Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 19, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Packaging process for genes discovered- Atomic-scale structures of ribosome could help improve antibiotics
- New level of genetic diversity in human RNA sequences uncovered
- 'Kinks' in tiny chains reveal Brownian rotation
- Dark Energy is real: WiggleZ galaxy project proves Einstein was right again
- Large brains in mammals first evolved for better sense of smell
- Looking deep into a violent storm on Saturn
- Nanoparticles help scientists harvest light with solar fuels
- Experiments settle long-standing debate about mysterious array formations in nanofilms
- Liquid crystal droplets discovered to be exquisitely sensitive to an important bacterial lipid
- Study shows scientists' location influences how widely their work is read, used for innovations
- After Japan nuclear power plant disaster: How much radioactivity in the oceans?
- Battling addictions with engineering algorithms
- Mars Rover driving leaves distinctive tracks
- How you think about death may affect how you act
Space & Earth news
Image: Endeavour's rendezvous pitch maneuver
At 5:15 a.m. EDT today, Endeavour began the nine-minute Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, or 'backflip,' on its last visit to the Inernational Space Station.
Massey scientist's software finds 'orphan' planets
Software developed by a Massey University computer scientist and astrophysicist has led to the discovery of free-floating ‘orphan’ planets – once the subject of science fiction.
UCSB localizing fruit, vegetable consumption doesn't solve environmental, health issues
To David Cleveland, a professor of environmental studies at UC Santa Barbara, it seemed as though Santa Barbara County would be a great example of what many are advocating as a solution to the problems of a conventional agrifood network –– a local food system.
Amazon deforestation increases six-fold
A sharp increase in forest destruction in March and April in the Amazon has led Brazil to announce the creation of an emergency task force to fight against deforestation.
Smithsonian to help create frozen repository for the Great Barrier Reef
Researchers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and partnering organizations will build a frozen repository of Great Barrier Reef coral sperm and embryonic cells. Genetic banks composed of frozen biomaterials hold strong promise for basic and applied research and conservation of species and genetic variation. Because the banked cells are alive, researchers can thaw the frozen material one, 50 or, in theory, even 1,000 years from now to help restore a species or diversify a population. Done properly over time, samples of frozen material can be reared and placed back into ecosystems to infuse new genes into natural populations, thereby helping to enhance the health and viability of wild stocks.
China admits Three Gorges Dam caused 'host of ills'
China's Three Gorges Dam has caused a host of ills that must be "urgently" addressed, the government has said, in a rare admission of problems in a project it has long praised as a world wonder.
Swirls, gullies and bedrock create two jaw-dropping etherial Mars landscapes
Wow! These two latest images from the HiRISE Camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are simply amazing. I couldn’t decide which to post on top as the lead image, so did a coin flip. This observation shows dune gullies laced with beautiful swirls of tracks left by dust devils. Just like on Earth, dust devils move across the Martian surface and expose the underlying darker material, creating a striking view. The HiRISE team has been tracking changes in this location (-70.3 degrees latitude and 178.2 degrees Longitude East), and they also compare it with dune gully activity going on in other regions. The science team says the activity here is rather anomalous for their high altitude location.
Researchers study methods to use river sediment to repair the coast
They say that time and tide wait for no man – well, neither does the mighty Mississippi River. As the already gargantuan body of water swells beyond its normal manmade boundaries, the state of Louisiana is starting to see impact after having seen the damage already done to states from Missouri to Mississippi. While near record-breaking water levels are expected any day now and safety precautions are being taken, one LSU professor explained how the river's meandering historic path and silty contents might offer a future ray of hope.
US predicts up to 10 Atlantic hurricanes this season
The Atlantic will experience a rougher than normal hurricane season this year with up to 10 hurricanes, the US weather service forecast Thursday.
CERN's new Einstein Observatory to explore black holes, Big Bang
A new era in astronomy will come a step closer when scientists from across Europe present their design study today for an advanced observatory capable of making precision measurements of gravitational waves -- minute ripples in the fabric of space-time -- predicted to emanate from cosmic catastrophes such as merging black holes and collapsing stars and supernovae. It also offers the potential to probe the earliest moments of the Universe just after the Big Bang, which are currently inaccessible.
Astronauts install big magnet on space station
Endeavour's astronauts accomplished the No. 1 objective of their mission Thursday, installing a $2 billion cosmic ray detector on the International Space Station to scan the invisible universe for years to come.
Big clue to future climate change in small plants
Yarrow, it's called, this flowering plant also known as "little feather" for the shape of its leaves. Prized as a garden plant that repels unwanted insects while attracting beneficial ones, it also improves soil quality and is used in many herbal medicines.
After Japan nuclear power plant disaster: How much radioactivity in the oceans?
Among the casualties of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan was the country's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Antibody production gets confused during long-term spaceflight
The trip to Mars just got a little more difficult now that French researchers have discovered that antibodies used to fight off disease might become seriously compromised during long-term space flight. In a new report published online in the FASEB Journal, the scientists show that antibodies produced in space are less effective than those produced on terra firma. The reduced effectiveness of antibodies makes astronauts more susceptible to illness, while increasing the danger posed by bacteria and viruses likely to coexist with wayfaring astronauts.
Mars Rover driving leaves distinctive tracks
(PhysOrg.com) -- When NASA's Opportunity Mars rover uses an onboard navigation capability during backward drives, it leaves a distinctive pattern in the wheel tracks visible on the Martian ground.
Researchers release first large observational study of 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake
When the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and resulting tsunami struck off the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, they caused widespread destruction and death. Using observations from a dense regional geodetic network (allowing measurements of earth movement to be gathered from GPS satellite data), globally distributed broadband seismographic networks, and open-ocean tsunami data, researchers have begun to construct numerous models that describe how the earth moved that day.
Dark Energy is real: WiggleZ galaxy project proves Einstein was right again
(PhysOrg.com) -- An Australian-based astronomy team, co-led by Professor Michael Drinkwater from the School of Mathematics and Physics (SMP) at The University of Queensland (UQ), has shown that the mysterious 'dark energy' is indeed real and not a mistake in Einstein's theory of gravity.
Looking deep into a violent storm on Saturn
(PhysOrg.com) -- ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has teamed up with NASA’s Cassini spacecraft to study a rare storm in the atmosphere of the planet Saturn in more detail than has ever been possible before. The new study by an international team will appear this week in the journal Science.
Technology news
Development of CMOS LSI technology for 100Gbit ethernet optical transceivers
Hitachi today announced the successful prototyping of a low-power CMOS gearbox LSI conforming with international standards, which was developed for optical transceivers as part of the effort to reduce power consumption in routers and network equipment to be used in the 100 gigabit (Gbit) Ethernet (henceforth, 100GbE). Optical receivers convert optical signals and electrical signals. The 100GbE CMOS gearbox LSI functions to convert the transmission rate and number of channels, converting the 4 channel × 25 gigabit per second (henceforth, Gb/s) electrical signals received from the network into 10 channels × 10Gb/s electrical signals which can be used within the equipment, and vice versa. Until now, a high-speed gearbox LSI based on SiGe process technology was used for this purpose, however, the achievement of a low-cost and low-power LSI based on the CMOS process was desired. The prototype 100 GbE gearbox LSI fabricated employs the four-phase clock circuit scheme u! sing CMOS process technology, and achieves operation with a low power consumption of 2W, which is approximately one-quarter that of a SiGe gearbox LSI.
Digging into geothermal energy
Sixteen undergraduate students at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) may now be Harvard's resident experts on geothermal energy.
Playboy puts entire 57 years of magazines online
(AP) -- Good news for those who thought their copies of Playboy were gone forever when their moms found them and threw them away.
Medical apps ease burden on hospitals
When Dr. Jose Soler got a late-night call about a critically ill patient, he grabbed his iPad and checked the results of the electrocardiogram test that just had been administered. Thanks to an app that zooms within half a millimeter of every heartbeat rhythm variation, Soler made a diagnosis within two minutes.
Google Music: Definitely beta
Google has been accused of overusing the "beta" tag on products it releases early. But with its new music service - Music - the beta tag is mandatory. It's still pretty raw, judging from my experience with it today.
China piracy costs almost million jobs: US study
US firms could support nearly one million more jobs if China stopped intellectual property violations, a study said, leading US lawmakers to call for a tough line with Beijing.
Amazon selling more Kindle books than print books
Online retail giant Amazon said Thursday that sales of digital books for the Kindle electronic reader have surpassed sales of print books.
Sony develops 'SmartAR' Integrated Augmented Reality technology
Sony has developed integrated ‘Augmented Reality (hereafter referred to as ‘AR’) technology’ called as “Smart AR.” When capturing visuals through a camera on a device such as a smartphone, the technology enables additional information to be displayed on the device’s screens such as virtual objects, or images and texts that cannot be identified by visual perception alone. The technology employs the markerless approach, forgoing any requirement for special markers such as 2D barcodes. The object captured by the camera is quickly recognized and can be tracked at high-speed along with the movement of the camera, as it is displayed over the actual 3D space.
Nokia's mobile market share slips to 25%: Gartner
Nokia's share of the mobile phone market dropped to 25 percent in the first quarter of 2011, the lowest for 14 years, down from 30.6 percent at the same time last year, technology research group Gartner said on Thursday.
Facebook to scan for child porn
Facebook's chief technology officer said Thursday that the social network will start scanning for child pornography and images of missing children.
Groupon enters a crowded market for deals in China
Groupon Inc. may be the undisputed king of Internet coupons in the United States.
Record efficiency of 18.7 percent for flexible CIGS solar cells on plastics
Scientists at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, have further boosted the energy conversion efficiency of flexible solar cells made of copper indium gallium (di)selenide (also known as CIGS) to a new world record of 18.7 percent -- a significant improvement over the previous record of 17.6 percent achieved by the same team in June 2010. The measurements have been independently certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany.
LinkedIn's stock up 90 percent in market debut
LinkedIn's stock nearly doubled in its market debut Thursday because of huge investor demand for the first major U.S. social networking company to go public.
24 hour deployable concrete tents back in the news as disasters mount
(PhysOrg.com) -- First imagined and created back in 2007 by two University engineering students who met at the Royal College of Art in London, Will Crawford and Peter Brewin; tents that can be shipped to a disaster site in a wooden box, unfolded and blown up with a fan, then hardened into concrete within 24 hours, are back in the news as disasters from Haiti, to Chili, New Zealand, Japan and the United States have highlighted the need for emergency shelter that can be brought to use in very short order.
Battling addictions with engineering algorithms
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemical engineers are responsible for numerous scientific advances, ranging from affordable pharmaceuticals and super-strong synthetic fibers to environmental cleanup and recycling technologies. Most people don’t associate engineers with advances in behavioral health, but new research shows engineers might have much to offer those fighting addictions and other behavioral disorders.
Queens University students hack Microsoft Kinect to make a 360-degree display
(PhysOrg.com) -- It seems like lately everyone is playing around with the Microsoft Kinect to make something different than the in the box configuration. This time the modifications are coming students at Queens University. They have combined a pair of the Kinect sensors with a hacked 3D HD projector and a hemispherical mirror mounted inside of an acrylic sphere to make a pseudo holographic display.
Medicine & Health news
African-Americans with SLE more responsive to flu vaccine than patients of European descent
New research shows that African Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had a higher antibody response to influenza vaccination than European American patients. Treatment with prednisone, a history of hemolytic anemia, and increased disease flares were also linked to low antibody response in SLE patients who received the flu vaccine according to the study now available in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a peer-reviewed journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
New report on health reform implementation: How to ensure access to coverage is maintained
Modifications to current policies could help ensure that health insurance coverage and subsidies provided under the Affordable Care Act remain stable even through major life changes, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report released today. At least 34 million people will gain new coverage under the law, and the report's authors say that it will be important to ensure that life changes like fluctuations in income and job transitions don't cause abrupt changes in people's health insurance coverage or financial responsibilities for their premiums or care. Uncertainty about how life changes could affect their health insurance and premium costs might lead people to delay signing up for coverage through the exchanges and Medicaid, and could cause people who have received premium subsidies to have to pay money back if their incomes are higher than expected.
FIGO's new classification of causes of abnormal uterine benefits patients
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in women of reproductive age may be due to a wide range of disorders or pathologies. Until now, there has been no universally accepted method for classifying such patients, which has impeded basic science and clinical investigation, as well as the practical, rational, and consistent application of medical and surgical therapy. As the result of a stringent 5-year review process, a multinational group of clinician–investigators with broad experience in the investigation of AUB has now agreed on a classification system to facilitate multi-institutional investigation into the epidemiology, etiology, and treatment of women with acute and chronic AUB. This classification has been approved by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Executive Board as a FIGO classification system and has been published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics.
Poll finds most Americans favor increased funding for stronger food safety oversight
Among likely voters surveyed across the nation, 66 percent support additional funding for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to carry out new responsibilities related to food safety, according to a Pew-commissioned poll released today by the bipartisan team of Hart Research and American Viewpoint.
Bearing through it: How caregivers of mentally ill kin can cope
Caring for a family member with a mental illness can be a taxing experience marked by personal sacrifices and psychological problems.
Using virtual reality to recover from a cerebro-vascular accident
It’s possible to regain mobility in your arms using “Nano” after a cerebro-vascular accident (CVA). Developed by MindMaze, an EPFL spin-off company, this device can be used every day at home.
The Medical Minute: Osteoporosis prevention and treatment options
Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density and structural deterioration of bone, leading to bone weakness and increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis should not be confused with osteoarthritis, which is a wear and tear disease of the joints. Osteoporosis can be prevented and also treated via a healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as appropriate medications.
Report outlines successes, challenges in cancer prevention efforts
May 19, 2011 – A new report from the American Cancer Society details cancer control efforts and outlines improvements as well as gaps in preventive behavior that contribute to cancer mortality. Increasing rates of obesity observed since the early 1980s appear to have slowed in the past decade, particularly among women and girls, but nearly one in five adolescents and about one in three adults is obese. Vaccination against the virus that causes cervical cancer is up, but smoking declines have stalled. Meanwhile, proven cancer screening tests remain underutilized, particularly in un- and under-insured populations. The report, Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures (CPED), says social, economic, and legislative factors profoundly influence individual health behaviors, and that meeting nationwide prevention goals will require improved collaboration among government agencies, private companies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers, policy makers, and! the American public.
Ensuring the safety of radiation therapy
Radiation oncologists took a blow in a series of front-page newspaper stories published last year on injuries that occurred nationwide in the delivery of radiation treatment. Radiation oncologists at North Shore-LIJ Health System responded to the public charge with a series of steps that will ensure that patients are protected at all points in the treatment process.
Swimmer's ear medical costs total $500M a year
(AP) -- The first national estimates of swimmer's ear say it causes about 2.4 million trips to doctors and hospitals in a year.
Giffords awake, communicates after skull surgery
(AP) -- A day after surgery to repair her skull, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' doctor has dubbed her "gorgeous Gabby," encouraged by how she looks and is communicating after an operation considered a major milestone in her recovery from a gunshot wound.
Digging into our consciousness
Dr. Antonio Damasio, a neuroscientist and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California, is best known for his pioneering work on how the brain generates emotion and how emotion, in turn, helps people make decisions. His books "Descartes' Error" and "Looking for Spinoza" were international bestsellers. His latest work, "Self Comes to Mind," extends his theories and adds new facts to the ever-vexing question of consciousness - what it is, why it evolved and how it contributes to human culture.
Blood test confirmed to be 'powerful predictor' for metastatic breast cancer following largest analysis to date
Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center say the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood is a "powerful predictor" to help physicians more reliably assess treatment benefit for patients with metastatic breast cancer. The findings from a large analysis using pooled data from international cancer centers will be presented during a poster session on Monday, June 6th, at the 2011 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.
Scottish data highlight dangerous practice in pediatric paracetamol prescribing
Many of the prescriptions issued by GPs for paracetamol either give less than recommended doses to older children or exceed recommended doses in young children. Under-dosing may result in insufficient pain relief and over-dosing can damage a person's liver. "Getting the dose right can become even more complicated when parents also give their children additional paracetamol that they have bought over the counter," says James McLay, a senior member of the research team who studied this issue. The findings are published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Gambling problem exposed as access grows
A new paper by University of Calgary psychologist Dr. David Hodgins says the proliferation of gambling opportunities around the world, particularly online, is increasing the visibility of gambling disorders and giving access to people who previously had no exposure to gambling opportunities.
Teachers need greater awareness of language disorders
Greater awareness of 'specific language impairment' (SLI), a language disorder, is needed to ensure better outcomes for the 3-6 per cent of UK school children affected by this disability. Children with SLI have difficulties with most or all aspects of language including grammar, vocabulary and literacy as well as with short term memory. According to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), they also have problems with higher order thinking skills. SLI may have a greater impact on these children than the better know disorder, dyslexia.
Researchers build a better mouse model to study depression
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a mouse model of major depressive disorder (MDD) that is based on a rare genetic mutation that appears to cause MDD in the majority of people who inherit it. The findings, which were published online today in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics EarlyView, could help to clarify the brain events that lead to MDD, and contribute to the development of new and better means of treatment and prevention. This report also illustrates an advance in the design of recombinant mouse models that should be applicable to many human diseases.
Infants taught to maintain ability to distinguish between other-race groups
Exposing infants to facial pictures of different races can reduce difficulty in recognising and discriminating between other-race groups later in life, according to a University of Queensland study published today.
Study identifies more cost-effective immune suppressant for transplants
In the first head-to-head comparison of the three most common drugs used at the time of a kidney transplant to prevent organ rejection, researchers found that the least expensive drug – at one-half to one-fifth the price – is as safe and effective as the other two, according to a paper published by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers in the May 19, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Ex-Dallas Maverick survives rare form of leukemia thanks to experimental drug treatment
Ray Johnston's goal in three years is for his band to sell out at the 1,600-seat House of Blues in Dallas. In eight years, he wants to pack the 6,400-seat Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, and by 2030, to play to tens of thousands of fans at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Identification of 'fingerprint' of rare tumor leads to development of cheap and reliable new test
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a cheap and reliable diagnostic test for a rare form of cancer. The test involves screening tumour samples for a particular molecular fingerprint unique to this type of cancer.
Use of naltrexone reduces inflammation in Crohn's patients
Naltrexone reduced inflammation in Crohn's patients in a research study at Penn State College of Medicine.
'Mind reading' brain scans reveal secrets of human vision
Researchers call it mind reading. One at a time, they show a volunteer – who's resting in an MRI scanner – a series of photos of beaches, city streets, forests, highways, mountains and offices. The subject looks at the photos, but says nothing.
Viagra could reduce multiple sclerosis symptoms
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona researchers have discovered that Viagra drastically reduces multiple sclerosis symptoms in animal models with the disease. The research, published in Acta Neuropathologica, demonstrates that a practically complete recovery occurs in 50% of the animals after eight days of treatment. Researchers are confident that clinical trials soon will be carried out in patients given that the drug is well tolerated and has been used to treat sexual dysfunction in some multiple sclerosis patients.
Exercise helps women fight smoking cravings, but effect is short-lived
Dozens of studies on whether moderate exercise can curb the nicotine cravings of women smokers have added up to an apparent contradiction: it seems to work in short-term, well controlled lab experiments, but then fizzles out in treatment trials. A new study may explain why and help researchers devise a practical therapy.
Animal results may pave way to treating rare mitochondrial diseases in children
A human drug that both prevents and cures kidney failure in mice sheds light on disabling human mitochondrial disorders, and may represent a potential treatment in people with such illnesses.
Perryman nutrition column: The magic of myth
Spring can be a motivating factor to trim those extra pounds that crept on during the winter. Kudos to those of you who are planning to lose those pounds sensibly by eating healthier: it’s easy to buy into the latest trend diet with hopes of seeing extra pounds effortlessly shed … Unfortunately, what’s in the media or advertised on TV doesn’t always represent the facts, what’s healthy or a realistic picture of results.
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders have less deep-gray brain matter
Children and youth who have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders have less deep-gray matter in their brains compared to children who don’t have the condition, according to a collaborative study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Alberta. This difference affects the way messages are relayed in the brain.
Dietary inorganic nitrate may reduce heart dysfunction caused by powerful anti-cancer drug
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that nutrient supplementation, like the kind that is found in leafy greens, spinach and lettuce, may reduce the damage to the heart caused by a powerful anti-cancer drug.
Eat a protein-rich breakfast to reduce food cravings, prevent overeating later, researcher finds
A University of Missouri researcher has found that eating a healthy breakfast, especially one high in protein, increases satiety and reduces hunger throughout the day. In addition, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) the researchers found that eating a protein-rich breakfast reduces the brain signals controlling food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior.
Curcumin compound improves effectiveness of head and neck cancer treatment
A primary reason that head and neck cancer treatments fail is the tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that a compound derived from the Indian spice curcumin can help cells overcome that resistance.
Researchers connect electrical brain disturbances to worse outcomes following neurotrauma
Electrical disturbances that spread through an injured brain like tsunamis have a direct link to poor recovery and can last far longer than previously realized, researchers at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute (UCNI) have found.
Combating the C. diff terrorists on the loose in hospitals
Just like intelligence agents watching for the real terrorists threatening to attack, monitoring healthcare worker adherence to mandatory hand-washing protocols via hand-washing squads in hospitals can go a long way to stop outbreaks of the opportunistic C. diff bacteria, says Irena Kenneley, an infection prevention and control expert and assistant professor of nursing from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
Is fear deficit a harbinger of future psychopaths?
Psychopaths are charming, but they often get themselves and others in big trouble; their willingness to break social norms and lack of remorse means they are often at risk for crimes and other irresponsible behaviors.
Validating preschool programs for children with autism
Researchers from the University of Miami (UM) Department of Psychology participated in a multi-site study to examine different teaching models for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study is one of the first to look at the fidelity of treatment models for preschoolers with autism. The findings are published online in the current issue of the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Strobe eyewear training may improve visual abilities
Strobe-like eyewear designed to train the vision of athletes may have positive effects in some cases, according to tests run by a team of Duke University psychologists who specialize in visual perception.
DNA repair system affects colon cancer recurrence and survival
Colorectal cancer patients with defects in mismatch repair--one of the body's systems for repairing DNA damage--have lower recurrence rates and better survival rates than patients without such defects, according to a study published online May 19th in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
High doses of Alzheimer's drug Aricept should be banned, Public Citizen says
High doses of the Alzheimer's drug Aricept should be banned because they are no more effective than low doses and have a sharply increased risk of adverse effects, the advocacy group Public Citizen and a Johns Hopkins University geriatrician said Wednesday in a petition to the Food and Drug Administration.
Religious factors may influence changes in the brain
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found an apparent correlation between religious practices and changes in the brains of older adults.
Implant jab could solve the misery of back pain
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Manchester scientists have developed a biomaterial implant which could finally bring treatment, in the form of a jab, for chronic back pain.
Change blindness animation captures top illusion prize
(PhysOrg.com) -- After discovering by accident through a quirk in his laptop that random dots arranged in a circle and constantly changing color, appeared to stop changing color if they began to move, Jordan Suchow a grad student at Harvard, in conjunction with his advisor George Alvarez, produced a video of the effect and wound up winning first prize in this year’s "Best Illusion of the Year" contest held by the Vision Sciences Society every year in Naples, Florida. The illusion showed that there exists a form of change blindness that until this example arose, no one knew about.
Early-onset Alzheimer's not always associated with memory loss
(Medical Xpress) -- In a recent study published in the journal Neurology, scientists say that individuals who develop early-onset Alzheimer's in middle age are at a high risk of being misdiagnosed because many of their initial symptoms are not memory related.
Cell phone use may reduce male fertility
Men who have been diagnosed with poor sperm quality and who are trying to have children should limit their cell phone use. Researchers have found that while cell phone use appears to increase the level of testosterone circulating in the body, it may also lead to low sperm quality and a decrease in fertility.
New drug targets for squamous cell carcinoma
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered a new drug target for squamous cell carcinoma – the second most common form of skin cancer. Scientists in the laboratory of Valeri Vasioukhin, Ph.D., have found that a protein called alpha-catenin acts as a tumor suppressor and they also have unlocked the mechanism by which this protein controls cell proliferation.
Of frogs, chickens and people: Highly conserved dual mechanism regulates both brain development, function
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have uncovered new details of an unusual biological mechanism in the brains of diverse species that not only helps regulate how their brains develop, but also how they function later in life. The discovery could lead to new biomarkers for specific neurological diseases in humans and, possibly, the development of drugs to cure them.
Direct link found between diet ingredients and gut microbes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Globally, industrialized countries face an epidemic of obesity while poor nations continue to grapple with pervasive malnutrition, particularly among children. Increasing evidence suggests that both conditions may be linked, in part, to the collection of microbes that live in the intestine and help break down food our bodies otherwise couldn’t digest.
How you think about death may affect how you act
How you think about death affects how you behave in life.
Biology news
Biodiversity must be restored
The global extinction of species is rapidly accelerating. We still have a chance to stop it – at least in Germany. But time is of the essence. A simple strategy based on the biotope network model at Lake Constance (Biotopverbund Bodensee) shows a way out of the biodiversity crisis. The German federal government and the individual states must now set the right political course.
Studies focus on feed ingredient's effects on levels of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle
After corn is processed to make ethanol, what's left of the corn looks something like slightly dampened cornmeal, though a somewhat darker yellow, and not as finely ground. Known as "wet distiller's grains with solubles" (WDGS), this byproduct is sometimes used as a cattle feed ingredient. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Clay Center, Neb., are studying the pros and cons of that practice.
Noxious weed reporting system now available in 11 western states
Spring has finally arrived and many of us are once again heading back into the fields and rangelands, into the rivers, and into the backcountry for work and for play. As our surroundings are greening up, we must remember that not all plant species are native to our region. Some are noxious weed invaders that restrict access to irrigation, degrade wildlife habitat, reduce water quality and quantity, and decrease productivity of croplands and grazing lands.
Genes help worms decide where to dine
In the famous song by The Clash, "Should I Stay or Should I Go," the lyrics wrestle with one of the more complicated decisions people make -- whether to end a difficult love affair or try to make it work. We aren’t likely to understand exactly how specific genes affect such momentous choices anytime soon. But when a microscopic worm ponders whether to stay on a patch of bacteria it is eating or leave for greener pastures, the biology of primitive decision-making is much more accessible. A recent study by Rockefeller University researchers identified natural variations in several genes that influence this behavior, including one, tyramine receptor 3 (tyra-3), that produces a receptor for an invertebrate’s version of adrenaline, a hormone involved in the ‘fight or flight’ response in mammals.
Spectacular mammal rediscovered after 113 years -- first ever photographs taken
(PhysOrg.com) -- A unique and mysterious guinea-pig-sized rodent, not seen since 1898 despite several organized searches, bizarrely showed up at the front door of an ecolodge at a nature reserve in Colombia, South America. The magnificent red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis), stayed for almost two hours while two research volunteers took the first photos ever of a creature the world thought would never be seen again.
Parrots display teamwork and decision-making skills
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a new study published in the journal Animal Cognition, Dr. Dalila Bovet from Paris West University Nanterre La Defense showed how African grey parrots are capable of cooperating and performing tasks as a team, but let their personalities lead their decision.
Predicting the fate of personalized cells next step toward new therapies
Discovering the step-by-step details of the path embryonic cells take to develop into their final tissue type is the clinical goal of many stem cell biologists. To that end, Kenneth S. Zaret, PhD, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and associate director of the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and Cheng-Ran Xu, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Zaret laboratory, looked at immature cells called progenitors and found a way to potentially predict their fate. They base this on how the protein spools around which DNA winds -- called histones -- are marked by other proteins. This study appeared this week in Science.
Editing scrambled genes in human stem cells may help realize the promise of stem cell-gene therapy
In principle, genetic engineering is simple, but in practice, replacing a faulty gene with a healthy copy is anything but. Using mutated versions of the lamin A gene as an example to demonstrate the versatility of their virus-based approach, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies successfully edited a diseased gene in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells as well as adult stem cells.
Packaging process for genes discovered
Scientists at Penn State University have achieved a major milestone in the attempt to assemble, in a test tube, entire chromosomes from their component parts. The achievement reveals the process a cell uses to package the basic building blocks of an organism's entire genetic code -- its genome. The evidence provided by early research with the new procedure overturns three previous theories of the genome-packaging process and opens the door to a new era of genome-wide biochemistry research. A paper describing the team's achievement will be published in the journal Science on 20 May 2011.
New level of genetic diversity in human RNA sequences uncovered
A detailed comparison of DNA and RNA in human cells has uncovered a surprising number of cases where the corresponding sequences are not, as has long been assumed, identical. The RNA-DNA differences generate proteins that do not precisely match the genes that encode them.
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