Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for July 7, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Sexual reproduction works thanks to ever-evolving host, parasite relationships: study- Beauty is in the medial orbito-frontal cortex of the beholder, study finds
- Herschel Space Observatory discovers source of cosmic dust in a stellar explosion
- A new way to build nanostructures
- Universal flu vaccine a step closer thanks to discovery of natural antibody
- Does Asteroid Vesta have a moon?
- Scientists invent heat-regulating building material
- US lawmakers vote to kill Hubble successor
- Male black widows look for well-fed mates
- Stem cells know where they want to go
- 'Pure' human blood stem-cell discovery opens door to expanding cells for more clinical use
- Gray whales likely survived the Ice Ages by changing their diets
- Lightwave electronics at sharp metal tips
- Getting to know bacteria with 'multiple personalities'
- 'Unnatural' chemical allows researchers to watch protein action in brain cells
Space & Earth news
Chesapeake Bay pesticides: Some diminish, some persist
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are identifying factors that influence pesticide levels in the Chesapeake Bay airshed, including traces of "legacy" pesticides that still linger even though they are no longer being used.
Big step forward for SKA radio telescope
The discovery potential of the future international SKA radio telescope has been glimpsed following the commissioning of a working optical fibre link between CSIRO's Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope in Western Australia, and other radio telescopes across Australia and New Zealand.
Australia cuts number of firms liable to new tax
Australia has halved the number of companies needing to pay a contentious pollution tax from 1,000 to about 500, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Thursday, stressing only big business will be hit.
Puerto Rico coast still ruled by 1886 law
(AP) -- A Spanish law crafted in 1886 still governs development along Puerto Rico's sprawling coastline, worrying activists and legislators who say the ancient mandate has allowed construction along ecologically sensitive beaches.
NASA to choose between 2 Mars landing sites
NASA is deciding between two places on Mars to send its next rover.
California groundwater management trickles up from local sources
In a typical year, California gets about 30 percent of its water from groundwater wells. Yet when it comes to managing this precious resource, the state of California relies on a mixed bag of more than 2,000 local water agencies with varying degrees of authority.
Future fire -- still a wide open climate question
How the frequency and intensity of wildfires and intentional biomass burning will change in a future climate requires closer scientific attention, according to CSIRO's Dr Melita Keywood.
Shuttle's end hits Houston in ego more than wallet
(AP) -- The end of the space shuttle program is hitting its Florida launch home in the pocketbook with some areas practically becoming economic ghost towns. But Houston, home of Mission Control, is getting hit somewhere else: in the ego.
Storms still casting shadow on last shuttle launch
(AP) -- Thunderstorms are still threatening to delay NASA's last space shuttle launch, set for Friday.
Tourists jam Florida for glimpse of last shuttle launch
Tourists crowded into central Florida on Thursday as NASA forged ahead with plans to launch Atlantis on the final mission of the US shuttle program despite stormy weather.
NASA flies greenhouse gas mission over Nevada salt flat
Scientists from NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., joined a multi-institute team of researchers June 17-27, 2011, to investigate carbon dioxide and methane gas emissions from a dry lake bed and neighboring environment in Railroad Valley, Nev.
Apocalyptic time-lapse video of massive Phoenix dust storm
This isn’t space and astronomy-related, but this video of the massive dust storm that swept through the Phoenix area yesterday is just amazing, if not apocalyptic! Mike Olbinski, a photographer from the area shot this timelapse, and on his website says, “There are really not many words to describe this dust storm, or what we call it here (and they also do in places like the Sahara Desert)... a haboob. This was a haboob of a lifetime. I’ve lived in Phoenix for my entire 35 years of existence and have never seen anything like this before. It was incredible.”
Record snowfalls causing high waters in Great Plains
Summers on the Great Plains are usually characterized by a lack of water. But flooding in several states has reversed that trend -- and it might not be the last of the high waters for 2011, according to a Kansas State University geography expert.
Widespread flood threat to continue through summer: NOAA
(PhysOrg.com) -- Many rivers in the upper Midwest and northern Plains remain above flood stage, and the threat for more flooding will continue through the summer, forecasters at NOAA’s National Weather Service said today.
Space race for Sochi 2014 flame
The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics flame could be heading for space as part of the 120-day torch relay, organisers said on Thursday.
One reporter's look back at the space shuttle era
(AP) -- A space shuttle commander once confided that countdowns were invented merely to make astronauts nervous, and he was - every time. But when the count reached zero and the booster rockets ignited, he was in total, calm control.
Giant Swedish space balloon fizzes out: space center
Swedish scientists were forced to halt a ground-breaking project Thursday to test the impact of stars when a balloon carrying an X-ray telescope began leaking helium, a space centre said Thursday.
US lawmakers vote to kill Hubble successor
In a fresh blow to NASA's post-shuttle aspirations, key US lawmakers voted Thursday to kill off funding for the successor to the vastly successful space-gazing Hubble telescope.
Does Asteroid Vesta have a moon?
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft is closing in on Vesta, and from now until the ion-powered spacecraft goes into orbit in mid-July, every picture of the giant asteroid will be the best one ever taken. What will researchers do with this unprecedented clarity?
NASA checks for damage after possible lightning
Thunderstorms threatened to delay NASA's last space shuttle launch set for Friday with lightning striking near the pad as astronauts descended on Cape Canaveral by the dozens on the eve of the historic flight.
Herschel Space Observatory discovers source of cosmic dust in a stellar explosion
(PhysOrg.com) -- ESA's Herschel Space Observatory is helping unravel the mystery of where cosmic dust comes from. Thanks to the resolution and sensitivity of Herschel, astronomers have been able to detect cosmic dust from a supernovae, adding weight to the theory that these cosmic fireworks are responsible for its creation.
Technology news
Smart grids: New study highlights key challenges and trends in the EU
Intelligent electricity networks – smart grids – are a key component in the EU energy strategy, but substantial investments are needed to make them a reality. A new study from the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), presents a review of 219 smart grid projects Europe-wide. The vast majority of investments, amounting to about €5.5 billion, were made in old Member States ("EU15"), while new Member States ("EU12") tend to lag behind.
Local environs explained, and marketed, in a click
An innovative application for mobile phones that identifies places and objects by comparing photographs of them with reference images in a remote database will not only provide unprecedented amounts of information about them to customers, but also create an array of new marketing opportunities.
Hulu sees 1M paying subscribers by end of summer
(AP) -- Online video service Hulu expects to have more than a million paying subscribers by the end of summer, several months earlier than forecast, its chief executive said in a blog post Wednesday.
Samsung says 2nd-quarter operating profit fell
(AP) -- Samsung Electronics' profitability slumped in the second quarter as strong performance in fast-growing smartphones could not overcome weakness in liquid crystal displays.
Voicemail spying shows phone network weak spots
The voicemail tampering scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch's News of the World tabloid demonstrates not only the vulnerability of phone networks, but also the fallibility of the people who help maintain them.
Zillow real estate value website sets IPO price
Startup Zillow that provides online information about real estate has set the price for its initial public offering of stock at $12 to $14 per share.
Apple fires back in patent war with Samsung
Apple escalated its legal fight with Samsung by asking the US International Trade Commission (USITC) to block imports of some of the South Korean firm's smartphones and tablet computers.
New Eco-Driving Index: Environmental impact of new vehicles improving
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new national index by the University of Michigan shows that emissions of greenhouse gases per driver of newly purchased vehicles are down 14 percent since late 2007.
Global investments in green energy up nearly a third to $211 billion
Wind farms in China and small-scale solar panels on rooftops in Europe were largely responsible for last year's 32% rise in green energy investments worldwide according to the latest annual report on renewable energy investment trends issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Cricket's music plan showing promise
(AP) -- If you think people who pre-pay their cellphone bills aren't the type to shell out for music these days, think again.
Apple App Store downloads cross 15 billion mark
Apple announced on Thursday that more than 15 billion applications for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch have been downloaded from its App Store.
WikiLeaks delays complaint against Visa, Mastercard: lawyer
WikiLeaks is delaying its complaint to the European Commission against credit card giants Visa and MasterCard in the hopes of reaching an out-of-court deal, the website's lawyer said Thursday.
Roving robot to the rescue
(PhysOrg.com) -- Northeastern University student-researchers have created a roving robot named WiLU that may be able to locate and rescue victims of natural disasters or participate in military missions that are too dangerous for soldiers.
'Civilization' lets Facebook players rule world
Facebook friends will be able to conspire together to rule the world in a free version of blockbuster "Civilization" strategy videogame crafted for the online social network.
Court restores ban on newspaper, TV ownership
(AP) -- A federal appeals court has restored a longstanding ban that prevents media companies from owning both a newspaper and a television station in the same market.
WikiLeaks getting credit card funds
WikiLeaks has again begun accepting credit card donations, a company affiliated with the secret-spilling site said Thursday.
Double solar world record
(PhysOrg.com) -- A world record double by UNSW solar cell researchers promises to make solar power more affordable, with world-beating new technology delivering substantial efficiency gains at minimal extra cost.
Ambient electromagnetic energy harnessed for small electronic devices
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have discovered a way to capture and harness energy transmitted by such sources as radio and television transmitters, cell phone networks and satellite communications systems. By scavenging this ambient energy from the air around us, the technique could provide a new way to power networks of wireless sensors, microprocessors and communications chips.
Judge unimpressed with Apple 'App Store' claim
A federal judge on Wednesday denied a bid by Apple to immediately stop Amazon.com from calling its online shop for smartphone programs an "App Store."
College student invents cardboard vacuum cleaner
(PhysOrg.com) -- In another attempt to reduce the amount of plastic refuse that winds up in landfills, Jake Tyler, an industrial design student at Loughborough University has devised a means to construct a working vacuum cleaner out of corrugated cardboard. The vacuum, developed as part of his final year degree project in conjunction with a design team from Vax, where Tyler is now employed, has its housing made of cardboard, while the inside motor works employs recyclable pure nylon plastic using rapid process manufacturing, rather than injection molding.
Flying car 'Transition' gets road approval from NHTSA
(PhysOrg.com) -- Terrafugia’s car/plane vehicle called the Transition, has received approval from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) clearing the way for delivery to customers sometime next year. Last year it received approval to fly as a “light sport aircraft” from the Federal Aviation Administration, but not before being given a special exemption to fly 110 pounds heavier than other’s in its class. This time around it had to convince the NHTSA to allow a special exemption for its Plexiglas windows and aircraft landing capable tires.
eBay buying Zong for $240 million
PayPal owner eBay said Thursday that it has agreed to buy mobile payments provider Zong for $240 million in cash.
Scientists invent heat-regulating building material
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new material that can retain and release heat according to specific temperature requirements could make a significant difference to the cost of heating and cooling buildings, scientists say.
New 'cooler' technology offers fundamental breakthrough in heat transfer for microelectronics
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sandia National Laboratories has developed a new technology with the potential to dramatically alter the air-cooling landscape in computing and microelectronics, and lab officials are now seeking licensees in the electronics chip cooling field to license and commercialize the device.
ISPs, movie, music, TV groups in copyright deal
Major US Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and music, movie and television industry associations unveiled a long-awaited agreement on Thursday aimed at curbing online copyright infringement.
Medicine & Health news
Chips hold the key to understanding the human brain
Chips based on ARM processor technology will be linked together to simulate the highly-complex workings of the brain, whose functionality derives from networks of billions of interacting, highly-connected neurons.
TGen presents lung cancer studies at Amsterdam conference
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is presenting two key studies, including one today, at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer, July 3-7 in Amsterdam.
Southern US states lag in reducing death rates from colorectal cancer
Improvements in colorectal cancer mortality rates are concentrated in the northern part of the United States, while southern states continue to fall behind, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Using vital signs to predict severity of illness in children
The research will be presented today at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Academic Primary Care, hosted this year by the Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol. The research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (NSPCR).
Lack of clarity about HPV vaccine and the need for cervical cancer screening
The research will be presented today at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Academic Primary Care, hosted this year by the Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol.
The role of GPs in helping women experiencing domestic violence
The research will be presented today at the 40th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Academic Primary Care, hosted this year by the University of Bristol's Academic Unit of Primary Health Care.
TEMLA shows higher diagnostic yield than EBUS or EUS in largest reported series to date
In the largest reported series yet to compare transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy (TEMLA) with endoscopic and surgical primary staging and restaging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), TEMLA showed a significantly higher diagnostic yield, according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
Amrubicin improved response rate and progression-free survival vs. topotecan in Phase III trial
Lung cancer patients given amrubicin (Calsed) as a second-line therapy had a significantly improved response rate and longer progression-free survival than patients treated with topotecan (Hycamtin), according to research presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
Endosonography followed by surgical staging improves quality of life, according to ASTER study
Patients who underwent endoscopic testing prior to surgery for lung cancer had significantly better quality of life at the end of the staging process, with no significant difference in costs between the two strategies, according to data presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
Cancer patients with blood clots gain no benefit from adding IVCF to fondaparinux
Cancer patients with blood clots -- which occur in one of every 200 cancer patients and are the second most common cause of death among cancer patients -- gain no benefit from the insertion of an inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) to the anticoagulant medication fondaparinux (Arixtra), according to research presented today at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.
Research shows generic medications are changing the economics of treating chronically ill patients
As the nation seeks to expand health care coverage to more citizens without adding burdensome costs, researchers from Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital and CVS Caremark reported that preventative health care may be significantly less costly than previously thought, due to expanded use of cost-effective generic medications for the treatment and prevention of chronic disease.
New research points to a possible gender link in knee injuries
Gender may be associated with an increased risk of cartilage lesions in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured knees, according to research being presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Concussion baseline important for accurate future assessment in at-risk youth athletes
Creating a baseline for each youth athlete is a critical part of accurate future concussion assessment, according to researchers presenting their study at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego. Differences in how females and males scored on a standardized concussion assessment tool were also investigated.
Previous cancer history increases chances of clotting disorders after knee surgery, study suggests
A history of cancer was a significant risk factor for developing blood clotting issues following knee arthroscopy, according to a study being presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota analyzed the records of more than 12,000 patients who had undergone the common knee procedure.
Heavy exercise not too high a hurdle for bariatric surgery patients
Bariatric surgery patients can undertake a rigorous exercise program after the procedure, in order to continue to lose weight and avoid regaining weight, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center study.
Graft size and patient age may be predictor of need for future ACL revisions
A smaller sized hamstring graft in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction patient less than 20 years old may increase revision rates, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego today.
Low adherence to biopsy guidelines affects celiac disease diagnosis in the United States
A new study has found that most patients undergoing biopsy of the small intestine do not have the recommended number of samples to diagnose celiac disease. The study, published in the July 2011 issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, analyzed a national database of biopsy specimens maintained by Caris Life Sciences (Irving, TX). More than 100,000 patients had a biopsy of the small intestine, but only 35 percent of them had at least four samples taken, the number recommended by professional guidelines.
New book by Indiana University physicians slays health myths we all thought were true
Don't Cross Your Eyes...They'll Get Stuck that Way!, a new book by myth-fighting Indiana University School of Medicine pediatricians Aaron Carroll, M.D., M.S., and Rachel Vreeman, M.D., M.S., debunks the pearls of medical wisdom that many people and even their physicians believe are true. Be prepared to revise your thinking; no, an apple a day won't keep the doctor away and no, warm milk won't help you sleep.
New report explains why physicians are reluctant to share patient data
Family doctors are reluctant to disclose identifiable patient information, even in the context of an influenza pandemic, mostly in an effort to protect patient privacy. A recently published study by 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 recently found that during the peak of the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, there was still reluctance to report detailed patient information for public health purposes. These results are important today, so we can learn from that experience and prepare for the inevitable next pandemic.
Fewer mental illness beds linked with increase in involuntary hospital detentions
The number of patients compulsorily detained in hospitals for mental illness in England has risen sharply as the numbers of beds have been cut back.
Increasing use of legally available drug use highlighted
Researchers from the University of Dundee have warned that a drug intended to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and anxiety is increasingly being used in the UK as a substitute for illegal drugs.
Everyday medicines can destroy lives, conference warns
Experts have called for increased awareness about the issue of adverse drug reactions after hearing how everyday prescription medicines are destroying the lives of some patients.
Sharing is caring when it comes to chronic illness
Sharing stories and health information with friends and families gives strength to Indigenous Australians living with chronic illness, a new study has found.
Debt ceiling agreement 'essential' to prevent disruption of care for Medicare & Medicaid patients
"A debt ceiling agreement must be reached in time to avert an unprecedented suspension of funding for the millions of patients who rely on Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs," Virginia Hood, MBBS, MPH, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP) told the president, vice president and Congressional leaders today. "I am writing to share our views on enactment of legislation to increase the debt ceiling linked to an agreement on policies to reduce the federal budget deficit."
Combination therapy as good as old regimen to prevent full-blown TB in people with/without HIV
Johns Hopkins and South African scientists have further compelling evidence that new, simpler and shorter treatments with antibiotic drugs could dramatically help prevent tens of millions of people worldwide already infected with the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis, and especially those co-infected with HIV, from developing full-blown TB. That population includes as many as 22 million in sub-Saharan Africa who are already HIV positive and at high risk of also picking up TB, which is endemic to the region, plus another 50,000 in the United States who are similarly HIV positive and at high risk of catching the lung infection.
New study: Cheap, common drug could dramatically reduce malaria transmission in Africa
A cheap, common heartworm medication that is already being used to fight other parasites in Africa could also dramatically interrupt transmission of malaria, potentially providing an inexpensive tool to fight a disease that kills almost 800,000 people each year, according to a new study published today in the July edition of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Medicaid increases use of health care, decreases financial strain, improves health
Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and Providence Health & Services have found that expanding low income adults' access to Medicaid substantially increases health care use, reduces financial strain on covered individuals, and improves their self-reported health and well-being. This is the first study to evaluate the impact of insuring the uninsured in the U.S. using a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard in medical and scientific studies.
Women still in grip of idealized love and sex, purveyed by romantic fiction
Modern women are still heavily influenced by the idealised love and sex, purveyed by romantic fiction, says broadcaster and agony aunt Susan Quilliam in this month's Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care.
Do well at school to avoid heart disease later, research shows
Students who leave school without any qualifications can expect to suffer from poorer health and greater risk of heart disease than those with some qualifications, according to new research.
Study reveals new factors that help to increase children's physical activity
(Medical Xpress) -- Physical activity has important benefits for children’s physical health and mental well-being but many children do not meet recommended levels. A new study into the factors which motivate children’s active play has found that overall physical activity is increased in children who have access to green spaces in their neighbourhood.
How the brain processes humour helps us understand emotions felt by vegetative state patients
(Medical Xpress) -- How the human brain processes jokes may help researchers determine if a person in a vegetative state can experience positive emotions – a breakthrough that could help friends, relatives and doctors better understand a patient’s mental state of mind.
Researcher urges study of effects of breast pumps
(Medical Xpress) -- The widespread use of electric breast pumps by American women is fueling a "quiet revolution" in how infants receive their mothers' milk, argues Cornell nutritionist Kathleen Rasmussen in a commentary published online June 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
Ironic Effects of Anti-Prejudice Messages
(Medical Xpress) -- Organizations and programs have been set up all over the globe in the hopes of urging people to end prejudice. According to a research article, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, such programs may actually increase prejudices.
Half-matched transplants widen pool of donors for leukemia and lymphoma
Identifying a suitable donor for leukemia and lymphoma patients who need bone marrow transplants may be far easier now that results of two clinical trials show transplant results with half-matched bone marrow or umbilical cord blood are comparable to fully matched tissue, thanks in large part to the availability of effective antirejection drugs and special post-transplant chemotherapy. The finding means that nearly all patients in need of a transplant can find donors, according to Johns Hopkins scientists who participated in the trials.
Cortisol controls recycling of bile acids
Nature sees to it that we do not have "too much choler" (bile) in our body. A delicately equilibrated regulation system ensures that there is always exactly the right amount of bile in the gallbladder. When we are hungry, our body releases a hormone called cortisol, which is a glucocorticoid. Hepatic cells receive this hormone signal through their cortisol receptors (glucocorticoid receptors) and respond by filling the gallbladder with bile in preparation of the imminent food intake. Directly upon eating a meal, bile is secreted into the intestine.
German parliament OKs genetic embryo tests
(AP) -- After an emotional debate, German lawmakers voted Thursday to allow a procedure that looks for genetic disorders in embryos before they are implanted in the womb.
Obesity rates still rising in many states
In 1995, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. Now, all but one does.
New disparity in nursing homes: Whites leave, minorities enter
In the last decade, minorities have poured into nursing homes at a time when whites have left in even greater numbers, according to a new Brown University study that suggests a racial disparity in elder care options in the United States.
Cellular origin of deadly brain cancer is identified
Using a mouse genetic system co-developed by researchers at the University of Oregon and Stanford University, a research team led by UO biologist Hui Zong has isolated the cellular origin for malignant glioma, a deadly human brain cancer.
A drugstore within: Mesenchymal stem cells protect and heal
A stem cell that can morph into a number of different tissues is proving a natural protector, healer and antibiotic maker, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and their peers have found.
Craniosynostosis, delayed tooth eruption and supernumerary teeth -- one gene in background
Researchers have described a new, recessively inherited human syndrome featuring craniosynostosis, maxillary hyperplasia, delayed tooth eruption and extra teeth. They also identified causative mutations in a gene IL11RA.
Drug 'shield' helps target antibiotic resistant bacteria
A new technique which targets antibiotic-resistant bacteria and shields patients from the toxic parts of an antibiotic drug has been developed by Cardiff University scientists.
To combat deadly brain cancer, target the stem cells
Researchers have uncovered a new target that could stop the growth of glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. In the July 8th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, a new study identifies an enzyme found in glioma stem cells that allows them to grow and seed tumors. Importantly, normal stem cells, including those in the brain, don't appear to share that same dependency.
Groundbreaking research uses stem cells to relieve mouth, face pain
Research from Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine shows for the first time that a particular type of stem cell, bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), can suppress orofacial pain rapidly--within one day of treatment--by either IV injection of cells or direct injection of cells to the injured site.
Moms-to-be need more vitamin D, say experts
Irish pregnant women have vitamin D intakes far below those recommended for the normal development of a child’s bones, according to research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Unexpected cell repairs injured spinal cord
Lesions to the brain or spinal cord rarely heal fully, which leads to permanent functional impairment. After injury to the central nervous system (CNS), neurons are lost and largely replaced by a scar often referred to as the glial scar based on its abundance of supporting glial cells. Although this process has been known to science for over a century, the function of the scar tissue has long been disputed. However, there are indications that it stabilizes the tissue and that it inhibits the re-growth of damaged nerve fibres.
Excess alcohol could damage our DNA
Researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) have uncovered for the first time how excess alcohol can cause irreparable damage to our DNA. In a new study published in the journal Nature today, MRC scientists also discovered a two-tier defence system in our cells that limits the threat of permanent genetic damage.
Study: Hypoallergenic dogs not less allergic than other dogs
Contrary to popular belief, so-called hypoallergenic dogs do not have lower household allergen levels than other dogs.
Stem cell injections may offer hope to patients with no other options
An injection of stem cells into the heart could offer hope to many of the 850,000 Americans whose chest pain doesn't subside even with medicine, angioplasty or surgery, according to a study in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Mississippi tips scale as nation's fattest state
(AP) -- Rural Mississippi is the country's fattest state for the seventh year in a row, according to an annual obesity report issued Thursday. Colorado, a playground for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, is the nation's thinnest.
Sexual orientation and gender conforming traits in women are genetic
Sexual orientation and 'gender conformity' in women are both genetic traits, according to new research from Queen Mary, University of London.
A gene implicated in speech regulates connectivity of the developing brain
Foxp2, a gene involved in speech and language, helps regulate the wiring of neurons in the brain, according to a study which will be published on July 7th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics. The researchers identified this functional link by first identifying the major targets of Foxp2 in developing brain tissue and then analysing the function of relevant neurons.
The biology behind alcohol-induced blackouts
(Medical Xpress) -- A person who drinks too much alcohol may be able to perform complicated tasks, such as dancing, carrying on a conversation or even driving a car, but later have no memory of those escapades. These periods of amnesia, commonly known as “blackouts,” can last from a few minutes to several hours.
Scientists devise way to sort brain cells for potential transplants
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Florida scientists have discovered a way to separate the neural wheat from the chaff during the process of generating brain cells for potential patient therapies.
Study suggests new strategy to prevent infertility, birth defects
A strategy that has been shown to reduce age-related health problems in several animal studies may also combat a major cause of age-associated infertility and birth defects. Investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have shown that restricting the caloric intake of adult female mice prevents a spectrum of abnormalities, such as extra or missing copies of chromosomes, that arise more frequently in egg cells of aging female mammals. Their report appears in this week's online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientists find 'brake-override' proteins that enable development of some cancers
Scripps Research Institute scientists have discovered a basic mechanism that can enable developing cancer cells to sustain abnormal growth. The finding is expected to lead to the targeting of this mechanism with drugs and diagnostic techniques.
The brain co-opts the body to promote pro-social behavior
The human brain may simulate physical sensations to prompt introspection, capitalizing on moments of high emotion to promote moral behavior, according to a USC researcher.
'Pure' human blood stem-cell discovery opens door to expanding cells for more clinical use
For the first time since stem cells were discovered here 50 years ago, scientists have isolated a human blood stem cell in its purest form – as a single stem cell capable of regenerating the entire blood system. This breakthrough opens the door to harnessing the power of these life-producing cells to treat cancer and other debilitating diseases more effectively. The study is published today in Science.
Universal flu vaccine a step closer thanks to discovery of natural antibody
Annually changing flu vaccines with their hit-and-miss effectiveness may soon give way to a single, near-universal flu vaccine, according to a new report from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell. They describe an antibody that, in animal tests, can prevent or cure infections with a broad variety of influenza viruses, including seasonal and potentially pandemic strains.
'Unnatural' chemical allows researchers to watch protein action in brain cells
Researchers at the Salk Institute have been able to genetically incorporate "unnatural" amino acids, such as those emitting green fluorescence, into neural stem cells, which then differentiate into brain neurons with the incandescent "tag" intact.
Sweden hospital in lab-made windpipe transplant
A 36-year-old man who had tracheal cancer has received a new lab-made windpipe seeded with his own stem cells in a procedure in Sweden they call the first successful attempt of its kind, officials said Thursday.
Teaching the neurons to meditate
In the late 1990s, Jane Anderson was working as a landscape architect. That meant she didn't work much in the winter, and she struggled with seasonal affective disorder in the dreary Minnesota winter months. She decided to try meditation and noticed a change within a month. "My experience was a sense of calmness, of better ability to regulate my emotions," she says. Her experience inspired a new study which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, which finds changes in brain activity after only five weeks of meditation training.
Beauty is in the medial orbito-frontal cortex of the beholder, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- A region at the front of the brain 'lights up' when we experience beauty in a piece of art or a musical excerpt, according to new research funded by the Wellcome Trust. The study, published today in the open access journal PLoS One, suggests that the one characteristic that all works of art, whatever their nature, have in common is that they lead to activity in that same region of the brain, and goes some way to supporting the views of David Hume and others that beauty lies in the beholder rather than in the object.
Biology news
Fresh horse death as Australia virus spreads
Another six people have been tested for the deadly Hendra virus after it claimed the life of a seventh horse, officials said Thursday, as the killer outbreak spread south.
N.Z. great white sharks take 'tropical holidays'
New Zealand's great white sharks enjoy an annual "tropical holiday", swimming thousands of kilometres (miles) to warm South Pacific waters before returning home, according to researchers.
The turn of the corkscrew: Structural analysis uncovers mechanisms of gene expression
The diverse functions of living cells are all based on the information encoded in the structure of the hereditary material DNA. Gene expression must therefore be tightly controlled, and this task is accomplished by the binding of regulatory proteins to, and their removal from, specific DNA sequences. One class of large molecular machines known as Swi2/Snf2 remodelers plays a central role in modulating these processes. However, until now, it was not clear how Swi2/Snf2 remodelers actually work.
Evolution and domestication of seed structure shown to use same genetic mutation
For the first time, scientists have identified a mutation in plants that was selected twice - during both natural evolution and domestication.
Jewel beetles, obtained from local people, turn out to be four species unknown to science
A team of researchers from the Czech University of Life Sciences discovered four new species of jewel beetles (Buprestidae) from South-eastern Asia. This family of beetles is named for their particularly beautiful body and fascinating, shiny colours.
With climate changes, polar bear and brown bear lineages intertwine
Polar bears' unique characteristics allow them to survive in one of the most extreme environments on Earth, but that survival is now threatened as rising temperatures and melting ice reshape the Arctic landscape. Now it appears that the stress of climate change, occurring both long ago and today, may be responsible for surprising twists in the bears' history and future as well.
Invigorating plants
One of the key elements of the Green Revolution – when a series of agricultural initiatives dramatically boosted crop productivity worldwide – was the harnessing of hybrid vigour. This phenomenon occurs when the crossing of two inbred strains results in offspring with superior qualities.
Scans capture spider's heart beat
Intricate scans of tarantulas reveal for the first time in detail how their hearts beat.
Endocytosis is simpler than suspected
A protein by the name of clathrin plays a key part in endocytosis, the process by which living cells absorb large molecules. The protein can form “cages”, in which these molecules become trapped. Until recently, the details of this process were not fully understood. Using computer simulations, researchers at the University of Twente, The Netherlands, have now uncovered the secrets of this mechanism. It seems that the traditional view of endocytosis was overly complex.
Shrinking rabbit population poses threat for carnivore species
The survival of many carnivore species, including the Iberian lynx and fox, is contingent on them getting their key prey: the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). But a Spanish-Argentinean team of researchers has investigated how the collapse of the rabbit population in the late 1980s, triggered by viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD), has adversely impacted the lives of certain carnivores in Doñana National Park, a national park and wildlife refuge in south-western Spain. The findings, published in the journal Basic and Applied Ecology, indicate that the population decline for the most part has affected the lynx; this medium-sized wildcat cannot hunt other prey.
Increased protection urgently needed for tunas
For the first time, all species of scombrids (tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels) and billfishes (swordfish and marlins) have been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Of the 61 known species, seven are classified in a threatened category, being at serious risk of extinction. Four species are listed as Near Threatened and nearly two-thirds have been placed in the Least Concern category.
Researcher argues that sex reduces genetic variation
Biology textbooks maintain that the main function of sex is to promote genetic diversity. But Henry Heng, Ph.D., associate professor in WSU's Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, says that's not the case.
Gray whales likely survived the Ice Ages by changing their diets
(PhysOrg.com) -- Gray whales survived many cycles of global cooling and warming over the past few million years, likely by exploiting a more varied diet than they do today, according to a new study by University of California, Berkeley, and Smithsonian Institution paleontologists.
Chicks dig certain types of music
(PhysOrg.com) -- What accounts for the sounds we like to hear? Is it something about the properties of our auditory systems or brains? Or are such tastes learned? Two-month-old human infants show a preference for consonant, or gentler harmonies over more dissonant or harsher ones. But it's still impossible to know whether that preference is inborn, since the babies may have exposed to certain sounds, even in utero.
DNA reveals 7 new mice species
After living incognito for millions of years in a remote area of a forested mountain range in the Philippines, seven newfound species of mice owe their recent discovery to DNA evidence and the Florida State University biologist who deciphered it.
Ancestry of polar bears traced to Ireland
An international team of scientists has discovered that the female ancestor of all living polar bears was a brown bear that lived in the vicinity of present-day Britain and Ireland just prior to the peak of the last ice age -- 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. Beth Shapiro, the Shaffer Associate Professor of Biology at Penn State University and one of the team's leaders, explained that climate changes affecting the North Atlantic ice sheet probably gave rise to periodic overlaps in bear habitats. These overlaps then led to hybridization, or interbreeding -- an event that caused maternal DNA from brown bears to be introduced into polar bears.
Control of gene expression: Mediator MED26 shifts an idling polymerase into high gear
Look up "transcription"—the copying of a gene's DNA into RNA intermediaries—in any old molecular biology text book, and it all seems very simple: RNA polymerase II, the enzyme that catalyzes the reaction, assembles at the start site and starts motoring down the strand, cranking out the RNA ribbon used to construct proteins. But researchers now know that RNA polymerase II often stalls on DNA strands where it was once assumed to just barrel down.
Stem cells know where they want to go
Human stem cells have the ability to become any cell type in the human body, but when it comes to their destination they know where they want to go.
Male black widows look for well-fed mates
(PhysOrg.com) -- According to a new study published in Animal Behaviour, a male black widow spider is able to identify a female spider that has eaten well by simply taking a few steps on the web she spins. Finding a well-fed female seems to minimize their risk of being eaten after mating, a behavior that gave the spider its name.
Getting to know bacteria with 'multiple personalities'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, have been the subject of decades of debate over exactly how they should be classified. While they reproduce and share DNA with their bacterial cousins, they are the only phylum of bacteria that can photosynthesize like plants.
Sexual reproduction works thanks to ever-evolving host, parasite relationships: study
It seems we may have parasites to thank for the existence of sex as we know it. Indiana University biologists have found that, although sexual reproduction between two individuals is costly from an evolutionary perspective, it is favored over self-fertilization in the presence of coevolving parasites. Sex allows parents to produce offspring that are more resistant to the parasites, while self-fertilization dooms populations to extinction at the hands of their biological enemies.
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