OF THE BRAIN (NS-Nov. 8, 2008) Weird and wonderful things start to happen when you put brain in neutral, finds Douglas Fox. (1739) SAFER SEX IN A PILL (NS-Nov. 22, 2008) It‟s a risky strategy, but with an AIDS vaccine further off than ever it has to be worth a try. Clare Wilson investigates. (1740) CELL PHONES THAT NEVER NEED TO BE CHARGED? (N-Dec. 4, 2008) Imagine a self-powering cell phone that never needs to be charged because it coverts sounds waves produced by the user into the energy it needs to keep running. It‟s not as far-fetched as it may seem thanks to the recent work of Tahir Cagin, a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. (1741)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008
PLASTIC MADE TO CONDUCT ELECTRICITY (N-Dec. 12, 2008) Plastic that conducts electricity and metal that weighs no more than a feather? It sounds like an upside-down world. Yet researchers have succeeded in making plastics conductive and cutting production costs at the same time. (1742)
TECHNOLOGY/NANOTECHNOLOGY
ROUTE TO AUTHENTIC HAIR CELLS (Nature-Sept. 25, 2008) Existing therapies for hearing defects are generally ineffective in severe forms of deafness. A technical feat that generates sound-sensing hair cells in the inner ear of mice might have long-term potential. (1743) THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING SCANNER (SA-Nov. 2008) A portable version of a roomsize nuclear magnetic resonance machine can probe the chemistry and structure of objects ranging from mummies to tires by Bernhard Blumich. (1744) RESEARCH NEEDS FOR FUTURE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES (PT-Nov. 2008) The challenges of internal combustion require a board collection of research discoveries to make the transition from hardware-intensive, experience-based fuel development and engine design to simulation-intensive, science-based design. (1745) WHERE ON EARTH YOU ARE (SA-Dec. 2008) This holiday season all kinds of products are coming equipped with GPS receivers to tell consumers exactly where on earth they are. The choices include dashboard navigators for cars, pocket navigators for humans, “golf buddies” that reveal the distance between a golfer and greens and sand traps, and, most prominently, cell phones. (1746) CRASHLESS CARS (SA-Dec. 2008) Next-generation automotive safety technology could give us vehicles that are difficult to crash – and eventually may not need drivers at all by Steven Ashley. (1747)
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Glimpses From Fresh Arrivals
December. 2008