May 9, 1998
| References | Sources |
Full
Text Available for Selected Articles
News of the Week:
Gamma-Ray Burst Makes Quite a Bang
A gamma-ray burst from a galaxy 12 billion light-years from Earth packed 100 times more energy than a supernova explosion.
References:
Halpern, J.P., et al. Optical afterglow of the g -ray burst of 14 December 1997. Nature 393(May 7):41.
Kulkarni, S.R., S.G. Djorgovski, et al. 1998. Identification of a host galaxy at redshift z = 3.42 for the g -ray burst of 14 December 1997. Nature 393(May 7):35.
Paczynski, B. 1998. Are gamma-ray bursts in star-forming regions? Astrophysical Journal Letters 494(February 10):L45.
Further Readings:
Cowen, R. 1997. Gamma-ray burst mystery continues. Science News 151(May 17):305.
Gene variants linked to childhood IQ
Scientists have for the first time identified a specific gene that appears to be one of many contributing to high intelligence, at least as assessed on a standard IQ test.
References:
Chroney, M.J. . . .R. Plomin. 1998. A quantitative trait locus associated with cognitive ability in children. Psychological Science 9(May):159.
Pollution conundrum has fishy
solution
When spawning fish die, they may deposit a lifetime’s worth of pollutants into freshwater sites far from where the contaminants were accumulated.
References:
Ewald, G., et al. 1998. Biotransport of organic pollutants to an Inland Alaska lake by migrating sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Arctic 51(March):40.
Further Readings:
Raloff, J. 1996. The pesticide shuffle. Science News 149(March 16):174.
______. 1995. Fishy clues to a toxaphene puzzle. Science News 148(July 15):38.
Mouse tests hint at protein's role in lupus
Programmed cell death is disrupted, leading to autoimmune symptoms similar to those of lupus in humans, when mice lack a protein that aids the immune system.
References:
Botto, M. . . .M.J. Walport. 1998. Homozygous C1q deficiency causes glomerulonephritis associated with multiple apoptotic bodies. Nature Genetics 19(May):56.
Carroll, M.C. 1998. The lupus paradox. Nature Genetics 19(May):3.
Further Readings:
1996. Inefficient protein tied to lupus. Science News 149(March 16):171.
Casciola-Rosen, L.A, et al. 1996. Surface blebs on apoptotic cells are sites of enhanced procoagulant activity: Implications for coagulation events and antigenic spread in systemic lupus erythematosus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 93:1624.
Fackelmann, K.A. 1994. Gene therapy corrects mouse lupus. Science News 145(March 19):180.
Mills, J.A. 1994. Systemic lupus erythematosus. New England Journal of Medicine 330(June 30):1871.
Rosen, A., L.A. Casciola-Rosen, and J. Ahearn. 1995. Novel packages of viral and self-antigens are generated during apoptosis. Journal of Experimental Medicine 181:1557.
Space dust may rain destruction on Earth
Extraterrestrial dust may sometimes flood Earth's atmosphere with enough debris to trigger a prolonged climatic crisis and extinctions.
References:
Kortenkamp, S.J., and S.F. Dermott. 1998. A 100,000-year periodicity in the accretion rate of interplanetary dust. Science 280(May 8):874.
Further Readings:
Farley, K.A., and D.B. Patterson. 1995. A 100-kyr periodicity in the flux of extraterrestrial 3He to the sea floor. Nature 378(Dec. 7):600.
Monastersky, R. 1997. The big chill. Science News 152(Oct. 4):220.
Muller, R.A., and G.J. MacDonald. 1997. Glacial cycles and astronomical forcing. Science 277(July 11):215.
Basing transistors on lone carbon nanotubes
A microscopic tube of carbon atoms lying across a pair of metal electrodes can operate as a simple transistor at room temperature.
References:
Tans, S.J., A.R.M. Verschueren, and C. Dekker. 1998. Room-temperature transistor based on a single carbon nanotube. Nature 393(May 7):49.
Further Readings:
Peterson, I. 1997. One-way molecules channel electric current. Science News 152(Nov. 8):293.
Putting the squeeze on grapefruit juice
Scientists have identified the compound in grapefruit juice that may increase the potency of many drugs.
References:
He, K. . . . P.F. Hollenberg. 1998. Inactivation of cytochrome P450 3A4 by bergamottin, a component of grapefruit juice. Chemical Research in Toxicology 11(April):252.
Further Readings:
Fackelmann, K.A. 1991. Grapefruit juice gives drug an added punch. Science News 139(Feb. 9):85.
Lown, K.S., D.G. Balley, et al. 1997. Grapefruit juice increases felodipine oral availability in humans by decreasing intestinal CYP3A protein expression. Journal of Clinical Investigation 99:1.
Raloff, J. 1997. Deciphering the grapefruit juice effect. Science News 151(May 24):327.
Why aren’t there more cannibals around?
Tiger salamanders that eat members of their own species provide the first laboratory demonstration that an increased risk of disease limits the evolution of cannibalism.
References:
Crump, M.L. 1990. Possible enhancement of growth in tadpoles through cannibalism. Copeia 1990:560.
Meffe, G.K., and M.L. Crump. 1987. Possible growth and reproductive benefits of cannibalism in the mosquitofish. American Naturalist 129:203.
Pfenning, D.W., S.G. Ho, and E.A. Hoffman. 1998. Pathogen transmission as a selective force against cannibalism. Animal Behaviour 55(May):1255.
Further Readings:
Elgar, M.A., and B.J. Crespi. 1992. Cannibalism: Ecology and evolution among diverse taxa. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Pennisi, E. 1993. Kinship ties influence behavior, morphology. Science News 143(May 1):278.
Pfenning, D.W. 1997. Kinship and cannibalism. Bioscience 47(November):667.
Research Notes
Biology
New clue hints at how anthrax killsThe lethal component of the anthrax toxin may disrupt a cell’s internal signaling.
References:
Duesbery, N.S., et al. 1998. Proteolytic inactivation of MAP-Kinase-Kinase by anthrax lethal factor. Science 280(May 1):734.
Patenting the Minotaur?
In a move to oppose the patenting of genetically engineered life-forms, two people have filed for a patent on the creation of creatures composed of both animal and human cells.
References:
Coyne, P.J. 1998. Protection of Ideas, Outline of Intellectual Property Law. From the law offices of Collier, Shannon, Rill & Scott, PLLC.
Biomedicine
Get Granny to speed up those legs liftsRapid weight-lifting exercises appear to improve an older person's ability to rise from a chair or break a fall.
References:
Signorile, J., P. Suidmak, and M.H. Campbell. 1998. High speed training causes speed-specific increases in power and strength in an elderly population. Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. FASEB Journal Abstract 1919. April. San Francisco.
Further Readings:
Raloff, J. 1996. Vanishing flesh. Science News 150(Aug. 10):90.
______. 1994. Pumping iron aids seniors. Science News 145(June 25):405.
Exercise does not spur AIDS course
Muscle training to counteract the wasting that often accompanies AIDS didn’t exacerbate the disease.
References:
Roubenoff, R., et al. 1998. Acute exercise does not raise HIV RNA in adults despite activation of an acute phase response. Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. FASEB Journal Abstract 1915. April. San Francisco.
Further Readings:
Raloff, J. 1995. Troubling insights into AIDS wasting. Science News 147(April 22):254.
Earth Science
Antarctic ice shelf loses large pieceSatellite images suggest that an Antarctic ice sheet may be collapsing.
References:
Information and satellite images are available at the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s Web site: http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu./NSIDC/LARSEN/larsenb.html.
Further Readings:
Doake, C.S.M., et al. 1998. Breakup and conditions for stability of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Nature 391(Feb. 19):778.
Recent years are warmest since 1400
Temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere have climbed higher in the last decade than at any other time in the past 6 centuries.
References:
Mann, M.E., R.S. Bradley, and M.K. Hughes. 1998. Global-scale temperature patterns and climate forcing over the past six centuries. Nature 392(April 23):779.
Further Readings:
Hegerl, G. 1998. The past as guide to the future. Nature 392(April 23):258.
Jones, P. 1998. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Science 280(April 24):544.
Nutrition
Strong bones: A sodium connection?Differences between blacks and whites in sodium retention, which may influence blood pressure and bone density, may begin before adulthood.
References:
Palacios, C. . . .C.M. Weaver. 1998. Comparison of sodium excretion between white and black female adolescents from a metabolic study. Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. FASEB Journal Abstract 1276. April. San Francisco.
Further Readings:
1986. Historical roots of hypertension. Science News 129(May 3):280.
Cowen, R. 1990. Salt’s added injury to arteries. Science News 137(April 14):238.
Fackelmann, K.A. 1992. Calcium guards against hypertension. Science News 142(Nov. 21):340.
______. 1991. The African gene? Science News 140(Oct. 19):254.
Silberner, J. 1986. Salt-sensitive genes. Science News 130(Nov. 29):349.
______. 1985. Calcium as antihypertensive agent? Science News 128(Dec. 14):372.
Tallying wheat bran’s gutsy benefits
A new analysis of animal studies confirms that diets rich in wheat bran protect against colon cancer.
References:
Klurfeld, D.M., C. Kincaid, and V.L. Fulgoni III. 1998. Wheat bran and colon carcinogenesis in rodents: A meta-analysis. Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. FASEB Journal Abstract 4818. April. San Francisco.
Articles:
Hot-Blooded ProteinsHeat-loving enzymes stay cool under stress
Researchers have synthesized proteins to survive boiling-hot temperatures.
References:
Arnold. F.H. 1998. Enzyme engineering reaches the boiling point. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95(March 3):2035.
______. 1998. Design by directed evolution. Accounts of Chemical Research 31(March):125.
Jiang, X., E.J. Bishop, and R.S. Farid. 1997. A de novo designed protein with properties that characterize natural hyperthermophilic proteins. Journal of the American Chemical Society 119(Jan. 29):838.
Van Den Burg, B., et al. 1998. Engineering an enzyme to resist boiling. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95(March 3):2056.
Further Readings:
1996. New twigs on the third branch of life. Science News 150(Sept. 14):170.
Jenson, M.N. 1998. Worms' hot ends set thermal record. Science News 153(Feb. 21):126.
Lipkin, R. 1995. A model reveals proteins’ bold fold. Science News 147(March 18):164.
______. 1995. Enzyme helps microorganism thrive in heat. Science News 147(March 11):150.
______. 1994. From proteins to protolife. Science News 146(July 23):58.
Monastersky, R. 1997. Deep dwellers. Science News 151(March 29):192.
Pennisi, E. 1994. Fastest (growing) worms in the world. Science News 146(Oct. 22):260.
Travis, J. 1996. Live long and prosper. Science News 150(Sept. 28):201.
______. 1996. Third branch of life bares its genes. Science News 150(Aug. 24):116.
Schmidt, K.F. 1993. Evolution in a test tube. Science News 144(Aug. 7):90.
Smaglik, P. 1997. Hardy synthetic patterned after nature. Science News 151(March 8):146.
Strauss, E. 1997. How proteins take shape. Science News 152(Sept. 6):155.
Wu, C. 1997. Understanding how proteins fold. Science News 152(Oct. 25):270.
Zhao, H., et al. 1998. Molecular evolution by staggered extension process (StEP) in vitro recombination. Nature Biotechnology 16(March):258.
Good Health Requires Good Gums
Periodontal infections have ties to many ailments
Gum disease is being linked to osteoporosis and heart disease.
References:
Beck, J. . . . S. Offenbacher. 1998. Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. February. Philadelphia.
Herzberg, M.C., and M.W. Meyer. 1998. Effects of oral flora on platelets: Possible consequences in cardiovascular disease. Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. February. Philadelphia.
Offenbacher, S. . . . J. Beck. 1998. Periodontal infection as a possible risk factor for preterm low birth weight. Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. February. Philadelphia.
Wactawski-Wende, J., R.J. Genco, et al. 1998. Factors affecting bone metabolism leading to osteoporosis, periodontitis and tooth loss in postmenopausal women: NHANES III. Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. February. Philadelphia.
Further Readings:
Fackelmann, K. 1997. Harbinger of a heart attack. Science News 151(June 14):374.
