Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 8, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Harnessing the immune system's diagnostic power (w/ Video)- Japanese space probe Hayabusa close to home
- Plastic laser detects tiny amounts of explosives
- Man-made aurora to help predict space weather
- Aiming to boost electronics performance, researchers capture images of sub-nano pore structures for the first time
- Researchers develop first stable bio-oil for transportation use
- Drilling Down into Mars
- Researchers modify yellow fever vaccine to fight malaria
- Dawn Spacecraft Fires Past Record for Speed Change (w/ Video)
- Sunlight shines on clean energy future: Simple inorganic semiconductor - silver orthophosphate - used to oxidize water
- Scientists reveal cracks in egg theory
- Google puts 3D models of World Cup stadiums online
- Imaging Atoms and Revolutionizing Laptop Computers
- Graphene makes light work of aircraft design
- Molecular link between diabetes and schizophrenia connects food and mood
Space & Earth news
NASA says: send your face to space
For those who don't have millions to pay to become a space tourist, NASA has rolled out a quirky souvenir that lets you to send your face (your picture and name, that is) blasting into space.
Volcano near Philippine capital rumbling back to life
A volcano close to the Philippine capital is becoming active and may eventually erupt, scientists said Tuesday as they warned tourists to avoid its famous crater.
Can Asian carp inspire long-term solutions to Chicago's most pressing water problems?
(PhysOrg.com) -- There's been a lot of harping about Asian carp ever since they started forging up the Illinois River toward Lake Michigan. In late 2009, researchers found traces of their DNA in a Chicago harbor near the lake, sparking outrage from neighboring states over concerns that "voracious invasive species" will soon inundate one of the most valuable aquatic regions in the United States.
New national telescope at La Silla
A new robotic telescope has had first light at ESO's La Silla Observatory, in Chile. TRAPPIST (TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope) is devoted to the study of planetary systems through two approaches: the detection and characterization of planets located outside the Solar System (exoplanets) and the study of comets orbiting around the Sun. The 60-cm telescope is operated from a control room in Ličge, Belgium, 12,000 km away.
Fire may be key to reviving dogwood trees in Eastern forests
Proper and timely burning of some Eastern U.S. forests could help revitalize flowering dogwood trees, which benefits a wide range of species, a Purdue University report shows.
What caused the Leamington tornado? UWO professor has a theory
(PhysOrg.com) -- Weather experiments conducted by a University of Western Ontario professor and his research team may hold clues to what caused the violent winds that hit Leamington, Ontario earlier this week.
NASA Icebreaker Voyage To Probe Climate Change Impact On Arctic
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's first dedicated oceanographic field campaign goes to sea June 15 to take an up-close look at how changing conditions in the Arctic are affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystems that play a critical role in global climate change.
Survey Shows Poorly Designed Wastewater Treatment Plants May Emit More Nitrous Oxide
(PhysOrg.com) -- The first large-scale survey of 12 wastewater plants across the U.S., led by Columbia scientists, shows that the magnitude of N2O emissions from these wastewater treatment plants may be more variable and complex than previously thought. It also challenges the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approach for assessing N2O emissions from such plants. The findings of the study, which was funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation, appeared May 13 on the website of Environmental Science & Technology.
Poll: American opinion on climate change warms up
Public concern about global warming is once again on the rise, according to a national survey released today by researchers at Yale and George Mason Universities. The results come as the U.S. Senate prepares to vote this week on a resolution to block the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant.
TRMM Satellite provides rainfall estimate for Cyclone Phet
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, known as TRMM is a "flying rain gauge" in space, and can provide rainfall estimates from its position in orbit around the Earth. Data accumulated from TRMM enabled visualizers to create a map of rainfall generated by Cyclone Phet as it marched through the Arabian Sea from May 31 to June 6. The heaviest rainfall occurred over open waters, but Phet dropped very heavy rainfall over parts of Oman and Pakistan.
FASTSAT satellite readies for shipment to Alaska
NASA has successfully completed a comprehensive pre-shipment review of the Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite, or FASTSAT, a small, microsatellite class spacecraft bus that will carry six experiment payloads to low-Earth orbit.
Some like it hot: Site of human evolution was scorching
If you think summer in your hometown is hot, consider it fortunate that you don't live in the Turkana Basin of Kenya, where the average daily temperature has reached the mid-90s or higher, year-round, for the past 4 million years.
Oil from BP spill found 40 nautical miles away: official
Scientists have confirmed the spread of oil from the massive Gulf of Mexico spill more than 40 nautical miles from the disaster site and at a depth of 3,300 feet, a top US official said Tuesday.
Dawn Spacecraft Fires Past Record for Speed Change (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Deep in the heart of the asteroid belt, on its way to the first of the belt's two most massive inhabitants, NASA's ion-propelled Dawn spacecraft has eclipsed the record for velocity change produced by a spacecraft's engines.
Japanese space probe Hayabusa close to home
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hayabusa, the Japanese space probe launched in 2003, is returning home from its five-billion-kilometer round-trip journey to collect samples from the asteroid 25143 Itokawa.
Drilling Down into Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Phoenix lander revealed water ice mere inches beneath the martian surface, and chemical evidence from the landing site strongly hints that the region is habitable. But learning whether there is life in martian ice will require drilling — and drilling on Mars will be anything but easy.
Technology news
DaySwitch Field Test Demonstrates Simple Daylight Harvesting Technology to Save Energy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Lighting accounts for about one-quarter of the electricity consumed by the commercial sector in the United States and energy-efficient lamps, ballasts, and lighting controls represent significant opportunities to save energy, money and reduce CO2 emissions associated with fossil fuel electric generation.
Hong Kong protesters picket Apple supplier meeting
(AP) -- Protesters picketed Foxconn's annual general meeting in Hong Kong on Tuesday, accusing both the Apple Inc. supplier and computer giant of poor corporate ethics after a spate of suicides at Foxconn factories in mainland China.
Border Patrol seeks text on suspicious activity
(AP) -- U.S. Border Patrol agents often use horses to look for smugglers in the forested mountains along the Canadian border, but now will be adding a more modern tool to help them keep watch - text messaging.
Google denies use of private data for mapping
(AP) -- Google representatives on Monday said the search engine company has not broken any laws with the collection of data for its mapping service, after Connecticut's attorney general pressed the company to "come clean with the American public."
NASA Tweaks Tech Toolbox to Capture Tricky Rotor Results
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Smooth" and "quiet" are two words not usually associated with a helicopter ride, but NASA is working to change that. A full-size UH-60A Blackhawk helicopter rotor was the subject of tests the agency's Subsonic Rotary Wing Project recently completed in collaboration with the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.
Luxury labels step out into the virtual world
Buying diamond watches or designer labels on the Internet might seem anathema for those able to jet across the world for a shopping spree, yet luxury firms are slowly but surely investing in e-trade.
Internet addicts stage uprising at China boot camp
A group of young Chinese web addicts staged a mutiny at an Internet "boot camp", tying up their instructor and fleeing the facility over its tough military-like techniques, state media said Tuesday.
China defends Internet 'Great Firewall'
China on Tuesday defended its right to censor the Internet, saying it needed to do so to ensure state security, and cautioned other nations to respect how it polices the world's largest online population.
Coulomb Technologies to install 4,600 electric vehicle charging stations
There's more good news for electric-vehicle enthusiasts. Coulomb Technologies, a Campbell, Calif., startup that is a leading maker of electric-vehicle charging stations, recently announced that it plans to install more than 4,600 charging stations in nine metropolitan regions across the United States.
4.7 million EV charging units expected by 2015
The first affordable mass-produced electric vehicles will hit the streets of America later this year. Once the Nissan Leaf begins to make its way from dealerships to consumers, the electric vehicle charging revolution will begin. A new report by Pike Research reveals that there will be an estimated 4.7 million EV charging units in operation worldwide by 2015.
Interview: Alan Mislove on virtual privacy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Facebook's newest attempt to resolve the privacy issues raised by users is getting mixed reviews. Assistant Professor of Computer and Information Science Alan Mislove, whose research focuses on how people interact in the virtual world, discusses what's ahead for social networking.
Microsoft to offer $1.15B in convertible debt
(AP) -- Microsoft is planning to raise $1.15 billion by selling convertible debt to institutional investors. Proceeds will be used to repay debt.
EU court rejects challenge to cell phone cap
(AP) -- The European Union's highest court rejected a challenge Tuesday by four British cell phone companies to a Europe-wide price cap on fees for using a phone abroad.
Invention provides quicker, more efficient use of surveillance videos
Millions of surveillance cameras around the world are today watching public and private areas around the clock, providing police with a valuable tool for catching perpetrators carrying out criminal acts. Rapid apprehension of the recent attempted Times Square, New York, bomber was a sensational example. However, since video browsing and retrieval in the millions of cameras is time consuming - involving sometimes days or weeks of review -- most recorded video is never watched or examined.
Imec significantly reduces cost of germanium-based thermophotovoltaic cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imec researchers presented today an improved processing technique for germanium-based thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells resulting in significant reduction of cell cost, an essential step to develop a market for thermophotovoltaic applications. Imec's newly developed TPV cells are fabricated on germanium substrates with an optimized surface, specifically designed and manufactured for this application.
New software to measure emotional reactions to Web
(PhysOrg.com) -- While most people have intuitive reactions to Web sites, a group of Canadian scientists is developing software that can actually measure those emotions and more.
BP buying search terms to point Web surfers to own site
BP, facing a tidal wave of bad publicity over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, is buying search terms on Internet search engines to point users to the company's official website.
Sony to film World Cup games in 3D
The upcoming FIFA World Cup games will for the first time be filmed in 3D and broadcast in selected public viewing areas across the world, technology company Sony said on Tuesday.
Some clarity in war over Internet access
The fight over open access to the Internet has turned into a public relations war and a political football in Congress.
No place to hide: New 360 degree video surveillance system uses image stitching technology
Traditional surveillance cameras can be of great assistance to law enforcement officers for a range of scenarios -- canvassing a crowd for criminal activity, searching for who left a suitcase beneath a bench, or trying to pick out a suspect who has fled a crime scene and blended into a teeming throng in the subway.
The world's first Expansion/Deflection nozzle hybrid tested
(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers at the University of Bristol and Airborne Engineering last month conducted a number of performance tests of their experimental hybrid rocket engine, called Firecrest.
High-speed Internet cable to link Europe, western Africa
France Telecom and 19 partners will invest 700 million dollars to bring high-speed Internet to 20 countries in western Africa, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Lawmakers seek prepaid cell crackdown, cite terror
(AP) -- Alarmed by the use of hard-to-track prepaid cell phones by terror suspects, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and Texas Sen. John Cornyn have introduced legislation requiring consumers to produce identification before buying such phones.
Project focuses on physical stresses caused by multi-touch electronic devices
The evolution of computer systems has freed us from keyboards and now is focusing on multi-touch systems, those finger flicking, intuitive and easy to learn computer manipulations that speed the use of any electronic device from cell phones to iPads. But little is known about the long-term stresses on our bodies through the use of these systems.
Google puts 3D models of World Cup stadiums online
Google added panoramic pitch-level photographs and 3D models of the World Cup stadiums in South Africa to its online offerings on Tuesday.
Medicine & Health news
Results of first national demonstration project to implement patient-centered medical home released
In a special supplement, "Evaluation of the American Academy of Family Physicians' Patient-Centered Medical Home National Demonstration Project," Annals of Family Medicine reports on the results from the first large-scale national implementation of the patient-centered medical home concept in primary care practices.
Updated HIV therapy guidelines would reduce risk of transmission, save lives, billions in costs
Researchers from the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) and the University of British Columbia today released a comprehensive study revealing that the 2008 IAS-USA therapy guidelines for commencing HIV treatment would create significant benefits for individuals infected with HIV and society as a whole.
Patients with diabetes and depression control glucose, blood pressure just as well as non-depressed counterparts
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers at UW and Group Health Research Institute have found that patients with diabetes who are also depressed had similar levels of glycemia, blood pressure and lipid control compared with counterparts without depression. Results from the study are published in the June 2010 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Study links sleep apnea in children and teens to lower academic grades
The average academic grades of children and teens with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea are worse than the grades of students who have no sleep-disordered breathing, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
How to overcome resistance to one group of breast cancer drugs
A team of researchers, led by Carlos Arteaga, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, has identified a mechanism by which human breast cancer cells can develop resistance to one group of drugs used to treat breast cancer, suggesting new approaches to treating the disease.
Getting extra sleep improves the athletic performance of collegiate football players
Getting extra sleep over an extended period of time improves athletic performance, alertness and mood, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
A good CHAP reduces rates of heart disease and stroke in communities
A community-based health promotion program delivered by over 500 peer volunteers significantly reduces heart disease and stroke in seniors, Canadian Stroke Network researcher Dr. Janusz Kaczorowski told the Canadian Stroke Congress today.
Sleep-deprived nurses may struggle to remain vigilant during 12-hour shifts
A small percentage of nurses struggle to remain vigilant during successive 12-hour shifts, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Sleep problems are common in US soldiers returning from wartime deployment
There is an extremely high prevalence of sleep disturbances in U.S. soldiers returning from wartime deployment, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Cost of caring for stroke patients double that of earlier estimates
Health-care costs for patients in just the first six months after they have a stroke is more than $2.5 billion a year in Canada, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation must implement payment reforms rapidly
The new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI) must be inclusive and flexible in developing and implementing payment initiatives, continuously monitor their impact, and rapidly disseminate them if they appear to be successful, in order to realize the potential for improved health care delivery and reduced spending, according to a new Health Affairs article by Commonwealth Fund researchers.
More adults report excessive sleepiness in the US than in Europe
Excessive sleepiness is more common in the U.S. than in Europe, which raises concerns for public health and safety, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Few health reform options would have covered more people at lower cost than new law, study finds
The recently enacted federal health care reform law provides health insurance coverage to the largest number of Americans while keeping federal costs as low as reasonably possible, according to a new analysis from the RAND Corporation.
Reducing the toxicity of lithium
Lithium is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder.
96 percent of vasectomy patients cleared without need for multiple semen samples
Having to provide repeated semen samples following a vasectomy could soon be a thing of the past, after 96 per cent of men were given the all-clear based on a single test three months after surgery.
'Knowledge translation' keeps treatment current
Though guidelines for best treatment practices are common, they are only partially effective without standardized, routine exposure to them in clinical practice, according to a study conducted by University of Cincinnati (UC) emergency medicine researchers.
New research examines care practices in place for dialysis patients
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and the Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center have received funding to study the care processes that lead to placement of arteriovenous fistulas in patients beginning dialysis.
FDA approves first human neural stem cell clinical trial to treat brain tumors
City of Hope researchers received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct the first-in-human study of a neural stem cell-based therapy targeting recurrent high-grade gliomas, the most aggressive type of brain tumor. Karen S. Aboody, M.D., associate professor in City of Hope's Department of Neurosciences, leads the research team that developed this treatment strategy. Jana Portnow, M.D., assistant professor and assistant director of the Brain Tumor Program at City of Hope, is the principal investigator for the clinical trial.
FDA should adopt risk-based approach to food safety: report
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's abilities to discover potential threats to food safety and prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness are hampered by impediments to efficient use of its limited resources and a piecemeal approach to gathering and using information on risks, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.
Importance of insulin delivery devices for diabetes management
The growing use of insulin delivery devices such as pens and pumps may help individuals with diabetes optimize blood glucose control and minimize their risk for chronic health problems associated with diabetes, as described in a Special Supplement to Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..
UCLA cardiologists use new methods to treat life-threatening arrhythmias
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ventricular arrhythmias — abnormal rhythms from the lower chambers of the heart — are typically treated using a combination of medication, implanted defibrillators and catheter ablation. However, for a small subset of patients, such as those who experience a ventricular electrical storm (three or more episodes within a 24-hour period), such arrhythmias pose serious medical emergencies and require further treatment.
Bodychecking triples injury risk in Pee Wee hockey
Bodychecking in Pee Wee hockey (with players aged 11-12) more than triples the risk of concussion and injury, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Calgary.
VARI findings could help diagnose and treat liver cancer
In collaboration with the National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) researchers have identified an enzyme that could help diagnose and treat cholangiocarcinoma, a form of liver cancer that strikes up to 3,000 new patients each year in the United States.
Shortcut through eyelid gives surgeons less-invasive approach to fix brain fluid leaks
Surgeons at Johns Hopkins have safely and effectively operated inside the brains of a dozen patients by making a small entry incision through the natural creases of an eyelid to reach the skull and deep brain.
Gestational age at delivery has relationship with the risk of special educational needs
Research published this week in PLoS Medicine shows that there is an association between gestation of a baby at delivery and the risk of special educational needs in later life. This finding has important implications for the timing of elective Caesarean deliveries.
Limited long-term effects of school based sexual health education
An intensive sexual health education programme in schools had only a small effect on reported sexual behaviors among African adolescents and no effect on the prevalence of HIV and genital herpes (HSV2) 9 years after the start of the intervention. This was despite evidence of some long-term effects on sexual and reproductive health knowledge. These new long term findings are published in this week's PLoS Medicine and raise questions about the effectiveness of school-based sexual health education.
Drug that restricts blood supply to prostate tumors delays disease progression
A blood vessel-blocking drug called tasquinimod slowed the rate of disease progression in a clinical trial of 200 prostate cancer patients, according to experts at Johns Hopkins, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Duke University.
After critical illness, long-term acute care hospitalization common, increasing
From 1997 to 2006, the number of long-term acute care hospitals doubled, the number of Medicare patients who were transferred to a long-term acute care hospital after a critical illness tripled, and the 1 year survival for these patients was poor, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.
Income, race combine to make perfect storm for kidney disease
African Americans with incomes below the poverty line have a significantly higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) than higher-income African-Americans or whites of any socioeconomic status, research led by scientists at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging shows. Conducted in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of participants from the city of Baltimore, Md., the study could help researchers eventually develop strategies to prevent CKD in vulnerable populations.
Study finds lapses in infection control practices at ambulatory surgical centers
An assessment of nearly 70 ambulatory surgical centers in three states found that lapses in infection control were common, including for practices such as hand hygiene, injection and medication safety and equipment reprocessing, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.
Delay in surgery not likely to worsen tumors in men with low-risk prostate cancer
Johns Hopkins experts have found that men enrolled in an active surveillance program for prostate cancer that eventually needed surgery to remove their prostates fared just as well as men who opted to remove the gland immediately, except if a follow-up biopsy during surveillance showed high-grade cancer.
Microplasmin study shows promising results for two serious eye conditions
A Phase III trial of a drug used for the treatment of vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) and macular hole (MH) revealed key findings for patients diagnosed with these severe conditions which can lead to significant vision impairment.
Clinical Trial May Reduce Stroke in Patients With Irregular Heartbeats
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study at UC Health University Hospital may help reduce stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes irregular and dangerous heart rhythms.
Parkinson's drug offers insight into helping cocaine users kick habit
(PhysOrg.com) -- Medication that increases levels of the brain chemical dopamine could open up new ways for helping some heavy users of cocaine and amphetamines kick the habit, researchers from Cambridge have found.
Chemist refines treatment of prostate cancer with light
There's more than one way to kill a cancer cell. Cliff Berkman is working on a better way -- one that specifically targets prostate cancer cells and causes a type of natural death that spares surrounding tissues from damage. In a recent paper in the journal Cancer Letters, he describes a method that delivers to the cells a chemical that, when exposed to a certain type of light, prompts the cells to die and disappear with minimal side effects.
Liability issues limiting recreational use of public school facilities
Encouraging physical activity is vital to positive health outcomes and is a worthwhile public health goal. Although most public schools have some recreational facilities that could be used outside of regular school hours, concerns over liability have limited their use. In a study in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers reviewed the recreational use statues in all 50 states and found that liability protections could be improved, in some cases, with minor legislative changes, consequently opening up school facilities for increased recreational use benefiting the entire community.
The best and worst work schedules: Shift start times can impact sleep and alertness
Regulations that limit the number of hours worked also should provide guidance for shift start times to maximize workers' sleep opportunity and minimize the risk of on-the-job fatigue, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
Under 50? Silent duo could put you at risk for a big stroke
Being young doesn't mean you are immune to a stroke. You may feel healthy; you may be 18 or a vigorous 50. And yet you could be more vulnerable than you know. That could be because of the role played by silent risk factors in stroke.
Planes, trains and automobiles: Traffic noise disturbs sleep, affects morning performance
Nighttime noise from nearby road traffic, passing trains and overhead planes disturbs sleep and impairs morning performance, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Study is first to show that highly variable sleep schedules predict elevated suicide risk
Highly variable sleep schedules predict an elevated risk for suicide independent of depression in actively suicidal young adults, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Study links long sleep duration to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in older adults
Long sleep duration is associated with an elevated prevalence of metabolic syndrome in older adults, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Researchers optimistic in cancer fight, as disease spreads
Medical researchers are posting optimism in the long fight against cancer as advances were unveiled to combat the disease that continues to rise and remains the second biggest killer in the world.
Video study finds risky food-safety behavior more common than thought
How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study from North Carolina State University -- the first study to place video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines -- discovered that risky practices happen more often than previously thought.
In India, 1 in 25 people have gene that causes heart failure
One in 25 people from India and other south Asian countries carries a mutated gene that causes heart failure.
Exercise may slow progression of ALS
University of Alberta researchers are looking at exercise as a new way to slow the degenerative processes of ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Overtreated: Surgery too often fails for back pain
(AP) -- "Why did they cut you?" The shocking question came from a respected spine surgeon tracked down by Keith Swenson, who was still in severe pain after an earlier back operation.
Poor health? Easier for some to blame bad genes than change lifestyle
Does knowing that genes are partly responsible for your health condition mean you are less likely to be motivated to find out about the benefits of behavioral changes? According to Dr. Suzanne O'Neill from the National Human Genome Research Institute/National Institutes of Health, and her colleagues, people on the whole are still interested in how health habits affect disease risk. However, those with the greatest need to change their behaviors are more likely to favor genetic explanations for their diseases and the more behavioral risk factors they have, the less likely they are to be interested in behavior change information. The study is published online in Springer's journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Protein could heal erectile dysfunction after cancer surgery
After men have surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland, up to 80 percent of them will lose the ability to have an erection because of damage to a critical nerve that runs along the prostate.
Intervention program helps breast cancer patients live longer after recurrence
A psychological intervention program designed for breast cancer patients reduces the risk of dying if the cancer recurs, new research shows.
UF discovery could lead to better genetic screening for diabetes (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Florida researchers have identified a protein that affects how much insulin the body produces in people with a hereditary form of diabetes.
Researchers Convert Stem Cells into Cartilage
(PhysOrg.com) -- The ultimate goal is to grow replacement cartilage in a lab that can be used to repair human joints and treat osteoarthritis.
Quit-Tobacco Programs Effective in Dental Clinics, Study Finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the largest study of its kind, University of Arizona researcher Judith Gordon and her colleagues have proven the effectiveness of quit-tobacco interventions in public dental care settings serving low-income patients.
Body language reveals if you're a true green
(PhysOrg.com) -- The inner feelings of people who falsely claim to care about the environment can be exposed by understanding their body language, according to a new book.
FDA panel to consider new 'morning-after pill'
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee will meet June 17 to consider whether the agency should approve a new emergency contraceptive that studies show is more effective than Plan B, the only "morning-after pill" on the U.S. market.
Helping hearts, spinal cords and tendons heal themselves
Queen's University Brian Amsden is hoping that in about 10 years a tendon, spinal cord or heart valve will be able to regenerate itself after an injury or disease.
Study examines icu outbreak of staph aureus with resistance to methicillin and linezolid
An outbreak of infection due to linezolid and methicillin-resistant StaphylococcuS aureus (LRSA) in 12 intensive care unit patients in Spain was associated with transmission within the hospital and extensive usage of the antibiotic linezolid, often used for the treatment of serious infections, with reductions in linezolid use and infection-control measures associated with resolution of the outbreak, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.
Vacuum cleaner sucks up strokes
A clot vacuum cleaner that sucks out stroke-producing blockages from blood vessels in the brain sounds like science fiction.
WHO: Pharma interests didn't influence flu verdict
(AP) -- The head of the World Health Organization said Tuesday that her decisions about swine flu were not influenced by advisers' links to pharmaceutical companies, which were pointed out in a critical journal article this month.
Early consumption of soda indicator of unhealthy diet
Young girls who drink soda have less healthy diets through adolescence than their peers who do not drink soda, according to a Penn State study.
Research shows personality can predict fertility
The reproductive success of both men and women is influenced by our personality traits, according to new research from the University of Sheffield.
Side effects explained: Why common drugs can lead to broken bones
New research helps to explain why some commonly used drugs come with a serious downside: They up your odds of breaking a bone. The drugs in question, glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisone and prednisone) and the insulin sensitizer rosiglitazone work through entirely different mechanisms as therapies for inflammatory diseases and diabetes respectively, and two studies in the June issue of Cell Metabolism now show that they lead to bone loss in different ways too.
Researchers modify yellow fever vaccine to fight malaria
(PhysOrg.com) -- A genetically modified vaccine originally used to eradicate yellow fever could be the key to stopping a mosquito-borne scourge that afflicts much of the developing world.
Molecular link between diabetes and schizophrenia connects food and mood
Defects in insulin function - which occur in diabetes and obesity - could directly contribute to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia.
Healthy diet could slow or reverse early effects of Alzheimer's disease
Patients in the early to moderate stages of Alzheimer's Disease could have their cognitive impairment slowed or even reversed by switching to a healthier diet, according to researchers at Temple University.
Short people more prone to heart disease: study
Short people are at greater risk of developing heart disease than tall people, according to the first systematic review and meta-analysis of all the available evidence, which is published online today in the European Heart Journal [1].
Harnessing the immune system's diagnostic power (w/ Video)
An inexpensive system for earlier disease diagnosis could save innumerable lives. It would also have a profound impact on the nation's healthcare industry, currently buckling under the strain of spiraling costs.
Biology news
Separating calves can help reduce exposure to disease in dairy herds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Separating calves from older animals is effective to reduce disease exposure to unweaned calves.
Cleaner fish respond to the shadow of the future (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tropical fish alter their behaviour with an eye to the future, researchers at Cambridge have found. This is the first time such behaviour has been seen in any animals except humans.
New shortcut to cell growth
People have them, cats have them and whales have some, too. Neurons, those interlinked nerve cells that carry sensations including pain, stretch from our spinal cords to the tips of our toes, paws or fins. According to a new study published in the journal Cell, scientists from the Harvard Medical School, the University of Montreal and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found a new way by which nerve cells relay information that tell them to grow from millimeters to meters in length.
Invasive tallowtree spreading rapidly across Gulf coast
A study by a USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station scientist shows the numbers of nonnative Chinese tallowtree in Louisiana, Mississippi and east Texas grew by about 370 percent over a 16-year period. The spread of the invasive plant may create problems for plants and wildlife along the Gulf coast.
Arsenic hyperaccumulating ferns: How do they survive?
Arsenic is toxic to most forms of life, and occurs naturally in soil and ground water in many regions of the world. Chronic exposure to arsenic has been linked to lung, bladder and kidney cancer, and thus there are strict limits on allowable levels or arsenic in drinking water. Chemically similar to phosphorus, arsenic forms arsenate (AsO43-), which closely resembles phosphate (PO43-). Arsenate interferes with many phosphate-requiring metabolic reactions, including synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a ubiquitous and essential source of cellular energy. Thus, exposure to even low levels of arsenic can be extremely toxic.
A mountain bird's survival guide to climate change
Researchers at Yale University have found that the risk of extinction for mountain birds due to global warming is greatest for species that occupy a narrow range of altitude. In fact, a species' vertical distribution is a better predictor of extinction risk than the extent of temperature change they experience, the researchers report in the June 9 issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
A launchpad for stem cell research
Stem cell research holds promise for improving the quality of human life -- especially embryonic stem cells, which can potentially develop into any tissue in the human body. However, basic scientific problems still remain unresolved -- but Tel Aviv University researchers are leading the way to inventive solutions.
Success with 'cisgenics' in forestry offers new tools for biotechnology
Forestry scientists at Oregon State University have demonstrated for the first time that the growth rate and other characteristics of trees can be changed through "cisgenics" - a type of genetic engineering that is conceptually similar to traditional plant breeding.
Scientists reveal cracks in egg theory
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists in Cambridge have found cracks in the long-standing theory that the number of eggs animals have -- and the size of those eggs -- is related to how much parental care they invest in their offspring.
New type of human stem cell may be more easy to manipulate
Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine (MGH-CRM) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have a developed a new type of human pluripotent stem cell that can be manipulated more readily than currently available stem cells. As described in the June 4 Cell Stem Cell, these new cells could be used to create better cellular models of disease processes and eventually may permit repair of disease-associated gene mutations.
Bacteria from hot springs reveal clues to evolution of early life and to unlock biofuels' potential
A bacteria that lives in hot springs in Japan may help solve one of the mysteries of the early evolution of complex organisms, according to a study publishing next week in PLoS Biology. It may also be the key to 21st century biofuel production.
Snakes may be in decline worldwide: study
Distinct populations of snake species on three continents have crashed over the last decade, raising fears that the reptiles may be in global decline, according to a study published Wednesday.
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