The Science News Digest - 12 February 2009
In the science news this week: Two satellites collide in space in the first ever reported incident of its kind, doctors make dramatic steps towards a cure for HIV, and scientists are at last able to explain our inability to resist the aroma of the local chippy…
Scientists believe they may be one step closer to finding a cure for HIV. The Independent has reported that Doctors have succeeded in ridding a 42 year old man of the disease using a bone marrow transplant.
The American man, who lives in Berlin, has not had any resurgence of the disease in the two years since the transplant. He is believed to be the longest surviving patient who had previously received antiretroviral drugs to treat the HIV.
Dr Gero Hutter of the Berlin Charité Hospital claims, ‘This is the closest we have come to a cure.’
The case gives further encouragement to those studying gene-therapy as a potential cure for HIV. The treatment began with a search for a bone marrow donor who was resistant to HIV. Over the last twenty years, research has led to the discovery that certain people carry a mutation of a gene (CCR5) that gives protection against HIV. It is thought one to three per cent of the Western population carry this mutation.
Dr Hutter has said that the bone marrow transplant would be too risky to offer as a routine treatment for HIV, but that a modification of the approach using gene therapy to ‘tweak’ the patient’s DNA could offer ‘long lasting viral control’.
--------------------
Fed up of catching colds and flu every winter? Scientists at Oregon State University have uncovered new findings which might help us to understand why the influenza bug is seasonal in its occurrence. The study led by Jeffrey Shaman has found that the influenza virus is able to survive, and spread more easily in conditions that are not just cold, but where the air is also dry.
The research has found that the bug appears to flourish when there is little moisture in the air, when there is low absolute humidity. However, whilst researchers have observed strong correlations between absolute humidity and the length of time the virus remains contagious, they still cannot explain why. The study’s findings are published in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University claimed it is somewhat embarrassing that the seasonal nature of infections is one of the oldest observations in medical history, yet one we can’t really explain. He praised the new study as a ‘big step forward’. Read more on this story in the Telegraph.
--------------------
Earlier this week the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), announced that further delays are expected before the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will restart.
The LHC was switched on in September 2008 to try and smash together protons travelling at immense speeds – in order to recreate the conditions that existed immediately after the Big Bang. In doing so, it was hoped that scientist’s might be able to track down the elusive Higgs boson particle.
However, just nine days after the LHC was switched on, technical faults were detected, and the LHC was shut-down. Further investigations into the malfunction pointed to a single faulty electrical connection; a poorly soldered component in one of its super cooled magnet sections, reported BBC News.
CERN have now pushed back the relaunch more than twice, first claiming it would be November 2008, then June 2009. These further delays now mean that the LHC won’t be switched back on until September 2009, a year after it shut down. Fortunately, the £14 million worth of repairs are reported to include new protection systems.
--------------------
The Chief Executive of Illumina (the world’s leading genome sequencing company), Dr Flatley, has said that advances in technology mean that all babies could have their genetic codes mapped at birth by as soon as 2019.
Dr Flatley claimed that the future decrease in the cost of genome mapping technology could spark a ‘healthcare revolution’, and that whilst people can currently get their entire genome mapped for £70,000, within the next ten years the cost of such ‘genotyping’ cost could be reduced to £700.
By examining a person’s genetic variants, it is possible to detect whether they may be at a higher risk of a number of diseases and conditions such as cancers and heart disease.
In an interview with the Times, Dr Flatley suggested that the cost could come down by as soon as 2013, but that it would be concerns regarding ethics, misinformation, and the applications of the technology that would limit its initial uptake. Read more in the Telegraph.
--------------------
After the publication of a long-awaited investigation, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) will recommend to the government this week that ecstasy should be downgraded from a class A, to a class B drug.
The recommendation will come in the shadow of comments made by ACMD’s chairman, Professor David Nutt last month in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. He is accused of making insensitive comments about the use of ecstasy, likening the dangers of its use to those of riding a horse. He wrote that taking the drug was ‘no more dangerous than people’s addiction to horse riding’ reports the Guardian.
His comments were publicly slammed by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who said that his comments were insensitive to the families of ecstasy victims. Nutt has since apologised and is expected to do so again at the launch of the publication.
Evan Harris (the Liberal Democrats science spokesman) has defended Nutt’s comments, insisting that he was engaging in ‘rational debate’. He went on to argue that the problem with having ecstasy in class A, is that it makes it harder for people to distinguish it from more dangerous drugs such as heroine and crack-cocaine.
--------------------
In the first ever reported incident of its kind, two communications satellites have collided in space. The US and Russian satellites are thought to have hit each other at speed, roughly 780km (485 miles) over Siberia on Tuesday, NASA claimed.
Whilst the collision has created huge clouds of debris, it is thought that much of the debris will burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The main concern appears to be whether any risk is posed to the International Space Station (ISS) which is said to be orbiting the earth 435km below the collision site reported BBC News. NASA has said that the risk is ‘very small, and within acceptable limits’. However, should it be necessary, the ISS is capable of performing avoidance manoeuvres said NASA spokesman John Yembrick.
The US satellite, owned by US communications firm Iridium, said it was a very rare, low-probability event and it was not caused by any fault on their part. Russia’s civilian space agency Roscosmos confirmed the collision with a Russian defunct satellite, and said that it was likely the satellite had, in the past, belonged to the military. Spokesman Aleksandr Vorobyev said the accident would be investigated.
The collision is not likely to affect the launch of NASA’S Space Shuttle Discovery later this month, but this is likely to be reviewed in the coming days as the full impact of the collision becomes clearer.
--------------------
A US study has revealed that cannabis use may double the risk of testicular cancer. The study has found that young men who smoke marijuana once a week, or have used it regularly since adolescence, are more likely to develop an aggressive form of the cancer than men who have never used the drug.
Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle investigated the link after it became apparent that the testes were one of the organs within the body that contain receptors to the psychoactive substance found in cannabis. A rise in testicular cancer had also been seen to mirror the increase in cannabis use since the 1950’s the Guardian reports.
One explanation is that men naturally produce a cannabinoid-like substance which might normally protect the testes against tumours. It could be that cannabis use disrupts this, resulting in an increased risk of the cancer.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst British men aged 20 - 44; however treatment works well, with 9 out of 10 men surviving the disease.
--------------------
And finally…
Scientists have unlocked the secrets of the irresistible lure of the nation’s favourite food; the humble chip.
Food scientists at Leeds University have broken down the aroma into its various components using a technique known as gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results showed that the smell is made up of onion, cheese, flower, butterscotch and even ironing board aromas reported the Independent.
The research has been commissioned by the Potato Council for National Chip Week, and was led by Dr Graham Clayton. Clayton speculates, ‘Perhaps these findings will see chips treated like wine in the future – with chip fans turning into buffs as they impress their friends with eloquent descriptions of their favourite fries.’
The kind of potatoes, cooking methods, temperatures and the oils used all affected the resulting aroma.
Scientists believe they may be one step closer to finding a cure for HIV. The Independent has reported that Doctors have succeeded in ridding a 42 year old man of the disease using a bone marrow transplant.
The American man, who lives in Berlin, has not had any resurgence of the disease in the two years since the transplant. He is believed to be the longest surviving patient who had previously received antiretroviral drugs to treat the HIV.
Dr Gero Hutter of the Berlin Charité Hospital claims, ‘This is the closest we have come to a cure.’
The case gives further encouragement to those studying gene-therapy as a potential cure for HIV. The treatment began with a search for a bone marrow donor who was resistant to HIV. Over the last twenty years, research has led to the discovery that certain people carry a mutation of a gene (CCR5) that gives protection against HIV. It is thought one to three per cent of the Western population carry this mutation.
Dr Hutter has said that the bone marrow transplant would be too risky to offer as a routine treatment for HIV, but that a modification of the approach using gene therapy to ‘tweak’ the patient’s DNA could offer ‘long lasting viral control’.
--------------------
Fed up of catching colds and flu every winter? Scientists at Oregon State University have uncovered new findings which might help us to understand why the influenza bug is seasonal in its occurrence. The study led by Jeffrey Shaman has found that the influenza virus is able to survive, and spread more easily in conditions that are not just cold, but where the air is also dry.
The research has found that the bug appears to flourish when there is little moisture in the air, when there is low absolute humidity. However, whilst researchers have observed strong correlations between absolute humidity and the length of time the virus remains contagious, they still cannot explain why. The study’s findings are published in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University claimed it is somewhat embarrassing that the seasonal nature of infections is one of the oldest observations in medical history, yet one we can’t really explain. He praised the new study as a ‘big step forward’. Read more on this story in the Telegraph.
--------------------
Earlier this week the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), announced that further delays are expected before the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will restart.
The LHC was switched on in September 2008 to try and smash together protons travelling at immense speeds – in order to recreate the conditions that existed immediately after the Big Bang. In doing so, it was hoped that scientist’s might be able to track down the elusive Higgs boson particle.
However, just nine days after the LHC was switched on, technical faults were detected, and the LHC was shut-down. Further investigations into the malfunction pointed to a single faulty electrical connection; a poorly soldered component in one of its super cooled magnet sections, reported BBC News.
CERN have now pushed back the relaunch more than twice, first claiming it would be November 2008, then June 2009. These further delays now mean that the LHC won’t be switched back on until September 2009, a year after it shut down. Fortunately, the £14 million worth of repairs are reported to include new protection systems.
--------------------
The Chief Executive of Illumina (the world’s leading genome sequencing company), Dr Flatley, has said that advances in technology mean that all babies could have their genetic codes mapped at birth by as soon as 2019.
Dr Flatley claimed that the future decrease in the cost of genome mapping technology could spark a ‘healthcare revolution’, and that whilst people can currently get their entire genome mapped for £70,000, within the next ten years the cost of such ‘genotyping’ cost could be reduced to £700.
By examining a person’s genetic variants, it is possible to detect whether they may be at a higher risk of a number of diseases and conditions such as cancers and heart disease.
In an interview with the Times, Dr Flatley suggested that the cost could come down by as soon as 2013, but that it would be concerns regarding ethics, misinformation, and the applications of the technology that would limit its initial uptake. Read more in the Telegraph.
--------------------
After the publication of a long-awaited investigation, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) will recommend to the government this week that ecstasy should be downgraded from a class A, to a class B drug.
The recommendation will come in the shadow of comments made by ACMD’s chairman, Professor David Nutt last month in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. He is accused of making insensitive comments about the use of ecstasy, likening the dangers of its use to those of riding a horse. He wrote that taking the drug was ‘no more dangerous than people’s addiction to horse riding’ reports the Guardian.
His comments were publicly slammed by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who said that his comments were insensitive to the families of ecstasy victims. Nutt has since apologised and is expected to do so again at the launch of the publication.
Evan Harris (the Liberal Democrats science spokesman) has defended Nutt’s comments, insisting that he was engaging in ‘rational debate’. He went on to argue that the problem with having ecstasy in class A, is that it makes it harder for people to distinguish it from more dangerous drugs such as heroine and crack-cocaine.
--------------------
In the first ever reported incident of its kind, two communications satellites have collided in space. The US and Russian satellites are thought to have hit each other at speed, roughly 780km (485 miles) over Siberia on Tuesday, NASA claimed.
Whilst the collision has created huge clouds of debris, it is thought that much of the debris will burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The main concern appears to be whether any risk is posed to the International Space Station (ISS) which is said to be orbiting the earth 435km below the collision site reported BBC News. NASA has said that the risk is ‘very small, and within acceptable limits’. However, should it be necessary, the ISS is capable of performing avoidance manoeuvres said NASA spokesman John Yembrick.
The US satellite, owned by US communications firm Iridium, said it was a very rare, low-probability event and it was not caused by any fault on their part. Russia’s civilian space agency Roscosmos confirmed the collision with a Russian defunct satellite, and said that it was likely the satellite had, in the past, belonged to the military. Spokesman Aleksandr Vorobyev said the accident would be investigated.
The collision is not likely to affect the launch of NASA’S Space Shuttle Discovery later this month, but this is likely to be reviewed in the coming days as the full impact of the collision becomes clearer.
--------------------
A US study has revealed that cannabis use may double the risk of testicular cancer. The study has found that young men who smoke marijuana once a week, or have used it regularly since adolescence, are more likely to develop an aggressive form of the cancer than men who have never used the drug.
Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle investigated the link after it became apparent that the testes were one of the organs within the body that contain receptors to the psychoactive substance found in cannabis. A rise in testicular cancer had also been seen to mirror the increase in cannabis use since the 1950’s the Guardian reports.
One explanation is that men naturally produce a cannabinoid-like substance which might normally protect the testes against tumours. It could be that cannabis use disrupts this, resulting in an increased risk of the cancer.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst British men aged 20 - 44; however treatment works well, with 9 out of 10 men surviving the disease.
--------------------
And finally…
Scientists have unlocked the secrets of the irresistible lure of the nation’s favourite food; the humble chip.
Food scientists at Leeds University have broken down the aroma into its various components using a technique known as gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results showed that the smell is made up of onion, cheese, flower, butterscotch and even ironing board aromas reported the Independent.
The research has been commissioned by the Potato Council for National Chip Week, and was led by Dr Graham Clayton. Clayton speculates, ‘Perhaps these findings will see chips treated like wine in the future – with chip fans turning into buffs as they impress their friends with eloquent descriptions of their favourite fries.’
The kind of potatoes, cooking methods, temperatures and the oils used all affected the resulting aroma.
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