Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 23, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Single molecule performs multiple logic operations simultaneously- Development of DNA trap paves way for personalized medicine
- New research overturns theory on how children learn their first words
- Once thought a rival phase, antiferromagnetism coexists with superconductivity
- Researchers develop high-performance bulk thermoelectrics
- Using microbes to generate electricity
- Black holes spinning faster than ever before
- Large Hadron Collider smashes another record
- Hubble views the star that changed the universe
- The Four Loko effect
- Scientists list top 10 new species
- Innate immune system proteins attack bacteria by triggering bacterial suicide mechanisms
- Researchers model genome copying-collating steps during cell division
- Advertising can warp your memory
- Canine hepatitis C virus discovery opens up new doors for research
Space & Earth news
Image: Exploring the wonders of the universe
(PhysOrg.com) -- The newly-installed Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 is visible at center of the International Space Station's starboard truss.
Student experiment microgravity kit wins NASA-Make tech contest
"Bring It Back," a small and inexpensive microgravity spaceflight kit, has won the do-it-yourself technology and education space competition sponsored by NASA and MAKE Magazine.
Ariane 5's third launch of 2011
An Ariane 5 launcher lifted off this evening from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites, ST-2 and GSAT-8, into their planned transfer orbits. Flight VA202 was the third Ariane 5 launch of 2011.
DARPA wants your ideas for a 100-year starship
The idea for a 100-year starship has been tossed around recently, and now DARPA the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has put out a Request for Information (RFI) looking for ideas about how a long-term human mission to boldly go out to the stars could possibly happen. It’s been estimated that such a mission would cost over $10 billion, and the idea has gotten $100,000 from NASA and $ 1 million from DARPA – which means that as of now it is just that, an idea.
Russia battles fires in Siberia, Far East
Russia is battling wildfires spreading across Siberia and the Far East, with officials scrambling to prevent a disastrous repeat of last year's deadly blazes, the emergencies ministry said on Monday.
Bigger Icelandic eruption, but less airline angst
(AP) -- An Icelandic volcano was flinging ash, smoke and steam miles (kilometers) into the air Sunday, dropping a thick layer of gray soot in an eruption far more forceful - but likely far less impactful - than the one that grounded planes across Europe last year.
Endeavour astronauts wrap up second space walk
Two astronauts completed a second of four scheduled space walks of the Endeavour shuttle's final mission to the International Space Station on Sunday, the US space agency said.
Sea levels set to rise by up to a metre: report
Sea levels are set to rise by up to a metre within a century due to global warming, a new Australian report said Monday as it warned this could make "once-a-century" coastal flooding much more common.
EU announces launch date for first Galileo satellites
The European Union announced Monday it will launch the first two satellites in its long-delayed and hugely over-budget Galileo navigation system from French Guiana on October 20.
Earthly extremes hint to life elsewhere
If Jocelyne DiRuggiero was looking for life on Mars, she wouldn’t dig in the planet’s red soil. Instead, she’d head where you might not expect.
Lab in a can: New robotic labs are now going mobile to collect ocean samples
It looks a lot like a garbage can-–but it's actually a fully functioning laboratory, thrown overboard, to analyze water samples in the open ocean. One day, a machine like it might tell us whether a beach is safe for swimming or water is clean enough to drink. The so-called "Lab in a Can" is nicknamed ESP.
Testing spacesuits in Antarctica, part 1
In this field diary, Margarita Marinova takes us on a journey to Antarctica in order to test spacesuits Testing the suits in harsh environments on Earth can help future explorers, who will need protection when investigating Mars and other places in the Solar System.
Earth's past, made visible
New visualizations of the Earth from space provide a unique image of how the Earth has changed over the past 750 million years.
The Atlantic 'resting' -- for now
Geophysicists have simulated when the continents around the Atlantic develop active continental margins with earthquakes and volcanoes. According to the model, ‘real’ fully active subduction zones will not form for another twenty million years at the earliest.
Orbiting astronauts chat with Italy's president
(AP) -- The astronauts circling Earth got another VIP call from Rome on Monday.
La Nina outlook is easing says UN weather agency
La Nina, the disruptive weather pattern behind floods and droughts, is easing and there are no signs suggesting a resurgence in the coming months, the UN weather agency said on Monday.
Just four percent of galaxies have neighbors like the Milky Way
How unique is the Milky Way? To find out, a group of researchers led by Stanford University astrophysicist Risa Wechsler compared the Milky Way to similar galaxies and found that just four percent are like the galaxy Earth calls home.
New arm discovered in outer edge of the Milky Way Galaxy
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a surprising twist, if you will, Thomas Dame and Patrick Thaddeus, both of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, have put forth in a paper to be published in an upcoming issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, the notion that a cluster of gas clouds they've discovered, that lies far from what is currently believed to be the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, is likely the extension of one of the great arms that form our galaxy.
Small bangs and white holes
Most gamma-ray bursts come in two flavors. Firstly, there are long duration bursts which form in dense star-forming regions and are associated with supernovae – which would understandably generate a sustained outburst of energy. The technical definition of a long duration gamma-ray burst is one that is more than two seconds in duration – but bursts lasting over a minute are not unusual.
No link between tornadoes and climate change: US
The United States is experiencing the deadliest year for tornadoes in nearly six decades, but a top US weather expert said Monday there is no link between the violent twisters and climate change.
Black holes spinning faster than ever before
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two UK astronomers have found that the giant black holes in the centre of galaxies are on average spinning faster than at any time in the history of the Universe. Dr Alejo Martinez-Sansigre of the University of Portsmouth and Prof. Steve Rawlings of the University of Oxford made the new discovery by using radio, optical and X-ray data. They publish their findings in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Hubble views the star that changed the universe
(PhysOrg.com) -- Though the universe is filled with billions upon billions of stars, the discovery of a single variable star in 1923 altered the course of modern astronomy. And, at least one famous astronomer of the time lamented that the discovery had shattered his world view.
Technology news
Explosion at China iPad factory shows supply risks
(AP) -- An explosion at one of two factories that make Apple's new iPad 2 highlights the risks of a global manufacturing strategy that has cut costs but concentrates production in a few locations.
Spanish researchers build electric motorcycle prototype
A group of engineers at Carlos III University of Madrid has developed a prototype of a high-performance electric motorcycle, which has recently participated in the first electric motorcycle world championship.
India denies bail to executives in telecom fraud
An Indian court denied bail Monday to five top executives accused in a massive telecom scandal that has rocked the Congress-led government, saying the charges against them are too serious.
Swiss protest nuclear power
About 20,000 people took part in an anti-nuclear demonstration in north Switzerland on Sunday ahead of a government decision on the future of atomic energy in the country.
Growth eyed in Indian mobile banking sector
Hundreds of millions of poor Indians who have no access to financial services could benefit from mobile banking, experts say, as cell phone use grows at breakneck pace.
Internet bosses woo world leaders at 'e-G8'
The world's most powerful Internet and media barons gather in Paris on Tuesday in a show of strength to leaders at the G8 summit, amid international rows over online access, copyright and regulation.
India's Satyam posts unexpected quarterly loss
India's fraud-hit software outsourcer Mahindra Satyam on Monday swung to an unexpected quarterly loss from a profit the previous quarter, hit by the cost of a one-off US lawsuit.
Apple looks set to launch cloud-based music service
Just weeks after Amazon and Google unveiled their music offerings, Apple appears set to raise the bar.
Deal sites appeal shoppers and businesses alike
Groupon is adding 150 employees a month at its U.S. headquarters and trains them in a church because the conference rooms at its headquarters aren't big enough. Ideeli has crammed so much electronic equipment into its New York office that the power goes out every day.
Sony to report $3.2 billion annual loss
(AP) -- Sony Corp. is expecting an annual loss of $3.2 billion, reversing its earlier projection of a return to profit, as the electronics giant struggles with production disruptions from Japan's tsunami and a hacker attack on its online gaming service.
British electricity pylons to get a makeover
Electricity pylons across the British countryside may soon cease to be eyesores thanks to a government backed competition for a new design.
Facing up to Fukushima
In the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima reactor, Japan and other nations are re-evaluating their attitude to nuclear energy. Cambridge academic Tony Roulstone believes it is vital for governments and industry to proactively and openly develop nuclear strategy in light of this incident.
Payment startup Square rolls out iPad sales app
(AP) -- First, mobile payment service Square made it easier for merchants to accept credit cards anytime, anywhere, with just a smart phone and a tiny, plastic credit-card reader. Now the startup led by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey hopes to show them they can abandon cash registers.
eBay may use Skype money for acquisitions: CEO
EBay may use some of the $2.4 billion it will receive from the sale of its stake in Skype to make acquisitions, the chief executive of the online auction giant said in an interview published Monday.
Toyota to set up social networking service
Toyota is setting up a social networking service with the help of a U.S. Internet company and Microsoft so drivers can interact with their cars in ways similar to Twitter and Facebook.
Cisco sued for helping China monitor Internet
Falungong members are suing Cisco Systems for custom-building "Golden Shield" Internet technology used by China to track down devotees of the spiritual movement.
Firefox 5 beta released for desktop, mobile
(PhysOrg.com) -- The beta version of Firefox 5, a popular cross-platform web browser, now has release versions ready for both the desktop and the mobile browser user groups. The beta does not have many noticeable differences from the current version of the browser, Firefox 4, aside from the introduction of the channel changer feature and the move of Do Not Track to users privacy settings.
Medicine & Health news
HIV-infected donors present novel source of organs for HIV-infected transplant candidates
A new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation reveals that HIV-infected deceased donors represent a potentially novel source of organs for HIV-infected transplant candidates that could decrease waitlist deaths and even shorten the national waitlist.
Stevens thoracic catheter senior design team takes 1st place at regional ISPE competition
A Senior Design team at Stevens Institute of Technology is working to alleviate pain and other complications that often arise during thoracic surgeries. Five undergraduate Biomedical Engineering students have invented a novel thoracic catheter that overcomes issues of existing catheter design and introduces a potentially profitable new product for the marketplace.
Stevens biomedical engineering students fight hypothermia on the battlefield
A Biomedical Engineering Senior Design team at Stevens Institute of Technology is working with the U.S. Army and New Jersey physicians to develop a new device to combat hypothermia among wounded soldiers.
School meal budget cuts, U-turn on cooking skills in schools could affect childhood obesity
New evidence commissioned by a leading partnership of food charities shows that a whole school approach to food that links practical food education with quality school dinners leads to a better family diet and can improve academic performance and behavior.
Acute heart drugs should be reconsidered for Maori and Pacific Islanders
Researchers at the University of Otago, New Zealand, say standard medication used for acute heart disease should be reconsidered for some Maori and Pacific Island patients because of drug resistance caused by high rates of Group A streptococcal infection, the same infection which leads to rheumatic fever.
Medicare spending linked to longer life, better health in elderly
In 2009, Medicare spending grew about 8 percent to over $502 billion and projections indicate growth at an average rate of nearly 6 percent per year through 2019. Powerful debates are under way in Washington on how to reduce Medicare spending. However, findings of a new study suggest that cutting Medicare spending across the board could result in poorer health outcomes for the elderly.
Shave biopsy is a safe and acceptable method for initial evaluation of melanoma
A shave biopsy is a reasonably safe and accurate method for the initial diagnosis of melanoma, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In the past, some physicians have criticized shave biopsies for not providing accurate T (tumor) stage information, thereby complicating treatment planning.
Tort reform reduces lawsuit risk; establishes framework for quality improvements
It is well known that rising medical malpractice premiums have reached a crisis point in many areas of the United States, and the economic and emotional costs of these claims are driving physicians and surgeons away from high-risk specialties. However, according to the authors of a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, implementation of comprehensive tort reform has been associated with a nearly 80 percent decrease in the prevalence of surgical malpractice lawsuits at one academic medical center. This decrease in lawsuits also resulted in a significant decrease in malpractice-associated costs.
Transarterial embolization is a safe, nonoperative option for acute peptic ulcer bleeding
Researchers from China report that in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding in whom endoscopy failed to control the bleeding, transarterial embolization is a safe procedure which reduces the need for surgery without increasing overall mortality and is associated with few complications. The study appears in the May issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Comfort food: Probiotic-derived product protects in model of intestinal inflammation
Many people tout the beneficial effects of probiotics in preventing and/or treating several intestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis.
Study links acetaminophen to lower prostate cancer risk
A new study from American Cancer Society researchers finds use of 30 tablets a month or more of acetaminophen for five or more years was associated with an estimated 38% lower risk of prostate cancer. The study appears in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention and is one of only two studies of prostate cancer to date that have examined the association with acetaminophen use that was both long-term and regular.
States should be allowed to implement key health reform law provisions early, experts say
More than eight of 10 leaders in health and health care policy (82%) believe states should be allowed to implement key provisions of the Affordable Care Act early with full federal support, ahead of the timeline outlined in the law. Such key provisions include expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover more low-income families and creating insurance exchanges with premium subsidies. Findings are from the latest Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey, which asked respondents about the relative authority states and the federal government should have implementing health care reform.
Certain medications associated with increased risk of urinary retention in men with COPD
Men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are treated with inhaled anticholinergic drugs appear to have an increased risk of developing urinary retention (inability to urinate), according to a report in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The article is part of the journal's Less Is More series.
Heredity behind subjective effects of alcohol
Scientists have long known that people who have a close relative with alcohol problems themselves run an increased risk of starting to abuse alcohol. The reason for this has not been known, but a new study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, provides part of the answer. The study shows that people who have a close relative who is an alcoholic react more positively to alcohol than other people.
Low-risk patients screened for heart disease tend to receive more preventive care and testing
Screening for coronary heart disease (CHD) among individuals at low risk of the condition is associated with increased use of medications (such as aspirin and statins) and increased additional testing, but no difference in cardiac events at 18 months, according to a report posted online today that will be published in the August 8 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The article is part of the journal's Less Is More series.
Patient navigators appear to improve colorectal cancer screening rate in ethnically diverse patients
Among low-income patients who are black or whose primary language is not English, patient navigators may help improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates, according to a report in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The article is part of the journal's Health Care Reform series.
Weight gain between first and second pregnancies increases woman's gestational diabetes risk
Compared with women whose weight remained stable, body mass index gains between the first and second pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in the second pregnancy. But losing weight between the first and second pregnancies appeared to reduce GDM risk in a second pregnancy, particularly for women who were overweight or obese to begin with, according to a Kaiser Permanente Division of Research study appearing online in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Access to personal medical records increases satisfaction among new cancer patients
A new analysis has found that allowing full access to personal medical records increases satisfaction without increasing anxiety in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that providing accurate information to patients through medical records can be a beneficial complement to verbal communication with their physicians.
New device could reduce surgical scarring
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a special wound dressing that they report was able to significantly reduce scar tissue caused by incisions.
CDC assesses potential human exposure to prion diseases
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have examined the potential for human exposure to prion diseases, looking at hunting, venison consumption, and travel to areas in which prion diseases have been reported in animals. Three prion diseases in particular – bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or "Mad Cow Disease"), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), and chronic wasting disease (CWD) – were specified in the investigation. The results of this investigation are published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Substantial recovery rate with placebo effect in headache treatment
Headache is a very common complaint, with over 90% of all persons experiencing a headache at some time in their lives. Headaches commonly are tension-type (TTH) or migraine. They have high socioeconomic impact and can disturb most daily activities. Treatments range from pharmacologic to behavioral interventions. In a study published online today in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, a group of Dutch researchers analyzed 119 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and determined the magnitude of placebo effect and no treatment effect on headache recovery rate.
Baby boomers fueling boom in knee, hip surgeries
(AP) -- We're becoming a nation of bum knees, worn-out hips and sore shoulders, and it's not just the Medicare set. Baby boomer bones and joints also are taking a pounding, spawning a boom in operations to fix them.
Diabetes guidelines linked to severe low blood sugar in frail elderly
When an independent senior health program implemented new recommended diabetes blood sugar guidelines, episodes of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) tripled among frail elderly patients, according to a study led by Sei J. Lee, MD, a geriatrician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
New pre-meal dietary supplement can overcome fat and sugar problems
A little bitter with a little sweet, in the form of a nano-complex dietary supplement taken before meals, can result in a substantial reduction of fat and sugar absorption in the body, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Harvard University researchers have found.
Mushroom compound suppresses prostate tumors
A mushroom used in Asia for its medicinal benefits has been found to be 100 per cent effective in suppressing prostate tumour development in mice during early trials, new Queensland University of Technology (QUT) research shows.
Quicker detection and treatment of severe sepsis
Sepsis is the name of an infection that causes a series of reactions in the body, which in the worst case can prove fatal. The problem for both patients and doctors is that the early symptoms are difficult to distinguish from less dangerous infections such as a severe flu or winter vomiting disease. A researcher at Lund University in Sweden has now discovered a substance in the blood which shows both whether a patient has sepsis and how serious the case is.
US approves second new hepatitis C drug
The US Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Incivek to treat hepatitis C when taken along with the current two-drug regimen, marking the second such drug approval this month.
New research provides insight into how obsessive-compulsive disorder develops
(Medical Xpress) -- New scientific evidence challenges a popular conception that behaviours such as repetitive hand-washing, characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are carried out in response to disturbing obsessive fears.
More Americans praying about health, study says
Praying about health issues dramatically increased among American adults over the past three decades, rising 36 percent between 1999 and 2007, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Genetic markers could help to speed up detection and treatment of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. But it can be difficult to diagnose, and it’s hard to know which cancers will become dangerous and which need less-aggressive treatment. Researchers and clinicians alike are eager to identify molecular markers or other characteristics that will enable them to accurately diagnose the disease, and then parse the deadly from the dormant and target treatment accordingly.
Social networking may prove key to overcoming isolation of older adults
The University of Sydney is leading an investigation into the use of online social networking tools and other information technologies by older Australians as a means of combating social isolation and increasing community engagement of seniors.
Researchers discover possible new target for sarcoma treatment and prevention
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered a protein signaling pathway that becomes hyperactivated in human sarcoma cells, suggesting that medications to inhibit this pathway may be effective in the treatment of human sarcomas. The research is published in the current issue of the journal Cancer Cell.
Researchers replicate human kidney gene changes in mouse model
University of Louisville researchers have replicated the inflammatory gene changes of a human kidney as it progresses from mild to severe diabetic nephropathy, using a mouse model developed by a UofL researcher, according to an article published today in the journal Experimental Nephrology. Diabetic nephropathy is the foremost cause of kidney failure.
Whites believe they are victims of racism more often than blacks
Whites believe that they are replacing blacks as the primary victims of racial discrimination in contemporary America, according to a new study from researchers at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School. The findings, say the authors, show that America has not achieved the "post-racial" society that some predicted in the wake of Barack Obama's election.
Researchers discover link between obesity gene and breast cancer
New research aimed to better identify the genetic factors that lead to breast cancer has uncovered a link between the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) and a higher incidence of breast cancer. According to the study conducted at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, people who possess a variant of the FTO gene have up to a 30 percent greater chance of developing breast cancer. Research to identify why the link exists is ongoing, but experts say the finding takes us one step closer to personalized medicine based on genetic risk which would allow for better monitoring and prevention of illness, as well as targeted treatment.
More focus needed on mental health triage in disaster preparedness, bioethicists urge
Johns Hopkins University bioethicists say disaster-response planning has generally overlooked the special needs of people who suffer from pre-existing and serious mental conditions. Survivors already diagnosed with schizophrenia, dementia, addictions and bipolar disorder are vulnerable long before a disaster strikes, they point out.
Protein from probiotic bacteria may alleviate inflammatory bowel disorders
A protein isolated from beneficial bacteria found in yogurt and dairy products could offer a new, oral therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD), suggests a study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researcher Fang Yan, M.D., Ph.D.
The role of bacteria in asthma and the potential for antibiotic treatment
People with severe asthma are more likely to have antibodies against the disease-causing bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae than the general population and in some cases antibiotic treatment can greatly improve symptoms according to research presented today at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
Antibody-guided drug works against acute lymphoblastic leukemia
An antibody packaged with a potent chemotherapy drug to selectively destroy acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells eradicated or greatly reduced the disease for 61 percent of 46 patients in a phase II study. It will be presented at the 47th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago June 3-7.
New genetic testing technology for IVF embryos
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have devised a new technique, which helps couples that are affected by or are carriers of genetic diseases have in vitro fertilized babies free of both the disease in question and other chromosomal abnormalities. The results were reported in the April issue of Fertility and Sterility.
Teen bond overcomes girl's heart transplant fear
(AP) -- Courtney Montgomery's heart was failing fast, but the 16-year-old furiously refused when her doctors, and her mother, urged a transplant.
Researchers scan cyclists' brains at race speed in S.Africa
Researchers in South Africa said Monday they have found a way to measure the brain activity of cyclists at racing speed, breaking new ground in the study of how the brain works during exercise.
Information overload in drug side effect labeling
The lists of potential side effects that accompany prescription drugs have ballooned in size, averaging 70 reactions per drug, a number that can overwhelm physicians trying to select suitable treatments for their patients, according to a new study of drug labels.
Eggs, butter, milk -- memory is not just a shopping list
Often, the goal of science is to show that things are not what they seem to be. But now, in an article which will be published in an upcoming issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, a veteran cognitive psychologist exhorts his colleagues in memory research to consult the truth of their own experience.
Risk of newborn death cut in half when pregancy lasts 39 weeks, new research finds
Adding just a few more weeks of pregnancy can cut a newborn's risk of death in half – even if the pregnancy has reached "term" -- adding more evidence to the argument that continuing a pregnancy to at least 39 weeks is crucial to a baby's health.
'Top 5' list helps primary care doctors make wiser clinical decisions
A physician panel in the primary care specialty of internal medicine has identified common clinical activities where changes in practice could lead to higher quality care and better use of finite clinical resources.
CT angiography for low-risk heart patients leads to more drugs and tests without benefit
Coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography, which can detect plaque buildup in heart vessels, is sometimes used as a screening tool to assess the risk for a heart attack. However, the usefulness of the test on low-risk patients who do not have coronary symptoms, such as chest pain, has been unclear.
Vitamin D levels low in African-Americans with multiple sclerosis
African-Americans who have multiple sclerosis (MS) have lower vitamin D levels than African-Americans who don't have the disease, according to a study published in the May 24, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, most of the difference in vitamin D levels was due to differences in climate and geography.
Love matters: Internet hookups for men don't always mean unsafe sex
If a gay or bisexual man seeks sex or dating online, the type of partner or relationship he wants is a good indicator of whether he'll engage in safe sex, a new study suggests.
Common test could help predict early death in diabetes, study shows
New findings out of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center reveal that a common test may be useful in predicting early death in individuals with diabetes.
MRSA spread could be tracked through Google search patterns
(PhysOrg.com) -- Google searches are apparently providing much more important information than just a typical search for a local restaurant or research for a term paper. Google trends are also providing much more information than just the ‘top celebrity gossip’ and news searches. According to a paper published in the June issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, epidemiologist Diane Lauderdale of the University of Chicago show how Google searches and trends could be used to better track the spread of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
Research determines apparent genetic link to prostate cancer in African-American men
Some men of African descent may have a higher genetic risk of developing prostate cancer, according to research conducted at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).
What doesn't kill the brain makes it stronger: Possible new strategy for treating neurologic disorders
Johns Hopkins scientists say that a newly discovered "survival protein" protects the brain against the effects of stroke in rodent brain tissue by interfering with a particular kind of cell death that's also implicated in complications from diabetes and heart attack.
Mummies tell history of a 'modern' plague
Mummies from along the Nile are revealing how age-old irrigation techniques may have boosted the plague of schistosomiasis, a water-borne parasitic disease that infects an estimated 200 million people today.
Study identifies genome regions that could influence severity of cystic fibrosis
A team of researchers, including a number from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, have pinpointed regions of the genome that contribute to the debilitating lung disease that is the hallmark of cystic fibrosis.
Innate immune system proteins attack bacteria by triggering bacterial suicide mechanisms
A group of proteins that act as the body's built-in line of defense against invading bacteria use a molecular trick to induce bacteria to destroy themselves, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have determined. The research could point the way toward new anti-bacterial treatments that could take on bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
Canine hepatitis C virus discovery opens up new doors for research
In a study to be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers report the discovery of a novel hepatitis C-like virus in dogs. The identification and characterization of this virus gives scientists new insights into how hepatitis C in humans may have evolved and provides scientists renewed hope to develop a model system to study how it causes disease.
The Four Loko effect
The popular, formerly caffeinated, fruity alcoholic beverage, Four Loko, has been blamed for the spike in alcohol-related hospitalizations, especially throughout college campuses.
Scientists discover protein that may be one cause of heart failure
Researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre discovered a protein switch which can trigger a cascade of events leading to heart failure, pointing to a new direction for drug development.
New research overturns theory on how children learn their first words
New research by a team of University of Pennsylvania psychologists is helping to overturn the dominant theory of how children learn their first words, suggesting that it occurs more in moments of insight than gradually through repeated exposure.
Biology news
Falcons and snakes call Sydney home
An ecology survey of Sydney's inner city Monday found it is home to a variety of wildlife, including peregrine falcons and the dangerous red-bellied black snake.
Fungi reduce need for fertilizer in agriculture
The next agricultural revolution may be sparked by fungi, helping to greatly increase food-production for the growing needs of the planet without the need for massive amounts of fertilizers according to research presented today at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in New Orleans.
Survey reports 2010/2011 winter honey bee losses
Total losses from managed honey bee colonies nationwide were 30 percent from all causes for the 2010/2011 winter, according to the annual survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA).
Leaping roach, 'T-rex' leech among new species
A jumping cockroach, a glow-in-the-dark fungus, a rust-eating bacterium and a leech named "T-rex" were among the top 10 new species discovered in the world last year, US scientists said Monday.
Cover crop seeder pulls triple duty for small farms
Farmers using a cover crop seeder developed by Penn State agricultural scientists may eventually need only a single trip across the field to accomplish what takes most farmers three passes and several pieces of equipment to do.
Mediterranean Sea invaded by alien species
More than 900 new alien species have been encountered in the coastal environments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea in recent decades, including the poisonous pufferfish. The invasion of alien species has had the consequence that the whole food chain is changing, while there is a lack of knowledge on which to base relevant risk assessments, a four-year study conducted at the University of Gothenburg shows.
Ants give new evidence for interaction networks
Be it through the Internet, Facebook, the local grapevine or the spread of disease, interaction networks influence nearly every part of our lives.
Study of stem cell diseases advanced by new technique
A rare genetic disease called dyskeratosis congenita, caused by the rapid shortening of telomeres (protective caps on the ends of chromosomes), can be mimicked through the study of undifferentiated induced pluripotent stem cells, according to new findings from the Stanford University School of Medicine. Although dyskeratosis affects only about one in a million people, the scientists' findings could greatly facilitate research into this and other diseases caused by stem cell malfunctions, including some bone marrow failure syndromes and, perhaps, pulmonary fibrosis.
Scientists list top 10 new species
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and a committee of taxonomists from around the world – scientists responsible for species exploration and classification – announced their picks for the top 10 new species described in 2010. The May 23 announcement coincided with the anniversary of the birth of Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who was responsible for the modern system of plant and animal names and classifications.
Researchers model genome copying-collating steps during cell division
Researchers from Virginia Tech and Oxford University have proposed a novel molecular mechanism for the living cell's remarkable ability to detect the alignment of replicated chromosomes on the mitotic spindle in the final phase of the cell division cycle. This checkpoint mechanism prevents mistakes in the cell division process that could damage dividing cells and the organism they inhabit.
Scientists identify most proteins made by parasitic worm
A team led by Thomas B. Nutman, M.D., of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has completed a large-scale analysis of most of the proteins produced by Brugia malayi, one kind of parasitic worm that causes lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis. The greatly swollen lower limbs that can result from chronic infection with this mosquito-borne parasite can be severely disabling.
Using microbes to generate electricity
Using bacteria to generate energy is a signifiant step closer following a breakthrough discovery by scientists at the University of East Anglia.
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