Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 7, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Battery embedded in circuit board demonstrated at Tokyo exhibition- Scientists uncover the genetic secrets that allow Tibetans to thrive in thin air
- Apple unveils iPhone 4 with video chat and crisper screen
- Scientists find new way to attack cancerous cells
- Scientists make water-free liquid from blood protein
- Chip makers start joint venture for improving Linux distribution
- Vitamin B3 Controls Important Life Processes by Changing Shape in Response to Oxygen Level
- How the brain recognizes objects
- Follow the (Robotic) Leader (w/ Video)
- Sharp improves wall display technology
- Strangers influence our dating preferences
- Restless stars: High precision study reveals surprising unrest in massive star clusters
- Link found between passive smoking and poorer mental health
- Neuroscientists identify synaptic defect in brain area involved in Fragile X syndrome
- Gravity-like theories give insight into the strong force
Space & Earth news
3 Questions: Noelle Selin on curbing mercury
The first United Nations negotiating session for a global, legally binding mercury treaty begins today in Stockholm. Continuing through Friday, this is the first of five planned negotiating sessions that will address global controls on mercury, a toxin that causes neurological damage and impairs brain development in infants and children around the world.
BP sucking up half of oil leaking from Gulf well
Engineers hoped Monday to make more headway in their bid to contain a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico after energy giant BP announced it was now capturing about half of the oil gushing from its ruptured well.
Dispersants: lesser evil against oil spill or Gulf poison?
Nearly a million gallons of dispersant have been poured into the Gulf of Mexico to fight the largest oil spill in US history, even though little is known about their effects fishermen claim makes them sick and kills sea life.
New tsunami early warning system stands guard
(PhysOrg.com) -- The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami killed 230,000 people. The next time a tsunami threatens Indian Ocean nations, a lifesaving early warning system spearheaded by the EU will be in place.
Taking the guesswork out of soil classification
A University of Missouri doctoral student has developed a technique that uses digital imaging of soil samples to take some of the guesswork out of wetland identification.
Cyclone Phet weakens after Oman landfall, headed to Pakistan
Tropical Cyclone Phet made landfall in Oman on June 3 and is now back in the Arabian Sea and headed toward a second landfall in Pakistan this weekend. NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites have captured infrared and visible views of the storm.
Millenium atoll: A pristine ecosystem
A series of surveys were carried out to characterize the physical and biological parameters of the Millennium Atoll lagoon during a research expedition in April of 2009. Millennium is a remote coral atoll in the Central Pacific belonging to the Republic of Kiribati, and a member of the Southern Line Islands chain.
Gulf oil spill could widen, worsen 'dead zone' (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- While an out-of-control gusher deep in the Gulf of Mexico fouls beaches and chokes marshland habitat, another threat could be growing below the oil-slicked surface.
The Earth and Moon formed later than previously thought
The Earth and Moon were created as the result of a giant collision between two planets the size of Mars and Venus. Until now it was thought to have happened when the solar system was 30 million years old or approx. 4,537 million years ago. But new research from the Niels Bohr Institute shows that the Earth and Moon must have formed much later - perhaps up to 150 million years after the formation of the solar system.
Amount of dust, pollen matters for cloud precipitation, climate change
A lot of large particles of dust and pollen in the atmosphere may make your nose twitch, but they can lead directly to greater precipitation in clouds, Colorado State University atmospheric scientists have discovered for the first time.
Restless stars: High precision study reveals surprising unrest in massive star clusters
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg and the University of Cologne have completed a high precision study of one of the most massive young star clusters in the Milky Way. To this end, the scientific researchers compared two observations that were made ten years apart.
Survey reveals many thousands of supermassive black holes
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of scientists, led by Penn State Distinguished Professor Donald Schneider, has announced its completion of a massive census in which they identified the quasars in one quarter of the sky.
Technology news
Wireless sensor startup wins UC San Diego $80K Entrepreneur Challenge
Wireless sensors that monitor your heart even though they do not actually touch your skin are at the center of UC San Diego electrical engineering PhD student Yu Mike Chi's dissertation. This technology - and the plan for commercializing it - earned Chi and his Cognionics team the top spot in the UC San Diego Entrepreneur Challenge. The prize includes $25K in cash for the startup and $15K in legal services.
NJIT professor tells architects building practices to withstand hurricanes
Rima Taher, an expert in the design of low-rise buildings for extreme winds and hurricane, hopes her phone won't ring much this hurricane season. It's already been busy with requests for information about best building design and construction practices to reduce wind pressures on building surfaces.
Yahoo's site mirrors Facebook in latest facelift
(AP) -- Yahoo Inc.'s latest facelift will include a Facebook touchup.
AT&T in informal talks on buying stake in Reliance
US telecom giant AT&T is in informal discussions with Reliance Communications Ltd. about taking a significant minority stake in the Indian cellphone company, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
Australia denies targeting Google over Web filter
Australia on Monday denied waging a campaign of vengeance against Google after launching a police probe of the web giant, a strong critic of plans for a nationwide Internet filter.
Conn. investigating Google's use of private data
(AP) -- Connecticut's attorney general says he's investigating whether Google illegally collected data from personal and business wireless computer networks for its mapping service.
Over five million books downloaded for iPad: Jobs
More than five million digital books have been downloaded since Apple began selling the iPad tablet computer two months ago, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said Monday.
Bar codes get around town and get more useful
(AP) -- It used to be that the only time you'd notice a bar code was at a store, maybe when a cashier scanned your groceries. But lately bar codes are showing up in more places around town - and getting more sophisticated.
US soldier arrested in WikiLeaks case
A US soldier in Iraq was arrested for allegedly leaking classified information, the Army said Monday, following a report he supplied video of a helicopter strike and hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables to whistleblower website WikiLeaks.
Polymer-based filter successfully cleans water, recovers oil in Gulf of Mexico test
In response to the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, a University of Pittsburgh engineering professor has developed a technique for separating oil from water via a cotton filter coated in a chemical polymer that blocks oil while allowing water to pass through. The researcher reports that the filter was successfully tested off the coast of Louisiana and shown to simultaneously clean water and preserve the oil.
Working toward the next battery breakthrough (w/ Video)
If battery-making is an art, then University at Buffalo scientist Esther Takeuchi is among its most prolific masters, with more than 140 U.S. patents, all in energy storage.
Battery embedded in circuit board demonstrated at Tokyo exhibition
(PhysOrg.com) -- Looking to the future of powering mobile devices, Japanese company Oki Printed Circuits recently demonstrated a prototype of a 0.8-mm-thick printed circuit board embedded with a 170-μm-thick rechargeable all-solid-state Lithium-ion battery. The prototype was on display at the JPCA Show 2010 in Tokyo last week, and the company hopes to bring the product to market next year.
Chip makers start joint venture for improving Linux distribution
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new software engineering joint venture called Linaro has been set up by six major chip making companies including IBM, ARM Holdings, Texas Instruments and Samsung Electronics, with the aim of dedicating itself to improving Linux distributions for use in devices such as phones, netbooks, tablets, and TVs.
Medicine & Health news
Study finds a seasonal variance in sleep-disordered breathing in young children
The prevalence of mild sleep-disordered breathing in young children may fluctuate seasonally, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Virtual visits shrink the distance in stroke rehab
Telemedicine holds the key to the rehabilitation of people with stroke living in northern, rural, remote Canadian communities, rehabilitation researcher Esmé French told the Canadian Stroke Congress today.
New function discovered in cancer prevention protein
Protein 53 is very important in protecting against cancer given that it prevents cancer-causing mutations from accumulating and its inactivation is closely linked to the proliferation of tumour cells. UAB (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain) lecturer Ignasi Roig participated in the study. Formed by an international research team, the study served to discover that this protein played an unexpected physiological role: it also becomes activated during the formation process of ova and spermatozoids. The discovery, published in Science, could open the door to new approaches and ways of studying the disease.
'2 dogs 2,000 miles' trek promotes dog DNA for cancer research
A man and his two dogs on a 2,000-mile walk to raise awareness about cancer in dogs is helping a new $5.3 million canine cancer project recently launched by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Van Andel Research Institute (VARI).
OHSU Emergency Department reports fewer meth-related visits following 2006 'anti-meth' legislation
The number of methamphetamine-related emergency room visits decreased significantly in the year following the implementation of Oregon's law prohibiting the sale of over-the-counter decongestant containing pseudoephedrine, according to Oregon Health & Science Emergency Department physician-researchers.
Interleukin-10 a prognostic factor in treatment with autologous melanoma vaccine
(PHILADELPHIA) Scientists from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have found that interleukin-10 production in tumor cells is a possible prognostic factor in patients with advanced melanoma who are treated with autologous melanoma cell vaccine. They are presenting their data at the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Acute toxicity predicts overall survival in high-grade gliomas
Patients with high-grade gliomas who experience acute (early) neurological toxicity during their treatment were more likely to experience chronic (late) neurological toxicity and shortened overall survival, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. The study will be presented at the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Drug that helps metastatic colon cancer of no benefit in less advanced tumors
To the surprise of researchers at Mayo Clinic who led a national clinical trial, a targeted therapy that provides benefit to patients with metastatic colon cancer has failed to help patients with less advanced, stage III cancer. In fact, patients who used the agent, cetuximab, with chemotherapy had outcomes slightly inferior to patients treated with chemotherapy alone.
Non-melanoma skin cancer may help identify survivors at increased risk for future cancers
Childhood cancer survivors diagnosed later with non-melanoma skin cancer may be at increased risk for having a malignant tumor within 15 years, according to research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators.
Consortium seeks best treatment for HIV-positive cancer patients
Preliminary findings from a unique study with sunitinib suggest that it might be possible to tweak the dosage of chemotherapy drugs used to treat HIV-positive cancer patients to achieve therapeutic benefit. Given the type of drug cocktail patients use to treat their HIV, much more or considerably less chemotherapy may be warranted, say the researchers, part of the NCI-supported AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC). The trial design is being presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
A new emergency review tool to help research ethics review during public health emergencies
A new emergency review tool will help research ethics boards and institutions to expedite research while respecting the procedures of ethics reviews, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Comprehensive new immigrant guideline series launching in CMAJ
Canadian Medical Association Journal will publish a ground-breaking series of comprehensive new guidelines on immigrant health beginning June 7, 2010 . The Canadian Immigrant Health Guidelines, a multi-part series, will assist clinicians, policy makers and immigrants in understanding the diverse needs of immigrants to Canada. Few resources like this exist in the international medical literature.
New 'microbead' radiotherapy more effective with molecular imaging
Research unveiled at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting may change the way that a novel form of radiotherapy is set up and tested prior to treatment. This technique, known as radiomicrosphere therapy, involves the injection of tiny highly radioactive beads that "nestle up" with cancerous tumors and destroy them with precision. However, technologists and physicians must work together to carefully plan each patient's treatment using molecular imaging to ensure that the beads do not wander off into other areas of the body.
Blood-sugar lowering medications may increase risk for false positive results in cancer screenings
A study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting suggests that medication ingested to control blood-sugar levels can skew the results of cancer screenings using positron emission tomography (PET), a molecular imaging technique, by increasing absorption in the gut of the PET imaging agent called fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), which mimics sugar inside the body.
Molecular imaging may be best for capturing renal transplant complications
For more than 15,000 Americans each year, a kidney transplant can mean a new lease on life without dialysis, but complications following surgery are not uncommon. A recent study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting suggests that the use of both physiological and structural images acquired from single photon emission computed tomography and X-ray computed tomography (SPECT/CT) hybrid imaging can help clinicians to better diagnose and treat patients suffering from a number of renal-transplant associated complications.
Targeted radioisotope generator could be used for molecular imaging
According to a study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting, a new radioisotope generator could enhance images produced by a molecular imaging technique known as positron emission tomography (PET). The generator, in combination with instant synthesis kits that introduce target constituents like peptides to the mix, could be used to produce molecular imaging agents that enhance the range of targeting capabilities in diagnostic scans, providing physicians with a much broader portrait of how biological processes are working and why.
New molecular imaging agent may help visualize early stages of Alzheimer's disease
A multinational clinical trial revealed at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting presents a novel imaging agent that could be the next major breakthrough for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease -- a slow but fatal neurodegenerative disease. The new agent is used in conjunction with a molecular imaging technique called positron emission tomography (PET) and works by binding to beta-amyloid, a naturally-occurring protein that builds up in the brain and is thought to be a precursor to Alzheimer's. Scientists aim to hone beta-amyloid imaging and put it to use with new drug treatments that could potentially slow or even halt the disease before irreparable damage and dementia set in.
Molecular imaging 'probes' pinpoint prostate cancer
Molecular imaging has a powerful new weapon in the fight against prostate cancer. Research introduced at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting demonstrates how a novel peptide-targeted imaging agent could help clinicians detect a biological process that signals cancer in prostate cells. Information gathered about this process may even differentiate prostate tumor types and the progression of disease.
Closer to a cure: PET imaging tracks early stages of Alzheimer's
Research unveiled at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting shows that scientists are drawing closer to documenting the progression of a disease process believed to cause Alzheimer's disease. This research could eventually lead to life-saving preventative measures for millions of patients who suffer from this chronic neurodegenerative disorder.
When eyes aren't enough: Computer analysis can help doctors diagnose severe heart disease
A study revealed at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting urges physicians using molecular imaging for the diagnosis of heart disease to use computer data analysis rather than visual interpretation alone. The study shows that when combined, these techniques can improve early detection and diagnosis, especially in conditions that can be more difficult to catch early on, such as diseased arteries.
Feet first: Molecular imaging helps diagnose diabetic foot infection
A study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting shows that using multiple imaging agents with a hybrid imaging technique can be a valuable tool for accurately diagnosing and determining treatment for a variety of diabetes-associated foot diseases. A common complication from Type 2 diabetes is the decreased ability to heal from even the most minor infections. Due to reduced blood circulation and nerve damage associated with the disease, infections of the feet are a major concern.
Molecular imaging agent coupled with 'motion frozen' processing improves heart imaging
Molecular imaging of the heart just got better, according to a study revealed at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting. Combining a potential new imaging agent with a molecular imaging technique that reduces blur caused by the motion of the heart and lungs could lead to unprecedented image quality when conducting myocardial perfusion imaging, a procedure used to evaluate blood flow to the heart.
About one-tenth of soldiers returning from Iraq may be impaired by mental health problems
Between 8.5 percent and 14 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq report serious functional impairment due to either posttraumatic stress disorder or depression, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Racial disparities in asthma exist even among children with equal access to health care
Within a comprehensive health insurance system, black and Hispanic children appear more likely than white children to have asthma and their outcomes are often worse, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the August print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with dementia among older veterans
Older veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appear more likely to develop dementia over a seven-year period than those without PTSD, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
HPV-positive tumor status indicates better survival in patients with oropharyngeal cancer
Oropharyngeal cancer patients whose tumors in the upper part of the throat test positively for the human papillomavirus (HPV) have better overall survival than patients with HPV-negative disease, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
New treatment regimen shown effective against advanced ovarian cancer
Newly reported results from a major clinical trial show that adding bevacizumab (Avastin) to standard frontline chemotherapy for women with advanced ovarian cancer and then continuing a maintenance dose of the drug afterwards significantly extends progression-free survival. Women receiving the new treatment regimen saw no worsening of their disease for 14.1 months, compared to 10.3 months for women receiving standard therapy.
Marine sponge drug extends breast cancer survival: study
A new agent derived from a marine sponge can extend the survival rates of women with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer who already recieved extensive standard therapy, a new study unveiled Sunday found.
Daughters caring for a parent recovering from stroke more prone to depression than sons
Adult daughters caring for a parent recovering from stroke are more prone to depression than sons, Marina Bastawrous today told the Canadian Stroke Congress, co-hosted by the Canadian Stroke Network, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Canadian Stroke Consortium.
Regular bedtimes linked to better language, reading and math skills in preschool children
Children in households with bedtime rules and children who get adequate sleep score higher on a range of developmental assessments, according to a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Long-term study links chronic insomnia to increased risk of death
Individuals with chronic insomnia have an elevated risk of death, according to a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Nocturnal alertness improves after exposure to milliseconds of bright light flashes
Exposure to extraordinarily brief, millisecond flashes of bright light improves alertness at night, according to a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Bright light therapy improves sleep disturbances in soldiers with combat PTSD
Bright light therapy has significant effects on sleep disturbances associated with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Team effort in discovery of blood disorder's missing 'LNK'
(PhysOrg.com) -- It might seem, watching a cell dividing languidly under a microscope, that nature has a straight-forward game plan: an orderly progression of "first this, then that." But backstage, it's much more messy.
New hope for melanoma patients
(PhysOrg.com) -- A therapy that multiplies the effect of a natural disease-fighting antibody has extended the lives of patients with metastatic melanoma in a large, international clinical trial. The study's researchers will report their findings simultaneously at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago and in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Overtreated: More medical care isn't always better
(AP) -- More medical care won't necessarily make you healthier - it may make you sicker. It's an idea that technology-loving Americans find hard to believe.
Baby Bubbler a breath of fresh air (w/ Video)
Gently, gently. That's how babies should be handled, and it was the prime consideration when a team of Rice University seniors developed a device that could save babies' lives.
The right response to every pathogen
In the event of an infection, the immune system releases messenger substances. These molecules can either activate immune cells to defeat invading pathogens, or inhibit them to prevent an excessive immune reaction. For this, the immune system has to decide very quickly what mixture of activating and inhibiting messenger molecules leads to a successful defence.
Why does feeling low hurt?
When it comes to pain, the two competing schools of thought are that it's either "all in your head" or "all in your body". A new study led by University of Oxford researchers indicates that, instead, pain is an amalgam of the two.
Scientists uncover protein that thwarts tumor invasion
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have determined that cancer cells lacking a key protein are more invasive and more likely to metastasize, providing a possible drug target to combat certain tumor types.
Treatment for headaches and dizziness caused by traumatic brain injury appears promising
A recent retrospective study by four Michigan physicians shows strong evidence that symptoms of headache, dizziness and anxiety in some patients with traumatic brain injury potentially could be alleviated or even eliminated with specialized eyeglass lenses containing prisms.
Experimental targeted therapy shows early promise against medulloblastomas
Researchers from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC) presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology the findings of a pediatric brain tumor study using an experimental drug that targets the underlying genetic makeup of the tumor. The research focused on a new way to attack the tumors by blocking the Hedgehog pathway that is linked to approximately 20 percent of medulloblastomas.
Green tea extract appears to keep cancer in check in majority of CLL patients
An extract of green tea appears to have clinical activity with low toxicity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients who used it in a phase II clinical trial, say researchers at Mayo Clinic.
Study: Monitoring cholesterol increases life expectancy
A University of Minnesota study definitively shows that those with decreased LDL cholesterol levels can count on an increased life expectancy. The research is published in the May 24 edition of the Annals of Surgery.
Substance in iron metabolism displays life-saving potential for inflammatory diseases
In a surprising discovery that someday may lead to new treatments for many inflammatory diseases, University of Utah scientists found that a hormone involved in iron metabolism can save mice from deadly acute inflammation.
Violent video games may increase aggression in some but not others, says new research
Playing violent video games can make some adolescents more hostile, particularly those who are less agreeable, less conscientious and easily angered. But for others, it may offer opportunities to learn new skills and improve social networking.
Genetic markers could predict prostate cancer in younger men, study finds
Prostate cancer has become more common in younger men, and it's often more aggressive in these men. A new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that a series of genetic mutations could help detect this early onset prostate cancer.
California full-service partnership program is cost effective
Full-Service Partnerships (FSPs) are designed to do 'whatever it takes' to improve residential stability and mental health outcomes for homeless persons with serious mental illness. They are the cornerstone of California's Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) - one of the largest mental health policy experiments in recent history.
Epigenetic gene silencing may hold key to fatal lung vascular disease
A rare but fatal disease of blood vessels in the lung may be caused in part by aberrant silencing of genes rather than genetic mutation, new research reports.
Tumor virus is best predictor of throat cancer survival
The presence of human papilloma virus, the virus that causes cervical cancer, in tumors is the most important predictor of survival for people diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the back of the mouth), according to a new study led by a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James).
Stroke recovery goes 3-D: Canadian video game takes rehab to the next level
An innovative use of virtual reality is emerging as a major technique in brain recovery for stroke patients, Dr. Mindy Levin told the Canadian Stroke Congress today.
New guideline helps determine brain death in adults
A new national guideline, co-authored by a Henry Ford Hospital neurologist, has created an updated step-by-step process to help physicians better wade through the complex process of determining brain death in adult patients.
Cyclotrons could alleviate medical isotope shortage
The most widely used medical radioisotope, Technetium-99m (Tc-99m), is essential for an estimated 70,000 medical imaging procedures that take place daily around the world. Aging reactors, production intermittencies and threats of permanent reactor closures have researchers striving to develop alternative methods of supply. In a comparative study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting, researchers show that medical cyclotrons could be capable of producing this medical isotope.
Molecular imaging helps predict breast cancer survival
Research introduced at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting is expanding molecular imaging's role in determining the best course of treatment for recurring breast cancer patients, while offering a means of evaluating certain therapies for potentially positive impact on their chance of survival.
'Scout scans' map the way in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment
According to a study presented at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting, molecular imaging can evaluate and optimize non-Hodgkin's lymphoma therapy with Zevalin, a front-line radioimmunotherapy drug that uses a dose of radioactive material and mimics the body's own immune response to target and kill cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissues.
Scientist discover important new player in diabetes onset
If you think of diabetes onset like an elaborate molecular drama, then a research team led by a La Jolla Institute scientist has unmasked a previously unknown cellular player, which is critical to proper insulin secretion. "Defective insulin secretion is a hallmark of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes," said Catherine Hedrick, Ph.D., a scientist at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, who led the team, which included researchers from the University of Virginia.
Childhood hardships associated with pregnancy troubles in adulthood
Childhood hardships may be related to future pregnancy outcomes, in part through their association with smoking during pregnancy and adult socioeconomic position, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
New myeloma drug shows promise in early testing
A drug designed to target cancerous plasma cells appears promising in treating multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
Simple eye test measures damage from multiple sclerosis, researchers find
June 8, 2010 - A quick, painless eye measurement shows promise as a way to diagnose multiple sclerosis in its very early stages, and to track the effectiveness of treatments, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a multicenter study.
Radioactive optical imaging and 'quantum dot' nano-imaging at the forefront of molecular medicine
During SNM's 57th Annual Meeting, investigators presented the results of a multidisciplinary study involving the capture of radiation luminescence and radioactive-excited nanoparticles to help detect subtle signs of disease. Currently, nuclear medicine agents and imaging technology image the behavior of particles at the cellular, molecular and atomic levels, but radioactive materials also emit barely visible light that can be detected with highly sensitive optical imaging technology. This discovery could lead to new, state-of-the-art imaging techniques.
Intimate partner violence against mothers associated with children's obesity
Children whose mothers report being abused by their partners appear more likely to be obese at age 5, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Genetic factors may be linked with development of disordered gambling among women and men
Genetic influences appear important in the development of gambling disorders in both women and men, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Study: Radiation boosts prostate cancer survival
(AP) -- Doctors are reporting a key advance in treating men with cancer that has started to spread beyond the prostate: survival is significantly better if radiation is added to standard hormone treatments.
Researchers identify gene linked to hereditary incontinence
Medical College of Georgia researchers have identified the culprit gene for a rare condition that turns smiles into grimaces and impedes bladder and bowel control.
Scientists begin to unravel causes of mysterious skin disease
Scientists including researchers from the University of Florida have discovered additional evidence that generalized vitiligo — a disease that typically causes patches of white skin on the face, neck and extremities that pop star Michael Jackson may have experienced — is associated with slight variations in genes that play a role in the body's natural defenses.
Scientists discover ancient viral invasion that shaped human genome
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and their colleagues from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Princeton University have recently discovered that viruses that 'invaded' the human genome millions of years ago have changed the way genes get turned on and off in human embryonic stem (ES) cells.
New use for old drugs in treating hepatitis C
Common drugs used to treat conditions such as diabetes and obesity could be used to successfully treat hepatitis C virus infection.
Neuroscientists identify synaptic defect in brain area involved in Fragile X syndrome
Researchers at India's National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and New York University's Center for Neural Science have identified novel synaptic defects in an area of the brain that is involved in the debilitating emotional symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). FXS is the leading known genetic cause of autism and mental retardation.
Link found between passive smoking and poorer mental health
Second hand smoke exposure is associated with psychological distress and risk of future psychiatric illness, according to new UCL research that suggests the harmful affects of passive smoking go beyond physical health.
Protein lets brain repair damage from multiple sclerosis, other disorders
A protein that helps build the brain in infants and children may aid efforts to restore damage from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
How the brain recognizes objects
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research have developed a new mathematical model to describe how the human brain visually identifies objects. The model accurately predicts human performance on certain visual-perception tasks, which suggests that it's a good indication of what actually happens in the brain, and it could also help improve computer object-recognition systems.
Scientists uncover the genetic secrets that allow Tibetans to thrive in thin air
A new study pinpoints the genetic changes that enable Tibetans to thrive at altitudes where others get sick.
Scientists find new way to attack cancerous cells
Scripps Research Institute scientists have discovered a new way to target and destroy a type of cancerous cell. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat lymphomas, leukemias, and related cancers.
Biology news
Wider windrows can help dry alfalfa for dairy silage
(PhysOrg.com) -- The alfalfa silage harvests happening this month can shape the success of an entire year's milk production. That's according to South Dakota Cooperative Extension Dairy Specialist Alvaro Garcia, who said research focusing on proper alfalfa drying methods can help producers working with this important forage for their dairy herds.
Plant disease -- more than a crop killer
The devastating consequences of emerging infectious diseases on crops in developing countries and their economic and social impacts are often underestimated, according to a new study by Maurizio Vurro and his colleagues from the Institute of the Science of Food Production in Italy. The authors call for local governments and international communities to establish better mechanisms for monitoring and managing emerging infectious diseases in developing countries, mirroring those already in place in developed countries. Their findings (1) are published in Springer's journal, Food Security.
Molecular methods are not sufficient in systematics and evolution
Modern evolutionary systematists often use molecular methods, such like mitochondrial DNA analysis, to differentiate between species and subspecies. These molecular methods are a flashy symbol of modern science cleverly exploited by media to draw interest of public and by laboratory scientists to draw attention of government funding agencies. However, current research indicates that the picture painted by these methods may be false, and only a creative combination of classical field-based ecology, museum-based systematics and DNA-based phylogenetics, can lead to right conclusions.
New discovery could aid development of elusive bovine mastitis vaccine
Researchers have discovered components of the bovine mastitis-causing bacterium, Streptococcus uberis that play a key role in the disease. This discovery could lead the way to finally developing a vaccine for this endemic disease, which costs UK farmers alone nearly £200M per year, requires the large scale use of antibiotics, causes pain to cows and dramatically reduces milk yield. A solution to this problem will be an important contribution to the future security of our food supply in the UK. The research is due to be published in Veterinary Research.
'Psychedelic' maize may help increase crop and biofuel yields
Research published in the journal Genetics suggests that mutant maize have multiple independent pathways used to regulate and export sugars throughout its various organs
Paper industry tests genetically altered trees
The commercial paper industry's plans to plant forests of genetically altered eucalyptus trees in seven Southern states has generated more cries from critics worried that such a large introduction of a bioengineered nonnative plant could throw natural ecosystems out of whack.
Unattractive guppies have better sperm
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists studying tropical guppies have discovered that the less colorful and attractive males have better quality sperm, while the attractive fish invest in their appearance at the expense of sperm quality.
Desperate female spiders fight by different rules
If you thought women's pro wrestling was a cutthroat business, jumping spiders may have them beat.
A turn-off for cancer: Scientists discover an ancient 'switch' in plants that could halt cancer metastasis
Although plants and animals are very different organisms, they share a surprising number of biological mechanisms. A plant biologist at Tel Aviv University says that one of these mechanisms may be the answer for turning off cancer growth in humans.
Follow the money: Wealth, population are key drivers of invasive species
A new study of biological invasions in Europe found they were linked not so much to changes in climate or land cover, but to two dominant factors - more money and more people.
A rainforest revelation: Lemurs of Madagascar offer clues to global-warming impact
Global warming may present a threat to animal and plant life even in biodiversity hot spots once thought less likely to suffer from climate change, according to a new study from Rice University.
New yeast can ferment more sugar, make more cellulosic ethan
(PhysOrg.com) -- Purdue University scientists have improved a strain of yeast that can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant's sugars.
Follow the (Robotic) Leader (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Artificial intelligence? Done. Artificial leadership? Its origins may well be in the fish tanks and the algorithms in Maurizio Porfiri's Brooklyn laboratories at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly). Here the assistant professor of mechanical engineering, best known for modeling advanced smart materials, is using those materials, plus a lot of mathematics and his love for animals and science fiction, to build robots that lead schooling fish.
Vitamin B3 Controls Important Life Processes by Changing Shape in Response to Oxygen Level
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have obtained the first images of a common molecular signal, vitamin B3, which plays a role in making some bacteria potent and some men impotent.
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