“People with the Duffy protein carry on their red cells and in their circulatory system a larger amount of immune molecules known as chemokines, which confers protection against HIV. In addition, the Duffy protein can act as a sponge and soak up infectious HIV particles, providing additional protection against the virus. People who have a variation of the gene – which includes a large proportion of people of African descent – don’t carry the Duffy protein, and are therefore at higher risk of getting infected when exposed to HIV.”
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- LHC to Finally Start Next Week, Again November 13, 2009CERN is reporting that the Large Hadron Collider could circulate particle beams through both of its pipes in just over a week. If all goes well, the first collisions would begin soon after that. The LHC has had a rough time since it first started up in September last year. Just a week after it started [...]Betsy Mason
- Lunar Impactor Finds Clear Evidence of Water Ice on Moon November 13, 2009There is water on the moon, NASA confirmed today, and lots of it. In the first look at results from the LCROSS mission, which sent a probe crashing into the Cabeus crater near the moon’s south pole, NASA’s main investigator said their instruments clearly detected water, despite the underwhelming plume. Within the field of view of their [...]Alexis Madrigal
- New Brain Cells May Knock Out Old Memories November 12, 2009Old memories may get the boot from new brain cells. A new rodent study shows that newborn neurons destabilize established connections among existing brain cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Clearing old memories from the hippocampus makes way for new learning, researchers from Japan suggest in the November [...]Tina Hesman Saey, Science News
- Comet Hunter’s Last Look at Earth Is Haunting November 12, 2009This gorgeous image of a blue arc of the Earth against the blackness of space was captured by the Rosetta spacecraft as it swung by our planet. The European Space Agency mission is on its way to intercept the comet, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The ship will deploy a lander onto the comet’s surface, the first such attempt to [...]Alexis Madrigal
- Underwater Glider Hunts, Records Cryptic Whales November 12, 2009The mysterious beaked whale is the target of a new undersea glider trying to track the deep-diving mammals by their high-frequency clicks and squeals. A Seaglider unmanned underwater vehicle with an underwater microphone began patrolling the coast of Hawaii on October 27 and will finish up its initial mission on November 17. By then, it will [...]Alexis Madrigal
