Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for January 23, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- DNA as invisible ink can reversibly hide patterns- Ancient dinosaur nursery oldest nesting site yet found
- A new class of electron interactions in quantum systems
- Graphene enhances many materials, but leaves them wettable
- Neural network learns to identify group sizes without knowledge of numbers
- Group settings can diminish expressions of intelligence, especially among women
- The price of your soul: How the brain decides whether to 'sell out'
- Three new genetic links to breast cancer identified
- How cells dispose of their waste
- Brain MRIs may provide an early diagnostic marker for dyslexia
- Gene therapy research cures retinitis pigmentosa in dogs
- fMRI brain imaging illuminates magic mushrooms' psychedelic effects
- Advantages of living in the dark: The multiple evolution events of 'blind' cavefish
- Dog skull dates back 33,000 years
- Waiting for Death Valley's Big Bang: A volcanic explosion crater may have future potential
Space & Earth news
Researchers meet to refine carbon budget for US East Coast
A group of 35 researchers from institutions all along the eastern seaboard gathered at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science last week to further integrate and refine field measurements and computer models of carbon cycling in the waters along the U.S. East Coast.
Image: Closest Dione flyby
(PhysOrg.com) -- Flying past Saturn's moon Dione, Cassini captured this view which includes two smaller moons, Epimetheus and Prometheus, near the planet's rings.
Low carbon, moderate income and long life
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study shows that countries with high incomes and high carbon emissions do not achieve higher life expectancies than those with moderate incomes and lower carbon emissions.
Ancient lessons for a modern challenge
What caused the collapse of the Cambodian city of Angkor, the largest preindustrial city in the world, 600 years ago? Previous research suggests war and overexploitation of the land were to blame, but a new study says drought may have played a major role despite the city’s sophisticated water management system.
Dawn Spacecraft offers first look at giant asteroid's chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- The NASA Dawn spacecraft’s close-up study of the giant asteroid Vesta is offering researchers their first look at the elemental composition of this ancient protoplanet. Vesta is the second most massive body in the main asteroid belt and has remained intact since its formation more than 4.5 billion years ago. Dawn’s Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector (GRaND) will determine the chemical composition of Vesta, providing new information about how Vesta formed and evolved. Tom Prettyman, a Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, is the lead for GRaND as well as Dawn’s Geochemistry Team.
Huge pool of Arctic fresh water could cool Europe
British scientists have discovered an enormous dome of fresh water in the western Arctic Ocean. They think it may result from strong Arctic winds accelerating a great clockwise ocean circulation called the Beaufort Gyre, causing the sea surface to bulge upwards.
Stellar embryos
(PhysOrg.com) -- Stars form as gravity coalesces the gas and dust in interstellar clouds until the material produces clumps dense enough to become stars. But precisely how this happens, and whether or not the processes are the same for all stars, remains very uncertain. Astronomers have been studying very young clumps, called "pre-stellar cores" located deep within stellar wombs, in an attempt to sort out these details. But precisely because the cores have no stars in them yet, or at best only very young stars, they are faint and difficult to observe.
Biggest solar storm since 2005 pummels Earth
A potent solar flare has unleashed the biggest radiation storm since 2005 and could disrupt some satellite communications in the polar regions, US space weather monitors said Monday.
Waiting for Death Valley's Big Bang: A volcanic explosion crater may have future potential
In California's Death Valley, death is looking just a bit closer. Geologists have determined that the half-mile-wide Ubehebe Crater, formed by a prehistoric volcanic explosion, was created far more recently than previously thought—and that conditions for a sequel may exist today.
Broadcast study of ocean acidification to date helps scientists evaluate effects on marine life
Might a penguin's next meal be affected by the exhaust from your tailpipe? The answer may be yes, when you add your exhaust fumes to the total amount of carbon dioxide lofted into the atmosphere by humans since the industrial revolution. One-third of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by the world's oceans, making them more acidic and affecting marine life.
Technology news
Foxconn apologises over boss's 'animal' comment: report
Taiwan technology giant Foxconn has apologised over comments by chief Terry Gou allegedly comparing workers to animals, according to a report.
Darpa developing novel new fire suppression method
Researchers focus on electricity as possible safe and environmentally friendly means to fight fire.
Megaupload founder denies piracy, demands release
Megaupload's detained founder Monday denied wrongdoing after US authorities shut down his file-sharing website, as new details emerged of a rock-star life featuring "fast cars" and "hot girls".
Gen Y's embrace of hybrids may be auto market's tipping point
(PhysOrg.com) -- Generation Y's strong affinity for hybrid vehicles could make it the generation that leads the automotive market away from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, according to an annual survey by Deloitte and Michigan State University.
Lease option increases rooftop solar's appeal, study says
(PhysOrg.com) -- Rooftop solar panels are attracting a new demographic of customers who are choosing to lease rather than buy, and enjoying the low upfront costs and immediate savings.
New research expected to help utility companies predict service life of pipelines
Regression models presented in the American Society of Civil Engineers' Journal of Infrastructure Systems by researchers at Syracuse University's L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science are expected to help utility companies predict the service life of wastewater pipeline infrastructure and take a proactive approach to pipeline replacements and maintenance.
Poland defends stance on treaty after web attacks
(AP) -- Polish officials vowed Monday to stick to plans to sign an international copyright treaty that has outraged Internet activists and prompted an attack on government websites.
News Corp plans US Spanish-language TV network
(AP) -- Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is launching a Spanish-language broadcast TV network that aims to bring the flavor of the Fox network to Hispanic audiences in the U.S.
US warns of mobile radio band bottleneck
The United States seeks to avoid bottlenecks in crowded global mobile radio spectrums, the head of a US delegation to the World Radiocommunication Conference said here Monday.
Web music revenue growth stuck in single figures
(AP) -- A report by the global music industry lobbying group says the growth in digital revenues remains stuck in the single figures.
60 hours of video a minute uploaded to YouTube
YouTube said Monday that 60 hours of video are being uploaded every minute to the video-sharing site and it is attracting more than four billion views a day.
Senator's Twitter account hacked
A US senator's Twitter account was hacked Monday and a series of messages sent out to his more than 33,500 followers.
Analysts: New software won't save Blackberry maker
In the trend-setting North American market, BlackBerry phones have gone from must-have messaging toys to outdated clunkers -all in the space of a few years. The new CEO of Research In Motion Ltd., the company behind the phones, says it can claw its way back to the top with new software, but analysts are deeply doubtful.
BlackBerry maker's CEO: No drastic change needed
The new chief executive of Research in Motion said Monday that drastic change is not needed, even as the once iconic maker of the BlackBerry smartphone confronts the most difficult period in its history.
Warrant needed for GPS tracking, high court says (Update)
(AP) -- In a rare defeat for law enforcement, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed on Monday to bar police from installing GPS technology to track suspects without first getting a judge's approval. The justices made clear it wouldn't be their final word on increasingly advanced high-tech surveillance of Americans.
Google's 4Q lobbying bill triples to $3.76 million
Google's U.S. lobbying bill more than tripled to $3.76 million in the fourth quarter as the Internet search leader fought proposed changes to online piracy laws and sought to influence a wide range of other issues that could affect its fortunes.
Neural network learns to identify group sizes without knowledge of numbers
(PhysOrg.com) -- A cognitive sciences research duo out of Università di Padova, in Italy, have succeeded in building an artificial intelligence network that has through repetition, learned to identify relative group sizes, without counting. Ivilin Stoianov and Marco Zorzi describe in their paper published in Nature Neuroscience, how they built an AI system capable of approximate number sense (ANS).
Medicine & Health news
Many people continue to smoke after being diagnosed with cancer
A new analysis has found that a substantial number of lung and colorectal cancer patients continue to smoke after being diagnosed. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study provides valuable information on which cancer patients might need help to quit smoking.
Scientists developing breast cancer treatment test
University of Manchester scientists are developing a test that will help identify patients who will benefit from a new breast cancer treatment, thanks to a research grant worth almost £180,000 from Breast Cancer Campaign.
Lung transplants save lives of two teenagers with cystic fibrosis
“There’s nothing like having a bond with someone else who knows exactly what you’re going through.”
Escape from the mouse trap? New experimental models developing
(Medical Xpress) -- Mark Davis, PhD, director of Stanford’s Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, has used mice to brilliant effect. They have helped him and a legion of fellow immunologists unravel many a mystery of how our immune systems manage to mount a response to the overwhelming diversity of foreign antigens that assault us throughout our lives.
Differences in pumping affect breast milk's nutritional value
(Medical Xpress) -- While feeding breast milk to a tiny preterm baby can be a serious challenge, new Stanford research shows that it may be well worth the effort: breast milk that is produced by a combination of hand-expression and electronic pumping provides distinct nutritional benefits.
Multiple medicines may double fall rate for young and middle aged
(Medical Xpress) -- Working-age adults who take combinations of prescription medication may be doubling their risk of serious falls at home according to research from The University of Auckland.
New imaging techniques prove valuable tools to assess stroke risk
(Medical Xpress) -- Vanderbilt radiologists are rolling out powerful new imaging techniques that provide clearer pictures of the delicate ebb and flow of blood through brain tissue in patients at risk for stroke.
Study examines quality of colonoscopy reporting and performance
Researchers in the Netherlands assessed the quality of colonoscopy reporting in daily clinical practice and evaluated the quality of colonoscopy performance. They found that colonoscopy reporting varied significantly in clinical practice. Colonoscopy performance met the suggested standards, however, considerable variability between endoscopy departments was found. Researchers concluded that the results of the study underline the importance of the implementation of quality indicators and guidelines, and that by continuous monitoring of quality parameters, the quality of both colonoscopy reporting and colonoscopy performance can easily be improved. The study appears in the January issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Moral imagination as a key to overcoming work-related stigmas
Moral imagination is an essential faculty for workers who must overcome the stigmas of ethical conflicts and social rejection associated with certain types of jobs, according to a study carried out at the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid.
Study finds the love of a dog or cat helps women cope with HIV/AIDS
A spoonful of medicine goes down a lot easier if there is a dog or cat around. Having pets is helpful for women living with HIV/AIDS and managing their chronic illness, according to a new study from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
Three-fold risk of infection for elderly after emergency department visits
A visit to the emergency department during nonsummer months was associated with a three-fold risk of acute respiratory or gastrointestinal infection in elderly residents of long-term care facilities, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Selectively inhibiting PKM2 starves cancer cells
Crippling a protein that allows cancer cells to grow when oxygen is scarce causes tumors to regress, according to a study published online on January 23 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Regional surgical quality collaborative significantly improves surgical outcomes and reduces cost
A new study published online today in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons finds hospitals participating in a regional collaborative of the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®), achieved substantial improvements in surgical outcomes, such as reducing the rates of acute renal failure and surgical site infections. The collaborative also saved $2,197,543 per 10,000 general and vascular surgery cases when comparing results from 2010 with results from 2009. ACS NSQIP is the leading nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and improve the quality of surgical care in the private sector.
Meth fills hospitals with burn patients
(AP) -- A crude new method of making methamphetamine poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment - a burden so costly that it's contributing to the closure of some burn units.
Briton with locked-in syndrome wants right to die
(AP) -- Former rugby player Tony Nicklinson had a high-flying job as a corporate manager in Dubai, where he went skydiving and bridge-climbing in his free time.
Zambia starts first-ever diarrhoea vaccines on children
Zambian health authorities on Monday started the country's first-ever vaccine campaign against diarrhoea on children under five years of age, in an attempt to reduce deaths arising from the disease.
British cosmetic surgeons urge clampdown
Experts in Britain called on Monday for all cosmetic surgery advertising to be banned following the scandal over French-made PIP breast implants and for tougher checks on surgeons.
US Supreme court overturns California meat safety law
The US Supreme Court Monday overturned a California law that set strict standards for slaughtering and selling the meat of sick and injured animals.
Confidence, positive feelings support better medication adherence in hypertensive African-Americans
When it comes to taking prescribed medications for hypertension, a patient's self confidence could be as important as doctor's orders. A new study by researchers at NYU School of Medicine reveals that positive affirmation, when coupled with patient education, seems to help patients more effectively follow their prescribed medication regimen.
Study examines research on overuse of health care services
The overuse of health care services in the United States appears to be an understudied problem with research literature limited to a few services and rates of overuse varying widely, according to an article published in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This article is part of the journal's Less is More series.
Going to physician visits with older loved ones could improve care
Family companions who routinely accompany older adults to physician office visits could be helpful to health care quality improvement efforts, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The authors found that three-quarters of older adults who attend physician visits with a family companion are consistently accompanied over time, nearly always by the same companion. The results are featured in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Researchers quantify muscle soreness
Quantifying how sore a person is after a long workout is a challenge for doctors and researchers, but scientists from Loma Linda and Asuza Pacific Universities think they may have figured it out. Their research article describing a new technique to measure muscle soreness will be published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).
New tool enhances view of muscles
Simon Fraser University associate professor James Wakeling is adding to the arsenal of increasingly sophisticated medical imaging tools with a new signal-processing method for viewing muscle activation details that have never been seen before.
Taking moments to enjoy life helps patients make better health decisions
The experience of daily positive affect -- a mild, happy feeling -- and self-affirmation helps some patients with chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and asthma, make better decisions about their health.
Neuropathy patients more likely to receive high-cost, screening instead of more effective tests
Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed the tremendous cost of diagnosing peripheral neuropathy and found that less expensive, more effective tests are less likely to be used.
Pot-based prescription drug looks for FDA OK
A quarter-century after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drugs based on the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, additional medicines derived from or inspired by the cannabis plant itself could soon be making their way to pharmacy shelves, according to drug companies, small biotech firms and university scientists.
Mexico toll hits nine from A(H1N1) swine flu
The death toll in Mexico from an outbreak of A(H1N1) swine flu has hit nine, with 573 cases detected, officials said Sunday.
Plant flavonoid luteolin blocks cell signaling pathways in colon cancer cells
Plant flavonoid luteolin blocks cell signaling pathways in colon cancer cells
Hip size may be the key to link between obesity and premature death
A research team led by Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute has for the first time demonstrated that the effect of obesity on the risk of premature death is seriously underestimated unless a person's hip circumference is taken into account.
DSM-5 proposed criteria for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis
(Medical Xpress) -- The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has proposed new diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) for autism. While final decisions are still months away, the recommendations reflect the work of dozens of the nation’s top scientific and research minds and are supported by more than a decade of intensive study and analysis. The proposal by the DSM-5 Neurodevelopmental Work Group recommends a new category called autism spectrum disorder which would incorporate several previously separate diagnoses, including autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
Autism expert on proposed changes to autism diagnosis
(Medical Xpress) -- Autism has been the subject of much discussion recently due to proposed changes in diagnostic criteria, as laid out in the forthcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). These proposed changes would collapse three current diagnoses – Autistic Disorder, Asperger Disorder, and a diagnosis called PDD-Not Otherwise Specified – into one diagnosis. This change has led to concerns about how individuals with these previous diagnoses, as well as individuals who have yet to receive a diagnosis, will be impacted.
Professor's research helps restore sight to the blind
Wolfgang Fink's research into artificial retinas helps restore some sight in blind patients with age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.
New approach to combat intractable bacterial infections
(Medical Xpress) -- Bacteriologist Marcin Filutowicz specializes in developing antimicrobial technologies that one day may help replace antibiotics—and save lives—as the power of our antibiotics arsenal wanes. But he doesn’t stop there. Filutowicz has founded or co-founded three biotech companies to help ensure that his technologies actually make it into the world’s hospitals. The idea for his newest venture, Amebagone, founded this year, sprung from his work investigating a collection of soil-borne amoebas assembled decades ago by UW bacteriologist Kenneth Raper, who is best known for helping ramp up penicillin production in time to save thousands of soldiers wounded during World War II.
Big Tobacco led throat doctors to blow smoke
(Medical Xpress) -- Tobacco companies conducted a carefully crafted, decades-long campaign to manipulate throat doctors into helping to calm concerns among an increasingly worried public that smoking might be bad for their health, according to a new study by researchers at the School of Medicine. Beginning in the 1920s, this campaign continued for over half of a century.
The lasting effects of violence on teen girls
(Medical Xpress) -- Throughout the world, although teenage boys are exposed to more violence than girls, girls tend to be more negatively affected by these experiences than boys. A new study shows the specific effects of this vulnerability: Girls exposed to violence are more prone to mentally remove themselves from their surroundings, a symptom that can lead to suicidal thoughts down the road.
How protein networks stabilize muscle fibers: Same mechanism as for DNA
The same mechanism that stabilises the DNA in the cell nucleus is also important for the structure and function of vertebrate muscle cells. This has been established by RUB-researchers led by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Linke (Institute of Physiology) in cooperation with American and German colleagues. An enzyme attaches a methyl group to the protein Hsp90, which then forms a complex with the muscle protein titin. When the researchers disrupted this protein network through genetic manipulation in zebrafish the muscle structure partly disintegrated. The scientists have thus shown that methylation also plays a significant role outside the nucleus. They published their results in Genes and Development.
Eating smart: Researcher studies foods, dietary supplements that may reduce risk of prostate cancer
A Kansas State University professor is turning to nutrition to tackle prostate cancer.
Molecular fingerprint discovered that may improve outcomes for head and neck cancer patients
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein, have found a biomarker in head and neck cancers that can predict whether a patient's tumor will be life threatening. The biomarker is considered particularly promising because it can detect the level of risk immediately following diagnosis. This discovery could become a component of a new test to guide how aggressively those with head and neck tumors should be treated. The findings were published online January 9 in the American Journal of Pathology.
Lead blood levels may increase smokers' risk for kidney cancer
Higher than normal levels of lead in the blood may signal a risk two times higher than average of developing renal cell carcinoma in smokers, according to medical researchers.
Patterns of chromosome abnormality: The key to cancer?
A healthy genome is characterized by 23 pairs of chromosomes, and even a small change in this structure — such as an extra copy of a single chromosome — can lead to severe physical impairment. So it's no surprise that when it comes to cancer, chromosomal structure is frequently a contributing factor, says Prof. Ron Shamir of the Blavatnik School of Computer Science at Tel Aviv University.
Popping a pill not the best way to battle insomnia in the long term, suggest sleep experts
Reaching for that sleeping pill or drinking alcohol may not be the most effective way for people with insomnia to get better sleep at night in the long run, suggests a study by Ryerson University experts.
New malaria maps to guide battle against the disease
A new suite of malaria maps has revealed in unprecedented detail the current global pattern of the disease, allowing researchers to see how malaria has changed over a number of years.
Women report feeling pain more intensely than men: study
Women report more-intense pain than men in virtually every disease category, according to Stanford University School of Medicine investigators who mined a huge collection of electronic medical records to establish the broad gender difference to a high level of statistical significance.
Rare kidney disease shows how salt, potassium levels are moderated
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a principal risk factor for heart disease and affects 1 billion people. At least half of them are estimated to be salt-sensitive; their blood pressure rises with sodium intake. New research released today shows important aspects of how sodium and potassium are regulated in the kidney.
DGK-alpha helps cancer cells gain traction and mobilize
Metastasizing cancer cells often express integrins that provide better traction. A new study in The Journal of Cell Biology reveals how a lipid-converting enzyme helps the cells mobilize these integrins.
A single therapy slows multiple cancers
Targeting a single protein can help fight both breast cancers and leukemias, according to two reports published online on January 23 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Nurturing mothers rear physically healthier adults
Nurturing mothers have garnered accolades for rescuing skinned knees on the playground and coaxing their children to sleep with lullabies. Now they're gaining merit for their offspring's physical health in middle age.
The race against chronic myeloid leukemia not yet won
Although significant progress has been made in treating chronic myeloid leukemia, the disease cannot yet be eliminated in all patients, and that challenge must be addressed, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Compounds in mate tea induce death in colon cancer cells
Could preventing colon cancer be as simple as developing a taste for yerba mate tea? In a recent University of Illinois study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of this brew, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties.
Study: Stem cells may aid vision in blind people
The first use of embryonic stem cells in humans eased a degenerative form of blindness in two volunteers and showed no signs of any adverse effects, according to a study published by The Lancet on Monday.
Diets high in fiber won't protect against diverticulosis
For more than 40 years, scientists and physicians have thought eating a high-fiber diet lowered a person's risk of diverticulosis, a disease of the large intestine in which pouches develop in the colon wall. A new study of more than 2,000 people reveals the opposite may be true.
Lifelong brain-stimulating habits linked to lower Alzheimer's protein levels
A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, provides even more reason for people to read a book or do a puzzle, and to make such activities a lifetime habit.
Self-collection and HPV DNA testing could be an effective cervical cancer screening
Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing of self-collected specimens may be a more effective way to screen for cervical cancer in low-resource settings compared to visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and liquid-based cytology (LBC), according to a study published January 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Family focus may help obese kids to succeed in treatment
Parents should be involved in treatment programs for their obese children, according to a new scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Use of iodinated contrast media in imaging procedures appears to affect thyroid function
Exposure to iodinated contrast media during imaging procedures is associated with changes in thyroid function, and increased risk of developing hyperthyroidism, according to a report in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Rate of physician referrals nearly doubled
Physician referral rates in the United States doubled between 1999 and 2009, a new study finds, an increase that likely contributes to the rising costs of health care.
Researchers look at effects of two common sweeteners on the body
With growing concern that excessive levels of fructose may pose a great health risk – causing high blood pressure, kidney disease and diabetes – researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, along with their colleagues at the University of Florida, set out to see if two common sweeteners in western diets differ in their effects on the body in the first few hours after ingestion. The study, recently published in the journal Metabolism, took a closer look at high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar (sucrose) and was led by Dr MyPhuong Le (now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Colorado) and Dr Julie Johnson, a Professor of Pharmacogenomics at the University of Florida.
Powerful people feel taller than they are
After the huge 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the chairman of BP referred to the victims of the spill as the "small people." He explained it as awkward word choice by a non-native speaker of English, but the authors of a new paper published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, wondered if there was something real behind it. In their study, they found that people who feel powerful tend to overestimate their own height—they feel physically larger than they actually are.
Too many tests? Routine checks getting second look
Recent headlines offered a fresh example of how the health care system subjects people to too many medical tests - this time research showing millions of older women don't need their bones checked for osteoporosis nearly so often.
Transcriptional barcoding of retinal cells identifies disease target cells
(Medical Xpress) -- By developing a large scale gene expression map for retinal cell types, FMI Neurobiologists have been able to identify the cells in the retina, where the genes causing retinal diseases specifically act. This narrows down the search for a better understanding of the diseases and opens up new avenues for therapeutic approaches.
Neuroscientists explore how longstanding conflict influences empathy for others
MIT postdoc Emile Bruneau has long been drawn to conflict — not as a participant, but an observer. In 1994, while doing volunteer work in South Africa, he witnessed firsthand the turmoil surrounding the fall of apartheid; during a 2001 trip to visit friends in Sri Lanka, he found himself in the midst of the violent conflict between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan military.
When making meaning of the world, the brain is a multi-tasker
(Medical Xpress) -- How does the brain confer meaning on the things we perceive in the world? “Many of us favor the theory that, whether it comes in through the eyes or ears, through reading [or other stimuli], it’s all eventually arriving at a common place where the meaning of things is represented,” says Massachusetts Institute of Technology psychologist Mary C. Potter. “If that were so,” she continues, “you’d expect there to be a problem in extracting meanings simultaneously from different sources.”
Gene research sheds light on timing of menopause
(Medical Xpress) -- An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause.
Three new genetic links to breast cancer identified
(Medical Xpress) -- An international team of researchers has identified three new genetic loci associated with an increased susceptibility to breast cancer. As described in their paper published in Nature Genetics, the three new loci will be added to the previous 22 that have been previously found and appear to be associated with mammary gland and bone growth and estrogen receptor signaling.
Gene therapy research cures retinitis pigmentosa in dogs
Members of a University of Pennsylvania research team have shown that they can prevent, or even reverse, a blinding retinal disease, X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa, or XLRP, in dogs.
Brain MRIs may provide an early diagnostic marker for dyslexia
Children at risk for dyslexia show differences in brain activity on MRI scans even before they begin learning to read, finds a study at Children's Hospital Boston. Since developmental dyslexia responds to early intervention, diagnosing children at risk before or during kindergarten could head off difficulties and frustration in school, the researchers say. Findings appear this week in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
fMRI brain imaging illuminates magic mushrooms' psychedelic effects
Brain scans of people under the influence of the psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work. The findings of two studies being published in scientific journals this week identify areas of the brain where activity is suppressed by psilocybin and suggest that it helps people to experience memories more vividly.
Expensive egos: Narcissism has a higher health cost for men
The personality trait narcissism may have an especially negative effect on the health of men, according to a recent study published in PLoS ONE.
Researchers develop gene therapy that could correct a common form of blindness
A new gene therapy method developed by University of Florida researchers has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. The findings are published today (Monday, Jan. 23) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online.
Group settings can diminish expressions of intelligence, especially among women
In the classic film "12 Angry Men," Henry Fonda's character sways a jury with his quiet, persistent intelligence. But would he have succeeded if he had allowed himself to fall sway to the social dynamics of that jury?
The price of your soul: How the brain decides whether to 'sell out'
An Emory University neuro-imaging study shows that personal values that people refuse to disavow, even when offered cash to do so, are processed differently in the brain than those values that are willingly sold.
Biology news
White fish from the North Sea is equally climate friendly as farmed fish
The environmental impact of plaice and cod caught wild in the North Sea is similar to that of imported farmed fish like salmon, tilapia and pangasius. This was the conclusion arrived at by LEI, part of Wageningen UR, in a study published last week. It is expected that there will be a considerable reduction in the environmental impact of plaice and cod fishing following the application of technological innovations.
Seeding strategies help Rangelands recover from fire
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are making sure that money spent on sustaining and repairing arid rangeland ecosystems is spent on programs that work.
Minn. bear delivers at least 2 cubs on Internet
(AP) -- A 3-year-old bear in Minnesota has given birth to two cubs before an Internet audience.
Stranded baby seals concern Dutch rescuers
A month ago, a young seal named Marco washed up on a beach on the northern Dutch Frisian island of Ameland, one of a growing number of recently stranded pups that has left his rescuers worried.
Ninety whales stranded on New Zealand beach
A pod of 90 pilot whales have beached themselves at the top of New Zealand's South island, in the same area where seven whales died in a mass stranding earlier this month, according to officials.
Saving the snow leopard with stem cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- The survival of the endangered snow leopard is looking promising thanks to Monash University scientists who have, for the first time, produced embryonic stem-like cells from the tissue of an adult leopard.
5 Questions: Rando on resetting the 'aging clock,' cell by cell
Advances in the study of stem cells have fueled hopes that someday, via regenerative medicine, doctors could restore aging people’s hearts, livers, brains and other organs and tissues to a more youthful state. A key to reaching this goal — to be able to provide stem cells that will differentiate into other types of cells a patient needs — appears to lie in understanding “epigenetics,” which involves chemical marks stapled onto DNA and its surrounding protein husk by specialized enzyme complexes inside a cell’s nucleus. These markings produce long-lasting changes in genes’ activity levels within the cell — locking genes into an “on” or “off” position. Epigenetic processes enable cells to remain true to type (a neuron, for instance, never suddenly morphs into a fat cell) even though all our cells, regardless of type, share the same genetic code. But epigenetic processes also appear to play a critical role in reducing cells’ vitality as they age.
Sweeten up your profits with the right hybrid
New University of Illinois sweet corn research shows that higher yield and profitability are possible with greater plant populations of certain hybrids.
Lessons in coral reef survival from deep time
Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems.
New discoveries in cell aging
A group of researchers led by the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have achieved to quantify with precision the effect of protein aggregation on cell aging processes using as models the Escherichia coli bacteria and the molecule which triggers Alzheimer's disease. Scientists demonstrated that the effect can be predicted before it occurs. Protein aggregation is related to several diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases.
Study shines light on ways to cut costs for greenhouse growers
Greenhouse bedding plant growers can save themselves time, money or possibly both by giving cuttings in propagation more light, according to a Purdue University study.
Study provides new details of fundamental cellular process
A recent Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) study published in the journal Science investigating the molecular structure and function of an essential plant hormone could profoundly change our understanding of a key cell process, and might ultimately lead to the development of new drugs for a variety of diseases.
Advantages of living in the dark: The multiple evolution events of 'blind' cavefish
The blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) have not only lost their sight but have adapted to perpetual darkness by also losing their pigment (albinism) and having altered sleep patterns. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology shows that the cavefish are an example of convergent evolution, with several populations repeatedly, and independently, losing their sight and pigmentation.
Scientists reveal first 3D image of cancer prevention molecule
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cancer Research UK scientists have created the first 3D structure of a key protein that protects against the development of cancer, according to research published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology today.
Wild dogs didn't go extinct in east Africa after all
In 1991, conservationists announced with dismay that endangered African wild dogs had gone extinct from the Serengeti-Mara region of east Africa. Now the latest genetic study reveals that this proclamation may have been premature – it turns out they almost certainly didn't go extinct at all.
Patterns of antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in Galapagos reptiles
Land and marine iguanas and giant tortoises living close to human settlements or tourist sites in the Galápagos islands are more likely to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria than those living in more remote or protected sites on the islands, researchers report in a new study.
Bonobos' unusual success story
Mate competition by males over females is common in many animal species. During mating season male testosterone levels rise, resulting in an increase in aggressive behavior and masculine features. Male bonobos, however, invest much more into friendly relationships with females. Elevated testosterone and aggression levels would collide with this increased tendency towards forming pair-relationships.
Mighty mesh: Extracellular matrix identified as source of spreading in biofilms
New research at Harvard explains how bacterial biofilms expand to form slimy mats on teeth, pipes, surgical instruments, and crops.
How cells dispose of their waste
German researchers reveal the structure of cellular protein degradation machinery.
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