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Science News for December 6, 2006


Planning for surge of disaster victims? Discharge the healthiest from every hospital, experts advise

A nationwide panel recommends ranking hospitalized patients by their risk level and assigning a score-based system to make decisions about discharging or transferring patients in emergency situations. This approach could safely empty 70% of hospital beds within 72 hours, improving resource allocation and patient care during disasters.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalThe Lancet·DateDec 6, 2006

Origin of inherited pain disorder pinpointed

Researchers pinpointed paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (PEPD) to specific porelike sodium channels in peripheral nerve cells, highlighting the role of such channel disorders in inflammatory pain. Mutations in SCN9A gene were found to be responsible for at least two-thirds of PEPD cases.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateDec 6, 2006

Protein's tail may be flu virus's achilles heel

Researchers at Rice University and UT Austin have identified a promising antiviral drug target in the long, flexible tail of the nucleoprotein protein. Minor changes to this region prevent the protein from fulfilling its role in structural columns that transmit viral copies.

SourceRice University·JournalNature·DateDec 6, 2006

All itches not created equal -- Different parts of brain activated depending on cause

Researchers found that different parts of the brain are activated depending on the cause of itching, with allergen-induced itches activating the supplementary motor and posterior parietal areas. Histamine-induced itches, on the other hand, activate a smaller area of the brain, suggesting a compulsion to scratch in those cases.

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Neurophysiology·DateDec 6, 2006

Psychologist to study how we put stress into words

A new project led by Dr Padraic Monaghan will investigate the mechanism of language processing that determines stress in words, potentially aiding the treatment of reading difficulties and second language learning. The research may also provide insights into neurological representations of language and recovery following brain injury.

Hotspots or not? Isotopes score one for traditional theory

A recent study in Nature supports the traditional theory of mantle plumes as the source of volcanic islands. Researchers found a close correlation between modeled and observed ratios of uranium-series isotopes across eight island locations, allowing them to estimate changes in temperature, speed, and size of mantle plumes.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature·DateDec 6, 2006

Brown scientists map structure of DNA-doctoring protein complex

Researchers at Brown University have solved the structure of a DNA-protein complex that aids in site-specific recombination, a process that allows mobile DNA to cut into chromosomes. The discovery provides new insights into how this process shapes species over time and its role in spreading antibiotic resistance and certain diseases.

SourceBrown University·JournalMolecular Cell·DateDec 6, 2006

Tracing the formation of long-term memory

A team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine has found a key component in the formation of long-term memory in fruit flies. The study showed that increased calcium influx into mushroom body neurons parallels the creation of new synapses associated with long-term memory, and can be blocked by specific laboratory techniques.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalNeuron·DateDec 6, 2006

Elusive rust resistance genes located

Researchers have identified a DNA marker that is 99% effective in flagging the presence of Lr34 and Yr18 rust resistance genes. This breakthrough enables breeders to quickly test seedlings for these genes, allowing them to incorporate durable rust resistance into new wheat varieties.

Study in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

A recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that palifermin clearance and tolerability are not affected by renal function. No dose adjustment is indicated for patients with impaired kidney function, allowing the drug to be used without restrictions.

SourceSAGE·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·DateDec 6, 2006

Blame our evolutionary risk of cancer on body mass

Scientists discovered that higher body mass, not lifespan, increases the risk of cancer due to telomerase expression. Rodents from various species showed a correlation between body size and telomerase activity, while human's don't express it in somatic cells, suggesting evolution prioritized cancer prevention over healing.

SourceUniversity of Rochester·JournalAging Cell·DateDec 6, 2006

Magnetic whirlpools feed Earth's magnetosphere

Researchers have discovered that giant whirlpools of electrically charged gas above the Earth inject electrified gas into the planet's magnetic environment. The whirlpools, known as Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, cause magnetic reconnection events that redirect plasma along new routes.

SourceEuropean Space Agency·JournalAnnales Geophysicae·DateDec 6, 2006