Biology: January 2010

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Posted: 31 Jan 2010 08:25 AM PST

monkeymom&baby.jpg Having a biology background, we've always viewed the laws of economics as natural forces, similar to the laws of physics. You can only defy them for so long before reality has to hit.

Along these lines, Marginal Revolution wonders whether economic concepts could even be applied to biology:

Marginal Revolution: Can there be a Keynesian business cycle in the pond? i.e. Could animal spirits drive a natural business cycle? It's harder for me to see exactly how this would work. We would need "money" or something similar to generate a rush to liquidity and a decline in investment. We could perhaps get a coordination type business cycle (ala Roger Farmer) with herd behavior. Interestingly, the trend in biology--as I read it at least--has been to think of herd behavior as optimal for the herd but this is not necessarily the case. We know that slime molds self-organize and aggregate during times of stress could this process be set off with no or little exogenous shock? Could a natural system provide a model for business cycle behavior? It would be odd if only people had animal spirits. Biology and economics have much to offer one another.

January 31, 2010 in Outdoors

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Events galore for nordic skiers

OUTDO – Cross-country skiers are still finding snow on high trail systems as they prepare for nordic events, many of which are coming up in the next few weeks:

49 Degrees North 7K freestyle, starts 10 a.m., Saturday. Info: Active.com

Souper Bowl 10K timed race for women only, 10 a.m., Feb. 7 at Mount Spokane. Info: souperbowlspokane.org

Langlauf 10K Classic-style race, the biggest and best in the region, starts 11 a.m. Feb. 14 at Mount Spokane. Info: www.spokanelanglauf.org

Spokane Pursuit, two-day event with a 10K classic followed by a pursuit-interval start for freestyle races the next day. Although it's a Junior Olympic qualifying event for teen racers, citizen racers can enter division in one or both events; Feb 20-21 at Mount Spokane. Info: spokanenordic.org

The Best Hand Fun Ski set for Saturday may be a walking tour to collect cards for a poker hand and prizes, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at snow-free Fourth of July Pass. Info: panhandlenordicclub.com

Outdoor programs dropped at KXLY

OUTCAST – KXLY management told outdoor host Dan Barth to take a hike this week, ending his "Outdoor Story Teller" TV programs and Sunday radio talk show.

Barth said he'd produced 29 half-hour outdoor programs and some 600 outdoor news stories since coming aboard the station three years ago.

"It was a surprise to me," said Barth, noting that he's looking for another home on the local air waves.

Stay tuned.

Safari Club holds fundraiser

OUTGOING – Safari Club International's local chapter is selling tickets for its 28th annual fundraiser, Feb. 13 at the Red Lion Inn at the Park.

The club has a long history of supporting wildlife conservation and education in this area by underwriting programs such as:

•Sportsman Against Hunger, contributing more than two tons of processed game to local food banks.

•Shooting days for new and disabled shooters.

•Spokane Fish Hatchery tours.

•Scholarships ($2,000 each) for college wildlife biology students.

•Teachers programs for wildlife education.

•Hunter rights lobbying.

Tickets ($60) can be purchased through Saturday. No tickets sold at door.

Contact: (509) 684-4014 or e-mail rfogle@ultraplix.com.

Info: inlandempiresci.org

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Saturday, January 30, 2010

“COSI brings weather to life at Lincoln - Coshocton Tribune” plus 3 more

COSI brings weather to life at Lincoln - Coshocton Tribune
Angry Flies Could Explain Human Aggression - Redorbit.com
Bees Can Be Trained to Recognize Face-Like Patterns - YAHOO!
Mainz University Medical Center and Nagasaki University announce joint ... - News-Medical.Net

COSI brings weather to life at Lincoln - Coshocton Tribune

Posted: 30 Jan 2010 04:44 AM PST

COSHOCTON --It was a whirlwind of fun and learning on Friday during the COSI on Wheels day at Lincoln Elementary .

Derek Bringardner, outreach educator with COSI in Columbus, brought in 10 hands-on learning stations dealing with weather conditions.

Bringardner has been with COSI since August, and said he enjoys visiting schools with educational programming from the popular science museum.

"I've been to over 40 schools this year with six different shows," he said. "I was an education major in college and really like science, so this is a fun thing to do. Every school finds things they really enjoy about each of the programs we offer."

As part of the program, Bringardner explained to students various aspects of weather including air pressure, how clouds form, cold and warm fronts, a lightening demonstration, predicting weather and extreme weather conditions.

Staffing the 10 stations were students from the advanced biology class at Coshocton High School. Dave Skelton, principal at Lincoln, said he was glad the high school students were able to help.

"In past years we have utilized parent volunteers to man the various stations ... this year, the chairperson of the high school science department agreed to give us some advanced biology students for the day."

Kasey Spang and Rachel Zimomra are juniors at CHS in the advanced biology class.

"We are demonstrating the hail station," Spang said. "It shows how molecules go up and then back down until they get heavy enough to fall as hail. I remember when I was little and the adults would help with COSI, but they asked us to help this year since the younger kids look up to the high school students."

MacKenzie Wheeler and Taylor Triplitt also are juniors at CHS.

"We are at the jet stream station showing the kids how jet streams travel from west to east," Wheeler said.

"This is our first time to help with this," Triplitt said. 'I'm excited to work with the COSI program."

Senior Sarah Sines and junior Denae Biggers were volunteering for the first time as well.

"We are playing a game with the kids," Biggers said.

"The game helps them learn about extreme weather conditions and then tests their knowledge," Sines said.

Seniors Alex Akers and Marley Mosbacher staffed a station together.

"We are explaining how wind occurs," Mosbacher said.

"I've helped with COSI on Wheels three other times in the past," Akers said. "I enjoy doing this. It's fun to get to teach the younger kids about science."

Seniors Akers, Mosbacher and Sines all are planning to further their education in the field of science. Akers will be studying pharmacy, Mosbacher plans to major in biology and then go on to medical school, and Sines will major in nursing with a minor in biology.

Several other advanced biology students from the high school assisted with the COSI program, including Drew Baker, Danielle Crown, Elizabeth Garrett, Joseph Hilgenberg, Veronica Mathias, Jason Milliken, Hailey Roby, Sarah Sheldon and Joel Whetstone.

Lincoln fourth-grade teacher Karen Yost said students always enjoy when COSI on Wheels comes to the school.

"COSI has been coming here for several years," she said. "They always keep it new and fresh and the kids learn a lot from it."

Fourth-graders Emily Casey and Halley Jones agreed.

"We been learning about clouds in science class, so this has been a good review for us," Casey said. "The jet stream station was my favorite," Jones said.

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Angry Flies Could Explain Human Aggression - Redorbit.com

Posted: 30 Jan 2010 06:24 AM PST

Posted on: Saturday, 30 January 2010, 08:29 CST

Caltech biologist David Anderson and his colleagues identify a brain chemical involved in promoting aggression in flies

Recently, biologist David Anderson set out to learn whether flies, like bees, can get angry--part of a broader effort to study how animal behavior relates to genetics.

"Every time you swat a fly away from your hamburger, it seems to come back to the food more aggressively or persistently," Anderson said. "People might wonder about whether there's such a thing as an 'angry' fly, but no one would challenge the idea of an angry bee--especially someone who's been stung by one."

To test his hypothesis, Anderson--who currently has two projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and who is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator at Caltech--created an experiment modeled after the traditional "bees-at-the-picnic-table" scenario using Drosophila, the common fruit fly (or more accurately, the vinegar fly).

"We developed the 'puff-o-mat' apparatus, with the idea of putting some fly food at one end, and then blowing the flies away from the food with a gentle puff of air every time they got close to it," he said. "Then we measured whether the flies became more agitated and approached the food more aggressively after experiencing this frustrating experience several times."

As it turned out, they didn't even need the food.

"To our surprise," Anderson said, "simply blowing the flies off their feet several times in a row was sufficient to get them riled up. So we decided to focus on that--the agitation response--because it was much simpler to set up without the food, and without starving the flies. The part with the food never made it into the final paper," he added, referring to a study published in the journal Nature in early December, 2009.

The flies showed a primitive emotion-like behavior. Prompted by a series of brisk air puffs delivered in rapid succession, the flies ran around their test chambers in a frantic manner, and kept it up for several minutes. Even after the flies had calmed down, they remained hypersensitive to a single air puff.

The research showed that Drosophila produces a pheromone--a chemical messenger--that promotes aggression, and directly linked it to specific neurons in the fly's antenna. Anderson and his colleagues believe that the findings ultimately may be relevant to the relationship between the neurotransmitter dopamine and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The brain of Drosophila contains about 20,000 neurons, and has long been considered a valuable system with which to study the genetic basis of learning, courtship, memory and circadian rhythms.

In recent years, Drosophila research has also been a powerful tool with which to study emotions. Most of the genes in the fruit fly are also in humans, including neurons that produce brain chemicals associated with several psychiatric disorders.

For example, in an earlier study, the researchers demonstrated how Drosophila hunkers down and stops moving in response to a steady wind--a sensory tool that could improve how the insects navigate during flight, and could help scientists learn more about the nervous system.

Anderson came to this field of research after amassing an impressive record studying the developmental biology of neural stem cells in mice. He decided he wanted to try something new. Switching scientific directions mid-career is always risky, it takes courage and a willingness to fail, but Anderson was game.

"The change in field happened slowly, in two stages," he said. "First, we began studying neural circuits underlying emotional behavior in mice, because that's the organism we had used for our developmental studies. It started with a focus on fear. But I'd been talking to Seymour Benzer--my colleague at Caltech and the father of Drosophila behavioral genetics--for years about whether one could study fear in flies, and he had always encouraged me to look for it."

When it became clear that the mouse studies were going to take longer than he had expected--the tools he needed were not yet well-developed--Anderson decided to turn his attention to the flies.

"In addition, I'd had this idea that you could screen large numbers of flies to find neurons involved in specific behaviors, just like people had been screening flies to find genes involved in specific behaviors, and wanted to give the approach a try," he said. "At the time, it was a relatively novel idea. Now, seven years later, everybody is doing it."

The work started in earnest around 2002, when Greg Suh, a postdoctoral fellow with a strong background in fly genetics, joined Anderson's lab. Soon after Suh's arrival, he, Anderson, and Anderson's colleague, Seymour Benzer, began working together on the study of the Drosophila nervous system. The productive collaboration continued until 2007.

"Surprisingly, it seemed relatively easy to start working on flies after having overcome the activation energy barrier to switch from development to behavior," he said. By contrast, when I was working on development, I was always thinking about switching to flies, but too intimidated by the change to take the risk. I guess when you set yourself up for a big risk--changing fields--smaller risks, like changing to a new model organism, seem less intimidating."

Anderson, 53, was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in northern New Jersey with a father who was a physicist and a mother who had taught Spanish and Portuguese. He became interested in science as a result of spending his childhood and adolescent summers at Woods Hole, Mass., where his father had been working since the early 1950s at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and where his parents had built a small house.

"In Woods Hole, they had science school for little kids, ages six to 14,'' he said. "You took classes like 'ichthyology' or 'seashore life,' and went on a lot of field trips collecting animals from the seashore and bringing them back to put them in aquaria and watch them. So that was fun."

His playmates were the children of biologists working at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), another oceanographic institute, and his next-door neighbor, Philip Grant ,was a well-known developmental biologist, who encouraged Anderson's interest in science. "I consider him sort of my 'biology father,' as opposed to my 'biological father,'" Anderson said.

Once he became too old for the science school, Grant and another scientist helped Anderson get a job washing test tubes at MBL. "Even though it was scut-work, that job really made me feel like I got my foot in the door," he said. From the outside, the MBL seemed very closed and nepotistic: the only other kids who had summer jobs in the labs were the children of biologists who worked there. So for me, the son of a physicist who had nothing to do with the MBL, to get a job there was a big deal."

"In some ways, I always felt like a bit of an outsider in the Woods Hole summer community because my family wasn't an 'MBL' family," he adds. "Maybe that was one of the things that motivated me to succeed in biology. I thought, 'I'll go out and show them that I can become just as good a biologist as they are.' So I did. Here's the irony: virtually none of the kids I knew in Woods Hole whose parents were biologists went into science, or if they did, they didn't stay in science."

Anderson went on to earn his bachelor's degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard and his doctorate in cell biology from Rockefeller University, and he has been at Caltech since 1989, now happily married and the proud "surrogate" father of two cats.

He first became interested in how animals use chemical signals to communicate while an undergraduate, but was sidetracked by a course in cell biology during his freshman year, and so impressed with the professor that he asked for a lab job.

Yet, it was his postdoctoral advisor and career mentor, Richard Axel (winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine), who shaped his scientific approach. While a fellow in Axel's Columbia University lab nearly 30 years ago, Anderson began studying the developing nervous system and its relationship to molecular biology.

"I justified it to myself by saying that if I was interested in chemical communication between animals, I needed to learn about the receptors for the signals that they use to communicate," he said. "But it was just a contrived rationale."

The reality? Anderson was waylaid by a different type of science that he found more interesting at the time. "Somehow this keeps on happening to me," he says.

By Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation

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Image Caption: Image of lunge and wing-threat behavior between a pair of male fruit flies. Both lunges and wing threats are characteristic aggressive behavior. Credit: Eric Hoopfer, Caltech

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Bees Can Be Trained to Recognize Face-Like Patterns - YAHOO!

Posted: 30 Jan 2010 08:48 AM PST

cynthia buzzed up: Southeastern US stares down icy, snowy weekend (AP)

11 seconds ago 2010-01-30T09:05:03-08:00

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Mainz University Medical Center and Nagasaki University announce joint ... - News-Medical.Net

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 10:46 PM PST

The University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Nagasaki University in Japan plan to cooperate more closely in the future. At the focus of the partnership funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will be the joint development of a program of research into radiation epidemiology and radiation biology, the establishment of an exchange program for scientists and academics at the two universities, and, over the long term, the creation of a joint multicenter research project. There is one other similar project currently being promoted in Mainz; at present, there are only five such projects being implemented in Germany as a whole. It was with this in view that a Japanese delegation recently visited the University Medical Center in Mainz in order to discuss the future development of the joint scientific venture. During the visit, a cooperation agreement was drawn up that specifies the details of the collaboration between the two institutions.

According to the President of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Professor Georg Krausch, this represents the first time that a formal accord has been made between the University Medical Center and a Japanese university. "Even within the academic arena, enhanced globalization and networking are becoming fundamental prerequisites for international research ventures. This agreement between Mainz and Nagasaki on a project that is additionally being sponsored by the BMBF represents major progress towards helping us better understand the health risks associated with exposure to radiation," explains Professor Reinhard Urban, Scientific Director of the Mainz University Medical Center.

The two direct partners to the agreement, the Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (IMBEI) of the Mainz University Medical and the Atomic Bomb Disease Institute in Nagasaki, essentially plan to extend their collaboration in the fields of research and teaching by establishing closer contacts and developing and implementing joint projects. This is to be achieved, inter alia, by means of an exchange program for academics and students, the implementation of research projects, regular workshops and symposia, and the transfer of scientific information and materials.

The University Medical Center Mainz is already involved in several partnership projects with international universities that enable students and academics to exchange ideas and experience. The experience of living and working at another university tends to enhance awareness of the importance of supraregional collaboration, which is of major relevance when a future academic or clinical career is being planned. In addition, projects of this kind promote mutual understanding and appreciation of other ways of understanding and approaching problems, and help breakdown prejudices against other cultures and peoples.

http://www.uni-mainz.de/eng/13287.php

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Friday, January 29, 2010

“ROGER BEACHY TO DELIVER DINNER SPEECH AT USDA'S 2010 AGRICULTURAL ... - USDA.gov (press release)” plus 3 more

ROGER BEACHY TO DELIVER DINNER SPEECH AT USDA'S 2010 AGRICULTURAL ... - USDA.gov (press release)
'Squeaker' Catfish Communicate Across Generations - Redorbit.com
Bees Can Be Trained to Recognize Face-Like Patterns - US News and World Report
Former TSU professor barred for research fraud - Nashville Tennessean

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ROGER BEACHY TO DELIVER DINNER SPEECH AT USDA'S 2010 AGRICULTURAL ... - USDA.gov (press release)

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 08:27 AM PST

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2010 - USDA's Office of the Chief Economist announced today that Roger Beachy, director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and USDA chief scientist, will be the dinner speaker at the 2010 Agricultural Outlook Forum on Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m., in Arlington, Va.

Beachy's speech, "The New Consensus: Science, Sustainability and Society" will address how research and advanced technologies look to solve issues of sustainable agriculture in relation to environmental, economic and trade competitiveness.

As Director of NIFA, Beachy oversees awarding extramural funds for research, extension and education for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; as chief scientist, he is responsible for coordinating science activities across the department. Beachy joined the Obama Administration on Oct. 5, 2009.

Beachy was the founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science, in St. Louis, Mo. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and internationally known for his groundbreaking research on developing virus-resistant plants through biotechnology.

From 1991 to 1998, Beachy headed the Division of Plant Biology at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. He was also Professor and Scripps Family Chair in Cell Biology and co-director of the International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology at Scripps.

The theme of this year's Outlook Forum is "Sustainable Agriculture: The Key to Health & Prosperity." Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will deliver the Forum's keynote address.

The Forum will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. It begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18. A full roster of speakers, topics and registration is available at www.usda.gov/oce/forum. Registration is $375. Plenary speeches will be Webcast after 6 p.m. EST on Feb. 18, and speech and PowerPoint presentations will be posted online after 6 p.m. on Feb. 19.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

'Squeaker' Catfish Communicate Across Generations - Redorbit.com

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 07:37 AM PST

Posted on: Friday, 29 January 2010, 09:41 CST

It has been thought that young fish, lacking well-developed hearing organs, could not perceive the sounds made by their larger, older relatives. Now, researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Biology have used a combined fish tank and sound-proof chamber to show for the first time that catfish of all ages can communicate with one another.

Walter Lechner and a team of researchers from the University of Vienna studied the catfish Synodontis schoutedeni, which, by rubbing the spines of its pectoral fins into grooves on its shoulder, is able to create a 'squeaking' sound. He said, "This study is the first to demonstrate that absolute hearing sensitivity changes as catfish grow up. This contrasts with prior studies on the closely related goldfish and zebrafish, in which no such change could be observed. Furthermore, S. schoutedeni can detect sounds at all stages of development, again contrasting with previous findings".

The catfish use the squeaking sound to warn of predators and during competition between members of the species. By investigating the animals in specially modified tanks, Lechner and his colleagues were able to record the sounds made and perceived by fish of various sizes, from very young to adult. He said, "We found that as fish get larger, the sounds they make increase in level and duration. Hearing sensitivities increase with growth, but even the youngest fish are capable of communicating over short distances".

Reference: Ontogenetic development of auditory sensitivity and sound production in the squeaker catfish Synodontis schoutedeni. Walter Lechner, Lidia Eva Wysocki and Friedrich Ladich. BMC Biology

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Image 1: This is a Synodontis schoutedeni catfish. Credit: Oliver Drescher

Image 2: This is an auditory evoked potential recording. Credit: Lechner et al., BMC Biology

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Bees Can Be Trained to Recognize Face-Like Patterns - US News and World Report

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 09:03 AM PST

FRIDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Bees can learn to recognize human faces, as long as they think the faces are odd-shaped flowers, a new study reports.

In a series of experiments, researchers from Australia and France determined that bees could be trained to recognize face-like patterns when they were rewarded with a sweet treat for doing so.

However, this doesn't mean that bees can learn to recognize individual human faces. Instead, the bees are able to learn the relative arrangements of features that create a face-like pattern, the study authors explained. Bees may use this same strategy to learn about and recognize different objects in their environment.

The study findings are published in the Jan. 29 issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology.

It's amazing that the microdot-sized brain of a bee can achieve this type of image analysis, said the researchers, who noted that humans have entire regions of the brain dedicated to this task. The bees' approach to face recognition may prove useful in the development of facial recognition systems, the study authors suggested.

More information

The University of Queensland, Australia has more about bees' brains.

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Former TSU professor barred for research fraud - Nashville Tennessean

Posted: 29 Jan 2010 08:35 AM PST

WASHINGTON -- A former nursing school professor at Tennessee State University has been barred for three years from receiving funding from the U.S. government after school officials found that he had falsified the results of a study paid for with a federal grant.

James G. Linn was debarred for committing "misconduct in science and research misconduct" during a project using funding from the National Institutes of Health, according to a notice posted Thursday in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Research Integrity.

According to the notice, Linn "knowingly and intentionally" falsified data for a study published in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2003 regarding the effects of an intervention program to reduce sexual risk behaviors in high-risk, impaired homeless men with mental illness. Linn was found to have reported false values in a table and provided a disc containing falsified data to support his analysis for the article to the school's Institutional Research Investigation Committee.

Linn had asked for a hearing to dispute the charges but dropped that request in December.

According to an abstract of research paper, Linn recruited homeless men from two shelters in Nashville for the study.

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

“Researchers Make Neurons from Skin Cells - Softpedia” plus 3 more

Researchers Make Neurons from Skin Cells - Softpedia
Communication problems in the brain - Science Centric
Domestication of rice 'behind Asians' alcohol flush reaction' - Newstrack India
Yonder Biology Launches "Me", a Personalized DNA Art Portrait - TMCnet

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Researchers Make Neurons from Skin Cells - Softpedia

Posted: 28 Jan 2010 03:35 AM PST

In a finding that seems to suggest differentiated, adult cells are actually a lot more flexible than originally thought, researchers have recently been able to demonstrate a simple conversion method that turns skin cells called fibroblasts into fully functioning nerve cells. The process involved in this type of transformation turned out to be a lot simpler than anyone imagined, biologists at the Stanford University Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine write in the latest issue of the esteemed scientific journal Nature.

But the greatest news about this is that it turns out that adult cells don't necessarily have to be reverted to their embryonic state, in order for the conversion to become possible. This is an incredible finding, because some of the most complex processes associated with changing the function of a set of cells were related to reverting the differentiated cells to a pluripotent state. The new accomplishment was made using just minor genetic tweaks to the original fibroblasts, and the team is currently looking at ways of replicating the findings on cells harvested from humans as well.

If the results of this investigation can be transferred to human patients as well, then a host of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's, could get new courses of treatment in the near future, experts believe. One major advantage that this approach could have would be the fact that the nerve cells, obtained from each individual's own skin graft, would be genetically identical to the ones already inside their brains, which would remove the risk of incompatibility, and reduce the incidence of cases in which the immune system attacks the transplant, endangering that person's life.

"It's almost scary to see how flexible these cell fates are. You just need a few factors, and within four to five days you see signs of neuronal properties in these cells," ISCBRM biologist Marius Wernig, who has also been the leader of the research team behind the findings, explains. The work was conducted on a batch of only 20 genetic transcription factors, which are basically genes that dictate the expression or suppression of other genes, upon binding to DNA. Three of these factors proved to have the ability to convert fibroblasts into neurons, the team concludes, quoted by Technology Review.

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Communication problems in the brain - Science Centric

Posted: 21 Jan 2010 10:10 AM PST

For brain cells to communicate, the contacts to each other must function. The protein molecule neuroligin-1 plays an important role in this as it stimulates the necessary maturation processes at the contact sites (synapses) of the nerves. A synaptic maturation disorder is possibly involved in the development of autism. Dr Thomas Dresbach and his team from the Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Heidelberg, in cooperation with the study group led by Professor Dr Thomas Kuner at the same institute and Professor Dr Nils Brose, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Goettingen, have published their results in the prestigious international journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

One hundred billion nerve cells make our brain a thinking machine. Each of these nerve fibres produces a long extension, the axon, which terminates in numerous small knobs. Transmitters are released here that transfer information to the next nerve cell. The contact site between nerve ending and adjacent nerve cell is called a synapse. The number and location of active synapses determine which areas of the brain are especially active at a given time.

The synapses of young nerve cells must mature before they can release their neurotransmitters to the full extent. Researchers were able to show using genetically modified nerve cells from mice that the postsynaptic nerve cell, the receptor, must form a sufficient amount of a certain protein molecule, neuroligin-1, to allow this maturation process to take place. In addition, the nerve endings from where information is sent must release slight amounts of neurotransmitters to stimulate the neuroligin in the postsynaptic nerve cell.

'A fully functioning contact can develop only if both sides, transmitter and receptor of information, are involved in the maturation process,' explained Dr Dresbach. If no neuroligin-1 is formed, the nerve endings remain at an immature stage and release fewer neurotransmitters; the flow of information is interrupted. The nerve endings can only whisper, so to speak.

'The results are significant for actual concepts about how autism develops,' says Professor Dr Joachim Kirsch, director of the Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology. Symptoms of autism are first noticed in early childhood as an information processing disorder. The symptoms may be more or less pronounced, but all patients display weaknesses in social contacts and communication. 'There are many indications that malfunctions of synaptic molecules are involved in the development of this illness. It has thus far been unclear exactly what these malfunctions are, but we now know what to look for,' says Professor Kirsch. The study was funded by the FRONTIER program of the excellence initiative at the University of Heidelberg.

Source: University Hospital Heidelberg

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Domestication of rice 'behind Asians' alcohol flush reaction' - Newstrack India

Posted: 19 Jan 2010 11:34 PM PST

Washington, Jan 20 (ANI): Chinese researchers hold rice responsible for the alcohol flush reaction, an unpleasant response to alcohol that is relatively common in people of Asian descent.

Writing in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, the researchers believe that the mutation responsible for the alcohol flush reaction may have occurred following the domestication of rice.

To reach the conclusion, boffins traced the history of the version of the gene responsible, finding that the ADH1B*47His allele appeared around the same time that rice was first cultivated in southern China.

Bing Su, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, worked with a team of researchers to study 38 populations including Han Chinese, Tibetan and other ethnic populations across China.

He said, "Our molecular dating suggests that the emergence of the ADH1B*47His allele occurred about 10,000-7,000 years ago. The geographic distribution of the allele in East Asia is also consistent with the unearthed culture relic sites of rice domestication in China, suggesting that distribution of the alcohol flush mutation can be explained by the origin and expansion of the Neolithic rice culture. This is one of the few cases reported demonstrating the genetic adaptation of human populations to the dramatic changes in agriculture and diet during Neolithic times".

Rice was fermented to gain the benefits of ethanol's combined analgesic, disinfectant and profound mind-altering effects. In addition, fermentation can help to preserve and enhance the nutritional value of food and drink. Su and his colleagues believe that the flushing response may be an adaptation to counter the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

They write, "Individuals carrying ADH1B*47His have a lower risk for alcoholism, as the unpleasant reaction they experience can influence drinking behavior and so protect them from overconsumption. The allele can also protect their organs from the damage caused by alcohol consumption". (ANI)

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Yonder Biology Launches "Me", a Personalized DNA Art Portrait - TMCnet

Posted: 28 Jan 2010 04:18 AM PST

(PR Web Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Personal DNA Art Is Now More Customized.

(PRWEB) January 28, 2010 -- Yonder Biology, a genomic DNA art company, unveils the 'Me' style of DNA Art Portraits. The first of its kind DNA Art Portraits combine any individual's unique DNA profile with a photograph submitted by the individual. Each Yonder Biology DNA Art Portrait displays a person's pattern of DNA that is completely unique to the individual. With the combination of the personal photograph, the dimensions of the DNA self portrait are expanded. This is something you can hang on the wall, point to and say 'That's Me'.

Yonder Biology has created unique DNA art for Tony Hawk's Stand Up for Skateparks and has been featured in the LA Times Art Section.

Yonder Biology is also launching Duet and Quad DNA art portraits that combine two or four individual's DNAs in one portrait. The Duet and Quad DNA art portraits can be used to see similarities in family DNA. These are interesting ways to display your DNA with a spouse, child and/or significant other.

The 'Me' DNA art images can be viewed at Yonder Biology's website.

How to purchase DNA Art: The process begins with a visit to 'www.yonderbiology.com' to choose the color design and size of the DNA portrait. DNA Art from Yonder can also be purchased as a unique gift. After checkout, Yonder Biology mails a DNA collection kit that consists of a sterile cheek swab and a self addressed stamped envelope. The swab is gently rubbed on the inside of the cheek and returned in the provided envelope.

The DNA from the swab is then isolated (purified) using standard molecular biology techniques. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Gel Electrophoresis are then employed to image the DNA profile on a gel matrix. A photograph is taken using a custom gel imaging system that includes a high-powered digital camera. The digital images are transferred to a computer where the final touches (color, photo overlay) are completed.

About Yonder Biology Yonder Biology blends pop culture and science to create custom art from DNA. Each custom DNA portrait displays a unique banding pattern to reveal a new form of individual expression. Yonder has whole genome sequencing capabilities and is also developing consumer products with current chip based SNP assays. Yonder Biology offers custom DNA portraits in a spectrum of colors on canvas or archival quality photo paper in four sizes: 13" by 19", 18" by 24", 24" by 36" and "36 by 54". Custom sizes, colors, and photograph incorporation are also available.

Yonder Biology's DNA Art is made in the USA. DNA samples are processed in Yonder Biology's secure, state-of-the-art laboratory and images are printed using the highest quality materials and inks. Yonder Biology's capabilities enable complete control over every DNA sample to ensure privacy, data consistency, and 100% customer satisfaction.

### Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/yonder-biology/dna-art/prweb3272774.htm.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

“Budget cuts swell class sizes at University of Washington (700 ... - Democratic Underground.com” plus 3 more

Budget cuts swell class sizes at University of Washington (700 ... - Democratic Underground.com
Today's headlines: Pictures of a naked Greg Oden prompt apologies from ... - Oregonian
A-level Facebook protest widens - BBC UK News
Get your hands wet, invasive algae needs to go - Honolulu Advertiser

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Budget cuts swell class sizes at University of Washington (700 ... - Democratic Underground.com

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 08:15 AM PST

Source: Seattle Times

Professor Toby Bradshaw begins to address his introductory biology class at the University of Washington as a few stragglers in the class of 700 climb stairs to the balcony at Kane Hall. Budget cuts have forced the biology department to offer fewer, but larger, classes.
------------

They leafed through their textbooks, whispered, ate lunch, tapped on their laptops, played Sudoku. More than 500 students packed the main theater of Kane Hall at the University of Washington recently, waiting for class to begin. Nearly 200 more filled the balcony section. That's 700 students in all in this introductory biology class — more students than attended freshman Meagan Evans' entire high school last year, back in Wisconsin.

"Take out your clickers and put away your cellphones, please," said the lone figure on stage, professor Toby Bradshaw. Biology 180 was under way. Last school year, this was a big class with 400 students. This year, as Bradshaw puts it, "it's a whopper." In response to state budget cuts, the biology department has axed a half-dozen courses, funneling 300 more students into Biology 180.

It's one example of how budget cuts are playing out in university classrooms across the state. In 2009, lawmakers cut $500 million from higher education over two years as the state budget went into free fall. This year, the governor proposes to cut $90 million more. Federal stimulus money and 14 percent annual tuition hikes have helped offset some of those losses. Other sources of money, such as research grants and alumni gifts, have remained intact. But the cuts have still been deep.

Over the past year, the UW has eliminated 850 staff positions, reduced its language offerings and cut its swimming program. Washington State University has cut theater and dance. And Western Washington University incurred the wrath of some alumni by dropping football. The UW hasn't yet reported the number of large classes it's hosting this year. But Kane Hall is booked solid every day and is regularly filled with 700 students, the maximum that can fit into any campus lecture hall.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Today's headlines: Pictures of a naked Greg Oden prompt apologies from ... - Oregonian

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 07:40 AM PST

"I've had better days," Trail Blazer Greg Oden told reporters Tuesday after pictures of a naked Oden surfaced on the Web.

And so begins an embarrassing episode for the Portland Trail Blazers as Oden scrambled to explain and apologize for his decision to snap -- and send -- pictures of himself au naturale.

Writes Oregonian sports columnist John Canzano:
"Like he has so often after his setbacks, Oden sounded mostly like he needed a hug."

Ask some college students you know if it's cool if you sift through their cellular telephone photographs and I'll bet you get a look of horror in return. It's called "sexting" and, gasp, it turns out that Oden, 22, does it too.

Call him foolish.

Call him immature.

But this error by Oden isn't dog fighting, or smoking pot in a yellow Hummer, or being caught with drugs by an airport metal detector. And if you can't tell the difference, you need to educate yourself.

Oden got a painful education on Tuesday. He learned the difference between himself and the rest of America's 22-year olds who aren't celebrities. The young adults who heard about Oden's photos mostly shrugged. And hopefully, they thought hard about action and consequence and maybe even went to their telephones and started deleting.

There have been questions about Oden's judgment before. Included, a birthday party he planned for himself that featured alcohol, and a promoter who was busy selling the naming rights to the party without Oden's knowledge. He canceled that event after his advisors learned about it.

His decision to go public with an apology Tuesday was driven from his own embarrassment and conversations he had with the same people at BDA Sports Management, who are paid to protect and preserve Oden's image.

Oden was right to get in front of this and make a public statement. People will forgive him. And we can soon get back to talking about his healing knee and future as a basketball player. There are politicians, celebrities and athletes who could learn from Oden's actions in the aftermath of his mistake.

If University of Washington students thought packing 400 students into a biology class was a little much, we can only imagine what they think of this year's class sizes.

This morning's Seattle Times reports on swelling class sizes at UW, highlighting bio professor Toby Bradshaw's intro-level class. The picture in the Times says it all.

View full sizeSeattle TimesProfessor Toby Bradshaw begins to address his introductory biology class at the University of Washington as a few stragglers in the class of 700 climb stairs to the balcony at Kane Hall. Budget cuts have forced the biology department to offer fewer, but larger, classes.

"Take out your clickers and put away your cellphones, please," said the lone figure on stage, professor Toby Bradshaw. Biology 180 was under way.

Last school year, this was a big class with 400 students. This year, as Bradshaw puts it, "it's a whopper." In response to state budget cuts, the biology department has axed a half-dozen courses, funneling 300 more students into Biology 180.

Federal stimulus money and 14 percent annual tuition hikes have helped offset some of those losses. Other sources of money, such as research grants and alumni gifts, have remained intact. But the cuts have still been deep.

Check out Northwest front pages here, and stories from today's Oregonian here. And go here to stay on top of our picks from Northwest news source.

-- The Oregonian

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

A-level Facebook protest widens - BBC UK News

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 04:48 AM PST

Facebook protest groups against A-level exams taken this week have spread - with complaints about a biology paper from another exam board.

The AQA biology exam taken on Monday prompted an instant online protest with claims that the questions were unfair.

Another protest on the social networking website is now raising concerns about an OCR A-level biology also taken on Monday.

The Ofqual qualifications watchdog has called for a report on the concerns.

Students complaining about the two biology exams have expressed fears that they will miss out on university places.

Marking

These include students hoping to study medicine and dentistry, who are anxious that dropping a grade will damage their career ambitions.

They have claimed that the questions did not match the course that they had studied.

The OCR exam board says it is not aware of any problems with the biology paper - but a spokeswoman says if candidates have any concerns they should raise them with their exam centres.

On Tuesday, the AQA exam board had promised that the marking and grading process would take into the concerns being raised by candidates.

Both of these exam papers are new specifications being taken for the first time - and thousands of pupils taking them have left angry messages on Facebook and other websites.

"How are we meant to get the required grade for uni when they don't even ask us relevant questions," asked a student in a Facebook group, with more than 2,500 members, complaining about the OCR biology.

"I've spent six months working hard... and only one out of the eight questions had any relevance," writes one student about the AQA exam, in a Facebook group with more than 9,000 members.

'Robbed'

"We all feel we've been robbed of our time (during lessons and revising) and our university places," says another pupil.

However there are also comments from pupils who say they had no disagreement with the questions - and that "everyone should stop whining because nothing can be done now".

Many of the protests against the AQA paper make their points in strong language - and include doctored images making fun of the exam paper.

Ofqual, which ensures the quality of qualifications, says it has asked the AQA exam board for a report on the biology paper and "the actions they are taking in response to the concerns raised".

"We are not aware of any significant issues being raised with other papers sat so far during the January exam series," said an Ofqual spokeswoman.

A spokeswoman for the AQA exam board said they had not previously seen such an online protest about an exam.

But she said that the exam board was "aware of concern amongst some candidates for this examination that the exam has not allowed them to fully demonstrate their understanding and abilities".

"We will take account of these concerns when marking the examination. The concerns will also be considered at the awarding meeting where we make final decisions regarding the award of grades."

Print Sponsor

Get your hands wet, invasive algae needs to go - Honolulu Advertiser

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 06:14 AM PST

In its second semester as a partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Malama Maunalua, the ecology and environment lab (BIOL 124) has been reported to be very successful.

The partnership allows students to be able to have not only the academic side of science, but real-world experiences.

The lab is to introduce the students to ecological techniques and some environmental issues, explained Wendy Kuntz, biology/ecology instructor for BIOL 124 lab.

A way to get students physically involved is when the invasive algae removal project at Maunalua Bay comes into play.

Students work Maunalua bay and do algae-monitoring removal labor and collect data. At the end of the semester, the students present the data analysis to the community.

The presentations are also open to the public and the members from the two other companies.

The companies might even use the information that is collected because they do not have much time on their hands to go out and collect data. It is a way to show that the students' contribution to the partnership is recognized. Not only will companies use their work, but also students will get a grade for the class.

In result of taking the class, Kuntz mentioned that the presentations showed a depth of knowledge and understanding of invasive marine algae on the student's behalf.

The mission between the three groups is to support the communities' goals in recovering the health of Maunalua Bay.

"Our KCC students have an opportunity to work on a real-world conservation issue and contribute to the community," Kuntz said.

Each partner is able to gain from the collaboration. The students are able to not only learn how to conduct ecological monitoring, but to physically be able to experience first hand.

"The opportunity to actually be there in person really enhances your learning experience by being able to use all of your senses," wrote Scott Chulakote, 22, environmental studies and biology major. "This allows you to be more engaged and present."

Kuntz shares that as a reward for their work during the semester, the area in which the students conducted their work became part of the federal stimulus grant project; this means that some students might join the project and become a paid employee.

Though the partnership is only entering its second semester, the plans are to continue working with the two companies through the future.

It's a real partnership, and Marion Ano, who is part of The Nature Conservancy, worked with Kuntz and the students to help bring this project to life.

As a result of all of the work that was done, KCC created a plot in the bay where students will be able to return and conduct long-term monitoring of algae removal.

According to Kuntz, the students who worked on this project found that working on a real solution in a community was extremely gratifying and helps them to get excited about achieving the planned goals.

"I highly recommend this class for anybody interested in the environment or biology," said Chulakote.

The chance to be able to do some of the work that is practiced by consvervation professionals is very valuable for students.

The class also has had the opportunity to go on other field trips as well, including a trip to the Hakalau refuge on the Big Island.

To check out some of the students' posters and photos, go to the STEM center located in Koki'o 202.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Biology

Sunday, January 31, 2010

“Recessions Are Perfectly Natural, Literally - The Business Insider” plus 3 more

“Recessions Are Perfectly Natural, Literally - The Business Insider” plus 3 more

January 31, 2010 in Outdoors

Events galore for nordic skiers

Outdoor programs dropped at KXLY

Safari Club holds fundraiser

Saturday, January 30, 2010

“COSI brings weather to life at Lincoln - Coshocton Tribune” plus 3 more

“COSI brings weather to life at Lincoln - Coshocton Tribune” plus 3 more

Friday, January 29, 2010

“ROGER BEACHY TO DELIVER DINNER SPEECH AT USDA'S 2010 AGRICULTURAL ... - USDA.gov (press release)” plus 3 more

“ROGER BEACHY TO DELIVER DINNER SPEECH AT USDA'S 2010 AGRICULTURAL ... - USDA.gov (press release)” plus 3 more

Thursday, January 28, 2010

“Researchers Make Neurons from Skin Cells - Softpedia” plus 3 more

“Researchers Make Neurons from Skin Cells - Softpedia” plus 3 more

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

“Budget cuts swell class sizes at University of Washington (700 ... - Democratic Underground.com” plus 3 more

“Budget cuts swell class sizes at University of Washington (700 ... - Democratic Underground.com” plus 3 more

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