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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 24, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Stanford computer scientists find Internet security flaw- Teaching algae to make fuel
- What makes an image memorable? We tend to remember pictures of people much better than wide open spaces
- Physicists devise new way to analyze a bloody crime scene
- Google backs wind energy in California desert
- Bacteria use caffeine as food source
- Biochemists reveal new twist on old fuel source
- Microsoft unveils Windows Phone update 'Mango'
- Bat researchers discover new species on St. Vincent island
- Androgenetic species of clam utilizes rare gene capture
- How tiny microbes took a big bite out of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
- New deep space vehicle to be based on Orion: NASA
- Population genetics reveals shared ancestries
- Mathematically ranking ranking methods
- I-maginary Phone: iPhone as a hand phone? (w/ video)
Space & Earth news
Image: Return to Earth
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 27 Commander Dmitry Kondratyev and Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli and Cady Coleman in a remote area southeast of the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.
Predicting future for beaches
Researchers have begun a project to create the first global tool to forecast how changes in wave patterns and rising sea levels will affect Australian beach erosion.
X-SAT beams images back to Singapore
Singapore's first locally-built micro-satellite in space, X-SAT, has started to transmit images back to Singapore.
Unprecedented photo op for shuttle-space station
(AP) -- In an unprecedented cosmic photo shoot Monday, a departing spaceship snapped close-up glamour pictures of the space shuttle Endeavour attached to the International Space Station.
Flights grounded as ash cloud reaches Britain
Airlines halted dozens of flights on Tuesday after a plume of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland blew over Britain, even forcing US President Barack Obama to revise his travel plans.
ISS astronauts land safely in Kazakhstan
A Soyuz capsule brought back Italian, Russian and American astronauts from the International Space Station on Tuesday, with two of the space-suit clad crew phoning home from the Kazakh steppe.
Expanded VLA flexing new scientific muscle
A new and uniquely powerful tool for cutting-edge science is emerging on the crisp, high desert of western New Mexico. Outwardly, it looks much the same as the famed Very Large Array (VLA), a radio telescope that has spent more than three decades on the frontiers of astronomical research. The 27 white, 230-ton dish antennas still peer skyward, the 72 miles of railroad track still wait to transport the antennas across the arid plains, the familiar buildings remain, and crews still fan out across the desert to service the antennas.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Songda singing of rain and gusty winds for the Philippines
"Rainy days and Mondays" is the song that the residents of the northern Philippines do not want to hear if it involves the approaching Tropical Storm Songda. The Carpenters song was a hit, but a hit from Songda is making residents of the Philippines nervous as NASA's Aqua satellite has been watching the progression and intensification of the storm over the last several days.
NASA's twin craft arrive in Florida for moon mission
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's twin lunar probes have arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch in late summer. The two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory spacecraft (Grail) were shipped from Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, to the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., Friday, May 20. NASA's dynamic duo will orbit the moon to determine the structure of the lunar interior from crust to core and to advance understanding of the thermal evolution of the moon.
Satellites monitor Icelandic ash plume
(PhysOrg.com) -- As Iceland's Grímsvötn volcano spews ash high into the atmosphere, satellite observations are providing essential information to advisory centres assessing the possible hazards to aviation.
Rice-made memory chips headed to space
Rice University will send an experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. If all goes perfectly, it will be precisely the same when it returns two years later.
Feuding helium dwarfs exposed by eclipse
Researchers at the University of Warwick have found a unique feuding double white dwarf star system where each star appears to have been stripped down to just its helium.
Repeat deadly storms 'unusual but not unknown'
(AP) -- Weather experts said it's unusual for deadly tornadoes to develop a few weeks apart in the U.S. But what made the two storm systems that barreled through a Missouri city and the South within the last month so rare is that tornadoes took direct aim at populated areas.
Two Greenland glaciers lose enough ice to fill Lake Erie
A new study aimed at refining the way scientists measure ice loss in Greenland is providing a "high-definition picture" of climate-caused changes on the island.
Report claims U.S. can curb carbon emissions while boosting domestic oil production
A report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The University of Texas at Austin urges the U.S. to accelerate efforts to pursue carbon capture and storage (CCS) in combination with enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a practice that could increase domestic oil production while significantly curbing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Want to make planets? Better hurry
Currently, astronomers have two competing models for planetary formation. In one, the planets form in a single, monolithic collapse. In the second, the core forms first and then slowly accretes gas and dust. However, in both situations, the process must be complete before the radiation pressure from the star blows away the gas and dust. While this much is certain, the exact time frames have remained another matter of debate. It is expected that this amount should be somewhere in the millions of years, but low end estimates place it at only a few million, whereas upper limits have been around 10 million. A new paper explores IC 348, a 2-3 million year old cluster with many protostars with dense disks to determine just how much mass is left to be made into planets.
Robots, astronauts and asteroids
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA has its sights set on asteroid exploration, which is just as tricky as it sounds. An asteroid has little gravitational force, which rules out walking on one. Anchoring to the surface is a solution, but because an asteroid comprises so many different materials even that is a challenge.
Astronauts to try spacewalk 'hokey pokey': NASA
US astronauts on Tuesday will try out a new set of exercises to prepare them for the change in pressure they encounter on their spacewalk outside the International Space Station, NASA said.
Universe's not-so-missing mass
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Monash student has made a breakthrough in the field of astrophysics, discovering what has until now been described as the Universe's 'missing mass'. Amelia Fraser-McKelvie, working within a team at the Monash School of Physics, conducted a targeted X-ray search for the matter and within just three months found it – or at least some of it.
Unusual earthquake gave Japan tsunami extra punch
The magnitude 9 earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 were like a one-two punch – first violently shaking, then swamping the islands – causing tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. Now Stanford researchers have discovered the catastrophe was caused by a sequence of unusual geologic events never before seen so clearly.
Kepler's astounding haul of multiple-planet systems
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Kepler spacecraft is proving itself to be a prolific planet hunter. Within just the first four months of data, astronomers have found evidence for more than 1,200 planetary candidates. Of those, 408 reside in systems containing two or more planets, and most of those look very different than our solar system.
How to learn a star's true age
(PhysOrg.com) -- For many movie stars, their age is a well-kept secret. In space, the same is true of the actual stars. Like our Sun, most stars look almost the same for most of their lives. So how can we tell if a star is one billion or 10 billion years old? Astronomers may have found a solution - measuring the star's spin.
Nearby supernova factory ramps up
(PhysOrg.com) -- A local supernova factory has recently started production, according to a wealth of new data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory on the Carina Nebula. This discovery may help astronomers better understand how some of the Galaxy's heaviest and youngest stars race through their lives and release newly-forged elements into their surroundings.
How tiny microbes took a big bite out of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
(PhysOrg.com) -- Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, seeps naturally from the seafloor in many places around the planet, including in the Gulf of Mexico.
New deep space vehicle to be based on Orion: NASA
NASA said Tuesday that a new spacecraft to ferry humans into deep space will be based on designs for the Orion crew exploration vehicle and built by Lockheed Martin.
NASA to abandon trapped rover Spirit
Spirit, the scrappy robot geologist that captivated the world with its antics on Mars before getting stuck in a sand trap, is about to meet its end after six productive years.
Technology news
Telecom gets nod for New Zealand broadband
New Zealand's largest telecoms company Telecom Corp. won a contract Tuesday to build most of the government's NZ$3.0 billion ($2.4 billion) ultra-fast broadband network, officials said.
Photovoltaic invention brings inventor acclaim
(PhysOrg.com) -- An invention by a South Dakota State University engineer could improve alternative energy technologies by making it easier for scientists to test new devices.
European neo-Nazi websites find home in US
(AP) -- The website is awash with neo-Nazi symbolism and even sarcastically refers to the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp as Austria's largest open-air museum.
Sarkozy: Gov'ts must regulate the Internet
(AP) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday that governments need to lay down and enforce rules in the digital world - even as they need to foster creativity and economic growth with the Internet.
Louisiana Tech computer scientist pens first cyber data mining reference book
Dr. Sumeet Dua, the Upchurch Endowed Professor of Computer Science and coordinator of information technology research at Louisiana Tech University, has co-authored the first reference book focusing on cyber data mining and machine learning.
Overly easy to steal cargo from transport networks
Each year, billions of euros worth of goods are being stolen from European transport networks. A discouraged transport and logistics sector has more or less chosen to tolerate the problem. But there are solutions, according to Dr Luca Urciuoli, researcher in Engineering Logistics at Lund University, Sweden, who recently published a PhD thesis on the subject.
New micro gyro technology for DARPA to be developed
The Georgia Institute of Technology, in partnership with Northrop Grumman Corporation, has been selected to develop a new type of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) gyroscope technology for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Microscale Rate Integrating Gyroscope program.
'Food in the Fridge' hack wins top prize at Yahoo! competition
Most college students wouldn’t need a digital app to tell them what’s in their refrigerators, since the answer is usually “not much.”
Imec and Atrenta develop exploration flows for 3D ICs
Atrenta Inc., a leading provider of SoC Realization solutions for the semiconductor and electronic systems industries, in collaboration with imec’s 3D integration IIAP (industrial affiliation program), have jointly developed an advanced planning and partitioning design flow for heterogeneous 3D stacked ICs. Imec and Atrenta will be demonstrating this flow at the Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Diego, CA from June 6 – 8, 2011.
Efficiency record of combined cycle power plant
A new Siemens gas turbine operated in a combined cycle with a steam turbine in Irsching, Bavaria, has set a world record for efficiency, making it an outstanding example of green technology. The net efficiency of 60.75 percent achieved during the test run even surpassed the target value of 60 percent; the previous generation of the turbine had an efficiency of 58.5 percent. The new turbine is designed to generate 400 megawatts (MW) alone and 600 MW when combined with a steam turbine.
Smart software for self-regulating smart grid
Siemens and the utility company Allgauer Uberlandwerk (AUW) in the city of Kempten, Germany, are testing the smart grids of the future. The tests focus on optimized power distribution and the use of a self-organizing energy automation system for efficient network operation. To test a smart grid in practice, Siemens, AÜW, the RWTH university in Aachen, and Kempten College have together agreed to conduct a two-year project called "Irene" (Integration of renewable energies and electric mobility), which receives funding from Germany’s Ministry of Economics.AÜW’s plans call for incorporating many photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and biogas facilities into its distribution network northeast of Kempten, and for creating a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. The electric vehicles will serve as energy storage systems that can offset peak loads by feeding electricity into the grid if necessary in order to stabilize the power network.
Yahoo ready to deliver on promise to upgrade email
(AP) -- Yahoo Inc. is giving its popular email service a long-promised facelift in an attempt to make it more appealing to people who are increasingly using Facebook, Twitter, Google and other online alternatives to communicate.
First guilty plea in US online poker case
The American president of a Costa Rica-based company is facing up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally processing payments for Internet poker firms.
S. Korea to step up security against cyber attacks
South Korea said Tuesday it will step up IT security within the government to fend off cyber attacks from North Korea, which it has accused of mounting a series of strikes in recent years.
Yandex poised for $1.3 bln Nasdaq debut: report
Russian Internet giant Yandex is set to raise $1.3 billion in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq on Tuesday, exceeding expectations, the New York Times reported.
Key Internet summit to discuss online rules
The world's most powerful Internet and media barons gathered in Paris on Tuesday in a show of strength to leaders at the G8 summit, amid rows over online copyright, regulation and human rights.
Yandex up sharply on Wall Street debut
Yandex shares rose sharply on Tuesday as Russia's top Internet portal and leading search engine made its debut on Wall Street.
Home-computer users at risk due to use of 'folk model' security
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most home computers are vulnerable to hacker attacks because the users either mistakenly think they have enough security in place or they don’t believe they have enough valuable information that would be of interest to a hacker.
Ford develops heart rate monitoring seat
Ford engineers have developed a car seat that can monitor a driver’s heartbeat, opening the door to a wealth of health, convenience and even life-saving potential.
California: Aggressive efficiency and electrification needed to cut emissions
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the next 40 years, California's population is expected to surge from 37 million to 55 million and the demand for energy is expected to double. Given those daunting numbers, can California really reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, as required by an executive order? Scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who co-wrote a new report on California's energy future are optimistic that the target can be achieved, though not without bold policy and behavioral changes as well as some scientific innovation.
China has over 900 million mobile phone users
China had more than 900 million mobile phone subscribers at the end of April with nearly two-thirds of the world's most populous nation using cellular technology, the government said Tuesday.
Deal finally struck on stress tests for Europe's reactors
European nations Tuesday finally struck a deal on stress tests to be carried out from next month on the continent's reactors, EU diplomats and European Commission sources said.
Media boss Murdoch rallies Internet for education
Media baron Rupert Murdoch on Tuesday urged Internet companies to pull out the stops in developing digital education programmes to revolutionise the world's classrooms.
Long-delayed Duke Nukem videogame hits in June
The 15-year wait for the return of videogame tough guy "Duke Nukem" will end in June, 2K Games promised on Tuesday.
Cox to shut down own wireless network, use Sprint
(AP) -- Cox Communications, the country's third-largest cable company, says it will shut down the wireless network it launched just seven months ago.
More Sony websites hacked, 8,500 Greek accounts hit
Sony on Tuesday said its websites in three countries had been hacked with 8,500 Greek user accounts compromised, in a blow to efforts to restore confidence after a huge data breach affecting millions.
3-D printers make replicas of cuneiform tablets
Today's Assyriology scholars study Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform tablets with the help of digital photographs or handwritten copies of the texts, but ideally, they visit collections to see the tablets firsthand.
Microsoft unveils Windows Phone update 'Mango'
Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its mobile phone software and new handset partners on Tuesday as it seeks to claw back market share from Apple and Google.
Google backs wind energy in California desert
Google on Tuesday said it is investing $55 million into a California wind energy farm, raising to $400 million the amount of money the technology giant has pumped into clean energy projects.
The blackbox in your car
(PhysOrg.com) -- It is expected that within the next month officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will declare that all cars must have an event data recorder inside the vehicle.
Stanford computer scientists find Internet security flaw
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the Stanford Security Laboratory create a computer program to defeat audio captchas on website account registration forms, revealing a design flaw that leaves them vulnerable to automated attacks.
What makes an image memorable? We tend to remember pictures of people much better than wide open spaces
Next time you go on vacation, you may want to think twice before shooting hundreds of photos of that scenic mountain or lake.
Medicine & Health news
Most children with head injuries are seen in hospitals not equipped to treat them
More than four fifths of children who turn up at emergency departments with head injuries in the UK are seen in hospitals which would have to transfer them if the injury was serious, reveals a study published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Surge in parents taking kids with common medical problems to emergency care
The number of children taken to emergency care departments with common medical problems has risen sharply over the past decade, reveals a study published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Better scheduling of admissions can reduce crowding at children's hospitals
Too many admissions at a hospital at one time can put patients at risk. A new study published today in the Journal of Hospital Medicine suggests that "smoothing" occupancy over the course of a week could help hospitals reduce crowding and protect patients from crowded conditions. The strategy involves controlling the entry of patients, when possible, to achieve more even levels of occupancy instead of the peaks and troughs that are commonly encountered.
Frequent moderate drinking of alcohol is associated with a lower risk of fatty liver disease
In a large study of men in Japan, the presence of fatty liver disease by ultrasonography showed an inverse ( reduced risk) association with the frequency of moderate alcohol consumption; however, there was some suggestion of an increase in fatty liver disease with higher volume of alcohol consumed per day. Moderate drinkers had lower levels of obesity than did non-drinkers, and both obesity and metabolic abnormalities were positively associated with fatty liver disease.
Lifestyle counseling and glycemic control in patients with diabetes: True to form?
Electronic medical records (EMRs) have been in use for more than 30 years, but have only increased in utilization in recent years, due in part to research supporting the benefits of EMRs and federal legislation. As EMRs have become a standard in medical care, there is a need for additional research of how the system and usage can be refined. A group of researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital have done just that, and discovered that one way false information can make its way into EMRs is due to users' reliance on copying and pasting material within the patient's record. These findings are published in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
New Chlamydia test shows type of infection
A new Chlamydia test can quickly and easily demonstrate the subtype (serovar) of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis a person is infected with. This has important clinical implications, because some Chlamydia subtypes, that particularly appear in homosexual men, need longer treatment with antibiotics. So far, it was not possible to demonstrate with one test only which subtype of Chlamydia trachomatis a person is infected with. Moreover, the new testing method is less time consuming than before. Koen Quint studied the new test in his PhD research project. The newly developed test is now commercially available. If there is no need to test the subtype, the test may also be used only to show whether someone is infected with Chlamydia. Koen Quint will defend his PhD thesis on Thursday, May 26 at VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
IUPUI study first to look at early treatment of depression to reduce heart disease risk
Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and an Indiana University Center for Aging Research affiliated scientist, has received a $110,000 grant from the American Heart Association to explore whether treatment of depression before one experiences a heart attack can reduce the likelihood of future heart disease.
Medicare improved Canadian doctors' salaries: study
U.S. doctors might find that their incomes start to rise – not decline – when Barack Obama's healthcare reforms are put in place says a Queen's University School of Medicine professor.
Kids dependent on long-term ventilation require longer, more expensive hospital care
Despite significant technological improvements, children reliant on long-term mechanical ventilation often require extensive additional care, including costly hospital stays and emergency visits.
No health card means no family doctor for many homeless people
For every year a person is homeless, the odds of them having a family doctor drop by 9 per cent, according to a report by St. Michael's Hospital and Street Health.
'Genetic predisposition' argument in Canadian courts may diminish influence of other factors
Using genetic predisposition as a factor in medical conditions presented in Canadian legal cases may diminish the impact of occupational, environmental and social factors in determining health claims, particularly workplace claims, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Sleep deprivation in doctors
Sleep deprivation is an issue that affects practising physicians and not only medical residents, and we need to establish standards for maximum work and minimum uninterrupted sleep to ensure patient safety, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Aboriginal children less likely to receive kidney transplants
Aboriginal children with kidney failure were less likely to receive a kidney transplant compared to white children, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Can text messaging improve medication adherence?
Text messaging and adolescents don’t always mix well, but researchers at National Jewish Health hope text messages can spur teenagers to take their asthma medications more reliably. The study is testing whether health information and medication reminders via text message will boost adolescent’s adherence to asthma medication regimens.
New study aims to improve long-term treatment for patients with bipolar disorder
Patients with bipolar disorder may be eligible for a new clinical research study comparing two medications -- quetiapine (Seroquel), a widely prescribed second-generation antipsychotic mood-stabilizing medication, and lithium, the gold-standard mood stabilizer.
Higher levels of primary care physicians in area associated with favorable outcomes for patients
Medicare beneficiaries residing in areas with higher levels of primary care physicians per population have modestly lower death rates and fewer preventable hospitalizations, according to a study in the May 25 issue of JAMA.
Certain biomarkers appear to increase risk of death for elderly patients with heart failure symptoms
Elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure and increased concentrations in the blood of the biomarker copeptin, or a combination of elevated concentrations of copeptin and the biomarker NT-proBNP, had an associated increased risk of all-cause death, according to a study in the May 25 issue of JAMA.
Medical students have substantial exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing
Medical students in the United States are frequently exposed to pharmaceutical marketing, even in their preclinical years, and the extent of their contact with industry is associated with positive attitudes about marketing and skepticism towards any negative implications. These findings from research led by Kirsten Austad and Aaron S. Kesselheim from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, published in this week's PLoS Medicine, suggest that strategies to educate students about interactions with the pharmaceutical industry should directly address widely-held misconceptions about the effects of marketing.
Migration an overlooked health policy issue: New series
If internal and international migrants comprised a nation, it would be the third most populous country in the world, just after China and India. Thus, there can be little doubt that population mobility is among the leading policy issues of the 21st century. However, policies to protect migrants and global health have so far been hampered by inadequate policy attention and poor international coordination. This is the conclusion of a new article in PLoS Medicine arguing that current policy-making on migration and health has been conducted within sector silos, which frequently have different goals. Yet, population mobility is wholly compatible with health-promoting strategies for migrants if decision-makers coordinate across borders and policy sectors, say the authors, who are also serving as guest editors of a new series in PLoS Medicine on migration & health that launches this week.
Cultured men are happier and healthier
Men who visit art galleries, museums, and the theatre regularly tend to enjoy better health and are more satisfied with life, reveals a study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Researchers find protein breakdown contributes to pelvic organ prolapse
A gynecologist and a molecular biologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center have collaborated to show for the first time that pelvic organ prolapse – a condition in which the uterus, bladder or vagina protrude from the body – is caused by a combination of a loss of elasticity and a breakdown of proteins in the vaginal wall.
Millions of girls lost to selective abortion in India: study
Sex selection of foetuses in India has led to 7.1 million fewer girls than boys up to age six, a gender gap that has widened by more than a million in a decade, according to a study released Tuesday.
Weill Institute researchers uncover basic cell pathway
Although all cells in an organism have the same DNA, cells function differently based on the genes they express. While most studies of gene expression focus on activities in the cell's nucleus, a new Cornell study finds that processes outside the nucleus -- along the cell membrane -- also play important roles in gene expression.
Seeking to prevent asthma, scientists ponder 'Good' and 'Bad' bacteria
(Medical Xpress) -- To identify asthma risks, scientists are focusing their DNA sequencers not just on the genes of stricken individuals, but also on genes than aren’t even human. They’re looking for life forms we can’t even see. Within us these organisms – bacteria, mostly – vastly outnumber the cells of our own bodies. Researchers are tracking down bacterial genes to find out what species have colonized us.
Diabetics at higher risk of tuberculosis infection, researchers find
People with diabetes have a three to five times higher risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB) than non-diabetics, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
PET scans predict effectiveness of treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in HIV patients
With the deficiencies in knowledge of tuberculosis -- as well as in the practices, programs and strategies used to combat the disease and co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -- the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis poses a major problem for the health care community. Research in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, however, shows that the use of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) scans can help to determine earlier if treatment for tuberculosis is working or if the disease is MDR.
Suspected deadly E. coli outbreak in Germany
German authorities reported Tuesday three suspected deaths from a strain of the E. coli bacterium and warned more were likely because of a "scarily high" number of new infections.
WHO puts back decision on smallpox virus samples
After two days of dispute over the future of smallpox virus samples, member states of the World Health Organization decided Tuesday to postpone their negotiations on the issue for three years.
At the forefront of optogenetics
(Medical Xpress) -- In the last couple of years scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have developed new strategies to stimulate individual brain cells with light. Optogenetic technologies were named "Method of the Year" by the leading scientific journal Nature Methods in 2010. FMI scientists not only apply this to meet their biomedical needs but refine the tool as well. A recent publication in PNAS is further testimony to this distinctive expertise at the FMI.
Researchers reveal PAX gene's role in cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Otago researchers have uncovered further evidence that PAX genes − members of a small family of genes that play important roles in embryonic development – also allow cancer cells to grow and divide in adult tissue.
Chilean soapbark tree may hold key to reducing rotavirus deaths
A natural additive used to make foam in soft drinks also may help prevent the sometimes-deadly rotavirus infection in children or reduce its severity, a University of Texas at Arlington biology professor says in a research paper to be published in June.
People are visual detectives
The house keys in a kitchen drawer full of mess. Or that one small piece of paper with notes on a table laden with other papers. In a brief glance, in a tenth of a second, people can determine if an object sought is present in a collection of other objects. We can do that because in a flash our brain calculates the probability of the object concerned being found among other things. This is the conclusion of Dutch researcher Ronald van den Berg who published his findings this week in the scientific journal Nature Neuroscience.
Brisk walking could improve prostate cancer outcomes
Men with prostate cancer can improve their outcomes if they walk briskly for at least three hours a week following their diagnosis, according to a recent study in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Study finds widening gap between distracted driving and legislation
Cell phone distractions account for more than 300,000 car crashes each year. As a result, most states have put laws in place to limit or prohibit the use of things like cell phones and PDAs while driving. But a new study led by Temple University finds a widening gap between the evidence on distracted driving and the laws being passed to address the problem.
Your culture may influence your perception of death
Contemplating mortality can be terrifying. But not everyone responds to that terror in the same way. Now, a new study which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds cultural differences in how people respond to mortality. European-Americans get worried and try to protect their sense of self, while Asian-Americans are more likely to reach out to others.
New protein linked to Alzheimer's disease
After decades of studying the pathological process that wipes out large volumes of memory, scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research discovered a molecule called c-Abl that has a known role in leukemia also has a hand in Alzheimer's disease. The finding, reported in the June 14th issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, offers a new target for drug development that could stave off the pathological disease process.
Why people with schizophrenia may have trouble reading social cues
Understanding the actions of other people can be difficult for those with schizophrenia. Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered that impairments in a brain area involved in perception of social stimuli may be partly responsible for this difficulty.
Competing treatments comparable for sudden hearing loss
A relatively new treatment for sudden hearing loss that involves injecting steroids into the middle ear appears to work just as well as the current standard of oral steroids, a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and other institutions suggests. The findings, published in the May 25 Journal of the American Medical Association, could lead to more options for the 1 in 20,000 people who suffer from this often baffling and disabling condition each year.
Atrial fibrillation associated with increased risk of death and cardiovascular events in women
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have found that among women who are mostly healthy, those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation have an increased risk of death when compared to women without atrial fibrillation. These findings are published in the May 25, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
New made-in-Canada therapy for bladder cancer shows promising results
Clinical trials for a new bladder cancer therapy show promising interim results. Lead researcher Alvaro Morales says that the breakthrough using the drug Urocidin follows thirty years of his research in this important area.
Heart failure risk lower in women who often eat baked/broiled fish
The risk of developing heart failure was lower for postmenopausal women who frequently ate baked or broiled fish, but higher for those who ate more fried fish, in a study reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Most authoritative ever report on bowel cancer and diet: Links with meat and fibre confirmed
(Medical Xpress) -- The most authoritative ever report on bowel cancer risk has confirmed that red and processed meat increase risk of the disease and concluded that the evidence that foods containing fibre protect against bowel cancer has become stronger.
H1N1 study shows closing schools, other measures effective
Schools were closed, restaurants shuttered and large public gatherings cancelled.
Happy guys finish last, says new study on sexual attractiveness
Women find happy guys significantly less sexually attractive than swaggering or brooding men, according to a new University of British Columbia study that helps to explain the enduring allure of "bad boys" and other iconic gender types.
Improving health assessments with a single cell
(Medical Xpress) -- There's a wealth of health information hiding in the human immune system. Accessing it, however, can be very challenging, as the many and complex roles that the immune system plays can mask the critical information that is relevant to addressing specific health issues. Now, research led by scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has shown that a new generation of microchips developed by the team can quickly and inexpensively assess immune function by examining biomarkers—proteins that can reflect the response of the immune system to disease—from single cells.
Bipolar disorder: Mind-body connection suggests new directions for treatment, research
A new study by motor control and psychology researchers at Indiana University suggests that postural control problems may be a core feature of bipolar disorder, not just a random symptom, and can provide insights both into areas of the brain affected by the psychiatric disorder and new potential targets for treatment.
Basic understanding of geometry not dependent on education: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, psychologist Veronique Izard from the Universite Paris Descartes and her colleagues show how abstract geometric principles are understood despite a lack of formal education.
Population genetics reveals shared ancestries
More than just a tool for predicting health, modern genetics is upending long-held assumptions about who we are. A new study by Harvard researchers casts new light on the intermingling and migration of European, Middle Eastern and African and populations since ancient times.
New drug stops aggressive form of childhood leukemia
In a significant breakthrough, investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, San Francisco, have been able to overcome resistance of a form of leukemia to targeted therapy, demonstrating complete eradication of the cancer in cell and animal studies.
The healing power of hydrogen peroxide
New information has come to light explaining how injured skin cells and touch-sensing nerve fibers coordinate their regeneration during wound healing. UCLA researchers Sandra Rieger and Alvaro Sagasti found that a chemical signal released by wounded skin cells promotes the regeneration of sensory fibers, thus helping to ensure that touch sensation is restored to healing skin. They discovered that the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, which is found at high concentrations at wounds, is a key component of this signal.
Researchers show reduced ability of the aging brain to respond to experience
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have published new data on why the aging brain is less resilient and less capable of learning from life experiences. The findings provide further insight into the cognitive decline associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. The study is published in the May 25 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
Biology news
BIOTRACER model tackles Salmonella
Protecting consumers from contaminated foods is one of the most important objectives of the EU. Helping drive this effort is the BIOTRACER ('Improved bio-traceability of unintended microorganisms and their substances in food and feed chains') project, which received EUR 11 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Program (FP6) to probe the main sources of contamination.
Beyond the barn: Keeping dairy cows outside is good for the outdoors
Computer simulation studies by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests that a dairy cow living year-round in the great outdoors may leave a markedly smaller ecological hoofprint than its more sheltered sisters.
New scanner takes images inside and out
From fossilized brachiopods, fish lungs and iPhones to mouse hearts and habanero chilies, Cornell's micro-CT (computer tomography) scanner provides spectacular and colorful 3-D datasets from the inside out.
Sardines and horse mackerel identified using forensic techniques
A team of researchers from Galicia in Spain have used forensic mitochondrial DNA species identification techniques to distinguish between sardines and horse mackerel. This method makes it possible to genetically differentiate between the fish, even if they are canned or processed, which makes it easier to monitor the degree to which fisheries resources are being exploited.
The role of bacteria in weather events
Researchers have discovered a high concentration of bacteria in the center of hailstones, suggesting that airborne microorganisms may be responsible for that and other weather events. They report their findings today at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in New Orleans.
Rethinking extinction risk?
For more than 40 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has published the Red List of Threatened Species describing the conservation status of various species of animals. They are now also including plants in their lists and the picture they present is dramatic. According to recent estimates, around 20 per cent of flowering plants are currently at risk of extinction – though the exact number is unknown since such a small proportion of plant species has even been measured.
Dual parasitic infections deadly to marine mammals
A study of tissue samples from 161 marine mammals that died between 2004 and 2009 in the Pacific Northwest reveals an association between severe illness and co-infection with two kinds of parasites normally found in land animals. One, Sarcocystis neurona, is a newcomer to the northwest coastal region of North America and is not known to infect people, while the other, Toxoplasma gondii, has been established there for some time and caused a large outbreak of disease in people in 1995.
Study shows how external ecological communities can affect the coevolution of hosts and their parasites
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a novel experiment running over three years, evolutionary biologists Christopher Harbison and Dale Clayton, both of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, sought to show that a certain species of lice evolved the way it did, in part due to the way it’s hosts evolved; while another species of lice on the same hosts, did not. By studying two different types of lice that live in the feathers of doves and pigeons, the two researchers, as described in their paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) show that one of the lice species had a similar evolutionary history to its host, while the other did not, due to its inability to migrate to other birds.
Flowering plant found at record 4,505m in Swiss alps
A flowering plant has been found at an altitude of above 4,505 metres (14,780 feet) on the central Swiss alps -- a European record, Basel University said Tuesday.
Androgenetic species of clam utilizes rare gene capture
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, biologist David Hillis from the University of Texas shows how the freshwater Corbicula clam utilizes rare gene capture to avoid the accumulation of mutations in their androgenetic lines.
Bat researchers discover new species on St. Vincent island
(PhysOrg.com) -- At first glance, the bat captured in St. Vincent looked like a common type found in South America.
Bacteria use caffeine as food source
A new bacterium that uses caffeine for food has been discovered by a doctoral student at the University of Iowa. The bacterium uses newly discovered digestive enzymes to break down the caffeine, which allows it to live and grow.
Teaching algae to make fuel
Many kinds of algae and cyanobacteria, common water-dwelling microorganisms, are capable of using energy from sunlight to split water molecules and release hydrogen, which holds promise as a clean and carbon-free fuel for the future. One reason this approach hasn’t yet been harnessed for fuel production is that under ordinary circumstances, hydrogen production takes a back seat to the production of compounds that the organisms use to support their own growth.
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