EurekAlert! - Biology
Sun Jan 24 11:35:52 EST 2010
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CSHL study identifies potential way to reverse cancer cell metabolism and tumor growth - (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) A team of scientists led by Professor Adrian Krainer, Ph.D., of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has discovered molecular factors in cancer cells that boost the production of an enzyme that helps alter the cells' glucose metabolism. The altered metabolic state, called the Warburg effect, promotes extremely rapid cell proliferation and tumor growth.

Autism Speaks responds to recent publications citing autism clusters in California - (Autism Speaks) Autism Speaks reviewed papers identifying California clusters of autism. UC Davis used CADDS data (10,000 cases in 2.5 million births, 1996-2000) finding clusters associated with higher parental education and age. Columbia University identified clusters (11,500 cases among four million births by birthplace) avoiding bias when parents move to access autism services. Both add to evidence on regional differences in autism cases. Study of environmental exposures and social factors will provide answers on causes of clusters.

Congo receives help from space after volcano eruption - (European Space Agency) On Jan. 2, Mount Nyamulagira in the Democratic Republic of Congo erupted, spewing lava from its southern flank and raising concerns that the 100,000 people in the town of Sake could be under threat. Fears were also triggered in Goma as rumors circulated that an eruption was imminent at the nearby Nyiragongo volcano, which devastated the city in 2002.

HFSP President Arima and Secretary General Winnacker awarded for fostering cooperation with China - (Human Frontier Science Program) The Human Frontier Science Program Organization is pleased to announce that President Prof. Akito Arima and Secretary General Prof. Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker are among the seven recipients of the 2009 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China. Their awards were presented at a ceremony in Beijing on Jan. 11 in the presence of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and many other high-ranking government members.

Double trouble: Bacterial super-infection after the flu - (American Journal of Pathology) Current research suggests that the flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections, which account for a significant proportion of mortality during flu pandemics. The related report by Lee et al., "A mouse model of lethal synergism between influenza virus and Haemophilus influenzae," appears in the February 2010 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.

Mussel-inspired 'glue' for fetal membrane repair - (Northwestern University) A sealant inspired by mussels' ability to stick to surfaces under wet conditions has shown promise in the repair of defects in human fetal membranes, according to a Northwestern University study. During a pregnancy, such defects -- ruptures or holes -- can lead to the leakage of amniotic fluid, resulting in premature labor or termination of the pregnancy. In tests, the Northwestern sealant was found to be biocompatible and effective at sealing the tiny holes.

New study: Human running speeds of 35 to 40 mph may be biologically possible - (Southern Methodist University) A new study in the Journal of Applied Physiology offers intriguing insights into the biology of human running speed. The study identifies the critical variable imposing the biological limit to running speed, and projects how the biological limits might be pushed beyond speeds achieved by Usain Bolt to perhaps 35 or even 40 miles per hour, said two of the study's authors: Peter Weyand, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and Matthew Bundle, University of Wyoming.

Stress peptide and receptor may have role in diabetes - (Salk Institute) The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) makes cameo appearances throughout the body, but its leading role is as the opening act in the stress response, jump-starting the process along the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that CRF also plays a part in the pancreas, where it increases insulin secretion and promotes the division of the insulin-producing beta cells.

Water hits and sticks: Findings challenge a century of assumptions about soil hydrology - (Oregon State University) Researchers have discovered that some of the most fundamental assumptions about how water moves through soil in a seasonally dry climate such as the Pacific Northwest are incorrect -- and that a century of research based on those assumptions will have to be reconsidered.

NYSCF Fellow lead author on study that creates blood vessel cells from stem cells - (New York Stem Cell Foundation) New York Stem Cell Foundation-Druckenmiller Fellow, Daylon James, Ph.D., of Weill Cornell Medial College, is lead author on a study defining conditions for generating a plentiful supply of endothelial (vessel lining) cells that are suitable for therapeutic use. Dr. James and his colleagues created a human embryonic stem cell "reporter" line that can be used to measure endothelial cell production and activity.

Potential of dairy-based package wraps outlined - (United States Department of Agriculture-Research, Education, and Economics) Food-packaging products made from dairy ingredients could provide a viable alternative to petroleum-based packaging products, according to Agricultural Research Service scientist Peggy Tomasula.

Zebrafish swim into drug development - (Vanderbilt University Medical Center) By combining the tools of medicinal chemistry and zebrafish biology, a team of Vanderbilt investigators has identified compounds that may offer therapeutic leads for bone-related diseases and cancer.The findings, reported in ACS Chemical Biology, support using zebrafish as a novel platform for drug development.

Study shows value of sexual reproduction versus asexual reproduction - (University of Iowa) Living organisms have good reason for engaging in sexual, rather than asexual, reproduction according to Maurine Neiman, assistant professor of biology in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and researcher in the Roy J. Carver Center for Genomics.

Managing Pacific Northwest dams for a changing climate - (University of Washington) Civil engineers at the University of Washington and the US Army Corps of Engineers' Seattle office have taken a first look at how dams in the Columbia River basin, the nation's largest hydropower system, could be managed for a different climate.

Tips from the journals of the American Society for Microbiology - (American Society for Microbiology) The following are tips from the Journals of the American Society for Microbiology: "New Vaccine Strategy May Protect Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus;" "Tree Shrew Offers Small-Animal Model of Hepatitis C Virus Infection" and "Phage Therapy May Reduce Salmonella Infection in Pigs."

Notre Dame study focuses on protein dynamics - (University of Notre Dame) A discovery by associate professor of chemistry Brian Baker and his research group at the University of Notre Dame reveals the importance of dynamic motion by proteins involved in the body's immune response.

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation awards prestigious fellowships to 11 top young scientists - (Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation) The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting exceptional early career researchers and innovative cancer research, named 11 new Damon Runyon Fellows at its November 2009 Fellowship Award Committee review. The recipients of this prestigious, three-year award are outstanding postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators across the country.

AGU journal highlights -- January 21, 2010 - (American Geophysical Union) Featured in this release are research papers on the following topics: "First study to show that seismic imaging detects ocean's internal tides", "Ice is 'rotten' in the Beaufort Sea", "Global warming increases flood risk in mountain areas", "Worldwide nitrogen deficit constrains carbon dioxide uptake by plants", "Upper atmosphere influences weather near Earth's surface" and "New finding on key element of Earth's lower mantle".

Discovery of algae's toxic hunting habits could help curb fish kills - (Johns Hopkins University) A microbe commonly found in the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways emits a poison not just to protect itself but to stun and immobilize the prey it plans to eat.

Insect wranglers invade the garden at Southwestern science EXPO - (Arizona State University) Raymond Mendez, the "original insect wrangler," headlines the Social Insect Science EXPO on Feb. 20 at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Inflammation 'on switch' also serves as 'off switch' - (North Carolina State University) In a surprising finding, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered the critical importance of a protein previously believed to be a redundant "on switch" for certain immune-system responses.

Identification of the gene responsible for a new form of adult muscular dystrophy - (Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal) A study published in today's online edition the American Journal of Human Genetics allowed the first identification of a new form of adult onset muscular dystrophy. The research team led by Dr. Bernard Brais, neurogeneticist at the Research Centre of the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal and associate professor, Université de Montréal, in collaboration with European collaborators, demonstrated that recessive ANO5 mutations will lead to abnormal membrane repair of muscle fibers.

Mountain plants unable to withstand invasion - (FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology) An international research team has studied the distribution of plant species in mountainous environments. The study shows that mountain plant communities are not particularly resistant to invasion by exotic species. The scientists also warn that these may become more aggressive as global warming gets a grip.

Lack of cellular enzyme triggers switch in glucose processing - (Massachusetts General Hospital) A study investigating how a cellular enzyme affects blood glucose levels in mice provides clues to pathways that may be involved in processes including the regulation of longevity and the proliferation of tumor cells. In their report in the Jan. 22 issue of Cell, researchers describes the mechanism by which absence of the enzyme SIRT6 induces a fatal drop in blood sugar in mice by triggering a switch between two critical cellular processes.

Disease severity in H1N1 patients - (Canadian Medical Association Journal) A new study published in CMAJ concerning the severity of H1N1 influenza has found that admissions to an intensive care unit were associated with a longer interval between symptom onset and treatment with antivirals and with presence of an underlying medical condition. People of First Nations ethnicity were also found to be at higher risk of severe H1N1 infection compared to people of other ethnic origins.