Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 24, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- High-temperature superconductor spills secret: A new phase of matter- Researchers find potential new non-insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes
- Paleo-Indians settled North America earlier than thought: study
- European team suggests new way to measure scientific relevance by city
- Brachiosaurus and other dinosaurs like a vacuum cleaner
- Japanese sperm cell breakthrough offers hope to infertile men
- Physics could help financial traders
- Suzaku shows clearest picture yet of Perseus Galaxy Cluster
- Love remains a main source of regret for typical American, study finds
- Oldest US nuclear reactor: a 'disaster' in waiting?
- Researchers uncover novel immune therapy for pancreatic cancer
- Can we get more social benefits from forests and have higher biodiversity?
- New research finds protein that protects cancer cells from chemo and radiation therapy
- iMobot rolls, crawls and creeps
- Researchers develop new model to predict the optical properties of nanostructures
Space & Earth news
Caatinga biomass estimation
Scientists from Kew and Brazil are analysing data from field experiments to determine the best way to manage trees for sustainable fuelwood production.
When catastrophes collide
Japan's earthquake early warning system worked according to plan: the alarm was set off before the seismic waves reached Japan. The buildings were also able to withstand the tremors in many places, with most of the destruction caused by the tsunami. On the other hand, the nuclear crisis triggered as a result may be partly attributable to a failure to gauge accurately the intensity of possible quakes as well as risk analysis that was not comprehensive enough.
What Gagarin saw on his historic flight
50 years ago, April 12th, Yuri Gagarin became the world’s first human to go into space. What did he see? He described it fairly well, but there are limited pictures and no video from his time in orbit. Now, through a unique collaboration between a filmmaker and ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli on board the International Space Station, high definition video of what Gagarin might have seen has been woven together with historic recordings of the flight (subtitled in English) to create a new, free film that will be released on the 50th anniversary titled First Orbit. Above is the trailer for the film. What a perfect way to celebrate this historic moment.
Giffords' husband hopes she'll be at April launch
(AP) -- The astronaut husband of wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said Thursday there's a "pretty good chance" she will attend his space shuttle launch next month.
Engineer's fall from launch pad still being probed
(AP) -- NASA says there were no safety gear malfunctions in last week's death of a launch pad worker.
Image: Einstein's theory fights off challengers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two new studies have put Einstein's General Theory of Relativity to the test like never before, using observations of galaxy clusters to study the properties of gravity on cosmic scales.
Measurements of winter Arctic sea ice shows continuing ice loss: study
The 2011 Arctic sea ice extent maximum that marks the beginning of the melt season appears to be tied for the lowest ever measured by satellites, say scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Cutting carbon dioxide helps prevent drying
Recent climate modeling has shown that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term. New research from Carnegie Global Ecology scientists Long Cao and Ken Caldeira offers a novel explanation for why climates are wetter when atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are decreasing. Their findings, published online today by Geophysical Research Letters, show that cutting carbon dioxide concentrations could help prevent droughts caused by global warming.
First student-developed mission in which satellites orbit and communicate led by UT students
Two satellites designed and constructed by students at the Cockrell School of Engineering successfully separated in space March 22, completing the most crucial goal of the mission since its Nov. 19 launch and making them the first student-developed mission in the world in which satellites orbit and communicate with each other in real-time.
RIT researchers help map tsunami and earthquake damage in Japan
detailed informational maps georegistered with latitude and longitude and annotated with simple, self-evident details: this bridge is out, this port is damaged, this farm field is scoured; this one is verdant.
Data streaming in from Space Station to OSU lab
A prototype scanner aboard the international space station has been taking new images of Earth's coastal regions during the 16 months since it was launched, providing scientists with a new set of imaging tools that will help them monitor events from oil spills to plankton blooms.
NASA's successful 'can crush' will aid heavy-lift rocket design
On March 23, NASA put the squeeze on a large rocket test section. Results from this structural strength test at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will help future heavy-lift launch vehicles weigh less and reduce development costs.
Aqua satellite attends the birth of Tropical Storm Bune in Southern Pacific
It's not unusual for NASA satellites to attend the birth of tropical cyclones, and NASA's Aqua satellite was there when Tropical Cyclone Bune was born early today in the South Pacific Ocean.
Invisible Milky Way Satellite Uncovered With Help from NERSC
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers predict that large spiral galaxies, like our Milky Way, have hundreds of satellite galaxies orbiting around them. While a few satellites are visible, like the Magellanic Clouds, many other galaxies are too dim to see. Scientists suspect that these faint satellite galaxies are primarily comprised of mysterious “dark matter,” which makes up 85 percent of all matter in the universe and so far remains undetected.
Exploding stars and stripes
The discovery of a pattern of X-ray "stripes" in the remains of an exploded star may provide the first direct evidence that a cosmic event can accelerate particles to energies a hundred times higher than achieved by the most powerful particle accelerator on Earth.
Signals of past say big droughts can hit U.S. east
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists examining rings from old trees spanning the last 400 years say they show that the U.S. East Coast has suffered droughts longer and more frequent than anything recorded in modern times. With large cities like New York and Atlanta struggling in recent years to maintain water supplies during dry spells, the findings suggest such cities may be in for much worse times, should such conditions return. The study was presented this week at a conference in Santa Fe, N.M., sponsored by the American Geophysical Union.
NASA's Stardust: Good to the last drop
(PhysOrg.com) -- On Thursday, March 24 at about 4 p.m. PDT (7 p.m. EDT), NASA's Stardust spacecraft will perform a final burn with its main engines.
Mutant microbes test radiation resistance
Early Earth lacked an ozone layer to act as a shield against high-energy solar radiation, but microbes flourished by adapting to or finding other forms of protection from the higher ultraviolet radiation levels. Now researchers have begun testing modern microbes to see if they could act as pioneers in the harsh conditions of extraterrestrial space and other planetary environments.
Can we get more social benefits from forests and have higher biodiversity?
When local residents are allowed to make rules about managing nearby forests, the forests are more likely to provide greater economic benefits to households and contain more biodiversity, two University of Michigan researchers and a colleague conclude from an analysis of forest practices in tropical developing countries of East Africa and South Asia.
Integral spots matter a millisecond from doom
ESA's Integral gamma-ray observatory has spotted extremely hot matter just a millisecond before it plunges into the oblivion of a black hole. But is it really doomed? These unique observations suggest that some of the matter may be making a great escape.
Study finds wind speeds rose over world's oceans
During the last quarter-century, average wind speeds have increased over the world's oceans, as have wave heights, generating rougher seas, researchers reported in a study published online Thursday.
Suzaku shows clearest picture yet of Perseus Galaxy Cluster
(PhysOrg.com) -- X-ray observations made by the Suzaku observatory provide the clearest picture to date of the size, mass and chemical content of a nearby cluster of galaxies. The study also provides the first direct evidence that million-degree gas clouds are tightly gathered in the cluster's outskirts.
Technology news
Showtime deal with Netflix shows emerging rivalry
(AP) -- Amid an emerging rivalry between traditional pay TV operators and rising star Netflix Inc., CBS Corp.'s Showtime pay TV service confirmed Wednesday that back seasons of current original series like "Dexter" and "Californication" will not be available on Netflix's streaming service as of this summer.
RIM pulls drunken driving 'app' from Blackberry
US senators on Wednesday said that Research In Motion (RIM) has promised to get rid of a Blackberry software program designed to help drunk drivers evade police checkpoints.
New approach to programming may boost 'green' computing
A Binghamton University computer scientist with an interest in "green" software development has received the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award for young researchers.
Audio books added to Kindle downloads
Amazon.com on Thursday added books read aloud by celebrities, authors and others to the library of works that can be wirelessly downloaded to the latest generation Kindle electronic readers.
Judge echoes Google critics in digital book ruling
(AP) -- As Google Inc. evolved from being an endearing startup to an Internet empire, the company has become used to critics depicting it as a copyright scofflaw and pushy monopolist. It's different when the unflattering portrait is being drawn by a federal judge.
Wind, solar becoming cost competitive: Chu
Clean sources of energy such as wind and solar will be no more expensive than oil and gas projects by the end of the decade, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Wednesday.
HP's board purge cleared but pay packages scolded
(AP) -- Just as Hewlett-Packard Co. seemed to emerge from one controversy, it has found itself immersed in two others.
'Color' app shares with people around you
(AP) -- We've all been to weddings where the bride and groom hand out disposable cameras to capture every angle of their big day. Now, a new application called Color allows you to do something similar with your phone, by sharing your images, videos and comments with anyone who comes within 50 feet of you.
'Asia-Pacific smartphone market to double by 2016'
The Asia-Pacific smartphone market is expected to double to 200 million by 2016, with Google's Android operating system the leading platform, an industry analyst said Thursday.
Watchmakers compete for the young, old and rich
(AP) -- Even the world's biggest trade fair for watches can't seem to avoid subtly encouraging the use of an alternative timekeeping device heavily favored by younger - and often bare-wristed - consumers: the smartphone.
Flood of royal wedding smartphone apps hits market
(AP) -- Not feeling the royal wedding spirit yet? It may be time to download a countdown clock to your smartphone.
Journalism Online sold to Chicago printer
Journalism Online, a company started two years ago to help newspapers and magazines collect revenue from online readers, was sold on Thursday to Chicago-based printing firm RR Donnelley.
TripAdvisor email list hacked, passwords secure
TripAdvisor said Thursday that hackers had stolen a portion of the online travel site's email list and warned members of the possibility of receiving junk mail messages.
Web certificate fraud bears Iranian fingerprints
Hackers from Iran are suspected of swiping authentication data from a US computer security firm in an attempt to impersonate popular Google or Yahoo! sites.
Oracle fiscal 3Q net income up 78 pct
(AP) -- Database software maker Oracle Corp. said Thursday its net income rose 78 percent in the fiscal third quarter, helped by a rise in new software license sales and the benefit of three full months of revenue from Sun Microsystems, a company it acquired last year.
Google in translation pact for European patents
(AP) -- Google said Thursday it has reached an agreement with European patent authorities to use its online technology to translate some 50 million patents.
Duke Nukem videogame comeback delayed - again
The long-delayed comeback of videogame tough guy "Duke Nukem" hit another snag on Thursday with 2K Games bumping arrival of the latest title back a month into June.
RIM shares down on BlackBerry revenue miss
(AP) -- Research in Motion Ltd.'s stock took a hit Thursday after the maker of the BlackBerry reported revenue from its recently concluded quarter that fell short of expectations and warned that sales in the current three-month period are shifting to cheaper models.
Google keeps tight grip on tablet software
Google on Thursday said it will be keeping a tight grip on its Honeycomb software crafted specially for tablet computers.
Oracle abruptly drops chip developed with Intel, HP
Oracle Corp. made waves on Wednesday with a sharply worded announcement that it will cease all efforts to develop technology around Intel Corp.'s Itanium chip - a move that apparently took both Intel and its partner Hewlett-Packard Co. by surprise.
New fluorescent OLEDs display greater efficiencies than believed possible
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Michigan engineering researchers have designed an exceptionally efficient fluorescent blue OLED, or organic light emitting diode.
Big size multitouch display turned into a microscope (w/ video)
The multitouch microscope integrates two Finnish innovations and brings new dimensions into teaching and research.
Oldest US nuclear reactor: a 'disaster' in waiting?
A sleepy New Jersey town has popped onto people's radar screens because it has the oldest running nuclear power plant in the United States -- and, some say, the most dangerous.
Google releases Chrome 11 beta with HTML5 speech input API
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ah the beta version. It is a special time in a new versions life, when the world at large gets a first look at what the end product will be. Kind of a like a sonogram for new technology. Of course, when you are looking at a human fetus, you know what the features will be: two hands, ten toes and hopefully no vestigial tail. With a beta bit of software the world will pour over it, checking out what is new and getting ready to poke at all of its features.
Medicine & Health news
MP calls for new measures to protect children from alcohol advertising
Next week, Sarah Wollaston MP will put forward a private member's bill urging the government to adopt a new approach to protect UK children from alcohol advertising.
Critical care outside hospital 'incomplete, unpredictable, and inconsistent' across UK
The critical care expertise available before a severely injured person can be admitted to hospital is "incomplete, unpredictable, and inconsistent," shows research published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Red tape for clinical trial consent can be lethal: Experts
Current rules requiring researchers to obtain consent for patients to take part in clinical trials in emergency situations are causing life-threatening delays to treatment, experts have argued.
Europe-wide survey reveals priorities for end-of-life care
A survey of over 9,000 people in seven different countries across Europe has shown that the majority would want to improve the quality of life in the time they had left, rather than extend it. The survey reveals attitudes across Europe for dealing with serious illnesses such as cancer, and issues raised when caring for a close friend of relative in the last few months of life. The research was carried out as part of an EU-funded project led by researchers from King's College London.
China renews push to ban smoking starting May 1
(AP) -- Chinese health authorities are renewing a push to ban smoking in indoor public places, adding more venues like hotels and restaurants as of May 1, though still excluding many workplaces.
Life work culminates in testing of cancer therapy in humans
A cancer-fighting antibody identified by a researcher working at The University of Queensland and Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) will today be used to treat the first patient, in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
Gay couples could benefit from testing together
A number of American men who have sex with men are supportive of couples-based voluntary HIV counseling and testing (CVCT), in which couples receive counseling and their HIV test results together, according to a new study by Dr. Rob Stephenson from Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, USA, and his colleagues. The authors argue that there may be a demand among gay men for this effective strategy, used in Africa amongst heterosexual couples, albeit with some adaptations to the protocol to make it relevant in the US. The work is published online in Springer's journal, AIDS and Behavior.
NeuroImage: Multiplexing in the visual brain
Imagine sitting in a train at the railway station looking outside: Without analyzing the relative motion of object contours across many different locations at the same time, it is often difficult to decide whether it's your train that starts moving, or the one at the opposite track. How are these diverse information conveyed simultaneously through the network of millions of activated nerve cells in the visual brain?
Good news! Hope makes headlines: New study looks at cancer coverage
If it bleeds, it leads, or so the old journalistic adage goes. Not necessarily, say researchers from McGill University and the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital. In a first-of-its kind study that analyzes how cancer is portrayed in Canadian newspapers today versus 20 years ago, positivity and hope seem to be winning out.
Mayo Clinic researchers tie Parkinson's drugs to impulse control problems
Mayo Clinic researchers found that dopamine agonists used in treating Parkinson's disease result in impulse control disorders in as many as 22 percent of patients.
Orthodontic researchers ask: Where's your retainer?
Have you been wearing your retainer? It's a question countless parents ask of their children post-braces. Now Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine researchers are getting serious about the question.
Acupuncture is equally effective with simulated needles
sometimes referred to as placebo - is just as beneficial as real acupuncture for treating nausea in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet and Linkoping University in Sweden. Patients, who received only standard care including medications for nausea, felt significant more nausea than patients in both the acupuncture groups.
New study quantifies total costs of fragility fractures in 6 major European countries
Research presented today at the European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis by investigators from the UK and Sweden estimates that the economic burden of fragility fractures in five major European countries totals 31 billion Euro, with Germany bearing the highest costs. A majority of the economic burden is shown to be related to the costs incurred during the 1st year after the fracture, while pharmacological prevention and treatment management constitutes only a marginal share of the total economic cost.
Study finds international variations in quality of life loss after fracture
A study presented today at the European Congress on Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis currently taking place in Valencia, Spain has found that the initial quality of life loss following an osteoporotic fracture is substantial, especially with regard to hip and vertebral fractures. The study found differences in quality of life loss between countries after correcting for other explanatory variables.
Inclusion of falls history shown to enhance accuracy of fracture risk assessment models
Researchers from the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit in Southampton, UK, have presented a new study that shows how the inclusion of falls history, in addition to clinical risk factors (CRFs) and bone mineral density (BMD) values, would greatly improve the accuracy of fracture prediction models. The research findings were presented today at the European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis in Valencia, Spain.
The Medical Minute: March is brain injury awareness month
March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. Traumatic brain injuries are disruptions or changes in the way the brain functions that occur due to a blow or jolt to the head or penetrating injuries. The severity can range from mild to severe. Brain injuries are the most common cause of death and lifelong disability for children. According to data from the Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, the brain injuries that top the list are from sports, bike crashes, falls, or motor vehicle crashes.
How brain surgery saved the life of a patient preparing to die
John Moran was 27 years old when he underwent a long-shot brain surgery for what appeared to be a malignant tumor that would almost certainly be fatal.
Adults concerned about tobacco ads influence on youth
Do you see what your child sees? Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) scientists have analyzed the impact of tobacco advertising in stores. Researchers found that adults and young people believe that tobacco promotions influence youth to smoke. The findings were presented during a ‘Kick Butts Day’ tobacco-free celebration at Sweet Home High School in Amherst, NY.
Researchers discuss sugar's highs, lows
America's growing sweet tooth is super-sizing waistlines and the nation's health care price tag, warn University of California researchers. People in the U.S. are eating 21 times more sweet stuff today than the pilgrims and pioneers did, according to data presented by scientists at a symposium on sugar and other sweeteners, sponsored by the Center for Obesity Assessment, Study and Treatment (COAST) at UCSF, the UC Office of the President, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.
Emory explores new proton therapy facility to offer advanced care to cancer patients
Emory Healthcare is a key player in plans to bring the world's most advanced radiation treatment for cancer patients to Georgia. In furtherance of that role, Emory Healthcare has signed a letter of intent with Advanced Particle Therapy, LLC, of Minden, Nevada, opening the door to a final exploratory phase for development of The Georgia Proton Treatment Center - Georgia's first proton therapy facility.
US misses goal to wipe out TB by 2010
The United States last year saw a sizable drop in the number of tuberculosis cases, but missed its goal of eradicating the disease by 2010, US health officials said Thursday.
Survey: Most family medicine residencies restrict interactions between trainees, industry
A national survey of U.S. family medicine residency programs finds that most limit pharmaceutical and other industry interactions with residents while many exclude all interactions. The results, published in the May issue of Academic Medicine, suggest a major shift away from acceptance of food, gifts, samples, and industry-supported events. The survey was a joint effort between Georgetown University Medical Center and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA).
Road traffic pollution doubles risk of rejection after lung transplant
Lung transplant patients have double the risk of organ rejection and death within five years of the procedure if they live near a main road, indicates research published online in Thorax.
Even mild stress is linked to long-term disability
Even relatively mild stress can lead to long term disability and an inability to work, reveals a large population based study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Stem cell therapy for age-related macular degeneration -- a step closer to reality
The notion of transplanting adult stem cells to treat or even cure age-related macular degeneration has taken a significant step toward becoming a reality. In a study published today in Stem Cells, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, the ability to create retinal cells derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells that mimic the eye cells that die and cause loss of sight.
Outcomes improved by longer delays between heart attacks and elective surgeries
Before undergoing elective surgery, patients should consider waiting longer after a heart attack than is currently recommended, according to a study scheduled for publication in the May issue of the journal, Annals of Surgery.
Drug-resistant pathogen found in large numbers in LA County
Researchers with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health have found high rates of the multi-drug resistant pathogen, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) among the patient population in long-term acute care hospitals compared to general acute care hospitals across the county. These findings are particularly important because CRKP was thought to be contained to East Coast facilities and communities. These findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) on April 3 in Dallas.
Scientists link DNA 'end-caps' length to diabetes risk
New evidence has emerged from studies in mice that short telomeres or "caps" at the ends of chromosomes may predispose people to age-related diabetes, according to Johns Hopkins scientists.
Religious young adults become obese by middle age
(PhysOrg.com) -- Could it be the potato salad? Young adults who frequently attend religious activities are 50 percent more likely to become obese by middle age as young adults with no religious involvement, according to new Northwestern Medicine research. This is the first longitudinal study to examine the development of obesity in people with various degrees of religious involvement.
Micro-RNA's contribute to risk for panic disorder
Studies in twin pairs suggest that 40% of the risk for panic disorder is heritable, yet the manner in which genes contribute to the risk for panic disorder is far from clear. To date, variations in a growing number of genes have been implicated in the risk for panic disorder, but the magnitude of the impact of each individual gene is relatively small.
Treating acute coughs
(PhysOrg.com) -- Prescribing antibiotics for patients with discoloured phlegm caused by acute cough has little or no effect on alleviating symptoms and recovery, a new University study has found.
Acupuncture for pain no better than placebo and not without harm
Although acupuncture is commonly used for pain control, doubts about its effectiveness and safety remain. Investigators from the Universities of Exeter & Plymouth (Exeter, UK) and the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (Daejeon, South Korea) critically evaluated systematic reviews of acupuncture as a treatment of pain in order to explore this question. Reporting in the April 2011 issue of PAIN, they conclude that numerous systematic reviews have generated little truly convincing evidence that acupuncture is effective in reducing pain, and serious adverse effects continue to be reported.
Eye movement differs in British and Chinese populations: study
The team, working with Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, investigated eye movements in Chinese and British people to further understanding of the brain mechanisms that control them and how they compare between different human populations. They found that a type of eye movement, that is rare in British people, is much more common in Chinese people, suggesting that there could be subtle differences in brain function between different populations.
A diabetes drug, sitagliptin, also has a potential to prevent diabetes
Diabetes type 2 is caused by insufficient levels of insulin to keep blood glucose under control. Excessive levels of another hormone, glucagon, can also contribute to diabetes type 2 by causing the liver to flood the body with stored glucose. Diabetes type 2 does not arise overnight, but slowly progresses for many years as a condition known as prediabetes. In prediabetes, blood sugar rises to excessive levels after a meal, but is normal or nearly normal after an overnight fast. Researchers are seeking ways to prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes. Besides diet and exercise, the diabetic drug metformin can slow the onset of diabetes.
MRSA infection shown to be seasonal
A new study from Rhode Island Hospital has found a significant increase in the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the summer and autumn months. The increase was more pronounced in the pediatric population than in adults. The study is now published online in advance of print in PloS ONE.
Gambling problems are more common than drinking problems, according to first-of-its-kind study
After age 21, problem gambling is considerably more common among U.S. adults than alcohol dependence, even though alcohol dependence has received much more attention, according to researchers at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions.
Could 'training the brain' help children with Tourette syndrome?
Children with Tourette syndrome could benefit from behavioural therapy to reduce their symptoms, according to a new brain imaging study.
Researchers: Sexually active teens need confidential health care
After reviewing existing research regarding the common practices of health care providers who see adolescent patients across the country, Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH, a clinician and researcher at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, and her colleague, Michelle Forcier, MD, MPH, an adolescent medicine specialist at Hasbro Children's Hospital, asserted that the nation needs to offer more confidential care for teenagers who are sexually active.
Conflicting fitness messages underscore women's fit body stereotypes
(PhysOrg.com) -- From boot camp to step aerobics, yoga to martial arts, women have been pummeled by the fitness industry and messages in the media to exercise in pursuit of the pervasive fit, feminine ideal: to look young, thin and toned.
High salt diets damaging Australian men's sex lives
While the adverse affects of high blood pressure on men's sex lives is clear, the direct link between salt and sex is yet to be proven. There is, however, a huge body of evidence showing that salt is the main cause of high blood pressure which kills thousands of Australian men each year - mostly through premature strokes, heart attacks and heart failure.
Gene that suppresses cell's immune activation identified
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study of prostate tumors has shown that a gene, FOXO3, suppresses activation of cells related to immunity and thus leads to a reduced immune response against a growing cancer. One of the main problems in treating cancer by vaccine or immunotherapy is that tumors often evade the body’s immune response — and one of their tricks is to create an environment where immunity is inhibited or suppressed. By identifying a gene that makes immune cells suppressive, the researchers may have found a new target for enhancing immune responses to cancer tumor cells. The study, by scientists from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, appeared online March 23, 2011, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, and in print April 1, 2011.
The biosignature of tuberculosis
(PhysOrg.com) -- The germ that causes tuberculosis is highly infectious, but not very effective: around two billion people throughout the world carry the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis - only one tenth of them, however, actually develop the disease following infection. Nobody knows who will fall ill, and who won’t. Therefore, scientists have been looking for biological markers that will enable them to predict susceptibility to tuberculosis. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin have now discovered several candidates for such biomarkers. They compared the gene activity in tuberculosis patients and in individuals latently infected with the pathogen. According to their findings, tuberculosis infection can alter the activity of almost 2000 human genes. These include genes that regulate the activity of the immune system and control the “suicide” programme of immune cells.
Tuberculosis vaccine passes phase I trial
(PhysOrg.com) -- The currently available tuberculosis vaccine BCG is over 90 years old – and its effectiveness is declining. An increasing number of mycobacterial strains are emerging, against which the current vaccine provides no protection. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin have developed an improved vaccine that has being undergoing tests on humans in clinical trials since 2008. The results of the phase I trial show that the vaccine candidate fulfils safety requirements. Initial results of the phase Ib trial indicate that the vaccine candidate’s active principle is effective.
Eskimo study suggests high consumption of omega-3s reduces obesity-related disease risk
A study of Yup'ik Eskimos in Alaska, who on average consume 20 times more omega-3 fats from fish than people in the lower 48 states, suggests that a high intake of these fats helps prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
New research suggests wild birds may play a role in the spread of bird flu
Wild migratory birds may indeed play a role in the spread of bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.
Noninvasive brain stimulation may improve swallowing after stroke
Stroke patients who received electrical brain stimulation coupled with swallowing exercises showed greater improvement in swallowing ability than patients who did not receive this stimulation, according to a pilot study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Not so sweet: Increased added sugars intake parallels trends in weight gain
Weight gain in adults coincided with increased consumption of added sugars, in a study reported today at the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions. Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing, preparation, or at the table.
Mini-stroke doubles risk of heart attack
Patients who have suffered a "mini stroke" are at twice the risk of heart attack than the general population, according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
A safer, more effective morphine may be possible with IU discovery
An orphan drug originally used for HIV treatment has been found to short-circuit the process that results in additional sensitivity and pain from opioid use. The study by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine is reported in the March 25, 2011 issue of Brain, Behavior and Immunity.
Repeated stress produces long-lasting resistance to stroke damage in the brain
(PhysOrg.com) -- An innate protective response that makes the brain resistant to injury from stroke can be made to last for months longer than previously documented, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.
BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone
Demonstrating an important milestone for the longevity and utility of implanted brain-computer interfaces, a woman with tetraplegia using the investigational BrainGate system continued to control a computer cursor accurately through neural activity alone more than 1,000 days after receiving the BrainGate implant, according to a team of physicians, scientists, and engineers developing and testing the technology at Brown University, the Providence VA Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Results from five consecutive days of device use surrounding her 1,000th day in the device trial appeared online March 24 in the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Researchers find eye development error causing cataracts, glaucoma
A Jackson Laboratory research team, working in collaboration with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, show that RNA granules--key players in messenger RNA (mRNA) processing--can affect eye development, leading to juvenile cataracts in humans and mice.
Researchers uncover novel immune therapy for pancreatic cancer
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center have discovered a novel way of treating pancreatic cancer by activating the immune system to destroy the cancer's scaffolding. The strategy was tested in a small cohort of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, several of whose tumors shrank substantially. The team believes their findings – and the novel way in which they uncovered them -- could lead to quicker, less expensive cancer drug development.
New research finds protein that protects cancer cells from chemo and radiation therapy
Research led by Daitoku Sakamuro, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans and the LSUHSC Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, has identified a protein that enables the activation of a DNA-repair enzyme that protects cancer cells from catastrophic damage caused by chemo and radiation therapy. This protein, called c-MYC oncoprotein, can initiate and promote almost all human cancers and discovering the role it plays in cancer treatment resistance may lead to advances that save lives. The work is published in the March 29, 2011 issue of Science Signaling. Although scientists have known that cancer cells can acquire resistance to DNA-damaging therapeutic agents, the genetic mechanisms through which this occurs have remained unclear until now.
Universal tests of intelligence
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new intelligence test, which can be taken by any living creature is being developed that will enable comparison of intellect between humans and animals.
Love remains a main source of regret for typical American, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to romantic relationships, have you ever made a decision that you regretted?
Researchers find potential new non-insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered a hormone pathway that potentially could lead to new ways of treating type 1 diabetes independent of insulin, long thought to be the sole regulator of carbohydrates in the liver. Results of this new study will be published March 25 in Science.
Biology news
Discovering new localities of a rare species in Georgia
The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership team in Georgia made an exciting discovery in October last year when local nature lovers alerted the team to the presence of cyclamen in a district in West Georgia.
Some outcomes of the evolutionary race buck conventional wisdom (w/ video)
In some cases, less fit organisms may out-survive their in-shape counterparts, according to a study reported in the March 18 issue of Science. The finding surprised researchers who assumed less fit organisms would be the eventual losers in evolution's fight for survival.
Small code change, big effect: Using synthetic biology to precisely label proteins
Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have developed a new method which enables researchers to label any protein of their choice with any of a wide variety of previously available compounds, in living cells, by introducing a single reactive artificial amino acid. Published today in Angewandte Chemie, the new technique enables researchers to label even rare proteins very precisely for optical imaging and in the future likely also for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Study finds remarkable diversity of lichen species in Florida state park
If you seek America's most diverse, densely packed human population, head for New York's Manhattan, but if it's lichens you fancy instead of people, then Southwestern Florida is your best bet.
Uncertain future for Joshua trees projected with climate change
Temperature increases resulting from climate change in the Southwest will likely eliminate Joshua trees from 90 percent of their current range in 60 to 90 years, according to a new study led by U.S. Geological Survey ecologist Ken Cole.
London orchestra plays concert... for plants
One of Britain's most prestigious orchestras has performed to a rather unusual audience -- row upon row of plants, in an attempt to see whether the music helps them grow.
Against the tide: Currents keep dolphins apart
Conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and other conservation and research groups have discovered that groups of dolphins in the western Indian Ocean do not mix freely with one another. In fact, dolphin populations are kept separate by currents and other unseen factors.
Race to save oil slicked penguins on remote British island
A race to rescue up to 20,000 endangered penguins from an oil spill in an isolated south Atlantic British island group was underway Thursday after a cargo ship ran aground.
Climate change affects breeding success in rare tropical bird
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study from the University of Reading highlights how climate change is having a detrimental effect on an endangered tropical bird population.
Bats keep separate households
(PhysOrg.com) -- The use of different resources by males and females exacerbates the estimation of population sizes. However, the monitoring of population sizes, particularly for rare and threatened species, is pivotal to quick and effective conservation action. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell investigated the ecological niches of male and female parti-coloured bats (Vespertilio murinus) and discovered that the sexes use entirely different foraging grounds. Their findings demonstrate that a finer grained view of what different demographic subsets of species do is essential for correct estimation of population trends with important implications on action plans for conservation.
Don't shuffle on slippery surfaces, researchers say
Biomechanics researchers Timothy Higham of Clemson University and Andrew Clark of the College of Charleston conclude that moving quickly in a forward, firm-footed stance across a slippery surface is less likely to lead to a fall than if you move slowly. Approaching a slippery surface slowly hinders the necessary task of shifting the center of mass forward once foot contact is made.
An ancestral link between genetic and environmental sex determination
Researchers from Osaka University and the National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan, have found a highly significant connection between the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic and environmental sex determination. The scientists report in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics the identification of a gene responsible for the production of males during environmental sex determination in the crustacean Daphnia.
Japanese sperm cell breakthrough offers hope to infertile men
(PhysOrg.com) -- In what can only be described as cosmic forces at work, Japanese scientists working at Yokohama University, just south of Tokyo, have in the midst of a national crises, announced a major breakthrough in fertility science; they have figured out how to grow sperm cells outside the body. While the nation counts its losses from the earthquake and tsunami, a new way to help men who have been unable to conceive children, might just be on the way.
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 jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment