المؤسسة العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا : أخبار العلوم والتكنولوجيا

1.	The public looks at synthetic biology -- cautiously (Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies) A new poll conducted by Hart Research Associates and the Synthetic Biology Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center finds that two-thirds of Americans think that synthetic biology should move forward, but with more research to study its possible effects on humans and the environment, while one-third support a ban until we better understand its implications and risks. More than half of Americans believe the federal government should be involved in regulating synthetic biology.


2.	IEEE-USA urges Congress to permanently extend R&D tax credit (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (IEEE-USA) IEEE-USA urges Congress to make the research and development tax credit permanent. The White House made the proposal today.


3.	Portable laser backpack revolutionizes 3-D mapping (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Air Force Office of Scientific Research) A portable, laser backpack for 3-D mapping has been developed at the University of California, Berkeley, where it is being hailed as a breakthrough technology capable of producing fast, automatic and realistic 3-D mapping of difficult interior environments.


4.	LSU's WAVCIS director says oil remains below surface, will come ashore in pulses (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Louisiana State University) Gregory Stone, director of LSU's WAVCIS Program and also of the Coastal Studies Institute in the university's School of the Coast & Environment, disagrees with published estimates that more than 75 percent of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident has disappeared.


5.	UCLA, Japanese company to collaborate on specialized nano-imaging instrumentation (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (University of California - Los Angeles) Hamamatsu will work with CNSI researchers on efforts to apply nanoscience and nanotechnology to projects having global importance in health, medicine, energy, the environment. Together they will work on new instruments that advance the field of nanolevel optical imaging.


6.	First discovery of bilirubin in a flower announced (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (American Society for Horticultural Science) A research team led by Cary Pirone from the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University has identified bilirubin in the popular Bird of Paradise plant. The breakthrough study, published in the September 2010 issue of the American Society for Horticultural Science's journal HortScience, provides new insights into color production in this iconic tropical plant.


7.	Report issued today examines improving long-term climate forecasts (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science) Operational forecasting centers produce climate predictions that provide input for important decisions regarding water management, agriculture, and energy. Published today, "Assessment of Intraseasonal to Interannual Climate Prediction and Predictability," a report from the National Research Council/NAS, examines current predictive capabilities and identifies opportunities for improvement.


8.	Twins are intriguing research subjects for Notre Dame biometircs researchers (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (University of Notre Dame) Kevin Bowyer and Patrick Flynn of the University of Notre Dame's Department of Computer Science and Engineering are examining how iris discrimination performs in twins to confirm prior claims that biometrics is capable of differentiating between twins.


9.	Cloud computing method greatly increases gene analysis (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have developed new software that greatly improves the speed at which scientists can analyze RNA sequencing data. The software, known as Myrna, uses "cloud computing," an Internet-based method of sharing computer resources. Faster, cost-effective analysis of gene expression could be a valuable tool in understanding the genetic causes of disease.


10.	USDA scientists, cooperators create the first genomic map of the domesticated turkey (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (United States Department of Agriculture-Research, Education, and Economics) US Department of Agriculture researchers and their university colleagues have sequenced the majority of the genome of Meleagris gallopavo, the domesticated turkey, creating the first-ever turkey genome map.


11.	Study shows nano-architectured aluminum has steely strength (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (North Carolina State University) A North Carolina State University researcher and colleagues have figured out a way to make an aluminum alloy, or a mixture of aluminum and other elements, just as strong as steel.


12.	Scientists make leap forward in early detection for Alzheimer's and cancer (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (National Physical Laboratory) Scientists at the UK's National Physical Laboratory have developed a new strategy for quicker and more precise detection of biomarkers -- proteins which indicate disease. The work could pave the way for new tools to detect early stages of Alzheimer's and cancer at the molecular level.


13.	Risoe mapping wind resources in China (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Risoe National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, the Technical University of Denmark) For the past four years, Risoe DTU has been involved in mapping the wind resources in the Dongbei region in north-eastern China. This work is now complete, and the results are paving the way for planning wind farms in the area with guaranteed high levels of power generation.


14.	Confectionery and chocolate engineering: Principles and applications (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Wiley-Blackwell) The manufacture of chocolate and confectionery owes as much to art as it does science with commercial production representing the union of traditional handcraft with large scale industry. "Confectionery and Chocolate Engineering: Principles and Applications" draws on over 40 years of Professor Ferenc Mohos' inside experience to reveal how the scientific principles of food engineering can be applied to this unique industry.


15.	Re-thinking the concrete jungle (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (University of Leeds) Think concrete, think drab 1960s tower blocks? Think again.University of Leeds engineers are working with the artist Victoria Ferrand Scott to exploit the untapped potential of architecture's "ugly duckling" as a versatile and even sensuous sculptural material.


16.	Use of informatics, EMRs enable genetic study of vascular disease (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (American Medical Informatics Association) Scientific research published in the current issue of JAMIA reports on a study of genetic variants that influence PAD, made possible by leveraging electronic medical records.


17.	NIST researchers hear puzzling new physics from graphene quartet's quantum harmonies (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) Using a one-of-a-kind instrument designed and built at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, researchers have discovered an unexpected and tantalizing set of energy levels in graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon with potentially revolutionary electronic properties, when the material is exposed to extremely low temperatures and extremely high magnetic fields.


18.	American Society of Human Genetics to host 60th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (American Society of Human Genetics) The world?s top scientists and clinicians in the human genetics field will gather in Washington, D.C., to present their latest research findings at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, from Tuesday, November 2, through Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Register to attend the ASHG 2010 meeting, which will provide press attendees with significant information about cutting-edge developments in human genetics and genomics research.


19.	Neurogenetic studies show proprietary compound reduces brain plaques linked to Alzheimer's (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Gable PR) In the Sept. 9 issue of Neuron, Neurogenetic Pharmaceuticals reports proof of concept studies that show its proprietary compound, NGP 555, is effective in preventing the amyloid pathology of Alzheimer's disease in a transgenic mouse model. Early detection, treatment would represent an important advance in preventing AD or hindering its progression to dementia. The study further demonstrates that following chronic treatment with the NGP compound, the mice were devoid of gastrointestinal side effects.


20.	Saving a million acre-feet of water through conservation and efficiency in California (Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security) A new Pacific Institute analysis identifies specific actions that can annually save a million acre-feet of water in California quickly and at lower economic and ecological cost than developing new supplies. Water conservation and efficiency improvements from urban and agricultural sectors are central components of any portfolio of solutions for California's water problems: the report identifies the water-savings and offers strategies for financing and implementing them. Addressing the state's persistent water supply challenges cannot wait.


21.	A more robust, reliable Internet (Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Washington University in St. Louis) A computer scientist at Washington University in St. Louis is part of a collaborative team that is one of four project teams chosen by the National Science Foundation to pursue ways to build a more robust, secure and reliable Internet. Patrick Crowley, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science & engineering and researchers from nine other institutions received one of NSF's "Future Internet Architecture" program awards to create a new Internet architecture.


22.	NASA saw strong T-storms in quick-forming Hermine's center, warm water to power it (Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Storm Hermine formed very quickly yesterday in the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and northeastern Mexico and southeastern Texas are now bearing the brunt of the storm. Infrared imagery taken from NASA's AIRS instrument showed a quick organization of strong thunderstorms around Hermine's center of circulation and very warm Gulf waters that powered her up.


23.	NIH expands key pharmacogenomics resource (Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences) NIH is spending $15 million over five years to expand a key resource, the Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base. This freely available, curated Web-based resource is a centralized hub that collects, analyzes and integrates data for national and international researchers. It identifies biochemical pathways influenced by specific drugs and provides detailed summaries of key genes that influence individual response to a broad array of medicines.


24.	UCSF receives $15 million to advance personalized medicine (Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (University of California - San Francisco) UCSF scientists will receive two grants totaling $15.1 million over the next five years to expand their research into how genes affect an individual's response to medication and to strengthen a global network of researchers involved in these efforts.


25.	Computer-based video analysis boosts data gathering in behavioral studies (Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT) (Brown University) Thomas Serre, assistant professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences at Brown, and colleagues at MIT and Caltech have developed a computer-based system that can learn how to identify behaviors of interest and then analyze many hours of video. The team describes the system in Nature Communications.