Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 21, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Transistor performance improves due to quantum confinement effects- Breakthrough in ultra-sensitive sensor technology
- 'Lost' samples from famous origin of life researcher could send search for first life in new direction
- New method delivers Alzheimer's drug to the brain
- Scientists grow personalized collections of intestinal microbes
- Templated growth technique produces graphene nanoribbons with metallic properties
- How the lily blooms: A mathematical perspective (w/ video)
- Convert your Honda from gas to electric at Carnegie Mellon University
- Feeling angry? Say a prayer and the wrath fades away
- Saharan dust impacts West African monsoon precipitation
- Rumors about two new Sony laptops abound
- States push harder for online sales tax collection
- Ticks linked to deadly virus discovered in China
- Spacebound bacteria inspire earthbound remedies
- Breakthrough in Niemann-Pick Type C research reported
Space & Earth news
Lab Scientists Allay Fears About U.S. Health Risks From Crisis in Japan
As the nuclear crisis unfolds in Japan, several Berkeley Lab scientists have spoken to media outlets to assuage concerns about radiation risks in the U.S. and the safety of nuclear power plants in earthquake-prone parts of the nation.
When it comes to the environment, education affects our actions
The first set of findings from the survey are based on data from more than 22,000 individuals and show that people with degrees are 25% more likely, on average, than people with no education qualifications to adopt pro-environmental behaviours, at least in terms of paying more for environmentally-friendly products. However, they are less likely to turn off the TV overnight or to use public transport.
Huge ocean 'Frisbees' spin off Brazil's coast
As the North Brazil Current (NBC) moves northward along the northeastern coast of Brazil, it draws water from the South Equatorial Current and the freshwater outflow from the Amazon River, providing a source for warm, nutrient-rich water. Just northwest of Brazil, part of the NBC banks a hard right and flows east along the equator. Occasionally, the turn is especially sharp and the current loops around, pinching off an independently- traveling parcel of warm water. This portion travels northwest with a clockwise rotation, moving through the ocean like a Frisbee travels through air.
USDA funds research on crops and climate change
(AP) -- The federal government is investing $60 million in three major studies on the effects of climate change on crops and forests to help ensure farmers and foresters can continue producing food and timber while trying to limit the impact of a changing environment.
World learns from Dutch to keep head above water
Dubai's Palm Island, New Orleans' upgraded dykes and Australia's water recycling plants all have one thing in common: they benefited from Dutch know-how gained in the country's age-old quest for dry feet.
Taiwan builds first undersea earthquake sensor
Taiwan began building its first undersea earthquake sensor on Sunday in a project aiming to give earlier warnings of the quakes and tsunamis that frequently hit the region.
Image: Super Perigee Moon
(PhysOrg.com) -- The full moon is seen as it rises near the Lincoln Memorial, Saturday, March 19, 2011, in Washington.
Mercury-bound Goddard Instruments Aboard MESSENGER Arrive at Target
As the MESSENGER spacecraft begins its science operations above the surface of Mercury, Goddard instruments are gearing up to help unveil the planet's mysteries. Goddard leads or co-leads two of the spacecraft's instruments and a science investigation aboard the spacecraft.
New Horizons flies by Uranus
The Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft will fly by another planet today (March 18, 2011). However, the robotic craft won’t be taking any images as it zooms past Uranus’ orbit at about 6 p.m. EDT, 3.8 billion kilometers (2.4 billion miles) away from the gas giant (and 2.0 billion km (1.8 billion miles) from Earth). New Horizons is currently in hibernation mode, and the great distance from Uranus means any observations wouldn’t provide much as far as data and images. But, even so, this event is a ‘landmark’ so to speak in New Horizon’s gauntlet across the solar system.
Rivers buckle under pressure from climate, dams
Climate change is likely to intensify the alarming rate of degradation of the world’s rivers and wetlands unless water resources are better managed, according to a special issue of the international scientific journal Marine & Freshwater Research published online today.
Fault-finding coral reefs can predict the site of coming earthquakes
In the wake of the devastating loss of life in Japan, the urgent question is where the next big earthquake will hit. To answer it, geologist Prof. Zvi Ben-Avraham and his doctoral student Gal Hartman of Tel Aviv University's Department of Physics and Planetary Sciences in the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences are examining coral reefs and submarine canyons to detect earthquake fault zones.
Study suggests alternative treatment for bacteria in oysters
A joint study by local oyster growers and researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shows that moving farmed oysters into saltier waters just prior to harvest nearly eliminates the presence of a bacterium that can sicken humans.
Can geoengineering put the freeze on global warming?
Scientists call it "geoengineering," but in plain speak, it means things like this: blasting tons of sulfate particles into the sky to reflect sunlight away from Earth; filling the ocean with iron filings to grow plankton that will suck up carbon; even dimming sunlight with space shades.
One fish, two fish ... reef fish
Marine biologists have solved a conundrum that has stumped them for years – how to count reef fish. It may sound simple, but the task is actually complex and critical in helping to evaluate the state of our oceans, coral reefs and the marine life that populate them.
Smithsonian keeps meteorite that fell in Va.
(AP) -- A small meteorite that crashed through the roof of a Virginia medical office last year is becoming part of the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History in Washington.
Astronaut twins reunited after 5 months apart
(AP) -- Astronaut Scott Kelly is back home reunited with his twin astronaut brother, after a five-month space station mission that was marred by the shooting of his congresswoman sister-in-law.
Japan quake loaded stress on fault closer to Tokyo
The recent monster quake that hit northeastern Japan altered the earth's surface, geologists say, loading stress onto a different segment of the fault line much closer to Tokyo.
NASA infrared satellite imagery shows Cyclone Cherono dwindling
Three days of NASA infrared satellite imagery provides a clear picture to forecasters of the effect wind shear has had on former Cyclone Cherono. Wind shear increased near Cyclone Cherono this weekend and weakened it down to a remnant low pressure area in the Southern Indian Ocean. Today, March 21, Cherono's remnants are moving away from Mauritius and still causing ocean swells.
Radioactive substances in seawater near Japan nuke plant
Abnormally high levels of radioactive substances have been detected in seawater near a quake-crippled nuclear power plant in Japan, its operator said early Tuesday.
Stars gather in 'downtown' Milky Way
(PhysOrg.com) -- The region around the center of our Milky Way galaxy glows colorfully in this new version of an image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
The importance of being magnetized
Despite its magnetic field, Earth is losing its atmosphere to space at about the same rate as planets that lack this protective barrier against the solar wind. Scientists now are beginning to question whether magnetic fields really are vital to helping a planet hold on to its atmosphere.
Curiosity rover gets a test taste of Mars conditions
(PhysOrg.com) -- A space-simulation chamber at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is temporary home this month for the Curiosity rover, which will land on Mars next year.
Saharan dust impacts West African monsoon precipitation
(PhysOrg.com) -- Africa's Saharan Desert is the largest source of mineral dust in the world, covering more than 3 million square miles and causing dust particles to blanket African skies. According to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's climate scientist, Chun Zhao, dust particles in the air partially block sunlight and absorb heat during the day. In the nighttime, that heat radiates from the sky to the land below and warms the surface, making conditions ideal for nocturnal precipitation. This knowledge could help predict climate changes in West Africa and elsewhere by modeling potential changes in dust associated with increasing future aridity.
Alternatives have begun in bid to hear from Spirit
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hopes for reviving NASA's Spirit Mars rover dimmed further with passage last week of the point at which the rover's locale received its maximum sunshine for the Martian year.
Ancient trash heaps gave rise to Everglades tree islands
Garbage mounds left by prehistoric humans might have driven the formation of many of the Florida Everglades' tree islands, distinctive havens of exceptional ecological richness in the sprawling marsh that are today threatened by human development.
Native Americans modified American landscape years prior to arrival of Europeans: study
A new study by Baylor University geology researchers shows that Native Americans' land use nearly a century ago produced a widespread impact on the eastern North American landscape and floodplain development several hundred years prior to the arrival of major European settlements.
Webb sunshield like an umbrella on the shores of the Universe (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The James Webb Space Telescope has a unique shield to protect its sensitive instruments from the heat and light of the sun. The sunshield is like an umbrella popping open on the shores of the cosmos that allows the instruments beneath it to see far into the universe.
Technology news
Novel Blackberry alerts for Philippine disasters
A Philippine charity said Monday it had launched a novel early warning system for disaster-prone areas using Blackberry devices and laptops.
Deutsche Telekom shares soar on AT&T deal
Shares in Deutsche Telekom soared more than 10 percent on Monday as investors welcomed the planned sale of the German firm's T-Mobile USA unit to AT&T in a $39-billion deal.
Turn to space tech when under pressure
When engineers come up with a super-strong new material for building shipping containers, trucking trailers and aircraft parts, it is a major challenge to simulate its strength and reliability accurately. So a Belgian company turned to ESA.
Ctrip surfs China's homegrown travel wave
A crescendo of voices builds on a typically bustling day in the Shanghai headquarters of Ctrip.com as staff put together hundreds of tourist trips. It is the sound of China's travel boom.
Nokia says events in Japan will disrupt product supply
The world's leading mobile phone maker Nokia said Monday that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan would disrupt product supply but would not significantly impact its first quarter results.
South Carolina bill targets prisoners on Facebook
(AP) -- Islam Dunn updates his Facebook page with a phone like so many other 19-year-olds, only he must hide the device so the prison guards don't notice.
T-Mobile's AT&T-mocking ads likely to retire
(AP) -- In its TV ads, T-Mobile USA portrays the cellular network of its soon-to-be parent company as a droll, middle-aged bald man in a gray suit. It's highly likely that this droll bald man will retire now that AT&T Inc. has agreed to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion.
Liberty Global to buy No. 3 German cable network
(AP) -- Colorado-based cable and broadband company Liberty Global Inc. said Monday it has agreed to buy the No. 3 German cable-television provider for 3.16 billion euros ($4.48 billion).
'Worst song ever' tops 30 million YouTube views
A song by a California teenager that has been mercilessly panned by music critics has topped 30 million views on YouTube and rocketed up Apple's iTunes charts.
Google accuses China of blocking Gmail
Google accused the Chinese government on Monday of interfering with its Gmail service, after weeks of online disruptions that have coincided with calls for protests emulating those in the Middle East.
France fines Google 100,000 euros over Street View (Update)
France's data privacy regulator said Monday it had imposed a record fine of 100,000 euros ($142,000) on Google for private information collected while compiling its panoramic Street View service.
Research channels powerful Kansas wind to keep electricity running
One of Kansas' most abundant natural resources may hold the key to preventing major power outages. A team of Kansas State University engineers is researching ways to use Kansas wind and other distributed energy sources to avoid cascading failures.
Program highlights how to foster entrepreneurship in engineering, research community
One lesson learned in North Carolina State University's Engineering Entrepreneurs Program (EEP): technical knowledge is not enough, if you want to be successful. NC State researchers are laying out lessons they've learned running one of the nation's first EEPs in a paper being published by IEEE's Computer, as part of a special issue focused on entrepreneurship.
Domain '.xxx' approved for Web porn sites
(AP) -- You've heard of ".com" and ".org." Joining them soon will be their bawdy cousin: ".xxx."
With rewards, Zynga hopes to get you (more) hooked
(AP) -- Beware, if you're among the hordes who wonder where the time went after becoming absorbed in online games such as "FarmVille" and "CityVille." Zynga, the hot Internet startup that created those ever-engrossing pastimes, is introducing another reason to goof off.
What AT&T-T-Mobile deal could mean for customers
(AP) -- AT&T Inc. has agreed to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion, but the deal isn't set to close until a year from now, and it will likely face tough regulatory scrutiny. Here's what a completed deal could mean for customers:
Twitter marks fifth birthday (Update 2)
Twitter marked its fifth birthday on Monday with a promotional video of celebrities talking up the world-changing micro-blogging service.
Pre-bubble hype for second dot-com bubble?
What's a dot-com worth? Investors got it badly wrong when they pushed Internet stocks to nose-bleed levels in 2000, only to lose billions when the companies mostly went bust.
Facebook buys startup to link with more mobile phones
Facebook is buying an Israeli startup that specializes in software that connects any type of mobile telephone to the leading online social network and other popular Internet destinations.
Microsoft says Android e-reader violates patents
Microsoft on Monday accused Taiwan electronics colossus Foxconn and US book seller Barnes & Noble of using its patented technology in e-readers running on Google-backed Android software.
AT&T talks of spectrum shortage, yet it has plenty
(AP) -- AT&T says it wants to buy T-Mobile USA to acquire more airwaves to support the growing use of data-hungry devices such as the iPhone. But if that's the case, the T-Mobile deal isn't much of a solution.
AT&T: T-Mobile 3G phones will need to be replaced
AT&T Inc. said Monday that if its deal to buy T-Mobile USA goes through, T-Mobile subscribers with "3G" phones will need to replace those to keep their wireless broadband service working. But there will be plenty of time to do that.
States push harder for online sales tax collection
(AP) -- Tax-free shopping is under threat for many online shoppers as states facing widening budget gaps increasingly pressure Amazon.com Inc. and other Internet retailers to start collecting sales taxes from their residents.
Convert your Honda from gas to electric at Carnegie Mellon University
(PhysOrg.com) -- The price of gas continues to climb, but the price of an electric car is a little out of reach for anyone who is not in genuine need of a new car. It kind of puts you into a classic catch-22 situation. You are paying a lot of money if you do not go electric and you are paying a lot if you do go electric.
US man arrested in hacker stock fraud scheme
US authorities Monday arrested and charged a Texas man accused of masterminding a scheme using a Russian hacker and an email spam campaign to pump up the value of fledgling companies, the Justice Department said.
Medicine & Health news
Traffic accidents linked to increased risk of chronic widespread pain
Individuals with poorer health or psychological issues may be prone to developing chronic widespread pain following a traumatic event. This new research, published today in Arthritis Care & Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), found that the onset of chronic pain was more often reported following a traffic accident than from other physically traumatic triggers.
Ethnic minorities are 'silent sufferers' of chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by unexplained and debilitating tiredness and is associated with headaches, disrupted sleep, muscle pain and difficulty in concentrating. New research published by BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine shows that ethnicity, depression, lack of exercise or social support, and social difficulties are major risk factors for CFS.
More migraines for no apparent reason
Migraine rates in a comprehensive Norwegian health study have climbed by 1% in a decade, researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology report.
Who owns our blood?
The absence of specific laws which define the ownership, storage and use of blood drops taken from every Australian baby since 1971 could threaten public trust in newborn screening (NBS) programs in Australia, a University of Melbourne academic has warned.
Medically underserved girls receive less frequent evaluation for short stature
Primary care doctors are less likely to refer short girls than short boys for diagnostic testing that can reveal underlying medical reasons for their short stature, according to a new study of an urban pediatric population in Philadelphia. Girls with medical conditions causing their short stature may go undiagnosed, or may be diagnosed later than boys, limiting timely treatment.
Indian youth suicide crisis baffles
(AP) -- Chelle Rose Follette fashioned a noose with her pajamas, tying one end to a closet rod and the other around her neck. When her mother entered the bedroom to put away laundry, she found the 13-year-old hanging.
Study examines whether lower blood pressure reduces kidney disease progression
Georgia Health Sciences University is enrolling patients in a federally funded study to determine if a lower blood pressure reduces the progression of kidney disease.
Adolescent offspring of women who drank alcohol during first trimester
Alcohol use during pregnancy is common and is associated with significant threats to the health and development of exposed offspring. Despite warnings from the Surgeon General to limit alcohol use if pregnant or contemplating pregnancy, a recent survey by the National Birth Defects Prevention Study found that nearly one-third of women drank alcohol at some time during their pregnancy, with one-fourth of the women surveyed having drunk during the first trimester.
Children of women who smoked during pregnancy at increased risk of becoming smokers: study
New research has revealed that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the vulnerability to nicotine self-administration in adolescent mice. The results support the hypothesis that adolescents with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers and that they are also more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine, especially as a result of stress and peer pressure. The study performed with mice is part of a project researching the behavioural and molecular mechanisms of nicotine addiction. The research project was carried out under the Academy of Finland's Research Programme on Substance Abuse and Addictions.
Avalanche victims buried in Canada die significantly quicker than those buried in Switzerland
Significant differences were observed between the overall survival curves for the two countries; compared with the Swiss curve, the Canadian curve showed a quicker drop at the early stages of burial and poorer survival associated with prolonged burial," writes Dr. Pascal Haegeli, Simon Fraser University, with coauthors. "Poorer survival probabilities in the Canadian sample were offset by significantly quicker extrication (median duration of burial 18 minutes v. 35 minutes in the Swiss sample)."
Combination ACE inhibitor therapy increases risk of kidney failure and death
Elderly patients prescribed combination angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) had a higher risk of kidney failure and death, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
WHO says no travel bans needed for Japan
(AP) -- The World Health Organization says Tokyo's radiation levels are increasing but still not a health risk and it sees no reason to ban travel to Japan because of its nuclear crisis.
Health information technology 'control tower' could improve earthquake response
A new study published by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, Davis, foresees improvements in patient outcomes after a major earthquake through more effective use of information technology. A control tower-style telemedicine hub to manage electronic traffic between first responders and remote medical experts could boost the likelihood that critically injured victims will get timely care and survive, according to the team's computer simulation model.
Periocular treatment improves eye comfort and quality of life for patients with facial paralysis
Patients with facial paralysis who underwent surgical treatment for a condition that leaves them unable to completely close their eyes reported improvement in comfort around the eyes and overall quality of life, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Changes in taste function related to obesity and chronic ear inflammation
Children with chronic inflammation of the middle ear can experience changes in their sense of taste, and these changes may be related to childhood obesity, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.
New statement offers advice on treating dangerous, deep blood clots
Doctors are encouraged to consider therapies in addition to blood thinners to treat certain patients with potentially dangerous blood clots that form in the deep veins and travel to the lungs, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. The statement is published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Study suggests gastric banding associated with relatively poor long-term outcomes
In a study of 82 patients who were evaluated 12 or more years after undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for morbid obesity, a majority of patients reported that they were satisfied with the procedure, although approximately 40 percent experienced major complications and nearly half required removal of their bands, according to a report posted online that will appear in the July print issue of Archives of Surgery.
Dutch woman, 63, gives birth: new country record
A 63-year-old Dutch woman gave birth to a daughter on Monday, becoming the oldest-ever new mother in the Netherlands, the hospital and news reports said.
Life expectancy of severely mentally ill dramatically reduced due to poor physical health
Physical ill-health is rife among the severely mentally ill in Britain, according to new research published today by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Multiple sclerosis: Risk factors in children
Canadians have one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the world with approximately 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Primarily striking in adulthood, physicians and researchers with the Canadian Pediatric Demyelinating Diseases Network (CPDDN), a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary group, have found that MS is being increasingly diagnosed in children. A study by the CPDDN published in the journal Neurology, identifies a particular gene involved in the immune response that puts certain children at a higher risk of developing MS.
Computerized systems reduce psychiatric drug errors
Coupling an electronic prescription drug ordering system with a computerized method for reporting adverse events can dramatically reduce the number of medication errors in a hospital's psychiatric unit, suggests new Johns Hopkins research.
Beverage calories shock consumers
Americans may like their drinks "sickeningly sweet," but a new labeling initiative may discourage us from gulping unnecessary calories, said Jessica Bartfield, MD, medical weight-loss specialist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.
New peanut allergy treatment works, study shows
(PhysOrg.com) -- Allergy experts at the University of Cambridge have convincing evidence that a new treatment for peanut allergies is effective, following a three-year trial.
Antioxidant compound shows promising radioprotective properties
Researchers at National Jewish Health have shown that an antioxidant compound can protect against injury to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and the eye in a mouse model of acute exposure to ionizing radiation.
Most parents support checking them for tobacco smoke exposure
Sixty percent of parents, whether they smoke or not, said they would like to have their children tested for tobacco smoke exposure during pediatric visits, according to a new study released online on Monday (March 21).
Testing finds no health threat along West Coast
(AP) -- Minuscule amounts of radiation from Japan's stricken nuclear plant have reached the west coast but federal and state officials say it poses no health risk.
Texas man gets first full face transplant in US
(AP) -- A Texas construction worker horribly disfigured in a power line accident has undergone the nation's first full face transplant in hopes of smiling again and feeling kisses from his 3-year-old daughter.
Kids safest in rear-facing car seats until age 2
Children should ride in rear-facing car seats longer, until they are 2 years old instead of 1, according to updated advice from a medical group and a federal agency.
Scientists lack complete answers on radiation risk
(AP) -- Thyroid cancer for sure. Leukemia, probably. Too much radiation can raise the risk of developing cancer years down the road, scientists agree, and the young are most vulnerable. But just how much or how long an exposure is risky is not clear.
A dose of safflower oil each day might help keep heart disease at bay
A daily dose of safflower oil, a common cooking oil, for 16 weeks can improve such health measures as good cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and inflammation in obese postmenopausal women who have Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
Stress affects the balance of bacteria in the gut and immune response
Stress can change the balance of bacteria that naturally live in the gut, according to research published this month in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Allergy vaccine is nothing to sneeze at
Monash University researchers are working on a vaccine that could completely cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies.
Time lived with obesity linked with mortality
Monash University researchers have found the number of years individuals live with obesity is directly associated with the risk of mortality.
Research casts doubt on theory of cause of chronic fatigue
A high-profile scientific paper that gave enormous hope to patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, and even prompted some to begin taking potent anti-HIV drugs, has been largely discredited by subsequent research.
Chicken soup for the soul: Comfort food fights loneliness
Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf…they may be bad for your arteries, but according to an upcoming study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, they're good for your heart and emotions. The study focuses on "comfort food" and how it makes people feel.
Study shows polypill to be safe and accepted by physicians and patients in developing countries
For a patient at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), keeping up with what pills to take at different times of the day can be tedious. Window sills lined with prescription bottles – a pill for cholesterol, another for blood pressure, and an aspirin to keep blood thin and flowing – the list can get quite long and, as a result, many people, especially the elderly, often forget doses or take the wrong pill at the wrong time.
Trauma patients protected from worse outcomes associated with so-called 'weekend effect'
Patients who've been hurt in car or bike crashes, been shot or stabbed, or suffered other injuries are more likely to live if they arrive at the hospital on the weekend than during the week, according to new University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine research published in the March 21 issue of Archives of Surgery. The findings, which also showed that trauma patients who present to the hospital on weeknights are no more likely to die than those who presented during the day, contrast with previous studies showing a so-called "weekend effect" in which patients with emergent illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes fare worse when they're hospitalized at night or on weekends.
Stem cells may show promise for people with rapidly progressing MS
A long term study reports about the effectiveness of replacing bone marrow, purposely destroyed by chemotherapy, with autologous (self) stem cell rescue for people with aggressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study is published in the March 22, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Newborn hearing screenings do not appear to identify all children at risk for hearing loss
Although universal newborn hearing screening programs appear to identify children with hearing loss at a younger age, nearly one-third of pediatric cochlear implant recipients pass newborn screening only to be diagnosed later in infancy or early childhood, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Melanoma diagnosis in women associated with higher socioeconomic status
The incidence of melanoma appears higher in non-Hispanic white adolescent girls and young women living in higher socioeconomic neighborhoods than those living in lower socioeconomic areas, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the July print issue of Archives of Dermatology.
So far, risk low from radiation in food in Japan
(AP) -- Radiation-tainted spinach from Japan's damaged nuclear reactors may sound scary, but here's a reality check: Even if any made it to stores there, you'd have to be Popeye to eat enough to worry.
New treatment may desensitize kids with milk allergies, say researchers
Some 3 million children in the United States have some form of food allergy, ranging in severity from mild to life-threatening. Milk allergy is the most common, affecting 2.5 percent of children under age 3. In a small clinical study, immunologists and allergists at Children's Hospital Boston and the Stanford University School of Medicine report effectively desensitizing milk-allergic patients by increasing their exposure to milk in tandem with an allergy drug called omalizumab, allowing children to build up resistance quickly with limited allergic reactions.
Re-creating autism, in mice
(PhysOrg.com) -- By mutating a single gene, researchers at MIT and Duke have produced mice with two of the most common traits of autism — compulsive, repetitive behavior and avoidance of social interaction.
Researchers discover molecular determinant of cell identity
If a big bunch of your brain cells suddenly went rogue and decided to become fat cells, it could cloud your decision-making capacity a bit. Fortunately, early in an organism's development, cells make firm and more-or-less permanent decisions about whether they will live their lives as, say, skin cells, brain cells or, well, fat cells.
Feeling angry? Say a prayer and the wrath fades away
Saying a prayer may help many people feel less angry and behave less aggressively after someone has left them fuming, new research suggests.
Ticks linked to deadly virus discovered in China
(PhysOrg.com) -- Doctors have been aware for years that ticks can spread the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, but scientists in China have discovered a new deadly virus that is also carried by ticks and has been responsible for at least 36 deaths in China. In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the scientists at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention introduced the virus responsible for these deaths.
Breakthrough in Niemann-Pick Type C research reported
A paper announcing a breakthrough discovery in the fight against Niemann-Pick Type C, coauthored by Olaf Wiest and Paul Helquist of the University of Notre Dame's Department Chemistry & Biochemistry and Frederick Maxfield, Chair of Biochemistry at Cornell University Weill College of Medicine, appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. The paper shows how use of a histone deacetylase inhibitor correct the damage done by the genetic disorder and allowed once-diseased cells to function normally.
New method delivers Alzheimer's drug to the brain
(PhysOrg.com) -- Oxford University scientists have developed a new method for delivering complex drugs directly to the brain, a necessary step for treating diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Motor Neuron Disease and Muscular Dystrophy.
Biology news
Zoo conducts autopsy on polar bear star Knut
Vets began on Monday an autopsy on Berlin Zoo's superstar polar bear Knut after his untimely and unexplained death aged just four.
Fish know to avoid the spear
Fish are not as dumb as people sometimes think: marine scientists have found that fish that are regularly hunted with spearguns are much more wary and keep their distance from fishers.
Could mutant flies give epilepsy sufferers greater peace of mind?
"Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration" — is the name of a rare and competitive grant that Reenan recently won from the National Institutes of Health. Beginning April 1, Reenan will use the four-year, $1.3-million award to look for genes that can suppress seizures in fruit flies that he has cleverly engineered to mimic human epilepsy.
Researchers use motion sensors to determine equine lameness (w/ video)
The most common ailment to affect a horse is lameness. A University of Missouri equine veterinarian has developed a system to effectively assess this problem using motion detection. This system has been referred to as "Lameness Locator."
The informant: A jumping gene
Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have developed a new method for studying gene regulation, by employing a jumping gene as an informant. Published online today in Nature Genetics, the new method is called GROMIT. It enables researchers to systematically explore the very large part of our genome that does not code for proteins, and which likely plays a large role in making each of us unique, by controlling when, where and to what extent genes are turned on, or expressed. Thanks to GROMIT, scientists can also create mouse models for human diseases such as Down syndrome.
MU researcher works to save one of the world's most endangered birds
The Tuamotu Kingfisher is a multicolored, tropical bird with bright blue feathers, a dusty orange head, and a bright green back. The entire population of these birds – less than 125 – lives on one tiny island in the south Pacific, and without serious intervention, they will no longer exist. One University of Missouri researcher is trying to stop the birds' extinction by working with farmers and residents on the island inhabited by the kingfishers.
Harp seals from Canada take a liking to US waters
(AP) -- Harp seals from Canada are showing up in U.S. waters in greater numbers and farther south than usual, and biologists want to know why.
Want to silence a gene? Pull here
(PhysOrg.com) -- Simply stretching DNA can silence a gene, scientists at the UA have discovered. The finding could point to a previously unknown gene control mechanism.
Lizard uses UV signals to ward off rivals
(PhysOrg.com) -- We’re all familiar with different animal species using a variety of strategies to attract a mate or chase off an aggressor or a rival. For birds, it’s often a dazzling display of plumage or a deafening vocalisation.
Open-source software designed to minimize synthetic biology risks
A software package designed to minimize the potential risks of synthetic biology for the nation's defense and security is now available to the gene synthesis industry and synthetic biology community in an open-source format.
Spacebound bacteria inspire earthbound remedies
Recent research aboard the Space Shuttle is giving scientists a better understanding of how infectious disease occurs in space and could someday improve astronaut health and provide novel treatments for people on Earth.
Scientists grow personalized collections of intestinal microbes
Each of us carries a unique collection of trillions of friendly microbes in our intestines that helps break down food our bodies otherwise couldn't digest.
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