Bacterial slime is the culprit behind many recurring and nagging infections, according to scientists at Montana State University, Bozeman and the University of Iowa. Ear infections, periodontitis and cystic fibrosis pneumonia are just a few examples that involve sticky communities of bacteria called biofilms, the researchers write in Science. Recent advances in understanding the genetic and molecular makeup of biofilms may help find ways to control these infections, according to the research team.
A colossal storm has been observed at the north pole of Mars. Researchers using the Hubble Space Telescope discovered the cyclonic storm system which covered an area four time the size of Texas, or about a thousand miles across. The storm was composed of water-ice clouds like storm systems on Earth and not just dust which is usually seen in Martian storms. It developed a spiral shape very similar to that created by a major hurricane on Earth, and the storm was three times larger than the largest previously seen on the Red Planet.
Forget the high-tech chemistry, if you want to control head lice in children dampen their hair and use a fine comb. Better known as nits, these critters are most common in primary schoolchildren according to Dr Gill Lewendon, senior clinical medical officer with the South and West Devon Health Authority in correspondence in the British Medical Journal. "Insecticide lotions are effective in killing head lice if used correctly, but what is the point of using repeated applications of chemicals on schoolchildren?" he asks. Wet combing with a nit comb and repeated every three days will also control the problem but in a more environmentally friendly way, he argues.
The discovery of a compound that mimics insulin could mean that diabetics might be able to take a pill rather than face daily injections. Researchers in the US, Spain and Sweden screened over 50,000 compounds to see if any of them might perform as a stand-in for insulin, able to flip the same "switch" as the vital substance which controls blood sugar levels, according to a report in the journal. The most promising candidate compound is derived from a fungus growing on a leaf collected in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was found to lower blood sugar in mice, but much research remains to guarantee its safety.
Astronomers have found yet another moon, the 18th, in orbit around the giant planet, Uranus. The discovery was made, however, not by new observations but by looking at 13year-old images taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Dr Erich Karkoschka of the lunar and planetary lab of the University of Arizona in Tucson identified the moon and then confirmed its existence by checking more recent Hubble Space Telescope images. The new moon now carries the ungainly appellation, Satellite 1986 U 10.
UCD has launched a postgraduate degree programme in cognitive science. The programme, a one-year taught MA/MSc, is an inter-departmental and inter-faculty degree involving the departments of computer science, linguistics, pharmacology, philosophy and psychology. The first intake of candidates is in September. The course reflects current research assumptions that human thinking is a computational procedure. Details of the course are available at a UCD web site: http://www.cs.ucd.ie/cogsciprog
Registration is under way for this year's RDS Youth Science & Arts Week which takes place at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin from July 5th-10th. The week offers young people from 14 to 17-years a mix of talks, visits and workshops including its very popular samba drumming and dance workshops. The emphasis is on fun and participation and there are evening recreational events such as discos, karaoke, table quiz and cabaret. The week costs £60 excluding meals for those registering before June 9th and £70 after that date. Accommodation can be made available for those living outside Dublin on a B&B basis for £10 per night. Further information is available from Carol Power at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, (01) 668-0866, or by email: carol.power@rds.ie