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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 17, 2011:
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Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Smooth operators: Teflon microfluidic chips- Iron-pnictide electron orbital pairing promises higher-temperature superconductors
- Riddle of 'God particle' could be solved by 2012: CERN (Update)
- Stanford engineers create a tiny, energy-efficient laser for optical communication systems
- That anxiety may be in your gut, not in your head
- Information sharing interferes with 'wisdom of crowds': study
- New blood test shows how long you will live
- Sharpening the nanofocus: Researchers use nanoantenna to enhance plasmonic sensing
- Nanocyrstalline diamond aerogel: New form of girl's best friend is lighter than ever
- Researchers develop hardware encryption for new computer memory technology
- Cool species can take the heat
- Japanese geologist finds oldest known micrometeorite
- Clubbers can smell a good nightspot
- Roots of memory impairment, resulting from sleep deprivation, identified
- Understanding a bacterial immune system one step at a time
Space & Earth news
Image: Endeavour's final voyage
(PhysOrg.com) -- An exhaust cloud forms around Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as space shuttle Endeavour soars into the sky on the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
Pulse crops may reduce energy use and increase yields for farmers
Farmers who rotate pulse crops with wheat have reduced energy usage and a higher wheat yield than farmers growing wheat exclusively, according to an MSU study.
New cell phone app allows beachgoers to report marine debris
With summer around the corner, millions worldwide will head to pristine beaches and waterways. However, with items such as bottles, cans and other debris washing up on U.S. shores each year, the University of Georgia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, have teamed up to create a new, innovative cell phone reporting mechanism to combat the marine debris problem.
Oxygenation and life in the Baltic Sea
Can you bring something back from the dead? Scientists in Sweden say that if it's at the bottom of the sea and oxygenation is present, you can. Oxygenation gives ecosystems the boost they need to come to life and helps nature deal with eutrophication, the bloom of phytoplankton in water.
NASA selects SwRI mass spectrometer for technology development funding
NASA has selected Southwest Research Institute's MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration (MASPEX) for technology development funding. Originally offered as part of the Primitive Material Explorer (PriME) mission proposal, the mass spectrometer was selected to further advance NASA's capability for evaluating the chemical composition of comets.
Forest Service unveils first comprehensive forecast on southern forests
The USDA Forest Service and the Southern Group of State Foresters released the first phase of the Southern Forest Futures Project report on Tuesday, May 17, which identifies areas forest managers will focus on to maintain southern forests in the coming years.
Britain eyes 50-percent carbon emissions cut target
Britain on Tuesday unveiled plans to cut its carbon emissions by 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2025, saying the proposal marked a significant step forward in its efforts to fight climate change.
Sewage-derived nitrogen increasingly polluting Caribbean ecosystems
Nitrogen pollution in our coastal ecosystems, the result of widespread use of synthetic agricultural fertilizers and of human sewage, leads to decreased water transparency, the loss of desirable fish species, and the emergence of toxic phytoplankton species—such as the algae behind the renowned "red tides" that kill fish.
Shuttle launches BYU student-designed circuit into space
When the shuttle Endeavor launched Monday morning there was a little bit of BYU on board. A BYU research team designed a highly specialized type of circuit that could improve the reliability of current NASA technology.
Landslides: How rainfall dried up Panama's drinking water
To understand the long-term effects of a prolonged tropical storm in the Panama Canal watershed, Robert Stallard, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and research hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, and Armando Ubeda, the LightHawk Mesoamerica program manager, organized four flights over the watershed to create a digital map of landslide scars.
Reforestation research in Latin America helps build better forests
A tropical forest is easy to cut down, but getting it back is another story. In a special issue of the journal Forest Ecology and Management, leading researchers at the Smithsonian in Panama and across Latin America offer new insights on reforestation based on 20 years of research.
Scientists track environmental influences on giant kelp with help from satellite data
(Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have developed new methods for studying how environmental factors and climate affect giant kelp forest ecosystems at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales.
Climate study gets pulled over plagiarism
Evidence of plagiarism and complaints about the peer-review process have led a statistics journal to retract a federally funded study that condemned scientific support for global warming.
U.S. astronaut corps evolves
Still hoping for that job as an astronaut, even as the last days of the space shuttle are winding down? You may want to practice your Russian.
Japan disaster not similar to Chernobyl: officials
The potential health consequences of the nuclear crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant are not equal to those caused by the disaster at Chernobyl, Japanese health officials said Tuesday
NASA ocean-watch satellite ready for June launch
The US space agency said Tuesday it is preparing to launch a satellite to observe levels of salt on the surface of the world's oceans and how changes in salinity may be linked to future climate.
Woman's plane photos of space shuttle go viral
(AP) -- Groggy from a late night watching the Yankees, frigid from a chilled airplane cabin, Stefanie Gordon stirred to action after the pilot's announcement. Lifting her iPhone to the plane's window, she captured an otherworldly image that rocketed around the globe as fast as her subject: Space shuttle Endeavour soaring from a bank of clouds, its towering plume of white smoke lighting the azure sky.
Researchers gain new insights into Comet Hartley 2
(PhysOrg.com) -- A tumbling comet nucleus with a changing rotational rate has been observed for the first time, according to a new paper by a Planetary Science Institute researcher.
Greenhouse ocean study offers warning for future
The mass extinction of marine life in our oceans during prehistoric times is a warning that the Earth will see such an extinction again because of high levels of greenhouse gases, according to new research by geologists.
Young graphite, old rocks: looking for evidence of earliest life
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long debated about the origin of carbon in Earth’s oldest sedimentary rocks and how it might signal the remnants of the earliest forms of life on the planet. New research by a team including five scientists from Carnegie’s Geophysical Laboratory and Department of Terrestrial Magnetism discovered that carbon samples taken from ancient Canadian rock formations are younger than the sedimentary rocks surrounding them, which were formed at least 3.8 billion years ago. Their results, published online May 15 by Nature Geoscience, indicate that the carbon contained in such ancient rocks should not be assumed to be as old as the rocks, unless it can be shown to have had the same metamorphic history as the host rock.
Night sky satellite luminescence images used to estimate economic levels
(PhysOrg.com) -- Applying statistical analysis to a truly inspirational idea, economic researchers Xi Chen and William D. Nordhaus used nighttime satellite images taken by the U.S. Department of Defense over the period 1992-2008 to gauge the economic vitality of regions of the Earth that have little to no reliable sources of information to indicate how a country or region is doing; going on the assumption that lots of bright city lights generally indicates a lot of economic activity.
Japanese geologist finds oldest known micrometeorite
(PhysOrg.com) -- Japanese geologist Tetsuji Onoue, of Kagoshima University, after studying chert rock (a form of microcrystalline quartz) he’d taken from Ajiro Island off the southern coast of Honshu, Japan, has discovered the oldest known bits of space dust to have fallen on the Earth. At an estimated age of 240 million years old, the microscopic iron rich spheroids, are some 50 million years older than any other space dust ever found on Earth.
Technology news
Winklevosses taking Facebook case to top US court
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are taking their beef against Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg to the US Supreme Court.
Apple, Google to attend hearing on mobile privacy
US lawmakers have invited Apple, Facebook and Google to attend a hearing on mobile phones and privacy on Thursday -- the second Capitol Hill appearance in a week for executives from Apple and Google.
Leaked memo shows Hewlett-Packard CEO jitters
(AP) -- A leaked memo from Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Leo Apotheker warning of "another tough quarter" underscores the urgent concerns about the technology heavyweight's growth strategy and the challenges facing its new leader.
Customer satisfaction with AT&T, T-Mobile drops
(AP) -- Sprint Nextel Corp., once dead last in customer satisfaction among the Big 4 national wireless carriers, now has the happiest subscribers, along with long-time leader Verizon Wireless, according to a survey released Tuesday.
HP cuts outlook on services revamp, slow PC sales
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. is bracing for weaker financial results this year as it overhauls its services business to undo what its CEO described as years of neglect under his predecessor.
Google launches $3 billion debt offering
Google Inc. added to its cash hoard Monday by issuing $3 billion in corporate debt at low interest rates. It's the first time Google has tapped the corporate bond market for money.
Sound safety: Novel device with rock 'n' roll roots may protect listeners
Engineers investigating "listener fatigue" -- the discomfort and pain some people experience while using in-ear headphones, hearing aids and other devices that seal the ear canal from external sound--have found not only what they believe is the cause, but also a potential solution.
US Navy recruits gamers to help in piracy strategy
The US Navy is turning to the wisdom of the crowd to forge military strategy, inviting the public to join an online game in which Somali pirates have hijacked commercial ships.
'Sighted' wheelchair tested
Research on an electric wheelchair that can sense it's environment and transmit information to a person who is visually impaired, has been tested at Lulea University of Technology, Sweden. Daniel Innala Ahlmark, a prospective graduate student in the research project, and himself visually impaired, dared to make the first public test.
Technology companies on a hiring binge again
The 20 recruiters sized up Scott Mersy as they would a star high school running back. But instead of timing his 40-yard dash or checking his percentage of body fat, they were interested in his stats in cloud computing and online marketing.
Dell profit jumps as computer maker cuts costs
(AP) -- Personal computer maker Dell Inc. says its profit nearly tripled during its fiscal first quarter as its revenue inched upward and it cut costs.
FCC, FTC seek explanations on phone location data
(AP) -- Federal regulators are joining the growing list of public officials demanding answers from Apple Inc. and Google Inc. about the extent to which mobile devices track the location of their users and store detailed histories of their movements.
Netflix video 'king' of US Internet traffic: study
Films and television shows streamed online by Netflix amount to nearly 30 percent of the content racing downstream on the US Internet during peak periods, according to a study released Tuesday.
LED bulbs hit 100 watts as federal ban looms
Two leading makers of lighting products are showcasing LED bulbs that are bright enough to replace energy-guzzling 100-watt light bulbs set to disappear from stores in January.
Which technologies get better faster?
Some forms of technology — think, for example, of computer chips — are on a fast track to constant improvements, while others evolve much more slowly. Now, a new study by researchers at MIT and other institutions shows that it may be possible to predict which technologies are likeliest to advance rapidly, and therefore may be worth more investment in research and resources.
LinkedIn raises IPO ante amid high investor demand
Investors are clamoring to connect with the online networking service LinkedIn Corp. in the latest sign of the fervor for Internet companies that specialize in bringing together people with common interests.
Better passwords get with the beat
No password is 100% secure. There are always ways and means for those with malicious intent to hack, crack or socially engineer access to a password. Indeed, there are more and more websites and databases compromised on a seemingly daily basis. A new approach to verifying passwords that also takes into account the speed with which a user types in their login and the gaps between characters would render a stolen password useless.
Researchers develop hardware encryption for new computer memory technology
Security concerns are one of the key obstacles to the adoption of new non-volatile main memory (NVMM) technology in next-generation computers, which would improve computer start times and boost memory capacity. But now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new encryption hardware for use with NVMM to protect personal information and other data.
The world's smallest 3D printer
A research project at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) could turn futuristic 3D-printers into affordable everyday items.
Researchers use innovative data collection method -- A video by Dutch band C-Mon & Kypski
Researchers at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have adopted an innovative data collection method for their latest work in the area of computer vision—a music video created by the Dutch progressive-electro band C-Mon & Kypski. Individual frames from the band's recent video for its song "More is Less" served as a unique visual database for the Courant researchers' work to develop computer vision technology.
Medicine & Health news
Miniature ventilator may help COPD patients improve mobility
A miniature, easy-to-carry ventilation system with a simple nasal mask may help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) become more active, according to research conducted at medical centers in California and Utah. The compact design offers an attractive alternative to currently available larger, less comfortableventilators and masks.
Propranolol associated with improvement in size and color of head and neck hemangiomas in children
The beta-blocker propranolol appears to be associated with reducing the size and color of hemangiomas of the head and neck in a pediatric population, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
Medical schools failing to teach the necessary legal skills to practice medicine
Most medical students feel they lack the skills and legal knowledge required to challenge poor clinical practice and promote better patient care, reveals research published ahead of print in the Journal of Medical Ethics.
Contrast agent guidelines help prevent debilitating disorder
A simple blood test may help prevent a serious complication associated with a contrast agent commonly used in MRI exams, according to a study published in the July issue of Radiology.
Halving the radiation dose in cardiac perfusion imaging is now 'feasible'
A reduction by half in the radiation dose to which cardiac patients are exposed during diagnostic perfusion imaging is now "feasible", according to an Israeli study.
Can art therapy soothe angry mothers?
Art therapy could be the perfect medium to help soothe women who may face a rollercoaster of extreme emotions during and after their pregnancy, according to new University of Derby research.
Baby born without a heartbeat, but her medical team was delivering a miracle
Christy Strobel arrived at Arnot Ogden Medical Center to be induced into labor on April 14, 2010. But when she was hooked up to the monitors, all plans changed and Christy was rushed into the operating room for an emergency c-section. Mike, her husband and Elmira radio personality, didn’t even make it into the room in time to see his daughter’s arrival.
Patients who see preferred doctor less likely to go for emergency hospital admission
A new study led by the University of Leicester has concluded that being able to see the GP of your choice in a doctor's surgery helps to reduce emergency hospital admissions.
Smoking ban reduces emergency room admissions
Workplace smoking bans are gaining ground globally, and one study has shown that they may have significant health effects. The study, conducted by researchers in Dublin, found that emergency room admissions due to respiratory illness dropped significantly in Ireland after the implementation of a workplace smoking ban, compared to admissions that took place before the ban went into effect.
Building confidence increases short-term exercise gains in COPD patients
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more likely to increase physical activity on a day-to-day basis when exercises classes are combined with a confidence-building program, according to researchers from Michigan and Illinois. Those improvements, however, are only short-term and patients return to their original levels of activity once the confidence-building program ends, the study found.
Abortions generate $95 million a year for Polish doctors as women use illegal private sector
New analysis published by the UK journal Reproductive Health Matters shows that the criminalisation of abortion in Poland has led to the development of a vast illegal private sector with no controls on price, quality of care or accountability. Since abortion became illegal in the late 1980s the number of abortions carried out in hospitals has fallen by 99%. The private trade in abortions is, however, flourishing, with abortion providers advertising openly in newspapers.
Young adults, teens prefer rapid HIV testing
Teens and young adults prefer rapid HIV testing that can deliver results in less than an hour, but some still worry about whether their tests will be confidential, according to a new study published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Researchers offer hope to prolapse sufferers
Scientists in Scandinavia have found a new way to treat sufferers of pelvic organ prolapse. Presented in the New England Journal of Medicine, their study reveals that the use of synthetic mesh can have a more beneficial effect on patients than traditional surgery. The team, led by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, says synthetic mesh not only restores genital anatomy but can also provide more efficient symptom relief.
New book explores stem cell therapies for heart disease
A new book edited by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the Stony Brook University School of Medicine provides a comprehensive look at the science and application of cellular therapies aimed at the leading cause of death---heart disease. "Regenerating the Heart: Stem Cells and the Cardiovascular System" (Humana Press) is edited by Glenn Gaudette, associate professor of biomedical engineering at WPI, and Ira Cohen, professor of physiology and biophysics at Stony Brook.
A virus similar to herpes could be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis
The Epstein-Barr (EVB) virus –belonging to the herpesviruses family, which also includes the herpes simplex virus and the cytomegalovirus– is one of the environmental factors that might cause multiple sclerosis, a condition affecting the central nervous system, which causes are unknown.
Queen's scientists teaming up to cure premature baby blindness
Scientists from the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen's University Belfast are teaming up to develop a cure to an illness that can lead to blindness in premature babies, thanks to funding from children's charity Action Medical Research.
CHEO Research Institute develops secure protocol for data disclosure
It is important for health care providers to report health issues, such as influenza outbreaks, to public health authorities. But there is evidence of a reluctance to share patient data for public health purposes due to concerns for both patient privacy and provider confidentiality. Dr. Khaled El-Emam and his research team at the CHEO Research Institute have developed a secure protocol and system that would solve this problem.
NJIT and UMDNJ license personal tonometer technology for innovative glaucoma testing
NJIT and UMDNJ have executed a license agreement with The Incubation Factory, St. Louis, MO, covering their personal tonometer technology on which a patent is pending. The tonometer was developed by a research team led by NJIT Professor Gordon Thomas, PhD, and Robert Fechtner, MD, director of the glaucoma division at UMDNJ. NJIT Associate Professor Tara Alvarez was a member of the research team.
Safety concerns about adulterated drug ingredients
Government regulators and pharmaceutical companies are moving to address a major new risk for the global supply of medicines: The possibility that unsafe ingredients are entering the supply chain as pharmaceutical companies increasingly outsource the production of drug ingredients to third parties. That's the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine.
FDA panel to weigh revoking key use of Abbott drug
(AP) -- A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will consider this week whether to revoke a key indication from Abbott's blockbuster cholesterol drug Trilipix.
Designer's play mat a touching story
A Monash industrial design student has developed an interactive play set which helps visually impaired children learn the basics of Braille and develop their motor skills.
Study shows pharmacies' software systems miss potentially dangerous interactions
A study conducted at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy found that only 28 percent of pharmacies' clinical decision support software systems – the computer programs that are in place to alert pharmacists to possible medication problems – correctly identified potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions.
Modern treatments for GERD effective at achieving long-term remission for most patients
In an evaluation of contemporary antireflux therapies for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), most patients who received treatment with either the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole or laparoscopic antireflux surgery achieved and remained in disease remission for 5 years, according to a study in the May 18 issue of JAMA.
Late-breaking clinical trials
Results from C91 "Late-Breaking Clinical Trials" on Tuesday afternoon, May 17, will bring new light to clinical problems and potential treatments. While five examine possible new therapies for people with asthma (pregnant women), emphysema, lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), TB and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a sixth looks at the safety of physician- vs. nurse-led transport teams for critically ill patients.
Prenatal use of newer antiepileptic drugs not associated with increased risk of major birth defects
Use of newer-generation antiepileptic drugs, which are also prescribed for bipolar mood disorders and migraine headaches, during the first trimester of pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects in the first year of life among infants in Denmark, according to a study in the May 18 issue of JAMA. Older-generation antiepileptic drugs are associated with an increased risk of birth defects.
Economic factors associated with increase in closures of emergency departments
Over the last 20 years, the number of hospital emergency departments in nonrural areas in the U.S. has declined by nearly 30 percent, with for-profit ownership, location in a competitive market, low profit margin and safety-net status associated with an increased risk of emergency department closure, according to a study in the May 18 issue of JAMA.
What are the long term outcomes following stroke?
Despite the recognition of stroke as a major contributor to disability and mortality worldwide, little is known about the long-term outcomes among individuals who survive a stroke. In a research study reported by Charles Wolfe from King's College London and colleagues, the researchers examine outcomes for up to ten years in a cohort of people surviving their first-ever stroke in an inner city area of London, UK.
Setting up cervical cancer screening programmes in the developing world
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Groesbeck Parham from the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, and colleagues describe their Cervical Cancer Prevention Program, which has provided services to over 58,000 women over the past five years.
Tai chi helps prevent falls and improve mental health in the elderly
Tai chi has particular health benefits for older people, including helping to prevent falls and improving mental wellbeing, reveals a review published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Young drivers who take risks on the road have a greater risk of mental health problems
Young adults who take risks when driving are more likely to experience psychological distress, including mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, reveals research published ahead of print in Injury Prevention.
Video gaming teens sleep less: study
Teens who play a lot of video games are likely to sleep less than the eight to nine hours a night recommended for the age group, researchers said Monday.
Deer tick bacteria DNA in joint fluid not reliable marker of active lyme arthritis
New research shows that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA—the spirochetal bacteria transmitted by deer ticks—in joint fluid may confirm the diagnosis of Lyme arthritis, but is not a reliable indicator for active joint infection in patients whose arthritis persists after antibiotic therapy. Findings of this study are published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Big tobacco threatens to slash prices in Australia
The tobacco industry on Tuesday threatened to slash the price of cigarettes if Australia goes ahead with plans to introduce plain packaging, saying more people will end up smoking.
New statistical method could improve search for genes involved in common diseases
Recent breakthroughs in the analysis of genetic variation in large populations have led to the discovery of hundreds of genes involved in dozens of common diseases. Many of these discoveries were enabled by performing "meta-analysis," which combines information from multiple genetic studies in order to create even larger studies.
Vaccine protects from deadly Hendra virus
(Medical Xpress) -- CSIRO scientists have shown that a new experimental vaccine helps to protect horses against the deadly Hendra virus.
Couples-oriented programs found to boost healthy behaviors among African Americans
Intervention programs that promote healthier eating, increased physical activity and cancer screenings may be beneficial for African American couples that are at high risk for chronic diseases and that include one partner who is HIV-positive, according to new research.
Breast cancer risk calculator updated for Asian-Americans
Researchers have developed a more accurate method for estimating breast cancer risk for Asian and Pacific Islander American (APA) women. Most current risk estimates rely on data from non-Hispanic white women, but researchers have now come up with a statistical model that more specifically assesses risk for American women who identify themselves as Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, or other Asian.
Breast cancer: A new treatment avenue identified
Canadian researchers at the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia have identified a new avenue for treating breast cancer.
A hearing aid you install yourself
Melbourne researchers have invented a small, smart, self-managed hearing aid that outperforms most conventional hearing aids for less than half the price.
Flu fighter: Physicist is working on faster identification of viruses to enable earlier treatment
When Zuzanna Siwy was growing up in Poland, she suffered often from the flu. “I was one of the wimpy children,” jokes the UC Irvine associate professor of physics & astronomy.
Egyptian princess was first person with diagnosed coronary artery disease
The coronary arteries of Princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon - as visualised by whole body computerised tomography (CT) scanning - will feature in two presentations at the International Conference of Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging (ICNC) this week in Amsterdam (15-18 May). ICNC is now one of the world's major scientific event in nuclear cardiology and cardiac CT imaging.
New understanding of chronic otitis media may inform future treatment
In most children with chronic otitis media, biofilms laden with Haemophilus influenzae cling to the adenoids, while among a similar population suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, that pathogen is usually absent, according to a paper in the April 2011 Journal of Clinical Microbiology. This has major implications for treatment of chronic otitis media.
Researchers identify new dental cavity-causing species
A team of scientists from Boston has confirmed that the bacterium Streptococcus mutans is a primary culprit in early childhood caries (EEC) cavities on the first set of teeth, and has identified a new species of bacterium, Scardovia wiggsiae, which they suspect is also a major contributor. They report their findings in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
A 'brain wave' test for schizophrenia risk?
There is a significant need for objective tests that could improve clinical prediction of future psychosis.
Fine line between serial seducer and sex addict: experts
French politician and International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrested in New York Saturday for attempted rape, has long trailed a reputation among France's cognoscenti as an ardent womanizer.
Treatment of chronic low back pain can reverse abnormal brain activity and function
It likely comes as no surprise that low back pain is the most common form of chronic pain among adults. Lesser known is the fact that those withchronic pain also experience cognitive impairments and reduced gray matter in parts of the brain associated with pain processing and the emotional components of pain, like depression and anxiety.
True love may wait -- but waiting won't make you a safer lover later on
Whether sex education focuses only on abstinence or teaches students about contraception and other topics as well, it all shares one main message: Wait. In abstinence-only, students are exhorted to wait for sex until they're married. In "comprehensive" or "abstinence-plus," the idea is to delay sexual relations until... later.
Most common form of inherited intellectual disability may be treatable
Advancements over the last 10 years in understanding intellectual disability (ID, formerly mental retardation), have led to the once-unimaginable possibility that ID may be treatable, a review of more than 100 studies on the topic has concluded. It appears in ACS Chemical Neuroscience.
International effort mapping a pathway to generate renewable antibodies
In the first study of its kind to date, an international group of scientists including Drs. Tony Pawson and Karen Colwill at Mount Sinai Hospital and Drs. Dev Sidhu and Aled Edwards at the University of Toronto have highlighted the power of renewable antibody technologies to create precise reagents for use in biomedical research -- a methodology that will help accelerate scientists' understanding of all the proteins coded in the human genome.
Obstructive sleep apnea linked to cancer growth in mice
A new study links the intermittent interruption of breathing that occurs in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to enhanced proliferation of melanoma cancer cells and increased tumor growth in mice, according to researchers in Spain. The study also found tumor cells of OSA mouse models tended to contain more dead cells, indicating a more aggressive type of cancer.
Real nature beats technological stand-ins for human well-being
As our environment degrades and technology improves, can technological versions of nature become suitable replacements?
Rigorous study confirms video game playing increases food intake in teens
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 18% of US teens are obese. Although most experts agree that our growing obesity "epidemic" is driven by both inadequate physical activity and excessive caloric intake, implementing solutions is extraordinarily difficult. One area that has caught the attention of health researchers is the observation that trends in video game playing parallel obesity rates on a population basis. Furthermore, several studies have documented a positive association between how much time a child plays video games and his or her chance of being obese. However, correlation does not necessarily imply causality, and controlled intervention studies are required to test whether playing video games causes children to increase their food intake and/or decrease their energy expenditure. In the first such study of this kind, Canadian and Danish researchers tested their hypothesis that video game playing is accompanied by increased spontaneous food intake.
Researchers discover underlying mechanisms of skin hardening syndromes
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have discovered new details about the underlying mechanisms of skin hardening syndromes. The team connected pharmacological properties of the Novartis Pharma AG drug called balicatib to the skin disorder for the first time after investigating adverse reactions suffered by patients participating in a clinical trial for the treatment of osteoporosis. These findings appear online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Experimental treatment offers relief from painful prostate condition
New findings show that treatment with a specific alpha blocker helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).
Cockroach allergens in homes associated with prevalence of childhood asthma in some neighborhoods
In New York City, the prevalence of asthma among children entering school varies by neighborhood anywhere from 3% to 19%, and children growing up within walking distance of each other can have 2-3 fold differences in risk for having asthma. In the first comprehensive effort to understand what drives these localized differences, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health compared the household presence of cockroach, mouse, cat, dust mite and other allergens in neighborhoods with a high prevalence of asthma to that in low-prevalence neighborhoods. They found that cockroach, mouse and cat allergens were significantly higher in homes located in neighborhoods where asthma is more common and that children in these higher-exposure homes were more likely to be sensitized to cockroach antigens.
Simple face masks could significantly prevent spread of TB to non-infected patients
Face masks worn by patients infected with tuberculosis (TB) may be able to significantly cut transmission rates to non-infected patients, according to a new study by researchers from the U.S. and South Africa. The study was conducted in a specialized airborne infections research facility in South Africa, which was designed to allow study of methods to control the spread of TB. Transmission rates were measured using healthy guinea pigs exposed to infected patients.
Vitamin A, beta carotene pregnancy supplements do not appear to reduce maternal, infant death risk
Although some evidence suggests that prevention of vitamin A deficiency among women in developing countries may improve maternal and infant survival, pregnant women in rural Bangladesh who received vitamin A or beta carotene supplementation in a randomized trial did not have a lower rate of all-cause maternal, fetal, or infant death, compared to women who received placebo, according to a study in the May 18 issue of JAMA.
Revisiting ADHD and Ritalin
Fifteen years ago, Dr. Lawrence H. Diller, a pediatrician from Walnut Creek, Calif., ignited a national debate over the steep rise in children being diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and treated with stimulant medication.
Seniors' sex lives are up -- and so are STD cases
Across the nation, and especially in communities that attract a lot of older Americans, the free-love generation is continuing to enjoy an active - if not always healthy - sex life.
Can lifestyle counselling prevent adverse outcomes in pregnant women at high risk?
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Riitta Luoto and colleagues from the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, and University of Tampere, Finland, evaluate whether lifestyle interventions can reduce the risk of high birthweight babies and gestational diabetes amongst pregnant women at high risk for these outcomes.
Smokers' genetic background impacts brain opioid receptors, smoking relapse
Nearly everyone who has tried to quit smoking says it's incredibly difficult, and the struggle is due in part to genetic factors. Now, a new study from the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania sheds light on how one specific genetic risk for smoking relapse may work: Some of the difficulties may be due to how many receptors, called "mu opioid" receptors, a smoker has in his or her brain. The results, published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may lead to the development of new treatments that target these receptors and help smokers increase their chances of success when they try to quit.
Deprivation and neglect found to age children's chromosomes
Studies in institutionalized Romanian children have found that the length of time spent in conditions of social deprivation and neglect correlates with lower IQ and behavioral problems. A new study, led by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Tulane University, shows that early adversity even affects children's chromosomes – prematurely shortening the chromosome tips, known as telomeres, and hastening how quickly their cells "age."
Roots of memory impairment, resulting from sleep deprivation, identified
(Medical Xpress) -- From high-school students to surgeons, anyone who has pulled an all-nighter knows there is a price to be paid the next day: trouble focusing, a fuzzy memory and other cognitive impairments. Now, researchers at Penn have found the part of the brain and the neurochemical basis for sleep deprivation’s effects on memory.
Clubbers can smell a good nightspot
Since the smoking ban in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, customers are more aware of unpleasant smells, such as body odors and the smell of old beer, that used to be masked by cigarette smoke. Now science is looking at how the introduction of pleasant ambient scents that hide unwanted odors might enhance the nightlife experience. According to Dr. Hendrik Schifferstein from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and his colleagues, carefully selected fragrances can enhance dancing activity, improve the overall perception of the evening, and improve how nightclub goers rate the music as well as their mood. Their findings were just published online in Springer's journal Chemosensory Perception.
Coffee may reduce risk of lethal prostate cancer in men
Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. What's more, the lower risk was evident among men who drank either regular or decaffeinated coffee.
New blood test shows how long you will live
(Medical Xpress) -- A controversial test capable of revealing just how long you have to live is set to hit the market in Britain within the year. The test measures a person's telomeres which are the structures found on the tips of chromosomes and researchers believe that these telomeres are crucial indicators of the speed in which a body is ageing.
That anxiety may be in your gut, not in your head
For the first time, researchers at McMaster University have conclusive evidence that bacteria residing in the gut influence brain chemistry and behaviour.
Biology news
What makes leaves sprout in the spring?
If you’re in the lower latitudes of Canada right now, take a look outside. Most trees are in the process of sprouting their 2011 crop of leaves. Only a few weeks ago, they appeared barren – now there is an explosion of new life.
Mysterious purse-web spiders rediscovered and photographed in South Africa
A team of researchers from the University of the Free State in South Africa (René Fourie and Charles Haddad) and the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Belgium (Rudy Jocqué) discovered very poorly known purse-web spiders of the genus Calommata in Africa. Four of the species described are new to science. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Mitigating mummy berry disease of blueberry
Blueberries may be nutritional powerhouses, but some types are no match for the fungus Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi, which causes "mummy berry" disease.
Study finds removal of roadside salt pools can protect salt-toothed moose from crossing roads
Country roadways can be hazardous for moose and men. According to estimates, millions of vehicles collide with moose, elk and caribou in North America and Europe each year. Moose, in particular, venture to roadsides to lick the salt pools that collect following pavement deicing.
Molecular technique advances soybean rust resistance research
A new tool is available to select for soybean rust resistance in breeding populations, said Glen Hartman, University of Illinois professor of crop sciences and USDA-ARS scientist. Hartman and his team of researchers successfully used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) assays to assess fungal DNA in soybean leaf tissue to quantify the level of resistance in individual plants with resistance to soybean rust.
There's no magic number for saving endangered species
A new study offers hope for species such as the Siberian Tiger that might be considered 'too rare to save', so long as conservation efforts can target key threats.
World's oldest panda, 34, dies in China
Ming Ming, the world's oldest panda, has died of old age, Chinese state media reported on Tuesday. She was 34.
New protein could prove powerful target for cholesterol lowering drugs
A protein has been discovered that may have a profound effect on cholesterol metabolism. That discovery raises the possibility that the protein, dubbed IDOL, could be a powerful target for cholesterol-lowering drugs, says corresponding author Peter Tontonoz of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of California, Los Angeles. The research is published in the May 2011 edition of the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Heads or tails? Worm with abundant ability to regenerate relies on ancient gene to make decisions
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most people don’t think worms are cool. But the tiny flatworm that Northwestern University scientist Christian Petersen studies can do something very cool indeed: it can regenerate itself from nearly every imaginable injury, including decapitation. When cut in half, it becomes two worms.
Stem cell study could pave the way to treatment for age-related muscle wasting
A team led by developmental biologist Professor Christophe Marcelle has nailed the mechanism that causes stem cells in the embryo to differentiate into specialised cells that form the skeletal muscles of animals' bodies. The scientists published their results in the British journal Nature on Monday (May 16).
Genomic archeology reveals early evolution of sex chromosomes
A team from Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, is using genomics to shed light on the early evolutionary history of sex chromosomes. The research is published in the April 2011 Eukaryotic Cell.
Cool species can take the heat
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two scientists from Simon Fraser University and one from Deakin University (DU) in Australia have made a discovery that is overturning conventional wisdom about how land and marine animals react to heat.
Understanding a bacterial immune system one step at a time
Researchers at the University of Alberta have taken an important step in understanding an immune system of bacteria, a finding that could have implications for medical care and both the pharmaceutical and dairy industries.
Sodium channels evolved before animals' nervous systems, research shows
An essential component of animal nervous systems—sodium channels—evolved prior to the evolution of those systems, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.
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