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News of the Week:
Alcoholism
Shows Its Youthful Side
People who began drinking alcohol before age 15 exhibit much greater rates of serious alcohol problems than those who started imbibing at a later age.
References:
Grant, B.F., and D.A. Dawson. 1998. Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse 9(January):103.
Further Readings:
Bower, B. 1993. Delinquent developments. Science News 143(May 1):282.
Built-in drugs could target tissues
Proteins containing non-natural, pharmaceutically active amino acids could serve as vehicles for delivering the drugs.
References:
Budisa, N., et al. 1998. Residue-specific bioincorporation of non-natural, biologically active amino acids into proteins as possible drug carriers: Structure and stability of the per-thiaproline mutant of annexin V. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95(January):455.
Further Readings:
Smaglik, P. 1997. Swapping insulin syringes for tiny beads. Science News 151(March 29):189.
Wu, C. 1996. Gels can give drugs a timely release. Science News 150(Sept. 7):159.
Tinnitus location found in
the brain
Using positron emission tomography, researchers have pinpointed where the brain registers a ringing in the ears.
References:
Lockwood, A.H., et al. 1998. The functional neuroanatomy of tinnitus: Evidence for limbic system links and neural plasticity. Neurology(Jan. 22):1.
Further Readings:
Flor, H., et al. 1995. Phantom-limb pain as a perceptual correlate of cortical reorganization following arm amputation. Nature 375:482.
Recanzone, G.H., C.E. Schreiner, and M.M. Merzenich. 1993. Plasticity in the frequency representation of primary auditory cortex following discrimination training in adult owl monkeys. Journal of Neuroscience 13:87.
Mercury mystery solved when sparks fly
Light flashes of mercury in glass tubes, a phenomenon known as "barometer light," is caused by the buildup of static electricity.
References:
Budakian, R. . . . S.J. Putterman. 1998. Picosecond discharges and stick-slip friction at a moving meniscus of mercury on glass. Nature 391(Jan. 15):266.
Reports raise questions about Martian rock
Two new studies chip away at--but do not entirely undermine--the case that a meteorite from Mars contains fossils of ancient life on the Red Planet.
References:
Bada, J.L., et al. 1998. A search for endogenous amino acids in Martian meteorite ALH84001. Science 279(Jan. 16):382.
Jull, A.J.T., et al. Isotopic evidence for a terrestrial source of organic compounds found in Martian meteorites Allan Hills 8400 and Elephant Moraine 79001. Science 279(Jan. 16):366.
Further Readings:
Cowen, R. 1998. Fossils from Mars: Point, counterpoint. Science News 153(Jan. 3):11.
______. 1997. C'est la vie. Science News 152(Nov. 1):284.
______. 1997. Meteorite still holds inklings of life. Science News 151(March 29):190.
______. 1997. More findings about life on the Red Planet. Science News 151(Feb. 8):87.
______. 1996. Searching for life in a Martian meteorite. Science News 150(Dec. 14):380.
______. 1996. Interplanetary odyssey. Science News 150(Sept. 28):204.
______. 1996. Meteorite hints at early life on Mars. Science News 150(Aug. 10):84.
Novel X rays highlight clogging arteries
A new nuclear medicine technology appears capable of detecting atherosclerosis painlessly--before symptoms occur.
References:
Elmaleh, D.R., et al. 1998. Rapid noninvasive detection of experimental atherosclerotic lesions with novel 99mTc-labeled diadenosine tetraphosphates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95(Jan. 20):691.
Neutrinos to survey Earth's
radioactivity
Detecting antineutrinos generated by terrestrial radioactive decay could provide a direct measurement of Earth's radioactive heat production.
References:
Raghavan, R.S., et al. 1998. Measuring the global radioactivity in the earth by multidetector antineutrino spectroscopy. Physical Review Letters 80(Jan. 19):635.
Rothschild, C.G., M.C. Chen, and F.P. Calaprice. Preprint. Antineutrino geophysics with liquid scintillation detectors. Available at http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/nucl-ex/9710001.
Further Readings:
Monastersky, R. 1993. Using neutrino telescopes to undress Earth. Science News 144(Dec. 18&25):405.
Protein gives the heads-up to frog embryos
By manipulating a newly discovered protein involved in the development of a head during embryo growth, investigators have produced tadpoles with enlarged heads, two heads, or no head at all.
References:
Glinka, A. . . . C. Niehrs. 1998. Dickkopf-1 is a member of a new family of secreted proteins and functions in head induction. Nature 391(Jan. 22):357.
Further Readings:
Glinka, A. . . . C. Niehrs. 1997. Head induction by simultaneous repression of Bmp and Wnt signalling in Xenopus. Nature 389(Oct. 2):517.
Astronomy
Homing in on Milky Way's black hole
New measurements add to the evidence that the center of the galaxy contains a black hole as massive as 2.6 million suns.
References:
1998. Press briefing of the American Astronomical Society. Washington, D.C.
Planet stages a comeback
One year after a researcher had cast doubt on the finding that a nearby, sunlike star has its own planet, three new studies uphold the initial discovery.
References:
Brown, T.M., et al. Preprint. A search for line-shape and depth variations in 51 Pegasi and Tau Bootis. Astrophysical Journal Letters 494(Feb. 10).
Gray, D.F. 1998. A planetary companion for 51 Pegasi implied by absence of pulsations in the stellar spectra. Nature 391(Jan. 8):153.
Hatzes, A.P., W.D. Cochran, and E.J. Bakker. 1998. Further evidence for the planet around 51 Pegasi. Nature 391(Jan 8):154.
Further Readings:
Cowen, R. 1997. 51 Pegasi: A star without a planet? Science News 151(March 1):133.
Biomedicine
Leptin: The new gut buster?
The obesity hormone leptin triggered rats to lose fat, especially from their abdomens.
References:
Barzilai, N. . . . L. Rossetti. 1997. Leptin selectively decreases visceral adiposity and enhances insulin action. Journal of Clinical Investigation 100(Dec. 15):1.
Further Readings:
Pennisi, E. 1994. Fanfare over finding first fat gene. Science News 146(Dec. 3):372.
Travis, J. 1995. Mouse obesity cured by hormone. Science News 148(July 29):68.
Mother's milk contains leptin
A hormone thought to control obesity in humans has been discovered in breast milk.
References:
Houseknecht, K.L., et al. 1997. Leptin is present in human milk and is related to maternal plasma leptin concentration and adiposity. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 240:742.
Cloning debate erupts anew
A scientist has proposed cloning a human being, prompting the president to urge a ban on such efforts.
Biology
Prozac works on clams and mussels
Giving Prozac to fingernail clams and zebra mussels jump-started reproductive behavior.
References:
Fong, P.F., et al. 1997. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) induce spawning and parturition in freshwater bivalves. Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Boston.
Further Readings:
Additional information can be found at http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/sgnis/.
1992. Zebra mussels: Biology, impacts, and control. Nalepa, T., and D.W. Schloesser, eds. Boca Raton, Fla.: Lewis Publications.
Ram, J., et al. 1996. Physiological aspects of zebra mussel reproduction: Maturation, spawning, and fertilization. American Zoologist 36(June):326.
Young armadillos just wanna be friends
Although adult armadillos tend to be hostile to each other, young armadillos calmly accept both related and unrelated juveniles.
References:
Loughry, J., et al. 1998. Behavioral interactions between juvenile nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in staged encounters. American Midland Naturalist 139(January):125.
Supermales even more superior outdoors
Plants that test out in a greenhouse as supermales may turn out to father even more seeds when set out in the wild.
References:
Mitchell, R., and D.L. Marshall. 1998. Nonrandom mating and sexual selection in a desert mustard: An experimental approach. American Journal of Botany 85(Jan. 1):48.
A relative of nicotine eases pain
A compound related to nicotine may match morphine's pain-killing prowess and have fewer side effects.
References:
Bannon, A.W. . . . S.P. Arneric. 1998. Broad-spectrum, non-opioid analgesic activity by selective modulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Science 279(Jan. 2):77.
Further Readings:
Pennisi, E. 1992. Pharming frogs. Science News 142(July 18):40.
The instruments of cell suicide
Two newly discovered proteins help a cell carve up its DNA when it kills itself.
References:
Enari, M. . . . S. Nagata. 1998. A caspase-activated DNase that degrades DNA during apoptosis, and its inhibitor ICAD. Nature 391(Jan 1)>:3.
Wyllie, A. 1998. An endonuclease at last. Nature 391(Jan 1):20.
Articles:
Archaeologists go underground for enlightenment on ancient Maya
Major Maya settlements were linked with caves, which served as landmarks of political power and spiritual meaning.
References:
Brady, J.E. 1997. The role of caves at Dos Pilas. American Anthropology 99(September):602.
Highway, Heal Thyself
Cracking the code of self-healing asphalt could extend the life of roads
The chemical composition of asphalt might be modified to promote crack healing.
References:
Kim, Y., and Y.R. Kim. 1997. In-situ evaluation of fatigue damage growth and healing of asphalt concrete pavements using stress wave method. Transportation Research Record.
Further Readings:
1988. Bugs in the cracks. Science News 133(April 30):285.
Amato, I. 1989. Making concrete smarter than it looks. Science News 135(May 6):284.
Pennisi, E. 1992. Rubber to the road. Science News 141(March 7):155.
Weisburd, S. 1988. Hard science. Science News 134(July 9):24.
