Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 7, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- After three years of review, two new elements finally added to the Periodic Table- Fossils from the Yukon reveal protective plates for microscopic organisms
- New data still have scientists in dark over dark matter
- Your attention please: 'Rewarding' objects can't be ignored
- The heat is on for sodium-manganese oxide rechargeable batteries
- New computer dating technology changing the history of Britain
- iOS 5 jailbroken before its release
- Glaciations may have larger influence on biodiversity than current climate
- How early math lessons change children's brains
- Nintendo debuts touchscreen Wii successor
- Apple peel makes mice mighty
- Discounting the 'lefty' myth
- Stranding records are faithful reflection of live whale and dolphin populations: study
- Solar panels released in an array of colors
- Study finds new bee viruses, offers baseline to study colony collapse
Space & Earth news
Possible first eastern Pacific tropical depression shaping up on NASA imagery
NASA's Aqua satellite flew over a low pressure system in the Eastern Pacific and captured infrared imagery that show it to be well-defined and organizing. System 91E is shaping up to likely become the Eastern Pacific's first tropical depression of the season.
33-country survey reports 50 percent increase in sustainably managed tropical forests
A comprehensive assessment of tropical forest management reports a 50 percent increase in the area of tropical forest under sustainable management in just five years, but cautions that key drivers of that increase—growing demand for certified timber and funding for climate change initiatives—could have only a marginal impact in the long-term.
Space image: In the light of the sun
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Soyuz TMA-02M spacecraft is seen at the launch pad after being raised into vertical position on Sunday, June 5, 2011, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Planning the urban future particularly important in poor, polluted cities
The capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, is not only one of the fastest growing cities in the world, it is also extremely polluted. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have shown that the city climate contributes to the high pollution levels. However, increased knowledge about the city could turn bad into good.
Wind, war and weathermen
Well into the 20th century, American weather forecasting was not a rigorous science, but an “art,” as a National Research Council report stated in 1918. Forecasters knew, among other things, that weather generally moved from the west; that high barometric pressure indicated cold temperatures; and that low pressure meant rain. They would collect data by telegraph, make charts and provide forecasts, which were often faulty. Weathermen were popular objects of ridicule.
Dam risk to Murray-Darling wetlands may be underestimated
(PhysOrg.com) -- Computer modelling used to develop the Murray-Darling Basin Plan may have significantly underestimated the effects of building dams and diverting water on the internationally listed Macquarie Marshes wetlands, according to a new study.
Report proposes strategies for reducing pollutants in drinking water systems
Researchers have known for more than 40 years that pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) such as hormones, prescription drugs and insecticides, can end up in drinking water systems. A report prepared by the Texas Tech University’s Center for Water & Law Policy leaves aside the question of what, if anything, should be done, and asks instead, what can be done?
3 satellites see eruption of Puyehue-Cordon volcano from space
NASA's Terra Satellite, the GOES-13 and GOES-11 satellites all captured images of the ash plume from southern Chile's Puyehue-Cordón Volcano this week. The volcano is located in Puyehue National Park in the Andes of Ranco Province of Chile.
Japan doubles plant radiation leak estimate
Japan has more than doubled its initial estimate of radiation released from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in the week after the March 11 tsunami, ahead of the launch of an official probe Tuesday.
Cruise to investigate impacts of ocean acidification
The UK research vessel RRS Discovery left Liverpool yesterday on the first research cruise specifically to study ocean acidification in European waters. Twenty four scientists from eight different UK institutes, led by the National Oceanography Centre Southampton, will carry out the science.
Bacteria on old-growth trees may help forests grow
A new study by Dr. Zoe Lindo, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Biology at McGill University, and Jonathan Whiteley, a doctoral student in the same department, shows that large, ancient trees may be very important in helping forests grow.
A planet going the wrong way
(PhysOrg.com) -- All planets move around their stars in the same direction as the star spins—at least that’s what we thought. But now Australian National University astronomer Dr. Daniel Bayliss and his colleagues have found a planet that breaks the mold.
How climate change is impacting marshes
It is a very muddy trek from the small boat to the field site along Raccoon Creek near Bridgeport, N.J. Villanova University marine scientist Nathaniel Weston and his team are all carrying ladders and equipment as they slosh through ankle deep mud toward their experiments.
NASA sees a hot tower in first tropical depression of the eastern Pacific
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite called TRMM has the ability to see rainfall rates and heights of thunderstorm clouds within a tropical cyclone, and data from the satellite confirmed a "hot tower" near the center of the first tropical depression of the eastern Pacific Hurricane Season.
Scientists track motions of shifting plates using GPS sensors
The Pacific Northwest is a restless place. The ground is being shoved by tectonic plates. Snow-capped volcanoes inflate and deflate in concert with the creep of molten rock. Coastlines bulge as tension builds on an offshore fault very like the one that snapped in Japan March 11.
NASA releases first photo of shuttle docked in space
NASA on Tuesday released the first ever pictures of a US space shuttle docked at the International Space Station, taken by astronauts aboard a departing Russian spacecraft last month.
Russian spacecraft blasts off for space station
(AP) -- A Russian spacecraft blasted off from southern Kazakhstan in the early darkness of Wednesday morning to take a three-man crew to the International Space Station.
NASA sees the sun having a solar blast (w/ video)
The Sun unleashed an M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare, an S1-class (minor) radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011 from sunspot complex 1226-1227. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface.
First-of-its-kind fluorescence map offers a new view of the world's land plants
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., have produced groundbreaking global maps of land plant fluorescence, a difficult-to-detect reddish glow that leaves emit as a byproduct of photosynthesis. While researchers have previously mapped how ocean-dwelling phytoplankton fluoresce, the new maps are the first to focus on land vegetation and to cover the entire globe.
Virtual water cannot remedy freshwater shortage
The implementation of virtual water into trading deals has been suggested as a realistic solution to solving the global inequality of renewable freshwater, but new research suggests that it may not be as revolutionary as first thought.
Wetlands are bad and good news for Arctic warming: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- Seasonal wetlands in Arctic regions will initially persist longer due to global warming but then shrink as temperatures rise further, according to new study into how climate change will progress this century.
Paved surfaces can foster build-up of polluted air
New research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters wind patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to build up during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea.
Fossil find gives hope for animal life in 'lost cities'
(PhysOrg.com) -- The world's oceans could be littered with thousands of undiscovered 'lost cities' housing communities of creatures that thrive in some of the Earth's most extreme conditions, a new discovery suggests.
'Dramatic' solar flare could disrupt Earth communications
An unusual solar flare observed by a NASA space observatory (video) on Tuesday could cause some disruptions to satellite communications and power on Earth over the next day or so, officials said.
GPS stations can detect clandestine nuclear tests
At the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) meeting this week, American researchers are unveiling a new tool for detecting illegal nuclear explosions: the Earth's global positioning system (GPS).
Solar Dynamics Observatory catches 'surfer' waves on the Sun (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cue the surfing music. Scientists have spotted the iconic surfer's wave rolling through the atmosphere of the sun. This makes for more than just a nice photo-op: the waves hold clues as to how energy moves through that atmosphere, known as the corona.
Technology news
New AMBA 4 specification optimizes coherency for heterogeneous multicore SoCs
ARM today announced the latest AMBA 4 interface and protocol specification featuring the AMBA 4 AXI Coherency Extensions (ACE). Cache coherency is essential in multicore computing applications to efficiently maintain the consistency of data stored in local caches of a shared resource. The AMBA 4 ACE specification enables system level cache coherency across clusters of multicore processors, such as the ARM Cortex-A15 MPCore processors and ARM Mali-T604 graphics processors. This ensures optimum performance and power efficiency of complex heterogeneous SoC designs, and is designed to address next generation computing across mobile, home, networking and gaming applications.
NXP brings GaN technology mainstream
At IMS2011 this week, NXP Semiconductors N.V. is showcasing a live demo of its next-generation products based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology.
Upcoming Steve Jobs biography an Amazon bestseller
A biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has hit the bestseller charts on Amazon even though it won't be released until March of next year.
China's Sina to launch English microblogging site
China's Sina Corp plans to launch an English version of its popular Twitter-like microblogging service, a company spokesman was quoted saying Tuesday.
Still-frail Jobs appears to hail Apple's latest
(AP) -- Steve Jobs re-emerged from his latest medical leave Monday to show off Apple Inc.'s latest innovations and sustain the hope that he eventually will return to dream up more ways to reshape technology.
Hackers claim another Sony attack
Hackers claimed to have staged another attack on Japanese electronics giant Sony, publishing online a file containing source code for the Sony Computer Entertainment Developer Network.
Murdoch introduces paywall for The Australian
Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd said Tuesday it would start charging for online access to national broadsheet The Australian from October, although some content will remain free.
Dell to create 150 jobs in modest boost to Irish economy
US computer giant Dell plans to open "cloud computing" research and support centres in Ireland, creating 150 jobs for the heavily indebted country, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny announced on Tuesday.
New directions in data storage solutions
(PhysOrg.com) -- One day in the not-too-distant future, the entire contents of the Library of Congress might be stored on a device the size of a postage stamp.
Alibaba.com to help Japan firms crack China market
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba has launched a service to help Japanese manufacturers crack into the fast-growing Chinese market, the group's Japanese unit said Tuesday.
NATO tackles cyber security at Tallinn meet
Three hundred global cyber experts gathered in Tallinn Tuesday for a NATO Cyber Conflict conference focused on the legal and political aspects of national and global Internet security amid a rise in attacks.
RIM buys mobile social game developer
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion announced Tuesday it has purchased Scoreloop, a Germany-based company which makes a toolkit for developers to add social features to mobile games.
Green tech cleans up with investors
Is there still big green to be made in green tech? A few years ago, investing in green technology companies in Silicon Valley was as de rigueur as vertical social-media sites. Those sites went away, but money continues to pour into clean-tech ventures as world events dictate a serious look at alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and electric cars.
Facebook, Microsoft back AT&T's T-Mobile buy
Facebook, Microsoft, Oracle, Yahoo! and other technology leaders have come out in support of AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile saying it could help meet rising demand for wireless broadband.
Sony PS3 boss: 'No turning back' despite hacks
(AP) -- The head of the Sony Corp. unit that makes the PlayStation 3 game console says there's no going back on a push to offer always-connected play despite a series of hacking attacks that downed its network and will cost the Japanese company around $173 million in special costs.
Apple's cloud music could finally make piracy pay
Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs on Monday introduced more than just a cloud storage system for songs that fans buy legitimately through iTunes. He unveiled a system that might finally get music lovers to pay for the songs they got through less-than-proper means.
N.Z. inventor readies 'jetski for the skies'
Whizzing around with your own personal jetpack may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but New Zealand inventor Glenn Martin aims to have his "jetski for the skies" on the market within 18 months.
RSA Security offers to replace SecurID tokens: WSJ
US computer security titan RSA Security is offering to replace the SecurID tokens used by millions of corporate workers to securely log on to their computers, The Wall Street Journal reported.
NJ court: No shield law for message board posters (Update)
(AP) -- People who post to online message boards don't have the same protections as mainstream journalists when it comes to keeping their sources secret, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Waste heat slashes fuel consumption
A minor modification to your car could reduce fuel consumption by over seven per cent.
iOS 5 jailbroken before its release
(PhysOrg.com) -- The beta version of iOS has already been jailbroken, which is interesting when you consider that the iOS 5 was only announced 24 hours prior to the jailbreak, at the Apple keynote address at WWDC. The presentation, which was not devoted exclusively to the iOS 5, did detail some new features that users of the unbroken OS can expect to be able to use.
Solar panels released in an array of colors
(PhysOrg.com) -- Solar panels are, for the most part, large black panels, made of squares, but what if it does not have to be that way. What if users could get all of the benefits of solar panels without making their roofs look like the side of a Manhattan skyscraper?
Medicine & Health news
PET imaging determines malignancy in potential ovarian cancer cases
A study presented at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting may provide a new tool for detection of malignant-stage ovarian cancer. Researchers found that positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT), which images both functional and anatomical changes in the body, was useful for preoperative cancer imaging of ovarian masses when used with a radiotracer that is actively metabolized by cells as fuel. Physicians imaging patients suspected of having malignant tumors can see where cancerous cells are hyper-metabolizing the tracer and accurately predict whether a mass is malignant, cancerous but stable, or benign.
Greater cancer detection is possible with 4-D PET image reconstruction
A study introduced at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting is advancing a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method that uses new 4D image reconstruction to achieve the highest diagnostic capability for the detection of cancer. Mounting evidence shows that PET imaging, which provides visual representations of bodily functions, is significantly more sensitive when used with cutting-edge 4D image reconstruction technology that accounts for patient respiration and produces clearer, more easily interpreted images.
Novel imaging agent targets breast tumor development
Scientists presented new research at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting that has the potential to help physicians detect breast cancer by imaging the proliferation of blood vessels carrying oxygen and nutrients to breast tumors. Their study is evaluating a new imaging agent that is naturally drawn to angiogenesis—the development of new blood vessels in tissues both normal and cancerous. This process turns malignant during the growth stage of many cancerous tumors including those in breast tissue.
Molecular imaging finds link between obesity and low estrogen levels
A new study presented at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting could throw open the door to a recently established area of obesity research. Investigators have developed a novel molecular imaging agent that targets estrogenic mechanisms in the brain to find out what effect an enzyme called aromatase has on body mass index (BMI), a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. Aromatase is crucial for the production of estrogen in tissues throughout the body, including the brain.
Irregular breathing can affect accuracy of 4-D PET/CT
A study presented at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting focuses on the effect that breathing irregularities have on the accuracy of 4D positron emission tomography (PET) scans and outlines a PET imaging method that reduces "motion artifacts" or image blurring arising from respiratory motion. Non-gated PET imaging with 4D computed tomography may be useful for imaging patients who do not benefit from the use of respiratory gating, most notably patients with erratic breathing.
Molecular imaging provides fast and effective diagnosis for patients with fever of unknown origin
Research presented at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting highlights molecular imaging's diagnostic potential for patients with fever of unknown origin. Persistent fever can be a warning sign for a range of diseases that could be dangerous if left untreated. A single, full-body molecular imaging scan may give physicians everything they need to narrow down the cause and determine appropriate treatment.
UH professor given commendation for medical innovation in asthma
A University of Houston (UH) pharmacy professor's decade-long questioning of conventional medical dogma in the treatment of asthma earned him a prestigious international honor as a top medical innovator.
UT Southwestern research team's anti-malarial work wins international Project of the Year award
The discovery of a potential new anti-malarial drug by a UT Southwestern Medical Center-led research team has been awarded Project of the Year by Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
Joint replacement surgery riskier at hospitals with low surgical volume
Patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty at hospitals with lower surgical volume had a higher risk of venous thromboembolism and mortality following the procedure. The complications following joint replacement surgery at low-volume sites may be reduced by modifying systems and procedures used before and after surgery according to the findings published today in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Medical bills force cancer patients to skimp on care and necessities
(Medical Xpress) -- Even when covered by health insurance, cancer patients face mounting out-of-pocket expenses that force some to avoid filling prescriptions, skip doctor appointments, and scale back on food and other necessities.
Blood proteins may identify vulnerability of pancreatic cancers to avastin
(Medical Xpress) -- Tiny tumor proteins circulating in blood may be used to identify which pancreatic cancer patients would benefit from the drug Avastin, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found.
Family relationships may protect early teens from alcohol use
(Medical Xpress) -- Close family relationships may protect teenagers from alcohol use, according to research by The University of Queensland’s Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research (CYSAR) and the Centre for Adolescent Health in Melbourne.
Study: What mom thinks matters when it comes to mental illness
A new study led by a Northern Illinois University sociologist shows that while family members often provide critical support, they also can sometimes be the source of stigmatizing attitudes that impede the recovery of mentally ill relatives.
Study finds bankruptcy rates among cancer patients increase along with survival time
An analysis linking federal bankruptcy court records to cancer registry data from nearly 232,000 adult cancer cases in western Washington during a 14-year period has found a hidden cost to survival: Insolvency rates increase along with the length of survival.
Many patients with advanced cancers get treatments that won't help
A study of more than 1,000 patients with colon cancer that had spread to distant sites found that one in eight was treated with at least one drug regimen that was not recommended. Those patients were exposed to significant risk without proven benefits, at an estimated cost—just for the drugs—of more than $2 million.
Prolonging life carries more weight
Doctors are more apt to recommend a more costly therapy to patients if it were determined to prolong the patient's life rather than just improve quality, according to a recent study from Medical Decision Making (published by SAGE).
UK Government plans for mentally ill prisoners are unrealistic, research suggests
Government plans to divert more mentally ill people out of the criminal justice system and into mental health services are unlikely to be achieved, according to new research from Queen Mary, University of London.
Teens with type 2 diabetes already show possible signs of impaired heart function
Heart function may be affected in people with Type 2 diabetes as early as adolescence, according to a new study that will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.
The pill does not lead to weight gain
Many young women do not want to start taking the contraceptive pill because they are worried that they will put on weight, or come off it because they think that they have gained weight because of it. However, a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has demonstrated that the combined contraceptive pill does not cause weight increase.
Most primary care physicians don't address patients' weight
Fewer than half of primary care physicians for adults talk to their patients about diet, exercise and weight management consistently, while pediatricians are somewhat more likely to do so, according to two new studies.
Overweight more harmful to the liver than alcohol in middle-aged men
Overweight carries a greatly increased risk of cirrhosis of the liver in men, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy. "Given the increasing problem of overweight in Sweden, there is reason to fear that more people will develop cirrhosis of the liver," says Jerzy Kaczynski, docent at the Sahlgrenska Academy and doctor at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
New drug may be the breath of life in intensive care
A new drug to treat potentially fatal lung injuries caused by ventilators in hospital intensive care units is being developed by Flinders University researchers.
New system screens heart disease patients for severe sleep apnea
(Medical Xpress) -- A new computer screening tool developed and patented by a University at Buffalo physician is helping to detect severe obstructive sleep apnea in cardiovascular patients who have not yet been diagnosed with this common and potentially dangerous condition.
Health care providers need training to recognize signs of domestic violence, says nursing expert
Despite billions of dollars spent on health care each year, the United States ranks 27th out of 33 developed countries for life expectancy at birth. Leading causes of infant mortality are complications related to pre-term birth or low birth weight-outcomes that have been linked with domestic violence. A University of Missouri researcher says a key factor in addressing this issue is preventing violence against mothers and children.
Bursitis a common cause of painful hips, knees, heels and elbows
As warm weather arrives and the great outdoors beckons, more and more men and women will be taking to the trails, the beaches, or their yards and gardens, embarking on physical activities that may result in sore, aching, swollen joints. While it may be tempting to ignore these aches and pains or treat them with a little over-the-counter liniment, a wiser choice is to visit a physician who can determine if the symptoms are due to bursitis, inflammation of the fluid-filled bursae, or sacs, that surround and cushion the joints.
Mapping anemia risk in preschool-age children in West Africa
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Ricardo Soares Magalhães and Archie Clements, from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, describe how they used national cross-sectional household-based demographic health surveys to map the distribution of anaemia risk in preschool-age children in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Mali. The use of such maps has significant practical implications for targeted control of anaemia in these countries, such as guiding the efficient allocation of nutrient supplements and fortified foods, and contributing to the planning and evaluation of resource requirements for geographical delivery of transfusion services for severe anaemia cases.
Health and safety of low-skilled workers should be priority for migration policy
In the fourth article in a six-part PLoS Medicine series on migration & health, Joan Benach from the Employment Conditions Network at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues discuss the health risks and policy needs associated with migration to destination countries, especially for low-skilled workers.
Brain scans appear to show changes associated with violent behavior
A brain imaging study suggests that men with a history of violent behavior may have greater gray matter volume in certain brain areas, whereas men with a history of substance use disorders may have reduced gray matter volume in other brain areas, according to a report published online today by the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Veterans Health Administration similar or better than private sector for cancer patients ages 65+
A new study finds that the cancer care provided by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for men 65 years and older is at least as good as, and by some measures better than, Medicare-funded fee-for-service care obtained through the private sector. The study, reported in the June 7 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, was led by Nancy Keating, an associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School.
Scientists unlock potential of frog skin to treat cancer
Scientists at Queen's University Belfast have discovered proteins in frog skins which could be used to treat cancer, diabetes, stroke and transplant patients by regulating the growth of blood vessels.
Construction industry has highest number of traumatic brain injuries in US workplace
Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, work-related TBI has not been well documented. In a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers describe the epidemiology of fatal TBI in the US workplace between 2003 and 2008. This study provides the first national profile of fatal TBIs occurring in the US workplace. The construction industry had the highest number of TBIs and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry had the highest rates.
Deadly Germany E. coli strain found mainly in humans: report
Germany's deadly E. coli strain is found mainly in humans rather than animals, the Taggesspiegel newspaper reported Tuesday citing scientific research.
Potential treatment for deadly E. coli disease
A potential life-saving treatment for severe E. coli food poisoning outbreaks - developed more than a decade ago - hasn't gone forward into clinical trials because of lack of commercial interest.
Blood thinner may protect cancer patients from potentially fatal clots
A new type of anti-clotting drug called semuloparin has been found to reduce the development of potentially fatal blood clots in the veins that often occur in cancer patients, doctors at Duke Cancer Institute and elsewhere reported today.
Biomaterial aids nerve regeneration
(Medical Xpress) -- A Monash University researcher has developed a new biomaterial that encourages damaged nerves in the brain and spinal cord to regrow. The work could revolutionise treatment of nerve-based injuries and diseases, such as Parkinson’s.
An 'all natural' diet? There's no such thing, book says new
(Medical Xpress) -- From the paleolithic diet to the raw food diet, many health-conscious Americans now want to eat the way they believe our ancient ancestors ate.
Naughty children - it's nature and nuture
(Medical Xpress) -- Disregarding the rules and confrontational behaviours are commonplace with young children and can even arise in the first year of life. For some children, this trend will persist and become a character trait despite their parents’ best efforts to teach them obedience and respect for the rules. For some, it will be a precursor to violent and antisocial behaviors.
WHO: Time running out to solve E. coli outbreak
(AP) -- An expert at the World Health Organization says time is running out for German investigators to find the source of the world's deadliest E. coli outbreak, which has spread fear across Europe and cost farmers millions in exports.
People judge therapists by their offices, study shows
(Medical Xpress) -- People may judge the quality and qualifications of psychotherapists simply by what their offices look like, a new study suggests.
Coffee drinking improves hepatitis C treatment response
Advanced hepatitis C patients with chronic liver disease may benefit from drinking coffee during treatment, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Patients who received peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment and who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were two times more likely to respond to treatment than non-drinkers.
Researcher tests drug's impact on neurological disease affecting women
A rare but increasingly more common disease striking overweight, younger women is the focus of a clinical trial at Michigan State University, where an osteopathic physician is testing the effectiveness of a certain drug against a potentially blindness-causing ailment.
Experts prove link between phosphate intake and heart disease
Lowering phosphate intake in humans can reduce heart disease, according to research by experts at the University of Sheffield.
Women warriors show resilience similar to men
Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Bisexual, lesbian women less likely to get pap tests
A new study finds that young bisexual and lesbian women are less likely to get Pap tests than straight women, while young bisexual women face a higher risk of being diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases.
Shorter chemotherapy could benefit patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Bowel cancer patients could benefit from shorter initial periods of chemotherapy and planned ‘treatment holidays’, a Cardiff-led study has found.
Excessive pregnancy weight gain raises the risk of having a fat baby
Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy tend to have newborns with a high amount of body fat, regardless of the mother's weight before pregnancy, a new study finds. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.
Fetal exposure to BPA changes development of uterus in primates
Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.
Older age does not cause testosterone levels to decline in healthy men
A decline in testosterone levels as men grow older is likely the result—not the cause—of deteriorating general health, say Australian scientists, whose new study finds that age, in itself, has no effect on testosterone level in healthy older men.
Study links insulin action on brain's reward circuitry to obesity
Researchers reporting in the June issue of Cell Metabolism have what they say is some of the first solid proof that insulin has direct effects on the reward circuitry of the brain. Mice whose reward centers can no longer respond to insulin eat more and become obese, they show.
Heated fight breaks out over E. coli farm payments
(AP) -- Big fruit and vegetable producers Spain, Italy and France angrily demanded compensation Tuesday for farmers who have been blindsided by huge losses in the E. coli outbreak, forcing the EU farm chief to increase his offer of aid.
CDC: Food poisoning from salmonella up in US
(AP) -- More Americans got food poisoning last year, with salmonella cases driving the increase, the government reported Tuesday.
E. coli outbreak prompting experimental treatments
(AP) -- Faced with an unprecedented E. coli outbreak, a team of German doctors is trying something equally new: an antibiotic therapy that some fear could do more harm than good.
Finnish twin study yields new information on how fat cells cope with obesity
The mechanisms by which obesity leads towards metabolic co-morbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, are poorly understood and of great public health interest. A study led by Matej Oresic from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests that adaptation of fat cell membranes to obesity may play a key role in the early stages of inflammatory disorders.
Researchers find that inhibiting microRNAs may help prevent degenerative eye disorders
Blocking two tiny molecules of RNA – a chemical cousin of DNA – appears to suppress the abnormal growth of blood vessels that occurs in degenerative eye disorders, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
Team demonstrates breakthrough method of stem cell expansion
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers in the Department of Pathology at Stony Brook University School of Medicine have discovered a laboratory method to expand adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using the SALL4 gene. Professor Yupo Ma, M.D., Ph.D., Lead Author, and colleagues used this method to produce a more than 10,000-fold increase in HSCs derived from normal human bone marrow. Their findings define a new mechanism of stem cell self-renewal, providing a means to produce large numbers of HSCs that could be used to treat hematological malignancies and other blood disorders. Their results are reported in the early online edition of Blood.
Discounting the 'lefty' myth
(Medical Xpress) -- Left-handed people consistently perform worse than right-handed people in measures of cognitive ability, or IQ, with the ‘level of disability’ equivalent to being prematurely born.
How early math lessons change children's brains
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine have demonstrated that a single year of math lessons is associated with unexpectedly big changes in the brain’s approach to problem solving and that these changes can be seen in the brain scans of second- and third-graders
Drug shows promise in prostate cancer spread to bone
A new drug to treat prostate cancer shows early promise, particularly against tumors that have spread to the bone, a multi-site study shows.
Universal flu vaccine clinical trials show promise
A universal influenza vaccine targeting a protein common to all strains of influenza A has safely produced an immune response in humans. If proven effective, the vaccine could eliminate the practice of creating a new flu vaccine annually to match predicted strains, with major implications for global health.
Your attention please: 'Rewarding' objects can't be ignored
The world is a dazzling array of people, objects, sounds, smells and events: far too much for us to fully experience at any moment. So our attention may automatically be snagged by something startling, such as a slamming door, or we may deliberately focus on something that is important to us right then, such as locating our child among the happily screaming hordes on the school playground. We also know that people are hard-wired to seek out and pay attention to things that are rewarding, such as food when we are hungry, or water when we are thirsty.
Biology news
Optimum tax on foreign fishing in Africa protects stocks and domestic fishing
People living in coastal areas in Africa can rarely utilise their entire fishing zones as their simple boats only allow them to fish near the coast. Research carried out by economist Kofi Vondolia at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows that the migration of fish stocks is significant to fish management.
Presence of mountain pine beetles more evident on northern Front Range
If you saw red when visiting the northern Front Range foothills over the past few weekends, you’re not alone.
Will the eel survive its management?
The European eel is on the way to disappearing for good. The species is critically endangered, and there are strong scientific arguments for suspending all fishing. Despite this situation, Swedish eel fishery is allowed to continue. Analysis of the eel management plan by the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment identifies clear shortcomings. It is unlikely that Sweden will meet the target that has been set for silver eels capable of migrating back to the Sargasso Sea so that they can contribute to regeneration.
Einstein offers easy-to-use genome analyzer to scientific community
Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a desktop genome analyzer and browser that allows biologists to rapidly and easily analyze and process their high-throughput data. The open-source software, called GenPlay, is described in the May 19 online edition of Bioinformatics.
Airport plans 'threaten' Hong Kong dolphins
Hong Kong's ambitious plans to expand its airport to meet soaring demand have sparked protests from environmentalists who say it would further endanger the city's rare Chinese white dolphins.
Researchers release complete de novo E. coli O104 genome, details of their detection kit
Scientists worldwide have been working on the publicly available genomic sequences of the deadly E. coli O104 strain, which is causing the current health crisis in Germany and now spreading throughout Europe. To continue to speed the ongoing international efforts of researchers to assess and halt this growing epidemic, BGI and their collaborators at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf have now released their third version of the assembled genome, which includes new data from this E. coli O104.
Protein folding made easy
Protein folding has nothing to do with laundry. It is, in fact, one of the central questions in biochemistry. Protein folding is the continual and universal process whereby the long, coiled strings of amino acids that make up proteins in all living things fold into more complex three-dimensional structures. By understanding how proteins fold, and what structures they are likely to assume in their final form, researchers are then able to move closer to predicting their function.
Dolphins use double sonar
Dolphins and porpoises use echolocation for hunting and orientation. By sending out high-frequency sound, known as ultrasound, dolphins can use the echoes to determine what type of object the sound beam has hit.
Livestock grazing not to blame for Yosemite toad decline
(PhysOrg.com) -- Livestock grazing is apparently not the culprit in the steep decline of Yosemite toads and their habitat, according to the results of an extensive, five-year study conducted by UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the U.S. Forest Service.
Researchers identify caffeine-consuming bacterium
As it turns out, humans aren't the only organisms that turn to caffeine for a pick-me-up. University of Iowa scientists have identified four different bacteria that actually can live on caffeine.
'Wrong'-time eating reduces fertility in fruit flies
Dieticians will tell you it isn't healthy to eat late at night: it's a recipe for weight gain. In fruit flies, at least, there's another consequence: reduced fertility.
'Library of Fishes' to feature thousands of specimens from remote locations
The stories they could tell, these fishes that once swam the ocean deep and are now in jars and bottles.
Study shows genetic rice breeding goes back 10,000 years
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Masanori Yamasaki and colleagues from Kobe University in Japan, describe how they analyzed the genomes of several types of rice and discovered that the lengths of the stems on the plants grew shorter over time as rice was first being domesticated, resulting in sturdier plants and increased grain output. They conclude that due to the type of mutant genes seen in the early plants that caused the shorter stems, intentional breeding of rice must have occurred as far back as 10,000 years ago.
Highest-flying bird crosses the Himalayas in record time
The Bar-headed goose is one impressive creature: it migrates over the immense Himalayan mountain range twice a year, holding the record for the world's highest-flying bird.
Invasive night geckos outcompete local day geckos
The nocturnal house gecko is an aggressive island invader with a bad reputation when it comes to interaction with the locals. House geckos have already contributed to the demise of many similar species active during the night.
Native ants use chemical weapon to turn back invading Argentine ants
(PhysOrg.com) -- Argentine ants are taking over the world – or at least the nice temperate parts. They've spread into Mediterranean and subtropical climates across the globe in sugar shipments from Argentina, and no native ant species has been known to withstand their onslaught – until now. A group of Stanford University undergraduate students working on a class project have discovered that a native species, the plucky winter ant, has been using chemical warfare to combat the Argentine tide.
Glaciations may have larger influence on biodiversity than current climate
An investigation by the Spanish Scientifc Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC) reveals that the large impacts occurred during the last ice age maintain their effects on the current distribution of dung beetles of the scarab family (Scarabaeidae). The presence of these beetles in Europe seems to be more influenced by the climate of that glaciation than by the present one.
Stranding records are faithful reflection of live whale and dolphin populations: study
Whales are the earth's largest creatures, yet they are incredibly hard to study in the open ocean. For decades scientists have used boats, aircraft and even high cliffs to conduct visual surveys and gather data on whale and dolphin populations. Today, these live surveys form the basis of our knowledge of these marine mammals—what species live where in the world, which ones tend to live together and how abundantly they are represented.
Apple peel makes mice mighty
For Popeye, spinach was the key to extra muscle. For the mice in a new University of Iowa study, it was apples, or more precisely a waxy substance called ursolic acid that's found in apple peel.
Hibernation keeps rabies going in bats
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, infectious disease biologist Dylan George from Colorado State University reports that a bat’s hibernation is what keeps the rabies virus alive and does not wipe out the bat before the virus can spread.
Evolutionary reasons for believing in luck
How far will you go to avoid bad luck? Do you avoid walking under ladders, carry lucky charms, or perhaps instead perform special rituals before important meetings or sporting events?
Study finds new bee viruses, offers baseline to study colony collapse
A 10-month study of healthy honey bees by University of California, San Francisco scientists has identified four new viruses that infect bees, while revealing that each of the viruses or bacteria previously linked to colony collapse is present in healthy hives as well.
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