Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 26, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Making materials to order: Fine-tuning mechanical, electrical, thermal, other properties of composites- New study argues against conclusion that bacteria consumed Deepwater Horizon methane
- Parts of moon interior contains as much water as Earth's upper mantle
- The quantum computer is growing up: Repetitive error correction in a quantum processor
- Closing recreational fishing areas for shorter times could benefit fish and fishermen
- Graphene: New electronics material closer to commercial reality
- Honing household helpers: Computer scientists improve robots' ability to plan, perform complex actions
- Master gene may shed new light on lysosomal and neurodegenerative disorders
- Babies can perform sophisticated analyses of how the physical world should behave: study
- People with body-image disorders process 'big picture' visual information abnormally
- Scientists turn human skin cells directly into neurons, skipping IPS stage
- Physicists explain the long, useful lifetime of carbon-14
- Pioneer previews integrated floating image display technology
- Scientists find genetic basis for key parasite function in malaria
- Worm study yields insights on humans, parasites and iron deficiency
Space & Earth news
Greenpeace warns of radioactive sea life off Japan
Environmental group Greenpeace warned Thursday that marine life it tested more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) off Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant showed radiation far above legal limits.
Space image: Burning
(PhysOrg.com) -- Because of the absence of gravity, fuels burning in space behave very differently than they do on Earth. In this image, a 3-millimeter diameter droplet of heptane fuel burns in microgravity, producing soot.
Eurocontrol: No major ash impact on air traffic
(AP) -- No significant disruptions of air traffic are expected in Europe in coming days as a result of volcanic activity, Eurocontrol said Thursday.
Europe honours Einstein with space freighter
The fourth of Europe's robot freighters, due to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2013, has been named after Albert Einstein, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Thursday.
Estimating landfill gas potential
Research suggests that landfill gas-recovery projects should be implemented quickly if the maximum amount of methane gas is to be retrieved from organic waste in as short as time as possible, according to a study published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management.
WISE mission offers a taste of galaxies to come
(PhysOrg.com) -- An assorted mix of colorful galaxies is being released today by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, or WISE. The nine galaxies are a taste of what's to come. The mission plans to release similar images for the 1,000 largest galaxies that appear in our sky, and possibly more.
China drought impact widens, reaching Shanghai
(AP) -- China's worst drought in a half-century is deepening, with the parched weather that has left millions in the Yangtze River region without enough drinking water pushing inflation higher and adding to widespread power shortages.
For Aquarius, sampling seas no 'grain of salt' task
(PhysOrg.com) -- The breakthrough moment for oceanographer Gary Lagerloef, the principal investigator for NASA's new Aquarius mission, came in 1991. That's when he knew it would be possible to make precise measurements of ocean salinity from space. It has taken nearly two decades to turn that possibility into a reality.
Nature's best magnifying glass views eary spiral galaxy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers in Hawaii have plucked unprecedented details from the life of an early galaxy using an unusually lucid gravitational lens coupled with the powerful 10-meter Keck II Telescope on Mauna Kea.
New view of undersea giant kelp forest 'canopy' -- from satellites above
(PhysOrg.com) -- Marine scientists have a new view of the giant kelp in the Pacific Ocean--through a scuba mask and a satellite's "eye."
WikiLeaks documents hint of slick plans for arctic oil
With Arctic ice receding at an unprecedented pace due to global warming, many nations seem far more interested in carving up the newly exposed resources than doing something to slow climate change, according to documents released by WikiLeaks.
Astronaut eager for 1st look at wife from orbit
Shuttle Endeavour's' commander, Mark Kelly, can't wait to see his congresswoman wife for the first time from orbit and show her some cosmic views of his spaceship and the planet Earth.
Second rocky world makes Kepler-10 a multi-planet system
The Kepler Telescope team has announced a second planet orbiting the star Kepler-10. The existence of this planet was suspected previously, but new analytical techniques were needed to confirm its existence.
Ancient El Nino clue to future floods
(PhysOrg.com) -- Dramatic climate swings behind both last year's Pakistan flooding and this year’s Queensland floods in Australia are likely to continue as the world gets warmer, scientists predict.
Hubble finds rare 'blue straggler' stars in Milky Way's hub
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has found a rare class of oddball stars called blue stragglers in the hub of our Milky Way, the first detected within our galaxy's bulge.
UK and European space agencies give a go for Skylon spaceplane
After 30 years of development, the UK and European space agencies have given a go for the Skylon Spaceplane.
New research points to the significant role of oceans in ancient global cooling
Thirty-eight million years ago, tropical jungles thrived in what are now the cornfields of the American Midwest and furry marsupials wandered temperate forests in what is now the frozen Antarctic. The temperature differences of that era, known as the late Eocene, between the equator and Antarctica were only half of what they are today. A debate has long been raging in the scientific community on what changes in our global climate system led to such a major shift from the more tropical, greenhouse climate of the Eocene to the modern and much cooler climates of today.
Experts create first legal roadmap to tackle local ocean acidification hotspots
Coastal communities hard hit by ocean acidification hotspots have more options than they may realize, says an interdisciplinary team of science and legal experts. In a paper published in the journal Science, experts from Stanford University's Center for Ocean Solutions and colleagues make the case that communities don't need to wait for a global solution to ocean acidification to fix a local problem that is compromising their marine environment. Many localized acidification hotspots can be traced to local contributors of acidity that can be addressed using existing laws, they wrote.
Parts of moon interior contains as much water as Earth's upper mantle
Parts of the moon's interior contains as much water as the upper mantle of the Earth - 100 times more of the precious liquid than measured before – research from Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Institution for Science, and Brown University shows.
New study argues against conclusion that bacteria consumed Deepwater Horizon methane
A technical comment published in the current (May 27) edition of the journal Science casts doubt on a widely publicized study that concluded that a bacterial bloom in the Gulf of Mexico consumed the methane discharged from the Deepwater Horizon well.
Technology news
The hand as a joystick
You need a mouse and a keyboard, a touch-screen or a joystick to control a computer system. In the future, a new gesture command system will make it possible to use just the fingers of a hand.
Solar inverters: Losses are cut in half
A switching trick makes it possible to cut the losses of a series-production inverter in half and increase the efficiency from 96 to 98 percent. The HERIC-topology makes it possible to achieve a world-record efficiency of more than 99 percent.
Superior sound for telephones, mobile and related devices
Telephone calls and video conferences with a sound quality that approaches that of direct communication are now possible with a new audio coding technology -- it is almost as if the discussion participants are sitting across from one another.
Twitter diplomacy new face of foreign relations
(AP) -- When Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt couldn't reach his counterpart in Bahrain by traditional means of communication, he turned to Twitter.
Huffington Post launches Canadian edition
The Huffington Post launched a Canadian edition of the popular news and opinion website on Thursday in its first international expansion.
Tesla Motors to raise up to $214.3M (Update)
(AP) -- Electric car upstart Tesla Motors Inc. will sell common stock again, this time with hopes of raising $214 million to expand its limited model lineup.
Quest for educational success: University creates gaming platform to help reach students through technology
The Doors' hypnotic rhythms provide the musical backdrop as students in Chris Haskell's educational technology class use laptops to work their way through their final quests.
These dating apps are all about location
Sitting in the stands at Dodger Stadium, Steve Bergmann began checking out nearby women he might hit on. But his eyes weren't scanning the seats - they were fixed on his smartphone.
Hackers aim ruse at Apple computer users
Hackers are out to trick Apple computer users into infecting Macintosh machines with malicious code pretending to be legitimate security software.
China's Baidu eyes foreign expansion
Chinese search engine Baidu said Thursday it was thinking about expanding into more overseas markets and expected its share of the booming domestic mobile search market to grow rapidly.
Imec processes first power devices on 200mm CMOS-compatible GaN-on-Si
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imec and its partners in the GaN industrial affiliation program (IIAP) have produced device-quality wafers with GaN/AlGaN layers on 200mm silicon wafers.
Google's Street View starts mapping India
Google launched its "Street View" project in India on Thursday aiming to collect panoramic images of the vast country ranging from its palaces to its slums.
Flexible films for photovoltaics
Displays that can be rolled up and flexible solar cells -- both are potential future markets. Barrier layers that protect thin-film solar cells from oxygen and water vapor and thus increase their useful life are an essential component.
China grants Alibaba payment system license
(AP) -- An online payment system founded by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group was granted a government license, the company said Thursday, following an ownership change that rattled investors in partner Yahoo Inc.
GigaBlitz will turn high-resolution images of nature into global inventory of organisms, habitats
Nature is just outside your door — in your backyard, a vacant lot next door or perhaps a stand of trees down the block. During the week of this year's summer solstice, June 18-24, people worldwide are being urged to create gigapixel imagery of this natural environment as part of the first Nearby Nature GigaBlitz.
Finnish record label petition to block Pirate Bay
Finnish record labels said Thursday they filed a petition in court to block access to The Pirate Bay, a popular Swedish website that provides access to copyrighted music, movies, and other material.
Driver's data may be used to check workers' status
The Obama administration is about to add more personal information to E-Verify, an immigration enforcement tool that is vulnerable to fake, stolen or borrowed documents.
Canadians using smartphones for everything but talking
A boom in smartphone sales is changing how Canadians interact with each other as these devices are increasingly used for anything but talking to people, according to a survey Thursday.
US online advertising soars in first quarter: report
Industry group Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) reported on Thursday that US online ad revenue hit a record high $7.3 billion in the first three months of the year.
Skype scrambles after service crash
Skype on Thursday was scrambling to fix a problem that caused the globally popular Internet telephone service to crash for some users.
Facebook and Spotify to stream music
Facebook and Spotify are collaborating on a streaming music service at the world's largest online social network, according to a report Wednesday by business magazine Forbes.
Encrypted VoIP not as secure as it sounds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Linguistics researchers working with computer scientists at the University of North Carolina have shown that voice conversations over the Internet, even if they are encrypted, are not as secure as generally thought. Presenting their findings at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy in Oakland California this past week, the team showed that by breaking up voice messages broadcast over the Internet, and then parsing the bits into phonemes (human speech components) they could, using linguistic rules, essentially recreate conversations; at least to some degree. The results varied, but were in general good enough to gain the essence of what was being said.
Pioneer previews integrated floating image display technology
(PhysOrg.com) -- Pioneer has recently conducted a demonstration of its floating image display technology, which is being called Floating Vision, that allows for a small sized 3D floating screen to be projected into spaces like the dashboard of a car. The system, which was shown off at the Embedded Systems Expo, uses a set of infrared sensors that allow this projected screen to be used in a manner similar to that of the current touch screen systems in use, in a limited capacity at the present moment. The system was demonstrated both in a car, and in the context of a customer service scenario.
University of Chicago's Joe and Rika Mansueto library make book retrieval a robotic affair
(PhysOrg.com) -- Visitors to the Grand Reading Room of the Joe and Rika Mansueto library at the University of Chicago will be in for a bit of a surprise. The books are not on shelves for the reader to peruse, but stored under the building, in tightly packed in bins stacked five stories deep. This new library relies not on you navigating the stacks armed only with your knowledge of the dewy decimal system, but in knowing what you want.
Google launches trial of tap-to-pay phone system
Google Inc. launched its bid to dominate a world where the smartphone has replaced the wallet as the container for credit cards, coupons and receipts.
Medicine & Health news
Health reform essential to young adults: Nearly half can't afford needed health care
Young adults ages 19-29 are struggling to get the health care they need more than almost any other age group, demonstrating the need for Affordable Care Act provisions, some already in place, that will expand health insurance and make it more affordable, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. The report found that in 2010, 45 percent of young adults couldn't afford the care they needed, meaning they didn't fill a prescription, didn't go to the doctor when they were sick, or skipped a test, treatment, or follow-up visit, up from 32 percent who went without needed care because of cost in 2001.
Patients with RA receive less protection from pandemic influenza with H1N1 vaccine
Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis taking disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, showed significantly less protection from pandemic influenza after receiving the H1N1 vaccine compared to healthy individuals, according to data presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.
Study shows the HPV vaccine Gardasil doesn't increase disease activity in SLE patients
Results of a Chinese study showed that the HPV vaccine did not have significant effects on the number of disease flares or antibody measures in patients with inactive SLE receiving stable doses of medications after administration, and therefore was determined safe to use to prevent HPV in this group of patients. SLE, an autoimmune disorder, affects nine times as many women as men1 and studies have shown that the rate of HPV in this group is significantly higher than in the healthy population.2 Vaccination is therefore an important consideration in protecting SLE patients from HPV infection, which has been shown to be responsible for cervical cancer.
Studies show siginificant benefits of yoga in 2 conditions
Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who practice yoga showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity, according to a small study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.
Study confirms link between rheumatoid arthritis and COPD
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are two times more likely to have concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than healthy controls -- an association which was sustained even when variables such as age, gender, smoking and obesity were controlled for, according to a study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.
Inability to cry in patients with Sjogrens syndrome affect emotional and mental well-being
Patients with Sjogren‟s syndrome, a systemic immune disease which affects the production of tears and saliva, reported worse mental well-being and more difficulty in identifying feelings than the healthy population, according to results presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.
Effects of celiac disease on bone mineral density are pronounced in lumbar spine than femoral neck
Patients with celiac disease are more than 4.5 times more likely to develop osteoporosis compared to healthy people in an age and gender matched cohort with no identifiable risk factors for osteoporosis, according to a study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.
UK survey shows differences between clinicians treating rheumatology in pregnancy
Results from a UK health-care practitioner (HCP) study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress outline a lack of uniform practice between health-care professionals (HCPs) and highlight a strong need for guidelines on the treatments prescribed to patients with rheumatic conditions during conception, pregnancy and during the breastfeeding period.
Research revelation could shape future long-term treatment of asthma
A new study reveals that the progressive loss of lung function in asthma sufferers could be entirely independent of the effects of inflammation. The findings have significant implications for the long-term treatment of asthma.
Study examines trauma in dementia patients
(Medical Xpress) -- As the elderly population of West Virginia increases, the number of patients with dementia who will require hospital admission for trauma will also increase as this population is at a higher risk of falls and injury. A recent study by the West Virginia University Department of Emergency Medicine shows that when these traumas occur, family members and healthcare providers must answer difficult questions in regard to the future care of the dementia patient.
Researchers recommend preparticipation cardiac screening for college athletes
Sudden cardiac death in young athletes who had not previously exhibited symptoms is a relatively rare yet tragic event. This occurs in around 60-80 young athletes annually in the United States. In the June 2011 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers collected electrocardiograms and echocardiograms of 964 athletes at a single university and found that distinct ECG abnormalities were present in 10% and were more common in males as well as black athletes. Two athletes were subsequently excluded from competition.
Cognitive decline incidence higher in Southern stroke belt
New research shows that residents of the Stroke Belt—a southern portion of the U.S. with significantly elevated stroke morality rate—also have a greater incidence of cognitive decline than other regions of the country. Researchers believe shared risk factors among members of this population are to blame. Results of this study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), are published in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association.
New study suggests link between chronic estrogen exposure and high blood pressure
For many years doctors believed the estrogen women consumed in the form of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) pills was good for their patients' hearts. Recent studies however have shown that long-term exposure to estrogen can be a danger to women as it has been associated with high blood pressure, a key link to heart- and brain-attacks (strokes). Although the process by which estrogen induces high blood pressure in females is unclear, Michigan State University (MSU) researchers have found that long-term estrogen exposure generates excessive levels of a compound, superoxide, which causes stress in the body. The build-up of this compound occurs in an area of the brain that is crucial to regulating blood pressure, suggesting that chronic estrogen induces a build up of superoxide that in turn causes blood pressure to increase. The study also found that the anti-oxidant resveratrol reverses the increase in both superoxide and blood pressure.
Five new hot spots where medicine and technology will converge
Medicine and technology are converging in patient care at a faster pace than most people realize. Space age advancements from point-of-care health technologies like telemedicine to medical robots performing surgery are fast becoming commonplace in many hospitals. What's next?
Disparities in stroke care prevail among US racial/ethnic groups
Disparities between racial/ethnic minorities and whites cross all aspects of stroke care, according to an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement.
Tinted specs offer real migraine relief, says fMRI study
Precision tinted lenses have been used widely to reduce visual perceptual distortions in poor readers, and are increasingly used for migraine sufferers, but until now the science behind these effects has been unclear. Now research published in the journal Cephalalgia, published by SAGE, uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for the first time to suggest a neurological basis for these visual remedies.
Why caffeine can reduce fertility in women
Caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb. "Our experiments were conducted in mice, but this finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant," says Professor Sean Ward from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, USA. Ward's study is published today in the British Journal of Pharmacology.
Diabetes can be predicted 7 years before pregnancy with blood sugar and body weight
A woman's risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy can be identified up to seven years before she becomes pregnant based on routinely assessed measures of blood sugar and body weight, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the online issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Drug may help overwrite bad memories
Recalling painful memories while under the influence of the drug metyrapone reduces the brain's ability to re-record the negative emotions associated with them, according to University of Montreal researchers at the Centre for Studies on Human Stress of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital.
Researchers evaluate red wine compound for treating concussions in pro boxers
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are engaging the help of professional boxers and trainers to study whether a component in red wine and grapes could help reduce the short- and long-term effects of concussions.
German salad warning after food poisoning deaths
Germany has warned consumers to be especially careful when eating tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers which are believed to be responsible for an outbreak of food poisoning that has left three dead.
Drug treatment extends lives of men with prostate cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- A drug recently approved by the Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of prostate cancer is proving to give some patients the gift of time.
New cancer study finds benefit in old therapy
(PhysOrg.com) -- A 5000-year-old combination of gentle exercise and meditation could help treat cancer patients, new University of Sydney research has found.
Oncologists hold key to curbing cancer costs
(Medical Xpress) -- The cost of cancer care is threatening to bankrupt our healthcare system. New drugs are prolonging life, but at staggering costs. This coupled with aging baby boomers and an increasing population mean the U.S. will spend $173 billion annually on cancer care by the year 2020. This trend is not sustainable; however, there are evidence-based ways to maintain or improve the quality of care while saving money for the new therapies being discovered every day.
Fatty arteries to 'go green' with new screening technique
An FDA-approved green imaging dye can detect small amounts of fatty buildup along the walls of arteries , which can lead to heart attacks, shows a new study in rabbits.
Fish oil may have positive effects on mood, alcohol craving, new study shows
Omega 3 fatty acids may be beneficial for more than just the heart. Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine disclosed at a molecular level a potential therapeutic benefit between these dietary supplements, alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders.
Nuclear radiation affects baby gender
Ionizing radiation is not without danger to human populations. Indeed, exposure to nuclear radiation leads to an increase in male births relative to female births, according to a new study by Hagen Scherb and Kristina Voigt from the Helmholtz Zentrum München. Their work shows that radiation from atomic bomb testing before the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, the Chernobyl accident, and from living near nuclear facilities, has had a long-term negative effect on the ratio of male to female human births (sex odds). Their work is published in the June issue of Springer's journal, Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
Study: Hormone level predicts end of fertility
The age-specific blood levels of the Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) can predict when women will reach menopause. This makes family planning easier, say fertility researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. Their findings were published online May 26 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
NIH stops study of niacin to prevent heart attacks
(AP) -- Disappointing news: A drug that raises people's so-called good cholesterol didn't go on to prevent heart attacks.
Scans show it's not only sight that helps us get our bearings
Our brain's understanding of spatial awareness is not triggered by sight alone, scientists have found, in a development that could help design technology for the visually impaired.
Introduce specialized teaching for dyscalculia in schools, urge experts
Specialised teaching for individuals with dyscalculia, the mathematical equivalent of dyslexia, should be made widely available in mainstream education, according to a review of current research published today in the journal Science.
Study finds two gene classes linked to new prion formation
Unlocking the mechanisms that cause neurodegenerative prion diseases may require a genetic key, suggest new findings reported by University of Illinois at Chicago distinguished professor of biological sciences Susan Liebman.
Study shows brain's response to sadness can predict relapses into depression
A University of Toronto study shows that when formerly depressed people experience mild states of sadness, their brain's response can predict if they will become depressed again.
Multitasking meds: Scientists discover how drug for leukemia, psoriasis, may tackle vascular disease
A drug that has been on the market for decades to treat leukemia and skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis may be a possible therapy for vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and hypertension, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
NIH stops clinical trial on combination cholesterol treatment
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped a clinical trial studying a blood lipid treatment 18 months earlier than planned. The trial found that adding high dose, extended-release niacin to statin treatment in people with heart and vascular disease, did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and stroke.
Stress may increase risk for Alzheimer's disease
Stress promotes neuropathological changes that are also seen in Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have discovered that the increased release of stress hormones in rats leads to generation of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein in the brain and ultimately, memory loss.
Aging, obsolete cells prime the lungs for pneumonia
Community-acquired pneumonia is the leading cause of infectious death among the elderly. Newly published research from The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio suggests why older people are vulnerable and offers a possible defense.
Study: 6.5 percent of adults active enough at work
(AP) -- If you think you do enough physical activity at work to keep you healthy, you're probably wrong.
New study identifies compounds that could slow down Alzheimer's disease
A family of naturally occurring plant compounds could help prevent or delay memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
Common transplant drug inhibits breast cancer growth, study shows
Tacrolimus, a drug that is commonly used to prevent organ transplantation rejection, inhibits breast cancer growth in pre-clinical studies. The finding from UNC scientists was reported in the May 26th PLoS ONE.
Cigarette health warnings push smokers to quit: study
Warnings on cigarette packets about the dangers of tobacco push smokers to kick the habit, and graphic images depicting human suffering are the most effective, a study released Thursday shows.
Cucumbers blamed for deadly German E. coli outbreak
Cucumbers from Spain have been confirmed as one of the sources responsible for an outbreak in Germany of E.Coli, a potentially lethal food-borne bacteria, the European Commission said Thursday.
Folic acid given to mother rats protects offspring from colon cancer
Folic acid supplements given to pregnant and breast-feeding rats reduced the rate of colon cancer in their offspring by 64 per cent, a new study has found.
High risk of Parkinson's disease for people exposed to pesticides near workplace
In April 2009, researchers at UCLA announced they had discovered a link between Parkinson's disease and two chemicals commonly sprayed on crops to fight pests.
Cancer cells accelerate aging and inflammation in the body to drive tumor growth
Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have shed new light on the longstanding conundrum about what makes a tumor grow—and how to make it stop. Interestingly, cancer cells accelerate the aging of nearby connective tissue cells to cause inflammation, which ultimately provides "fuel" for the tumor to grow and even metastasize.
Omega-3 may cut risk of artery disease, heart attacks for patients with stents
Omega-3 fatty acids, combined with two blood-thinning drugs, significantly changed the blood-clotting process and may reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients with stents in their heart arteries, according to research reported in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.
New imaging method identifies specific mental states
New clues to the mystery of brain function, obtained through research by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine, suggest that distinct mental states can be distinguished based on unique patterns of activity in coordinated "networks" within the brain. These networks consist of brain regions that are synchronously communicating with one another. The Stanford team is using this network approach to develop diagnostic tests in Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders in which network function is disrupted.
Researchers find new way to use antibodies to carry drugs across the blood-brain barrier
(Medical Xpress) -- In what appears to be a major breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other diseases that affect the brain, researchers from Roche Genentech have succeeded in engineering an antibody that can be used to carry therapeutic drugs across the so called blood-barrier in the brain, which can then block substances such as beta-secretase 1, thereby preventing the buildup of the amyloid beta proteins that cause the creation of sticky plague seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers. Publishing their results in two papers in Science Translational Medicine, the group describes how they engineered an antibody normally used to carry iron in the blood to the brain, to allow therapeutic drugs to tag along for the ride, leading to a big increase in the amount of the drug that is able to make it across the membrane and fluids barriers that serve to protect the brain from infection.
People with body-image disorders process 'big picture' visual information abnormally
People suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD — a severe mental illness characterized by debilitating misperceptions that one appears disfigured and ugly — process visual information abnormally, even when looking at inanimate objects, according to a new UCLA study.
Babies can perform sophisticated analyses of how the physical world should behave: study
Over the past two decades, scientists have shown that babies only a few months old have a solid grasp on basic rules of the physical world. They understand that objects can't wink in and out of existence, and that objects can't "teleport" from one spot to another.
Master gene may shed new light on lysosomal and neurodegenerative disorders
Cells, like ordinary households, produce "garbage" – debris and dysfunctional elements – that need disposal. When the mechanism for taking out this garbage fails, rare genetic diseases called lysosomal storage disorders (including Tay-Sachs, Batten and Fabry disease) can disable and even kill the children they affect. In adults, such failure leads to neurodegenerative diseases that occur later in life, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Biology news
New knowledge could combat fly strike in sheep
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research at Victoria University could contribute to new treatments for the costly and sometimes fatal condition of fly strike in sheep.
Medicines from plants
Some people think of herbal teas, others of tobacco when they hear the buzzword "medicines from plants". One research team succeeded in producing biopharmaceuticals -- such as an antibody against HIV, for example, -- in tobacco plants.
Factors in berry-splitting in blueberries examined
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers and a university colleague have found several factors involved in blueberry splitting, a significant problem that can cause losses of $300 to $500 per acre.
Cell brings multimedia to life
On May 27TH the top cell biology journal, Cell, will publish its latest issue with multimedia components directly attached to the print version. The issue uses QR code technology to connect readers to the journal's multimedia formats online thereby improving the conceptualization of a paper's scientific content and enhancing the reader's overall experience.
Scientists crack code on tracking zebras
Field biologists following thousands of wild zebras in Africa used to joke about how nice it would be to have a bar code reader to help them identify and catalogue individual animals.
Crickets that live fast die young
Male crickets advertise their attractiveness with a loud and clear call to females. Calling effort has been linked to more mating success, but what are the hidden costs of showing off?
Hybrid possum gives endangered species a chance
Australian researchers have successfully bred two genetically distinct Mountain Pygmy-possums, playing a major role in preventing the endangered population in the Victorian Alpine region from further decline.
Scientists investigate an innovative protein family in plants
A team of European researchers has succeeded in revealing how a family of proteins work, which until now remained a mystery, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.
Modern EU agriculture jeopardizes biodiversity in new member states
Traditional agricultural practices can make a major contribution to preserving biodiversity in the EU's new member states in Central and Eastern Europe. By contrast, the construction of roads and the intensification of agriculture currently encouraged by EU farming subsidies pose a threat to amphibians. The rich natural environment still extant in many accession countries is under threat, according to scientists writing in the journal Biological Conservation.
From butterflies, some lessons about life -- and death
If you were to catch Loretta Downs loping through the shoulder-high milkweed along her alley fence come the end of June, you might not realize she was searching for something so sacred it leaves her speechless.
Extensive protein interaction network controls gene regulation
The genes of a cell are like the 88 keys of a piano. To play chords and music, however, the keys must be activated in exact combinations by a pianist's hands. Those hands represent the coregulators of a cell that simultaneously and precisely activate genes to produce all of the cell's functions.
Reindeer see a weird and wonderful world of ultraviolet light
Researchers have discovered that the ultraviolet (UV) light that causes the temporary but painful condition of snow blindness in humans is life-saving for reindeer in the arctic.
Rare white kiwi chick hatches at NZ wildlife park
A rare white kiwi chick hatched at a New Zealand wildlife reserve will have a protected early life - unlike wild kiwis that face nonnative predators that are slowly wiping them out, an official said Thursday.
Cats versus dogs in the 'drinking' category (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The competition between cat and dog owners has one or the other always looking for an advantage and cat owners thought they had one last year when Pedro Reis and Roman Stocker from MIT discovered that cats used their tongues in a very unique way to dry water into their mouths. While cats drank in this manner, Reis was sure that dogs, which are known for scooping and making a mess, had to drink in a different way.
Biological circuits for synthetic biology
(PhysOrg.com) -- "If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own." ... Wes "Scoop" Nisker
'Policing' stops cheaters from dominating groups of cooperative bacteria
For cooperation to persist in the often violently competitive realm of bacteria, cheaters must be kept in line.
Songbirds tweak their tunes in different ways to cope with clamor
Some birds that live near noisy sites can alter their songs to deal with din. But closely related species with similar songs may tweak their tunes in different ways, says a new study led by Clinton Francis of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, NC.
Thrips show altered feeding behavior
(PhysOrg.com) -- Thrips — tiny insects that pierce and suck fluids from tomatoes, grapes, strawberries and hundreds of other plant species — show altered feeding behavior when they're infected with tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), newly published research by University of California scientists reveals.
Researchers track the secret lives of feral and free-roaming house cats
Researchers (and some cat-owners) wanted to know: What do feral and free-roaming house cats do when they're out of sight? A two-year study offers a first look at the daily lives of these feline paupers and princes, whose territories overlap on the urban, suburban, rural and agricultural edges of many towns.
Worm study yields insights on humans, parasites and iron deficiency
Using a tiny bloodless worm, University of Maryland Associate Professor Iqbal Hamza and his team have discovered a large piece in the puzzle of how humans, and other organisms safely move iron around in the body. The findings, published in the journal Cell, could lead to new methods for treating age-old scourges - parasitic worm infections, which affect more than a quarter of the world's population, and iron deficiency, the world's number one nutritional disorder.
Scientists find genetic basis for key parasite function in malaria
Snug inside a human red blood cell, the malaria parasite hides from the immune system and fuels its growth by digesting hemoglobin, the cell's main protein. The parasite, however, must obtain additional nutrients from the bloodstream via tiny pores in the cell membrane. Now, investigators from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found the genes that malaria parasites use to create these feeding pores.
Scientists turn human skin cells directly into neurons, skipping IPS stage
Human skin cells can be converted directly into functional neurons in a period of four to five weeks with the addition of just four proteins, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding is significant because it bypasses the need to first create induced pluripotent stem cells, and may make it much easier to generate patient- or disease-specific neurons for study in a laboratory dish.
Green and lean: Secreting bacteria eliminate cost barriers for renewable biofuel production
A Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University research team has developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing low-cost, renewable biofuels from bacteria. The team has reprogrammed photosynthetic microbes to secrete high-energy fats, making byproduct recovery and conversion to biofuels easier and potentially more commercially viable.
Closing recreational fishing areas for shorter times could benefit fish and fishermen
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new model that analyzes the complex factors involved in recreational fishing has shown that modeling can lead to some unforeseen results. Among the model’s surprising conclusions is that, under low fishing pressure in a coral reef ecosystem, closing fishing areas for two months instead of six months can result in larger fish stocks and better fishing opportunities. The model, which simulates the impact of recreational fishing on fish stocks, the economic welfare of recreational anglers, and the surrounding coral reef environment, by incorporating a variety of factors and feedback effects, could be useful for formulating the best strategy for managing recreational fishing areas.
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