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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 16, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers prepare cheap quantum dot solar paint- Vibration rocks for entangled diamonds
- Brainlink controller smartens dust-collecting robots: Let's Roomba
- Antibody injection promising for diabetes and obesity
- Meteorite shockwaves trigger dust avalanches on Mars
- Comet defies death, brushes up to sun and lives
- Barracuda babies: Novel study sheds light on early life of prolific predator
- Protecting confidential data with math
- Quantum cats are hard to see
- Novel device removes heavy metals from water
- FBI contacted phone monitoring firm about software
- Researchers discover cause of rare disease
- GDP up, happiness down
- Fear no supernova
- First comprehensive DNA study of mast cell leukemia uncovers clues that could improve therapy
Space & Earth news
Vega moves closer to its first liftoff
(PhysOrg.com) -- The integration of Vega's first, second and third stages is now complete at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The new rocket is moving full speed ahead towards its maiden flight at the end of January.
Russia slams Kyoto Protocol
Russia supports Canada's decision to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol, says its foreign ministry, reaffirming Friday that Moscow will not take on new commitments.
Delhi's air as dirty as ever despite some reforms
(AP) -- A decade ago, plans for a metro and clean-fuel buses were hailed as New Delhi's answer to pollution. But air in the Indian capital is as dirty as ever - partly because breakneck development has brought skyrocketing use of cars.
Seeking a pot of geological gold
Researchers are moving a step closer to solving one of the greatest murder mysteries of all time. It happened roughly 200 million years ago, marking the boundary between the Triassic and Jurassic periods, and the crime scene was the entire planet. In their quest to solve this ancient mystery, a team of scientists has been combing the coast of Northern Ireland for evidence.
Rapid rise in wildfires in large parts of Canada?
Large forest regions in Canada are apparently about to experience rapid change. Based on models, scientists can now show that there are threshold values for wildfires just like there are for epidemics. Large areas of Canada are apparently approaching this threshold value and may in future exceed it due to climate change. As a result both the area burnt down annually and the average size of the fires would increase, write the researchers of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the University of Michigan in the December issue of the journal the American Naturalist. The strategies for combating wildfires in large parts of Canada should therefore be reconsidered.
Russia's Mars probe will crash to Earth in January
A Russian spacecraft bound for a moon of Mars and stuck in Earth's orbit will come crashing back next month, but its toxic fuel and radioactive material on board will pose no danger of contamination, the Russian space agency said Friday.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Washi's rainfall intensify over larger area
NASA's TRMM satellite noticed that as Tropical Storm Washi approached the Philippines' island of Mindanao heavy rainfall had become more widespread than the previous day. NASA's Terra satellite captured Washi making landfall early today.
Shooting for the moon -- to mine it
Most people don't take it literally when they're told to shoot for the moon - but thinking small isn't Naveen Jain's way. The 52-year-old Internet entrepreneur is a co-founder of Moon Express Inc., one of several companies in the Google Lunar X Prize competition, in which privately funded teams will try to put robots on the moon by 2016.
'Fingerprinting' method tracks mercury emissions from coal-fired power plant
(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time, the chemical "fingerprints" of the element mercury have been used by University of Michigan researchers to directly link environmental pollution to a specific coal-burning power plant.
Air pollution results from sugarcane ethanol production
(PhysOrg.com) -- The burning of sugarcane fields prior to harvest for ethanol production can create air pollution that detracts from the biofuel's overall sustainability, according to research published recently by a team of researchers led by scientists at the University of California, Merced.
Comet defies death, brushes up to sun and lives
A small comet survived what astronomers figured would be a sure death when it danced uncomfortably close to the broiling sun Thursday night.
Fear no supernova
Given the incredible amounts of energy in a supernova explosion – as much as the sun creates during its entire lifetime – another erroneous doomsday theory is that such an explosion could happen in 2012 and harm life on Earth. However, given the vastness of space and the long times between supernovae, astronomers can say with certainty that there is no threatening star close enough to hurt Earth.
Meteorite shockwaves trigger dust avalanches on Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Dust avalanches around impact craters on Mars appear to be the result of the shock wave preceding the actual impact, according to a study led by an undergraduate student at the UA.
Technology news
Fujitsu develops distributed and parallel complex event processing technology that rapidly adjusts big data load fluctua
Fujitsu today announced that, in an industry first, they have developed complex event processing technology designed for use with cloud technology that employs distributed and parallel processing. This enables rapid adjustment to fluctuations in data loads when processing massive amounts of heterogeneous time series data, now popularly known as "big data."
Renesas develops first 40nm embedded flash memory technology IP for automotive real-time applications
Renesas Electronics today announced that it has developed the industry's first 40-nanometer (nm) memory intellectual property (IP) for automotive real-time applications. Renesas will also be the first to launch 40nm embedded flash microcontrollers (MCUs) for automotive applications using this 40nm flash technology with samples available by the beginning of autumn 2012.
Overstock.com unloads goods at Utah auction
(AP) -- Overstock.com, the online retailer known for selling distressed merchandise, was feeling a little distressed itself. With household merchandise stacking up in a warehouse, it opened the doors Thursday for an auction of goods assembled hodgepodge that had to be bought together on pallets.
When your criminal past isn't yours
(AP) -- A clerical error landed Kathleen Casey on the streets.
Mobile money transfers gaining currency with consumers
If you need to pay a baby sitter, send money to a kid in college or reimburse a friend for lunch but don't have your checkbook or cash on hand, pick up your smartphone.
Tech startups establish beachhead in L.A.
The Los Angeles tech scene has buzz, glitzy backers and even a catchy nickname: Silicon Beach.
Qantas trials inflight Internet access
Australian flag carrier Qantas said Friday customers will be able to access the Internet inflight on certain services from February using their personal electronic devices.
Beijing orders microbloggers to register real names
Beijing city authorities on Friday issued new rules requiring microbloggers to register their real names before posting online, as the Chinese government tightens its grip on the Internet.
Is that Mozart or a machine? Software can compose music in classical, pop or jazz styles
(PhysOrg.com) -- Steve Engels clicks on a file on his desktop and a classical piano piece flows out of his computer’s speakers. He lets it play for a minute or so, and then clicks on a different file. After a short wait, another very similar piece begins to play, echoing but not replicating the original.
CA startup sees entrepreneur-ship as visa solution
(AP) -- You've heard of tech companies starting in a Silicon Valley garage. What about on a ship?
Solar power generation more powerful in Europe this century
(PhysOrg.com) -- Climate change will increase the amount of electricity generated by solar power in some parts of the world while decreasing it in others.
NEC develops super-resolution technologies for fine magnification of surveillance camera images
NEC Corporation announced today the development of super-resolution technologies for fine magnification of surveillance camera images, including persons' faces and license plates.
Jury continues deliberations in $1B Microsoft suit
(AP) -- Jurors continue deliberations in a Utah company's $1 billion federal antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp.
Investors give 'Farmville' maker a cold shoulder
(AP) -- As its workers celebrated with hot chocolate and cinnamon buns, Zynga saw its stock dinged on its first day of trading Friday - an unexpected turn of events for a closely watched public debut seen as a precursor to Facebook's next year.
TV channel squeeze proposed to pay for tax cuts
(AP) -- Call it the Great Channel Squeeze.
Cox agrees to sell wireless spectrum to Verizon
(AP) -- Cable company Cox Communications on Friday said that it has agreed to sell some of its airwave licenses to Verizon Wireless for $315 million and will resell Verizon service in its stores.
Comcast CEO fined $500,000 in antitrust case
US authorities said Friday that Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts would pay $500,000 to settle charges that he violated stock buying rules.
'Skyrim' videogame sales eclipse $600 million
Sales of epic medieval videogame "Skyrim" have soared to about $650 million, with rave reviews pegging the title as game of the year.
FBI contacted phone monitoring firm about software
A senior executive at a technology company that makes monitoring software secretly installed on 141 million cellphones said Thursday that the FBI approached the company about using its technology but was rebuffed. The disclosure came one day after FBI Director Robert Mueller assured Congress that agents "neither sought nor obtained any information" from the company, Carrier IQ.
Online game maker Zynga prices IPO at $10 a share
Zynga is poised to harvest some cold hard cash in its initial public offering. Who knew that selling virtual cows and digital corn on Facebook would create a $7 billion company?
Medicine & Health news
Hand, foot, mouth disease kills 156 in Vietnam
(AP) -- Vietnam says an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease has killed 156 people, mostly children, and sickened more than 96,000 through late November.
Hong Kong school closed in bird flu scare
A Hong Kong school was closed on Friday after a dead bird found in the southern Chinese city was tested positive for the deadly H5 strain of the bird flu virus, health officials said.
It could be dangerous living in Ambridge
With a risk of traumatic death far higher than the national average, rural life may not be so idyllic in Ambridge, the fictitious village in the BBC radio series, The Archers, finds research in the Christmas issue published шт еру British Medical Journal today.
Long-term inhaled dry powder mannitol improves lung function in CF
Adding inhaled dry powder mannitol to standard therapy for cystic fibrosis produced sustained improvement in lung function for up to 52 weeks, according to a new study. Along with the treatment's efficacy and good safety profile, the convenience and ease of administration of mannitol treatment may improve adherence with therapy in these patients.
Study suggests early ART in recently HIV-infected patients preferable to delayed treatment
Among people recently infected with HIV, immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) appears preferable to deferring treatment, according to a new study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and now available online. Although the benefits of ART during early HIV-1 infection remain unproven, the findings support growing evidence favoring earlier ART initiation.
Manchester United helped spot fan's rare condition
Doctors in Manchester spotted a rare condition in a football fan after hearing about her unusual symptoms while watching her team Manchester United play.
Expectant mothers face unique challenges during the holidays
(Medical Xpress) -- Some people look at the holidays as a time to throw caution to the wind. Pregnant women, however, should be mindful of what food, drink and activities they chose to partake of every day—especially during holiday celebrations.
Book on teen brains can help improve decision making
Teenage brains undergo big changes, and they won't look or function like adult brains until well into one's 20s. In the first book on the adolescent brain and development of higher cognition, a Cornell professor helps highlight recent neuroscience discoveries about how the brain develops and their implications for real-world problems and how we teach young people and prepare them to make healthy life choices.
Costly diagnostic MRI tests unnecessary for many back pain patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Johns Hopkins-led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve pain. Moreover, MRI plays only a small role in a doctor’s decision to give these epidural steroid injections (ESIs), the most common procedure performed at pain clinics in the United States.
Patient-practitioner partnerships not yet realistic
(Medical Xpress) -- Much more work must be done to reduce the gap between the policy ideal and the practical reality of shared decision-making between patients and clinicians, according to new research from King’s College London.
Researchers reveal formula for success in increasing smoke alarm use
(PhysOrg.com) -- The most effective strategy to encourage more people to have a working smoke alarm in their homes has been revealed by a team of healthcare researchers.
Chilean twins in delicate condition post-surgery
(AP) -- Conjoined twin girls who were separated in a 20-hour operation were in critical condition on Friday and one was in danger of dying, according to the director of the Chilean hospital where they are being treated.
Gates, Canadian NGO offer $32 mn for research
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a Canadian NGO announced Friday $32 million to fund research for the discovery and development of affordable tools for rapidly diagnosing diseases in developing nations.
Spread of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is reduced by bevacizumab, according to phase 2 trial results
The trial conducted by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) shows the feasibility to deliver bevacizumab to the current chemoradiation standard without any apparent increased adverse side effects.
Chilean conjoined twins critical after separation
Conjoined 10-month-old twin girls separated by a Chilean medical team are in critical condition after the surgery, and one is close to death, hospital officials said Friday.
Advantages and motivations uncertain behind use of brachytherapy for breast cancer radiotherapy
Accelerated partial breast irradiation using brachytherapy (APBIb) for the treatment of breast cancer has been rapidly increasing over the last several years in the U.S. as an alternative to standard whole-breast irradiation (WBI), according to a study published December 16th in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
New research identifies changes to the brain in patients with spinal cord compression
Spinal degeneration is an unavoidable part of aging. For some, it leads to compression of the spinal cord which can cause problems with dexterity, numbness in the hands, the ability to walk, and in some cases, bladder and bowel function. Now, new research from The University of Western Ontario looks beyond the spinal cord injury in these patients to better understand what is happening in the brain. Researchers Robert Bartha, Dr. Neil Duggal and Izabela Kowalczyk found patients with spinal cord compression also had changes in the motor cortex of the brain. The findings are published in Brain.
Inhaled glucocorticoids during pregnancy and offspring pediatric diseases
Inhaled glucocorticoids for the treatment of asthma during pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of most diseases in offspring, but may be a risk factor for endocrine and metabolic disturbances, according to a new study.
Outwit the Grim Reaper by walking faster
Men aged 70 and older can elude the Grim Reaper by walking at speeds of at least 3 miles (or 5km) an hour, finds a study in the Christmas issue published in the British Medical Journal today.
Penicillin doses for children should be reviewed, say UK experts
A team of scientists and clinicians, led by researchers at King's College London and St George's, University of London, are calling for a review of penicillin dosing guidelines for children, as the current guidelines have remained unchanged for nearly 50 years.
Traumatic experiences may make you tough
(Medical Xpress) -- Your parents were right: Hard experiences may indeed make you tough. Psychological scientists have found that, while going through many experiences like assault, hurricanes, and bereavement can be psychologically damaging, small amounts of trauma may help people develop resilience.
Novel immuno-gene therapy shows promise for the treatment of rare, deadly form of cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report promising new results from a small clinical trial using an immune-system-based gene therapy for treating advanced stages of a deadly cancer, malignant mesothelioma. The treatment, immuno-gene therapy, transfers just enough genetic material from an existing virus to trigger a patient’s innate defenses to destroy cancer cells. The study results, published in the December 15th issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, may lead to earlier interventions for patients using targeted therapies.
A healthy diet can cost less than junk food, says UK research
(Medical Xpress) -- Parents of some obese children could save up to £6.58 ($10.22) each week by changing their shopping habits and opting for a healthier diet, according to research published in the latest issue of the British Journal of General Practice.
Hand hygiene -- clean hands, healthy body
Our hands are one of the chief ways we interact with our environment. Think about what you touch daily – doors, desks, food, other people, pets. Hundreds or thousands of other people have often touched the things we touch, and most of them have hands that are not sterile. People with colds or sore throats touch their mouth and nose, picking up the infectious agents on their hands. Then they transfer the infectious bacteria or virus to the surfaces they touch. Next we come along and get the germs on our own hands, touch our eyes, nose or mouth and soon are infected ourselves.
Schizophrenia: Small genetic changes pose risk for disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Carrying single DNA letter changes from two different genes together may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, Johns Hopkins researchers reported in the November 16 issue of Neuron.
Scientists develop animal model for TB-related blindness
(Medical Xpress) -- Working with guinea pigs, tuberculosis experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have closely mimicked how active but untreated cases of the underlying lung infection lead to permanent eye damage and blindness in people.
Genetic factors can predict the progression of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is marked by the abnormal accumulation of α-synuclein and the early loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain. A polymorphism in the promotor of α-synuclein gene known as NACP-Rep1 has been implicated as a risk factor for the disease. Now, researchers have found that different variants of NACP-Rep1 and its interaction with the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) H1 haplotype can influence the speed of clinical deterioration in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Gene hunters find cause of rare movement disorder
(Medical Xpress) -- After a challenging two-decade hunt, scientists have pinpointed the gene responsible for a rare disease that causes seizures in infancy and sudden, uncontrollable movements in adolescence and early adulthood.
First molecular evidence links live poultry markets to human H5N1 infection in China
Sequences of H5N1 virus from live bird markets in China matched sequences from patients who had recently visited the live bird markets, according to a paper in the December 2011 Journal of Virology. Live poultry markets have long been suspected of providing the reservoir of H5N1 responsible for human cases, but this is the first molecular evidence linking H5N1 in humans to these markets, the authors say.
Group sex among adolescents a public health concern, new study says
One in 13 teenage girls, aged 14 to 20, reported having a group-sex experience, with those young women more likely to have been exposed to pornography and childhood sexual abuse than their peers, according to a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher.
No brakes on breast cancer cells
Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center have discovered a tiny RNA molecule, called miR-520, which at once blocks two important pathways in the development of cancer in cells. In estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, the production of this microRNA is often reduced and this is correlated with malignant behavior of tumor cells. The DKFZ team has found out that tumors with low levels of miR-520 have a particularly strong tendency to metastasize.
Doctors should tell patients the realities of aging
Dr. Alexander K. Smith hopes to provoke a national discussion about being frank with the very elderly about their individual medical prognosis.
Midwives use rituals to send message that women's bodies know best
In reaction to what midwives view as the overly medicalized way hospitals deliver babies, they have created birthing rituals to send the message that women's bodies know best.
Scientists may be able to double efficacy of radiation therapy
Scientists may have a way to double the efficacy and reduce the side effects of radiation therapy.
Does team training save lives? A new science gives it a rigorous evaluation
Whether the task is flying a plane, fighting a battle, or caring for a patient, good teamwork is crucial to getting it done right. That's why team-building and training courses are big business in the U.S., and have been for decades. But lately something has changed: "There's a demand for evaluations—an emphasis on showing that team training makes a difference in safety, decision-making, communication, clinical outcomes—you name the ultimate criteria the industry has," says Eduardo Salas, an organizational psychologist at the University of Central Florida.
Researchers urge caution when buying noisy toys
While Road Rippers Lightning Rods, Let's Rock Elmo and the I Am T-Pain musical microphone might be sought-after gifts this holiday season, parents should ensure that their children don't risk permanent hearing damage by misusing them.
Childhood cancer drugs cure now, may cause problems later, research shows
Will a drug used to treat childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other pediatric cancers cause heart problems later in life?
Researchers develop first method to accurately measure zinc in humans
(Medical Xpress) -- Zinc is an essential nutrient, but until now, there has not been an effective way to measure it in our bodies, say University of Florida researchers.
First comprehensive DNA study of mast cell leukemia uncovers clues that could improve therapy
Cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have carried out the first comprehensive study of the changes seen in the DNA of a patient with mast cell leukemia (MCL), an extremely aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a very poor prognosis.
Researchers discover cause of rare disease
A large, international team of researchers led by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco has identified the gene that causes a rare childhood neurological disorder called PKD/IC, or "paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia with infantile convulsions," a cause of epilepsy in babies and movement disorders in older children.
Antibody injection promising for diabetes and obesity
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Genetech Inc. in South San Francisco, California, led by molecular biologist Junichiro Sonoda, have discovered that a single injection of antibodies into obese diabetic mice provided a marked and sustained improvement in their condition and a reduction in their weight.
Biology news
Rice Institute calls for cuts in pesticide use
Rice farmers should cut the use of pesticides that kill the natural predators of the planthopper, one of the most destructive pests of the key crop, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has said.
EU stuck on three new GM authorisations
Failure by EU agriculture ministers to decide on authorisation for three genetically-modified maize and cotton strains overnight left the matter in the hands of the EU executive on Friday.
Genomic sequences of two iconic falconry birds - Peregrine and Saker Falcons- successfully decoded
A group of scientists from United Kingdom (UK), China and United Arab Emirates (UAE) jointly announced the complete sequencing of peregrine and saker falcons genomes at the 2nd International Festival of Falconry held in Al Ain, UAE. The study is a part of Falcon Genome Project, launched and funded by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) in this January. The results will enable biologists to better study the basic biology and genetics of falcons and provide new insights into understanding the origin and populations of these species.
I wanna talk like you (oo)
The role of social structure in animal communication is hotly debated. Non-human primates seem to be born with a range of calls and sounds which is dependent upon their species. But overlying this there seems to be some flexibility - you can tell where a gibbon lives by its accent. New research published in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology used Campbell's monkeys to look in detail at the nature versus nurture question and showed that non-human primate 'language', like humans, is learnt.
Bacterial protein 'mops up' viruses found in contaminated water supplies
Access to clean water is a necessity often taken for granted. However UNICEF estimates that 900 million people across the world do not have access to safe drinking water. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Biotechnology shows that an enteric virus-binding protein (EVBP), isolated from bacteria found in activated sludge, is able to capture viruses often present in contaminated water.
Compound in Apples Inhibits E. coli O157:H7
A compound that is abundant in apples and strawberries inhibits the highly pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 biofilms while sparing a beneficial strain of E. coli that also forms biofilms in the human gut, according to a paper in the December 2011 issue of the journal Infection and Immunology.
Bacterial filters reduce stink from big pig factories
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on industrial animal factories can stink up an entire county, due to ammonia, and a smorgasbord of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Jeppe Lund Nielsen of Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark, et al. report that biofiltration with microbial filters can remove most of the butyric acid, dimethyl disulfide, and ammonia from the exhaust air, along with other smelly compounds. The research is published in the December 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Cold spots contaminated in high humidity incubators
Microbes in human incubators, like those found in neonatal intensive care units, grow most robustly on cold spots when the relative humidity is at least 60 percent, according to a paper in the December 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Winter diets? The secret is to chill the extremities
It is well known that large mammals living in temperate climates lower their metabolism in winter. But does this represent a mechanism for coping with less food or is it merely a consequence of having less to eat? For the red deer, the puzzle has been solved by the group of Walter Arnold at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna. The results are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Researchers uncover reason why mole rats are oblivious to acid pain
(PhysOrg.com) -- Mole rats aren't the prettiest things; living underground as they do, they more resemble Gollum from the Lord of the Rings trilogy than other rats or mice. But they’re interesting to scientists nonetheless because they have some interesting traits. They live for twenty years for example, and none of them ever get cancer.
Nematode research shows stress resistance tied to reproductive fitness
(PhysOrg.com) -- It seems in most everything in life there is a tradeoff. If you work more, for example, you’re likely to do better in your career, but, unfortunately, your personal life is likely to suffer. So it seems only natural to expect that nature has to deal with trade-offs as well. Take the lowly nematode, for example, researchers in Spain have found that those individuals that are better at dealing with changing environmental conditions, wind up developing more slowly than others and as a result, fare less well in reproducing. The team has published the results of their study in the journal Science.
Barracuda babies: Novel study sheds light on early life of prolific predator
For anglers and boaters who regularly travel the coasts of Florida the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is a common sight. Surprisingly, however, very little is known about the early life stage of this ecologically and socio-economically important coastal fish.
Researchers demonstrate new DNA detection technique
A team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame have demonstrated a novel DNA detection method that could prove suitable for many real-world applications.
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