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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for April 8, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers discover way to create true-color 3-D holograms- Study shows disorder may cause an increase stereotyping
- Are we living in an age of giant quakes?
- Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite ferrets out planet-hunting targets
- Honeybees entomb to protect from pesticides
- Future planes to get a 'magic safety skin'
- 'Naked' penguins baffle experts
- Google's $700 million ITA buy cleared with conditions (Update)
- Astronomers discover Kepler's trinity
- Carbonates make diamonds grow in the Earth's mantle
- Ford's new chocolate-inspired plastic, made with air bubbles
- Newly merged black hole eagerly shreds stars
- Researchers identify cause and new treatment for common recurrent fever in children
- Bacterial genome may hold answers to mercury mystery
- Free software makes computer mouse easier for people with disabilities
Space & Earth news
US House votes to curb climate regulation
The US House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill aimed at preventing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
Bioengineering with vetiver grass on Guam
A University of Guam scientist uses vetiver grass to save reefs.
SOFIA completes first flight of German science instrument
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, completed its first science flight Wednesday, April 6, using the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies (GREAT) scientific instrument. GREAT is a high-resolution far-infrared spectrometer that finely divides and sorts light into component colors for detailed analysis.
3-2-1-blastoff to space shuttles' last destination
(AP) -- As the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch draws near, the focus is not so much on the past but the future: Where will the shuttles wind up once the program winds down?
Chandra observes extraordinary event
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chandra observation confirms the association of GRB 110328A with the core of a distant galaxy.
Russia sheds light on Gagarin death mystery (Update)
Russia on Friday declassified documents that shed light on Yuri Gagarin's mysterious death in a training flight in 1968, saying his jet likely manoeuvred sharply to avoid a weather balloon.
Most complete dataset ever collected helps scientists understand aerosols' impacts on clouds
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the Earth, and scientists now have more data to understand why. From Fairbanks to Barrow, Alaska, a team of researchers, including scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, found strong seasonal differences in the number of ice-forming particles in Arctic clouds. The results provide a more accurate picture of the number and types of aerosol particles on which cloud droplets and crystals form.
Arctic sea ice flights near completion
(PhysOrg.com) -- Operation IceBridge, NASA's airborne mission to monitor polar ice, is amid its fourth week of flights for the Arctic 2011 campaign. Researchers and crew successfully completed flights from Thule, Greenland, to monitor sea ice and have now moved to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to focus on flights monitoring the ice sheet.
A match of climate and history
Ancient Roman poetry and climate science may seem to have little in common, but a recent collaboration between a Harvard historian and European climate scientists highlights the potential for the two fields to illuminate each other and deepen the understanding of both nature’s and humankind’s past.
The engine that powers short gamma-ray bursts
(PhysOrg.com) -- These explosions have been puzzling scientists for years: those brief flashes of gamma light can in fact release more energy in a fraction of a second than what our entire galaxy releases in one year – even with its 200 billion stars. What causes those explosions?
Cold asteroids may have a soft heart
A new analysis of one of the most well-known meteorites on Earth provides strong evidence that the prevailing view of many asteroids is wrong. Rather than randomly mixed blobs of rock and dust stuck together, it appears that the asteroid that was the source of the Allende meteorite was large enough to have had a molten core, even though its surface remained cold and solid. The new view also suggests that astronomers’ view of how planets like the Earth formed may need revision.
Ancient fossils hold clues for predicting future climate change, scientists report
(PhysOrg.com) -- By studying fossilized mollusks from some 3.5 million years ago, UCLA geoscientists and colleagues have been able to construct an ancient climate record that holds clues about the long-term effects of Earth's current levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a key contributor to global climate change.
Dawn approaches asteroid Vesta
After three and a half years years of thrusting silently through the void, NASA's Dawn spacecraft is on the threshold of a new world. It's deep in the asteroid belt, less than 4 months from giant asteroid Vesta.
Scientists theorize Titan shaped by weather, not ice volcanoes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Have the surface and belly of Saturn's smog-shrouded moon, Titan, recently simmered like a chilly, bubbling cauldron with ice volcanoes, or has this distant moon gone dead? In a newly published analysis, a pair of NASA scientists analyzing data collected by the Cassini spacecraft suggest Titan may be much less geologically active than some scientists think.
Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite ferrets out planet-hunting targets
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers have come up with a new way of identifying close, faint stars with NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite. The technique should help in the hunt for planets that lie beyond our solar system, because nearby, hard-to-see stars could very well be home to the easiest-to-see alien planets.
Are we living in an age of giant quakes?
Searching for patterns in the occurrence of large magnitude earthquakes after a succession of large tremors -- surpassed by the recent magnitude-9.0 quake in Japan -- has researchers wondering if the amount of big quakes is on the rise.
Newly merged black hole eagerly shreds stars
A galaxy's core is a busy place, crowded with stars swarming around an enormous black hole. When galaxies collide, it gets even messier as the two black holes spiral toward each other, merging to make an even bigger gravitational monster.
Astronomers discover Kepler's trinity
NASA's revolutionary Kepler satellite has discovered a unique triply eclipsing triple star, reports an international team of astronomers.
Carbonates make diamonds grow in the Earth's mantle
Diamonds that no-one ever sees can form deep in the Earth’s interior. This is due to the chemical conditions controlling the associated carbon cycle. Swiss researchers used laboratory experiments to show how this happens.
Technology news
Facebook looks to strengthen media partnership
(AP) -- Facebook's chief operating officer says her fast-growing company is looking to strengthen its relationship with the news media.
Georgian pensioner devastated after 'cutting Internet'
A 75-year-old woman arrested for single-handedly cutting off the Internet in Georgia and Armenia on Friday tearfully insisted she was innocent and said she had never heard of the web.
Three more reasons for clean energy
We've heard again and again that concerns about the environment, public health and national security are reasons to develop policies that encourage clean energy investment - and we've also heard vigorous debate on these issues. But recent data show that three of the biggest - and the most unifying - factors Congress and the Obama administration should consider are right in their sights: jobs, export opportunities and the United States' descent to third place in a race that's critical to our future.
HP: Former executive boosted secrets then bolted
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. has filed a lawsuit against a former executive over allegations he took trade secrets with him when he went to work for rival Oracle Corp.
Viacom and Time Warner Cable duel over iPad
US media colossus Viacom and cable television titan Time Warner Cable have taken their fight over a show-streaming iPad application to court.
Sony adding music to PSP videogame gadgets
Sony revealed that it was adding a streaming music service to PlayStation Portable handheld gaming gadgets next week.
Finland's 'Angry Birds' shoot to global fame
Spectators fall silent as Jonas Koivula slingshots a boomeranging parrot over enemy lines in a devastating flanking manoeuvre during Finland's national Angry Birds championship finals.
Viewers seen taking power in connected TV revolution
Television is on the threshold of a revolution, with a plethora of mobile devices putting viewers firmly in the driving seat and opening up the possibility of a whole new connected entertainment world, digital and audiovisual industry leaders say.
Expedia to spin off TripAdvisor
Online travel giant Expedia announced plans on Thursday to spin off TripAdvisor into a separate publicly traded company later this year.
Russian security service 'wants to ban Skype, Gmail'
The Russian security service is proposing to ban Skype, Hotmail, and Gmail as their "uncontrolled use" may threaten Russia's security, a service official said during a government meeting on Friday.
UMD Solar Decathlon team unveils 'WaterShed'
The University of Maryland Solar Decathlon Team has unveiled its entry in the U.S. Department of Energy competition - a high-tech structure they call WaterShed, because it integrates a unique array of sustainable features designed to protect and make the most of the Chesapeake Bay.
SEC weighs new rules for private companies' stock
(AP) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering whether to ease rules on private companies that issue shares.
YouTube adds stage for live events
YouTube on Friday added a stage for live events as the world's leading video-sharing website continued its effort to woo viewers away from television programming.
Stanford's virtual reality lab focuses on conservation
If a tree falls in a virtual reality forest, will anyone hear an environmental message? They will, as long as they were the ones who cut down the make-believe redwood.
New Google CEO Larry Page reshuffles exec team
(AP) -- Google CEO Larry Page has promoted at least seven executives to head key parts of the company in one of his first big moves since he took over the Internet search company on Monday. The management reshuffle is an attempt at streamlining a bureaucracy that's sometimes bogged down Google even as it became the world's most valuable Internet company.
Bing search takes to iPads
Microsoft has tailored a version of Internet search service Bing for Apple's hot-selling iPad tablet computer.
Maritime laser demonstrator: Test moves Navy step closer to lasers for ship self-defense
Marking a milestone for the Navy, the Office of Naval Research and its industry partner on April 6 successfully tested a solid-state, high-energy laser (HEL) from a surface ship, which disabled a small target vessel.
Future planes to get a 'magic safety skin'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite the popular perceptions of plane travel, it is a relatively safe way to travel, and the folks over NASA are hoping to make it even safer. They have awarded four different research teams a total of $16.5 million to work on safer and more fuel efficient planes. They may even be quieter than the standard planes.
Google's $700 million ITA buy cleared with conditions (Update)
Google's entry into the online travel sector was cleared for takeoff Friday as the US Justice Department gave the green light to its $700 million purchase of flight data company ITA Software.
Ford's new chocolate-inspired plastic, made with air bubbles
(PhysOrg.com) -- Plastic is often used in vehicles, when the designs demand a lower weight on the vehicle, in order to increase vehicle speed or fuel efficiency. Current plastics only meet those goals to a limited degree. While plastic is lighter than metal, it is not as light as some designers would like. That is why car companies are working on lighter plastics, by making them with very small holes.
Free software makes computer mouse easier for people with disabilities
The hand moves the computer mouse, but the cursor doesn't comply. The cursor doesn't go where told.
House votes to repeal regs on Internet access
(AP) -- House Republicans adamant that the government keep its hands off the Internet passed a bill Friday to repeal federal rules barring Internet service providers from blocking or interfering with traffic on their networks.
Medicine & Health news
Physicians call for better access to health care for immigrants
As the U.S. immigrant population grows it will be necessary to address the vast number of immigrants who do not have access to health insurance coverage, or who face other barriers to accessing health care, the American College of Physicians (ACP) said in a new policy paper released today at Internal Medicine 2011, ACP's annual scientific meeting. National Immigration Policy and Access to Health Care discusses the challenges immigrants face in obtaining health care services.
Loyola's on-site cardiology team dramatically improves care for heart attack patients
The availability of an in-house, around-the-clock interventional cardiology team dramatically decreases the time it takes to restore blood flow to heart attack patients, according to data presented this week. These findings were reported by researchers from Loyola University Health System (LUHS) at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting in New Orleans.
Digestive experts grade treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease
The American College of Gastroenterology published a new evidence-based systematic review on the management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) as a supplement to The American Journal of Gastroenterology (AJG) for April 2011, a special issue entirely dedicated to IBD. This clinical monograph, based on a comprehensive meta-analysis, offers new graded recommendations on medical management of IBD, a chronic digestive disorder which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).
Late diagnosis is major factor in hospital cancer deaths
Late cancer diagnosis in Northern Ireland contributes to hospital deaths despite patient's preference to die at home according to a major report launched at Queen's University Belfast.
Effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on mortality in Finland
Does a reduction in the price of alcohol result in an increase in deaths due to alcohol? This was the subject of a study following a significant reduction in taxes in Finland in 2004 (30% for spirits, 3% for wine).The abolition of import quotas by the EU in 2004 also made it possible to import from other member countries and this led to an increase of approximately 10% in alcohol consumption in Finland. This paper is particularly interesting as it not only reports the effects of reducing costs of alcohol on alcohol-related mortality, but it also reports the effects of such changes on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.
Warm weather spikes increase in broken homes, itchy casts
Spring weather signals the start of many outdoor activities as people of all ages eagerly embrace the change in weather. Paul Prinz, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola University Health System says, "Broken bones and fractures occur year-round, but the change in seasons always creates an increase of patients in our offices."
Breast-cancer awareness now in national consciousness
Each October, the color pink marks the arrival of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Media coverage, product promotions and even the football gridirons showcase the national effort to promote screenings and early detection of the cancer that 200,000 American women are diagnosed with each year.
Research shows blood protein levels may predict risk of a cardiovascular event
Increased levels of a protein that helps regulate the body's blood pressure may also predict a major cardiovascular event in high-risk patients, according to a study led by St. Michael's Hospital's cardiovascular surgeon Subodh Verma. Measuring the amount of the protein, known as plasma renin activity (PRA), in the blood stream may give doctors another tool to assess a patient's risk and help prevent a heart attack or stroke.
New warm line helps clinicians tackle patients' substance abuse
A free, nationwide service was launched today to help primary care providers seeking to identify and advise substance-abusing patients. The service, Physician Clinical Support System for Primary Care (PCSS-P), offers peer-to-peer mentorship and resources on incorporating screening and follow-up into regular patient care. PCSS-P is a project of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
Reformed Medicaid program must put coordinated care at forefront of efforts
A reformed Medicaid program must put coordinated primary care at the forefront of its efforts, the American College of Physicians (ACP) said in a new position paper released today at Internal Medicine 2011, ACP's annual scientific meeting. Medicaid and Health Care Reform highlights how primary care physicians will assume a major role in providing care to Medicaid beneficiaries.
Elder law expert: Ryan plan would fundamentally change Medicare
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's proposal to change Medicare for those under age 55 is nothing short of a complete reconceptualization of the health insurance program, says a University of Illinois elder law expert.
Govt announces plan to reduce health disparities
(AP) -- From cradle to grave, minority populations tend to suffer poorer health and get poorer health care than white Americans. In a first-of-its-kind report, the government is recommending steps to reduce those disparities.
Researchers find social hookah smoking packs a carbon monoxide punch
A new University of Florida study shows that patrons leaving hookah cafés had carbon monoxide levels more than three times higher than patrons exiting traditional bars.
Siblings play key role in child development
University of Queensland researchers are exploring the influence siblings may have on the social behaviour of autistic children.
Dopamine controls formation of new brain cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study of the salamander brain has led researchers at Karolinska Institutet to discover a hitherto unknown function of the neurotransmitter dopamine. In an article published in the prestigious scientific journal Cell Stem Cell they show how in acting as a kind of switch for stem cells, dopamine controls the formation of new neurons in the adult brain. Their findings may one day contribute to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's.
Atherosclerotic plaques formed during a late and limited time period in life
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a new study performed in humans, researchers from Karolinska Institutet have determined the age of atherosclerotic plaques by taking advantage of Carbon-14 (14C) residues in the atmosphere, prevailing after the extensive atomic bomb tests in the 50ties and 60ties. The findings, published in the scientific online journal PLoS ONE, suggest that in most people plaque formation occurs during a relatively short and late time period in life of 3-5 years.
Booze a major cause of cancer in Europe: study
About one in 10 cancers in men and one in 33 in women in western European countries are caused by current and past alcohol consumption, according to a study released Friday.
A world first: The discovery of a common genetic cause of autism and epilepsy
Researchers from the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) have identified a new gene that predisposes people to both autism and epilepsy.
New research published finds clear link between height and longevity
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research shows that the way we live directly affects the length of our bodies – and our lives. The research, which is published today in a new book ‘The Changing Body’ (Cambridge University Press), has been conducted over the past 30 years and confirms that there is a clear link between height and longevity.
The benefits of sibling rivalry, brotherly love
(PhysOrg.com) -- Siblings, and even sibling rivalry, can have a positive effect on children’s early development and their ability to form social relationships later in life, according to a new study.
Scientists find 'dual switch' regulates fat formation
New research by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and collaborating institutions has identified a key regulator of fat cell development that may provide a target for obesity and diabetes drugs.
Outsmarting cancer cells: Scientists learn how they spread
Saint Louis University researchers have identified a novel mechanism to control the traffic of cells and fluid from tissues to lymphatic vessels. It may be possible to harness this mechanism to fight cancer spread from one organ to another organ and improve the effectiveness of vaccines.
Giving tumor vaccines a proper introduction
Given how effectively the immune system can eliminate foreign threats such bacteria and viruses, hopes are high for the development of strategies that might turn these same defense mechanisms against cancerous targets. However, attempts to train the immune system to recognize malignancies via the intravenous injection of vaccines that present tumor-derived antigens have fallen short.
Wealthy diabetics have poorer diets, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Middle-class wage-earners who have Type 2 diabetes appear to be healthier eaters than their wealthier counterparts.
IPF drug fails in new trial
A new study has demonstrated no significant benefit of taking the drug bosentan for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Researchers develop new clinical trial approach to reduce time, costs of many studies
Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System are testing a new kind of clinical trial that's not only less costly but guides doctors to switch to the best treatment even before the trial is completed. The new approach — called a point-of-care clinical trial — was developed by Stanford University biostatistician Philip Lavori, PhD, and a Boston-based team as an alternative to expensive, lengthy, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials to compare drugs and procedures that are already in regular use.
How child molesters justify their actions
(PhysOrg.com) -- Men who sexually abuse children generally blame external factors to explain their actions and diminish their guilt. “Every reason they give is a cognitive distortion,” says Sarah Paquette, a student who investigated the issue as part of her master's thesis at the Université de Montréal School of Criminology.
What will people do for money?
(PhysOrg.com) -- At the April 4, 2011 annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society the subject of moral dilemmas and what people would really do was addressed. In a study presented by Oriel FeldmanHall of Cambridge University shows that when it comes to moral studies, hypothetical scenarios do not work to determine the complexities of what people’s real decisions would be.
Helping the heart help itself: Research points to new use for stem cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- Human trials of stem cell therapy for post-heart attack patients have raised as many questions as they have answered -- because while the patients have tended to show some improvement in heart function, the stem cells do not appear to turn into heart cells or even survive.
People control thoughts better when they see their brain activity: study
As humans face increasing distractions in their personal and professional lives, University of British Columbia researchers have discovered that people can gain greater control over their thoughts with real-time brain feedback.
Researchers identify cause and new treatment for common recurrent fever in children
A preliminary study conducted by a team at the National Institutes of Health has identified a promising new treatment in children for the most common form of a rare disorder. The syndrome is called periodic fever associated with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis -- or PFAPA -- and is characterized by monthly flare-ups of fever, accompanied by sore throat, swollen glands and mouth lesions.
'Universal' virus-free method turns blood cells into 'beating' heart cells
Johns Hopkins scientists have developed a simplified, cheaper, all-purpose method they say can be used by scientists around the globe to more safely turn blood cells into heart cells. The method is virus-free and produces heart cells that beat with nearly 100 percent efficiency, they claim.
Biology news
Evolution of the animal temperature sensor: The functional adaptation to environmental change
The animals on the earth have adapted themselves to the environmental temperature changes such as hot in deserts, or cold in the glacial epochs. However, the molecular mechanism for adaptation to thermal environments in the evolutionary process involving temperature sensors was not well understood.
Entomologists propose pesticide-free method to increase egg production
With the Easter holiday season coming up soon, egg consumption is expected to rise temporarily. But are hens in egg farms producing the maximum number of eggs they can?
Conservation crisis as historic carved trees die
(PhysOrg.com) -- The imminent loss of the internationally-acclaimed Moriori-carved trees on the Chatham Islands National Historic Reserve constitutes a "national conservation crisis" which needs urgent attention, says new University of Otago research.
Thailand seizes 2,000 monitor lizards
Thailand said on Friday it had made its largest-ever seizure of monitor lizards after finding more than 2,000 of the reptiles being smuggled in a convoy of pick-up trucks heading for the capital.
Are invasive plants a threat to native biodiversity? It depends on the spatial scale
The phrase "invasive plant species" typically evokes negative images such as broad swaths of kudzu smothered trees along the highway or purple loosestrife taking over wetlands and clogging waterways—and as such, invasive plants are largely viewed as major threats to native biodiversity. However, research has shown both that invasive species may be one of the most important threats to biodiversity and that plant invasions are rarely the cause for native species extinctions. How can these conflicting pieces of evidence be reconciled?
New model of whiskers provides insight into sense of touch
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a model that will allow them to simulate how rats use their whiskers to sense objects around them. The model enables further research that may provide insight into the human sense of touch.
Honeybees entomb to protect from pesticides
(PhysOrg.com) -- With the drastic rise in the disappearance of honeybee colonies throughout the world in recent years there has become a large focus on the study of honeybees and the effects of pesticides on their colonies. Termed 'colony collapse disorder' in 2006, the decline in honeybees throughout the world has been attributed to everything from pesticides to disease and parasites. The loss of the honeybee population is a concern for the agricultural community, given these bees are responsible for pollinating crops worldwide.
'Naked' penguins baffle experts
Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Washington, and other groups are grappling with a wildlife mystery: Why are some penguin chicks losing their feathers?
Bacterial genome may hold answers to mercury mystery
A newly sequenced bacterial genome from a team led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory could contain clues as to how microorganisms produce a highly toxic form of mercury.
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