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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for August 23, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Scientists explain graphene mystery- Toshiba makes a breakthrough in hard-drive capacity
- Peregrine's 'Solition' observed at last
- The strange case of solar flares and radioactive elements
- Pulverized planet dust might lie around double stars
- 200-fold boost in fuel cell efficiency advances 'personalized energy systems'
- Vitamin D found to influence over 200 genes, highlighting links to disease
- Plants give up some deep secrets of drought resistance
- German researchers demonstrate rocking movement in the anti-stress protein Hsp90
- Termite enzymes could be boon to cellulosic ethanol: research
- Researchers say warbler fight songs follow fashion while love songs stick to a few classics
- Researchers find gene responsible for neurodegenerative disease in dogs, possibly in humans
- Huge challenges in scaling up biofuels infrastructure
- US court halts government funding of stem cell research
- Cities attract hurricanes
Space & Earth news
K-state researchers explore physiological effects of space travel
The final frontier may be no further than Manhattan, Kan., as a team of Kansas State University researchers launches a project funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Researchers monitoring Hawaii coral for bleaching
(AP) -- Scientists plan to monitor corals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands next month for signs of bleaching that could harm the reefs.
Study offers historic buildings protection from climate change
Some of the nation's most historic buildings and monuments may be better protected from decay in future, following a development by engineers.
Economists weigh lost trade and costs of control against economic damages
How should a country respond to a biological invader that reaches its shores via cargo shipped as international trade?
NASA images show anatomy of pakistan flood disaster
In late July 2010, flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains began across several regions of Pakistan. According to the Associated Press, the floods have affected about one-fifth of this country of more than 170 million. Tens of thousands of villages have been flooded, more than 1,500 people have been killed, and millions have been left homeless. The floodwaters are not expected to recede fully before late August.
'Hot Jupiter' planets unlikely to have moons
(PhysOrg.com) -- Planets of the major type so far found outside our solar system are unlikely to have moons, according to new research reported in the August 20 issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Ancient microbes responsible for breathing life into ocean 'deserts'
More than two and a half billion years ago, Earth differed greatly from our modern environment, specifically in respect to the composition of gases in the atmosphere and the nature of the life forms inhabiting its surface. While today's atmosphere consists of about 21 percent oxygen, the ancient atmosphere contained almost no oxygen. Life was limited to unicellular organisms. The complex eukaryotic life we are familiar with - animals, including humans - was not possible in an environment devoid of oxygen.
Fermi detects gamma-rays from exploding nova
Using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope satellite, astronomers have detected gamma rays from a nova for the first time, a finding that surprises both observers and theorists. The discovery dispels the long-held idea that nova explosions are not powerful enough to produce such high-energy radiation. These findings are published in the August 13th edition of Science with Teddy Cheung, an astrophysicist at the Naval Research Laboratory, as the lead author.
European science satellite hit by glitch
A satellite designed to map Earth's gravitational field has been hit by a software glitch and is unable to send its science data back home, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Monday.
Pulverized planet dust might lie around double stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tight double-star systems might not be the best places for life to spring up, according to a new study using data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared observatory spotted a surprisingly large amount of dust around three mature, close-orbiting star pairs. Where did the dust come from? Astronomers say it might be the aftermath of tremendous planetary collisions.
Cities attract hurricanes
Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, devastating New Orleans and other regions along the Mississippi River Delta. Hurricane forecasting has steadily progressed over the intervening years, which should help cities and states better prepare for devastating cyclones. Now researchers have added another piece to the forecasting puzzle by determining how the texture of landscapes can affect a storm's motion.
Technology news
China's nine-day traffic jam stretches 100km
Thousands of vehicles were bogged down Monday in a more than 100-kilometre (62-mile) traffic jam leading to Beijing that has lasted nine days and highlights China's growing road congestion woes.
Head of Taiwan LCD maker barred from leaving US
(AP) -- The chief executive of a leading Taiwanese LCD screen maker has been barred from leaving the U.S. during a U.S. Justice Department probe into alleged price-fixing, the company said.
Smartphones to make up over half of Asian sales by 2015
Smartphones will make up over half of Asian mobile phone sales by 2015, with 477 million units likely to be sold, an industry report said Monday.
German Sky television seeks cable tie-ups
German pay television Sky Deutschland is seeking tie-ups with cable operators to counter incumbent rival Deutsche Telekom, Sky boss Brian Sullivan said in an interview published on Monday.
HP makes $1.5B bid for 3Par, topping Dell's offer
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. is bidding $1.5 billion for data storage provider 3Par Inc., offering 33 percent more than what rival Dell Inc. agreed to pay for the company just a week earlier.
Panel maker Chimei sues Sony over patents
(AP) -- Taiwanese flat-panel display maker Chimei Innolux has filed a lawsuit in Delaware expanding its patent-infringement dispute with Sony.
Bloggers crying foul over Philly business tax
(AP) -- Bloggers in Philadelphia are up in arms about what they're calling an unfair tax.
Hydroptere unveils new testbed for ocean records
Alain Thebault, the French skipper of the world sailing speed record holder Hydroptere, on Monday unveiled a new prototype of the 'flying' yacht as a first step towards ocean-going records.
Huge challenges in scaling up biofuels infrastructure
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ramping up biofuels production to replace fossil fuels and provide a significant portion of the nation's energy will require nothing short of a transformation of the U.S. agricultural, transportation and energy sectors in the next few decades, according to a bioenergy expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Google buys shopping comparison site Like.com
Search giant Google has bought the shopping comparison website Like.com, the two companies said on Monday.
Toshiba makes a breakthrough in hard-drive capacity
(PhysOrg.com) -- Last Wednesday Toshiba made an announcement at the Magnetic Recording Conference in San Diego that they have made a breakthrough in their research of bit-patterned media that would result in enormous storage improvements for future hard drives.
Medicine & Health news
Cost of prostate cancer care varies with initial treatment choice
A new analysis has found that short-term and long-term costs of prostate cancer care vary considerably based on which treatment strategy a man initially receives. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study finds that treatments that may be less expensive in the short-term may have higher long-term costs.
'Legacy of Katrina' report details impact of stalled recovery on mental health status of children
Five years ago Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans caused the evacuation of 1.5 million Gulf Coast residents. After a year, 500,000 people remained displaced, many residing in highly transitional shelters, including the notorious FEMA trailer parks.
Malaysia warns of waterborne disease after deaths
(AP) -- Malaysia has closed parks and warned the public about swimming and dumping trash in rivers after up to 10 people died from a disease spread by rats.
Lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding development of new medicines
An unlikely effort is underway to lift the veil of nearly-total secrecy that has surrounded the process of developing new prescription drugs for the last century, scientists said today at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The upheaval in traditional practice would make key data available to college students, university professors, and others in an open, collective process.
Low bone mineral density common in children and teenagers with inflammatory bowel disease
A thesis from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) is the first in Scandinavia to study the occurrence of low bone mineral density in children and teenagers with inflammatory bowel disease. Half of the patients in the study showed signs of low bone mineral density. The results emphasise the importance of treating the underlying inflammatory bowel disease more effectively, and of measuring bone mineral density in this group of patients.
Brain to behaviour
How do you know where your keys are? Why do we develop habits and what influences our judgement? Throughout the Cardiff University, psychologists, behavioural geneticists and neurologists are working together to understand the fundamental mechanisms of learning and memory. Their work has implications for understanding brain function and changes as well as giving vital insight into neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
Physiotherapy after surgery -- the best solution for shoulder problems
Most patients who receive physiotherapy after surgery experience that pain is reduced by a half within a few months. Most of them are free of pain after one to two years. This is the conclusion of a thesis presented at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
More research needed on cardiovascular disease in Asian-Americans
There are marked differences in heart disease risk and occurrence among Asian-American subgroups, but data on these subgroups is limited, prompting the American Heart Association to call for more research on this fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., according to a scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Number of uninsured in California counties grew during recession
A new fact sheet from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research provides detailed county-by-county estimates of the number of California residents who have lost health insurance during the economic downturn.
Headed to ER? Some post waits by text, billboard
(AP) -- Need an X-ray or stitches? Online, via text message or flashing on a billboard, some emergency rooms are advertising how long the dreaded wait for care will be, with estimates updated every few minutes.
Ind. ruling halts caregiver choices based on race
(AP) -- Certified nursing assistant Brenda Chaney was on duty in an Indiana nursing home one day when she discovered a patient lying on the floor, unable to stand.
Swine flu continues to spread in New Zealand, 10 dead
Swine flu is continuing to spread in New Zealand, health officials said Monday as the death toll rose to 10 and some areas reported more people in hospital than during last year's pandemic.
Rectal cancer rates are rising in young individuals
A new analysis has found that while colon cancer rates have remained steady over the past several decades among people under the age of 40, rectal cancer rates are increasing in this population across races and in both sexes. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that greater efforts are needed to diagnose rectal cancer in young individuals who show potential signs of the disease.
New study: More than 20,000 sledding injuries each year
Although sledding is a popular winter pastime, it can unfortunately lead to serious injury. A new study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that from 1997-2007, an estimated 229,023 children and adolescents younger than 19 years were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for sledding-related injuries - an average of more than 20,000 cases each year.
Rheumatoid arthritis signaling protein reverses Alzheimer's disease in mouse model
A signaling protein released during rheumatoid arthritis dramatically reduced Alzheimer's disease pathology and reversed the memory impairment of mice bred to develop symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease, a new study by the University of South Florida reports. Researchers found that the protein, GM-CSF, likely stimulates the body's natural scavenger cells to attack and remove Alzheimer's amyloid deposits in the brain.
Feeling empowered in later life could make you feel younger
(PhysOrg.com) -- People may feel younger if they feel empowered to make changes that will impact their lives, according to a new study conducted at Penn State. The study looked at "subjective age" -- how old a person feels in comparison to their chronological age, which plays an important role in health and well-being.
Romania, Bulgaria have EU's sickest health systems
(AP) -- No sutures and other basics; a dire shortage of staff; catastrophic hygiene; then this - a hospital blaze that killed five premature babies. Romania's hospital system is on the ropes.
HIV virus hides in the brain
Studies of the spinal fluid of patients given anti-HIV drugs have resulted in new findings suggesting that the brain can act as a hiding place for the HIV virus. Around 10% of patients showed traces of the virus in their spinal fluid but not in their blood -- a larger proportion than previously realised, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
New technology may prolong the life of implanted devices, from pacemakers to chemotherapy ports
By creating a unique system of blood vessels that is engineered to interact with the tissue surrounding an implanted device, the longevity and function of these devices may be better preserved, according to a study led by researchers in the University of Louisville/ Jewish Hospital's Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (CII).
Antibiotic may reduce stroke risk and injury in diabetics
A daily dose of an old antibiotic may help diabetics avoid a stroke or at least minimize its damage, Medical College of Georgia researchers report.
Disasters especially tough on people with disabilities, mental disorders
As hurricane season gets into full swing, mental health teams will be ready to respond and help survivors cope with possible devastation. Psychologists have analyzed decades of research and found that disaster response strategies should address the needs of the population affected, specifically those with disabilities and mental disorders.
Decade-long trial confirms benefts of steroid withdrawal for transplant patients
A University of Cincinnati (UC) analysis of 10 years of data from local kidney transplant patients shows that patients removed from a corticosteroid regimen shortly after surgery have better graft survival rates, better survival rates and fewer cardiovascular events than patients kept on the traditional regimen of long-term steroids.
Government urges universal flu vaccinations
Flu vaccine will soon be available at local pharmacies and doctor's offices, and government officials are urging everyone over 6 months of age to receive it. This year's vaccine protects against H1N1 and two other strains of seasonal flu.
FDA: only 2 egg farms so far show salmonella
(AP) -- Food and Drug Administration officials said Monday that there is no evidence a massive outbreak of salmonella in eggs has spread beyond two Iowa farms, though a team of investigators is still trying to figure out what caused it.
Drugging the undruggable: Advances toward next generation of disease fighters
After decades of dreaming the drug developer's impossible dream, scientists finally are reporting progress in making drugs that target the "untouchables" among the body's key players in health and disease. They are the hundreds of thousands of proteins that many scientists considered to be "undruggable," meaning that previous efforts to develop a drug against them had failed.
Nicotine binding to receptor linked to breast cancer cell growth
When nicotine binds to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAchR), it is known to promote smoking addiction and may also directly promote the development of breast cancer, according to a study published online August 23 in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Alcohol intake increases certain types of breast cancer
Alcohol increases the risk of lobular and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, but not necessarily invasive ductal carcinomas, according to a study published August 23 online in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Reshaping the gut microbiome could herald new treatments for bowel diseases
Home to a diverse range of microorganisms, a healthy human body contains at least tenfold more bacteria cells than human cells. The most abundant and diverse microbial community resides in the intestine, and changes to the gut microbiota are linked with diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In a report published online today in Genome Research, researchers have analyzed the long-term effects of gut bacterial transplantation in rats, revealing crucial insight that will aid in the development of new treatments.
Diabetes can cause a sugar coating that smothers body's immune defences
Research led by the Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick has found that unhealthy glucose levels in patients with diabetes can cause significantly more problems for the body than just the well-known symptoms of the disease such as kidney damage and circulation problems. The raised glucose can also form what can be described as a sugar coating that can effectively smother and block the mechanisms our bodies use to detect and fight bacterial and fungal infections.
New evidence on how cranberry juice fights bacteria that cause urinary tract infections
Scientists today reported new scientific evidence on the effectiveness of that old folk remedy -- cranberry juice -- for urinary tract infections, at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), being held this week.
Clinical trial confirms effectiveness of simple appetite control method
Has the long-sought magic potion in society's "battle with the bulge" finally arrived? An appetite-control agent that requires no prescription, has no common side effects, and costs almost nothing? Scientists today reported results of a new clinical trial confirming that just two 8-ounce glasses of the stuff, taken before meals, enables people to shed pounds. The weight-loss elixir, they told the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), is ordinary water.
Allergies through ozone effects? Ozone increases allergen load
Ozone affects pollen allergens: at ozone levels typical of photochemical smog, more allergens are formed in pollen. This connection has been demonstrated in the rye plant and is now being published in the prestigious Journal of Allergy Clinical Immunology. The project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF shows that elevated ozone levels during maturation increase the protein and allergen contents of rye pollen. This points to a relationship between current environmental problems due to climate change and the rise in allergies.
Polyphenol antioxidants inhibit iron absorption
Health benefits from polyphenol antioxidants -- substances found in many fruits and vegetables -- may come at a cost to some people. Penn State nutritional scientists found that eating certain polyphenols decreased the amount of iron the body absorbs, which can increase the risk of developing an iron deficiency.
Study identifies genetic variation linked to lupus in Asian men
Genes reside along long chains of DNA called chromosomes. UCLA researchers have found that a variation in a gene on the sex chromosome X may enhance an immune response that leads to lupus in men.
Study reveals how changes in gene expression could lead to infertility
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers used a yeast model to map epigenetic processes-- those that influence gene expression -- in cells as they undergo sperm formation. Understanding the process can help explain how it goes awry in cases of human male infertility. They found several sites on proteins that may be important epigenetic regulators of sperm and egg formation: Novel chemical changes key to gamete formation could be potential biomarkers of human male infertility.
Are the eggs sold at my supermarket safe to eat?
(AP) -- Two large Iowa farms have recalled 550 million eggs because of possible contamination with salmonella. Investigators from the Food and Drug Administration are trying to find the cause of the outbreak, but so far haven't pinpointed the source.
Chinese vaccine shields against hepatitis E - Lancet
A prototype vaccine devised and tested in China has proven 100-percent effective in preventing hepatitis E, a disease that is widespread in the developing world and can be fatal, investigators reported in The Lancet on Monday.
Researchers discover key protein involved in DNA repair
In a groundbreaking study, University of Toronto researchers including Professors Daniel Durocher, Anne-Claude Gingras and Frank Sicheri have uncovered a protein called OTUB1 that blocks DNA damage in the cell -- a discovery that may lead to the development of strategies to improve some cancer therapies.
Body clock drugs could ease psychiatric disorders and jet lag
UK researchers have successfully used a drug to reset and restart the natural 24 hour body clock of mice in the lab. The ability to do this in a mammal opens up the possibility of dealing with a range of human difficulties including some psychiatric disorders, jet lag and the health impacts of shift work.
Researchers connect APC protein to autism and mental retardation
A clue to the causes of autism and mental retardation lies in the synapse, the tiny intercellular junction that rapidly transfers information from one neuron to the next. According to neuroscientists at Tufts University School of Medicine, with students from the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts, a protein called APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) plays a key role in synapse maturation, and APC dysfunction prevents the synapse function required for typical learning and memory. The findings are published in the August 18 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
Eating berries may activate the brain's natural housekeeper for healthy aging
Scientists today reported the first evidence that eating blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain stay healthy in a crucial but previously unrecognized way. Their study, presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), concluded that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain's natural "housekeeper" mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.
Sign language speakers' hands, mouths operate separately
When people are communicating in sign languages, they also move their mouths. But scientists have debated whether mouth movements resembling spoken language are part of the sign itself or are connected directly to English. In a new study on British Sign Language, signers made different mistakes in the sign and in the mouthing—which means the hand and lip movements are separate in the signer's brain, not part of the same sign.
Vitamin D found to influence over 200 genes, highlighting links to disease
The extent to which vitamin D deficiency may increase susceptibility to a wide range of diseases is dramatically highlighted in research published today. Scientists have mapped the points at which vitamin D interacts with our DNA - and identified over two hundred genes that it directly influences. The results are published today in the journal Genome Research.
Researchers find gene responsible for neurodegenerative disease in dogs, possibly in humans
(PhysOrg.com) -- A North Carolina State University researcher has helped to locate and identify a gene responsible for a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects American Staffordshire terriers. This same gene may be responsible for a similar rare, fatal disease in humans. Its discovery will lead to improved screening and diagnosis of the disease in dogs and is the first step in working toward a cure for both canines and humans.
A promising target for developing treatments against Parkinson's disease
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that using specific drugs can protect nerve cells in mice from the lethal effects of Parkinson's disease. The researchers' findings are published in the August 22 issue of Nature Medicine.
Mouse virus link to chronic fatigue is studied
A U.S. government study has uncovered a family of mouse viruses in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome, raising still more questions about whether an infection may play a role in the complicated illness.
Biology news
Shallow water habitats important for young salmon and trout
Research carried out at the University of Gothenburg shows that competition from older fish causes young salmon and trout to seek refuge in shallow water. Preserving such habitats may, therefore, be important for the survival of the young fish.
Stem cell first: Creating induced pluripotent stem cells
In a world first, Australian researchers have created induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from human skin without the use of viruses or genetic manipulation, an important step toward their eventual use in treating human disease.
Research identifies wheat streak resistance gene
A microscopic look into the genes of a Colorado wheat variety has allowed Texas AgriLife Research scientists to identify a wheat streak mosaic virus-resistance gene.
Make way for ducklings (w/ Video)
Parent birds know best when it comes to taking care of their babies. But, when food gets scarce and they are forced to fly longer distances to grab a bite, "egg sitting" time drops off. What impact does this have on their brood?
Regulation of cell proliferation is dependent on nucleocytoplasmic trafficking
Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania have discovered that the Opioid Growth Factor (OGF, [Met5]-enkephalin) and its receptor, OGFr, a clinically important system with potent antitumor properties, has controlled entry from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. The nucleocytoplasmic passage of OGF-OGFr is critical to cell proliferation and suggests that there are hierarchical levels of nuclear import. This discovery, reported in the September 2010 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, provides new insights into understanding the pathobiology of diseases related to this native biological system, and contributes to the development of new agents that will enhance treatment effectiveness.
Infidelity pays off for female Gouldian finches
(PhysOrg.com) -- Females in socially monogamous bird species such as finches often engage in sexual activities with birds outside the pair bond. This is known to benefit males if they produce more offspring, but until now the benefits to the female have been unknown.
Cactus genes connect modern Mexico to its prehistoric past
In prehistoric times farmers across the world domesticated wild plants to create an agricultural revolution. As a result the ancestral plants have been lost, causing problems for anyone studying the domestication process of modern-day varieties, but that might change. A team led by Fabiola Parra at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM) has managed to trace a domesticated cactus, the Gray Ghost Organ Pipe (Stenocereus pruinosus) to its living ancestor that can still be found in the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico.
Researchers gain focus on a bug with bifocals (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Cincinnati researchers are reporting on the discovery of a bug with bifocals - such an amazing finding that it initially had the researchers questioning whether they could believe their own eyes. "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of truly bifocal lenses in the extant animal kingdom," the researchers state in the Aug. 24 cover feature of the premier life-science journal, Current Biology.
German researchers demonstrate rocking movement in the anti-stress protein Hsp90
The protein Hsp90 plays a significant role in the survival of cells that are exposed to stress. Researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) uncovered this protein's mode of operation some time ago - but now Hsp90 has surprised even the experts with an unexpected pattern of motion. The results are published in the current online issue of the renowned science journal PNAS and may help researchers discover specific cancer medication.
Plants give up some deep secrets of drought resistance
In a study that promises to fill in the fine details of the plant world's blueprint for surviving drought, a team of Wisconsin researchers has identified in living plants the set of proteins that help them withstand water stress.
Researchers say warbler fight songs follow fashion while love songs stick to a few classics
A team of researchers has found that chestnut-sided warblers possess two distinct cultural traditions in song variants that evolve independently - one, used for territorial disputes that changes frequently, and another, used for romance that relies on a small unchanging sampling of classics. The findings suggest songbird culture is more complex than previously thought, the scientists say. The paper will be published in the journal The American Naturalist.
US court halts government funding of stem cell research
A US court on Monday issued a temporary halt to federal funding of embryonic stem cell research which President Barack Obama had authorized, saying it involved the destruction of human embryos.
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