Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 14, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Madrid duo fire up quantum contender to Google search- Disaster looms for gas cloud falling into Milky Way's central black hole
- Closest Type Ia supernova in decades solves a cosmic mystery
- How granular material becomes solid: Stress causes clogs in coffee and coal
- New method for enhancing thermal conductivity could cool computer chips, lasers and other devices
- Brain and heart link may explain sudden death in Rett
- Alzheimer's drug candidate may be first to prevent disease progression
- 'Green routing' can cut car emissions without significantly slowing travel time
- A brain's failure to appreciate others may permit human atrocities
- Dinosaurs with killer claws yield new theory about flight
- Internet pioneers oppose US online piracy bills
- Original offering found at Teotihuacan pyramid
- Cotton fabric cleans itself when exposed to ordinary sunlight
- Optical fiber innovation could make future optical computers a 'SNAP'
- String theory researchers simulate big-bang on supercomputer
Space & Earth news
Industry, regulators should take 'system safety' approach to offshore drilling in aftermath of Deepwater Horizon acciden
To reduce the risk of another accident as catastrophic as the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, a new report from the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council says, companies involved in offshore drilling should take a "system safety" approach to anticipating and managing possible dangers at every level of operation -- from ensuring the integrity of wells to designing blowout preventers that function "under all foreseeable conditions." In addition, an enhanced regulatory approach should combine strong industry safety goals with mandatory oversight at critical points during drilling operations.
Russian who helped put Gagarin in space dies at 99
One of the last surviving architects of the Soviet space programme that put Yuri Gagarin into orbit half a century ago died on Wednesday, officials said. He was 99.
New operating system for space: High-tech tycoons
The tycoons of cyberspace are looking to bankroll America's resurgence in outer space, reviving "Star Trek" dreams that first interested them in science.
Epic race to South Pole remembered on 100th anniversary
One hundred years ago Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen won the race to the South Pole in a dramatic and ultimately fatal duel with British adventurer Robert Scott that captured the world's attention.
Study finds increasing atmospheric concentrations of new flame retardants
Compounds used in new flame-retardant products are showing up in the environment at increasing concentrations, according to a recent study by researchers at Indiana University Bloomington.
Galileo in tune: first navigation signal transmitted to Earth
(PhysOrg.com) -- Europe’s Galileo system has passed its latest milestone, transmitting its very first test navigation signal back to Earth. The first two Galileo satellites were launched into orbit on 21 October. Since then their systems have been activated and the satellites placed into their final orbits, positioned so that their navigation antennas are aligned with the world they are designed to serve. Last weekend marked the first orbital transmission from one of these navigation antennas. The stage was set, the singer in place and an audience – in the shape of engineers on the ground – was waiting eagerly.
Stanford scientists' computer models help predict tsunami risk
(PhysOrg.com) -- Stanford scientists are using complex computational models to solve the puzzle of the devastating tsunami that struck Japan earlier this year and predict where future tsunamis might occur.
Wine grapevines and native plants make a fine blend, study shows
(PhysOrg.com) -- Grapevines and native plants are a fine blend for the environment, suggests a team of researchers led by a plant ecologist at the University of California, Davis.
NASA Mars-bound rover begins research in space
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's car-sized Curiosity rover has begun monitoring space radiation during its 8-month trip from Earth to Mars. The research will aid in planning for future human missions to the Red Planet.
Test for carbon capture leaks developed
Scientists have developed the first ever fail-safe test to check for carbon dioxide (CO2) leaks from carbon capture and storage sites deep underground.
The thirty-ninth anniversary of the last moonwalk
On December 13, 1972, Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot (LMP) Harrison H. “Jack” Schmitt made the final lunar EVA or moonwalk of the final Apollo mission. Theirs was the longest stay on the Moon at just over three days and included over twenty-two hours spent exploring the lunar surface during which they collected over 250 pounds of lunar samples.
Testing Orion space capsule
(PhysOrg.com) -- Testing continues at NASA Langley Research Center as the 18,000-pound (8,165 kg) Orion test article took its eight and final splash of the year into the Hydro Impact Basin on Dec. 13. Orion, the next deep space exploration vehicle, will carry astronauts into space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel, and ensure safe re-entry and landing.
Mercury releases into the atmosphere from ancient to modern times
In pursuit of riches and energy over the last 5,000 years, humans have released into the environment 385,000 tons of mercury, the source of numerous health concerns, according to a new study that challenges the idea that releases of the metal are on the decline. The report appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Ice sheets can expand in a geologic instant, Arctic study shows
(PhysOrg.com) -- A fast-moving glacier on the Greenland Ice Sheet expanded in a geologic instant several millennia ago, growing in response to cooling periods that lasted not much longer than a century, according to a new Arctic study.
A galaxy cluster gets sloshed
(PhysOrg.com) -- Like wine in a glass, vast clouds of hot gas are sloshing back and forth in Abell 2052, a galaxy cluster located about 480 million light years from Earth. X-ray data (blue) from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory shows the hot gas in this dynamic system, and optical data (gold) from the Very Large Telescope shows the galaxies. The hot, X-ray bright gas has an average temperature of about 30 million degrees.
Removing sulfur from jet fuel cools climate: study
A Yale study examining the impact of aviation on climate change found that removing sulfur from jet fuel cools the atmosphere. The study was published in the October 22 issue of Geophysical Research Letters.
Disaster looms for gas cloud falling into Milky Way's central black hole
The normally quiet neighborhood around the massive black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy is being invaded by a gas cloud that is destined in just a few years to be ripped, shredded and largely eaten.
Closest Type Ia supernova in decades solves a cosmic mystery
Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia's) are the extraordinarily bright and remarkably similar "standard candles" astronomers use to measure cosmic growth, a technique that in 1998 led to the discovery of dark energy – and 13 years later to a Nobel Prize, "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe." The light from thousands of SN Ia's has been studied, but until now their physics – how they detonate and what the star systems that produce them actually look like before they explode – has been educated guesswork.
Technology news
The future of gaming technology
Microsoft, creator of the Xbox Live -- an online multiplayer video gaming and digital media delivery service -- has announced it would offer mainstream television programming to its subscribers, creating direct competition with traditional cable services. Magy Seif El-Nasr, associate professor of game design and interactive media with joint appointments in the College of Arts, Media and Design and the College of Computer and Information Science at Northeastern, explains the new features and how they might impact traditional cable offerings.
Multimodal interaction: Humanizing the human-computer interface
In everyday life humans use speech, gestures, facial expressions, touch to communicate. And, over long distances we resort to text messages and other such modern technology. Notably, when we interact with computers we rely exclusively on text and touch in the form of the keyboard/mouse and touch screens.
Google donating $11.5M to fight modern slavery
(AP) -- Tech giant Google announced Wednesday it is donating $11.5 million to several coalitions fighting to end the modern-day slavery of some 27 million people around the world.
Lawrence Livermore ramps up wind energy research
As the percentage of wind energy contributing to the power grid continues to increase, the variable nature of wind can make it difficult to keep the generation and the load balanced.
Knight Foundation awards NPR $1.5M for web news
(AP) -- NPR is getting a $1.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to boost web training and content at member stations nationwide.
China has less than decade to remake economy: US
China has less than a decade to overhaul its economy and safeguard long-term growth that goes beyond a boom based on cheap labor, a top US Treasury official warned Wednesday.
New ONR technology will enable ship systems to share information seamlessly
With Sailors and Marines increasingly relying upon networked data and apps, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) demonstrated to Department of the Navy officials how a new suite of information technology tools could improve fleet operations during experiments Dec. 14 in Dahlgren, Va.
Russia needs 'China-style' web controls: official
Russia needs Chinese-style government regulation of the Internet, a top official said Wednesday, after election protesters organised nationwide rallies through social networking sites.
Founding Apple document sells for $1.6 million
The founding papers setting up Apple Computers sold Tuesday in New York for just under $1.6 million, ten times the maximum amount that had been expected by Sotheby's auctioneers.
Non-porn players rush to grab .xxx websites
Colleges, museums and well known groups have rushed to grab online addresses in the ".xxx" domain to prevent porn purveyors from using their names in the Internet's new red light district.
An unmanned aerial vehicle that uses wind power like a bird
Queensland University of Technology PhD student Wesam Al Sabban is a genius and has the medal to prove it!
EU accepts IBM concessions in antitrust probe
(AP) -- The European Union's competition watchdog says it has accepted concessions made by IBM to make it easier for rivals to perform maintenance on its mainframe computers and is closing its investigation of the company.
Novell's case against Microsoft goes to jury
(AP) -- A two-month trial is ending in a Utah company's $1 billion antitrust case against Microsoft Corp.
Study: Most people still don't trust online info
Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed the rise of social networks and mobile technology that's put the Internet at an arm's reach, day and night - yet a new study has found that people are even more distrustful of the information they find online.
Journalists allowed to use Twitter in English courts
Reporters can now use Twitter, text messages and email in courtrooms in England and Wales without needing to ask permission, the head of the judiciary said Wednesday.
New Intel unit focused on tablets, smartphones
Intel on Wednesday formed a new unit devoted to making chips for smartphones and tablets that have become must-have gadgets in a post personal computer age.
Tagged buys hi5 in Facebook challenge
Tagged on Wednesday bought fellow online community hi5 in a move aimed at creating a Facebook rival.
Invisible computing comes to Asia tech expo
A robotic cook, a colouring book that comes to virtual life and movies that read your mind are some of the innovations on show at a cutting-edge computer technology exhibition in Hong Kong this week.
Wheelchair transformer draws viewers at Tokyo show
(PhysOrg.com) -- A novel attachment that is designed for an ordinary wheelchair can turn the chair into a “power-coaster” with electric drive. The transformed manual wheelchair into an electric wheelchair is the result of technology from a Japanese company called WHILL, which is also the name of the technology.
Internet pioneers oppose US online piracy bills
The founders of Craigslist, eBay, Google, Twitter, Yahoo! and other Internet giants expressed concern to the US Congress on Wednesday over legislation intended to crack down on online piracy.
'Green routing' can cut car emissions without significantly slowing travel time
The path of least emissions may not always be the fastest way to drive somewhere. But according to new research from the University at Buffalo, it's possible for drivers to cut their tailpipe emissions without significantly slowing travel time.
Medicine & Health news
Report finds 1 in 50 babies has birth defect and highlights worrying gaps in regional monitoring
More than one baby in every 50 is born with a birth defect (congenital anomaly) according to the latest annual report by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR) – significantly more common than previously reported estimates of around one in 80.
In-utero procedure for birth defect of the diaphragm significantly improves infant survival
A new study published in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology reveals that fetal tracheal occlusion (FETO) improves infant survival rate in severe cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
Improvements in survival of gynecological cancer in the Anglia region of England
Gynaecological cancer survival rates have improved in Eastern England following the reorganisation of services and multidisciplinary team working finds a new study published today (14 December) in the gynaecological oncology themed issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
'Virtual operating room' to sharpen surgeons' smarts and skills
(Medical Xpress) -- Even for highly trained physicians and surgeons, there’s no teacher like experience.
Molecular pathway may help reduce damage after heart attack
(Medical Xpress) -- UH Manoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) Assistant Professor Michelle Matter and her colleagues in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and the Center for Cardiovascular Research have discovered a molecular pathway that may help reduce the damaging effects of an enlarged heart, caused by hypertension or a heart attack.
Humans unequipped for high-salt diet, food scientist contends
Humans are physiologically unprepared for the amount of sodium found in manufactured foods in the modern food supply, contributing to the diet-related diseases observed today.
Proposed regs limit working families' access to affordable healthcare, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- Tens of thousands of working Californians’ family members could be denied access to affordable health insurance under proposed regulations to the federal health care law, says a new report released today by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
Microbial contamination found in orange juice squeezed in bars and restaurants
Scientists from the University of Valencia in Spain have analysed fresh orange juice squeezed by machines in catering establishments. They have confirmed that 43% of samples exceeded the acceptable enterobacteriaceae levels laid down by legislation. The researchers recommend that oranges are handled correctly, that juicers are washed properly and that the orange juice is served immediately rather than being stored in metal jugs.
Heavy-smoking Bulgaria eyes extending ban
The government of tobacco-addicted Bulgaria proposed Wednesday a total ban on smoking from June 1 in enclosed public places, including cafes, bars and restaurants, its press office said.
Chilean doctors separate conjoined twins
Chilean doctors successfully separated conjoined twin girls early Wednesday after a marathon 18-hour surgery widely followed in the South American country on television and the Internet.
New food allergy model for fenugreek developed
A mouse model to investigate allergy to fenugreek has been developed by Norwegian researchers. The model can also be used to study cross-reactivity to peanut, soy and lupin, major food allergens with public health relevance.
Patient empowerment and system transformation to improve cancer care
Physicians can use medical records to track the quality of cancer care and determine whether their patients are receiving the right treatments at the right time. Yet the patient is the only one who ultimately can evaluate the quality of his or her experience while receiving treatment.
Obesity and diabetes epidemics spur increase in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) occurs when fat builds up in the liver. This accumulation of fat damages the liver and leads to cirrhosis. NASH is rapidly increasing in the U.S. mainly related to the epidemics of obesity and diabetes. As a result, the proportion of liver transplantations performed for NASH cirrhosis rose dramatically from roughly 1% in 1997-2003 to more than 7% in 2010. However, according to new research published in Liver Transplantation, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, post-transplantation survival for NASH patients is excellent, with one-year survival rates near 88%.
Patients at risk of knee joint complications when new technology is used
Orthopaedic surgeons face a steep learning curve to get used to new prostheses, and the instruments and methods that go with them, before new total knee replacement procedures are as safe and effective as conventional methods. Patients who undergo the first 15 operations using a new device in a hospital are 48 percent more likely to need early revision surgery, than patients undergoing an operation to fit a prosthesis previously used in the hospital. The work by Mikko Peltola from the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland, and colleagues, is published online in Springer's journal, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
ACR in Choosing Wisely campaign to promote wise use of resources among physicians and patients
As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure safe, effective and appropriate medical imaging, the American College of Radiology has joined the ABIM Foundation and eight other medical specialty societies in Choosing Wisely. The new campaign promotes wise choices by physicians and patients to improve health outcomes, avoid unnecessary interventions and make efficient use of healthcare dollars.
Vaginal progesterone reduces preterm birth, neonatal morbidity and mortality in women at risk
Women with a short cervix should be treated with vaginal progesterone to prevent preterm birth, according to a landmark study by leading obstetricians around the world. Vaginal progesterone decreased the rate of preterm birth by 42%, and significantly reduced the rate of respiratory distress syndrome and the need for mechanical ventilation, as well as a composite of several complications of premature newborns (e.g. infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, intracranial hemorrhage, etc.). An early online version of the study was published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG).
Does caffeine enhance exercise performance? The debate continues
Caffeine is regarded by some as being a potent stimulant, but the debate continues as to whether it enhances exercise performance. A range of expert opinions capture the scope of this ongoing debate in an informative roundtable discussion published in Journal of Caffeine Research.
New report identifies research needed on 'modified risk' tobacco products
A new Institute of Medicine report specifies the types of research that the Food and Drug Administration should require before allowing tobacco companies to sell or advertise 'modified risk' tobacco products as being capable of reducing the health risks of tobacco use. While modified risk tobacco products could be one part of a comprehensive strategy to lower tobacco-related death and disease in the U.S., especially among tobacco users who are unable or unwilling to quit entirely, little is currently known about the products' health effects and whether they pose less risk than traditional tobacco products. Examples of modified risk tobacco products may include e-cigarettes and tobacco lozenges.
KS-herpesvirus induces reprogramming of lymphatic endothelial cells to invasive mesenchymal cells
Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is an etiological agent for Kaposi's sarcoma and two other rare lymphoproliferative malignancies, and it is the most common cancer in HIV-infected untreated individuals. Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have discovered a novel viral oncogenesis mechanism in which KSHV oncogenes co-opt cellular signaling pathways and modify the cellular microenvironment more permissive for viral replication. The study will be published Dec. 15, 2011, in Cell Host & Microbe.
Online guide helps health organizations adopt electronic health records
A new online guide is available from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to help hospitals and other health care organizations anticipate, avoid and address problems that can occur when adopting and using electronic health records.
When standard treatment fails: Jefferson to start unique immunotherapy for brain tumor patients
Physicians at the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience (JHN), the region's only dedicated hospital, are tackling a particularly aggressive brain cancer that even surgery, chemotherapy and radiation often fail to treat with a promising new immunotherapy to attack a patient's tumor with their own cancer cells.
RTOG initiates a phase I trial testing the therapy ganitumab for locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Over 17,000 patients will have been diagnosed with locally-advanced pancreatic cancer in the United States in 2011. Surgery is not a treatment option for these patients whose tumor has grown beyond the pancreas to surrounding vital structures. In the past 20 years, numerous treatment regimens have been evaluated for locally-advanced pancreatic cancer with high-dose chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation being the current standard approach. However, the median survival time of these patients remains generally less than 12 months.
Global health funding slows as deadline for Millennium Development Goals nears
Developed countries and funding agencies are putting the brakes on growth in development assistance for health, raising the possibility that developing countries will have an even harder time meeting the Millennium Development Goal deadline looming in 2015, according to new research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
Camera phones can be a valuable tool for remote diagnosis and (peer) education
Camera phones may be the future for assistance in medical diagnosis, especially in remote areas, according to a new study published Dec. 14 in the online journal PLoS ONE.
2.5M young adults gain coverage
(AP) -- The number of young adults lacking medical coverage has shrunk by 2.5 million since the new health care overhaul law took effect, according to a new analysis the Obama administration is to release Wednesday.
Biochemical signature predicts progression to Alzheimer's disease
A study led by Research Professor Matej Orešič from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests that Alzheimer's disease is preceded by a molecular signature indicative of hypoxia and up-regulated pentose phosphate pathway. This indicator can be analysed as a simple biochemical assay from a serum sample months or even years before the first symptoms of the disease occur. In a healthcare setting, the application of such an assay could therefore complement the neurocognitive assessment by the medical doctor and could be applied to identify the at-risk patients in need of further comprehensive follow-up.
Statins may reduce mortality in patients hospitalized with influenza
The two main ways to prevent and control influenza today are annual immunization and antiviral drugs. A team of investigators has found that statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs, may offer an additional treatment to complement these approaches and reduce mortality among patients hospitalized with influenza. The findings are published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases and are now available online.
New study examines link between child care subsidies and childhood obesity
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published in the Journal of Urban Economics by ASU's Chris Herbst, along with Erdal Tekin of Georgia State University, focuses on analyzing the impact of subsidized child care on disadvantaged children's weight outcomes.
Antioxidant has potential in the Alzheimer's fight, researchers find
(Medical Xpress) -- When you cut an apple and leave it out, it turns brown. Squeeze the apple with lemon juice, an antioxidant, and the process slows down.
Smoke free legislation linked to drop in second-hand smoke exposure among adults
(Medical Xpress) -- Levels of second-hand smoke exposure among non-smoking adults fell by almost 30 per cent after smoke free legislation was introduced in England in 2007, researchers in the Department for Health (University of Bath) have found.
Scientists show how BRCA1 cancer gene mutations harm breast cells
(Medical Xpress) -- Working with human breast cells, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have shown how the inactivation of a single copy of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 leaves breast cells vulnerable to cancer by reducing their ability to repair DNA damage, causing genetic instability. An inherited mutation in BRCA1 is the leading risk factor for hereditary breast cancer, prompting preventive mastectomies or close monitoring. The new findings may aid development of drugs to prevent hereditary breast cancer and tools to identify women who benefit most from prophylactic treatments.
Milk powder better than liquid drops to treat milk allergies
(Medical Xpress) -- A small study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and Duke University shows that eating higher doses of milk protein in the form of dry powder substantially outperforms lower-dose therapy — a few drops of liquid milk extract under the tongue — for treatment of food allergies.
Scientists discover important cancer defence switch
(Medical Xpress) -- A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at King’s College London have captured the first live images of a key molecular switch in the body’s natural defence system against tumour cells.
New test to indicate likely spread or recurrence of breast cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) PhD student has developed a potential breakthrough test for predicting the likelihood of the spread or return of breast cancer.
Simple test to help diagnose bowel and pancreatic cancer could save thousands of lives
A simple online calculator could offer family GPs a powerful new tool in tackling two of the most deadly forms of cancer, say researchers.
Despite guidelines to the contrary, practitioners recommend time off for low back pain
Guidelines for clinical management of patients with low back pain (LBP) encourage health care practitioners to advise staying active and returning to work. Despite this, most practitioners believe work factors can cause or exacerbate LBP, and a recommendation for a "short break from work" to allow healing is common. A new study in the December issue of Pain by researchers from the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London finds that practitioners perceive their role in returning patients to work as limited, and believe that at least some aspects of work are detrimental to patients' recovery.
Survey: Teen pot use rises, alcohol use declines
(AP) -- More teens are turning to pot and see it as less of a risk at the same time alcohol use among the same age group has dipped to historic lows, according to an annual national survey of drug use released Wednesday.
Researchers supply major results for understanding the thalamus, the 'relay center' of the brain
The thalamus is the central translator in the brain: Specialized nerve cells (neurons) receive information from the sensory organs, process it, and transmit it deep into the brain. Researchers from the Institute of Toxicology and Genetics of KIT have now identified the genetic factors Lhx2 and Lhx9 responsible for the development of these neurons. Their results contribute to understanding the development of the thalamus. In the long term, they are to help healing thalamic strokes.
Heart drug may be effective for managing certain cancers: study
Researchers at Queen's University have identified a new mechanism that could potentially explain why the body's immune system sometimes fails to eliminate cancer. The new findings shed light on the possible cause of immune resistance in cancer cells, and indicate that nitroglycerin, a relatively safe and low-cost drug used for more than a century to treat angina, may be effective for managing certain cancers.
A gene that protects against colorectal cancers
The research team in France has developed an animal model carrying a mutation of the DCC gene. Mice carrying the mutation develop tumours, because this gene can no longer induce the death of the cancer cells. This discovery could lead to the development of a new targeted cancer treatment that aims to reactivate the dying of cancer cells.
Dutch government backtracks on anti-smoking
It's getting surprisingly easy to light up in the Netherlands these days - cigarettes, that is.
Researchers find link between pulmonary inflammation, diesel exhaust, house dust
A study conducted by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) has found that diesel exhaust particulates (DEP) and house dust extract (HDE) causes pulmonary inflammation that aggravates asthma. The study led by principle investigator Jiyoun Kim, PhD, professor of pathology, was published in the December issue of The American Journal of Pathology and was selected by the editorial board as the only article for an in-depth discussion in the journal's commentary section.
Scientists identify human proteins that may fuel HIV/AIDS transmission
Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered new protein fragments in semen that enhance the ability of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to infect new cells -- a discovery that one day could help curb the global spread of this deadly pathogen.
The ability to love takes root in earliest infancy
The ability to trust, love, and resolve conflict with loved ones starts in childhood—way earlier than you may think. That is one message of a new review of the literature in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. "Your interpersonal experiences with your mother during the first 12 to 18 months of life predict your behavior in romantic relationships 20 years later," says psychologist Jeffry A. Simpson, the author, with University of Minnesota colleagues W. Andrew Collins and Jessica E. Salvatore. "Before you can remember, before you have language to describe it, and in ways you aren't aware of, implicit attitudes get encoded into the mind," about how you'll be treated or how worthy you are of love and affection.
Early research on cellphone conversations likely overestimated crash risk: study
A Wayne State University study published in the January 2012 issue of the journal Epidemiology points out that two influential early studies of cellphone use and crash risk may have overestimated the relative risk of conversation on cellphones while driving.
Survey: 1 in 5 US women victims of sexual assault
(AP) -- It's a startling number: 1 in 4 women surveyed by the government say they were violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends.
Study finds superior drug combo for difficult-to-control epilepsy
A combination of two common drugs, lamotrigine and valproate, is more effective in treating difficult-to control epilepsy than other anti-epileptic regimens, according to a University of Washington report to be published online this week in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Magnetic stimulation of brain may help some stroke patients recover
Imagine waking up and being unable to see or recognize anything on the left side of your body. This condition, called hemispatial neglect, is common after a stroke that occurs on the right side of the brain. The current treatment of attention and concentration training using computer and pencil-and-paper tasks is inadequate.
Restricting post-surgery blood transfusion is safe for some hip patients
More than half of the older, anemic patients in a New England Journal of Medicine study did not need blood transfusions as they recovered from hip surgery, according to new research co-authored by University of Maryland School of Medicine scientists. The findings could immediately change the way such patients are treated.
Overall hospital admission rates in US linked with high rates of readmission
High hospital readmission rates in different regions of the U.S. may have more to do with the overall high use of hospital services in those regions than with the severity of patients' particular conditions or problems in the quality of care during and after hospital discharges, according to a new study from researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).
How doctors make diagnoses
Doctors use similar brain mechanisms to make diagnoses and to name objects, according to a study published in the Dec. 14 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE and led by Marcio Melo of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil.
Research suggests people underestimate numerical guesses when leaning left
(Medical Xpress) -- In one of those, who would have ever thought of that, ideas, Anita Eerland and colleagues at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands, have found that we humans have a tendency to go low when making numerical estimates about things if our body is leaning slightly to the left. A very strange idiosyncrasy if ever there was one. Eerland and her team, as they describe in their paper published in Psychological Science, set up a series of experiments to prove the idea and found that the vast majority of people when asked to estimate the height of the Eiffel Tower for example, tend to offer lower answers when their body is made, unbeknownst to them, to lean slightly to the left.
Researchers discover how cells limit inflammation in lung injury
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation.
Key genetic error found in family of blood cancers
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have uncovered a critical genetic mutation in some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes – a group of blood cancers that can progress to a fatal form of leukemia.
Researchers mirror human response to bacterial infection and resolution in mice
Imitating human diseases using an animal model is a difficult task, but Thomas Jefferson University researchers have managed to come very close.
Brain and heart link may explain sudden death in Rett
Poets might scoff at the notion that heart and brain are closely related, but scientists led by those at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) say a genetic defect that affects the brain can stop a heart.
Alzheimer's drug candidate may be first to prevent disease progression
A new drug candidate may be the first capable of halting the devastating mental decline of Alzheimer's disease, based on the findings of a study published today in PLoS One.
A brain's failure to appreciate others may permit human atrocities
A father in Louisiana bludgeoned and beheaded his disabled 7-year-old son last August because he no longer wanted to care for the boy.
Biology news
Over 100 Beluga whales 'trapped in Bering Sea'
Over 100 Beluga whales are trapped in water between ice floes in the Chukotka region of Russia's Far East, the authorities said, calling on the government to send an ice-breaker to free them.
Landscape architecture survey: Is plant knowledge passe?
Authors of a recent study examined an ongoing debate in the discipline of landscape architecture: exactly how much plant knowledge is required for professionals in the field? Robert Brzuszek, Richard Harkess, and Eric Stortz evaluated the attitudes and perceptions of practicing landscape architects in the southeastern United States with regards to the importance of horticultural knowledge. The survey results were published in HortTechnology.
New eco-friendly foliar spray provides natural anti-freeze
Cold-weather garden enthusiasts have a new reason to celebrate. Researchers at The University of Alabama and Miami University of Ohio have introduced an innovative, all-natural foliar spray that protects plants, both externally and systemically, by enhancing their natural "anti-freeze" properties. According to the scientists, using the new product is like moving the planting location 200 miles south—the equivalent of about one-half of a USDA hardiness zone.
Artichokes grow big in Texas
Loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals, the artichoke is becoming more popular as consumer interest in specialty products swells. And while 90% of the artichokes grown in the United States come from California, growers in Texas are working to introduce globe artichokes as commercial specialty crop in their region. They say the healthy vegetable has the potential to provide new economic opportunities for regional agricultural throughout the southern U.S.
Growstones ideal alternative to perlite, parboiled rice hulls
In the greenhouse business, organic and inorganic growing substrates are chosen for the physical and chemical properties necessary to support specific crops and growing conditions. One important physical property in substrates is air-filled pore space, a particularly important characteristic that allows for gas exchange between plants' roots and the outside atmosphere. Perlite and parboiled rice hulls are the two of the most common components used to increase air-filled pore space (AFP) in substrates. A study compared these popular components to Growstones, an aggregate produced from finely ground waste glass.
Endangered orangutans offer a new evolutionary model for early humans
Starving orangutans in Borneo may be teaching us new lessons about human evolution.
Complex sex life of goats could have implications for wildlife management
A new study of the mating habits of mountain goats reveals the vastly different strategies of males in different populations and could shed light on the unseen impacts of hunting.
How exposure to irregular light affects plant circadian rhythms
Scientists know that plants can actually "sense" day length, and "schedule" their growth to coincide with specific environmental conditions. These natural events are based on the circadian clock, a 24-hour system found in most biochemical and physiological processes. Plants grow better in circadian conditions that correspond to natural environments, but until now researchers have not understood how plants' internal circadian clocks respond to irregular lighting environments such as those found in many greenhouses.
Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru
Many developing countries rely on traditional medicine as an accessible and affordable treatment option for human maladies. However, until now, scientific data has not existed to evaluate the potential toxicity of medicinal plant species in Peru. Scientists from the William L. Brown Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis led a study using brine shrimp to determine the toxicity of 341 Northern Peruvian plant species commonly ingested in traditional medicine. Their findings indicated over 24 percent of water extracts made from these plant species and 76 percent of alcoholic extracts from the plants contained elevated toxicity levels. The results reinforce the need for traditional preparation methods to take different toxicity levels into account when choosing the appropriate solvent for the preparation of a medicinal remedy. The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health MHIRT program through San Diego State University and was published i! n the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
Worker ants paralyze and kill termites from afar
Worker ants from a particular species of African ants have potent venom that can paralyze and kill termites from a distance, according to a study published Dec. 14 in the online journal PLoS ONE.
Erosion of traditional 'taboos' threatens Madagascar's lemurs
Madagascar is world famous for its unique animals, many of which are protected by law, but recent research has demonstrated that illegal hunting of these protected species may be widespread and pose an urgent threat the country's globally important biodiversity.
Crows show advanced learning abilities
New Caledonian crows have, in the past, distinguished themselves with their advanced tool using abilities. A team of researchers from the University of Auckland and the University of Cambridge have now shown these crows can learn to use new types of tools.
Scientists discover why buttercups reflect yellow on chins
Scientists have found that the distinctive glossiness of the buttercup flower (Ranunculus repens), which children like to shine under the chin to test whether their friends like butter, is related to its unique anatomical structure. Their findings were published today, 14 December, in the Royal Society journal Interface.
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