Science Buzz Lunch, April 19, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch, April  19, 2013

Topics discussed included:

Two recent papers in Nature:

1) Circular RNAs are a large class of animal RNAs with regulatory potency
by Sebastian Memczak et al. in the March 21, 2013 issue of Nature

2) Natural RNA circles function as efficient microRNA sponges
by Thomas B. Hansen et al.  in the March 21, 2013 issue of Nature

Science Buzz Lunch, April 15, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch, April 15, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1) A recent paper by V. Salimpoor et al. in Science describing an  MRI neuroimaging study that revealed that activity in the nuclear accumbens could predict how much people were willing to pay for a new song that were listening to

2) A report in National Geographic magazine about a study showing that elementary school students learn math better when their teachers use gestures as well as speech to teach math compared to  when their teachers use speech alone

3) News reports about the reasons for the recently increased longevity in Nagano prefecture (including decreased dietary salt and increased exercise) and the decreased longevity in Okinawa prefecture (including increased meat consumption and obesity).  

Science Buzz Lunch, April 12, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch, April 12, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1)  The role of trichomes in anti-herbivore defence in Arabidopsis

2)  The ecological role of reproductive interference by various male insects and other animals 

Science Buzz Lunch, April 8, 2013

Science Buzz Lunch, April 8, 2013

Topics discussed included:

1) The history of HIV/AIDS: how HIV evolved from SIV, and theories of HIV origin and epidemic emergence, including especially the roles of unsterile injections, urbanization, and social changes

2)  The 1990 American movie Awakenings, based on Oliver Sacks' memoir with the same title, telling a story about the temporary benefits of the use of the drug L-Dopa to treat long-term catatonic victims of the 1917-1928 epidemic of encephalitis lethargica.

3) Experimental testing of functional brain scanning to determine the content of dreams

4) The development at Tohoku University of a Magnesium battery with several advantages over lithium batteries