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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 30, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Climate played big role in Vikings' disappearance from Greenland- 10.69 seconds: Robot Ruby breaks Rubik's record (w/ video)
- A brain training exercise that really does work
- Boron nitride is a promising path to practical graphene devices
- Engineers look to the birds for the future of UAVs (w/ video)
- Noncoding RNA may promote Alzheimer's disease
- New algorithm improves the way computers interpret readings of the brain's electrical signals
- Solar-powered nano sensor targets gases more polluting than carbon
- 'Dead' galaxies are not so dead after all
- Shuttle Endeavour gone forever from space station
- How much longer can photographic film hold on?
- New malaria protein structure upends theory of how cells grow and move
- Woman can literally feel the noise
- Guzzlers B Gone: New fuel economy labels for cars
- 'Digital ants' seek viruses to protect computer networks
Space & Earth news
Astro-H Satellite Will Gather Elusive X-ray Data
Japanese and Canadian astronomers are working together to develop a new satellite capable of detecting and imaging high- and low-energy X-ray emissions from space.
Space Image: Another view of ISS spacewalker
A fish-eye lens attached to an electronic still camera was used to capture this image of NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff during the mission's fourth STS-134 spacewalk.
Climate change to deal blow to fruits, nuts: study
Climate change is expected to alter the global industry in fruits and nuts dramatically as tree crops such as pistachios and cherries struggle in the rising temperatures, researchers said.
Carbon emissions at record high: report
Carbon emissions are at their highest ever levels, stoking fears of a global temperature rise over the "dangerous" two degrees Celsius threshold, according to data cited by the Guardian newspaper.
Satellite images: Hook echoes, debris and damage
This image shows the radar reflectivity from the National Weather Service Doppler Radar in Birmingham, Ala. at 5:10 p.m. CDT on April 27, 2011, as a supercell thunderstorm moved across the city. The radar reflectivity is overlaid upon Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER, satellite data acquired on May 4, 2011, showing the damage track resulting from for the EF-4 tornado associated with the storm as it passed through the city and continued northeast toward Birmingham, Ala.
Paolo's wild ride down
(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time since his landing on Tuesday, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli was again in the public eye yesterday at a press conference. A smiling Paolo talked about his ride back to Earth and how he was feeling gravity again after his long stay in space.
Better weather forecasting -- now
Accurate precipitation forecasts are crucial to predicting flooding and to ensuring fresh water supply for human consumption. Being able to estimate the inflow of water into reservoirs is also essential to the efficient generation and distribution of hydroelectric power.
Testing the spiral density wave theory
Spiral galaxies are one of the most captivating structures in astronomy, yet their nature is still not fully understood. Astronomers currently have two categories of theories that can explain this structure, depending on the environment of the galaxy, but a new study, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, suggests that one of these theories may be largely wrong.
Shuttle Endeavour gone forever from space station
Endeavour and its crew of six left the International Space Station and headed home to close out NASA's next-to-last shuttle flight, pausing just long enough Monday to perform a victory lap and test equipment for a future interplanetary ship.
Juno solar panels complete testing
The three massive solar panels that will provide power for NASA's Juno spacecraft during its mission to Jupiter have seen their last photons of light until they are deployed in space after launch. The last of the Jupiter-bound spacecraft's panels completed pre-flight testing at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., and was folded against the side of the spacecraft into its launch configuration Thursday, May 26. The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 30 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
James Webb space telescope ISIM on 'spin cycle'
Prior to taking a new telescope into space, engineers must put the spacecraft and its instruments through a "spin cycle" test for durability to ensure they'll still work after experiencing the forces of a rocket launch. Finding out they don't work once they're in orbit is too late. The structure that houses the science instruments of the James Webb Space Telescope is undergoing that cycle of tests during the weeks of May 23 and 30 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. This structure is called the Integrated Science Instrument Module, or ISIM.
Unexpected populations in global clusters may unlock secrets of star formation
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, are shedding new light on some of the oldest parts of the Milky Way, suggesting life in the stellar nursery wasn't quite as simple as astronomers had thought.
'Dead' galaxies are not so dead after all
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Michigan astronomers examined old galaxies and were surprised to discover that they are still making new stars. The results provide insights into how galaxies evolve with time.
Technology news
Chinese e-commerce giant opens furniture showroom
(AP) -- China's e-commerce giant is stepping up its heated rivalry with bricks-and-mortar retailers with the launch of a five-story home furnishings showroom in Beijing.
Rivals likely to reach for Google's 'Wallet'
With the announcement of "Google Wallet" the Internet giant became the first player to dash into a future where people use smartphones as credit cards, but rivals are expected to cut its lead short.
Germany to scrap nuclear power by 2022
Germany on Monday announced plans to become the first major industrialised power to shut down all its nuclear plants in the wake of the disaster in Japan, with a phase-out due to be wrapped up by 2022.
Hackers post phony Tupac story on PBS website
(AP) -- PBS officials say hackers have cracked the network's website, posting a phony story claiming dead rapper Tupac Shakur was alive in New Zealand, and a group that claimed responsibility for the hacking complained about a recent "Frontline" investigative news program on WikiLeaks.
EU probes US, Japan hard disk takeover plans
European anti-trust regulators on Monday launched in-depth probes into proposed US takeovers of South Korean and Japanese businesses manufacturing computer hard disk drives (HDD).
Lockheed attack highlights rise in cyber espionage
This cyber attack didn't go after people playing war games on their PlayStations. It targeted a company that helps the U.S. military do the real thing.
Japanese public broadcasting group highlights two new television technology innovations
(PhysOrg.com) -- NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, the research arm of Japan’s NHK public television company, recently held its annual open house, which serves to show off the latest innovations in television and digital media. This year's event, in conjunction with Nippon Telephone and Telegraph, highlighted both a new way to transmit 3-D content and a way to broadcast animation in a more personal way.
Rube Goldberg machine shatters Guinness world record, destroys planet
Purdue University students shattered the Guinness World Record for the largest Rube Goldberg machine ever with a 244-step juggernaut that destroys the planet several times over before restoring hope by watering and growing a flower.
Solar-powered nano sensor targets gases more polluting than carbon
(PhysOrg.com) -- A solar-powered sensor station to monitor in real time the concentration of gases that are key culprits in climate change and air pollution has been installed on a QUT Gardens Point roof as part of an international study on solar-powered environmental nano sensors.
New algorithm improves the way computers interpret readings of the brain's electrical signals
Electroencephalography (EEG) records the electrical signals produced by the brain using an array of electrodes placed on the scalp. Computers use an algorithm called common spatial pattern (CSP) to translate these signals into commands for the control of various devices.
How much longer can photographic film hold on?
(AP) -- At Image City Photography Gallery, Gary Thompson delights in pointing out qualities of light, contrast and clarity in one of his best-selling prints - a winter-sunset view of Yosemite National Park's El Capitan peak shot with a hefty Pentax film camera he bought in 1999 for $1,700.
Guzzlers B Gone: New fuel economy labels for cars
For years we've had great efficiency labels for washing machines, for refrigerators, for dishwashers and more.
'Digital ants' seek viruses to protect computer networks
As the nation's electrical power grid becomes more interconnected through the Internet -- from the nuclear power plant in California to transmission lines in Texas to the microwave in your kitchen -- the chances of cyber attacks increase as well. Errin Fulp, a professor of computer science at Wake Forest University, is training an army of "digital ants" to turn loose into the power grid to seek out computer viruses trying to wreak havoc on the system.
Engineers look to the birds for the future of UAVs (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers at UC San Diego are mimicking the movement of bird wings to help improve the maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Medicine & Health news
Man celebrates 85 years of living with diabetes
(AP) -- When Bob Krause turned 90 last week, it was by virtue of an unflagging determination and a mentality of precision that kept his body humming after being diagnosed with diabetes as a boy.
Policymakers need better knowledge of obesity-related factors
Policymakers have an important role in limiting obesity because the policies and laws they set can be catalysts for significant change, according to Kansas State University researchers.
Attitudes toward end-of-life care: A survey of cancer patients and others in Korea
Attitudes toward end-of-life care for cancer patients vary, but most patients, family members, oncologists and members of the public are receptive to withdrawing futile life-sustaining treatments in people who are dying, found a Korean study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Acupuncture of benefit to those with unexplained symptoms
Attending frequently with medically unexplained symptoms is distressing for both patient and doctor and effective treatment or management options are limited: one in five patients have symptoms that remain unexplained by conventional medicine. Studies have shown that the cost to the NHS of managing the treatment of a patient with medically unexplained symptoms can be twice that of a patient with a diagnosis.
New advances in lipid genetics lead to better detection and prevention of major diseases
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Studying the genetic make-up of different varieties of lipids (fatty molecules) in the blood plasma of an individual can lead to a better and earlier prediction of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and heart disease, two researchers will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday 30 May). In the first study, Dr. Joanne Curran from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, USA, will tell the conference that lipidomic profiling will become a more reliable early indicator of individuals likely to develop diabetes than the more commonly used predictors such as blood glucose and insulin levels.
Virtual natural environments and benefits to health
A new position paper by researchers at the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health (ECEHH - part of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry) and the University of Birmingham has compared the benefits of interaction with actual and virtual natural environments and concluded that the development of accurate simulations are likely to be beneficial to those who cannot interact with nature because of infirmity or other limitations: but virtual worlds are not a substitute for the real thing.
High radioactivity found in Japan nuclear workers
Two workers from Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant have been contaminated by high levels of radioactive iodine, the operator said Monday, prompting fears over their long-term health.
Germany holds crisis meeting as killer bacteria spreads
Germany called crisis talks Monday over warnings that an outbreak of E. coli bacteria poisoning, which is believed to have already left 10 dead, was still spreading.
PGD can permit the birth of healthy children to women carrying mitochondrial DNA disease
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) can give women at risk of passing on a mitochondrial DNA disorder to their offspring a good chance of being able to give birth to an unaffected child, a researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday). Dr. Debby Hellebrekers, from Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands, said that the scientists' findings could have a considerable effect on preventing the transmission of mitochondrial diseases.
Hospitals hunt substitutes as drug shortages rise
(AP) -- A growing shortage of medications for a host of illnesses - from cancer to cystic fibrosis to cardiac arrest - has hospitals scrambling for substitutes to avoid patient harm, and sometimes even delaying treatment.
The Medical Minute: Stroke awareness
A stroke is sudden brain injury caused by a sudden vascular (blood vessel) compromise. There are two major types of strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is blocked by clot or other debris. This is the most common type, comprising approximately 85 percent of all strokes. The other type, hemorrhagic stroke, occurs when a blood vessel or aneurysm ruptures and blood spreads in and around the brain. Strokes can be mild, or can be quite disabling, even fatal, depending on the brain area involved and the type of stroke.
Better vaccines thanks to RNA
(Medical Xpress) -- Vaccination can be just as effective with dead bacteria as with live ones, as long as you inject them with the RNA of live bacteria. This finding was published in Nature by a team of American, French, Amsterdam and Wageningen researchers, and has been available online (AOP) since on 22 May.
Sweden E. coli cases rise to 39
The number of E. coli poisoning cases in Sweden rose to 39 on Monday, 15 of which are serious, health officials said.
New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 enzyme acquired in Canada
An enzyme associated with extensive antibiotic resistance called New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-1 (NDM-1), endemic in India and Pakistan and spreading worldwide, has been found in two people in the Toronto area, one of whom acquired it in Canada, states a case report in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). The report outlines challenges and approaches to managing and identifying this pathogen, which is highly resistant to treatment.
Can stress increase the risk of multiple sclerosis?
Contrary to earlier reports, a new study finds that stress does not appear to increase a person's risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). The research is published in the May 31, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Europeans trade blame over E.coli outbreak
(AP) -- Europeans traded blame Monday over the source of a mysterious bacterial outbreak that has killed 14 people and sickened hundreds across the continent and forced Russia to ban imports of some fresh vegetables from Spain and Germany out of fear they could be contaminated.
Mutated muscle protein causes deafness
(Medical Xpress) -- Excessive noise is not the only thing that causes damage to hearing. In many cases, genetic factors are responsible for the loss of hearing at a young age. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin together with colleagues from Nijmegen have discovered a previously unknown genetic cause of progressive hearing impairment: the disease is caused by mutations of the SMPX (small muscle protein) gene, which is located on the X chromosome. It was not previously known that this gene, which is active in the skeletal muscle and heart, also plays a role in hearing. The discovery will make it easier to diagnose progressive hearing impairment and may also provide a starting point for the development of new treatment methods.
Pancreas betrayed by 'double agent'
(Medical Xpress) -- Stellate cells, a type of cell in the pancreas which normally helps the body respond to damage or disease of the pancreas, can act as a double agent when it comes to cancer.
Noncoding RNA may promote Alzheimer's disease
Researchers pinpoint a small RNA that spurs cells to manufacture a particular splice variant of a key neuronal protein, potentially promoting Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other types of neurodegeneration. The study appears in the May 30 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology.
Woman can literally feel the noise
(Medical Xpress) -- A case of a 36-year-old woman who began to literally 'feel' noise about a year and a half after suffering a stroke sparked a new research project by neuroscientist Tony Ro from the City College of New York and the Graduate Center of the City University. Research and imagery of the brain revealed that a link had grown between the woman’s auditory region and the somatosensory region, essentially connecting her hearing to her touch sensation.
A brain training exercise that really does work
(Medical Xpress) -- Forget about working crossword puzzles and listening to Mozart. If you want to improve your ability to reason and solve new problems, just take a few minutes every day to do a maddening little exercise called n-back training.
Biology news
Ugly fish to rescue threatened species
Converts to Italy's Slow Food movement can see past a few poisonous spines and bulging eyes: the scorpion fish and needlefish may be ugly but they are cheap, sustainable and taste fantastic.
Identifying bin Laden, unmasking a rapist: DNA at work
From identifying Osama bin Laden to proving someone guilty of rape or murder, DNA analysis has become an essential scientific tool for police and criminal justice.
Hundreds of rare antelopes die in Kazakhstan
More than 440 endangered Saiga antelopes were found dead in western Kazakhstan last week, suspected victims of the same epidemic that killed 12,000 animals last year, officials said on Monday.
Amphibian disease risk higher in undisturbed habitats
Amphibians may be more susceptible to disease in undisturbed natural habitats, a study in this week's issue of PNAS finds.
Black, white and stinky: Explaining coloration in skunks and other boldly colored animals
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a first-of-its-kind analysis of the evolution of warning coloration in carnivores published this week by University of Massachusetts Amherst evolutionary biologist Ted Stankowich and colleagues, the researchers explain why some species such as skunks use bold coloration to warn predators either that they risk being sprayed with stinky gas or getting into a vicious fight, while other species don't.
Speaking with an accent keeps crossbills straight
(PhysOrg.com) -- A male bird uses his songs as pick-up lines. They're a way of saying, "Hey baby, come check me out."
New malaria protein structure upends theory of how cells grow and move
Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have overturned conventional wisdom on how cell movement across all species is controlled, solving the structure of a protein that cuts power to the cell 'motor'. The protein could be a potential drug target for future malaria and anti-cancer treatments.
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