Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 16, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Exploring tessellations beyond Escher- Messenger orbital data confirm theories, reveal surprises
- Unusual gamma-ray flash may have come from star being eaten by massive black hole
- World's first 3D plasmon ruler: Taking the 3-D measure of macromolecules
- You can take it with you: Transfer open applications between computer, cellphone with a snapshot
- Latest EPOXI findings on Comet Hartley 2 published
- First ever single crystal metallic glass created under 25 gigapascals of pressure
- Scientists identify protein that improves DNA repair under stress
- Plants teach humans a thing or two about fighting diseases
- 2-D photos spring to 3-D life
- Equipois Inc sells lightweight robot arms to space human labor (w/ video)
- How much do binary stars shape planetary nebulae?
- Researchers link chromosome region to thoracic aortic disease
- Scientists learn how horseweed shrugs off herbicide
- Lyme disease bacteria take cover in lymph nodes
Space & Earth news
Landsat 5 satellite helps emergency managers fight largest fire in Arizona history
The largest fire in the history of the state of Arizona continues to burn and emergency managers and responders are using satellite data from a variety of instruments to plan their firefighting containment strategies and mitigation efforts once the fires are out.
Solar Dynamics Observatory detects superfast solar waves moving at 2,000 km/sec
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument on board NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), have detected quasi-periodic waves in the low solar corona that travel at speeds as high as 2,000 kilometers per second (4.5 million miles per hour). These observations provide, for the first time, unambiguous evidence of propagating fast mode magnetosonic waves at such high speeds in the Sun’s low atmosphere. Dr. Wei Liu, a Stanford University Research Associate at the Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL) at the company’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto, presented the findings today at the annual meeting of the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society, in Las Cruces, N.M. A paper detailing the discovery has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Engineers troubleshoot instrument on Cassini craft
NASA says an instrument aboard the Cassini spacecraft studying Saturn and its moons is temporarily out of service.
Iran to put a monkey into space: report
Iran plans to send a live monkey into space in the summer, the country's top space official said after the launch of the Rassad-1 satellite, state television reported on its website on Thursday.
The Port of Athens was once an island
Piraeus, the main port of Athens, was an island from 4 800 – 3 400 BC, in other words 4 500 years before the Parthenon was built on the Acropolis. This discovery was made by a French-Greek team led by Jean-Philippe Goiran, a CNRS researcher, who studied and dated sediments collected in the Piraeus area. The research was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the Universities of Athens, Paris 1 and Paris Ouest, and is published in the June 2011 issue of the journal Geology.
Creatures not adapting to environmental changes in Antarctic, study finds
Organisms found in the Antarctic region are not quick to adapt to changes in the environment, new international research shows. The study, carried out by 200 scientists from 15 countries, is the culmination of a 7-month expedition on board the Polarstern vessel of the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) for Polar and Marine Research in the German-based Helmholtz Association.
Ovation for a stellar senior
Residing in space 6500 light-years away in the constellation of Cepheus, an aged star designated as IRAS 22036+5306 is making its final curtain call. Its stellar play is ending and its making the transition through the protoplanetary, or preplanetary, nebula phase. This isn’t an unusual occurrence, but considering we’ve only been able to witness perhaps a few hundred such events out of the millions of stars we’ve observed – it is a rare visual example. Behold a red giant turning into a white dwarf...
Volcano ash turns Asian eclipse blood red
(AP) -- Asian and African night owls were treated to a lunar eclipse, and ash in the atmosphere from a Chilean volcano turned it blood red for some viewers.
Landsat 5 satellite sees Mississippi River floodwaters lingering
In a Landsat 5 satellite image captured June 11, 2011, flooding is still evident both east and west of the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Miss. Standing water is most apparent, however, in the floodplain between the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers north of Vicksburg.
Spectacular Hubble View of Centaurus A
(PhysOrg.com) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced a close-up view of the galaxy Centaurus A. Hubble’s out-of-this-world location and world-class Wide Field Camera 3 instrument reveal a dramatic picture of a dynamic galaxy in flux.
Lunar eclipse turns moon blood red
The longest lunar eclipse in more than a decade turned the moon blood red on Thursday, yielding a rare visual treat for stargazers across a large swathe of the planet from Australia to Europe.
A green ring fit for a superhero
(PhysOrg.com) -- This glowing emerald nebula seen by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is reminiscent of the glowing ring wielded by the superhero Green Lantern. In the comic books, the diminutive Guardians of the Planet "Oa" forged his power ring, but astronomers believe rings like this are actually sculpted by the powerful light of giant "O" stars. O stars are the most massive type of star known to exist.
Scientists find out what fear looks like from space
(PhysOrg.com) -- While most of us could find no better use for Google Earth than checking out a holiday destination, scientists in Sydney have shown it can reveal a lot about the behaviour of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef.
Countering contamination for Mars spacesuits
To search for life on Mars, future astronauts would naturally want to step outside their living habitat for a walk. But the spacesuits keeping them alive might also carry Earth microbes or ingredients of life that could contaminate the red planet and complicate the search for extraterrestrial life.
How much do binary stars shape planetary nebulae?
Planetary nebulae come in a dazzling array of shapes, from spherical shells of gas, to blobby structures barely containing symmetry at all. Controversy has surrounded the cause for this diversity. Could it be magnetic fields, high rotation rates, unseen companions, or something else entirely? Recently, there has been a growing consensus that binary companions are the main culprit for the most irregular of these nebulae, but exploring the connection is only possible with a statistically significant sample of planetary nebulae with binary cores can be found, giving hints as to what properties they may, or may not, create.
Pentagon dreams of Star Trek interstellar travel
The Defense Department first proposed Star Wars. Now it wants Star Trek.
Unusual gamma-ray flash may have come from star being eaten by massive black hole
A bright flash of gamma rays observed March 28 by the Swift satellite may have been the death rattle of a star falling into a massive black hole and being ripped apart, according to a team of astronomers led by the University of California, Berkeley.
Latest EPOXI findings on Comet Hartley 2 published
Comet Hartley 2, is in a hyperactive class of its own compared to other comets visited by spacecraft, says a University of Maryland-led study published in the June 17 issue of the journal Science.
Messenger orbital data confirm theories, reveal surprises
On March 18, 2011, the MESSENGER spacecraft entered orbit around Mercury to become that planet's first orbiter. The spacecraft's instruments are making a complete reconnaissance of the planet's geochemistry, geophysics, geologic history, atmosphere, magnetosphere, and plasma environment. MESSENGER is providing a wealth of new information and some surprises. For instance, Mercury's surface composition differs from that expected for the innermost of the terrestrial planets, and Mercury's magnetic field has a north-south asymmetry that affects interaction of the planet's surface with charged particles from the solar wind.
Technology news
A national push for energy innovation
In a spirited talk at MIT, former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm presented a plan for a bipartisan initiative that she said could help the United States regain a world leadership role in the creation of new clean-energy technologies — and the thousands of new jobs that those technologies could provide.
Toshiba's new technology cuts phase noise in oscillation ICs for wireless communication
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has developed noise reduction technology that reduces jitter in radio-frequency signals, cutting phase noise by up to 90 percent. This breakthrough opens the way for a further migration to high-speed wireless communication chips for wireless LAN and WiMAX.
Turning hot air into energy savings
A team of students from the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside have been selected for a $15,000 grant from the EPA to develop a system could cut electricity bills up to 16 percent by using heat from the sun and attic to operate a clothes dryer.
Toshiba's SCiB rechargeable battery selected for new electric vehicles
Toshiba Corporation today announced that its SCiB battery has been selected by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to power two new models of electric vehicles (EV), the i-MiEV and MINICAB-MiEV. The SCiB is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable lithium-ion battery that combines high levels of safety with a long life, rapid charging and excellent charging and output at very low temperatures, characteristics that make it highly suited to application in EV.
Assange says WikiLeaks work hampered
(AP) -- After six months under virtual house arrest, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange acknowledged Thursday that his detention is hampering the work of the secret-spilling site. His supporters accused Britain of subjecting him to "excessive and dehumanizing" treatment.
Indian, Pakistani companies win green energy awards
Two Indian companies which recycle waste products into sources of power and a Pakistani firm that fits energy-saving devices in homes were on Thursday honoured with major green energy awards.
HP sues Oracle as tech big shots' animosity grows
Hewlett-Packard Co. has sued its friend-turned-foe Oracle Corp. in another sign of how badly the relationship between the information technology big shots has frayed.
Poll on Facebook users reveals unexpected results
Contrary to popular opinion, social network users actually do have real lives. According to a poll published on Thursday by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, Facebook users are more trusting, have more close friends and are more politically engaged.
Yahoo! helps find smartphone 'apps'
Yahoo! has begun helping people navigate the sea of applications available for Apple iPhones or mobile gadgets powered by Google-backed Android software.
Sony's Music Unlimited comes to Android
Sony has released an app making its Music Unlimited online streaming available on smartphones running Google's Android system, amid growing competition from Amazon and Apple in cloud-based services.
uFSRFE: Stretchable electronics report how you feel
(PhysOrg.com) -- Electronics that can be bent and stretched might sound like science fiction. But Uppsala researcher Zhigang Wu, working with collaborators, has devised a wireless sensor that can stand to be stretched. For example, the sensor can measure intensive body movements and wirelessly send information directly to a computer. The findings are now being presented in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
Don't stop anonymizing data
Canadian privacy experts have issued a new report today that strongly backs the practice of de-identification as a key element in the protection of personal information. The joint paper from Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, and Dr. Khaled El Emam, the Canada Research Chair in Electronic Health Information at the University of Ottawa and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, comes as some privacy policy makers increasingly question the value of de-identification.
German hackers convicted of stealing Lady Gaga songs
Two young hackers were convicted in Germany Thursday of stealing new songs from stars such as Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey and offering them for sale on the Internet, a court said.
China's Alibaba splits online shopping unit Taobao
China's largest e-commerce company Alibaba Group announced Thursday it has split its consumer online shopping platform Taobao into three firms to adapt to an increasingly competitive landscape.
Germany opens cybersecurity centre
Germany's interior minister opened Thursday a new cybersecurity centre to protect the country's infrastructure from what he said was a growing menace posed by hackers.
Pandora's stock retreats to below IPO price
(AP) -- Buyer's remorse already may be setting in for some investors in Internet radio station Pandora Media.
IBM succession chatter heats up near anniversary
(AP) -- As IBM turns 100 this year, the anniversary coincides with another milestone: CEO Sam Palmisano is turning 60, the typical age at which an IBM CEO retires.
Hackers talk their way into computers
Cyber crooks are avoiding the need for slick software skills by talking their way past computer defenses with old-fashioned telephone calls.
Wireless 'breadcrumbs' that won't become toast when baked... or soggy when hosed
When Hansel and Gretel ventured into the forest, they left a trail of breadcrumbs to find their way home. In today's world, cellular phones, Global Positioning System (GPS), WiFi, and Bluetooth are the digital signals that connect us to friends, family, and colleagues while helping us find our location and map our routes.
Research In Motion posts lower 1Q earnings
(AP) -- BlackBerry smartphone maker Research In Motion said Thursday that its net income and revenue declined in the latest quarter, hurt by lower demand amid the economic slowdown and product delays.
Hackers claim hit on CIA website (Update 2)
A hacker group was brazenly ramping up its antics as waves of cyberattacks targeting even the US spy agency expose how poorly defended many networks are against Internet marauders.
For a pioneer of technology, 100 years of 'Think'
Google, Apple and Facebook get all the attention. But the forgettable everyday tasks of technology - saving a file on your laptop, swiping your ATM card to get 40 bucks, scanning a gallon of milk at the checkout line - that's all IBM.
Citigroup says 360,000 affected by hackers
Hackers stole account information of more than 360,000 of Citigroup Inc.'s U.S. credit card customers in a recent data breach, the bank said Wednesday, almost double the number initially thought.
LightSquared gets extension for GPS test results
Federal regulators have granted a Virginia company called LightSquared a two-week extension to report on recent tests that aimed to determine whether its proposed high-speed wireless broadband network would cripple GPS systems around the country.
2-D photos spring to 3-D life
You’re interested in purchasing a car you’ve seen on the web. It’s the right make, model and vintage. It seems to be in great shape, and it’s just the right color. The price seems reasonable. So what’s the problem?
Equipois Inc sells lightweight robot arms to space human labor (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Ford Motor Co. truck plant in Louisville, Ky., is now the home to a super sized 800-pound robotic arms. They are currently used to bolting together parts during assembly. These arms, once the pinnacle of robotics technology are being replaces by a slender robot arm that can be controlled by a finger.
Renesas creates a near-field wireless communication with no battery use
(PhysOrg.com) -- Renesas Electronics Corp has announced the development of a near-field wireless communication technology that can transmit data to Bluetooth- and wireless LAN-compatible devices without the use of a battery. The system instead makes use of the electricity generated by environmental radio waves.
'Ultrawideband' could be future of medical monitoring
New research by electrical engineers at Oregon State University has confirmed that an electronic technology called "ultrawideband" could hold part of the solution to an ambitious goal in the future of medicine – health monitoring with sophisticated "body-area networks."
Noninvasive brain implant could someday translate thoughts into movement
(PhysOrg.com) -- A brain implant developed at the University of Michigan uses the body's skin like a conductor to wirelessly transmit the brain's neural signals to control a computer, and may eventually be used to reactivate paralyzed limbs.
You can take it with you: Transfer open applications between computer, cellphone with a snapshot
Have you ever found yourself looking up directions on your computer just before running out the door, only to end up retyping the same addresses and mapping the same route on your phone minutes later? A new system designed by Tsung-Hsiang Chang, a graduate student in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Google’s Yang Li makes it much easier to transfer computing tasks between devices. Simply take a photo of your computer screen with your smartphone’s camera, and the phone automatically opens up the corresponding application in the corresponding state. The same process can also work in reverse, moving data from the phone to a desktop computer.
Medicine & Health news
Video: Teaching kids about healthy eating, active living
Penn State Outreach, along with researchers from the colleges of medicine, health and human development and agricultural sciences, are building relationships with children and their parents in the Bald Eagle Area School District in Centre County, Pa., in hopes of combating childhood obesity.
Probiotic drinks help against allergies
Probiotic drinks such as Yakult and Vivit can alleviate the symptoms of pollen allergies, says Wageningen UR PhD scholar Yvonne Vissers. They do this by diminishing the amounts of certain proteins that cause hay fever. The probiotic drinks also stimulate the manufacture of allergy-inhibiting substances. Particularly good results were obtained with Lactobacillus plantarum lactic acid bacteria. Vissers describes her findings in the thesis she defended on Friday 10 June.
Music therapy helps patients cope with illness, regain health
In the months since the shooting that left Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords with a critical brain injury, music therapy has been a key to her recovery.
How do mood and stress affect our sex lives?
A new study by Macquarie University hopes to get between the sheets with thousands of Australians to ask the question - does being in a good mood put you in the mood? Psychology PhD student Miriam Forbes will conduct a series of online surveys to find out exactly what the relationships are between low mood, stress, and sexual problems.
New invention promises reduced pain injections
(Medical Xpress) -- A ground-breaking invention, which promises reduced pain for dental injections, has won a major national innovation award for its Newcastle University creators.
FDA adds heart warning to Pfizer anti-smoking pill
(AP) -- Federal health regulators are warning doctors and patients that Pfizer's anti-smoking drug Chantix may slightly increase the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
Why disparities in dental care persist for African-Americans even when they have insurance coverage
African Americans receive poorer dental care than white Americans, even when they have some dental insurance coverage. To better understand why this is so, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the College of Dental Medicine, surveyed African American adults with recent oral health symptoms, including toothaches and gum disease. Their findings provide insights into why disparities persist even among those with dental insurance and suggest strategies to removing barriers to dental care.
Medical societies respond to the FDA's safety announcement on the use of Actos
Diabetes leaders today are responding to the announcement made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday that the use of the diabetes medication Actos (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. According to the FDA's Safety Announcement, information about this risk will be added to the Warnings and Precautions section of the label for pioglitazone-containing medicines. The patient Medication Guide for these medicines will also be revised to include information on the risk of bladder cancer.
Fortifying corn masa flour with folic acid could prevent birth defects, March of Dimes says
Fortifying corn masa flour with the B vitamin folic acid could prevent more serious birth defects of the brain and spine in the Hispanic community, according to a March of Dimes commentary published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Pfizer anti-smoking drug has heart risks: US
US regulators said Thursday that the label on Pfizer's anti-smoking drug Chantix must be changed to warn of a slightly higher risk of heart problems in patients who already have cardiovascular disease.
New interactive website helps parents keep teen drivers safe
Summer is the most dangerous time of year for teen drivers, with nearly twice as many teens dying on America's roads each day compared to the rest of the year. But a new online program helps parents keep their teens safe as they gain experience driving without adult supervision.
Long-term use of vitamin E may cut COPD risk
Long-term, regular use of vitamin E in women 45 years of age and older may help decrease the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by about 10 percent in both smokers and nonsmokers, according to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Depressed, pregnant women receive inconsistent treatment, have longer hospital stays
Pregnant women who screen positive for depression are unlikely to receive consistent treatment, researchers say.
Children as young as 10 vomit to lose weight, with highest rates in boys
Children as young as ten are making themselves vomit in order to lose weight and the problem is more common in boys than girls, according to a study of nearly 16,000 school pupils published online early, ahead of print publication, by the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Latest vaccine study supports immune targeting of brain tumors
An experimental vaccine developed by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute targets overactive antigens in highly aggressive brain tumors and improves length of survival in newly diagnosed patients, according to new data that was presented in a poster session at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Roadmap published for dynamic mapping of estrogen signaling in breast cancer
The first roadmap to mathematical modeling of a powerful basic "decision circuit" in breast cancer has been developed and published in Nature Reviews Cancer.
Radionuclide treatment against small tumors and metastases
Medicine could very soon have a new ally in the fight against cancer: Terbium-161. Its most important weapon: Conversion and Auger electrons. Researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen have developed a new treatment method based on terbium-161 to treat smaller tumors and metastases in a more targeted way. The nuclide was produced at the TUM's research neutron source. In cooperation with the Paul Scherrer Institute it has been tested on cancer cells successfully.
Pregnancy-related depression linked to eating disorders and abuse histories
One in 10 women experience depression during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. Although the problem has received increased attention in recent years, little is known about the causes or early-warning signs of pregnancy-related depression. In a study published in the June 2011 issue of Journal of Women's Health, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine offer new clues to help doctors identify at-risk patients and refer them to treatment early on.
When warming up for the cycling race, less is more
Coaches, physiologists and athletes alike will attest to the importance of warming up before athletic competition. Warming up increases muscle temperature, accelerates oxygen uptake kinetics and increases anaerobic metabolism, all of which enhance performance. However, the question of how long and strenuous a warm-up should be is more contentious, with some in the sports community advocating longer warm-ups and others espousing shorter ones. Now researchers at the University of Calgary Human Performance Laboratory in Calgary, Alberta, Canada have found evidence indicating that less is more.
First diagnostic test for hereditary children's disease
A breakthrough in genetic research has uncovered the defect behind a rare hereditary children's disease that inhibits the body's ability to break down vitamin D. This discovery has led researchers to develop the first genetic and biochemical tests that positively identify the disease.
US Supreme Court allows cholesterol drug suit
The US Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a class-action suit by alleged victims of the anti-cholesterol drug Baycol, which was taken off the market in 2001 by German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer.
First patients enroll in US stem cell trials on blindness
The first clinical trials that examine the use of stem cells to treat two forms of blindness are ready to begin now that patients have been enrolled, a US company announced on Thursday.
New treatments for mental illness under threat
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have voiced their serious concerns over major pharmaceutical companies’ abrupt withdrawal from research into mental illness and neurological diseases.
Energy drinks linked to substance use in musicians, study shows
(Medical Xpress) -- Frequent use of energy drinks is associated with binge drinking, alcohol-related social problems and misuse of prescription drugs among musicians, according to researchers at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions.
Could wholegrain foods aid our immune systems?
University of Reading researchers are looking for volunteers for a new study which will examine the effects of wholegrain cereals on the immune system.
Walking, sex and spicy food are favored unprescribed methods to bring on labor
More than half of the women in a recently published survey reported that near the end of their pregnancies, they took it upon themselves to try to induce labor, mostly by walking, having sex, eating spicy food or stimulating their nipples.
France recalls hamburgers after E. coli scare
(AP) -- French health authorities ordered a recall of hamburger patties sold by a German supermarket chain after seven children were infected by the E. coli bacteria, though officials ruled out Thursday any link between the infections and a deadly outbreak of the virus in neighboring Germany.
How many US deaths are caused by poverty, low levels of education and other social factors?
How researchers classify and quantify causes of death across a population has evolved in recent decades. In addition to long-recognized physiological causes such as heart attack and cancer, the role of behavioral factors—including smoking, dietary patterns and inactivity—began to be quantified in the 1990s. More recent research has begun to look at the contribution of social factors to U.S. mortality. In the first comprehensive analysis of such studies, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that poverty, low levels of education, poor social support and other social factors contribute about as many deaths in the U.S. as such familiar causes as heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer.
Barrett's esophagus carries lower risk of malignancy than previously reported
Patients with Barrett's esophagus may have a lower risk of esophageal cancer than previously reported, according to a large, long-term study published online June 16 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Postnatal depression linked to depression in offspring until age 16
Fortunately, postnatal depression often resolves itself in the weeks following childbirth. But for mothers with more profound or prolonged postnatal depression the risk of subsequent development of depression in their children is strong. A recent study by Lynne Murray and colleagues published in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is the first to demonstrate that the effects of maternal depression on the likelihood of the child to develop depression may begin as early as infancy.
Low testosterone linked to varicoceles
As many as 15 percent of men have varicoceles, masses of enlarged and dilated veins in the testicles. There is new evidence that varicoceles, long known to be a cause of male infertility, interfere with the production of testosterone -- a crucial hormone to maintaining men's health.
Washington University surgeons successfully use artificial lung in toddler
Two-year-old Owen Stark came to St. Louis Children's Hospital in the summer of 2010 near death from heart failure and dangerously high blood pressure in his lungs.
Majority of consumers oppose wine in supermarkets, study reveals
A survey of wine drinkers conducted by the University at Buffalo School of Management has found that 54 percent say they are opposed to a New York State proposal to sell wine in supermarkets.
New sealant gel is effective in closing spinal wounds following surgery, study finds
A gel that creates a watertight seal to close surgical wounds provides a significant advance in the treatment of patients following spinal procedures, effectively sealing spinal wounds 100 percent of the time, a national multicenter randomized study led by researchers at UC Davis has found.
Hematologist discovers, names the 'Toms River' blood mutation in N.J. family
A newborn described as a "happy blue baby" because of her bluish skin color but healthy appearance made a small mark in medical history when one of her physicians discovered something new in her genes—the hemoglobin Toms River mutation.
CDC: 1 in 4 high schoolers drink soda every day
A new study shows one in four high school students drink soda every day - a sign fewer teens are downing the sugary drinks.
Ketamine helps see how the brain works in clinical depression
(Medical Xpress) -- In a new study published in Nature, Lisa Monteggia from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center looks at how the drug ketamine, typically used as an anesthetic or a popular recreational drug for its hallucinogenic affect, works in the brain to treat severe clinical depression.
Stillbirth risk affected by mother's sleep position
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a new study published in the British Medical Journal, Tomasina Stacey from the University of Auckland’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that women who do not sleep on their left side during the last nights of pregnancy increase their risk of stillbirth by twice as much.
Doctors devise method of testing blood pressure using ultrasound
(PhysOrg.com) -- In what can only be described as insightful, two doctors from The Netherlands, working with Italian imaging companies, have devised a means to use ultrasound to measure blood pressure. The technology, more known for peering into the womb to check on babies still growing in utero, should allow physicians to check the blood pressure of patients at literally any point in the body without subjecting them to uncomfortable or invasive procedures. The doctors, Nathalie Binjnens and Frans van de Voss from Eindhoven University of Technology, have published their results in the scientific journal Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology.
Heightened immunity to colds makes asthma flare-ups worse, research shows
People often talk about "boosting" their immunity to prevent and fight colds. Nutritional supplements, cold remedies and fortified foods claim to stave off colds by augmenting the immune system.
Does driving a Porsche make a man more desirable to women?
New research by faculty at Rice University, the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) and the University of Minnesota finds that men's conspicuous spending is driven by the desire to have uncommitted romantic flings. And, gentlemen, women can see right through it.
The war on microbes
The outbreak of a new foodborne bacterial strain wreaking havoc in Germany is a reminder of the fast-changing nature of microbes and the dangers they pose to society. University of Arizona researchers are developing innovative strategies to fight emerging germs threatening the food and health-care industry.
Weight at 18 linked to cancer in men decades later
(Medical Xpress) -- Public health researchers, based at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, have identified a link between men being overweight or obese at age 18 and death from cancer in later life. The study shows the link is apparent even if they reduce their weight during middle age.
How the immune system fights back against anthrax infections
Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have uncovered how the body's immune system launches its survival response to the notorious and deadly bacterium anthrax. The findings, reported online today and published in the June 22 issue of the journal Immunity, describe key emergency signals the body sends out when challenged by a life-threatening infection.
How we come to know our bodies as our own
By taking advantage of a "body swap" illusion, researchers have captured the brain regions involved in one of the most fundamental aspects of self-awareness: how we recognize our bodies as our own, distinct from others and from the outside world. That self-perception is traced to specialized multisensory neurons in various parts of the brain that integrate different sensory inputs across all body parts into a unified view of the body.
Imagination can influence perception
Imagining something with our mind's eye is a task we engage in frequently, whether we're daydreaming, conjuring up the face of a childhood friend, or trying to figure out exactly where we might have parked the car. But how can we tell whether our own mental images are accurate or vivid when we have no direct comparison? That is, how do we come to know and judge the contents of our own minds?
Lyme disease bacteria take cover in lymph nodes
The bacteria that cause Lyme disease, one of the most important emerging diseases in the United States, appear to hide out in the lymph nodes, triggering a significant immune response, but one that is not strong enough to rout the infection, report researchers at the University of California, Davis.
Researchers link chromosome region to thoracic aortic disease
Patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms that lead to acute aortic dissections are 12 times more likely to have duplications in the DNA in a region of chromosome 16 (16p13.1) than those without the disease, according to a study led by genetic researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
Biology news
Where have all the dodos gone?
Biology professor Beth Shapiro is one part laboratory scientist and one part Indiana Jones style adventurer, traveling to remote locations to find fossilized bones and eggshells of ancient animals and extract their ancient DNA for clues to their prehistoric past.
Breathing life into an extinct species: Ancient DNA cracks the case
The Vegas Valley Leopard Frog is the only North American frog officially considered to have gone extinct in recent history (c. 1942). But through the efforts of a multi-agency genetic investigation comprised of dedicated researchers from the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Fordham University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Arizona, Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Tulane University it has been discovered that the frog is not extinct, but genetically identical to a species located 250 miles away from Las Vegas.
Researcher uses computer science to solve a genetic puzzle
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hairong Wei is a molecular biologist who turned to his other passion -- computer science -- to remove a major research roadblock. His cross-disciplinary efforts have produced a new computer-based tool for rapidly and accurately identifying the transcription factors (regulatory genes) that work together to control a biological process or trait.
A grain of hope in the desert: Arabian oryx leaps back from near-extinction
(PhysOrg.com) -- The regal Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx), which was hunted to near extinction, is now facing a more secure future according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its wild population now stands at 1,000 individuals.
Old, large, living trees must be left standing to protect nesting animals: study
Old trees must be protected to save the homes of more than 1,000 different bird and mammal species who nest, says a new study from the University of British Columbia. Most animals can't carve out their own tree holes and rely on holes already formed. The study found that outside of North America, most animals nest in tree holes formed by damage and decay, a process that can take several centuries.
The complete map of the Germany E. coli O104 genome released
Building upon previous efforts producing a high-quality de novo genome assemblies of deadly 2011 E. coli O104:H4 outbreak strain (http://www.genomics.cn/en/news_show.php?type=show&id=651), the BGI and their collaborators at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf have now released the first complete map of the genome and plasmids without any assembly gaps. (genome publicly available at ftp://ftp.genomics.org.cn/pub/Ecoli_TY-2482/Escherichia_coli_TY-2482.chromosome.20110616.fa.gz and plasmids at ftp://ftp.genomics.org.cn/pub/Ecoli_TY-2482/Escherichia_coli_TY-2482.plasmid.20110616.fa.gz)
Environment for stem cell development engineered to control differentiation
Stem cell technologies have been proposed for cell-based diagnostics and regenerative medicine therapies. However, being able to make stem cells efficiently develop into a desired cell type -- such as muscle, skin, blood vessels, bone or neurons -- limits the clinical potential of these technologies.
Scientists develop a fatty 'kryptonite' to defeat multidrug-resistant 'Super bugs'
"Super bugs," which can cause wide-spread disease and may be resistant to most, if not all, conventional antibiotics, still have their weaknesses. A team of Canadian scientists discovered that specific mixtures of antimicrobial agents presented in lipid (fatty) mixtures can significantly boost the effectiveness of those agents to kill the resistant bacteria. This discovery was published online in The FASEB Journal.
The sweet growth of plant cells
An international collaboration team unravels the fundamental role that carbohydrates play in the root hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana and shows how cell growth is modulated in this species.
Gatekeepers: Study discovers how microbes make it past tight spaces between cells
There are ten microbial cells for every one human cell in the body, and microbiology dogma holds that there is a tight barrier protecting the inside of the body from outside invaders, in this case bacteria. Bacterial pathogens can break this barrier to cause infection and senior author Jeffrey Weiser, MD, professor of Microbiology and Pediatrics from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and first author Thomas Clarke, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Weiser lab, wondered how microbes get inside the host and circulate in the first place. Weiser and Clarke tested to see if microbes somehow weaken host cell defenses to enter tissues.
Biologists reveal novel drug binding site in NMDA receptor subunit
Structural biologists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have obtained a precise molecular map of the binding site for an allosteric inhibitor in a subtype of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor, which is commonly expressed in brain cells.
Wild pollinators contribute more than honeybees
Bumblebees, solitary bees and other wild pollinating insects are much more important for pollinating UK crops than previously thought, say researchers.
Stem cells from patients make 'early retina in a dish'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Soon, some treatments for blinding eye diseases might be developed and tested using retina-like tissues produced from the patient's own skin, thanks to a series of discoveries reported by a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison stem cell researchers.
A stem cell target for expanding waistlines?
Researchers may have found the key to developing a method to rid the body of stem cells responsible for driving fat expansion. According to a report in the June 16 Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, they've landed the first protein marker on the surface of those so-called adipose stromal cells (ASCs), which serve as progenitors of the cells that make up fat tissue.
Plants teach humans a thing or two about fighting diseases
Avoiding germs to prevent sickness is commonplace for people. Wash hands often. Sneeze into your elbow. Those are among the tips humans learn.
Scientists identify protein that improves DNA repair under stress
Cells in the human body are constantly being exposed to stress from environmental chemicals or errors in routine cellular processes. While stress can cause damage, it can also provide the stimulus for undoing the damage. New research by a team of scientists at the University of Rochester has unveiled an important new mechanism that allows cells to recognize when they are under stress and prime the DNA repair machinery to respond to the threat of damage. Their findings are published in the current issue of Science.
Scientists learn how horseweed shrugs off herbicide
As everyone knows, the pharmaceutical industry is struggling to deal with bacteria that have become resistant to common antibiotics. Less well known is the similar struggle in agribusiness to deal with weeds that have become resistant to a herbicide that is widely used in farming practice.
Where have all the flowers gone?
It's summer wildflower season in the Rocky Mountains, a time when high-peaks meadows are dotted with riotous color. But for how long?
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