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Bits and pieces from the Net
Nov. 17th, 2008 02:57 pmA recent study showed that boys, but not girls, diagnosed with ADHD had smaller (by volume) and differently shaped basal ganglia than those not similarly diagnosed. They hope that these results will eventually lead to better diagnosis and treatment methods.
Moving from the brains of the young to the brains of the elderly, a recent study compared "super aged", people who display sharp mental faculties into their 80s and beyond, and "regular" elderly. They discovered that the super-aged had fewer fibrous tangles caused by tau proteins but roughly the same number of plaques. Previous research had linked increased tangles and plaques with the onset of Alzheimers.
Somali pirates have attacked and seized a Saudi-owned supertanker, the largest ship ever taken by pirates, and are now escorting it to a Somali port.
USA Today posted an article about students at Rice University who are using genetically engineered yeast to create beer containing Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine that is associated with a reduction in risk of cancer and heart disease, at least in mice. So far they haven't managed to produce anything drinkable, which puts them on par with many US and Canadian commercial brewers. Meanwhile, in Canada a researcher at the NRC has discovered that beer already contains a cancer-fighting compound called xanthohumol, albeit at barely useful levels. They hope to use the research to selectively breed for hop varieties high in the compound.
Chinese researchers have developed a flexible paper-thin speaker, opening the door to speakers that can be applied to clothing or walls.
A Scottish first has developed a grenade that, instead of exploding, gives soldiers a 360-degree view of a room. The grenade contains a wireless camera and is launched into a room using a standard grenade-launcher.
Slashdot has a review of Orson Scott Card's recently-published sequel to Ender's Game, entitled "Ender in Exile.
Finally, India has succeeded in planting a flag on the moon. (Edit: thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wetdryvac for catching the embarassing wording error.)
Moving from the brains of the young to the brains of the elderly, a recent study compared "super aged", people who display sharp mental faculties into their 80s and beyond, and "regular" elderly. They discovered that the super-aged had fewer fibrous tangles caused by tau proteins but roughly the same number of plaques. Previous research had linked increased tangles and plaques with the onset of Alzheimers.
Somali pirates have attacked and seized a Saudi-owned supertanker, the largest ship ever taken by pirates, and are now escorting it to a Somali port.
USA Today posted an article about students at Rice University who are using genetically engineered yeast to create beer containing Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine that is associated with a reduction in risk of cancer and heart disease, at least in mice. So far they haven't managed to produce anything drinkable, which puts them on par with many US and Canadian commercial brewers. Meanwhile, in Canada a researcher at the NRC has discovered that beer already contains a cancer-fighting compound called xanthohumol, albeit at barely useful levels. They hope to use the research to selectively breed for hop varieties high in the compound.
Chinese researchers have developed a flexible paper-thin speaker, opening the door to speakers that can be applied to clothing or walls.
A Scottish first has developed a grenade that, instead of exploding, gives soldiers a 360-degree view of a room. The grenade contains a wireless camera and is launched into a room using a standard grenade-launcher.
Slashdot has a review of Orson Scott Card's recently-published sequel to Ender's Game, entitled "Ender in Exile.
Finally, India has succeeded in planting a flag on the moon. (Edit: thanks to
wetdryvac for catching the embarassing wording error.)