Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 15, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Experiments explain why almost all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell- Chemists propose explanation for superconductivity at high temperatures
- Tool detects patterns hidden in vast data sets
- NASA's RXTE detect 'heartbeat' of smallest black hole candidate (w/ video)
- Scientists report first solar cell producing more electrons in photocurrent than solar photons entering cell
- Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars
- Discovery of a 'dark state' could increase maximum theoretical efficiency of solar cells from 31 to 44 percent
- Less knowledge, more power: Uninformed can be vital to democracy, study finds
- Facebook rolls out 'Timeline' feature to all users
- Shape, fit of reproductive organs evolve quickly and in concert, leaving size behind
- Team designs a bandage that spurs, guides blood vessel growth
- Gene discovery explains how fruit flies retreat from heat
- Researchers assess effects of a world awash in nitrogen
- Nitrogen from humans pollutes remote lakes for more than a century
- Decades-old conclusion about energy-making pathway of cyanobacteria is corrected
Space & Earth news
Russia space agency 'bans foreign travel'
They may be working to reach the final frontier, but employees of Russian space agency Roscosmos face going no further than Russia for their holidays.
Brazil prosecutors want Chevron work shut down
Prosecutors in Brazil on Wednesday called for a shutdown of Chevron's activities nationwide and said the US oil giant should be fined $11 billion for damage caused by an oil spill last month.
South Pole website celebrates a century of science
A century ago, two groups of explorers crossed the Antarctic continent, competing for the distinction of being the first to stand at the geographic South Pole. Norwegian native Roald Amundsen and his men won that race. His British rival, Robert Falcon Scott, and his party arrived roughly a month later, only to perish on the way back to their base camp.
After years of 'fracking,' Pennsylvanians remain mixed about gas drilling
(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite having an eight-year head start on Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction, Pennsylvania residents are just as uncertain about the effects of horizontal hydraulic drilling as New Yorkers, researchers at Cornell and Penn State have found.
Hubble serves up a holiday snow angel
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope presents a festive holiday greeting that’s out of this world. The bipolar star-forming region, called Sharpless 2-106, looks like a soaring, celestial snow angel. The outstretched “wings” of the nebula record the contrasting imprint of heat and motion against the backdrop of a colder medium.
Industrial 'inertia to change' is delaying development of zero carbon homes, report finds
Tackling rising CO2 emissions from the residential sector could make a vital contribution towards mitigating climate change, according to a new report from the UCL Bartlett School of Planning.
SMOS detects freezing soil as winter takes grip
(PhysOrg.com) -- ESA’s SMOS satellite is designed to observe soil moisture and ocean salinity, but this innovative mission is showing that it can also offer new insight into Earth’s carbon and methane cycles by mapping soil as it freezes and thaws.
NASA: Climate change may bring big ecosystem changes
(PhysOrg.com) -- By 2100, global climate change will modify plant communities covering almost half of Earth's land surface and will drive the conversion of nearly 40 percent of land-based ecosystems from one major ecological community type - such as forest, grassland or tundra - toward another, according to a new NASA and university computer modeling study.
Curiosity and the solar storm
On Nov. 26th, Curiosity blasted off from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas 5 rocket. Riding a plume of fire through the blue Florida sky, the car-sized rover began a nine month journey to search for signs of life Mars.
New app helps NASA keep track of meteoroids
Surprising but true: Every day, on average, more than 40 tons of meteoroids strike our planet. Most are tiny specks of comet dust that disintegrate harmlessly high up in Earth's atmosphere, producing a slow drizzle of meteors in the night sky. Bigger chunks of asteroid and comet debris yield dozens of nightly fireballs around the globe. Some are large enough to pepper the ground with actual meteorites.
NASA Planning for Possible Landings on Europa
All these worlds are yours except Europa, Attempt no landing there, Use them together use them in peace
Canada unveils Arctic drilling rules
Canada's energy regulator rolled out new rules on Thursday allowing for alternative ways to deal quickly with blowouts in the Arctic other than drilling relief wells.
NASA eyes power in Tropical Storm Washi, warnings in the Philippines
NASA's TRMM satellite measured heavy rainfall and powerful towering thunderstorms as Tropical Depression 27W intensified into Tropical Storm Washi today. Now, warnings are up in areas of the Philippines as Washi heads in that direction.
For NASA Webb telescope engineers, COCOA this winter means precision testing
Engineers working on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope are bringing out the COCOA this winter, but it's not a warm beverage. Rather, it's a way to check that the mirrors are perfectly shaped and will work in the frosty environment of space.
A galaxy blooming with new stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) has captured the beauty of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 253. The new portrait is probably the most detailed wide-field view of this object and its surroundings ever taken. It demonstrates that the VST, the newest telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory, provides broad views of the sky while also offering impressive image sharpness.
First low-mass star detected in globular cluster
Even the most powerful high-tech telescopes are barely able to record remote low-mass and thus faint stars. Together with researchers from Poland and Chile, an astrophysicist from the University of Zurich has now detected a low-mass star in globular cluster M22 for the first time through microlensing. The result indicates that the overall mass of globular clusters might well be explained without enigmatic dark matter.
Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined
Lead pipes once used routinely in municipal water distribution systems are a well-recognized source of dangerous lead contamination, but new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that the partial replacement of these pipes can make the problem worse.
Nitrogen from humans pollutes remote lakes for more than a century
Nitrogen derived from human activities has polluted lakes throughout the Northern Hemisphere for more than a century and the fingerprint of these changes is evident even in remote lakes located thousands of miles from the nearest city, industrial area or farm.
Researchers assess effects of a world awash in nitrogen
Humans are having an effect on Earth's ecosystems but it's not just the depletion of resources and the warming of the planet we are causing. Now you can add an over-abundance of nitrogen as another "footprint" humans are leaving behind. The only question is how large of an impact will be felt.
Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of scientists from Oregon has collected microbes from ice within a lava tube in the Cascade Mountains and found that they thrive in cold, Mars-like conditions.
NASA's RXTE detect 'heartbeat' of smallest black hole candidate (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of astronomers has identified a candidate for the smallest-known black hole using data from NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The evidence comes from a specific type of X-ray pattern, nicknamed a "heartbeat" because of its resemblance to an electrocardiogram. The pattern until now has been recorded in only one other black hole system.
Technology news
Australia media review eyes Internet
A review of Australia's media on Thursday recommended a major regulatory shakeup which would put Internet giants under the same umbrella as traditional outlets and see ownership laws axed.
Unique 'listening' technology tackles widespread fraud issues
Alaris, a joint venture startup company between ASU and Rolls-Royce, aims to tackle health care insurance fraud that is estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers more than $200 billion each year. This partnership was formed to commercialize a Rolls-Royce developed signature verification technology called SignHear in several markets including health care, retail banking and child care security.
Japan's Fujifilm to buy US ultrasound maker
Japanese film and camera maker Fujifilm on Thursday announced an agreement to buy SonoSite, a US ultrasound equipment manufacturer, for $995 million.
Patiently impatient - Belief in the potential of the sun
It is not a matter of physical resources. Nor is it a matter of technology. At a reasonable cost, 10 billion people could live on our level. The problem lies in the readjustment to a new, sustainable energy system. Can we bring this about sufficiently quickly?
Should we better prepare for earthquakes?
University of Adelaide researchers are leading an international project to help identify buildings most vulnerable to earthquakes and the best ways to strengthen them.
Angry Birds to get own theme parks: company
The Angry Birds are set fly from the virtual into the real world next year as the cartoonish birds from the popular smartphone game get their own theme parks, a playground company said Thursday.
Jury deliberates in $1B lawsuit against Microsoft
(AP) -- Jurors deliberating Wednesday in a Utah company's $1 billion federal antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. appeared confused, sending at least five questions to the judge, one of which couldn't be answered.
Lam Research buying Novellus Systems in $3.3B deal
Semiconductor equipment maker Lam Research Corp. is buying rival Novellus Systems Inc. for $3.3 billion in stock, the companies announced Wednesday.
Rara revs up price war over unlimited music plans
(AP) -- A British company has taken the price war for music subscriptions to a new level.
TED sells 'virtual seats' to lofty gatherings
TED on Wednesday began selling "virtual seats" to its prestigious and mind-expanding flagship gatherings.
Gates rules out return to Microsoft helm
Bill Gates on Thursday ruled out ever returning to the helm of Microsoft while dismissing criticism by late Apple founder Steve Jobs, who he called "brilliant".
Hackers breach servers of Japan's Square Enix
Japanese game developer Square Enix said that servers containing data on 1.8 million customers had been hacked, but said the extent of the damage was not yet known.
California unveils cyber crime unit
California has a new eCrime Unit devoted to catching and prosecuting Internet Age crooks.
Google boosts Asia data capacity as traffic grows
Search engine giant Google on Thursday formally launched the construction of a new data centre in Singapore to cope with the explosive growth of Internet traffic in the Asia-Pacific region.
Pilots cleared to use iPad during takeoff, landing
Apple's iPad has been cleared for use by American Airlines pilots during takeoff and landing in a move that could make bulky flight bags crammed with manuals and charts a thing of the past.
Imec, Polyera, Solvay set 8.3% efficiency record for organic solar cell with inverted device
Imec, Polyera and international chemical group Solvay have achieved a new world-record efficiency of 8.3% for polymer-based single junction organic solar cells in an inverted device stack. These excellent performance results represent a crucial step towards successful commercialization of organic photovoltaic cells.
Playback: 130-year-old sounds revealed
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the early 1880s, three inventors—Alexander Graham Bell, Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter, collectively making up the Volta Laboratory Associates—brought together their creativity and expertise in a laboratory on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C., to record sound. In one experiment, Nov. 17, 1884, they recorded the word “barometer” on a glass disc with a beam of light. This disc and about 200 other experimental recordings from their laboratory were packed up for safekeeping, given to the Smithsonian and, with a few exceptions, never played again.
Research shows hands-free phones just as risky
(AP) -- Like it or not, when someone is talking to you, your brain is listening, processing and thinking about what's being said - even when you're in the driver's seat trying to concentrate on traffic.
Improving security in the cloud
Less and less of today's computing is done on desktop computers; cloud computing, in which operations are carried out on a network of shared, remote servers, is expected to rise as the demand for computing power increases. This raises some crucial questions about security: Can we, for instance, perform computations on data stored in 'the cloud' without letting anyone else see our information? Research carried out at the Weizmann Institute and MIT is moving us closer to the ability to work on data while it is still encrypted, giving an encrypted result that can later be securely deciphered.
Louvre and Nintendo aim to make art child's play
The Louvre said Thursday it has teamed up with Nintendo to hand out 3D game consoles to guide visitors through its vast art collections, as part of a stepped up digital drive at the Paris museum.
Facebook, Greenpeace in truce over data centers
(AP) -- Facebook and Greenpeace have called a truce over a clean energy feud that had the environmental group using the social network's own platform to campaign against it.
TV companies have a year to pipe down loud ads
(AP) -- Shush, already. That's the message the Federal Communications Commission is sending with new rules that force broadcast, cable and satellite companies to turn down the volume on blaring TV commercials.
Google searchers craved Rebecca Black in 2011
Teen singing sensation Rebecca Black topped a Google Zeitgeist list of hot search subjects marking the spirit of 2011.
Internet architects oppose US online piracy bills
A group of prominent architects of the Internet added their voices Thursday to those opposing legislation in the US Congress intended to crack down on online piracy.
Military looks for more 'fear factor' in training simulators
The group of Marines sprang into action and raced into combat position, with weapons aimed, as they assaulted a possible terrorist stronghold. Moments later, they were sipping sodas and chatting with friends about weekend plans.
BlackBerry maker RIM's net income falls in 3Q
(AP) -- BlackBerry maker Research In Motion says its net income sank 71 percent as revenue fell and the company took a large accounting charge because it had to sell its PlayBook tablet computer at a deep discount.
Full ban on driver calls could be tough to enforce
(AP) -- A driver in the next lane is moving his lips. Is he on a hands-free cell phone or just talking to himself? If lawmakers follow the advice of a federal board, police officers will have to start figuring that out.
Japan's Sony generates power from paper
Japanese electronics giant Sony on Thursday revealed technology that generates electricity from shredded paper.
Tiny solar cell could make a big difference
How small can a solar cell be and still be a powerhouse? How about six hundred microns wide — about the diameter of a dot made by a ballpoint pen?
'Smart Connector' could save millions in lost revenue
Deterioration and damage to cellular telecommunications cables cost organizations and customers millions in lost revenue and services in the always-on digital economy. A new sensor device, smaller than a quarter, might alleviate some of the impact.
Facebook rolls out 'Timeline' feature to all users
Facebook on Thursday began transforming profile pages into interactive digital scrapbooks that let members of the world's leading online social network tell the stories of their lives.
Tool detects patterns hidden in vast data sets
Researchers from the Broad Institute and Harvard University have developed a tool that can tackle large data sets in a way that no other software program can. Part of a suite of statistical tools called MINE, it can tease out multiple patterns hidden in health information from around the globe, statistics amassed from a season of major league baseball, data on the changing bacterial landscape of the gut, and much more. The researchers report their findings in a paper appearing in the December 16 issue of the journal Science.
Medicine & Health news
Walking skills program improves physical function following hip replacement surgery
Researchers in Norway report that patients who receive walking skills training following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis show improved physical function. The physical therapy program displayed a positive effect on walking distance and stair climbing which continued 12 months following hip replacement surgery. Results of the study appear in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
From heterogeneous patient measurements towards earlier diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease
European PredictAD project, lead by Principal Scientist Jyrki Lotjonen from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has developed a decision support tool for objective diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease. The tool compares measurements of a patient to measurements of other persons available in large databases and provides a simple index about the severity of the disease. The project has shown that the tool improves the accuracy of diagnosis and clinicians' confidence about their decision, making earlier diagnosis possible.
Researchers identify phthalates in numeruous medicines and supplements
Researchers from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC), in collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health, have found numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs and supplements use certain chemicals called phthalates as inactive ingredients in their products. The findings appear on-line in Environmental Health Perspectives.
President's Bioethics Commission releases report on human subjects protection
The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues today issued its report concerning federally-sponsored research involving human volunteers, concluding that current rules and regulations provide adequate safeguards to mitigate risk. In its report, "Moral Science: Protecting Participants in Human Subjects Research," the Commission also recommended 14 changes to current practices to better protect research subjects, and called on the federal government to improve its tracking of research programs supported with taxpayer dollars.
Toxic liquor kills 143 in eastern India
A batch of home-brewed liquor thought to have been laced with the highly toxic chemical methanol has killed 143 people in eastern India, an official told AFP on Thursday.
Three-year study identifies key interventions to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths
Some 56 evidence-based interventions will sharply reduce the 358,000 women who still die each year during pregnancy and childbirth and the 7.6 million children who die before the age of 5, according to a massive three-year global study.
Breast cancer patients more satisfied when specialists share care management
Patients with breast cancer report greater satisfaction with care when their cancer doctor co-manages their care with other specialists. However, some specialists are more likely than others to share decision-making with other physicians, finds a new study in Health Services Research.
New research could lead to enhanced MRI scans
New research from the University of Southampton could lead to enhanced MRI scans, producing brighter and more precise images, and potentially allowing the detection of cancerous cells before they cause health problems.
A simple clip could increase quality of life for thousands of patients with a common heart problem
The interventional cardiology team at the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) recently conducted the first clinical procedure in Canada using the MitraClip system, which is designed to treat patients suffering from mitral valve failure, a very common heart defect that affects an estimated 1 out 5 people to various extents starting at the age of 55. The MHI has implemented a treatment program for this condition and so far is the centre that has performed the most procedures in Canada with the MitraClip system.
Personalising the use of chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment
(Medical Xpress) -- UCD researchers have identified a novel biomarker that can identify those women with breast cancer who will have a poor response to tamoxifen, one of the principle anti-hormone drugs used to treat the disease. This may allow clinicians to tailor the treatment of early stage breast cancer patients appropriately.
New book on HIV from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
The worldwide AIDS epidemic makes research on HIV, the disease processes it induces, and potential HIV therapies among the most critical in biomedical science. Furthermore, the basic biology of HIV infections provides a model for a more general understanding of retroviruses and their hosts.
Heart failure study: Health-literate patients not always adept at managing care
A patient's education level is not a fail-safe predictor of how well they will manage symptoms related to complicated chronic diseases, such as heart failure, according to a Purdue University study.
RTOG activates study to determine best treatment strategies for patients with glioma brain tumors
Treatment remains controversial for patients diagnosed with a low-risk, low-grade glioma (LGG) brain tumor. These patients have significantly better prognosis than patients diagnosed with more aggressive high-grade glioma, and their clinical care often involves ongoing observation for tumor changes with imaging studies. Because low-risk LGG are slow growing tumors, concerns about the potential adverse effects of early treatment on patients' neurocognitive function (NCF) and quality of life (QOL) may outweigh treatment benefits in patients who are frequently young and highly functional.
Behavioral interventions can increase condom use, reduce sexually transmitted infections
Behavioral interventions aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex, are effective at both promoting condom use and reducing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) long after the initial intervention, according to a new report in the December 15 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
The respective roles of the public and private sectors in pharmaceutical innovation
The study identifies the respective contributions of direct and indirect government support in research and development of new pharmaceutical drugs.
U.S. Supreme Court petitioned to review AMP, et al. lawsuit on gene patents
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Association for Molecular Pathology v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a case that challenges the validity of patents on two human genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
Dentists could screen 20 million Americans for chronic physical illnesses: study
Nearly 20 million Americans annually visit a dentist but not a general healthcare provider, according to an NYU study published today in the American Journal of Public Health.
Adolescent drinking may be as important a risk factor for criminal activity as illicit drug use
Alcohol use has often been linked to criminal activity on the part of both perpetrators as well as victims. While this relationship has been well documented among adults, fewer studies have explored this relationship among adolescents. A new study has found a strong relationship between drinking during adolescence and the commission of crimes, and criminal victimization, for both genders.
Texting can help to both assess drinking issues and deliver brief interventions
Each day numerous young adults in the U.S. visit hospital emergency departments (EDs) for alcohol-related problems. This study examined the use of text messaging (TM), both to collect drinking data from young adults after ED discharge as well as provide immediate feedback and ongoing support to them, finding that TM is effective on both levels.
Can proteins in the blood predict an early death?
Certain measures of kidney health may predict who is likely to die prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The findings suggest that some markers of kidney function are better than others at predicting an individual's prognosis.
Palm-sized baby among the world's smallest
At birth, Melinda Star Guido was so tiny she could fit into the palm of her doctor's hand. Weighing just 9 1/2 ounces - less than a soda can - she is among the smallest babies ever born in the world.
Low iron levels in blood give clue to blood clot risk
People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to research published in the journal Thorax today. A study of clotting risk factors in patients with an inherited blood vessel disease suggests that treating iron deficiency might be important for preventing potentially lethal blood clots.
Holiday gift guide: Choosing safe toys for children
(Medical Xpress) -- More than 180,000 children were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for toy-related injuries last year. Here, two UNC Health Care experts offer toy-safety tips for the kids in your life.
Study shows additional benefits of progesterone in reducing preterm birth risk
(Medical Xpress) -- An analysis of five previous studies has uncovered additional evidence of the effectiveness of progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone, in reducing the rate of preterm birth among a high-risk category of women.
Pregnant women advised to stay cool for baby's sake
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) world-first research has found a link between increases in temperature and the incidence of stillbirth and shorter pregnancies.
Hide and seek signals
The white blood cells that fight disease and help our bodies heal are directed to sites of infection or injury by 'exit signs' – chemical signals that tell them where to pass through the blood vessel walls and into the underlying tissue. New research at the Weizmann Institute, which appeared in Nature Immunology online, shows how the cells lining blood vessel walls may act as 'selectors' by hiding the signals where only certain 'educated' white blood cells will find them.
Unwanted online sexual exposures decline for youth, new research finds
A new study from the University of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center finds declines in two kinds of youth Internet sexual encounters of great concern to parents: unwanted sexual solicitations and unwanted exposure to pornography. The researchers suspect that greater public awareness may have been, in part, what has helped.
Polyphenol-rich diet could reduce cardiovascular risk
(Medical Xpress) -- A diet high in polyphenols could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and associated health risks, according to a new study by the University of Glasgow.
Alcohol tastes sweeter in noisy environments
(Medical Xpress) -- People find alcohol sweeter in noisy environments, which might drown out our ability to judge how much we’re drinking, according to new research.
Team pinpoints amino acid variation in immune response gene linked with ulcerative colitis
The association between the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis and a gene that makes certain cell surface proteins has been pinpointed to a variant amino acid in a crucial binding site that profoundly influences immune response to antigens, including gut bacteria, reports a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Cleveland Clinic, Carnegie Mellon University and Harvard Medical School. They published the findings today in the online version of Genes & Immunity.
Psychology researcher finds that second-guessing one's decisions leads to unhappiness
You're in search of a new coffee maker, and the simple quest becomes, well, an ordeal. After doing copious amounts of research and reading dozens of consumer reviews, you finally make a purchase, only to wonder: "Was this the right choice? Could I do better? What is the return policy?"
Blood test might predict how well a depressed patient responds to antidepressants
Loyola University Medical Center researchers are reporting what could become the first reliable method to predict whether an antidepressant will work on a depressed patient.
Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation
A new study has identified a gene mutation that researchers estimate dates back to 11,600 B.C., making it the second oldest human disease mutation yet discovered.
Endoscope controlled by MRI: A 'fantastic voyage' through the body
small cameras or optic fibres that are usually attached to flexible tubing designed to investigate the interior of the body — can be dangerously invasive. Procedures often require sedative medications and some recovery time. Now a researcher at Tel Aviv University is developing a "capsule endoscope" that can move through the digestive tract to detect problems independent of any attachments.
Cancer from fetal exposure to carcinogens depends on dose, timing
The cancer-causing potential of fetal exposure to carcinogens can vary substantially, a recent study suggests, causing different types of problems much later in life depending on the stage of pregnancy when the fetus is exposed.
Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy: study
Almost two-thirds of women in British Columbia filled at least one prescription at some point in their pregnancy, including drugs with potential risks, according to a new study by University of British Columbia researchers.
In the genome, an answer to a mysterious movement disorder
Children with a rather mysterious movement disorder can have hundreds of attacks every day in which they inexplicably make sudden movements or sudden changes in the speed of their movements. New evidence reported in an early online publication from the January 2012 inaugural issue of Cell Reports, the first open-access journal of Cell Press, provides an answer for them. Contrary to expectations, the trouble stems from a defective version of a little-known gene that is important for communication from one neuron to the next.
Using powerful MRI to track iron levels in brain could be new way to monitor progression of MS
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a new way to track the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in those living with the disease, by using a powerful, triple strength MRI to track increasing levels of iron found in brain tissue.
Same-sex marriage laws reduce doctor visits and health care costs for gay men
Gay men are able to lead healthier, less stress-filled lives when states offer legal protections to same-sex couples, according to a new study examining the effects of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The study, "Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Laws on Health Care Use and Expenditures in Sexual Minority Men: A Quasi-Natural Experiment," is online in the American Journal of Public Health.
Teens choose water when calorie count of sugary beverages is easier to understand
Thirsty? You may be more inclined to reach for plain old H2O if you knew how many calories are in sugar-sweetened beverages; this is according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They examined the effect of providing clear and visible caloric information about sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and fruit juice on the number of sugar-sweetened beverage purchases at neighborhood stores, and found that providing easily understandable caloric information, specifically in the form of a physical activity equivalent, may reduce the likelihood of sugar-sweetened beverage purchases among adolescents by as much as half. The results are featured in a recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Diabetes risk reduced among Latinos in UMass clinical study
An inexpensive, culturally sensitive diabetes prevention program created by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School reduced pre-diabetes indicators in a Latino population at risk for developing diabetes. Results of this three-year study, which were published online in the American Journal of Public Health, are significant because they replicate results of earlier studies that were similar but carried out in more educated and higher-income populations, and much more expensive to conduct. The model for the Lawrence intervention could provide an affordable approach for similar low-income populations.
New stats show America's heart health needs improvement
America's heart and blood vessel health is far from ideal, according to data in the American Heart Association's "Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update 2012," published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Analysis of fetal meconium can reveal gestational alcohol exposure
In recent years, medical professionals have begun to measure fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium as a direct and reliable marker of gestational alcohol exposure during the second and third trimesters. This study extended that research – by examining prenatal exposure to alcohol in seven Italian cities through analysis of FAEEs and of a new biomarker, ethylglucuronide (EtG), in neonatal meconium samples – finding that fetal alcohol exposure is underestimated or misreported in Italy.
Robotic therapy may provide lasting gains for immobilized stroke survivors
Severely impaired stroke survivors could walk better when a robotic assist system was added to conventional rehabilitation, according to a study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Gene discovered for Weaver syndrome
Scientists have found a gene that causes Weaver syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that typically causes large size at birth, tall stature, developmental delay during childhood, and intellectual disability. Published today in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the discovery means that testing the EZH2 gene for mutations could help families who are seeking a diagnosis for their child.
Young adults drop exercise with move to college or university: researchers
Regular exercise tends to steeply decline among youth as they move to university or college, according to a study by researchers at McMaster University.
New study shows how B cells may generate antibodies after vaccination
Steve Reiner, MD, professor of Medicine, and Burton Barnett, a doctoral student in the Reiner lab at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, have shown how immune cells, called B lymphocytes, are able to produce daughter cells that are not equal, a finding that might explain how lifelong antibodies are made after vaccination.
No higher risk of acute leukaemia in close relatives
(Medical Xpress) -- Parents, siblings and children of patients with the most common form of acute leukemia do not run a higher risk of developing the disease as was once believed, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet.
Multisensory integration: When correlation implies causation
In order to get a better picture of our surroundings, the brain has to integrate information from different senses, but how does it know which signals to combine? New research involving scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Tübingen, the University of Oxford, and the University of Bielefeld has demonstrated that humans exploit the correlation between the temporal structures of signals to decide which of them to combine and which to keep segregated. This research is about to be published in Current Biology.
Study uncovers evidence on how drug-resistant tuberculosis cells form
A new study led by Harvard School of Public (HSPH) researchers provides a novel explanation as to why some tuberculosis cells are inherently more difficult to treat with antibiotics. The discovery, which showed that the ways mycobacteria cells divide and grow determine their susceptibility to treatment with drugs, could lead to new avenues of drug development that better target tuberculosis cells.
Researchers discover hereditary predisposition of melanoma of the eye
Ohio State University researchers have discovered a hereditary cancer syndrome that predisposes certain people to a melanoma of the eye, along with lung cancer, brain cancer and possibly other types of cancer.
Biology news
How can the salamander help fight degenerative disease?
Ever asked yourself why some animals can regenerate lost body parts, yet we can't grow back a limb? A new Australian research collaboration is offering a chance to solve this puzzle in the fight to cure degenerative diseases.
New biodiversity data publishing framework proposed
A comprehensive framework to encourage and facilitate the sharing of biodiversity data has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
140 new species described by California Academy of Sciences in 2011
In 2011, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 140 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 72 arthropods, 31 sea slugs, 13 fishes, 11 plants, nine sponges, three corals, and one reptile. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators.
Plastic bait strips now banned 'on sea' to protect marine life
New regulations on the possession of plastic bait straps will reduce waste and make the sea safer for marine life.
Identify clinically relevant fungi confidently and accurately
A new edition of the definitive practical resource for laboratory identification of fungal infections is now available. "The fully revised Medically Important Fungi: A Guide to Identification, 5th Edition," published by ASM Press, offers step-by-step guidance and textual descriptions that allow both novice and experienced lab technologists to accurately distinguish between fungi that display similar characteristics.
Seeing red: Decoding the hidden information on robins' feathers
Red breasted robins are a classic symbol of the winter months and have adorned Christmas cards for over a century. Ornithologists studying the feathers of the European robin (Erithacus rubecula) have discovered that the red breast reveals more than simply the species of the owner. The findings, published in Ibis, reveal how the famous red breast varies in size and colouration over ages and sexes, suggesting it may be used to communicate features of the owner to other robins.
Work sheds new light on medicinal benefits of plants
Scientists from institutions around the nation and the world have collaborated to develop new resources poised to unlock yet another door in the hidden garden of medicinally important compounds found in plants.
Scientists study protein dynamical transitions
(PhysOrg.com) -- Central to life and all cellular functions, proteins are complex structures that are anything but static, though often illustrated as two-dimensional snapshots in time.
Researchers learn how pathogen causes speck disease
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have discovered how the structure of a protein allows a certain bacteria to interfere with the tomato plant's immune system, causing bacterial speck disease.
Researchers describe a new genetic program that converts static cells into mobile invasive cells
Researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have identified the gene GATA 6 as responsible for epithelial cells -which group together and are static- losing adhesion and moving towards a new site. This process, which is common to developing organisms, is very similar to one that occurs in metastasis, when tumour cells escape from the original tumour and invade new tissue. "This process explains why Gata 6 is found in cancers of the liver, pancreas and colon, thus allowing tumour cells to acquire metastatic properties", stresses Jordi Casanova, CSIC professor and head of the Drosophila Morphogenesis Group at IRB Barcelona, where the study has been conducted. The journal Developmental Cell is to publish the results of this study this week.
Group urges gov't to strictly limit chimp research
Chimpanzees should hardly ever be used for medical research, a prestigious scientific group told the government Thursday - advice that means days in the laboratory may be numbered for humans' closest relatives.
Blood-sucking mosquitoes keep their cool
No one likes being bitten by whining mosquitoes, but have you ever considered what the experience is like for them as their cold-blooded bodies fill with our warm blood? Now researchers reporting online on December 15 in Current Biology have uncovered the mosquitoes' secret to avoiding heat stress: they give up cooling droplets of their hard-won meals.
Global warming threatens France's precious truffle
Truffle farmers have never had to worry about demand. It is the supply side that is worrying, with global warming an ever more present threats to their success.
Gov't to adopt strict new limits on chimp research
(AP) -- Days in the laboratory are numbered for chimpanzees, humans' closest relative.
Genome tree of life is largest yet for seed plants
Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, The New York Botanical Garden, and New York University have created the largest genome-based tree of life for seed plants to date. Their findings, published today in the journal PLoS Genetics, plot the evolutionary relationships of 150 different species of plants based on advanced genome-wide analysis of gene structure and function. This new approach, called "functional phylogenomics," allows scientists to reconstruct the pattern of events that led to the vast number of plant species and could help identify genes used to improve seed quality for agriculture.
Planting trees may save Costa Rican birds threatened by intensive farming
(PhysOrg.com) -- The colorful birds of Costa Rica play a crucial role in the country's rural landscapes, by distributing seeds, controlling pesky insects and pollinating plants.
Copepods eat their own weight belts
Scientists have solved the mystery of how tiny marine crustaceans called copepods regulate the rhythms of their life-cycle.
Personality clash: scientists discover 'bold' sea anemones excel at fighting
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists studying the behavioural traits of the common sea anemone have discovered that ‘fortune favours the brave’ when it comes to fighting and setting territorial disputes.
Researchers document caterpillars that mimic one another for survival
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the world of insects, high risk of attack has led to the development of camouflage as a means for survival, especially in the larval stage. One caterpillar may look like a stick, while another disguises itself as bird droppings. Though crypsis may have its advantages, University of Florida researchers uncovered some of the most extensive evidence of caterpillars using another strategy previously best-known in adult butterflies: mimicry.
Novel epigenetic patterns involved in cell fate regulation
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) publish exciting new results on the regulation of cell fate in the scientific journal Nature. They identified novel epigenetic patterns that are generated dynamically by transcription factors depending on the cell type and stage of development. The identification of these epigenetic "fingerprints" allows conclusions about the history and the fate of the cells and should also aid in understanding the processes that lead to diseases such as cancer.
U.K. duo suggest early humans retained fine hair to ward off parasites
(PhysOrg.com) -- Evolutionary biologists have long been puzzled by the question of why human beings have retained body hair. Most agree that changes to the fur that our ancestors sported came about as a means to keep cool in the hot African climate. So why then, didn’t we just lose our body hair completely, instead of having it change from long thick fur, to short and thin hair that makes us look like we’re mostly bald all over anyway, when actually, we still have just as many hairs as we ever did? Isabelle Dean and Michael Siva-Jothy think they’ve figured it out and have published a paper in Biology Letters explaining how they believe it’s all about warding off skin parasites.
F. nucleatum enables breaking bond on blood vessels to allow invaders in
A common oral bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, acts like a key to open a door in human blood vessels and leads the way for it and other bacteria like Escherichia coli to invade the body through the blood and make people sick, according to dental researchers at Case Western Reserve University.
Researchers closer to understanding the evolution of sound production in fish
An international team of researchers studying sound production in perch-like fishes has discovered a link between two unrelated lineages of fishes, taking researchers a step closer to understanding the evolution of one of the fastest muscles in vertebrates.
Gene discovery explains how fruit flies retreat from heat
A discovery in fruit flies may be able to tell us more about how animals, including humans, sense potentially dangerous discomforts.
Decades-old conclusion about energy-making pathway of cyanobacteria is corrected
A generally accepted 44-year-old assumption about how certain kinds of bacteria make energy and synthesize cell materials has been shown to be incorrect by a team of scientists led by Donald Bryant, the Ernest C. Pollard Professor of Biotechnology at Penn State University and a research professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University.
Study of skates and sharks questions assumptions about 'essential' genes
Biologists have long assumed that all jawed vertebrates possess a full complement of nearly identical genes for critical aspects of their development. But a paper in the December 16 issue of Science with Benjamin King of the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) as lead author shows that elasmobranchs, a subclass of cartilaginous fishes, lack a cluster of genes, HoxC, formerly thought to be essential for proper development.
Shape, fit of reproductive organs evolve quickly and in concert, leaving size behind
Believed critical for determining which individuals can -- or cannot -- successfully reproduce with each other, genitalia not only figure prominently in the origin of new species, but are also typically the first type of trait to change as new species form.
Experiments explain why almost all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell
Any multicellular animal, from a blue whale to a human being, poses a special difficulty for the theory of evolution. Most of the cells in its body will die without reproducing, and only a privileged few will pass their genes to the next generation.
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