Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 12, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Quantum tunneling results in record transistor performance- Cambridge University puts Newton's papers online
- New vaccine attacks breast cancer in mice
- A small step for lungfish, a big step for the evolution of walking
- How supermassive black holes came into existence shortly after the Big Bang
- TUM robots 'Kinect' to sandwiches and popcorn
- Colossal magnetoresistance occurs when nanoclusters form at specific temperatures
- A whole new meaning for thinking on your feet
- Scientists excited over hints of finding an elusive particle
- The smallest conceivable switch: Targeted proton transfer within a molecule
- Study debunks myths about gender and math performance
- Scientists discover new way to target cancer
- The paradox of gift giving: More not better, says new study
- The case of the dying aspens
- New study documents cumulative impact of mountaintop mining
Space & Earth news
Visitors crowd South Pole for anniversary of conquest
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will join dozens of adventurers at the South Pole this week to mark the 100th anniversary of countryman Roald Amundsen's groundbreaking expedition to the frozen continent.
Report calls for energy-smart food
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Massey University energy expert says the global agriculture industry, including that of New Zealand, must reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to secure food supply in the future.
15 new conservation concerns
A review carried out by a group of international specialists has identified several emerging issues that are likely to damage biodiversity in the coming years.
Book explores discoveries in cosmology and how our universe could have come from nothing
The earliest philosophers argued that out of nothing, nothing comes (ex nihilo, nihil fit). This ignited intense philosophical and theological debates and invoked challenging questions over the coming centuries. How could our universe in all its complexity come into existence from absolute nothingness, if nothing comes from nothing? In his new book, "A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather than Nothing (Free Press; January 10, 2012; Hardcover; $24.99)," Arizona State University professor Lawrence M. Krauss explains how recent revolutions in our understanding of physics and cosmology allow modern science to address the question of why there is something rather than nothing, and more importantly, why this is a scientific question rather than a philosophical or theological one.
Japan launches new spy satellite
Japan launched a new spy satellite into orbit on Monday amid concerns over North Korea's missile programme and to monitor natural disasters in the region, officials said.
Brazil's Belo Monte dam better than alternatives: study
Brazil's Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in the heart of the Amazon will have fewer environmental effects than fossil-fuel alternatives and will be cheaper than other renewable energy sources, state media said Sunday.
Haul of 50 oscillating stars with orbiting planets found by Kepler Spacecraft
(PhysOrg.com) -- Oscillations have been discovered in 50 stars with their own orbiting candidate planets (exo- or extrasolar planets) by an international team of scientists using data from the NASA Kepler Mission, according to an announcement made by one of the lead scientists, Professor Bill Chaplin from the UK’s University of Birmingham, at a NASA conference in California (Friday 9th December, 2011).
Flying into the eye of the storm
Scientists sprang into action to probe the violent storm that battered Scotland yesterday.
Antarctic expedition checks CryoSat down-under
(PhysOrg.com) -- Next week marks 100 years since Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole. As a team of scientists brave the Antarctic to validate data from ESA’s CryoSat mission, it’s hard to imagine what these first intrepid explorers would have thought of today’s advances in polar science.
Can marcellus shale gas development and healthy waterways sustainably coexist?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Amity, Pennsylvania. Epicenter of the natural gas-containing geological formation known as the Marcellus Shale.
Stars: How big is big?
You may have seen one of these astronomical scale picture sequences, where you go from the Earth to Jupiter to the Sun, then the Sun to Sirius – and all the way up to the biggest star we know of VY Canis Majoris. However, most of the stars at the big end of the scale are at a late point in their stellar lifecycle – having evolved off the main sequence to become red supergiants.
Climate change blamed for dead trees in Africa
Trees are dying in the Sahel, a region in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, and human-caused climate change is to blame, according to a new study led by a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley.
US mulls tax break for space 'burials'
Americans who want to save money on taxes may want to consider rocketing their ashes into space, according to legislation being proposed in Virginia.
Strip-till improves nutrient uptake and yield
The practice of deep banding fertilizer is growing in popularity as more growers turn to strip-till. However, this method may be costing growers more than it is worth.
U-M divers retrieve prehistoric wood from Lake Huron
Under the cold clear waters of Lake Huron, University of Michigan researchers have found a five-and-a-half foot-long, pole-shaped piece of wood that is 8,900 years old. The wood, which is tapered and beveled on one side in a way that looks deliberate, may provide important clues to a mysterious period in North American prehistory.
Canada withdrawing from Kyoto Protocol: minister
Canada is formally withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol, becoming the first country to abandon the agreement on climate change after ratifying it, its environment minister announced Monday.
Life possible on 'large parts' of Mars: study
Australian scientists who modelled conditions on Mars to examine how much of the red planet was habitable said that "large regions" could sustain life.
Star explosion leaves behind a rose
(PhysOrg.com) -- About 3,700 years ago, people on Earth would have seen a brand-new bright star in the sky. It slowly dimmed out of sight and was eventually forgotten, until modern astronomers later found its remains, called Puppis A. In this new image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Puppis A looks less like the remains of a supernova explosion and more like a red rose.
Cassini to make a double play
(PhysOrg.com) -- In an action-packed day and a half, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will be making its closest swoop over the surface of Saturn's moon Dione and scrutinizing the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon.
Chemically scrubbing CO2 from the air too expensive
(PhysOrg.com) -- While it is possible to chemically scrub carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere in order to lessen the severity of global warming, the process is prohibitively expensive for now. Best to focus on controls for coal-burning power plants, say researchers.
Mysterious red galaxies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Perhaps the most astonishing and revolutionary discovery in cosmology was Edwin Hubble's observation that galaxies are moving away from us with velocities that are proportional to their distances.
Is Vesta the 'smallest terrestrial planet?'
NASA's Dawn spacecraft spent the last four years voyaging to asteroid Vesta – and may have found a planet.
New evidence suggests large asteroid strike may have influenced Mercury's spin
(PhysOrg.com) -- Planets orbiting a sun generally, but not always spin on their axis. Some spin east to west, others west to east. Those that don’t spin are said to be tidal locked with their sun; always showing it the same face, such as the moon does with planet Earth. In these instances, the planet tends to develop different properties than it would were it spinning. One side is cold, the other hot, for example leading to unique geophysical properties. Also because of the sun’s gravitational pull, more asteroids are likely to hit the far side of the planet, leaving more craters.
The case of the dying aspens
Over the past 10 years, the death of forest trees due to drought and increased temperatures has been documented on all continents except Antarctica. This can in turn drive global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by trees and by releasing carbon locked up in their wood. New research led by Carnegie researcher and Stanford University PhD student William Anderegg offers evidence for the physiological mechanism governing tree death in a drought. The work is published the week of December 12 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
New study documents cumulative impact of mountaintop mining
Increased salinity and concentrations of trace elements in one West Virginia watershed have been tied directly to multiple surface coal mines upstream by a detailed new survey of stream chemistry. The Duke University team that conducted the study said it provides new evidence of the cumulative effects multiple mountaintop mining permits can have in a river network.
How supermassive black holes came into existence shortly after the Big Bang
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Bruce and Astrid McWilliams Center for Cosmology have discovered what caused the rapid growth of early supermassive black holes — a steady diet of cold, fast food.
Technology news
Teaching machines to recognize shapes
As any parent knows, teaching a toddler to recognize objects involves trial-and-error. A child, for example, may not initially recognize a cow in a picture-book after seeing the live animal on a farm and being told its label. In fact, a child may mistake a cow for a horse. After all, both animals have four legs.
Two missing BBC 'Doctor Who' episodes found
Two classic 1960s episodes of the BBC science fiction series "Doctor Who", thought lost forever, have been found, the British Film Institute said Monday.
Forget the fruitcake: Give skydiving lessons
(AP) -- Forget the material things - reindeer sweaters, clunky toys, stocking stuffers that end up as, well, stuff. How about a skydiving lesson, a spa pampering or a night at a cozy bed and breakfast?
French gambler sues government for not blocking poker sites
A French gambling addict is suing the government for 100,000 euros ($133,000) because it failed to prevent him from accessing online poker sites, his lawyer said on Monday.
US online spending rises 15% nearing year's end
US online shopping rose 15 percent from November 1 to December 9 compared to the same period last year, according to industry tracker comScore.
Malware rebirthing suites intensify security arms race
New breeds of malware could leave computer systems and even critical infrastructure defenseless to attack from cyber criminals or foreign governments.
Research may yield more compact antennas for military use
(PhysOrg.com) -- While tall, bulky antennas seem like relics in an era of sleek, modern smartphones, they're still an unfortunate necessity for American soldiers.
New application makes supercomputing simple
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new open source application developed at Murdoch University is giving researchers a revolutionary new way of accessing supercomputers.
Intel lowers outlook on disk drive shortage
US computer chip giant Intel lowered its fourth-quarter outlook on Monday, citing a hard disk drive shortage caused by flooding in Thailand.
Steve Jobs biography Amazon's top seller for 2011
A biography of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was Amazon's best-selling book this year despite hitting store shelves and electronic readers only in late October, Amazon said Monday.
New fracture analysis plan would change bridge fabrication, inspection
One size does not fit all. By adding the word "not", this now completely revised adage rings true for at least one civil engineer.
Facebook tacking online conflicts with compassionate touch
Facebook wants to grow more heart. The social media giant copes with a flood of complaints about objectionable photos, bullying hateful comments and other postings.
Justice, AT&T agree to put off antitrust trial
(AP) -- AT&T Inc. and the Justice Department agreed Monday to put off their upcoming antitrust trial over the phone company's proposed acquisition of smaller rival T-Mobile USA while the wireless carriers determine the fate of the deal.
Developing artificial intelligence systems that can interpret images
Like many kids, Antonio Torralba began playing around with computers when he was 13 years old. Unlike many of his friends, though, he was not playing video games, but writing his own artificial intelligence (AI) programs.
The high winds of the upper atmosphere contain less renewable energy than previously assumed
It seems that the energy mix of the future will have to differ from the current suggestions of some visionaries. This is because the jet streams that sweep the upper atmosphere with high winds would yield about 200 times less energy than previously estimated, according to calculations by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. The high winds were thought to be a rich potential source of renewable energy. However, their speed is due to the near absence of friction and not to strong propulsion, which would be necessary for high-output wind turbines. Using climate simulations, the researchers also discovered that the climate system could be subjected to massive change if large amounts of energy were taken from the jet streams.
A few hacker teams do most China-based data theft
As few as 12 different Chinese groups, largely backed or directed by the government there, commit the bulk of the China-based cyberattacks stealing critical data from U.S. companies and government agencies, according to U.S. cybersecurity analysts and experts.
Mac App Store downloads top 100 million
Apple on Monday said that more than 100 million mini-programs tailored for Macintosh computers have been downloaded from the Mac App Store since it opened at the start of the year.
Quantum tunneling results in record transistor performance
(PhysOrg.com) -- Controlling power consumption in mobile devices and large scale data centers is a pressing concern for the computer chip industry. Researchers from Penn State and epitaxial wafer maker IQE have created a high performance transistor that could help solve one of the vexing problems of today’s MOSFET technology – reducing the power demand whether the transistors are idle or switching.
Medicine & Health news
Breast cancer survivors struggle with cognitive problems several years after treatment
A new analysis has found that breast cancer survivors may experience problems with certain mental abilities several years after treatment, regardless of whether they were treated with chemotherapy plus radiation or radiation only. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that there may be common and treatment-specific ways that cancer therapies negatively affect cancer survivors' mental abilities.
Our jobs are making us sick
(Medical Xpress) -- New research at ANU has revealed that poor work conditions can adversely affect people’s health.
When it comes to use of dental services, not all New Jersey youngsters are equal
When it comes to receiving dental care, New Jersey has its share of underserved children, according to a Rutgers study.
Surgery to stop strokes reroutes vessels from torso to brain
(Medical Xpress) -- Five-year-old Ava Menefee was suffering frightening stroke-like episodes: One side of her face would temporarily droop, or she’d lose all sensation in one hand. Although the girl had undergone surgery to fix the faulty blood flow to her brain that caused the episodes, the operation had failed.
New incision-free surgery helps tame chronic acid reflux
(Medical Xpress) -- Adam Vasser would wake up at night choking on partially digested food and liquid. Stomach acid burned the delicate tissue of his throat. “I’d sleep really badly,” he said.
Racial disparities in colon cancer screening persist despite insurance, access
Public health researchers have long attributed the disparity in colonoscopy rates between whites and minorities to a lack of health insurance or access to doctors. Now, a new study suggests the reasons for the differences are more complex.
Gene inheritance patterns influence age of diagnosis in BRCA families
Women who inherit the cancer genes BRCA1 or BRCA2 from their paternal lineage may get a diagnosis a decade earlier than those women who carry the cancer genes from their mother and her ancestors, according to a new study by researchers at the North Shore-LIJ Health System's Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success, NY. The findings were reported on Thursday, Dec. 8, at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Disease progression halted in rat model of Lou Gehrig's disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) is an incurable adult neurodegenerative disorder that progresses to paralysis and death. Genetic mutations are the cause of disease in 5% of patients with ALS.
Weaning transplant recipients from their immunosuppressive drugs
Transplant surgeons live in the hope that one day they will be able to wean at least some of their patients off the immunosuppressive drugs that must be taken to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ. A team of researchers led by Alberto Sánchez-Fueyo, at the University of Barcelona, Spain, has now identified markers that might make this possible for liver transplant recipients.
Sports medicine researcher studies impact of lockouts, warns NBA of injuries
With the National Basketball Association (NBA) training camps now underway, serious injuries may come next. A national sports medicine expert, who published an article in a respected medical journal about the injury ramifications of lockouts, says players in the NBA should learn from information analyzed after the National Football League (NFL) lockout.
Autism researchers make exciting strides
Teaching young children with autism to imitate others may improve a broader range of social skills, according to a new study by a Michigan State University scholar.
Ruxolinitib better at reducing myelofibrosis symptoms, study shows
In a major advance in treatment, a multicenter study found that ruxolinitib did a better job than off-label chemotherapy drugs reducing the terrible symptoms associated with myelofibrosis, including pain, enlarged spleen, anemia, fever, chills, fatigue, and weight loss. The results were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology and Oncology in San Diego.
Study analyzes link between HIV infection and overdose risk
A study from Rhode Island Hospital is the first to systematically review and analyze the literature on the association between HIV infection and overdose risk. The findings show a 74 percent greater risk of overdose among drug users if they are HIV-infected. The researchers found that reasons for the increased risk are biological and behavioral, but may also include environmental and structural factors. The study is now available online in advance of print in the journal AIDS.
Survival rates increase with chemotherapy alone in patients with limited-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma
New research led by the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (CTG) at Queen's University has proven patients with limited stage Hodgkin's lymphoma have a better chance of long-term survival if they undergo a standard chemotherapy regimen as opposed to radiation-based treatment.
Blood pressure monitoring: Room for improvement
Because some clinicians fail to stick to official recommendations for blood pressure monitoring, a number of patients are misclassified, which could have an impact on decisions about their treatment. According to Gretchen Ray and colleagues, from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, when routine blood pressure monitoring in clinics is compared with measurements based on the latest guidelines, 93 percent of patients have different blood pressure readings. The findings appear online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.
Planting improves heart rate, stress levels of mentally challenged adults
Participation in horticultural activities can improve confidence and social skills, cultivate a positive attitude, and rejuvenate the mind and body. Many studies have emphasized the effects of horticultural activities in relation to physical and psychological rehabilitation, but few have considered the influence of these types of activities on mentally challenged people's autonomic nervous system (ANS) and on the stress hormone cortisol. A new study examined how activities such as pressing flowers, planting, creating flower arrangements, and making topiaries affect stress relief for patients who are mentally challenged.
Simple, model-free analysis of voltage-gated channels
A new study in the Journal of General Physiology provides fresh insight into voltage-gated channels—transmembrane ion channels that play a critical role in the function of neuronal and muscle tissue.
Variations in cardiac procedures related to physician recommendations and hospital characteristics
Physician preferences and hospital characteristics influence the type of procedures performed on blockages of the heart, leading to significant variations in rates of bypass, stent or angioplasty procedures, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Lawson research team working to personalize cancer care
The Lawson Translational Cancer Research Team (LTCRT) of the Lawson Health Research Institute is one of five groups participating in a new study that seeks to personalize cancer drug treatment.
Patient isolation associated with hospital delirium: study
A new study finds that patients who are moved into isolation during a hospital stay are nearly twice as likely to develop delirium, a potentially dangerous change in mental status that often affects hospital patients. Patients who began their stay in isolation were not at increased risk.
Exercise/memory research for Parkinson's
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Baltimore VA Medical Center have launched a study of exercise and computerized memory training to see if those activities may help people with Parkinson's disease prevent memory changes. The type of memory that will be examined is known as "executive function;" it allows people to take in information and use it in a new way. Many Parkinson's patients develop problems with executive function, which can prevent them from working and may eventually require a caregiver to take over more of the complex cognitive tasks of daily living.
NCAA mandatory sickle cell screening program not enough to save athletes' lives
In response to a lawsuit after a college football player died from complications due to sickle cell trait (SCT) during a workout, the NCAA implemented mandatory SCT screening of all Division I student-athletes.
Surgeons perform first 'ex vivo' lung transplants
A 59-year-old woman from upstate New York and a 60-year-old woman from the New York metro area were the first patients in New York state and among the first in the United States to receive transplanted lungs that were assessed and reconditioned in the operating room -- a technique that has the potential to dramatically increase the availability of lungs for transplant. The experimental procedure was performed by Dr. Frank D'Ovidio at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Study of two sisters sheds light on lymphoma evolution
When a 41-year-old woman was diagnosed with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia, she received a bone marrow transplant and subsequent leukocyte infusion from her sister. These treatments controlled her leukemia, but seven years later, both sisters developed follicular lymphoma.
Childhood cancer survivors' exposure to chemotherapy, radiation does not increase risk of birth defects in their childre
A large, retrospective study shows that children of childhood cancer survivors who received prior treatment involving radiation to testes or ovaries and/or chemotherapy with alkylating agents do not have an increased risk for birth defects compared to children of survivors who did not have such cancer treatment. The findings provide reassurance that increased risks of birth defects are unlikely for cancer survivors who are concerned about the potential effects of their treatment on their children, and can help guide family planning choices.
US Patent Office affirms 'Zamore Design Rule' patents
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has reaffirmed the validity of four important patents in the field of RNA therapeutics.
Health Squeeze: UK's free health care under threat
(AP) -- When David Evans needed a hernia operation, the 69-year-old farmer became so alarmed by the long wait that he used an ultrasound machine for pregnant sheep on himself, to make sure he wasn't getting worse.
Tiniest babies are growing up healthy despite odds
One is a healthy first-grader, the other an honors college student majoring in psychology. Once the tiniest babies ever born, both girls are thriving, despite long odds when they entered the world weighing less than a pound.
Researchers repair immune system in leukemia patients following chemotherapy
A new treatment using leukemia patients' own infection-fighting cells appears to protect them from infections and cancer recurrence following treatment with fludarabine-based chemotherapy, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The new process is a step toward eliminating the harsh side effects that result from the commonly prescribed drug, which improves progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) but destroys patients' healthy immune cells in the process, leaving them vulnerable to serious viral and bacterial infections. The drug's effects on the immune system tend to be so violent that it has been dubbed "AIDS in a bottle."
Study points to novel way to improve outcomes from umbilical cord blood transplants
A new method to boost the number of immune cells in umbilical cord blood prior to cord blood transplants for cancer patients appears to lead to a quicker rebuilding of a new immune system in the patient's body than with a conventional cord blood transplant procedure, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that will be presented today at the 53rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. The technique also paves the way for the development of a way to provide these transplant patients with a salvage therapy from the same donor if their cancer returns.
Tapping the brain orchestra
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) and Forschungszentrum Julich in Germany have developed a new method for detailed analyses of electrical activity in the brain. The method, recently published in Neuron, can help doctors and researchers to better interpret brain cell signals. In turn, this may lead to considerable steps forward in terms of interpreting for example EEG measurements, making diagnoses and treatment of various brain illnesses.
Alcohol can lead to unsafe sex: It's official
A new study has found that alcohol consumption directly impacts a person's intention to have unsafe sex. In other words, the more you drink, the stronger becomes your intention to engage in unsafe sex.
Seniors in Sweden 'stayin' alive' with exercise
The disco beat of 'Stayin' Alive' pulses through the room as Lennart Zetterqvist heaves dumbbells out to his side, zipping through the paces of a workout class with a twist: it's for seniors aged 90 and up.
Adult sleep shortages debunked by study
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Sydney researchers have debunked the widespread belief that technological devices such as computers and mobile phones are increasingly eating into our sleep.
UQ research finds alcopops tax ineffective
A University of Queensland research team have evaluated the effectiveness of the 'alcopops' tax by studying binge drinking-related admissions at the Gold Coast Hospital.
Study shows how nutrient levels affect enzyme associated with aging process
(Medical Xpress) -- Restricting calorie intake extends life span in many species, and a new study at the School of Medicine helps illuminate how: Low-nutrient conditions activate an enzyme that helps cells complete their normal division process.
For protection against cancers, both boys and girls benefit from getting HPV vaccine
On Oct. 25, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all adolescent boys be immunized against the human papilloma virus, which causes several types of cancer in both sexes. We strongly support this landmark decision, which builds on the CDC’s 2006 recommendation to immunize all girls against HPV.
Neuroscientists visualize neural circuitry at once-unattainable depths
A recent breakthrough in biological sample preparation by scientists at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Wako may give Astro Boy’s ‘x-ray vision’ a run for its money. By treating tissue samples with an easy-to-prepare mix of chemicals, Atsushi Miyawaki, Hiroshi Hama and their colleagues can render the brain and other tissues as clear as glass, a reversible transformation that gives researchers an unobstructed view of fluorescently labeled cells residing within1.
Can video games teach us how to behave?
For the first time, the positive effects of computer games on thoughts, emotions and behaviour will be the subject of closer scrutiny by social psychologists. A total of three studies will explore how, to which extent and for how long cooperative gaming behaviour influences the personality of gamers positively. The project, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), will complete the current state of research on personality effects from computer games, which has previously been dominated by studies of negative consequences. The studies have the potential to offer significant ideas for analysing and reinforcing social skills in all age groups.
Middle-aged drinkers still face peer pressure
(Medical Xpress) -- Middle-aged drinkers still face pressure from their friends making it hard for them to stay in control of their alcohol consumption, new research from the Medical Research Council (MRC) suggests.
Cannabis harms the brain - but that's not the full story
(Medical Xpress) -- For the first time, scientists have proven that cannabis harms the brain. But the same study challenges previously-held assumptions about use of the drug, showing that some brain irregularities predate drug use.
The brain on trial
How should insights about the brain affect the course of a criminal trial, from the arguments in a courtroom to the issuing of a sentence?
Herbal amphetamine increases risk of death and stroke in those with heart disease
Chewing the natural stimulant khat increases the risk of death and stroke in patients with heart disease compared to those who are not users, according to new research in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
No increased risk of serious cardiovascular events among adults who use ADHD medications: study
Although there have been cardiovascular safety concerns about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications because of their ability to increase heart rate and blood pressure levels, an analysis that included more than 150,000 ADHD users found no evidence of an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death associated with current use compared with nonuse or rare use among young and middle-aged adults, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online because of its public health importance.
How brain tumors invade
Scientists have pinpointed a protein that allows brains tumors to invade healthy brain tissue, according to work published this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Babies born with no eyes: Scientists identify genetic cause
Scientists at University College Dublin, Ireland, have identified a genetic alteration which causes a child to be born with no eyes – a condition called anophthalmia.
Control by the matrix: Researchers decipher the role of proteins in the cell environment
How astrocytes, certain cells of the nervous system, are generated was largely unknown up to now. Bochum's researchers have now investigated what influence the cell environment, known as the extracellular matrix, has on this process. They found out that the matrix protein tenascin C has to be present in order for astrocytes to multiply and distribute in a controlled fashion in the spinal cord of mice. Together with colleagues from the RWTH Aachen, the scientists from RUB Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology report their findings in the journal Development.
Novel export-inhibitor shows promise for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia
An experimental drug that works by blocking the export of key control molecules from the nucleus of cancer cells shows promise as a treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other incurable B-cell malignancies, according to a new study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
10 years after attacks on World Trade Center, human health cost is still being counted
The World Trade Center disaster exposed nearly half a million people to hazardous chemicals, environmental toxins, and traumatic events. According to research published in the December 2011 issue of Elsevier-published journal Preventive Medicine, this has resulted in increased risk of developing physical and mental health conditions after 9/11.
New scanning strategy could help develop heart disease treatments
Patients with life-threatening heart valve disease could be helped with alternative scanning techniques that provide greater insight into the condition.
A logistics approach to malaria in Africa
The problems of archaic logistics infrastructure, inefficient distribution channels and disruptive black markets must all be addressed urgently if Africa is to cope with the growing problem of malaria, according to a study published in the International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management.
New strain of lab mice mimics human alcohol consumption patterns
A line of laboratory mice developed by a researcher from the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis drinks more alcohol than other animal models and consumes it in a fashion similar to humans: choosing alcohol over other options and binge drinking.
Working moms feel better than stay-at-home moms, study finds
Mothers with jobs tend to be healthier and happier than moms who stay at home during their children's infancy and pre-school years, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.
Brief, high-intensity workouts show promise in helping diabetics lower blood sugar: study
Researchers at McMaster University have found that brief high intensity workouts, as little as six sessions over two weeks, rapidly lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, offering a potential fix for patients who struggle to meet exercise guidelines.
Study participants at risk for Alzheimer's talk about their genetic test results
If you had a family history of developing Alzheimer's disease, would you take a genetic test that would give you more information about your chances?
Improved medication use could reduce severe asthma attacks
Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital have found that one-quarter of severe asthma attacks could be prevented if only patients consistently took their medication as prescribed.
Research describes advantages of new vaccine adjuvant
New research from the laboratory of Dr. Elizabeth Leadbetter at the Trudeau Institute may lead to a whole new class of vaccines. Dr. Leadbetter's lab has discovered new properties of a potential vaccine adjuvant that suggest it could be useful for enhancing protection against a number of different infections. This new data will be published in the January 2012 issue of the journal Nature Immunology (Vol. 13, pp. 44-50). The paper, "iNKT cells direct B cell responses to cognate lipid antigen in an interleukin 21-dependent manner," is now available through Advance Online Publication (AOP) on Nature Immunology's website.
Childhood disorder bolsters research on infection link
Brody Kennedy was a typical sixth-grader who loved to hang out with friends in Castaic, Calif., and play video games. A strep-throat infection in October caused him to miss a couple of days of school, but he was eager to rejoin his classmates, recalls his mother, Tracy.
Test for Alzheimer's disease predicts cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease
A method of classifying brain atrophy patterns in Alzheimer's disease patients using MRIs can also detect cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers also found that higher baseline Alzheimer's patterns of atrophy predicted long-term cognitive decline in cognitively normal Parkinson's patients. The study is published online in Brain.
Two-faced leukemia?
One kind of leukemia sometimes masquerades as another, according to a study published online this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Researchers identify agent responsible for protection against early stages of atherosclerosis
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified for the first time the A2b adenosine receptor (A2bAR) as a possible new therapeutic target against atherosclerosis resulting from a diet high in fat and cholesterol. The findings, which appear on-line in Circulation, may have significant public health implications.
Overweight children face heart risks as young as 3, study says
When children are overweight, heart-health risk factors such as dangerous cholesterol levels and artery inflammation can start as early as age 3, according to a University of Miami study published in this week's medical journal Obesity.
Bone marrow and blood stem cell transplant survival rates equal, when donor is unrelated to patient
Patients who receive a blood stem cell transplant from a donor outside of their family to treat leukemia and other blood diseases are more likely to have graft failure but less likely to experience graft-versus-host disease, a condition caused by the donor cells attacking the recipient's body, if the transplanted blood cells come directly from a donor's bone marrow, rather than from blood stem cells circulating in the donor's bloodstream (PBSCs), according to new research. Although the study showed differences in the type and extent of complications, the results showed no difference in patient survival rates between these two major sources of donated blood cells.
Strict policy raises hospital's worker flu vaccination rate
A California hospital raised its employee influenza vaccination rate above 90 percent by shifting from a voluntary vaccination program to one mandating all healthcare workers either get vaccinated or wear a mask at work for the entire flu season (December through March).
Gene mutation signals a high risk of recurrence in some older acute-leukemia patients
Older people with acute myeloid leukemia and normal looking chromosomes in their cancer cells have a higher risk of recurrence if they have mutations in a gene called ASXL1, according to a new study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
'PARP' drug sabotages DNA repair in pre-leukemic cells
Looking for ways to halt the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells, scientists at Johns Hopkins have found that a new class of drugs, called PARP inhibitors, may block the ability of pre-leukemic cells to repair broken bits of their own DNA, causing these cells to self-destruct. Results of their experiments, expected to be presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego, Dec. 12, have already prompted clinical trials of the drugs in patients with aggressive pre-leukemic conditions, who have few treatment options.
Massive DNA search uncovers new mutations driving blood cancer
The most comprehensive search to date of DNA abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has unearthed several new altered genes that drive this common blood cancer, a finding that could potentially help doctors predict whether an individual patient's disease will progress rapidly or remain indolent for years, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute.
Why do people defend unjust, inept, and corrupt systems?
Why do we stick up for a system or institution we live in—a government, company, or marriage—even when anyone else can see it is failing miserably? Why do we resist change even when the system is corrupt or unjust? A new article in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, illuminates the conditions under which we're motivated to defend the status quo—a process called "system justification."
Researchers develop 'conversation cards' to broach subject of pediatric weight management
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have created a deck of cards with conversation starters about sensitive and informational topics related to weight, that parents can use to guide their discussions when talking about their child's weight management with health professionals.
Widespread brain atrophy detected in Parkinson's disease with newly developed structural pattern
Atrophy in the hippocampus, the region of the brain known for memory formation and storage, is evident in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with cognitive impairment, including early decline known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The study is published in the December issue of the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Too much information? Birth control choices abound
(AP) -- Worried about birth control in light of headlines about side effects from Yaz and the patch? Women have a lot of options that are safe and effective, including some that are even more reliable.
New discovery on how the body fights dengue fever
Worldwide, dengue fever strikes roughly 50 million people every year and takes the lives of thousands, but specific therapies or a vaccine for this mosquito-borne illness remain unavailable. A report coming out in the online journal mBio® on December 13 describes a new discovery about how the body fights the dengue virus, a finding that could explain differences in the ability to fight off the virus and help in developing a drug to boost this response.
Researchers identify genetic mutation responsible for most cases of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a gene mutation that underlies the vast majority of cases of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a rare form of lymphoma that has eluded all previous efforts to find a genetic cause.
Researchers illuminate the gap between experience and association
(Medical Xpress) -- In the moments after lightning streaks through the sky, we wait for the clap of thunder that experience has told us is likely to follow. In a finding that may have implications for treating Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics in the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT report in the Dec. 9 issue of Science that they have identified for the first time the part of the brain responsible for that delayed association.
Gene found in humans, mice protects cornea transparency
A transparent cornea is essential for vision, which is why the eye has evolved to nourish the cornea without blood vessels. But for millions of people around the world, diseases of the eye or trauma spur the growth of blood vessels and can cause blindness.
Researchers use new finding to clear bloodstream malaria infection in mice
University of Iowa researchers and colleagues have discovered how malaria manipulates the immune system to allow the parasite to persist in the bloodstream. By rescuing this immune system pathway, the research team was able to cure mice of bloodstream malaria infections.
Scientists discover new way to target cancer
Scientists have discovered a new way to target cancer through manipulating a master switch responsible for cancer cell growth.
Researcher develops model to foster new drug development to treat pain and epilepsy
Drawing on X-ray crystallography and experimental data, as well as a software suite for predicting and designing protein structures, a UC Davis School of Medicine researcher has developed an algorithm that predicts what has been impossible to generate in the laboratory: the conformational changes in voltage-gated sodium channels when they are at rest or actively transmitting a signal in muscle and nerve cells.
Intestine crucial to function of immune cells, research shows
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found an explanation for how the intestinal tract influences a key component of the immune system to prevent infection, offering a potential clue to the cause of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
New vaccine attacks breast cancer in mice
Researchers from the University of Georgia and the Mayo Clinic in Arizona have developed a vaccine that dramatically reduces tumors in a mouse model that mimics 90 percent of human breast and pancreatic cancer cases—including those that are resistant to common treatments.
Biology news
Microtextured surfacing may help to eradicate the problem of barnacle larvae in the shipping industry
The US Navy estimates that biofouling—the accumulation of unwanted marine organisms, such as barnacles and seaweeds, on the hulls of ships—can reduce a ship’s speed by 10% and increase fuel consumption by 40%. Coating the ship’s hull with biocides can help prevent biofouling, but the chemicals used are often harmful to the environment. An environmentally friendly alternative to biocides is the use of microtextured surfaces to which marine organisms have difficulty latching onto.
Early defoliation of Great Lakes wine grapes tested
Wine grape production in the Great Lakes Viticultural Region can be a challenging enterprise. Spring frost, winter injury, short and variable growing seasons, and cool, humid growing conditions subject grape vines to disease, including harvest season cluster rot. Tight-clustered wine grape varieties in the region show varying susceptibility to cluster rot; cultivars such as Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Seyval, and Vignoles are all susceptible, making it difficult to achieve maximum fruit maturity for these economically important varieties.
Accelerating adoption of agricultural technology
Research shows that it takes about eight years from the time public research funds are invested in technology development to the time the technology is first implemented. In the agricultural sector it can take as long as 15 years before full adoption by stakeholders occurs. Because many technologies in the agricultural world become obsolete in 15 years, it becomes increasingly important to find ways to move technology more rapidly from research to adoption.
A rosy future for Pakistan's cut flower industry
Roses are one of the leading cut flowers in the global floriculture trade. In the last few years, cut flower consumption and the market for high-quality flowers has increased in Pakistan as a result of the country's rapid economic growth, improved living standards, enhanced access to electronic media, and increasing demand from the country's growing hospitality industry.
Rose torture: severe heat in Texas yields better varieties for research
At least one person admits that the extreme heat in Texas this year was beneficial.
Species, threats grow in Mekong region: WWF
Scientists identify a new species every two days in the Greater Mekong region, the WWF said Monday, in a report detailing 2010's more unusual finds such as a leaf warbler and a self-cloning lizard.
Memory like a fish
(PhysOrg.com) -- Heard the one about the goldfish with the short memory? It is a commonly held belief that fish are the polar opposites to elephants. They always forget.
Fish may provide key to stopping disease spread, researcher says
A small fish may prove useful to understanding a worldwide health problem, if a Wayne State University researcher is correct.
Moon cycles and petrels... migration and mating
Creatures on Earth have annual cycles consisting of life history stages of breeding, moult and migration. For some, moon cycles influence their periodic behavior, particularly in the case of birds. New research from Université de La Réunion on Réunion, France probed the influence of photoperiod and moon phases on the migration dates and at-sea activity of Barau's petrel, a tropical seabird species, throughout its annual cycle. The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE.
Cellular processing of proteins found in Congolese child birthing tea now revealed
Many plants produce compounds that serve as a defense against predators or pathogens. Some are also used by humans for a variety of beneficial purposes, such as in medicines. As recently as the early 1990s, a unique class of proteins previously unknown to science, the cyclotides, was discovered. First noted through African tribal use as a tea given to speed up delivery during childbirth, cyclotides have since been determined to serve as a powerful insecticidal and nematocidal defense in the plants that produce them, and they also have anti-HIV and antimicrobial properties, with obvious benefits for humans. However, scientists are still working on unlocking much of the basic science of these fascinating proteins, including how they work and where in the plant cell they are produced.
Scientists show how cells accurately inherit information that is not contained in their genes
All 10 trillion cells in the adult human body are genetically identical, but develop into distinct cell types, such as muscle cells, skin cells or neurons, by activating some genes while inhibiting others. Remarkably, each specialized cell maintains a memory of their individual identity by remembering which genes should be kept on or off, even when making copies of themselves. This type of memory is not written directly into the DNA, yet it is heritable. Instead, such non-genetic or "epigenetic" instructions often appear to be contained in proteins and control not only genes but also how chromosomes are organized.
World's smallest frogs discovered in New Guinea
Field work by researcher Fred Kraus from Bishop Museum, Honolulu has found the world's smallest frogs in southeastern New Guinea. This also makes them the world's smallest tetrapods (non-fish vertebrates). The frogs belong to the genus Paedophryne, all of whose species are extremely small, with adults of the two new species - named Paedophryne dekot and Paedophryne verrucosa - only 8-9 mm in length. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Only few seabird species contract avian malaria
Seabirds often live in large colonies in very confined spaces. Parasites, such as fleas and ticks, take advantage of this ideal habitat with its rich supply of nutrition. As a result, they can transmit blood parasites like avian malaria to the birds.
Plant growth affected by tea seed powder
Natural products marketed as plant growth enhancers are becoming increasingly sought-after. Many of these products, typically produced by small companies with limited research capabilities, have not been tested in farm trials, nor have claims about product effectiveness been documented by scientific data. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen investigated the growth regulatory effect of Tea Seed Powder (TSP), a saponin-rich waste product from tea seed (Camellia sp.) oil production. The results of research appeared in the HortScience.
As climate change sets in, plants and bees keep pace
No laggards, those bees and plants.
Blue light irradiation promotes growth, increases antioxidants in lettuce seedlings
The quality of agricultural seedlings is important to crop growth and yield after transplantation. Good quality seedlings exhibit characteristics such as thick stems, thick leaves, dark green leaves, and large white roots. Scientists have long known that plant development and physiology are strongly influenced by the light spectrum, which affects seedling structure. Raising seedlings irradiated with blue light has been shown to increase crop yield after planting because of the high accumulation of phenolic compounds. Although most studies with blue light only or blue mixed with red light have indicated that blue light-containing irradiation produces higher plant biomass, recent research has suggested that yield and crop quality could be improved by controlling light quality.
Salt-tolerant crops show higher capacity for carbon fixation
Salt can have drastic effects on the growth and yield of horticultural crops; studies have estimated that salinity renders an about one-third of the world's irrigated land unsuitable for crop production. Imbalances in soil salinity can cause ion toxicity, osmotic stress, mineral deficiencies, and drastic physiological and biochemical changes in plants. Salt stress can even cause plants to adjust their water usage—to conserve water, some plants close their stomata, thus restricting the entry of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the leaf and reducing photosynthesis.
Size matters: Sugars regulate communication between plant cells
Multicellular organisms must have a means for cells to communicate with one another. Past research has shown that plants possess the ability to directly transfer materials between adjacent cells, through holes in their cell walls called plasmodesmata (PD).
Hundreds of threatened species not on official US list
Many of the animal species at risk of extinction in the United States have not made it onto the country's official Endangered Species Act (ESA) list, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.
Nature's medicine cabinet could yield hundreds of new drugs
There are probably at least 500 medically useful chemicals awaiting discovery in plant species whose chemical constituents have not yet been evaluated for their potential to cure or treat disease, according to a new analysis by a New York Botanical Garden scientist who has more than 15 years of experience in collecting plants for natural-products discovery programs.
Spring's rising soil temperatures see hormones wake seeds from their winter slumber
Dormant seeds in the soil detect and respond to seasonal changes in soil temperature by changing their sensitivity to plant hormones, new research by the University of Warwick has found.
Survey reveals scientists have trouble accessing human embryonic stem cell lines
The promise of stem cell research for drug discovery and cell-based therapies depends on the ability of scientists to acquire stem cell lines for their research.
A whole new meaning for thinking on your feet
Smithsonian researchers report that the brains of tiny spiders are so large that they fill their body cavities and overflow into their legs. As part of ongoing research to understand how miniaturization affects brain size and behavior, researchers measured the central nervous systems of nine species of spiders, from rainforest giants to spiders smaller than the head of a pin. As the spiders get smaller, their brains get proportionally bigger, filling up more and more of their body cavities.
Wheat can't stop Hessian flies, so scientists find reinforcements
(PhysOrg.com) -- Wheat's genetic resistance to Hessian flies has been failing, but a group of Purdue University and U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists believe that other plants may soon be able to come to the rescue.
Bigger, scarier weapons help spiders get the girl (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- If you're a red-headed guy with eight bulging eyes and a unibrow, size does indeed matter for getting the girl.
A small step for lungfish, a big step for the evolution of walking
The eel-like body and scrawny "limbs" of the African lungfish would appear to make it an unlikely innovator for locomotion. But its improbable walking behavior, newly described by University of Chicago scientists, redraws the evolutionary route of life on Earth from water to land.
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