Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 6, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- How a smart, decentralized Energy Web is essential for managing renewable energy sources- A Multi-Layered Display with Water Drops (w/ Video)
- Shocking results from diamond anvil cell experiments
- With Magnetic Nanoparticles, Scientists Remotely Control Neurons and Animal Behavior (w/ Video)
- Nano-sized light mill drives micro-sized disk (w/ Video)
- Coldest Antimatter Ever Produced
- Romantic rejection stimulates areas of brain involved in motivation, reward and addiction
- La Nina likely to develop in coming months: UN weather body
- Less than 10 percent of fliers use Wi-Fi
- Brain chemical boosts body heat, aids in calorie burn, research suggests
- Big picture: Lipid ordering visualized in a living vertebrate organism
- Protein must exist in specific brain cells to prevent diet-induced obesity
- Image: Starburst Cluster Shows Celestial Fireworks
- Nexi robot: A matter of trust
- Borne on the Wing: Avian Influenza Risk in U.S. Wild Songbirds Mapped
Space & Earth news
Study shows cleaner water mitigates climate change effects on Florida Keys coral reefs
Improving the quality of local water increases the resistance of coral reefs to global climate change, according to a study published in June in Marine Ecology Progress Series. Florida Institute of Technology coral reef ecologist Robert van Woesik and his student Dan Wagner led the study, which provides concrete evidence for a link between environmental health and the prospects for reefs in a rapidly changing world.
Scientists study global warming's effect on California redwoods
Two of his colleagues dangled on ropes 100 feet above from the gnarled branches of a giant sequoia tree. Steve Sillett could hardly contain his excitement.
BP oil spill costs soar above 3 billion dollars
BP's costs over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill soared Monday above three billion dollars, while a giant Taiwanese ship provided hope of revolutionizing on-sea skimming operations.
'Plastiki' bottle ship to complete Pacific voyage
A boat made from 12,500 plastic bottles will leave New Caledonia for Sydney this week on the final leg of a voyage across the Pacific to raise environmental awareness, organisers said Tuesday.
Tar balls hit Texas as oil spill cost soars
Tar balls from the Gulf of Mexico spill have turned up on the Texas coast, expanding the oil slick's impact to all five Gulf states, officials said late Monday, as BP's disaster costs soared above three billion dollars.
Rare Minerals Supplies: No Need for Panic
(PhysOrg.com) -- Alarming media reports have raised concern about U.S. dependence on foreign sources of rare minerals that are critically important in military applications and emerging industries. But there is no need to panic, according to an article in the Summer 2010 Issues in Science and Technology.
Isolation a threat to Great Barrier Reef fish
(PhysOrg.com) -- At first glance it may seem like a good idea to be a fish living the quiet life on a small and isolated reef.
The long-term fate of the oil spill in the Atlantic
The possible spread of the oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon rig over the course of one year was studied in a series of computer simulations by a team of researchers from the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Team devises technique to predict dust storms with infrared satellite
Researchers based at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a method for predicting dust and sandstorms that uses infrared satellite images to determine when conditions are ripe for the destructive phenomena, a technique that could be implemented globally and that the research team used to forecast a 2008 New Mexico dust stor -- the area's largest in decades -- two days beforehand.
Changing climate could alter meadows' ecosystems, researcher says
Changing climate could affect the diversity of plants and animals, and we can get a glimpse of what this may look like by studying the effects of drought in a relatively pristine ecosystem, according to an Iowa State University researcher.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: Reiner Gamma Region of Interest
First identified by early astronomers during the Renaissance, the Reiner Gamma formation has been a subject of intense scientific study for almost five decades and is one of the highest-priority targets for future human lunar exploration. Reiner Gamma is one of the most distinctive natural features on the Moon. This striking, tadpole-shaped swirl has a significantly higher reflectance than the surrounding mare basalts.
Cassini to Dive Low through Titan Atmosphere
(PhysOrg.com) -- As American schoolchildren head out to pools for a summer splash, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will be taking its own deep plunge through the Titan atmosphere this week.
EPA: Clean-air rule would overturn Bush-era plan
(AP) -- The Obama administration is proposing new rules to tighten restrictions on pollution from coal-burning power plants in the eastern half of the country, a key step to cut emissions that cause smog.
Spice leaves sheep smelling sweeter
(PhysOrg.com) -- Forget low-energy lightbulbs and solar-powered homes - curry spices could hold the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
La Nina likely to develop in coming months: UN weather body
The UN weather agency said Tuesday that El Nino, which wreaks havoc around the Pacific and east Africa, has dissipated, but La Nina -- another disruptive weather phenomenon, is likely to develop.
Image: Starburst Cluster Shows Celestial Fireworks
(PhysOrg.com) -- Like a July 4 fireworks display, a young, glittering collection of stars looks like an aerial burst. The cluster is surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust—the raw material for new star formation. The nebula, located 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina, contains a central cluster of huge, hot stars, called NGC 3603.
Technology news
FIT4Green ICT project aims to save up to 20 percent of energy
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is participating in an EU project FIT4Green which targets to provide at least 20% saving in direct server and network devices energy consumption and induce an additional 30% saving due to reduced cooling needs.
Judges order 2 Pa. newspapers to delete stories
(AP) -- A Pennsylvania judge who ordered two newspapers to delete archived stories about three defendants whose cases were resolved has rescinded the order. But another judge's order covering two other defendants is still pending.
Tag tech for buried pipes spins out
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new Oxford University spin-out company, Oxford Electromagnetic Solutions Limited (OxEmS), has been set up to commercialise technology to locate and identify buried plastic pipes.
Twitter's character limit sparks new style of short-form writing
I was once quick to mock Twitter as yet another sign of society's incredible shrinking attention span. That was then. Now I find myself searching for the perfectly written tweet. And I'm not alone.
Firms plan green energy power lines under Med
An industrial consortium launched preparations on Monday for a possible future power grid under the Mediterranean that would carry solar energy from Africa to Europe.
Queen Elizabeth gets a new BlackBerry
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II received a BlackBerry handset as a gift on Monday while touring the Canadian headquarters of its maker, Research in Motion.
Taiwan's HTC beats six-month sales forecasts
Taiwan's leading smartphone maker High Tech Computer Corp (HTC) said Tuesday its sales in the six months to June had soared 41 percent from a year ago, beating analysts' expectations.
'Twitter-like' technology could make cities safer
Instant feedback technology that allows the public to voice spontaneous opinions about their surroundings is being tested to help make cities safer.
Dutch researchers raise energy yield of 'cheap' solar panels
Researchers from TU Delft in the Netherlands have shown how the energy yield of relatively cheap solar panels, made of amorphous silicon, can be considerably raised: from around 7 percent to 9 percent.
Reversible watermarking for digital images
Every picture tells a story, but how do you know that a digital photo has not been manipulated to change the tale being told? A new approach to adding an encrypted watermark to digital images allows the an image to be validated against a pass key, according to research published in the International Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering.
Computer chip sales up sharply in May over a year ago
Worldwide semiconductor sales rose 47.6 percent in May over a year ago and were 4.5 percent higher than the previous month, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said Tuesday.
Japan's Renesas to buy Nokia wireless modem operations
Japan's Renesas Electronics Corp. said Tuesday it had reached an agreement to buy the wireless modem operations of mobile phone maker Nokia Corp. in a 200 million dollar deal.
Netflix adds to online movies with Relativity deal
(AP) -- Netflix Inc. is adding to the group of movies that its subscribers can watch online or over Internet-connected devices at the same time as they would have appeared on premium pay TV channels such as HBO or Showtime.
Apple bars developer from App Store
Apple said Tuesday it has barred a Vietnamese program developer from its application store on iTunes for fraudulent activity.
As good as an atomic clock
Australian researchers have invented a new clock that will bring atomic accuracy to your desk.
Tech customers question industry's takeover spree
(AP) -- The world's largest technology companies have been on a buying spree, spending billions to snap up smaller companies. And often the buyers say they're doing it for their customers - businesses, hospitals, schools and government agencies.
Inventors say Hydra offers clean water, hope for villages
The hose took brownish water from the scummy Schuylkill River in Philadelphia to a strange apparatus on the bank -- a trailer with a solar panel, a hydrogen tank, and other odd parts with flashing digital readouts.
Tech firms aim to keep wayward walkers on path
(AP) -- Todd Atwood says he doesn't worry too much about accidents when walking down the street using his iPhone to make calls, send text messages or check his e-mail. But he's seen the consequences of paying more attention to the gadget than what's ahead.
Intel Working on Black Box for Smart Cars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Intel revealed their aircraft-style black box last week at their research showcase in Santa Clara, California. The device can send video footage of driver's behavior during an accident to the police and insurance company.
Less than 10 percent of fliers use Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi connections in the air may not be the magical service capability that some in the travel world had hoped.
Nexi robot: A matter of trust
(PhysOrg.com) -- What can a wide-eyed, talking robot teach us about trust? A lot, according to Northeastern psychology professor David DeSteno, and his colleagues, who are conducting innovative research to determine how humans decide to trust strangers -- and if those decisions are accurate.
A Multi-Layered Display with Water Drops (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- AquaLux 3D, a new projection technology developed at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, can target light onto and between individual water droplets, enabling text, video and other moving or still images to be displayed on multiple layers of falling water.
How a smart, decentralized Energy Web is essential for managing renewable energy sources
(PhysOrg.com) -- A decade ago, Gnutella, Kazaa and other early peer-to-peer (P2P) systems showed that a decentralized approach to managing large-scale, widely distributed systems could offer many essential advantages compared to the traditional centralized approach. Since then, researchers have taken the decentralized design method far beyond music sharing, applying it to areas as diverse as database distribution and analysis of biological systems.
Medicine & Health news
A new opportunity for hepatitis C research
The hepatitis C virus is highly specialised. We humans are its natural hosts. The only other living organisms that could be infected with the hepatitis C virus in the lab are chimpanzees. Nevertheless it is - from the viewpoint of the virus - highly successful: around 170 million people are chronically infected with the virus. And with the chronic infection the risk of developing liver cancer also increases.
Diagnostic blood test can identify rare lung disease
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have found that a certain blood test can successfully identify lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) in some patients, eliminating the need for surgical lung biopsy to make a diagnosis.
What are the symptoms of male menopause?
EU-funded scientists have identified the symptoms behind late-onset hypogonadism or 'male menopause', a rare condition that affects 2% of men. Nine symptoms were linked for the first time to low testosterone production, the key factor in male menopause. The seven-year study was part of the EMAS ('European male ageing study') project, which received over EUR 6 million under the 'Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources' Thematic programme of the EU's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). The findings, which are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, are expected to better gauge the need for male testosterone therapy.
Experimental psychology used to investigate spatial perception in the presence of different color tones
A room will appear to be higher or lower depending on the lightness of the color tones used on ceiling and walls. However, it would seem there is no scientific basis for the old do-it-yourself rule to paint the ceiling in a hue slightly paler than the color used on the walls if you want to create the impression that a room is higher than it actually is. This is the conclusion reached following a study conducted by the Institute of Psychology of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) to investigate the effect of relative brightness of coloration of ceiling, walls and floor on the perceived height of interior spaces.
Heart patients with anxiety disorder experience more cardiovascular events, deaths
Among patients with heart disease, anxiety disorders appear to be associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Study shows new PGS method can predict chromosomal abnormalities
Scientists at the University of Bonn and at the SISMER centre in Bologna used a new micro-array technology that screens all chromosomes in one cell within 12 hours, allowing for fresh transfer of the egg into the female patient. They could identify the chromosomal status of the eggs in 89 % of all polar bodies analysed, Prof. Joep Geraedts told the 26th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today.
First step to new therapy for chronic bowel disease
Scientists associated with VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and Ghent University (UGent) have discovered that A20 protein plays an important protective role in diseases associated with chronic bowel inflammation. This makes A20 into a promising therapeutic target for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.
Neural stem cells attack glioblastoma cells
In their latest research, scientists of the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have demonstrated how the brain's own stem cells and precursor cells control the growth of glioblastomas. Of all brain tumors, glioblastomas are among the most common and most aggressive. Dr. Sridhar Reddy Chirasani, Professor Helmut Kettenmann and Dr. Rainer Glass have now shown in cell culture and mouse model experiments just how the body's own protective mechanism they identified in an earlier study, actually works.
New study contradicts negative perceptions of menopause
New research from the University of Sheffield has found that social and psychological factors have the biggest influence upon women's sexual behaviour during the menopause, rather than biological changes such as declining hormone levels.
Majority of Ontarians suffering from rheumatoid arthritis not receiving needed speciality care
Nearly 60 per cent of Ontarians with rheumatoid arthritis — an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints — were not seen by a specialist within a one year period to treat the debilitating disease, according to a new study. Even more concerning is that women of child-bearing age are less likely to see a specialist than women 45 or older, say researchers from St. Michael's Hospital, the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and Women's College Hospital.
Head and spine trauma from ATV accidents cost $3.24 billion annually
Severe trauma to the head and spine resulting from all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents are increasing dramatically according to research released today from the University of Utah Department of Neurosurgery. The research, to be published in the journal Neurosurgery, highlights the need for efforts to improve ATV stability, increase helmet use, and greater efforts to train riders in safe operation of the vehicles.
Extension Volunteer Program Helps Older Adults Ease Falling Fears
(PhysOrg.com) -- For many older adults, a fear of falling can steadily decrease their physical activity, well-being and independence. At a minimum, their quality of life is jeopardized.
Germany cuts health care spending, raises premiums
(AP) -- Faced with a ballooning deficit in Germany's health care system, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government decided Tuesday to raise premiums and cut into the profits of doctors, dentists, hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Colon cancer screenings up, breast rate stalled
(AP) -- More older Americans are getting tested for colon cancer, with nearly two out of three getting recommended screenings.
Pfizer gets EU approval for kids' cholesterol drug
(AP) -- The European Union has approved a new chewable form of cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor for children 10 and up with high levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of blood fat, Pfizer said Tuesday.
The $30 billion 'price tag' for improving maternal, neonatal and child health is inadequate
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, an international alliance of groups working on maternal and child health argues that $US30 billion of additional funding is needed to save the lives of over 10 million women and children by 2015, but this estimate is misleadingly low because it leaves out crucial service delivery costs.
Glucosamine appears to provide little benefit for chronic low-back pain
Even though it is widely used as a therapy for low back pain, a randomized controlled trial finds that patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis (OA) who took glucosamine for six months showed little difference on measures of pain-related disability, low back and leg pain and health-related quality of life, compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.
Study finds wide variation in 5-year patient survival rates for lung transplantation centers
There is significant variation among lung transplant centers in the U.S. in the 5-year survival rate of patients, with a higher number of procedures performed at a center only partly associated with longer survival of patients, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.
Antioxidants do help arteries stay healthy: study
Long-term supplementation with dietary antioxidants has beneficial effects on sugar and fat metabolism, blood pressure and arterial flexibility in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism report these positive results in a randomized controlled trial of combined vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and selenium capsules.
Rhythm of life: Music shows potential in stroke rehabilitation
Music therapy provided by trained music therapists may help to improve movement in stroke patients, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. A few small trials also suggest a wider role for music in recovery from brain injury.
Scientists find protein inhibitor revives chemotherapy for ovarian patients
Investigators at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have discovered a way that may help ovarian cancer patients who no longer respond to conventional chemotherapy.
Drug resistance danger for sleeping sickness treatments
(PhysOrg.com) -- Drugs used to treat the epidemic disease African sleeping sickness must be used prudently to prevent the parasite acquiring resistance to current medicines, a new study at the University of Dundee has shown.
11.5 percent HIV/AIDS prevalence in Mozambique: report
Almost 12 percent of the Mozambican population is infected with HIV/AIDS, a government survey released on Monday said.
Cancer vaccine's added benefit
Vaccination against the virus that causes cervical cancer has had an additional benefit - a marked decline in cases of genital warts, a new study has found.
Task force urges bone-density tests for more women
(AP) -- Routine screening for osteoporosis should include all younger postmenopausal women who have at least the same chance of a bone break as an older woman, a government task force said Monday.
Fetal X-ray exposure interferes with memory in adulthood
Learning and memory impairments are important contributors to the disability associated with schizophrenia. These functional impairments emerge long before the onset of other symptoms associated with schizophrenia, suggesting that they are a consequence of a disturbance in brain development.
Scientists find link between estrogen metabolism pathway and breast cancer risk
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, recently discovered that DNA polymorphisms related to the production of estrogen play an important role in the development of hormone-sensitive breast and endometrial cancer. The knowledge gained may help develop better measures for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
Cocoa flavanols improve vascular and blood pressure measures for coronary artery disease patients
A new study by UCSF cardiologists and researchers found that high concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels and increase the number of circulating blood-vessel-forming cells in patients with heart disease. The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols - such as cocoa products, tea, wine, and various fruits and vegetables - have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients.
Researchers find anxiety may be at root of religious extremism
Anxiety and uncertainty can cause us to become more idealistic and more radical in our religious beliefs, according to new findings by York University researchers, published in this month's issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Hospitals warned that wet breathing system filters transmit harmful bacteria and yeast
Doctors have highlighted potential problems with the breathing system filters used in anaesthesia, including intensive care units, after demonstrating that they don't provide protection from harmful bacteria and yeast when they become wet.
Searching for causes of neural disconnection in schizophrenia
Dendritic spines act as hubs for communication between nerve cells. Reductions in spines may contribute to a lack of coordination in activity between brain regions. This structural abnormality is particularly relevant in schizophrenia, where pyramidal neurons located in layer 3, the principal cell type receiving communication from other brain regions, have fewer dendritic spines.
Robots preclude neck incision for thyroid surgery
Robots that revolutionized gynecologic and urologic surgery in the past decade now offer the option of removing at least a portion of their diseased thyroid gland without the hallmark neck incision, researchers said.
Serve veggies first, and kids will eat them
Health officials and parents everywhere continue to puzzle over how to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. But I discovered the answer a few weeks ago.
Hunger atlas takes a new look at an old problem
World hunger is often seen as the result of overpopulation, bad geography or natural or human-made disasters. But a new book, "The Atlas of World Hunger," reveals that the contours and causes of hunger are more complex - and in some ways more easily addressed - than those old assumptions suggest.
Fat cells play key role in development of type 2 diabetes
Cellular changes in fat tissue -- not the immune system -- lead to the "hyperinflammation" characteristic of obesity-related glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC).
New retrieval method makes studying cancer proteins easier
A Purdue University researcher can better retrieve specific proteins needed to study how cancer cells form by using a newly developed technique and synthetic nanopolymer.
Emotional flatness can be mistaken for depression in Alzheimer's patients
Watching a loved one struggle with Alzheimer's disease can be a painful process, but for the patient, the experience may be a muted one.
Researchers advance spinal cord injury treatments
(PhysOrg.com) -- A full recovery from a spinal cord injury? Don't hold your breath. Actually, according to Gordon Mitchell, a professor of neurosciences at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, holding your breath might be exactly the right thing to do.
Sympathetic brain to blame for high blood pressure
High blood pressure can be attributed to a disruption of blood flow to the kidneys, known as renovascular hypertension, which is caused by a narrowing or obstruction of the blood vessels that supply the kidneys. To date, renovascular hypertension had been understood as the kidney's reaction to this disrupted blood flow, which triggers hormone release from the kidneys, causing retention of body fluids, thereby elevating blood pressure.
Want to slow aging? New research suggests it takes more than antioxidants
Don't put down the red wine and vitamins just yet, but if you're taking antioxidants because you hope to live longer, consider this: a new study published in the June 2010 issue of the journal Genetics casts doubt on the theory that oxidative stress to our tissues shortens lifespan. That's because researchers from McGill University in Canada have identified mutations in 10 different genes of worms (genes believed to have counterparts in humans) that extend their lifespan without reducing the level of oxidative stress the worms suffer. The results contradict the popular theory that production of toxic reactive oxygen species in tissues is responsible for aging.
Researchers discover trigger to early, effective antibody response
Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered a trigger that induces B cells to produce effective and long-lived antibodies early in the immune response. They found that a molecule that binds toll-like receptors (TLR) doubles the early antibody response to an antigen, and shifts it to a more effective, IgG form.
First health overhaul provisions start to kick in
(AP) -- The first stage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is expected to provide coverage to about 1 million uninsured Americans by next year, according to government estimates.
Researchers identify factors behind blood-making stem cells
A team of researchers from the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the University of Montreal have made significant progress in the understanding of blood-producing (hematopoietic) stem cells.
Leisure-time physical activity benefits some more than others
It may seem intuitive that greater amounts of exercise lead to less obesity, but an Indiana University study has found that this conventional wisdom applies primarily to white women. The findings draw attention not only to racial, ethnic and gender differences regarding exercise but also to the role work can play.
Overcoming ovarian cancer
(PhysOrg.com) -- UCI's gynecologic oncology group forges what is being called the largest breakthrough for treating ovarian cancer in more than a decade.
Extended use of anti-clotting drug helps some bedridden patients
A treatment plan used to prevent potentially dangerous blood clots in recovering surgical patients can also benefit some patients immobilized by acute medical illness, doctors have found in a multi-institutional study.
Water's unexpected role in blood pressure control
Name a drink that can make you more alert for late-night studying, prevent you from fainting after giving blood, and even promote a teensy bit of weight loss.
Study finds TV viewing, video game play contribute to kids' attention problems
Parents looking to get their kid's attention - or keeping them focused at home and in the classroom - should try to limit their television viewing and video game play. That's because a new study led by three Iowa State University psychologists has found that both viewing television and playing video games are associated with increased attention problems in youths.
Length of biological marker associated with risk of cancer
A new study suggests that shorter length of leukocyte telomeres - chromosome markers of biological aging - are associated with an increased risk of cancer and death from cancer, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA. A leukocyte is a type of blood cell.
Therapist competence matters -- and more for some patients than others
While studies have shown that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for depression, it has still not been clear the role therapists' training and expertise plays in making treatment successful.
The majority of fevers in African children are not caused by malaria
In 2007, an estimated 656 million fevers occurred in African children aged 0-4 years, with 78 million children of the 183 million attending a public health care facility likely to have been infected with P. falciparum (range 60-103 million), the parasite that causes the most dangerous form of malaria. These findings come from a modelling system devised by Peter Gething and colleagues from the Malaria Atlas Project, a multinational team of researchers funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust.
Revolutionary therapy slows tumor growth in advanced breast cancer
The new drug olaparib has antitumour activity in carriers of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations who have advanced ovarian or breast cancer, according to the findings of two proof-of-concept trials. Together with previous findings, these trials suggest that therapy for ovarian, breast, and possibly other cancers can be targeted on the basis of shared genetic defects, rather than organ of origin, conclude the Articles published online in the Lancet.
Scientists reveal the mystery of sudden cardiac death
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at The University of Manchester have solved a mystery connected with why people die from sudden cardiac arrest during sleep - potentially saving thousands of lives.
Doctors perform brain surgery via eyelid
When Liane Lefever complained to her doctor about a persistent ear ache, an examination found a much more serious problem: a brain tumor.
Brain biology linked to severe teenage antisocial behaviour
The onset of severe antisocial behaviour in teenagers may be more than just 'falling in with the wrong crowd'. A new study jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council (MRC) reveals that young adults with conduct disorder display an abnormal pattern of brain activity compared with their peers without the disorder.
Combining sex and drugs reduces rock and roll
Sharing a bottle of red wine may seem like the best recipe for a romantic interlude. However, the evening may not turn out as planned according to a Concordia University study, which evaluated the effect of a wide range of drugs, including alcohol, on sexual behaviour. The findings, published in the journal Hormones and Behavior, definitively show that despite our preconceived notions, use of many recreational drugs can cause a loss in that lovin' feeling.
Maternal diet and genes interact to affect heart development
A pregnant mother's diet may be able to interact with the genes her unborn child inherits and influence the type or severity of birth defect according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The study, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, suggests that mothers who eat a high fat diet before and through pregnancy could be inadvertently putting the health of their offspring at risk.
Brain chemical boosts body heat, aids in calorie burn, research suggests
New findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggest that an enzyme in the brain known as PI3 kinase might control the increased generation of body heat that helps burn off excess calories after eating a high-fat meal.
Protein must exist in specific brain cells to prevent diet-induced obesity
A protein found in cells throughout the body must be present in a specific set of neurons in the brain to prevent weight gain after chronic feeding on high-calorie meals, new findings from UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggest.
Scientists design new delivery device for gene therapy
Scientists have designed a nanoparticle that appears to effectively deliver genetic material into cells with minimal toxic effects.
Romantic rejection stimulates areas of brain involved in motivation, reward and addiction
The pain and anguish of rejection by a romantic partner may be the result of activity in parts of the brain associated with motivation, reward and addiction cravings, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology.
Biology news
Salmon in hot water
Rearing juvenile salmon at the relatively high temperature of 16 C causes skeletal deformities in the fish. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Physiology investigated both the magnitude and mechanisms of this effect, which occurs when salmon farmers use warmed water to increase fish growth rates.
Bacterial diversity of Tablas de Daimiel studied for first time
Researchers from the University of Valencia (UV) and the Biomedical Research Centre Network (CIBER) in Epidemiology and Public Health studied the structure of the bacterial community in four types of environments in the Tablas de Daimiel National Park in Ciudad Real, Spain. These were the aquatic environment, the first few centimetres of sediment representing the interface between water and sediment (superficial sediment), deeper sediment (lower sediment), and the biofilms that grow on the areas bordering the water and non-inundated soil.
UF experts: Spotted wing drosophila is pest for region's berry growers, but manageable
A fruit fly that has given growers in the western United States fits has made its way to the Sunshine State and may spread throughout the Southeast, University of Florida researchers say.
Invasive Asian Carp advancing through Indiana
Those voracious invasive fish, Asian Carp, have another possible point of entry to Ohio and Lake Erie.
Bacterial communication encourages chronic, resistant ear infections
Ear infections caused by more than one species of bacteria could be more persistent and antibiotic-resistant because one pathogen may be communicating with the other, encouraging it to bolster its defenses. Interrupting or removing that communication could be key to curing these infections. Researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center publish their findings today in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
New technology reduces storage needs and costs for genomic data
A new computer data compression technique called Genomic SQueeZ (G-SQZ), developed by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), will allow genetic researchers and others to store, analyze and share massive volumes of data in less space and at lower cost.
For lambs, a pasture a week keeps blood suckers away
Deworming lambs can be minimized with rotational grazing and checking the animals' eye color, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study.
Map of herpes virus protein suggests a new drug therapy
The mechanism by which a herpes virus invades cells has remained a mystery to scientists seeking to thwart this family of viruses. New research funded by the National Institutes of Health and published online in advance of print in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology reveals the unusual structure of the protein complex that allows a herpes virus to invade cells. This detailed map of a key piece of the herpes virus "cell-entry machinery" gives scientists a new target for antiviral drugs.
Marine scientists return with rare creatures from the deep
Scientists have just returned from a voyage with samples of rare animals and more than 10 possible new species in a trip which they say has revolutionised their thinking about deep-sea life in the Atlantic Ocean.
Big picture: Lipid ordering visualized in a living vertebrate organism
Scientists have obtained the first visualization of the inherent arrangement of lipid molecules in different tissues of a whole, living vertebrate organism. The research, published by Cell Press in Biophysical Journal on July 6th, validates earlier studies done with primary cells and may lead to a new understanding of the physiological significance of plasma membrane organization.
Borne on the Wing: Avian Influenza Risk in U.S. Wild Songbirds Mapped
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have discovered that 22 species of passerines--songbirds and perching birds--in the contiguous U.S. are carriers of low-pathogenicity avian influenza. Pathogenicity is the ability of a germ to produce an infectious disease in an organism.
Researchers discover secrets of nutritious corn breed that withstands rigors of handling
Rutgers researchers have discovered the basis for what makes corn kernels hard, a quality that allows corn to be easily harvested, stored and transported. The findings could lead to better hybrids and increase the supply for people in developing countries who rely on it as a nutritional staple.
This email is a free service of PhysOrg.com
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://www.physorg.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as mail@joashmabs.com
No comments:
Post a Comment