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 Friday, August 30, 2002
Sequence provides insights into a pathogen's virulence mechanism allowing for vaccine development. Scientists have analyzed the complete genome sequence of an emerging human pathogen, Streptococcus agalactiae (also known as group B streptococcus or "strep B"), which is a leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis in newborns and the source of life-threatening illnesses in a growing number of adults with deficient immune systems. Chiron Corporation, National Institutes of Health [EurekAlert - Biology]
Comparitive analysis of the genomes of pathogenic bacteria and closely related species will help us quickly learn why some types of bacteria are so infectious. Understanding emerging diseases will help us devlop more rapid responses to them. And, don't forget that TIGR is run by Venter's wife. TIGR has done a lot of really good things. Maybe not as splashy these days as Celera's work but extremely important in the scheme of things. 2:14:22 AM 
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Hibernators may hold the key for better human organ preservation. Hibernating ground squirrels are commonly seen around the golf courses, lawns and prairies of the American Midwest. Although a problem for groundskeepers because of their habit of digging holes, soon they could be famous for providing clues to keeping life-saving human transplant organs viable for extended periods of time. [EurekAlert - Biology]
These mammals are able to take their body temperature down to -2 degrees Celsius!! Talk about suspended hibernation. This sounds like a fascinating system and understanding how the squirrel does it will open a lot of doors. Especially if I want to cryogenically freeze myself at a later date;-) 2:05:37 AM
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Mother (nature) knows best. The simple sunflower seed may hold the key to reducing hypertension and associated loss of cognitive ability, and preventing debilitating strokes. A new research study may be an opening salvo in a new front in the war against strokes, the nation's third leading killer. [EurekAlert - Biology]
Linoleic acid, found in vegetable oils (also in hemp seeds!!), could be very helpful in reducing hypertension. But we aren't supposed to use vegetable olis for cooking or eating. I wonder if this is another aspect of our lowfat, high carbohydrate diets. We have reduced tremendously the amount of vegetable fats that we take in, because of the chances of heart disease, etc. But what if we need linoleic acid to help prevent hypertension? So, lowering fat intake and increasing carbs could have effects not only on obesity and diabetes but maybe on hypertension and heart disease. Oh my. What will happen if it turns out that the recommended diet actually is not helpful to a great many people? I love making hypotheses. There is some very interesting research that will have to be done to answer these sorts of questions. 2:01:34 AM
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Combining Rb2 gene with radiation therapy quickens tumor cell death, Temple researchers find. Temple University researchers have found that when they treated tumor cells in which the tumor supressing gene Rb2 has been transplanted with gamma radiation, there was an increase of almost 50 percent in the ability of the cells to destroy themselves through apoptosis. National Institutes of Health, Sbarro Health Research Organization [EurekAlert - Biology]
Approaches that enhance apoptosis (so-called programmed cell death) hold out a lot of promise. This report deals with test tube experiments using isolated tumor cells. What happens in a living person will take quite some time but these approaches are worth looking at. 1:52:55 AM
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Convergent technologies: Is your company ready for the future?. The convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science will have a substantial impact on companies and markets in the future. Though technology convergence is still only a concept, it is already beginning to define the global marketplace. [EurekAlert - Biology]
Doesn't the convergence of everything result in a Singularity?**grin** A very interesting press release, particlularly this quote: "Business and industry are already beginning to restructure themselves as network-based organizations follow fundamentally new management principles," states Techincal Insights Analyst Charles Joslin.
This is what Immunex had. If this is where others see companies need to move towards, I want to find out why they think so and if they have insights into how it is happening. 1:40:59 AM
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Researchers develop 'fingerprinting' for biological agents. Northwestern University scientists have developed a new method for detecting infectious diseases, including those associated with many bioterrorism and warfare threats such as anthrax, smallpox and HIV. The technique could enable researchers to create thousands of DNA detection probes made of gold nanoparticles with individual molecules attached. Much like human fingerprints, these molecules act as unique signals for the presence of biological agents. The method can easily distinguish smallpox's distinct "fingerprint" from that of HIV. National Science Foundation, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [EurekAlert - Biology]
This could be a very useful technique. They use gold nanoparticles to allow them to amplify the signal, using photographic technologies to deposit silver. This is a very sensitive system, although the article does not give any estimate of how sensitive the process is. I will defintitely check out the article in Science. 1:29:50 AM
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Hope for nano-scale delivery of medicine using a light beam to move liquid through tiny tubes. Medical researchers would like to use nano-scale tubes to push very tiny amounts of drugs dissolved in water to exactly where they are needed in the human body, but they need a pump. The solution [^] discovered by researchers at Arizona State University [^] is to create a system that does not rely on mechanical parts, but on light-responsive molecules to pull water when light is shown on the surface of the tube. National Science Foundation [EurekAlert - Biology]
Using light to push water up a tube. And they will have demonstration kits for people to look at. Very nice. Moving very small amounts of water around is hard. But if you can get away with shining light on it, thus removing any moving parts from the process, you could do some amazing things. I'll have to check this out some more. 1:24:30 AM
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Good legs teach bad legs to walk. An ingenious implant has helped two men paralysed on one side of their body to walk again. In the technique, developed in Japan, muscle sensors in the patient's able leg trigger impulses in electrodes implanted in the paralysed leg. The paralysed leg literally takes it cue from the good leg. Much of the previous research on legs has focused on paraplegia, but this work will help hemiplegic people, where only one leg is paralysed - which is far more prevalent. [EurekAlert - Biology]
What a nice idea. Use the good leg to control electrodes on the paralyzed leg, acting like the damaged nerves to contract the muscles. This could be very useful in a wide range of applications, particularly as the electronics, hardware, etc. get better and simpler. 1:19:05 AM
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Will fabled Northwest Passage open?. CNN Aug 29 2002 2:23PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
We just got back from a day trip to Victoria, BC. My son and I visited the Wax museum there and got to sit through a 7 minute presentation dealing with Franklin's attempt to find the Northwest Passage.He was one of the great explorers in the early 19th centure. They were stuck in ice for 3 years. No one knew what had happened to them for over 10 years. Although they had food for 5 years, they may very well have succumbed to lead poisoning (the tins used lead solder which would have leached into the food) and food poisoning (much of the tinned food was inadequately prepared and most likely was contaminated with deadly bacteria). We learned amore about the Northern part of Canada from all the expeditions trying to find Franklin than he ever provided. 1:07:22 AM
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Rival replacement for DVDs announced. New Scientist Aug 29 2002 2:19PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
Another standard for a blue laser DVD disk. These look to increase the data on a disk 5-8 fold. It will give something like 12 hours of high quality video. Nothing about whether it will be recordable but what will they have on them. There are few movies, etc. that would make the format worthwhile.I'm sure we will find something, probably High definition versions of movies. Meaning I will have to buy ALL new versions of all the movies I already have. Now I get it. come up with another must have technology so we have to update all our equipment. The stereo manufacturers are going the same road as the computer companies. But, for most people, the higher definition is not important. See why MP3 is bigger than SACD or DVD-audio. I think the main advantage of DVDs to most people is the convenience compared to tape, not the higher definition or added bonuses. 12:41:14 AM
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Marine biology: Fish meal. Nature Aug 29 2002 10:15PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]
The continuing controversy of Pfiesteria. Does it secrete a toxin or does it do its killing in another fashion? Since the scientists that claim to have toxin-producing strains will not share them with the scientists that claim there is no toxin, this controversy could go on a while. 12:30:49 AM
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Sweet step to hydrogen revolution [Nature Science Update]
A more in depth article about this potential breakthrough. If we can easily convert plant matter into hydrogen, watch out. Fuel cell technology has been making huge gains recently. I think Japan will be testing out fuel cells that run laptops. You have a little reservoir that holds some methanol. It can generate electricity for days. And, the by products of fuel cells is fresh water, a tantalizing resource that we will always need more of. This process of creating water releases carbon dioxide, but since it comes from the carbon dioxide that the plants take up, the overall change in the carbon cycle is zero. This could be really huge! 12:24:58 AM
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Federal Science Agencies Dole Out $6 Million for Math and Biology [GenomeWeb]
As someone who has written grants, I have lots of opinions about how the NIH/NSF gives out grants but, in the main, we have done a pretty great job with government-sponsored basic research. I think it is one of our great legacies for a democratic society that we are able to use public money to finance such ventures. Sure, there are some weird ones that but you need a few. However, some of these sound really neat:
- Probability and Statistics Problems Concerning DNA Sequence and Genome Evolution (Richard T. Durrett, Cornell University)
- Modeling the Acute Inflammatory Response (Carson C. Chow, University of Pittsburgh)
- New Algorithms for Modeling Flexibility in Proteins (Michael F. Thorpe, Michigan State University)
- Morphogen Systems: A Joint Math and Experimental Investigation (Frederic Y. Wan, University of California, Irvine)
- Modeling Evolution of Quantitative Traits with Finite Locus Effects in Structured Populations (Judith R. Miller, Georgetown University)
I have no idea what the last one is about but doesn't it just sound nice.
12:19:01 AM
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Okay, I want something that will directly feed in the song I am listening to into my postings from Radio, so everyone can see what I am listening to as I write. It may make it more obvious why my spelling sometimes goes to pot (It is a lot harder to type while I am singing at the top of my voice.).
Anyway, I have moved on from Uriah Heep to another favorite from They Might Be Giants (great movie and a great band). It is James K. Polk from Factory Showroom.This is just a fun one. Who would have ever thought someone would write a song detailing James K. Polk? Starts with these immortal words:
In 1844, the Democrats were split
The three nominees for the presidential candidate
Were Martin van Buren, a former President and an abolitionist, James Buchanan, a moderate, Louis Gas, a general and an expansionist
From Nashville came a dark horse riding up
He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump.
12:04:08 AM
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