New research provides strong support for the idea that one of the key functions of sleep is the consolidation of memories. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 12th issue of the journal Neuron, provides fascinating insight into the cellular mechanisms that govern the sleep-dependent consolidation of experiences that occur while we are awake. Although sleep is thought to facilitate memory and learning, the molecular links between sleep and synaptic plasticity are not well understood. Ocular dominance plasticity (ODP) is a classic model of experience-dependent cortical plasticity that allows scientists to follow specific changes in the visual cortex in response to the occlusion of one eye. ‘We have shown that ODP is consolidated by sleep,’ says senior study author Dr. Marcos G. Frank from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. ‘Our previous studies indicate that the underlying mechanisms, though still unknown, may involve N-methyl D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and intracellular kinases.’ Dr. Frank and colleagues performed a series of experiments designed to test this hypothesis. The researchers found that sleep consolidates ODP primarily by strengthening cortical responses to stimulation of the nondeprived eye. NMDAR- and protein kinase A-mediated intracellular cascades […]
An in-depth study by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors Corp. has found that plant and forestry waste and dedicated energy crops could sustainably replace nearly a third of gasoline use by the year 2030. The goal of the ’90-Billion Gallon Biofuel Deployment Study’ was to assess whether and how a large volume of cellulosic biofuel could be sustainably produced, assuming technical and scientific progress continues at expected rates. The study was conducted over a period of nine months. Researchers assessed the feasibility, implications, limitations, and enablers of annually producing 90 billion gallons of ethanol – sufficient to replace more than 60 billion of the estimated 180 billion gallons of gasoline expected to be used annually by 2030. Ninety billion gallons a year exceeds the U.S. Department of Energy’s goal for ethanol production established in 2006. The ’90 Billion Gallon Study’ assumes 75 billion gallons would be ethanol made from nonfood cellulosic feedstocks and 15 billion gallons from corn-based ethanol. The study examined four sources of biofuels: agricultural residue, such as corn stover and wheat straw; forest residue; dedicated energy crops, including switchgrass; and short rotation woody crops, such as willow and poplar trees. It examines the […]
LAHORE, Pakistan — Richard Holbrooke, the veteran US diplomat tapped to help stabilize Pakistan and Afghanistan, began his tour of the region in Islamabad Tuesday. The special representative vowed to ‘listen and learn’ as he met with leaders of the US ally, with whom relations have been strained by US concerns that it’s not doing enough to stem a growing militancy that is spilling into neighboring Afghanistan and India. On Day 1 of Mr. Holbrooke’s three-day visit in Pakistan, leaders who met with him – including President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani – presented their own concerns over America’s approach in the so-called war on terror, particularly its drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. ‘I am here to listen and learn’ in ‘this critically important country,’ Holbrooke said in a statement. ‘The United States looks forward to reviewing our policies and renewing our commitment and friendship with the people of Pakistan.’ Holbrooke, who is best known for his part in bringing an end to the Balkans conflict in 1995, arrives in the country at a precarious time. The Pakistani Army is battling militants in the Federally […]
After reading about the droughts in two major agricultural countries, China and Argentina, I decided to research the extent other food producing nations were also experiencing droughts. This project ended up taking a lot longer than I thought. 2009 looks to be a humanitarian disaster around much of the world The countries that make up two thirds of the world’s agricultural output are experiencing drought conditions. Whether you watch a video of the drought in China, Australia, Africa, South America, or the US , the scene will be the same: misery, ruined crop, and dying cattle. China The drought in Northern China, the worst in 50 years, is worsening, and summer harvest is now threatened. The area of affected crops has expanded to 161 million mu (was 141 million last week), and 4.37 million people and 2.1 million livestock are facing drinking water shortage. The scarcity of rain in some parts of the north and central provinces is the worst in recorded history. The drought which started in November threatens over half the wheat crop in eight provinces – Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu. Henan […]
On Feb. 5, the Obama administration quietly but firmly broke with more than a decade of federal policy on medical marijuana, signaling an end to the federal war on state medical marijuana laws. The question now is, what next? In response to questions about a series of Drug Enforcement Administration raids on medical marijuana collectives in Los Angeles, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro told the Washington Times, ‘The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind.’ The low-key language may obscure what a sea change this represents. Ever since California voters passed the first modern medical marijuana law in 1996, official policy has been to use federal resources to attack these laws in every way possible. Clinton administration efforts to bar doctors from recommending marijuana were shot down by the courts, but the Bush administration raided dispensaries and sometimes arrested medical marijuana patients and providers. Owners of buildings where medical marijuana dispensaries operate legally under state law have been threatened with seizure of their […]
Remote Viewing the Year 2060
