Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 13, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- 'Shrilk': Inspired by insect cuticle, researchers develop low-cost material with exceptional strength and toughness- New path to flex and stretch electronics: Researchers develop solution-based fabrication technique
- Possible signs of the Higgs remain in latest analyses (Update)
- Fermi shows that Tycho's star shines in gamma rays
- Trillion-frame-per-second video
- Here come the quantum dot TVs and wallpaper
- 186 gigabits per second: High-energy physicists set record for network data transfer
- Did a good sense of smell give us an evolutionary advantage over Neanderthals?
- Utah company wraps up $1B case against Microsoft
- New pretreatment process delivers biocompatible, stable gold nanorods for tumor treatment
- Was Darwin wrong about emotions?
- As Voyager 1 nears edge of solar system, scientists look back
- First electronic optical fibers with hydrogenated amorphous silicon are developed
- Small reactors could figure into US energy future
- Allen, Rutan plan huge plane to launch spaceships
Space & Earth news
S.Africa ideal for world's largest telescope: minister
South Africa is well-placed to host the world's largest telescope because the costs would be lower, according to the deputy science minister.
Improved rainwater harvesting system promising
Ridge and furrow rainwater-harvesting (RFRH) systems with mulches were first researched in the flat, lowland, semiarid conditions of northwest China to improve water availability and to increase crop production. In RFRH systems, plastic-covered ridges serve as rainwater harvesting zones, and bare or mulched furrows serve as planting zones. The systems are becoming increasingly recognized and are being promoted in many parts of the world as a means to improve large-scale production operations.
Findings on biochar, greenhouse gas emissions and ethylene
Adding a charred biomass material called biochar to glacial soils can help reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.
Canada withdrawal from Kyoto is 'bad news': France
Canada's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto protocol is "bad news" for global efforts against climate change, the French foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Japan minister questions radioactive water dump
Japan's industry minister Tuesday rejected a plan by the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to release low-level radioactive water into the sea without approval by local fishermen.
UN: Canada still obliged to fight climate change
The UN climate chief on Tuesday voiced regret over Canada's withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol and said that the country still had legal obligations to work against global warming.
Arsenic in water near coal-fired US plants: monitor
An environmental monitor Tuesday identified 19 new sites across the United States where groundwater near coal-ash dumps from power plants was found to be contaminated with arsenic and other pollutants.
Canada's Kyoto withdrawal under fire from China
Canada's historic decision to withdraw from the Kyoto protocol provoked heavy criticism from China on Tuesday, with Beijing saying the move went against international efforts to combat climate change.
Portraits of moons captured by Cassini
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft successfully completed its closest-ever pass over Saturn's moon Dione on Monday, Dec. 12, slaloming its way through the Saturn system on its way to tomorrow's close flyby of Titan. Cassini is expected to glide about 2,200 miles (3,600 kilometers) over the Titan surface on Dec. 13.
Adding vast forests to cut climate change could boomerang, study says
Planting a tree is always a good thing, right? After all, trees provide natural beauty and wildlife habitat, and are good for the environment.
Young star rebels against its parent cloud
Despite the celestial colours of this picture, there is nothing peaceful about star forming region Sh 2-106, or S106 for short. A devilish young star, named S106 IR, lies in it and ejects material at high speed, which disrupts the gas and dust around it. The star has a mass about 15 times that of the Sun and is in the final stages of its formation. It will soon quieten down by entering the main sequence, the adult stage of stellar life.
Bay wetlands may face losing battle against sea level rise
(PhysOrg.com) -- San Francisco Bay's tidal marshes may face a grave threat from sea level rise in the next century, according to a new study published by a group of scientists, including Professor of Biology Tom Parker.
Mexican farmers despair over record drought
Dust blows across once fertile fields in north Mexico, where the worst drought in 70 years has left thousands of cattle dead and destroyed more than two million acres (almost one million hectares) of crops.
Preparing for future human exploration, RAD measures radiation on journey to Mars
The Radiation Assessment Detector, the first instrument on NASA's next rover mission to Mars to begin science operations, was powered up and began collecting data Dec. 6, almost two weeks ahead of schedule. RAD is the only instrument scheduled to collect science data on the journey to Mars. The instrument is measuring the energetic particles inside the spacecraft to characterize the radiation environment an astronaut would experience on a future human mission to the Red Planet.
Using many instruments to track a comet
In 16 years of data observations, the Solar Heliophysics Observatory (SOHO) -- a joint European Space Agency and NASA mission –- made an unexpected claim for fame: the sighting of new comets at an alarming rate. SOHO has spotted over 2100 comets, most of which are from what's known as the Kreutz family, which graze the solar atmosphere where they usually evaporate completely.
Dawn spacecraft spirals down to lowest orbit
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft successfully maneuvered into its closest orbit around the giant asteroid Vesta today, beginning a new phase of science observations. The spacecraft is now circling Vesta at an altitude averaging about 130 miles (210 kilometers) in the phase of the mission known as low altitude mapping orbit.
Study tracks safety of underground CO2 storage
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international team of geoscientists, including Simon Fraser University groundwater expert Dirk Kirste, show that carbon dioxide can safely be stored underground in depleted natural gas fields.
Ocean acidification may directly harm fish: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fossil fuel combustion, and with it the release of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2), is still growing globally. Beyond climate change, this is also causing the world’s “other CO2 problem,” ocean acidification, i.e., the formation of carbonic acid when CO2 from the atmosphere enters seawater. Studies have already demonstrated a multitude of negative effects of elevated CO2 conditions for many groups of marine organisms such as corals, plankton, shellfish and sea urchins. To date, scientists have assumed marine fish were immune to ocean acidification.
The 2011 Geminid meteor shower
The 2011 Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of Dec. 13-14, and despite the glare of a nearly-full Moon, it might be a good show.
As Voyager 1 nears edge of solar system, scientists look back
(PhysOrg.com) -- In 1977, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as president, Elvis died, Virginia park ranger Roy Sullivan was hit by lightning a record seventh time, and two NASA space probes destined to turn planetary science on its head launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Allen, Rutan plan huge plane to launch spaceships
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan are building the biggest plane ever to haul cargo and astronauts into space, in the latest of several ventures fueled by technology tycoons clamoring to write America's next chapter in spaceflight.
NASA developing comet harpoon for sample return
(PhysOrg.com) -- The best way to grab a sample of a rotating comet that is racing through the inner solar system at up to 150,000 miles per hour while spewing chunks of ice, rock and dust may be to avoid the risky business of landing on it. Instead, researchers want to send a spacecraft to rendezvous with a comet, then fire a harpoon to rapidly acquire samples from specific locations with surgical precision while hovering above the target. Using this "standoff" technique would allow samples to be collected even from areas that are much too rugged or dangerous to permit the landing and safe operation of a spacecraft.
Fermi shows that Tycho's star shines in gamma rays
(PhysOrg.com) -- In early November 1572, observers on Earth witnessed the appearance of a "new star" in the constellation Cassiopeia, an event now recognized as the brightest naked-eye supernova in more than 400 years. It's often called "Tycho's supernova" after the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who gained renown for his extensive study of the object. Now, years of data collected by NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope reveal that the shattered star's remains shine in high-energy gamma rays.
Technology news
St. Louis Post Dispatch owner files for bankruptcy
Lee Enterprises, one of the largest newspaper chains in the United States, filed for bankruptcy on Monday, the latest victim of the crisis gripping the US newspaper industry.
SLAC's Sandy Merola explains energy science network's importance on YouTube
Sandy Merola, SLAC’s Chief Operating Officer, has a prominent role in a short video celebrating the 25th anniversary of ESnet, the pioneering high-bandwidth computer network that now connects thousands of DOE researchers at more than 40 different national laboratories and supercomputing facilities and links them to research partners worldwide.
Sprint, C Spire agree with AT&T to postpone suits
(AP) -- AT&T Inc. and two of its rivals have agreed to postpone their lawsuits over AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA now that the $39 billion deal is in jeopardy.
The northern way -- how the North can become the world's foremost nuclear base
Commissioned by the Dalton Nuclear Institute, the country's leading academic nuclear research capability, the report highlights the opportunity for the Government to invest in the vast potential of the region to meet the demands of the UK's nuclear new build and use this as a springboard for providing goods and services to the £300bn global nuclear sector.
World's first demonstration of multi-vendor equipment interoperability in transmitting 100 gigabit ethernet signals over
Fujitsu Limited, NEC Corporation, and Anritsu Corporation today jointly announced that, in field tests, for the first time in the world they successfully demonstrated interoperability testing for optical network interface technology allowing telecommunications carriers to connect to each other at 100 Gigabit-class speeds, some 2.5- to 10-times faster than current speeds. Accordingly, this is the first time in the world that the transmission of 100 Gbps Ethernet signals over multiple optical networks using equipment from multiple vendors has been successfully demonstrated.
Jive Software shares soar in public debut
(AP) -- Shares of Jive Software Inc., which makes Facebook-type social networks for businesses, soared in their public debut Tuesday after the company priced its initial public offering above expectations, raising $161 million.
Suspected hacker held over Kiss frontman web attack
A 24-year-old man allegedly linked to the Anonymous "hacktivist" group was arrested Tuesday over a cyber attack on a website run by the frontman of heavy rock group Kiss, the FBI said.
South Korean execs plead guilty to price-fixing
Three South Korean executives have pleaded guilty to rigging bids and fixing prices of optical disk drives and agreed to serve prison terms in the United States, the Justice Department said Tuesday.
Facebook aims to help prevent suicide
Facebook is making it easier for people who express suicidal thoughts on the social networking site to get help.
Test alert by Verizon leads to confusion in NJ
(AP) -- Not quite the "War Of The Worlds" broadcast of a Martian invasion in New Jersey, a Verizon "emergency" alert Monday that the company texted to its wireless customers still jangled some nerves and triggered hundreds of calls from concerned residents to local and state offices.
Apple launches iTunes store in Brazil, Latin America
Apple on Tuesday launched its iTunes store in Brazil as well as in 15 other Latin American countries.
Google Street View explores Japan disaster zone
Google has published a bank of interactive images of the area of Japan hit by a huge quake and tsunami in March, letting viewers take a virtual walk through the zone before and after the disasters.
Yahoo! hits back at Singapore's SPH over copyright
US Internet giant Yahoo! on Tuesday rejected allegations of copyright infringement by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and issued a counterclaim against the leading Asian publisher.
Iowa State engineers study how hills, nearby turbines affect wind energy production
Hui Hu pulled a model wind turbine from the top of an office filing cabinet.
No cellphones, no texting by drivers, US urges
(AP) -- Texting, emailing or using a cellphone while driving is simply too dangerous to be allowed anywhere, federal safety investigators declared Tuesday, recommending that all states impose a total ban except for emergencies.
US turns down volume on LOUD TV ads
US telecom regulators ordered television stations on Tuesday to turn down the volume on commercials.
New generation GPS satellite starts tests in Colo.
A $5.5 billion upgrade to the Global Positioning System moved a step closer to launch this week when a prototype arrived at a Lockheed Martin complex in Colorado to begin months of tests.
Utah company wraps up $1B case against Microsoft
Microsoft Corp. purposely duped a Utah company into believing its writing application would be included in the Windows 95 rollout, then pulled the plug so Microsoft could gain market share with its own product, an attorney said Monday in closing arguments of a $1 billion antitrust lawsuit against the software giant.
Small reactors could figure into US energy future
A newly released study from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation.
Here come the quantum dot TVs and wallpaper
(PhysOrg.com) -- A British firm's quantum dot technology will be used for flat screen TVs and flexible screens, according to the company’s chief executive.
Trillion-frame-per-second video
By using optical equipment in a totally unexpected way, MIT researchers have created an imaging system that makes light look slow.
Medicine & Health news
Researchers say therapy improves stem cell engraftment in umbilical cord blood transplant recipients
A therapy involving a natural compound may improve the ability of stem cells from umbilical cord blood to engraft in patients receiving a stem cell transplant for cancer or other diseases, a phase I clinical trial led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists indicates.
'Twinning' US- based and Rwandan physicians improve lymphoma outcomes in children
In an African county lacking any specialists in children's cancers, a team approach that "twins" Rwandan physicians with Boston-based pediatric oncologists has shown it can deliver expert, curative care to young patients stricken with lymphoma.
Biopsy referral after PSA screening stays consistent over time
After the US Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial found cancer in many men with low levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), many debated which PSA level should lead to a biopsy recommendation. The US Preventive Screening Task Force (USPSTF) recently concluded, amid considerable controversy, that the evidence does not support recommending PSA screening for men under 75 years old at all, because the risks outweigh the benefits. Now, a study shows that physicians in a large Washington state health plan were being conservative in biopsy referral even before the USPSTF recommendation.
Most cancer-related blood clots occur in outpatients
(Medical Xpress) -- In a study of nearly 18,000 cancer patients, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers found that when blood clots develop – a well-known and serious complication of cancer treatment – 78 percent of the time they occur when a person is out of the hospital, at home or elsewhere, while on chemotherapy.
New registry will track lymphedema among breast cancer patients
(Medical Xpress) -- More and more woman are surviving breast cancer, but lifesaving surgical and radiation therapies can cause a grave side effect: an incurable chronic condition called lymphedema that involves swelling of the arms and often debilitating pain and discomfort. While this disorder frequently has been ignored, misdiagnosed and untreated in breast-cancer survivors, that’s beginning to change.
Research focuses on common cause of blindness
(Medical Xpress) -- Vision scientist Royce Mohan is focusing in on a treatment for corneal fibrosis, an irreversible pathogenic mechanism associated with the second-leading cause of blindness in the world. The cornea is the clear tissue in front of the eye. It acts like a lens to focus light and also protects the eye. When the eye is afflicted by injury, infections or disease, one of the most common features is that the cornea becomes cloudy.
Preventive use of blood thinners by cancer patients could save lives, cut costs
(Medical Xpress) -- Preventive use of blood thinners, or anticoagulants, in people receiving outpatient treatment for cancer could prevent the development of blood clots and improve their quality of life, according to a study led by Margaret Ragni, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine within the division of hematology/oncology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The results will be presented at the 53rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Prognostic model developed for MDS related to prior cancer therapy
A large-scale analysis of patients whose myelodysplastic syndrome is related to earlier cancer treatment overturns the notion that all of them have a poor prognosis, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Study seeks to reduce cardiovascular risk
JDRF-funded researchers have begun enrolling adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the REMOVAL study, to test whether metformin—a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes—could help prevent or reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications in people with T1D.
US court enters fray over morning-after pill
A US federal judge heard arguments Tuesday about the government's decision to deny over-the-counter access of emergency contraception to girls under 17, as part of a decade-long legal battle.
Chilean doctors begin operation on Siamese twins
A Chilean medical team Tuesday began an operation to separate 10-month-old Siamese twin girls joined at the chest and pelvis in one of the most complex procedures ever in the South American nation.
Angioplasties performed at centers without on-site surgery services are safe, study finds
Contrary to current guidelines, Mayo Clinic researchers have found that angioplasties performed at centers without on-site cardiac surgery capabilities pose no increased risk for patient death or emergency bypass surgery. Results of the study were published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association and have implications for how care can be delivered to heart attack victims and for performance of angioplasties at centers without on-site surgery.
New relationship important for the mental health of widowers
Men who have lost their partner to cancer and who are still single four to five years after their loss run a far greater risk of developing mental illness than those who have managed to find a new partner, reveals a unique study of 691 Swedish widowers carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
American Cancer Society revises cancer screening guideline process
The American Cancer Society has revised its guideline formation process to achieve greater transparency, consistency, and rigor in creating guidance about cancer screening. The new methods align with new principles from the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) by creating a single generalist group for writing the guidelines, commissioning systematic evidence reviews, and clearly articulating the benefits, limitations, and harms associated with cancer screening tests. The new process is outlined in a Special Communication in the December 14, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Self-epilation is an acceptable alternative to surgery in patients with mild trachomatous trichiasis
Teaching patients with mild trachomatous trichiasis—a leading cause of blindness in low resource countries in which chronic conjunctivitis leads to scarring causing the eyelids to turn inwards and the eye lashes to rub the eye causing pain, corneal damage, and visual impairment—to safely pull out the eyelashes touching their eye (epilation) using clean forceps, is an acceptable alternative to surgery to preserving vision. Furthermore, epilation may have additional advantages as surgical services are likely to remain unacceptable, inaccessible or prohibitively expensive for many people with the condition.
Ineffective group dynamics play a role in poor research reporting
Ineffective group dynamics within research groups and research collaborations contribute to the unrealistic picture of the data generated in scientific research, according to Judith Rosmalen and Albertine Oldehinkel from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. In an Essay published in this week's PLoS Medicine, these researchers say: "We feel it is time for scientists to also critically evaluate their own role, and acknowledge that group dynamics within research groups and collaborations might contribute to the persistence of problematic scientific practices."
UCSF to receive tobacco papers, funding to improve public access to the documents
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a proposed consent order today with a federal district court that finalizes requirements for three major tobacco companies to make internal documents public in accordance with an earlier ruling that the companies violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The documents will be archived in UCSF's Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (LTDL).
Malaria during pregnancy: New study assesses risks during first trimester
The largest ever study to assess the effects of malaria and its treatment in the first trimester of pregnancy has shown that the disease significantly increases the risk of miscarriage, but that treating with antimalarial drugs is relatively safe and reduces this risk.
Peptide 'cocktail' elicits immune response to multiple myeloma
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have created a "cocktail" of immune-stimulating peptides they believe could provoke the body's defenses to attack multiple myeloma in its early "smoldering" phase and slow or prevent the blood cancer.
AML patients have high response rate with vorinostat added to treatment
Adding a drug that activates genes to frontline combination therapy for acute myeloid leukemia resulted in an 85 percent remission rate after initial treatment, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Male cancer patients turn to alternative treatments
(Medical Xpress) -- More than 50% of men diagnosed with cancer in Australia are turning to complementary and alternative medicine to help find a cure, or to improve their health, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.
Is chronic fatigue a major cause of school absence?
(Medical Xpress) -- New research into the cause of school absence finds that up to one per cent of secondary pupils could be suffering from chronic fatigue. The study, led by academics at the University of Bristol is published today in the BMJOpen.
Fewer, larger radiotherapy doses prove safe for prostate cancer patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Less overall radiotherapy, delivered in fewer but higher doses, is as safe as standard, lower doses for treating prostate cancer, according to new research published in the Lancet Oncology today (Tuesday).
655,000 malaria deaths in 2010: WHO
Malaria caused the death of an estimated 655,000 people last year, with 86 percent of victims children aged under five, World Health Organisation figures showed on Tuesday.
Despite guidelines, elderly receiving too many cancer screenings
(Medical Xpress) -- Despite guidelines from a major medical group recommending limited – or no – screenings for four types of cancer for people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, a UConn researcher has found that more than half of elderly adults continue to receive the screenings.
Gene therapy helps patients with hemophilia B
(Medical Xpress) -- An experimental gene therapy technique boosted the production of a vital blood clotting factor in six people with hemophilia B, according to new research supported by the National Institutes of Health. The therapy could give patients a long-term solution for preventing prolonged bleeding episodes and spontaneous bleeding.
Immunity against the cold: Ability of brown fat to burn calories linked to immune cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs of the future.
The man with the golden brain
What’s the point of a brain? A fundamental question that has led Professor Daniel Wolpert to some remarkable conclusions about how and why the brain controls and predicts movement. In a recent talk for TED, Wolpert explores the research that resulted in him receiving the Golden Brain Award.
Feelings of depression and binge eating go hand in hand in teen girls
Teenage girls who feel depressed are twice as likely to start binge eating as other girls are, according to a new nationwide study. The reverse is also true: Girls who engage in regular binge eating have double the normal risk of symptoms of depression.
Improving psoriasis with GLP-1 analogue therapy
(Medical Xpress) -- UCD clinician scientists and researchers from NUI Maynooth and Trinity College led by Conway Fellow, Professor Donal O’Shea have reported an improvement in the severity of psoriasis in patients following glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue therapy. Their findings, published in Diabetologia raise the possibility of therapeutic applications for GLP-1 in inflammatory conditions due to the direct impact on innate natural killer T (iNKT) cells.
HPV vaccine does not appear to encourage risky sexual behavior
Despite some assumptions to the contrary, young women who receive recommended vaccinations to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and associated cancers do not engage in more sexually risky behavior.
Better and more affordable treatments for sufferers of autoimmune diseases
(Medical Xpress) -- From Addison’s disease to Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease to Multiple Sclerosis — the list of crippling autoimmune diseases is long and they affect millions of people world-wide. But supplies of the plasma-based treatment that has become a lifeline for sufferers are limited because it is very expensive and difficult to make.
Association of lifestyle and environmental factors with the risk of cancer
It has been well established that certain lifestyle habits relate to the risk of certain cancers (e.g., smoking and lung cancer). In a well-done analysis, the authors estimate the proportion of cancer in the population associated with a variety of lifestyle and environmental factors. They find that smoking has, by far, the largest effect on the risk of cancer, with 19.4% of cancer cases in the UK attributable to tobacco use. A poor diet (less intake of fruits and vegetables and fibre and greater intake of meat and salt), obesity, and alcohol are the next most important factors that relate to cancer, with alcohol being calculated to relate to 4.0% of cancer cases in the UK.
Study explores men's ability to manage fear in ways that allow them to exhibit confidence
An Indiana University of Pennsylvania sociologist's study of mixed martial arts competitors found that these men have unique ways of managing fear that actually allow them to exhibit confidence.
Mothers' weight before and during pregnancy affects baby's weight
A new study published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS) reveals that both pre-pregnant weight (body mass index, BMI) and weight gain in pregnancy are important predictors of babies' birthweight. This is important since high birthweight may also predict adult overweight.
Increased arm swing asymmetry is early sign of Parkinson's disease
People with Parkinson's disease swing their arms asymmetrically -- one arm swings less than the other -- when walking. This unusual movement is easily detected early when drugs and other interventions may help slow the disease, according to Penn State researchers who used inexpensive accelerometers on the arms of Parkinson's disease patients to measure arm swing.
Study finds warfarin underutilized in women
Dr. Rabab Mohsin, an internal medicine resident at the University of Kentucky, working with Dr. Alison Bailey of the University of Kentucky Gill Heart Institute, has discovered that the drug warfarin was underutilized in a large study group of women.
Study reveals an association between impatience and lower credit scores
A study conducted by Columbia Business School's Prof. Stephan Meier, Regina Pitaro Associate Professor of Business, Management, and Charles Sprenger, Assistant Professor, Stanford University Department of Economics, determines that there may be a psychological reason for why people default on their mortgages. The research, which will be featured in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that the participants in the study with poor credit scores were more impatient and were more likely to choose immediate rewards rather than wait for a larger reward in the future.
Crucial step in cell division discovered
(Medical Xpress) -- Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered how cells ‘pinch in’ at the middle in order to split into two new cells. Their research is published in Developmental Cell today.
Reprogramming brain cells important first step for new Parkinson's therapy, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- In efforts to find new treatments for Parkinson’s Disease (PD), researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have directly reprogrammed astrocytes, the most plentiful cell type in the central nervous system, into dopamine-producing neurons. PD is marked by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Dopamine is a brain chemical important in behavior and cognition, voluntary movement, sleep, mood, attention, and memory and learning.
Tobacco industry dying? Not so fast, says Stanford expert
The cigarette industry is not dying. It continues to reap unimaginable profits. It's still winning lawsuits. And cigarettes still kill millions every year.
HIV drug reduces graft-versus-host disease in stem cell transplant patients
An HIV drug that redirects immune cell traffic appears to significantly reduce the dangerous complication graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in blood cancer patients following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT), 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. Standard GvHD treatments suppress the immune system, reducing – but not eliminating – the risk of developing the common problem. In the current trial, treatment with the HIV drug maraviroc dramatically reduced the incidence of GvHD in organs where it is most dangerous -- without compromising the immune system and leaving patients more vulnerable to severe infections.
Life after cigarettes
Life without cigarettes is not all doom and gloom. In fact, successful quitters are more satisfied with their lives and feel healthier, both one year and three years afterwards, than those who continue to smoke. That's according to new research by Dr. Megan Piper, from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US, and her team. Their work, which looks at whether quitting smoking can improve psychological well-being, is published online in Springer's journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Insulin signaling is distorted in pancreases of Type 2 diabetics
Insulin signaling is altered in the pancreas, a new study shows for the first time in humans. The errant signals disrupt both the number and quality of beta cells — the cells that produce insulin.
Some muscular dystrophy patients at increased risk for cancer
People who have the most common type of adult muscular dystrophy also have a higher risk of getting cancer, according to a paper published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Studies identify most common causes, risk factors for stillbirth
Common causes for stillbirth include obstetric complications and placental abnormalities, while factors that could be known at the start of pregnancy, such as previous stillbirth or pregnancy loss, were associated with an increased risk for stillbirth, although these and other factors accounted for only a small proportion of the overall risk, according to two studies in the December 14 issue of JAMA.
Tireless research reveals secrets of the 'sleep hormone'
A team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University has made a major breakthrough by unraveling the inner workings of melatonin, also known as the "sleep hormone." The research, conducted in collaboration with scientists in Italy, reveals the key role played by the melatonin receptor in the brain that promotes deep, restorative sleep. This discovery led the researchers to develop a novel drug called UCM765, which selectively activates this receptor. The results, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, may pave the way for the development of new and promising treatments for insomnia, a common public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide.
Dodging the cognitive hit of early-life seizures
About half of newborns who have seizures go on to have long-term intellectual and memory deficits and cognitive disorders such as autism, but why this occurs has been unknown. In the December 14 Journal of Neuroscience, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston detail how early-life seizures disrupt normal brain development, and show in a rat model that it might be possible to reverse this pathology by giving certain drugs soon after the seizure.
Major cause of chronic kidney disease-related inflammation is identified
UC Irvine researchers have uncovered an important source of inflammation seen in people with chronic kidney disease, which is increasingly common due to the epidemic of obesity-related diabetes and hypertension.
Cholesterol-lowering medication accelerates depletion of plaque in arteries
In a new study, NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have discovered how cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins promote the breakdown of plaque in the arteries. The study was published online by the journal PLoS One on December 6, 2011.
Opioid abuse linked to mood and anxiety disorders
Individuals suffering from mood and anxiety disorders such as bipolar, panic disorder and major depressive disorder may be more likely to abuse opioids, according to a new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They found that mood and anxiety disorders are highly associated with non-medical prescription opioid use. The results are featured in a recent issue of the Journal of Psychological Medicine.
Researchers find potential target for treating metastatic cancer
Finding ways to counteract or disrupt the invasive nature of cancer cells, called "metastasis," has been a long-term goal of cancer researchers. Now, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., have identified an interactive pathway that regulates metastases in some cancers that may be vulnerable to chemical targeting in order to prevent cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth.
Molecular markers can predict spread of cancer, guide treatment
Molecular markers found in cancer cells that have spread from a primary tumor to a limited number of distant sites can help physicians predict which patients with metastatic cancer will benefit from aggressive, targeted radiation therapy.
Novel mechanism regulating stress identified
Neuroscience researchers from Tufts have demonstrated, for the first time, that the physiological response to stress depends on neurosteroids acting on specific receptors in the brain, and they have been able to block that response in mice. This breakthrough suggests that these critical receptors may be drug therapy targets for control of the stress-response pathway. This finding may pave the way for new approaches to manage a wide range of neurological disorders involving stress.
Worms reveal new role for hormones in Bardet-Biedl syndrome
A new study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, has shed new light on a genetic disease known as Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS)—a condition in which patients show mental and developmental delays, short stature, early onset blindness, extra digits on the hands and feet, kidney abnormalities and obesity. While the occurrence of BBS is rare—occurring in roughly 1 in every 150,000 live births—scientists believe that by understanding the mechanisms of function of BBS genes and their protein products they will gain insights into molecular processes that control development, vision, kidney function and obesity.
Study finds iPS cells match embryonic stem cells in modeling human disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Stanford University School of Medicine investigators have shown that iPS cells, viewed as a possible alternative to human embryonic stem cells, can mirror the defining defects of a genetic condition — in this instance, Marfan syndrome — as well as embryonic stem cells can. An immediate implication is that iPS cells could be used to examine the molecular aspects of Marfan on a personalized basis. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, can’t do this because their genetic contents are those of the donated embryo, not the patient’s.
Was Darwin wrong about emotions?
Contrary to what many psychological scientists think, people do not all have the same set of biologically "basic" emotions, and those emotions are not automatically expressed on the faces of those around us, according to the author of a new article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. This means a recent move to train security workers to recognize "basic" emotions from expressions might be misguided.
It's all in the wrapping: Mimicking periosteum to heal traumatic bone injury
A manmade package filled with nature's bone-building ingredients delivers the goods over time and space to heal serious bone injuries faster than products currently available, Cleveland researchers have found.
Unexpected signaling role for foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide in cell response to protein misfolding
Something rotten never smelled so sweet. This is what members of a team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) are telling one another as they discuss a new finding they did not expect to make. They have discovered that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) – the flammable, highly toxic gas that we usually associate with the smell of rotten eggs in landfills and sewers – plays an important role in the regulation of a signaling pathway implicated in biological malfunctions linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, among others.
High levels of tau protein linked to poor recovery after brain injury
High levels of tau protein in fluid bathing the brain are linked to poor recovery after head trauma, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, Italy.
All it takes is a smile (for some guys)
Does she or doesn't she...? Sexual cues are ambiguous, and confounding. We—especially men—often read them wrong. A new study hypothesizes that the men who get it wrong might be the ones that evolution has favored. "There are tons of studies showing that men think women are interested when they're not," says Williams College psychologist Carin Perilloux, who conducted the research with Judith A. Easton and David M. Buss of University of Texas at Austin. "Ours is the first to systematically examine individual differences." The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science.
In third-degree burn treatment, hydrogel helps grow new, scar-free skin
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a jelly-like material and wound treatment method that, in early experiments on skin damaged by severe burns, appeared to regenerate healthy, scar-free tissue.
Study provides potential explanation for mechanisms of associative memory
Researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered that a chemical compound in the brain can weaken the synaptic connections between neurons in a region of the brain important for the formation of long-term memories. The findings, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, may also provide a potential explanation for the loss of memory associated with Alzheimer's.
Jamb and Jamc are essential proteins for the fusion of muscle cells: study
Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have discovered two proteins that are essential for the fusion of muscle cells to build muscle fibres. Their discovery might help us better understand and treat illnesses such as muscle-wasting disorders and diseases of bone over-growth, in which cellular fusion is an important feature.
'Pep talk' can revive immune cells exhausted by chronic viral infection
Chronic infections by viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C eventually take hold because they wear the immune system out, a phenomenon immunologists describe as exhaustion.
Biology news
Elephant seal travels 18,000 miles
The Wildlife Conservation Society tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles – the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again.
Picture book portrays a 'hoppy' future for endangered frogs
Move over Kermit, there's a native frog rising in the West.
Thermotherapy rids azaleas of deadly fungal disease
Azalea web blight, caused by a species of the plant pathogen Rhizoctonia, occurs each year on some containerized azalea cultivars during nursery production, particularly in the southern and eastern United States. Azalea shoots can harbor the pathogen, spreading the devastating, costly disease through propagation.
Asparagus benefits from X-ray treatment
As consumer demand for convenient, nutritious foods increases, pre-cut and packaged fruit and vegetables become more popular. Food producers are looking to science to discover new ways to safely extend the shelf life of these "minimally processed" products. A potential solution to vegetables' short market life may be the lie in x-ray irradiation, the latest ionizing irradiation technology currently in use in commercial food operations.
New findings about Saprolegnia infections in Norwegian salmon hatcheries
Infections caused by oomycetes (or water moulds) of the Saprolegnia family reappeared as a loss factor in the fish farming industry after the dye malachite green was prohibited for use as a water treatment agent.
New pink fancy-leaved caladium debuts
Beautiful ornamental caladiums, valued for their bright, long-lasting, and colorful leaves, are prized throughout the world as container and landscape plants. In Florida, where more than 95% of the world's caladium tubers are produced, researchers are continuously working to develop new varieties to satisfy consumer demand. Plant scientists Zhanao Deng, Brent K. Harbaugh and Natalia A. Peres from the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recently introduced a new caladium (HortScience) that they say should be an all-around winner.
Malaysia seizes million-dollar ivory shipment
Malaysia has seized elephant tusks and ivory handicrafts worth an estimated four million ringgit ($1.3 million) en route from Kenya to Cambodia, a customs official said Tuesday.
Life on Kosterhavet's seabed analyzed
Kosterhavet National Park was created to provide a haven for both protected species and nature lovers. Now researchers at the University of Gothenburg have analysed species living on the seabed (benthic species) in the marine national park to determine which marine areas require special protection.
Creating the Tree of Life
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imagine the wealth of information that would be at our fingertips if we could understand the genetic basis and evolutionary history that underlies the vast diversity in form and function seen within mammals.
Not Finding Nemo becomes a reality
(PhysOrg.com) -- Three Simon Fraser University biologists and an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) scientist say it’s no longer fiction but fact. No one will be able to find Nemo if conservation action isn’t taken soon.
The constant gardeners of the world's reefs
(PhysOrg.com) -- Australian scientists have urged greater consideration for the brilliantly-hued parrot fishes that tend and renew the world’s imperilled coral reefs.
Scientists forecast crops that adapt to changing weather
Crops that can cope with sudden fluctuations in the weather could be developed, thanks to fresh discoveries about the survival mechanisms of plants.
Computerized tool takes a bite out of traditional apple testing
When it comes to apples, consumers like a crisp bite. Apple breeders know that crispness is one of the most important "sensory attributes" in apples. Because new apple varieties must be tested for these attribute before being introduced to consumers, breeders are constantly searching for methods to accurately measure traits like taste and crispness. Most breeders test the "old-fashioned" way—using panels of experts who taste-test each fruit. This method, called sensory analysis, can have a downside; panel members can become fatigued and less accurate when scoring multiple varieties.
Tiny protein helps bacteria 'talk' and triggers defensive response in plants
Scientists have discovered a new signal that helps invading bacteria communicate but also helps targeted rice plants coordinate defensive attacks on the disease-causing invaders, a finding that could lead to new methods of combatting infection not just in plants, but in humans.
Anthropologist offers view of snakes as predatory, prey, and competitor
(PhysOrg.com) -- Because we humans are able to write down our greatest fears, we’ve managed to amass quite a library of frightful things over the past several hundred years. One particular fear that seems to crop up with some regularity is ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes. Most people don’t even need to see a snake to feel that bit of fear, just the mere mention of the word “snake” can cause the hair on the back of the neck to stand up and that bit of panic to gnarl in the gut. Now, anthropologists Thomas Headland and Harry Greene offer some clues as to why that may be. In their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they suggest that primates, and humans in particular, may have a longer, more intricate relationship with snakes than has been previously thought.
Birds benefit from knowing their neighbors
Being on good terms with your neighbors well certainly has its benefits. They might water your plants while you're on holiday, feed the cat, or even put your bins out.
New model suggests early humans lost fur after developing bipedalism
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two of the most basic questions in the study of human evolution revolve around why early people started walking around on two feet instead of four and why they lost their fur, especially in light of the fact that most other primates have kept their coats, and still make extensive use of their hands in walking and especially so, when running. Some have postulated that early hominins began walking upright as a means of helping them keep cooler.
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