Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 20, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Universal transistor serves as a basis to perform any logic function- Details of lab-made bird flu won't be revealed (Update)
- Self-healing electronics could work longer and reduce waste
- A single cell endoscope: Researchers use nanophotonics for optical look inside living cells
- Ironing out the details of the Earth's core
- Kepler finds first earth-size planets beyond our solar system
- New candidate vaccine neutralizes all tested strains of malaria parasite
- Scientists identify an innate function of vitamin E
- New evidence for complex molecules on Pluto's surface
- Apple scores hit on HTC in US patent case
- New take on impacts of low dose radiation
- Celestial bauble intrigues astronomers
- Scientists reveal how bacteria build homes inside healthy cells
- Skeletons point to Columbus voyage for syphilis origins
- New tool offers unprecedented access for root studies
Space & Earth news
Mexico shuts down 'world's biggest garbage dump'
Authorities Monday shut down Mexico's -- and possibly the world's -- biggest garbage dump and said they would invite bids to exploit methane gas generated by the decomposing waste.
Canada may buy back Amundsen's Maud
After sinking Norway's plans to repatriate explorer Roald Amundsen's three-mast ship Maud from the Arctic, Canada signalled Monday it may buy the shipwreck.
Wildlife researchers want your old socks
(PhysOrg.com) -- A University of California wildlife research team working in the Sierra Nevada is asking the public to donate clean, gently used socks for research on a rare weasel called the Pacific fisher.
Climate sensitivity greater than previously believed
Many of the particles in the atmosphere are produced by the natural world, and it is possible that plants have in recent decades reduced the effects of the greenhouse gases to which human activity has given rise. One consequence of this is that the climate may be more sensitive to emissions caused by human activity than we have previously believed. Scientists at the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) have collected new data that may lead to better climate models.
EU unyielding on airline carbon despite US pressure
The EU will go ahead with its hotly contested plan to charge airlines for carbon emissions despite US threats of reprisal, should it win the backing of the European Court of Justice, EU sources said Tuesday.
Dutch unveil plan in war against the sea: a sandbar
In its age-old war to keep back the sea, low-lying Netherlands has dumped sand onto a surface larger than 200 football fields just off the coast -- and will wait for nature to do the rest.
Sensing the deep ocean
(PhysOrg.com) -- Futuristic robots may be coming soon to an ocean near you. Sensorbots are spherical devices equipped with biogeochemical sensors, that promise to open a new chapter in the notoriously challenging exploration of earth’s largest ecosystem – the ocean.
Catching a coral killer
Coral reefs play an important role in marine ecosystems, so it's concerning to scientists, as well as ocean conservationists, that many coral reefs around the world are in distress or dying off.
A dance of aerosols: Study shows plant-sourced particles pick and choose their partners
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the complex molecular mixer that is the atmosphere, some molecules dance with others and some are wallflowers, according to scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Using a unique environmental testing chamber located at PNNL, the team was able to watch vapors and particles mix in real time. The scientists focused on how a specific vapor, responsible for the aromatic scent of fir trees, forms carbon-containing particles that mix with certain carbon-containing acids in the atmosphere. Their findings show that climate models are underestimating the total amount of carbon-containing particles formed in the air.
MARSIS completes measurement campaign over Martian North Pole
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) instrument on board Mars Express has recently completed a subsurface sounding campaign over the planet's North Pole. The campaign was interrupted by the suspension of science observations several times between August and October due to safe modes and to anomalies in the operation of the spacecraft's Solid-State Mass Memory (SSMM) system. As MARSIS best observes in the dark, which for the North Pole only occurs every few years, it was among the first instruments to resume observations once a partial work-around for the problems had been implemented.
NASA 'Smart SPHERES' tested successfully on international space station
(PhysOrg.com) -- In November, a free-flying robot on the International Space Station successfully gathered and delivered motion data to its astronaut handler for the first time via a new smartphone controller.
NASA considers sending a telescope to outer solar system
Light pollution in our inner solar system, from both the nearby glow of the Sun and the hazy zodiacal glow from dust ground up in the asteroid belt, has long stymied cosmologists looking for a clearer take on the early Universe.
New technology used to record Antarctic Ocean, ice temperatures
Half-mile long thermometers have been dropped through the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica that will give the world relevant data on sea and ice temperatures for tracking climate change and its effect on the glacial ice surrounding the continent. The study based at the University of Nevada, Reno is funded by the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs and other NSF grants.
Missions that weren't: NASA's manned mission to Venus
In the mid-1960s, before any Apollo hardware had flown with a crew, NASA was looking ahead and planning its next major programs. It was a bit of a challenge. After all, how do you top landing a man on the Moon? Not wanting to start from scratch, NASA focused on possible missions that would use the hardware and software developed for the Apollo program. One mission that fit within these parameters was a manned flyby of our cosmic twin, Venus.
China orders nationwide emission cuts by 2015
China on Tuesday ordered local governments to reduce emissions of "major pollutants" by as much as 10 percent by 2015, amid growing public anxiety over the country's bad air.
Glacial tap is open but the water will run dry
Glaciers are retreating at an unexpectedly fast rate according to research done in Peru's Cordillera Blanca by McGill doctoral student Michel Baraer. They are currently shrinking by about one per cent a year, and that percentage is increasing steadily, according to his calculations.
Forest health versus global warming: Fuel reduction likely to increase carbon emissions
Forest thinning to help prevent or reduce severe wildfire will release more carbon to the atmosphere than any amount saved by successful fire prevention, a new study concludes.
NASA's TRMM satellite measured Washi's deadly rainfall
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite was providing forecasters with the rate in which rainfall was occurring in Tropical Storm Washi over the last week, and now TRMM data has been compiled to show rainfall totals over the devastated Philippines.
In hot water: Ice Age findings forecast problems
(PhysOrg.com) -- The first comprehensive study of changes in the oxygenation of oceans at the end of the last Ice Age (between about 10 to 20,000 years ago) has implications for the future of our oceans under global warming.
SOFIA peers in to the heart of the Orion nebula
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new image from NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) shows a complex distribution of interstellar dust and stars in the Orion nebula. Interstellar dust, composed mostly of silicon, carbon and other heavy elements astronomers refer to generically as “metals,” plus some ice and organic molecules, is part of the raw material from which new stars and planets are forming.
Air pollution levels from Deepwater Horizon spill similar to large urban area
(PhysOrg.com) -- The amount of air pollutants in the atmospheric plume generated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was similar to a large city according to a new NOAA-led study published today in a special issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Polar quest: Will Antarctic worms warm to changing climate?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Delaware are examining tiny worms that inhabit the frigid sea off Antarctica to learn not only how these organisms adapt to the severe cold, but how they will survive as ocean temperatures increase.
New evidence for complex molecules on Pluto's surface
(PhysOrg.com) -- The new and highly sensitive Cosmic Origins Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a strong ultraviolet-wavelength absorber on Pluto's surface, providing new evidence that points to the possibility of complex hydrocarbon and/or nitrile molecules lying on the surface, according to a paper recently published in the Astronomical Journal by researchers from Southwest Research Institute and Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Celestial bauble intrigues astronomers
(PhysOrg.com) -- With the holiday season in full swing, a new image from an assembly of telescopes has revealed an unusual cosmic ornament. Data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton have been combined to discover a young pulsar in the remains of a supernova located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, or SMC. This would be the first definite time a pulsar, a spinning, ultra-dense star, has been found in a supernova remnant in the SMC, a small satellite galaxy to the Milky Way.
The bizarre case of meteors with two identities
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers have discovered why we see meteors flash through the night sky while they seemingly rain down on us gently at the same time. In a paper published in the December 20 issue of the Astrophysical Journal, models of the zodiacal cloud are reconciled with radar observations, revealing a game of hide and seek and an interesting identity switcheroo.
Ironing out the details of the Earth's core
(PhysOrg.com) -- Identifying the composition of the earth's core is key to understanding how our planet formed and the current behavior of its interior. While it has been known for many years that iron is the main element in the core, many questions have remained about just how iron behaves under the conditions found deep in the earth. Now, a team led by mineral-physics researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has honed in on those behaviors by conducting extremely high-pressure experiments on the element.
Kepler finds first earth-size planets beyond our solar system
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Kepler mission has discovered the first Earth-size planets orbiting a sun-like star outside our solar system. The planets, called Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, are too close to their star to be in the so-called habitable zone where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface, but they are the smallest exoplanets ever confirmed around a star like our sun.
Technology news
S.Korea raises alert on N.Korean cyber-attacks
South Korea's military has raised its alert against potential cyber-attacks from North Korea after the death of leader Kim Jong-Il, the defence ministry said Tuesday.
Small fire at Japan nuclear lab; no radiation leak
A building housing an experimental nuclear reactor in Japan caught fire Tuesday, but there was no leak of radioactive materials, officials said, amid nervousness over Japan's atomic industry.
China probing blast at Apple supplier factory
(AP) -- Authorities are investigating the cause of an explosion over the weekend that injured dozens of people at the Shanghai factory of a supplier to Apple Inc.
VeriFone signs taxi ad deal with NBC
(AP) -- Cab riders in New York and other big cities may soon be able to buy movie tickets and other items while in taxis, paying with the same system that charges credit cards for cab fare.
Kodak patent ruling delayed amid cash worries
A U.S. arbiter for trade disputes is delaying a ruling on Eastman Kodak Co.'s high-stakes patent-infringement claim against smartphone makers Apple Inc. and Research in Motion Ltd.
Mind reading machines on their way: IBM
Century-old technology colossus IBM depicted a near future in which machines read minds and recognize who they are dealing with.
Researchers discover a way to significantly reduce the production costs of fuel cells
Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have developed a new and significantly cheaper method of manufacturing fuel cells. A noble metal nanoparticle catalyst for fuel cells is prepared using atomic layer deposition (ALD). This ALD method for manufacturing fuel cells requires 60 per cent less of the costly catalyst than current methods.
Laser music: BYU electrical engineers use light to beam songs across a room
Use light to transmit music across a room – that’s the challenge for students in a BYU electrical engineering class.
Team infiltrates paid 'army' of interest posters
You've studied the blogs and the consumer comments online, and you're ready to hit the mall for that special holiday gift. You’re about to make a major investment based on bullet-proof online research -- right? Think again.
Google, KKR invest in California solar project
Online search and advertising giant Google is teaming with investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. to develop four solar energy farms serving the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California.
Pets, songs and babies top YouTube videos in 2011
Online singing sensation Rebecca Black topped a 2011 most-viewed YouTube videos list Tuesday that included spoofs starring pets, talking babies and pop music star Michael Bolton.
Better turbine simulation software to yield better engines
For most of us, the word "turbomachinery" may conjure up images of superheroes or fast exotic cars, but in reality most people leverage turbomachinery to get things done nearly every day.
Google remains default search engine at Firefox
Mozilla on Tuesday said that it has renewed a deal making Google the default search engine in the nonprofit organization's open-source Firefox Web browsing software.
Apple scores hit on HTC in US patent case
Apple scored a hit in an ongoing patent brawl with mobile handset giant HTC with a US trade authority ruling the iPhone maker has rights to features using one-tap screen commands.
Oracle misfires in fiscal 2Q, raising tech worries
Oracle's quarterly earnings missed analyst estimates as the business software maker struggled to close deals, signaling possible trouble ahead for the technology sector.
Self-healing electronics could work longer and reduce waste
When one tiny circuit within an integrated chip cracks or fails, the whole chip – or even the whole device – is a loss. But what if it could fix itself, and fix itself so fast that the user never knew there was a problem?
Medicine & Health news
Chile girl improving after separation twin
(AP) -- Doctors in Chile are optimistic about the survival of a 10-month-old girl who was separated from a conjoined twin who died following the surgery.
'Mindfulness' exercises help curb stress and fatigue associated with arthritis
"Mindfulness" exercises, which focus on experiencing the present moment, no matter how difficult, can help curb the stress and fatigue associated with painful rheumatoid joint disease, indicates a small study published online in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.
Reproductive disorder linked to increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease
Women with endometriosis are up to twice as likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease as those without this reproductive disorder, suggests a large study published online in Gut.
High bodily levels of nickel and selenium may lower pancreatic cancer risk
High bodily levels of the trace elements nickel and selenium may lower the risk of developing the most common type of pancreatic cancer, finds research published online in Gut.
Philip Morris challenges plain packs in Australia
Global tobacco giant Philip Morris Tuesday stepped up its legal campaign against an Australian law banning logos and branding from cigarette packs, saying it had taken its case to the High Court.
BYU student project teaches how to face the fear of flu shots
(Medical Xpress) -- Flu season is upon us, which means one thing – flu shots. And if your fear of needles is keeping you away from immunizations, a BYU study may ease your pain.
Coping with the new year blues this Christmas
(Medical Xpress) -- Chair of Mental Health at the University of South Australia, Professor Nicholas Procter, says Christmas is a special opportunity for family and friends to re-connect with people - some of who have mental health problems and mental illness, as a means of building resilience to self harm in the New Year.
Hong Kong raises bird flu alert level, bans imports
Hong Kong raised its bird flu alert level to "serious" on Tuesday and announced it is to cull 17,000 chickens after three birds tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.
Study finds Early Start program could save US billions in health costs
A program for women at risk of substance abuse during pregnancy could save nearly $2 billion annually in health care costs if implemented nationwide, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' journal, Obstetrics & Gynecology.
First study of emergency care for an entire state finds care isn't always local
The first study to examine patterns of emergency care for an entire state has found that 40 percent of emergency department visits in Indiana over a three-year period were by patients who visited more than one emergency department. This finding challenges conventional wisdom that patients are tightly bound to health care systems and tend to repeatedly visit local facilities.
AIUM and AUA develop joint guideline for the performance of an ultrasound examination in urology
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and American Urological Association (AUA) are pleased to announce the collaborative development of the Practice Guideline for the Performance of an Ultrasound Examination in the Practice of Urology. This guideline has been developed to assist practitioners performing an ultrasound examination in the practice of urology and provides direction in the areas of kidney, bladder, prostate, scrotal and penile ultrasound. The guideline also addresses key issues relating to documentation, quality control and improvement, safety, infection control and patient education.
CSF test can pick up Alzheimer's early
Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid can detect whether a person has Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have studied biomarkers that offer more reliable diagnosis and, in the longer term, the possibility of effective new treatments.
Obesity linked to higher 5-year death rate after esophageal cancer surgery
Obesity doubles the risk of cancer recurrence and cancer-related death in patients with esophageal cancer who have been treated with surgery, researchers at Mayo Clinic found. Their 778-patient study, which appeared in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, found that five-year survival in obese patients -- those with a body mass index of 30 or higher -- with esophageal cancer was 18 percent, compared to 36 percent in patients of normal weight.
A new method for testing allergenic substances without experimental animals
Contact allergy affects around 20% of the population in the western world. Scientists are working intensively to develop alternative test methods that do not require animal testing. A research group at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has now developed a unique test method that enables graded results to be obtained using cultured skin cells.
Different methods can reduce hospital fear in children
Undergoing surgery can be a terrifying experience for a child. But stress and fear, and the use of pain relief after the procedure, can be reduced with simple means: drawings, continuity and dialogue. This has been shown by research at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Breastfeeding promotes healthy growth
A PhD project from LIFE – the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen has shown that breastfed children follow a different growth pattern than non-breastfed children. Breastfeeding lowers the levels of the growth hormones IGF-I and insulin in the blood, which means that growth is slightly slower. This is believed to reduce the risk of overweight and diabetes later in life.
Interactions between substances determine allergenic potential
Scientists at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have used advanced light microscopy to show that a substance can be differently absorbed by the skin, depending on what it is mixed with. This may determine whether it causes contact allergy or not.
A novel analytical framework could help to strengthen health systems in post-conflict countries
A novel analytical framework could help to strengthen health systems in post-conflict countries
Single-sex vaccination is most effective at reducing HPV infection
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Johannes Bogaards of VU University, the Netherlands and colleagues use mathematical models to investigate whether vaccinating females only, males only, or both sexes is the best way to achieve the most effective reduction in the population prevalence of sexually-transmitted infections.
HIV/AIDS vaccine developed at Western proceeding to human clinical trials
The first and only preventative HIV vaccine based on a genetically modified killed whole virus has received approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start human clinical trials.
Most patients need several sequential treatment steps for remission of major depression
Major depressive disorder is a major public health problem that affects 7% of the population during any 12-month period and affects around 1 in 6 people throughout their lifetime. A Seminar published Online First by the Lancet reviews recent developments relating to this seriously disabling condition, and concludes that most patients need several sequential treatment steps for remission of their major depression. The Seminar also explains why deep brain stimulation is a treatment that holds promise for the future. It is written by Professors David J Kupfer, Ellen Frank, and Mary L Phillips, all of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.
With new generic rivals, Lipitor's sales halved
Sales of cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor plunged by half barely a week after the world's top-selling drug got its first U.S. generic competition, new data show.
Fertile sperm donor draws criticism from FDA, docs
(AP) -- Physicians and the federal government cited the case of a San Francisco Bay area man who has fathered 14 children as an example of the risks posed by the informal market for sperm donations, which doctors consider unsafe but some people call a civil liberties issue.
New sugar a treat for diabetes treatment
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from The Australian National University have discovered a new treatment for Type-1 diabetes – an autoimmune disease which currently affects some 130,000 Australians.
Surprising results in USC study of cancer surviving twins
(Medical Xpress) -- Older female cancer survivors are significantly more likely to suffer from long-term cognitive impairment after diagnosis and treatment compared to their twin sibling with no history of cancer, a USC study found.
Lower classes quicker to show compassion in the face of suffering
(Medical Xpress) -- Emotional differences between the rich and poor, as depicted in such Charles Dickens classics as “A Christmas Carol” and “A Tale of Two Cities,” may have a scientific basis. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that people in the lower socio-economic classes are more physiologically attuned to suffering, and quicker to express compassion than their more affluent counterparts.
Evolving ovarian cancer cells 'dodge' treatment with chemotherapy
(Medical Xpress) -- Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered that the commonest type of ovarian cancer evolves at a startling rate, which may allow cancer cells to ‘dodge’ the current standard treatment, reveals research in The Journal of Pathology today.
Novel use of drug saves children from deadly E. coli bacteria disease
A physician and researcher at the Sainte Justine University Hospital Center (Sainte-Justine UHC), a University of Montreal affiliate, saved the life of a child and, by doing so, became the first to find a new use for a drug in the fight against deadly E. coli bacteria. In fact, after a little girl was admitted to the Sainte Justine UHC to treat severe complications, her physician, running out of options, thought about using the drug eculizumab, which is usually prescribed for another disorder with similar symptoms. Her intuition paid off and the little girl survived. The dramatic improvement experienced by the young patient and two others is explained in an article published last summer in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Fewer butts means less smoking on campuses with tobacco-free policies
(Medical Xpress) -- A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study reveals that fewer cigarette butts are being found on college campuses since new policies banning tobacco use were adopted, suggesting that restricting tobacco use on school property effectively reduces smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Research states that prejudice comes from a basic human need and way of thinking
(Medical Xpress) -- Where does prejudice come from? Not from ideology, say the authors of a new paper. Instead, prejudice stems from a deeper psychological need, associated with a particular way of thinking. People who aren’t comfortable with ambiguity and want to make quick and firm decisions are also prone to making generalizations about others.
Genetic diversity: Crucial for our survival in many ways
(Medical Xpress) -- Thanks to the sequencing of the 27 known human interferon genes, researchers from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS reconstruct the genetic history of these proteins so central for our immune system, and put forward potentially innovative ways to improve the clinical use of interferons in the treatment of pathologies such as Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, and some cancers. These results are published on December 19th, 2011, in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
France may order 30,000 women to remove implants
Up to 30,000 French women and perhaps tens of thousands more around the world may need to have defective breast implants removed after several suspicious cancer cases, officials said Tuesday.
Are the anxious oblivious?
Anxious people have long been classified as "hypersensitive" – they're thought to be more fearful and feel threatened more easily than their counterparts. But new research from Tel Aviv University shows that the anxious may not be hypersensitive at all – in fact, they may not be sensitive enough.
Breastfeeding saved babies in 19th century Montreal
Breastfeeding increased infant survival rates in 19th -Century Montreal in two major ways, according to research from Concordia University and McGill University. Mother's milk protected vulnerable infants from food and water contaminated by fecal bacteria, while breastfeeding postponed the arrival of more siblings and that improved the health of mothers as well as their subsequent children.
Are there differences in mortality among wine consumers and other alcoholic beverages?
Wine consumers, especially in comparison with spirits drinkers, have been shown to have higher levels of education and income, to consume a healthier diet, be more physically active, and have other characteristics that are associated with better health outcomes. However, epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent in showing that, after adjustment for all associated lifestyle factors, consumers of wine have lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality than do consumers of other beverages.
Mediterranean diet gives longer life
A Mediterranean diet with large amounts of vegetables and fish gives a longer life. This is the unanimous result of four studies to be published by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. Research studies ever since the 1950s have shown that a Mediterranean diet, based on a high consumption of fish and vegetables and a low consumption of animal-based products such as meat and milk, leads to better health.
Breast cancer and heart disease may have common roots
Women who are at risk for breast cancer may also be at greater risk for heart disease, new research has found.
Removal of lymph nodes during surgery for thyroid cancer may be beneficial
Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for the majority of all thyroid malignancies, which primarily impact women. A new study indicates that routinely removing lymph nodes in the neck in these cancer patients may help prevent the disease from coming back.
Early dietary experience shapes salt preference of infants and preschoolers
Researchers from the Monell Center report that 6-month-old infants who have been introduced to starchy table foods – which often contain added salt – have a greater preference for salty taste than do infants not yet eating these foods. Reflecting their greater liking for salty taste, the exposed infants consumed 55 percent more salt during a preference test than did infants not yet introduced to starchy foods.
Can nerve growth factor gene therapy prevent diabetic heart disease?
Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can reduce blood supply to the heart tissue and damage cardiac cells, resulting in heart failure. New research has investigated if nerve growth factor (NGF) gene therapy can prevent diabetic heart failure and small vascular disease in mice.
Sleep disorders common among police officers
A survey of police officers indicated that about 40 percent have a sleep disorder, which was associated with an increased risk of adverse health, safety and performance outcomes, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.
Increase in resting heart rate over 10-year period linked with increased risk of heart disease death
In a study that enrolled nearly 30,000 apparently healthy men and women, those who had an increase in their resting heart rate over a 10-year period had an increased risk of death from all causes and from ischemic heart disease, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.
Hypertension treatment associated with long-term improvement in life expectancy
Patients with systolic hypertension who were treated with the diuretic chlorthalidone for 4.5 years as part of a clinical trial had a significantly lower rate of death and a gain in life expectancy free from cardiovascular death about 20 years later compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.
Findings suggest that severe sepsis can lead to impairment of immune system
An analysis of lung and spleen tissue from patients who died of sepsis revealed certain biochemical, cellular and histological findings that were consistent with immunosuppression, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.
Estimating global malaria incidence
Estimates of malaria incidence derived from routine surveillance data suggest that 225 million episodes of malaria occurred worldwide in 2009. This estimate is lower than other published figures, such as those from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), particularly for estimates of malaria incidence outside Africa. Richard Cibulskis and colleagues at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland present a critique of different estimation methods of the worldwide incidence of malaria in this week's PLoS Medicine.
New analysis casts doubt on results of tobacco industry studies into safety of cigarette additives
New analysis casts doubt on results of tobacco industry studies into safety of cigarette additives
Stopping influenza evolution before it starts
If you get vaccinated against the flu and then become infected with the virus, your body mounts an immune response that prevents you from getting sick. However, that pressure from the immune system can provoke the virus to mutate into a slightly different form — one that could be more infectious.
Scientists identify an innate function of vitamin E
It's rubbed on the skin to reduce signs of aging and consumed by athletes to improve endurance but scientists now have the first evidence of one of vitamin E's normal body functions.
New candidate vaccine neutralizes all tested strains of malaria parasite
A new candidate malaria vaccine with the potential to neutralise all strains of the most deadly species of malaria parasite has been developed by a team led by scientists at the University of Oxford. The results of this new vaccine independently confirm the utility of a key discovery reported last month from scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute who had identified this target within the parasite as a potential 'Achilles' heel' that could hold significant promise for vaccine development.
New take on impacts of low dose radiation
Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), through a combination of time-lapse live imaging and mathematical modeling of a special line of human breast cells, have found evidence to suggest that for low dose levels of ionizing radiation, cancer risks may not be directly proportional to dose. This contradicts the standard model for predicting biological damage from ionizing radiation - the linear-no-threshold hypothesis or LNT - which holds that risk is directly proportional to dose at all levels of irradiation.
Biology news
Veterinarians give holiday, cold weather safety tips for pets
Many people remember to winterize their homes and cars for Colorado's colder weather, and it's also important to pay special attention to keeping pets safe and warm.
Sorghum a sweet treat for zoo animals
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scraps from sweet sorghum harvested for biofuel production enrich the diets of elephants, monkeys, parrots and other animals in Tucson' Reid Park Zoo.
Heritage site under attack by flowers
The results of a study conducted by Serbian researchers, in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Dynamique, Interactions et Réactivité, are unequivocal: the Belgrade fortress is not only threatened by the effects of coal burning, as was assumed until now, but also by flower beds. The deterioration of the fortress walls could be partially caused by the large quantities of potassium present in fertilizers used by gardeners and could be responsible for the formation of black crusts on the ramparts. To preserve this heritage, the researchers recommend avoiding excessive use of fertilizers. Their conclusions are due to be published in the first quarter of 2012 in the Journal of Cultural Heritage and could prove to be of value to other historical sites across the world.
Which wheats make the best whole-grain cookie doughs?
Festive cookies, served at year-end holiday gatherings, may in the future be made with a larger proportion of whole-grain flour instead of familiar, highly refined white flour. That's a goal of ongoing studies by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Wooster, Ohio.
Candid video clips from Thailand show anti-poaching efforts saving wildlife
Incredible camera trap video footage from the forests of Thailand have given conservationists confirmation that anti-poaching efforts in that country are paying off, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Scientists solve ricin riddle using new technology
A protein that controls how the deadly plant poison and bioweapon ricin kills has finally been identified by a team of Austrian researchers in a new study. With a combination of stem cell biology and modern screening methods, the team were able to get to the bottom of how the poison works.
Modern dogs are more Asian fusions than Euro pups, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Don't close the book on Fido’s genealogy just yet: A new study led by University of California, Davis, wildlife genetics researchers provides a surprising glimpse into the global heritage of both wild and domestic dogs.
Scientists reveal how bacteria build homes inside healthy cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- Bacteria are able to build camouflaged homes for themselves inside healthy cells - and cause disease - by manipulating a natural cellular process.
New tool offers unprecedented access for root studies
Plant roots are fascinating plant organs – they not only anchor the plant, but are also the world's most efficient mining companies. Roots live in darkness and direct the activities of the other organs, as well as interact with the surrounding environment. Charles Darwin posited in The Power of Movement of Plants that the root system acts as a plant's brain.
Details of lab-made bird flu won't be revealed (Update)
The U.S. government paid scientists to figure out how the deadly bird flu virus might mutate to become a bigger threat to people - and two labs succeeded in creating new strains that are easier to spread.
This email is a free service of PhysOrg.com
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://www.physorg.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment