- November 7, 2008
- 12:00 AM
- 1,229 views
Polytheism in Greece and Rome
by Nikolaos Markoulakis in Tropaion
Identifying the concept of polytheism and its difference in ancient Rome and Greece ... Read more »
Gladignow, B. (1998) Polytheismus. Handbuch religionswissenschaftlicher Grundbegriffe, 321-330.
- November 6, 2008
- 11:47 PM
- 2,434 views
Gender Differences in Depression and it’s Treatment
by Dr Shock in Dr Shock MD PhD
Women are more often affected by depression and this gender difference is consistent across all age groups.
Women are more likely than men to attempt suicide, but men are more likely to actually kill themselves.
Women are more likely than men to have what are termed atypical symptoms of depression.
Women are somewhat more likely than men to [...]... Read more »
Gorman, J M. (2006) Gender Differences in Depression and Response to Psychotropic Medication. Gender Medicine, 3(2). DOI: 16860269
- November 6, 2008
- 11:06 PM
- 1,205 views
A fine and private place
by iayork in Mystery Rays from Outer Space
Dicing with Death
By Abraham a Sancta Clara and Christoph Weigel, 1764
Why aren’t our bodies choked with T cells?
Whenever we’re infected with a microbe (which is often, even if we aren’t aware of it) our immune system reacts. As part of the reaction, T cells become activated, and as part of the activation, the T cells replicate, at [...]... Read more »
M. Prlic, & M. J. Bevan. (2008) Exploring regulatory mechanisms of CD8 T cell contraction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(43), 16689-16694. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0808997105
- November 6, 2008
- 09:00 PM
- 1,381 views
Scuppering the Program Pirates
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Professors the world over are worried about plagiarism: students simply lifting huge chunks from web pages and passing the thoughts and arguments off as their own. Then there are the Professors who steal from each other and publish their work in supposedly novel research papers and books and present it at conferences as original. This [...]... Read more »
Ameera Jadalla, & Ashraf Elnagar. (2008) PDE4Java: Plagiarism Detection Engine for Java source code: a clustering approach. International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining, 3(2), 121. DOI: 10.1504/IJBIDM.2008.020514
- November 6, 2008
- 06:50 PM
- 1,300 views
Firing Fungus
by Arunn in nOnoScience (a.k.a. Unruled Notebook)
Fungus eject their spores to the surrounding by different mechanisms. One such mechanism is the squirt gun type, the fluid dynamics of which is explained. ... Read more »
Yafetto, L., Carroll, L., Cui, Y., Davis, D., Fischer, M., Henterly, A., Kessler, J., Kilroy, H., Shidler, J., Stolze-Rybczynski, J.... (2008) The Fastest Flights in Nature: High-Speed Spore Discharge Mechanisms among Fungi. PLoS ONE, 3(9). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003237
- November 6, 2008
- 06:40 PM
- 1,125 views
Plastic tubes and pipette tips leach chemicals that botch experiments
by Ed Yong in Not Exactly Rocket Science
They say that a poor workman blames his tools but according to a new study, laboratory scientists may well have cause to. Reid Macdonald from the University of Alberta has found that some botched experiments may be due to chemicals leaching from the very plastic tubes that scientists use on an everyday basis.
Disposable plasticware like the ubiquitous Eppendorf tubes are a staple of laboratory research, as essential to a biologist as a mixing bowl is to a cook. They are always sterilised before........ Read more »
G. R. McDonald, A. L. Hudson, S. M. J. Dunn, H. You, G. B. Baker, R. M. Whittal, J. W. Martin, A. Jha, D. E. Edmondson, & A. Holt. (2008) Bioactive Contaminants Leach from Disposable Laboratory Plasticware. Science, 322(5903), 917-917. DOI: 10.1126/science.1162395
- November 6, 2008
- 06:00 PM
- 1,010 views
In the Journals - Wolbachia infection and protection agaist viral infection in insects
by GrumpyBob in Flies and Bikes
Wolbachia pipientis is a rather peculiar bacterium. It's an intracellular organism, and is found in a wide variety of tax, including nematodes, crustacea, and arachnids. About 20% of insect species are thought to have Wolbachia [...]... Read more »
L. M. Hedges, J. C. Brownlie, S. L. O'Neill, & K. N. Johnson. (2008) Wolbachia and Virus Protection in Insects. Science, 322(5902), 702-702. DOI: 10.1126/science.1162418
- November 6, 2008
- 09:00 AM
- 1,826 views
Japanese scientists clone dead mice
by Sandra Porter in Discovering Biology in a Digital World
What kind of dead animals are in your freezer? I used to be skeptical about the whole notion of cloning wooly mammoths. But this recent article in PNAS (1), makes the whole idea seem less far fetched.
Wakayamaa et. al. describe an amazing technical advance where scientists in Japan were able to derive clones from mice that had been frozen for 16 years at -20°C.
I'm guessing that this wasn't one of the freezers with an automatic defrost cycle.
Read the rest of this post... | Read the........ Read more »
S. Wakayama, H. Ohta, T. Hikichi, E. Mizutani, T. Iwaki, O. Kanagawa, & T. Wakayama. (2008) Production of healthy cloned mice from bodies frozen at -20 C for 16 years. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806166105
- November 6, 2008
- 02:52 AM
- 2,362 views
Suicidal Behavior as Sixth Axis in DSM V?
by Dr Shock in Dr Shock MD PhD
It is suggested in an editorial of the American Journal of Psychiatry that suicidal behavior be considered a separate diagnostic category documented on a sixth axis. Ridiculous. Suicidal behavior (death and attempts) is a symptom of various psychiatric conditions.
Their main concern is that during assessment, clinicians evaluate the principal diagnosis responsible for the chief [...]... Read more »
M. A. Oquendo, E. Baca-Garcia, J. J. Mann, & J. Giner. (2008) Issues for DSM-V: Suicidal Behavior as a Separate Diagnosis on a Separate Axis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(11), 1383-1384. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.08020281
E. Bromley, & J. T. Braslow. (2008) Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychiatric Training: A Role for the Social Sciences. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(11), 1396-1401. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.08050690
- November 6, 2008
- 01:09 AM
- 1,803 views
The New Placebo: Prescribing Positive Expectations with Real Drugs
by Walter Jessen in Highlight HEALTH
A recent study finds that many U.S. doctors regularly prescribe placebo treatments in the form of real drugs for medical care [1]. Most physicians surveyed view this practice as ethically permissible. The study also finds that many physicians are not fully transparent regarding the use of placebo treatments, and most commonly describe the placebo treatment [...]... Read more »
J. C Tilburt, E. J Emanuel, T. J Kaptchuk, F. A Curlin, & F. G Miller. (2008) Prescribing "placebo treatments": results of national survey of US internists and rheumatologists. BMJ, 337(oct23 2). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.a1938
- November 5, 2008
- 07:30 PM
- 1,356 views
African and Asian genome sequences: the last of the single human genome papers?
by dgmacarthur in Genetic Future
The latest issue of Nature is just as it should be: nearly wall-to-wall human genomics, with a special focus on personal genomics (more on that later).
The main event is a potential historical milestone: quite possibly the last two papers ever to be published in a major journal describing the sequencing of single human genomes. The papers, which both appear to be open access (kudos to Nature for that decision) describe the analysis of the first Asian genome by researchers at the Beijing Genomic........ Read more »
Jun Wang, Wei Wang, Ruiqiang Li, Yingrui Li, Geng Tian, Laurie Goodman, Wei Fan, Junqing Zhang, Jun Li, Juanbin Zhang.... (2008) The diploid genome sequence of an Asian individual. Nature, 456(7218), 60-65. DOI: 10.1038/nature07484
David R. Bentley, Shankar Balasubramanian, Harold P. Swerdlow, Geoffrey P. Smith, John Milton, Clive G. Brown, Kevin P. Hall, Dirk J. Evers, Colin L. Barnes, Helen R. Bignell.... (2008) Accurate whole human genome sequencing using reversible terminator chemistry. Nature, 456(7218), 53-59. DOI: 10.1038/nature07517
- November 5, 2008
- 06:00 PM
- 1,559 views
Hot Apple Cider...mmm...MY, you're such a nice person!
by Evil Monkey in Neurotopia
First of all, I just want to say that I am in a wonderful mood today. This day would have to totally kick puppies to ruin my mood. The only dark spot is Prop 8 in California.
But there is something else to make me happy! Check this out! I absolutely wanted one of these when I was a kid. Heck, I still want one.
ANYWAY. Welcome to option number 2 for Things I could Present at Journal Club! I welcome input! This is kind of due...um, ok, tomorrow. And I have to turn in my choice today.
I........ Read more »
L. E. Williams, & J. A. Bargh. (2008) Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth. Science, 322(5901), 606-607. DOI: 10.1126/science.1162548
- November 5, 2008
- 04:57 PM
- 1,541 views
Being excluded from a social group makes you feel cold -- literally
by Dave Munger in Cognitive Daily
I play soccer every week with an ever-changing group of people. We're all busy, and people get injured or lose interest, so every week the crowd is slightly different; it often feels like we need to re-acquaint ourselves before every game. The easiest way to do this is during warm-ups when small groups kick the ball around in a circle or take practice shots on goal.
If you arrive a little late, you might have to insinuate yourself into one of the groups by strolling up and hoping someone passes........ Read more »
Chen-Bo Zhong, & Geoffrey J. Leonardelli. (2008) Cold and Lonely: Does Social Exclusion Literally Feel Cold?. Psychological Science, 19(9), 838-842. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02165.x
- November 5, 2008
- 02:20 PM
- 926 views
Consumption of caffeine during pregnancy increases the risk of having an underweight baby
by Helen Jaques in In Sickness and In Health
Caffeine has been proposed to have all sorts of effects on health, both good and bad. Just in the last few months, it has been reported that caffeine can help repair damaged blood vessels, protect against cataract formation, and even shrink women's breasts.Now new research published in the British Medical Journal has found that consuming caffeine during pregnancy can increase the risk of giving birth to low-birth-weight baby. Underweight babies are more likely to be delivered early or by cesar........ Read more »
CARE Study Group. (2008) Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and risk of fetal growth restriction: a large prospective observational study. BMJ. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.a2332
- November 5, 2008
- 08:38 AM
- 1,202 views
Hypnosis and Chronic Pain
by Shaheen Lakhan in Brain Blogger
Chronic pain is a widespread challenge, affecting as many as 50 million Americans, and lacks effective treatment options. The American College of Rheumatology defines chronic pain as pain occurring at least 4 days per week for at least 3 months. If there is pain at 11 or more of the 18 defined trigger points, the [...]... Read more »
Carli G, Suman AL, Biasi G, Marcolongo R, & Santarcangelo EL. (2008) Paradoxical experience of hypnotic analgesia in low hypnotizable fibromyalgic patients. Arch Ital Biol, 146(2), 75-82. DOI: 18822796
Jan Grøndahl, & Elin Rosvold. (2008) Hypnosis as a treatment of chronic widespread pain in general practice: A randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 9(1), 124. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-9-124
M JENSEN, S HAKIMIAN, L SHERLIN, & F FREGNI. (2008) New Insights Into Neuromodulatory Approaches for the Treatment of Pain. The Journal of Pain, 9(3), 193-199. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2007.11.003
Molton IR, Graham C, Stoelb BL, & Jensen MP. (2007) Current psychological approaches to the management of chronic pain. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol, 20(5), 485-489. DOI: 16911061
T OSBORNE. (2006) Psychologic Interventions for Chronic Pain. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 17(2), 415-433. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2005.12.002
- November 5, 2008
- 08:30 AM
- 1,940 views
Caterpillars vomit detergents to wreck ant waterproofing
by Ed Yong in Not Exactly Rocket Science
If you want to drive someone away, then throwing up on them is probably going to do the trick. But the caterpillars of the small mottled willow moth (aka the beet armyworm; Spodoptera exigua) take defensive vomiting to a whole new level. Their puke is both detergent and chemical weapon; its goal is not to cause revulsion but to break through the waterproof layer that its predators find so essential.
Willow moths are attacked by a variety of predatory ants. To study their defences, Rostas and Bl........ Read more »
Michael Rostás, & Katrin Blassmann. (2008) Insects had it first: surfactants as a defence against predators. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, -1(-1), -1--1. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1281
- November 5, 2008
- 12:00 AM
- 1,995 views
Homosexuality is catholic in the animal kingdom
by Bjørn Østman in Pleiotropy
Beetles, bisons, black swans, bonobos, dolphins, elephants, flamingos, fruit bats, fruit flies, giraffes, lions, lizards, macaques, orangutans, ostriches, penguins, sheep. What do these animals have in common?They are all homosexual. In fact, the list is much, much longer. Here is what Petter Bøckman has to say about it:No species has been found in which homosexual behaviour has not been shown to exist, with the exception of species that never have sex at allWe can thus safely conclude that the........ Read more »
K. E. LEVAN, T. Y. FEDINA, & S. M. LEWIS. (2008) Testing multiple hypotheses for the maintenance of male homosexual copulatory behaviour in flour beetles. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01616.x
- November 4, 2008
- 11:25 PM
- 2,321 views
Red Wine and Dark Chocolate for Vascular Health
by Dr Shock in Dr Shock MD PhD
Drinking red wine provides a degree of protection against coronary heart disease. Alcohol as such has some advantages that could explain the positive influence on coronary heart disease but probably red wine has greater anti-atherosclerotic or antithrombotic actions than alcohol alone because it contains a variety of polyphenols with their own profile of protective properties. [...]... Read more »
R. Corder. (2008) Red wine, chocolate and vascular health: developing the evidence base. Heart, 94(7), 821-823. DOI: 10.1136/hrt.2008.143909
- November 4, 2008
- 09:00 PM
- 1,108 views
Video games and violence: grasping at causality
by Michael Clarkson in Conformational Flux
The latest evidence in the debate over the effects of video game violence has arrived in the November edition of the journal Pediatrics. Japanese and American psychologists, including well-known media violence researchers Craig Anderson and Douglas Gentile, report that violent video games constitute a causal risk factor for physical aggression. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the gaming internets have already expressed their disagreement with these results via angry blog postings based on secondary repo........ Read more »
C. A. Anderson, A. Sakamoto, D. A. Gentile, N. Ihori, A. Shibuya, S. Yukawa, M. Naito, & K. Kobayashi. (2008) Longitudinal Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression in Japan and the United States. PEDIATRICS, 122(5). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008-1425
- November 4, 2008
- 08:30 AM
- 1,425 views
Clones produced from mice frozen for 16 years
by Ed Yong in Not Exactly Rocket Science
With current technology, could we clone a mammoth? Cloning techniques have made significant progress in recent years and at least one well-preserved specimen has been found. But the same freezing process that preserves the bodies of many extinct mammals would also be the undoing of cloning endeavours. Ice destroys cells, puncturing their membranes, bursting them and exposing their contents. Upon thawing, the dead cells would be useless as a basis for cloning.
Until now, the destructive power of........ Read more »
S. Wakayama, H. Ohta, T. Hikichi, E. Mizutani, T. Iwaki, O. Kanagawa, & T. Wakayama. (2008) Production of healthy cloned mice from bodies frozen at -20 C for 16 years. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(45), 17318-17322. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806166105
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