Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for January 10, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Chandra finds largest galaxy cluster in early universe- Quick-cooking nanomaterials in microwave to make tomorrow's air conditioners
- Austin lab team rolls out Kinect-controlled skateboard
- Hubble pinpoints furthest protocluster of galaxies ever seen
- Internet address expansion set despite ".worries." (Update)
- Before they were stars: New image shows space nursery
- When galaxy clusters collide
- Life Tech, Illumina unveil one-day genomes
- Disruption of biological clocks causes neurodegeneration, early death
- World's most extreme deep-sea vents revealed
- Diseases and sex: The cocktail maintaining immune gene variation
- Scientists paint new picture of dance between protein and binding partners
- Fermi telescope explores new energy extremes
- VLBA, RXTE team up to pinpoint black hole's outburst
- English or Greek, toddlers watch the tone
Space & Earth news
'Off the scale' smog grounds flights in Beijing
More than 150 flights to and from Beijing were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday as a thick cloud of acrid smog shrouded the city, with US figures saying the pollution was so bad it was off the scale.
New oil leak as wreck's stern sinks off N.Zealand
Fresh oil leaking from the wrecked cargo ship Rena off the New Zealand coast is expected to reach shore overnight, salvage officials announced on Tuesday.
Reuse of municipal wastewater has potential to augment future drinking water supplies
With recent advances in technology and design, treating municipal wastewater and reusing it for drinking water, irrigation, industry, and other applications could significantly increase the nation's total available water resources, particularly in coastal areas facing water shortages, says a new report from the National Research Council. It adds that the reuse of treated wastewater, also known as reclaimed water, to augment drinking water supplies has significant potential for helping meet future needs. Moreover, new analyses suggest that the possible health risks of exposure to chemical contaminants and disease-causing microbes from wastewater reuse do not exceed, and in some cases may be significantly lower than, the risks of existing water supplies.
Russia's space chief says failures may be sabotage
(AP) -- Some recent Russian satellite failures may have been the result of sabotage by foreign forces, Russia's space chief said Tuesday, in comments apparently aimed at the United States.
NASA's Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer completes mission operations
(PhysOrg.com) -- After 16 years in space, NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has made its last observation. The satellite provided unprecedented views into the extreme environments around white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes.
Russia hints at foul play in its space failures
The head of Russia's beleaguered space programme hinted on Tuesday that foreign powers may be behind the string of failures that struck his agency in the past year.
Quakes unearth Australia's underground past
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from The Australian National University have used the latest earthquake-measuring technology to image the tectonic plate beneath southeast Australia and reveal for the first time the continent’s geological building blocks.
NASA radar to study Hawaii's most active volcano
(PhysOrg.com) -- An airborne radar developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has returned to Hawaii to continue its study of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii's current most active volcano.
Scientists look to microbes to unlock Earth's deep secrets
(PhysOrg.com) -- Of all the habitable parts of our planet, one ecosystem still remains largely unexplored and unknown to science: the igneous ocean crust.
How many moons does Earth have?
Look up in a clear night sky. How many moons do you see? Chances are, you’re only going to count to one. Admittedly, if you count any higher and you’re not alone, you may get some funny looks cast in your direction. But even though you may not be able to actually see them, there may very well be more moons out there orbiting our planet.
Soil microbiologists discover Aberdeen microbe of global agricultural significance
(PhysOrg.com) -- Organisms that oxidise ammonia were first discovered in 1890. Although a natural process, a major consequence of the activities of such organisms in soil is the transformation and loss of nitrogen fertilisers used to improve crop production, resulting in groundwater and atmospheric pollution.
Stolen New Mexico meteorite worth $20K-$40K found
(AP) -- A meteorite that landed in Russia in the 1940s and was recently stolen from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque has been located.
Researchers identify molecular 'culprit' in rise of planetary oxygen
A turning point in the history of life occurred 2 to 3 billion years ago with the unprecedented appearance and dramatic rise of molecular oxygen. Now researchers report they have identified an enzyme that was the first – or among the first – to generate molecular oxygen on Earth.
Stars pop onto the scene in new WISE image
(PhysOrg.com) -- This enormous section of the Milky Way galaxy is a mosaic of images from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The constellations Cassiopeia and Cepheus are featured in this 1,000-square degree expanse. These constellations, named after an ancient Queen and King of Ethiopia in Greek mythology, are visible in the northern sky every night of the year as seen from most of the United States.
New star cluster W3A images captured by SOFIA observatory
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) researchers have captured new images of a recently born cluster of massive stars named W3A.
Herschel and Spitzer see nearby galaxies' stardust
(PhysOrg.com) -- The cold dust that builds blazing stars is revealed in new images that combine observations from the Herschel Space Observatory, a European Space Agency-led mission with important NASA contributions; and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The new images map the dust in the galaxies known as the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two of the closest neighbors to our own Milky Way galaxy.
When galaxy clusters collide
A UC Davis graduate student who is leading a study of the collision of galaxy clusters 5 billion light years away will discuss the team's findings today, Jan. 10, in a press briefing at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.
World's most extreme deep-sea vents revealed
Scientists have revealed details of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents, 5 kilometres down in a rift in the Caribbean seafloor.
VLBA, RXTE team up to pinpoint black hole's outburst
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using observations from NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite and the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio telescope, an international team of astronomers has identified the moment when a black hole in our galaxy launched super-fast knots of gas into space.
Fermi telescope explores new energy extremes
(PhysOrg.com) -- After more than three years in space, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is extending its view of the high-energy sky into a largely unexplored electromagnetic range. Today, the Fermi team announced its first census of energy sources in this new realm.
Satellite imagery detects thermal 'uplift' signal of underground nuclear tests
A new analysis of satellite data from the late 1990s documents for the first time the "uplift" of ground above a site of underground nuclear testing, providing researchers a potential new tool for analyzing the strength of detonation.
Before they were stars: New image shows space nursery
(PhysOrg.com) -- The stars we see today weren't always as serene as they appear, floating alone in the dark of night. Most stars, likely including our sun, grew up in cosmic turmoil — as illustrated in a new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
Hubble pinpoints furthest protocluster of galaxies ever seen
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have uncovered a cluster of galaxies in the initial stages of development, making it the most distant such grouping ever observed in the early Universe.
Chandra finds largest galaxy cluster in early universe
(PhysOrg.com) -- An exceptional galaxy cluster, the largest seen in the distant universe, has been found using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the National Science Foundation-funded Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in Chile.
Technology news
Apple CEO Tim Cook could top pay list in 2011
(AP) -- Tim Cook could well end up being the highest paid CEO in America in 2011, after Apple Inc. granted him a million restricted stock units last August for taking the reins shortly before co-founder Steve Jobs died.
Malaysia eye-poked over bad Google translations
Malaysia's defence ministry on Tuesday blamed the use of Google Translate for the mangled English that appeared on its website sparking online ridicule.
Google to help South Korea start-ups
South Korea's telecommunications regulator said Tuesday it had signed an agreement with Google Inc. for the Internet giant to help nurture local start-ups and promote their advances into overseas markets.
Keeping the supply chain moving smoothly
Too much, or... too little! Many companies need to work on improving their supply chains. EPFL researchers have analyzed the best strategies and proven that good supply chain coordination can result in significant savings.
WebMD CEO Gattinella resigns
(AP) -- WebMD Health Corp. shares plunged Tuesday morning after the healthcare information website said CEO Wayne T. Gattinella has resigned, and it expects earnings to drop this year.
Send in the supplies: RoboCopters in Marines' future
Marines running low on ammo may one day use an app on their digital handhelds to summon a robotic helicopter to deliver supplies within minutes, enabled by technologies from a new Office of Naval Research (ONR) program.
Microsoft CEO hits familiar chord in CES swan song
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer struck a familiar chord Monday in his swan song at the International Consumer Electronics Show.
Microsoft to bring Kinect to Windows PCs
Microsoft plans to bring its Kinect technology to bear on personal computers following its phenomenal success with the gesture and voice-recognition sensor in the Xbox 360 game console.
NEC demonstrates first terabit/s superchannel transmission over 10,000km
NEC Corporation has announced the successful experimental demonstration of 1.15-Tb/s ultra-long haul optical transmission over 10,000 kilometers using optical superchannel technology.
Anonymous targets Finland over anti-piracy efforts
Cyber-activists attacked the websites of Finnish anti-piracy groups after a local Internet service provider was forced to block access to a popular file-sharing website, officials said Tuesday.
Kodak restructures amid bankruptcy battle
US photography giant Eastman Kodak, fighting to keep bankruptcy at bay, announced Tuesday a major restructuring to speed up its transformation into a digital company.
Home video spending in US falls 2 percent in 2011
(AP) -- Home video spending in the U.S. fell 2 percent to about $18 billion in 2011. A surge in the popularity of movie streaming services like Netflix Inc. and gains in Blu-ray disc sales helped offset some of the drop in DVD purchases.
US probes alleged India hacking of commission
US authorities have been asked to investigate allegations that hackers India used back-door codes provided by companies to spy on private exchanges by a US commission on China, an official said Tuesday.
Apple's TV presence is strong at CES, though it's not there
At the Consumer Electronics Show, models walked around with large, lightweight flat-screen televisions showing vivid nature scenes, executives waved next-generation "magic" remote controls and audiences were treated to demonstrations of massive, wall-size TVs.
Internet name 'revolution' hits doubts
The body that polices Internet registrations will on Thursday launch a domain name "revolution" in the face of the concerns of global bodies ranging from the United Nations to the US Congress.
Ford sets the stage for Fusion 2013 in Detroit
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ford is to cars like Apple and Microsoft are to computers; the public knows they are being marketed to the hilt but that does not stem public curiosity year after year to see the newest models and what all the hype is about. At yesterday’s Detroit Auto show eyes and ears were trained on what Ford has to show for itself and the answer is all "Fusion 2013."
New smart e-book system more convenient than paper-based books
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced today that its research team headed by Professor Howon Lee from the IT Convergence Research Institute has developed a technology that will make reading on smartphones and tablet PCs easier than now.
Google gets more personal with search results
Google is sifting through the photos and commentary on its blossoming social network so its Internet search results can include more personal information.
Inexpensive sensor gives advance warning of catastrophic failure in lithium-ion batteries
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md., have developed an inexpensive sensor that can warn of impending catastrophic failure in lithium-ion batteries. The sensor is based on the researchers' discovery of an intrinsic relationship between the internal temperature of lithium-ion cells and an easily measured electrical parameter of the cell.
Televisions getting Siri-style personal assistants
Startup Vlingo on Tuesday said that it is giving televisions the kind of voice-controlled "virtual assistants" that have been a hit with the latest version of Apple's hot-selling iPhone.
Austin lab team rolls out Kinect-controlled skateboard
(PhysOrg.com) -- An Austin, Texas, team has developed an electric skateboard that makes use of Microsoft’s Kinect and a Samsung tablet running Windows 8 to go places on a piece of transport dubbed The Board of Awesomeness. Scheduled for showing at the CES show in Las Vegas, the board teams up with the Windows 8 Samsung tablet and Kinect controller. The smartened-up device has capabilities that include combined video and speech recognition location and accelerometer data.
Internet address expansion set despite ".worries." (Update)
Bidding will begin this week for words and brand names such as ".sport," ".NYC" and ".bank" to join ".com" as online monikers.
Medicine & Health news
Five women in Belgium have had PIP implants removed
Five women in Belgium have had potentially faulty breast implants made by French firm PIP removed since the beginning of December, the country's health watchdog said Saturday.
Man dies from bird flu in Indonesia: officials
A 24-year-old Indonesian man infected with bird flu died in the capital Jakarta, the health ministry said Tuesday, in the country's third fatal case in three months.
Sorafenib effective in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, but low survival rates reported
Sorafenib was effective in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and a KRAS mutation, but survival rates were reportedly "unsatisfactory," according to data presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer: Biology, Therapy and Personalized Medicine, held Jan. 8-11, 2012.
University of Utah, Google seek answers for autism
These days, we hear a lot about the disorder of autism, but researchers at the University of Utah have created a program that helps kids with autism focus on building their skills and utilizing an aptitude for visual-spatial thinking, computers and other electronic media.
Nutrition policy favours food industry - not public health
The national nutrition policy formulated by Labour and National-led Governments favours the food industry over public health according to new research from the University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand..
Treatment of psoriasis gets new hope
Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden are now launching a plan to effectively treat psoriasis.
CMU will tap advanced computer methods to help doctors make sense of their patients' DNA
Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University say advanced computational tools will be the key to a new research project that, if successful, could enable doctors to routinely use information extracted from a patient's DNA to diagnose and guide treatment of diseases.
Dutch ban khat
The Dutch government Tuesday banned the use of khat, a leaf native to East Africa chewed for its stimulant properties mainly by the Netherlands' sizeable Somali community.
Eat fish, build up brainpower
Can pregnant women help boost their children's brainpower by eating fish? The findings of a study, presented in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show how children born to women who consumed more fish during their pregnancies demonstrated improved outcomes in tests for verbal intelligence, fine motor skills and prosocial behavior.
Behavioral management to reduce substance abuse, crime and re-arrest for drug-involved parolees
A study from Rhode Island Hospital has found that collaborative behavioral management may be effective in reducing substance abuse among convicted marijuana users who are paroled. The findings have important implications for the management of a substantial proportion of the U.S. community correctional population. The study is published in Addiction and is available online in advance of print.
Early-stage breast cancer patients lack knowledge; may not receive treatment they prefer
According to the results of a new study published in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, many early-stage breast cancer survivors lacked knowledge about their disease and were not meaningfully involved in treatment discussions or asked their preferences regarding the approach to treatment. As a result, the study's investigators determined that there is a need for improvements in the quality of the surgical decision-making process for these patients.
High rates of disability and health care use for older Americans with cirrhosis
New research shows that older Americans with cirrhosis have significantly worse health status and greater functional disability compared to those without this potentially deadly disease. In fact, findings now published in Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that elderly patients with cirrhosis require twice the amount of informal caregiving and contribute added strain on the health care system. Given the increase in obesity and aging of those with hepatitis C (HCV), researchers expect the prevalence of cirrhosis to climb in this frail population.
New fibrosis classification improves accuracy of diagnosis in hepatitis C
A new classification for diagnosing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has shown to be as accurate as currently used algorithms, but required no further liver biopsy. The study appearing in the January issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, details a method that synchronously combines two fibrosis tests, providing a non-invasive and more precise fibrosis diagnosis.
Would you stop eating out to lose weight?
Going out to eat has become a major part of our culture. Frequently eating out and consuming high-calorie foods in large portions at restaurants can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain. However, a study in the January/February 2012 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior demonstrates that individuals can eat out and still lose weight.
Stem cell therapy reverses diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's own immune system attacking its pancreatic islet beta cells and requires daily injections of insulin to regulate the patient's blood glucose levels. A new method described in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine uses stem cells from cord blood to re-educate a diabetic's own T cells and consequently restart pancreatic function reducing the need for insulin.
Protein changes identified in early-onset Alzheimer's
(Medical Xpress) -- With a lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer's, most of us would think long and hard about whether we wanted to know years in advance if we were genetically predisposed to develop the disease. For researchers, however, such knowledge is a window into Alzheimer's disease's evolution.
Concurrent treatment for type 2 diabetes and depression significantly improves both conditions
(Medical Xpress) -- Patients simultaneously treated for both Type 2 diabetes and depression improve medication compliance and significantly improve blood sugar and depression levels compared to patients receiving usual care, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Of patients receiving integrated care combined with a brief period of intervention to assist with adherence to prescribed medication regimens, more than 60 percent had improved blood sugar test results and 58 percent had reduced depression symptoms, compared to only 36 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of patients receiving usual care. The full results of the study are published in the January/February issue of The Annals of Family Medicine.
Review questions link between methamphetamine and cognitive impairment
(Medical Xpress) -- A review of recent research on methamphetamine use suggests that claims the drug causes significant cognitive problems are exaggerated. The study by Carl Hart, PhD, and colleagues at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) was released in this month’s Neuropsychopharmacology.
Breakthrough in early cancer detection
Cape Cod-TV correspondent Melissa Chartrand went into the hospital three years ago to undergo a hysterectomy, a common procedure that was supposed to eliminate her abdominal pains. But for Melissa, a far more serious pain was just beginning.
Lower risk of breast cancer occurrence but higher mortality amongst low-educated and immigrant women
(Medical Xpress) -- Low-educated and immigrant women run a lower risk of breast cancer occurrence than highly educated women and women born in Sweden. However, the risk of dying from breast cancer is higher for those low-educated and immigrant women that do get the diagnose - a development that has occurred in Sweden during the last ten years. This according to a new study from the Karolinska Institutet based on the records of some 5 million women between 1961 and 2007.
Killing fat cells: Death by freezing or liposuction?
(Medical Xpress) -- Is it more effective to freeze your love handles, killing the fat cells between two super-cooled plates in a procedure known as cryolipolysis, or vacuum them away with liposuction? And which lasts longer, a surgical facelift or facial skin tightening via a laser?
Study shows HIV-exposed children at high risk of language delay
(Medical Xpress) -- Children exposed to HIV before birth are at risk for language impairments, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
Do hand sanitizers really work? And if so, how?
Everywhere you turn of late, it seems you’re confronted with a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. We asked Professor James Scott whether these formulations work—and if so, how?
No pain, no gain? Studies of the ideal way of making jump shots in handball
For handball players, ankle sprains are just part of life. But this may be about to change: Christian Peham and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna have undertaken a detailed analysis of the three most important ligaments in the ankle. The group investigated the ligaments' movements and the strains to which they are subjected during the jump shot, the most frequent shot at goal. Peham's study is published in the Journal of Biomechanics.
Increased risk of developing asthma by age of 3 after cesarean section
A new study supports previous findings that children delivered by cesarean section have an increased risk of developing asthma. The study from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) suggests that children delivered by cesarean section have an increased risk of asthma at the age of three. This was particularly seen among children without a hereditary tendency to asthma and allergies.
Fusion plasma research helps neurologists to hear above the noise
Fusion plasma researchers at the University of Warwick have teamed up with Cambridge neuroscientists to apply their expertise developed to study inaccessible fusion plasmas in order to significantly improve the understanding of the data obtained from non-invasive study of the fast dynamics of networks in the human brain.
Height loss increases risk for fractures and death in older women
Older women who have lost more than two inches in height face an increased risk of breaking bones and dying, according to a new study published in the January issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and funded by the National Institutes of Health.
70 percent of Europeans suffer from low vitamin D levels
A group of experts has prepared a report on vitamin D supplementation for menopausal women after it was revealed that Europeans have suffered an alarming decrease in their levels of this vitamin. In their opinion, the ideal would be to maintain blood levels above 30 ng/ml. Vitamin D is essential to the immune system and processes such as calcium absorption.
Study links brain activity to delusion-like experience
In a new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), people with schizophrenia showed greater brain activity during tests that induce a brief, mild form of delusional thinking. This effect wasn't seen in a comparison group without schizophrenia.
Swallow a pill and let your doc tour your insides
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have successfully tested a controllable endoscopic capsule, inspired by science fiction, that has the ability to "swim" through the body and could provide clinicians with unprecedented control when photographing the inside of the human body.
'Tiger mothers' should tame parenting approach
The Eastern view of parenting, as defined by best-selling author and self-described "tiger mother" Amy Chua, is that children should be pushed to excel at all costs. Parents needn't worry about their happiness, she argues, only their success.
An apple a day isn't enough
Adults from 30 to 60 years old, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, aren't consuming the daily recommended levels of fruits and vegetables. Quebecers, however, eat more of nature's produce than their fellow Canadians.
New findings about the way cells work could lead to a test and therapy for kidney failure caused by E. coli
Ever since the water supply in Walkerton, Ont., was contaminated by E. coli in 2000, Dr. Philip Marsden has been trying to figure out just how a toxin released by that particular strain of the bacteria causes kidney damage in children.
Tapping the body's own defenses, researchers look to cutting-edge gene therapy for bladder cancer
Bladder cancer, most frequently caused by smoking and exposure to carcinogens in the workplace, is one of the top 10 most common forms of cancer in men and women in the U.S. More than 70 percent of bladder cancers are diagnosed in stage T1 or less and have not invaded the muscle layer. At these early stages, standard treatment is surgery (transurethral resection) and the burning away of tumors with high energy electricity (fulguration). Many patients also may receive subsequent intravesical chemotherapy because there is often a high-risk for cancer recurrence.
Unexpected discovery opens up new opportunities for targeting cancer
Scientists at the University of Leicester have opened up a whole new approach to the therapeutic intervention for a family of anti-cancer drug targets, thanks to a completely new and unexpected finding.
Diabetes study shines spotlight on lifestyle interventions
An Emory University study published in the January issue of Health Affairs assesses real-world lifestyle interventions to help delay or prevent the costly chronic disease that affects nearly 26 million Americans.
Over-65s are frequent binge drinkers: US study
Binge drinking is more common in the United States than previously thought, particularly among young adults, though the most frequent offenders are over 65, said a US government study on Tuesday.
New study helps predict which lung cancer drugs are most likely to work
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that DNA changes in a gene that drives the growth of a form of lung cancer can make the cancer’s cells resistant to cancer drugs. The findings show that some classes of drugs won’t work, and certain types of so-called kinase inhibitors like erlotinib—may be the most effective at treating non-small cell lung cancers with those DNA changes. Some kinase inhibitors block a protein known as EGFR from directing cells to multiply.
Lower risk of death linked with access to key attributes of primary care
Greater access to features of high-quality primary care -- comprehensiveness, patient-centeredness and extended office hours -- is associated with lower mortality, according to a new national UC Davis study. Published in the January-February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine, the research is the first to link the availability of three specific attributes of primary care with reduced risk of death.
Cancer cells feed on sugar-free diet
(Medical Xpress) -- Cancer cells have been long known to have a “sweet tooth,” using vast amounts of glucose for energy and for building blocks for cell replication.
Inflammation may link obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes
A number of different immunological mechanisms ensure the successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Imbalance in these mechanisms is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In a review published in Advances in Neuroimmune Biology, researchers from the Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine at Swansea University in the UK examine the impact of maternal obesity on the inflammatory responses in tissues of both the mother and the child.
Asian-Americans getting better heart attack care
Care for Asian-American heart attack patients improved between 2003 and 2008, according to a study published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. The study found Asian-Americans and whites received about the same level of care, and that differences in care between the two groups decreased over time. The study is significant because little is known about the treatment and outcomes of Asian-Americans who've suffered a heart attack.
Persons with dementia have higher rate of hospitalizations
Compared to individuals without dementia, persons who developed dementia subsequently had a significantly higher rate of hospital admissions for all causes and admissions for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions for which proactive care may have prevented hospitalizations, according to a study in the January 11 issue of JAMA.
Marijuana smoke not as damaging to lungs as cigarette smoke
Using marijuana carries legal risks, but a new study shows that the consequences of occasionally lighting up do not include long-term loss of lung function, according to a new study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers published in the January 11, 2012, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Study examines accuracy of prognostic tools used to predict mortality among older adults
A review of 16 prognostic indices used to predict risk of death in older adults in a variety of clinical settings, such as in nursing homes and hospitals, found that there is insufficient evidence to recommend the widespread use of these indices in clinical practice, according to a study in the January 11 issue of JAMA.
Study evaluates blood potassium levels after heart attack and risk of in-hospital mortality
Patients hospitalized after a heart attack who had blood potassium levels of between 3.5 and less than 4.5 mEq/L (milliEquivalents per liter) had a lower risk of death than patients with potassium levels that were higher or lower than this range, according to a study in the January 11 issue of JAMA. Clinical practice guidelines recommend maintaining serum potassium levels between 4.0 and 5.0 mEq/L in patients after a heart attack.
Young women often fail to spot their weight gain
Despite popular belief about women's weight concerns, young women commonly fail to recognize recent gain of as many as 11 pounds – putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease and other obesity-related conditions. Self-perception of weight gain also appears to be significantly influenced by race, ethnicity and contraceptive methods.
How can pediatric HIV be eliminated in Zimbabwe?
Eliminating new infant HIV infections in Zimbabwe will require not only improved access to antiretroviral medications but also support to help HIV-infected mothers continue taking their medication and safely reduce or eliminate breastfeeding, according to an article in the January issue of PLoS Medicine. Findings of the report from an international research team should help with the planning of expanded programs to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa and other areas with limited health resources.
Multiple sclerosis research links brain activity to sharper cognitive decline
(Medical Xpress) -- When it comes to communication in the brain, more is usually better. But now scientists have linked increased communication in a network of brain regions to more severe mental impairment in patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS).
Naturally produced protein could boost brain repair
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) have discovered that a protein produced by blood vessels in the brain could be used to help the brain repair itself after injury or disease.
Who's wealthy? Beyond net worth, asset and debt levels change our perceptions
(Medical Xpress) -- Will borrowing money to buy a new car make you feel richer? It depends on your net worth, says a new study in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. “People’s perceptions of wealth vary not only as a function of their net worth, but also of the amount of assets and debt they have,” says Princeton University psychology graduate student Abigail B. Sussman, who wrote the study with Princeton professor Eldar Shafir. In fact, increasing your assets by taking on debt affects perceived wealth in opposite ways for people who are in the red (their debt outweighs their assets), or in the black (their assets outweigh their debt).
Disruption of biological clocks causes neurodegeneration, early death
New research at Oregon State University provides evidence for the first time that disruption of circadian rhythms – the biological "clocks" found in many animals – can clearly cause accelerated neurodegeneration, loss of motor function and premature death.
Cosmetic chemical hinders brain development in tadpoles
Scientists, health officials, and manufacturers already know that a chemical preservative found in some products, including cosmetics, is harmful to people and animals in high concentrations, but a new Brown University study in tadpoles reports that it can also interrupt neurological development even in very low concentrations.
Gut microbe networks differ from norm in obese people, systems biology approach reveals
For the first time, researchers have analyzed the multitude of microorganisms residing in the human gut as a complex, integrated biological system, rather than a set of separate species. Their approach has revealed patterns that correspond with excess body weight.
English or Greek, toddlers watch the tone
(Medical Xpress) -- Infants can understand the difference between intentional and accidental actions from tone of voice alone, new research by the Cardiff University School of Psychology has shown.
Biology news
Germany to limit antibiotic use in farming amid food scare
Germany's agriculture minister Tuesday submitted draft legislation to limit the use of antibiotics in livestock amid a food warning that has made waves in the country's media.
Researchers discover novel anti-viral immune pathway in the mosquito
(Medical Xpress) -- As mosquito-borne viral diseases like West Nile fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever spread rapidly around the globe, scientists at Virginia Tech are working to understand the mosquito's immune system and how the viral pathogens that cause these diseases are able to overcome it to be transmitted to human and animal hosts.
First images of newly discovered primate
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers working in Northern Myanmar have captured the first photographs of the recently discovered Myanmar snub-nosed monkey.
Research examines virus infection's differing effects on plants, insects
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tomato spotted wilt virus can be deadly for many important plants, but have little effect on the plants' small insect hosts. Research by a Kansas State University plant pathologist and two students is examining why.
Molecular motor struts like drunken sailor
Monty Python may claim credit for immortalizing the “silly walk,” but molecular biology beat the comedy troupe to the punch. It turns out that a tiny motor inside of us called dynein, one tasked with shuttling vital payloads throughout the cell’s intricate highway infrastructure, staggers like a drunken sailor, quite contrary to the regular, efficient poise of its fellow motors.
Dramatic links found between climate change, elk, plants, and birds
Climate change in the form of reduced snowfall in mountains is causing powerful and cascading shifts in mountainous plant and bird communities through the increased ability of elk to stay at high elevations over winter and consume plants, according to a groundbreaking study in Nature Climate Change.
Study offers hope for hemlock attack
Thousands of broken trees line the banks of the Chattooga River. The dead gray stabs were once evergreen monsters offering shade to trout and picturesque views to visitors. These Eastern hemlocks are dying rapidly, and University of Georgia researchers are working to save them.
Study establishes importance of tracking diseases associated with illegal wildlife trade
An article released today in PLoS ONE entitled, Zoonotic Viruses Associated with Illegally Imported Wildlife Products, from a collaborative study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identified evidence of retroviruses and herpesviruses in illegally imported wildlife products confiscated at several U.S. international airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental-Houston and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International. The pilot program was initiated to establish surveillance and testing methods to uncover the potential public health risks from illegally imported wildlife products coming into the United States. The preliminary results of the program clearly demonstrate the potential human health risk from the illegal wildlife trade at major international travel hubs as a pathway to disease emergence in animals and humans.
Fortunately for men, size doesn't matter (much)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from The Australian National University have discovered that the male-specific Y-chromosome is shrinking – and it’s happening at different rates across species.
Telomere length in young zebra finches predicts lifespan
(PhysOrg.com) -- For hundreds, if not thousands of years scientists have been seeking clues to explain why we humans, and all other animals for that matter, age. But it’s been only recently that some real clues have been found, and many of them center around telomeres, the caps that sit on the ends of chromosomes and prevent them from fraying. Now, in a new study by Pat Monaghan and colleagues at the University of Glasgow, it appears that at least with zebra finches, telomeres may serve as a predictor of longevity. In their study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they found that longer telomere length in the birds when they were young, pointed to a longer lifespan.
Entomologists devise new test for insecticide resistance
(PhysOrg.com) -- A 10-year study has led to a model that assesses the effectiveness of insect refuges in slowing evolution of resistance.
Diseases and sex: The cocktail maintaining immune gene variation
The great variation of a specific form of immune genes makes organ transplants so complicated. On the other hand, we need such a great variability in order to resist infectious diseases. This is why it also plays a major role in the selection of sexual partners. Up until now, the mechanisms for maintaining this standing genetic variation have remained an evolutionary puzzle. In a study of sticklebacks, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, together with colleagues from the Helmholtz Center for Marine Research in Kiel, have now shown that reoccurring infectious diseases determine which individuals produce a particularly large number of offspring in a population, and which immune genes increase in frequency in the next host generation. Infections are thus the drivers for this variability.
Life Tech, Illumina unveil one-day genomes
Life Technologies Corp. and Illumina Inc. unveiled rival genetic-sequencing machines Tuesday that both say can map a person's genome in a single day.
Study shows early primate had a transitional lemur-like grooming claw
Celebrities are channeling a distant relative with what Harper's Bazaar describes as the latest trend in nail fashion for 2012: claws. But this may not be the first time primates traded their nails for claws.
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