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Bittersweet: Bait-averse cockroaches shudder at sugar
Sugar isn't always sweet to German cockroaches. In a new study, researchers show that glucose sets off bitter receptors in roach taste buds, causing roaches to avoid foods that bring on this taste-bud reaction.
Imaginary Squabbles Part 2: Krugman and DeLong on Ireland
Alan Reynolds
A short 2010 article of mine in Politico, which still annoys Paul Krugman and Brad DeLong, dealt with Ireland’s brief effort to restrain spending, which (while it lasted) was smarter than imposing uncompetitive tax rates as Greece had done.
Krugman ridiculed my Politico article in at least four columns. Show More Summary
New target to boost plant resistance to insects and pathogens identified
Plants have evolved unique and sophisticated immune systems to defend themselves against insects and pathogens. Plant hormones called jasmonates play an important role in this defense, but jasmonates have been found to also be important for plant growth. Show More Summary
New screening approach uncovers potential alternative drug therapies for neuroblastoma
Nearly two-thirds of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma -- a common tumor that forms in the nerve cells of children -- cannot be cured using tumor-killing cancer drugs. A new study reveals a new genomic approach to screen for compounds that inhibit tumor growth by causing cancer cells to differentiate. Show More Summary
Accurate distance measurement resolves major astronomical mystery
Astronomers have resolved a major problem in their understanding of a class of stars that undergo regular outbursts by accurately measuring the distance to a famous example of the type.
Sheldon Whitehouse Stands Up For History
Well, okay, so he schools Chuck Grassley on the meaning of “pack the court:” Go to the one minute mark. (Yes, I know it wasn’t FDR’s best moment, but I’m still using the category “FDR owns everyone” because, well, he does.)
Cradle turns smartphone into handheld biosensor
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers and physicians in the field could soon run on-the-spot tests for environmental toxins, medical diagnostics, food safety and more with their smartphones. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researchers...Show More Summary
Getting Acclimated
Today was a down day to catch up on things after my travel to Cyprus. Surprisingly, jet lag has not been a problem. I was able to catch up on some research work and some departmental work, so it was … Continue reading ?
Multiple research teams unable to confirm high-profile Alzheimer's study
Teams of highly respected Alzheimer's researchers failed to replicate what appeared to be breakthrough results for the treatment of this brain disease when they were published last year in the journal Science. read more
Schools should provide opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity to all students
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Gold nanocrystal vibration captured on billion-frames-per-second film
A billon-frames-per-second film has captured the vibrations of gold nanocrystals in stunning detail for the first time.
Molecule that triggers sensation of itch discovered
Scientists report they have discovered in mouse studies that a small molecule released in the spinal cord triggers a process that is later experienced in the brain as the sensation of itch.
Adult day services for dementia patients provide stress relief to family caregivers
Family caregivers of older adults with dementia are less stressed and their moods are improved on days when dementia patients receive adult day services (ADS), according to Penn State researchers. "Caregivers who live with and care for...Show More Summary
Link between war support and PTSD, time it late in negotiations and courtship by narcissists
Public level of support for war influences soldier PTSD read more
Biophysicists measure mechanism that determines fate of living cells
For the first time, biophysicists have measured the molecular force required to mechanically transmit function-regulating signals within a cell. A new laboratory method, named the tension gauge tether approach, has made it possible to detect and measure the mechanics of the single-molecule interaction by which human cell receptors are activated.
A quantum simulator for magnetic materials
Physicists have developed a quantum simulator that allows arranging atoms in a way that they mimic the behavior of electrons in magnetic materials. The experiment opens up the possibility of systematically studying poorly understood properties of novel materials. The fresh insights might lead to designs for new magnetic materials.
Researchers find common childhood asthma unconnected to allergens or inflammation
NEW YORK (May 23, 2013) -- Little is known about why asthma develops, how it constricts the airway or why response to treatments varies between patients. Now, a team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, Columbia University...Show More Summary
Drug reverses Alzheimer's disease deficits in mice
An anti-cancer drug reverses memory deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model, new research shows. The article reviewed previously published findings on the drug bexarotene, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
Depression common among children with temporal lobe epilepsy
A new study determined that children and adolescents with seizures involving the temporal lobe are likely to have clinically significant behavioral problems and psychiatric illness, especially depression. Findings published in Epilepsia,...Show More Summary
Scientists offer first definitive proof of bacteria-feeding behavior in green algae
Researchers have captured images of green alga consuming bacteria, offering a glimpse at how early organisms dating back more than 1 billion years may have acquired free-living photosynthetic cells. This acquisition is thought to beShow More Summary
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