Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for January 11, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Light control technique could lead to tunable lighting and displays- Battery, heal thyself: Inventing self-repairing batteries
- Axion sees future in lead-acid-carbon hybrid battery
- New class of planetary systems: Astronomers find two new planets orbiting double suns
- Rice's 'quantum critical' theory gets experimental boost
- Astronomers determine color of the Milky Way Galaxy
- Earliest-yet observation of August SN2011fe supernova nails it: Destroyed star was white dwarf
- Calculating what's in the universe from the biggest color 3-D map
- Gene identified as a new target for treatment of aggressive childhood eye tumor
- A wealth of habitable planets in the Milky Way
- Origin of thermonuclear supernova discovered
- Scientists isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits
- Chemotherapy may influence leukemia relapse: research
- Scientists study hands of fearsome, meat-eating dinosaur
- Tradable harvest quotas may save whales: study
Space & Earth news
Hong Kong wants to slap tax on garbage disposal
Environmentalists Wednesday welcomed plans for Hong Kong to introduce a "pay-as-you-throw" tax on rubbish disposal as the city moves to tackle a growing waste problem.
OU researchers to test 'quad porosity simulation' model for shale gas reservoirs
A University of Oklahoma interdisciplinary research team will field test a newly developed 'quad porosity model' for shale gas reservoirs in the next few months. The three-year, $1.5 million project was funded by the Research for Partnership to Secure Energy for America and a consortium of nine oil and gas producing companies.
China looks at carbon tax, official says in US
China's lead negotiator on climate change said Wednesday that the world's largest emitter is considering imposing a tax on carbon to reduce the use of dirty energy as its economy grows.
Mars-bound NASA rover aiming for an August landing
A NASA spacecraft hurtling toward Mars prepared to fire its thrusters Wednesday to put itself on course for an August landing.
Lake Erie algae, ice, make a nice mix in winter
Clarkson University Biology Professor Michael R. Twiss has been working with colleagues and students from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Ontario, to study Lake Erie over the past five winters during mid-winter, a time when the lake is more than 70 percent covered by ice.
Scientists study how nature cleans uranium from Colorado aquifer
Rifle, Colorado, is a small town on the Colorado River, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, that's big on natural resources. It attracts hunters, fishermen, hikers, rock climbers. Its striking scenery attracted husband-and-wife environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude as well; they stretched the Valley Curtain, a 200,200-square-foot orange sheet of nylon, across 1,250-foot-wide Rifle Gap. The curtain lasted only 28 hours before another of the area's natural resources, wind, began to tear it down.
Mars probe to crash into ocean Sunday: Russia
Russia's space agency on Wednesday pinpointed the likely trajectory of its stranded Mars probe, Phobos-Grunt, predicting it would crash into the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta later this week.
Iconic telescope renamed to honor founder of radio astronomy
(PhysOrg.com) -- The world's most famous radio telescope will become the "Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array" to honor the founder of radio astronomy, the study of the Universe via radio waves naturally emitted by objects in space. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) announced the new name for the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) at the American Astronomical Society's meeting in Austin, Texas. The new name will become official at a rededication ceremony at the VLA site in New Mexico on March 31.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Heidi approaching Australia's Pilbara coast
Tropical Storm Heidi is forecast to make landfall today along the Pilbara coast of Western Australia as warnings pepper the coast. NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead early in the day and captured a visible image showing Heidi's center still north of the Pilbara coast, while her outer bands continue to bring rainfall and gusty winds to coastal residents.
Hubble breaks new ground with discovery of distant exploding star
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has looked deep into the distant universe and detected the feeble glow of a star that exploded more than 9 billion years ago. The sighting is the first finding of an ambitious survey that will help astronomers place better constraints on the nature of dark energy, the mysterious repulsive force that is causing the universe to fly apart ever faster.
Study confirms nature responsible for 90% of the Earth's atmospheric acidity
(PhysOrg.com) -- Satellites showing that nature is responsible for 90% of the earth’s atmospheric acidity shocked researchers from the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, whose findings have just been published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Planetary professor shows what alien sunset really looks like
(PhysOrg.com) -- One of the great things about science is how so many people are able to use their imagination to conjure ideas, concepts or in some cases actual images of things in their mind, and then to use the tools at hand to bring such ideas to light so that others may see them as well.
Of orbits and ice ages: Researcher confirms that axis shifts help to propel temperature changes
Though it was first suggested well over a century ago, the hypothesis that changes in Earth’s orientation relative to its orbit influence the growth and decline of ice sheets was only recently tested.
Origin of thermonuclear supernova discovered
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery on the type of star, or so-called progenitor, which caused a supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The finding yields new observational data for pinpointing one of several scenarios that trigger such outbursts.
ALMA early science result reveals starving galaxies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers using the partially completed ALMA observatory have found compelling evidence for how star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies, catching a large group of galaxies right in the middle of this change.
A wealth of habitable planets in the Milky Way
An international team has used the technique of gravitational microlensing to measure how common planets are in the Milky Way.
Rare ultra-blue stars found in neighboring galaxy's hub
(PhysOrg.com) -- Peering deep inside the hub of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a large, rare population of hot, bright stars.
Hubble zooms in on double nucleus in Andromeda galaxy
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new Hubble Space Telescope image centers on the 100-million-solar-mass black hole at the hub of the neighboring spiral galaxy M31, or the Andromeda galaxy, the only galaxy outside the Milky Way visible to the naked eye and the only other giant galaxy in the local group.
Scientists discover a Saturn-like ring system eclipsing a sun-like star
A team of astrophysicists from the University of Rochester and Europe has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn.
Discovery of three smallest exoplanets: The Barnard's star connection
The discovery of the three smallest planets yet orbiting a distant star, which was announced today at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society, has an unusual connection to Barnard's star, one of the Sun's nearest neighbors.
Astronomers determine color of the Milky Way Galaxy
A team of astronomers in Pitt's Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences announced today the most accurate determination yet of the color of the (aptly named) Milky Way Galaxy: "a very pure white, almost mirroring a fresh spring snowfall." Jeffrey Newman, Pitt professor of physics and astronomy, and Timothy Licquia, a PhD student in physics at Pitt, reported their findings during a presentation at the 219th American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting in Austin, Texas.
Earliest-yet observation of August SN2011fe supernova nails it: Destroyed star was white dwarf
Last year's discovery of the nearest Type Ia supernova in decades – captured only 11 hours after it exploded – allowed astronomers to finally cinch the identity of the stars behind these explosions, which have become key measures of cosmic distance.
New class of planetary systems: Astronomers find two new planets orbiting double suns
Using data from NASA’s Kepler Mission, astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems -- planets that orbit two stars. This work establishes that such “two sun” planets are not rare exceptions, but are in fact common with many millions existing in our Galaxy. The work is published today in the journal Nature and presented at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, TX.
Calculating what's in the universe from the biggest color 3-D map
Since 2000, the three Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS I, II, III) have surveyed well over a quarter of the night sky and produced the biggest color map of the universe in three dimensions ever. Now scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and their SDSS colleagues, working with DOE's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) based at Berkeley Lab, have used this visual information for the most accurate calculation yet of how matter clumps together – from a time when the universe was only half its present age until now.
Technology news
Iran cell phone firms deny blocking text messages
(AP) -- Iran's mobile phone companies have denied blocking text messages with the words dollar and currency after the Iranian rial rapidly weakened on the announcement of new U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Can you say that on TV? The Supreme Court debates
(AP) -- In colorful give and take, the Supreme Court debated whether policing curse words and nudity on broadcast television makes sense in the cable era, one justice suggesting the policy is fast becoming moot as broadcast TV heads the way of "vinyl records and 8-track tapes."
China's Xinhua plans to list website: report
China's official Xinhua news agency plans to list its website by year-end, a report said Wednesday, as the government ushers more state media giants to the stock market.
How Twitter fought the floods
Social media is revolutionising disaster management and community building during emergencies, a study into social networking during last year’s Queensland floods has found.
Your itineraries at a glance
RouteRank, a Swiss start-up of the Ecublens Science Park, is including a new function in its product which will enable users to visualize their itineraries.
CES gadget show gets record number of exhibitors
(AP) -- The trade group that puts on the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas says it has hit a record number of exhibitors this year, as the industry continues its rebound after the recession.
NY man suing Facebook fined $5,000 by court
(AP) -- A New York man who's suing for part ownership of Facebook has been fined $5,000 by a federal judge for failing to fully comply with an order to turn over his email account information.
Apple to hold media event on education next week
(AP) -- Apple is scheduling a media event in New York next week, but the company isn't saying much about the topic it plans to discuss.
Amazon gets on board with UltraViolet movie system
An Amazon.com executive said Tuesday that the retailer has signed a deal with a Hollywood studio to sell movies that can be downloaded from an online "locker" system five studios have put together.
Motorola pledges to use Intel chips in smartphones
Motorola Mobility and Lenovo on Tuesday said they will use Intel processors in smartphones and other devices, giving the chipmaker its first entry into a market it has long coveted.
Tit-for-tat hack as Israeli posts Saudi credit cards
An Israeli hacker published details of what he claimed were more than 200 Saudi-owned credit cards online overnight in a revenge attack after a similar move by "Saudi" hackers earlier this month.
Google sees Android enhancing home appliances
Google's Android software is best known for powering smartphones, but executive chairman Eric Schmidt sees a future where it could also help devices communicate at home.
Dutch court orders companies to block Pirate Bay
A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered two major Internet service providers in the Netherlands to block their customers from accessing The Pirate Bay website or face large fines.
Fuel economy of new vehicles slipped in December
(PhysOrg.com) -- After two months of increases, the average fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States fell by a half mile per gallon last month, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Detroit unsure over the future of green cars
The US auto industry remains unsold over the future of "green cars" such as electrics and hybrids, as carmakers struggle with the first steps in a market most agree shows promise over the long term.
Review: Google Docs, the perfect bridesmaid
(AP) -- For do-most-of-it-yourself brides, wedding planning means lists, lists and more lists, with some spreadsheets thrown in for good measure. There are also the long, endlessly pored-over documents of vows, readings, even toasts. Did I mention lists?
Stratfor back online after cyberhack
(AP) -- Global intelligence analysis firm Stratfor has relaunched its website after hackers brought down its servers and stole thousands of credit card numbers and other personal information belonging to its customers.
Apple has bought Israeli flash-memory co. Anobit
(AP) -- Apple confirmed Wednesday that it has bought Anobit Technologies, an Israeli maker of flash memory technology already used in many of Apple's gadgets.
New sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency
Just outside Seville, in the desert region of Andalucia, Spain, sits an oasis-like sight: a 100-meter-high pillar surrounded by rows of giant mirrors rippling outward. More than 600 of these mirrors, each the size of half a tennis court, track the sun throughout the day, concentrating its rays on the central tower, where the sun’s heat is converted to electricity — enough to power 6,000 homes.
Automakers embrace high-tech in safety drive
Automakers displaying the latest technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) are relying on sensors, digital cameras and connectivity in a drive towards a common goal -- eliminating accidents.
Stretching exercises: Using digital images to understand bridge failures
(PhysOrg.com) -- With a random-looking spatter of paint specks, a pair of cameras and a whole lot of computer processing, engineer Mark Iadicola of the National Institute of Standards and Technology has been helping the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), to assure the safety of hundreds of truss bridges across the United States. Iadicola has been testing the use of a thoroughly modern version of an old technique—photographic measurement or “photogrammetry”—to watch the failure of a key bridge component in exquisite detail.
Sandia cyber project looks to help IT professionals with complex DNS vulnerabilities
Sandia National Laboratories computer scientist Casey Deccio has developed a visualization tool known as DNSViz to help network administrators within the federal government and global IT community better understand Domain Name System Security (DNSSEC) and to help them troubleshoot problems.
Axion sees future in lead-acid-carbon hybrid battery
(PhysOrg.com) -- Energy storage continues to be the number one question mark in discussions about the grid. We can gather enough energy from sun and wind systems but engineers still scratch their heads over the best materials and processes in which to store the energy. Lead batteries have figured low on the wish list for smartest solutions. One energy watching web site has put it politely, describing lead batteries as a temperamental child having “dubious merit.”
Medicine & Health news
Surgeons aged between 35 and 50 provide the safest care
Surgeons aged between 35 and 50 years provide the safest care compared with their younger or older colleagues, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Ganetespib showed activity in KRAS-mutant NSCLC as monotherapy and in combinations
The investigational drug ganetespib, a synthetic second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, slowed the growth of cancer cells taken from non-small cell lung cancer tumors with a mutation in the KRAS gene. The drug was even more active when combined with traditional lung cancer treatments and other investigational targeted therapies, according to preclinical study data.
Cancer Research UK launches 'outpatients' trial of breast and ovarian cancer drug
(Medical Xpress) -- Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office has re-launched a trial of a promising drug to treat inherited breast and ovarian cancer – but this time taken as a tablet by outpatients.
Optometry experts prove the effectiveness of orthokeratology in myopic control
After a lengthy study spanning over four years, Professor Pauline Cho from the School of Optometry at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and her research team concluded that orthokeratology not only can correct refractive error, but also effective in slowing the progression of myopia.
NIST standard available for better diagnosis, treatment of cytomegalovirus
A new clinical Standard Reference Material (SRM) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will help health care professionals more accurately diagnose and treat cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common pathogen that is particularly dangerous for infants and persons with weakened immune systems.
Dutch urge removal of faulty PIP breast implants
Dutch health authorities on Wednesday recommended the removal of breast implants made by now-defunct French company PIP after conflicting reports about the product's safety.
New treatment for chronic depression targets personality style
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with psychologists from six other universities, have started a study to assess the impact of a new psychological therapy for chronic, or treatment-resistant, depression (Refractory Depression).
Hip fracture guidelines tackle 'considerable variations' in UK and Irish hospital care
All patients with hip fractures should be fast-tracked through hospital emergency departments and operated on within 48 hours of admission, according to new consensus guidelines developed by UK experts in anaesthesia, orthopaedics, geriatrics and emergency medicine and published in the January issue of Anaesthesia.
Best way to boost adult immunizations is through office-based action, study finds
Promoting immunizations as a part of routine office-based medical practice is needed to improve adult vaccination rates, a highly effective way to curb the spread of diseases across communities, prevent needless illness and deaths, and lower health care costs, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
NIST releases two new SRMs for monitoring human exposure to environmental toxins
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has developed two new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for measurements of human exposure to environmental toxins. Used as a sort of chemical ruler to check the accuracy of tests and analytic procedures, the new reference materials replace and improve older versions, adding measures for emerging environmental contaminants such as perchlorate, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency has targeted for regulation as a contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Two years after Haiti quake, health system 'in disarray'
The number of hospitals in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince two years after its earthquake are not sufficient to serve the population, Medecins sans Frontieres said Wednesday.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital launches data website for genome project
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has launched a freely available website for published research results from the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP). The PCGP is the largest effort to date aimed at sequencing the entire genomes of both normal and cancer cells from pediatric cancer patients, comparing differences in the DNA to identify genetic mistakes that lead to childhood cancers.
Brazil bans sale of Dutch co's breast implants
(AP) -- The sale of Dutch-branded breast implants made by a French company at the center of an international scandal has been banned in Latin America's biggest country, Brazil's health ministry said Wednesday.
Brain training computer game improves some cognitive functions relatively quickly
The brain training computer game "Brain Age" can improve executive functions and processing speed, even with a relatively short training period, but does not affect global cognitive status or attention, according to a study published Jan. 11 in the online journal PLoS ONE.
Gut hormone leads to weight loss in overweight or obese patients
Giving overweight or obese patients a gut hormone that suppresses appetite leads to clinically beneficial weight loss as well as reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
New educational program helps the siblings of children with cancer
Having a brother or sister with newly diagnosed cancer can be a distressing and difficult time for a child. While most children eventually cope, there can be a period of adjustment when their school work and social functioning suffer. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health shows that a teaching program, designed to improve the child's knowledge about their sibling's disease and to give them coping skills, was able to improve their adjustment and psychological well being in this early time period after diagnosis.
Smokers 'salivate' to cigarettes: The physiological reactions to associated images
It is commonly known that, much like Pavlov's dogs salivating in response to hearing the bell they associate with dinner time, smokers feel cravings and have physiological reactions to pictures they associate with smoking. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Neuroscience has shown that a smoker's cravings can also be trained to non-smoking related stimuli.
Precancer markers identified in airway epithelium cells of healthy smokers
Smoking may be associated with the development of molecular features of cancer in the large airway epithelium. In the small airway epithelium, molecular cancerization is associated with development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to recent data.
Global study sheds light on role of exercise, cars and televisions on the risk of heart attacks
A worldwide study has shown that physical activity during work and leisure time significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks in both developed and developing countries. Ownership of a car and a television was linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
People mimic each other, but we aren't chameleons
(Medical Xpress) -- It’s easy to pick up on the movements that other people make—scratching your head, crossing your legs. But a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that people only feel the urge to mimic each other when they have the same goal.
For crying out loud!: Baby cries get a speedy response
(Medical Xpress) -- The sound of babies crying is uniquely able to get adults to react at speed, Oxford University researchers have found.
Test your memory in world's biggest experiment
Today researchers at the University of Cambridge launch what could be the world’s biggest ever memory experiment.
Can a tax on soft drinks help reduce obesity?
(Medical Xpress) -- Can obesity be taxed away? Several UConn professors think that taxing fattening foods can help – but not in the way many people would expect. Instead of trying to make unhealthy foods prohibitively expensive by applying a hefty tax, they believe a small tax can provide revenue for educating the public to make better dietary decisions.
Vitamin D may improve bone health in those taking anti-HIV drug
Vitamin D may help prevent hormonal changes that can lead to bone loss among those being treated for HIV with the drug tenofovir, according to the results of a National Institutes of Health network study of adolescents with HIV.
Memantine drug ineffective against Alzheimer's in Down's syndrome patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Memantine, a drug used to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease, is ineffective for people with Down’s syndrome aged 40 and over, according to a study led by researchers at King’s and published in The Lancet.
Mixed data on child cancer rates near French nuclear sites
An "excess number of cases" of childhood leukaemia around 19 French nuclear plants occurred between 2003 and 2007, a researcher said Wednesday.
Girls report more mental distress and are prescribed more psychiatric drugs than boys
More than 15 percent of Norwegian teenagers ages 15 to 16 reported “mental distress,” or symptoms of depression and anxiety, with significantly more girls reporting distress than boys, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Girls with mental distress were also more likely than their male counterparts to be prescribed psychotropic drugs—those that alter chemical levels in the brain, affecting behavior and mood.
Breastfeeding linked to infant temperament
(Medical Xpress) -- New evidence from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, in Cambridge, suggests that breastfed babies may be more irritable than their bottle-fed counterparts.
Omega-3 fatty acids could prevent and treat nerve damage, research suggests
(Medical Xpress) -- Research from Queen Mary, University of London suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate.
Stem cell odyssey leads from tusks and teeth to gut
Look at the teeth on the lab specimen here. Is this the work of a mad scientist?
Prostate cancer screenings at VA hospitals don't follow guidelines for elderly, study says
(Medical Xpress) -- Veterans Affairs hospitals screen elderly men with limited life expectancies for prostate cancer at surprisingly high rates, even though guidelines recommend against such screening, according to a study led by a physician at the UCSF-affiliated San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).
Increase dietary fiber, decrease disease: Review confirms benefits of more roughage in the diet
We should all be eating more dietary fiber to improve our health - that's the message from a health review by scientists in India. The team has looked at research conducted into dietary fiber during the last few decades across the globe and now suggests that to avoid initial problems, such as intestinal gas and loose stool, it is best to increase intake gradually and to spread high-fiber foods out throughout the day, at meals and snacks. Writing in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, the team offers fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods, such as muesli and porridge, beans and pulses, as readily available foods rich in dietary fiber.
Is there a dark side to moving in sync?
Moving in harmony can make people feel more connected to one another and, as a result, lead to positive collective action. Think of those feel-good vibes created in a yoga class as students move in unison through their downward-facing dogs. Yet given that synchronized physical activities are also a cornerstone of military training and are the highlights of military propaganda reels, could the interconnectedness created by coordinated action be mined to make people behave destructively instead? According to two studies conducted by Scott Wiltermuth, assistant professor of management and organization at the USC Marshall School of Business, the cohesiveness synchronized action fosters can, indeed, be manipulated for less than ideal ends.
Short, sharp shock treatment for E. coli
A short burst of low voltage alternating current can effectively eradicate E. coli bacteria growing on the surface of even heavily contaminated beef, according to a study published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health. The technique offers an inexpensive and easy to implement approach to reducing the risk of food poisoning, which can occur despite handlers complying with hygiene standards.
Lab-made tissue picks up the slack of Petri dishes in cancer research
New research demonstrates that previous models used to examine cancer may not be complex enough to accurately mimic the true cancer environment. Using oral cancer cells in a three-dimensional model of lab-made tissue that mimics the lining of the oral cavity, the researchers found that the tissue surrounding cancer cells can epigenetically mediate, or temporarily trigger, the expression or suppression of a cell adhesion protein associated with the progression of cancer. These new findings support the notion that drugs that are currently being tested to treat many cancers need to be screened using more complex tissue-like systems, rather than by using conventional petri dish cultures that do not fully manifest features of many cancers.
New model for epidemic contagion
Humans are considered the hosts for spreading epidemics. The speed at which an epidemic spreads is now better understood thanks to a new model accounting for the provincial nature of human mobility, according to a study published in EPJ B¹. The research was conducted by a team lead by Vitaly Belik from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, who is also affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany.
Study clarifies link between salt and hypertension
A review article by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) debunks the widely-believed concept that hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the result of excess salt causing an increased blood volume, exerting extra pressure on the arteries. Published online in the Journal of Hypertension, the study demonstrates that excess salt stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to produce adrenalin, causing artery constriction and hypertension.
Study finds that treatment of depression can increase work productivity
January 11, 2012 - (Toronto) - A new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has found that employees with depression who receive treatment while still working are significantly more likely to be highly productive than those who do not. This is the first study of its kind to look into a possible correlation between treatment and productivity.
Lie diet-tector: how scientists can reveal the truth about what you eat
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers have shown that they can determine which foods and in what amounts people have eaten over the last few days by analysing their urine.
Emergency medicine physicians develop device to stop lethal bleeding in soldiers
Two emergency medicine physicians with wartime experience have developed a weapon against one rapidly lethal war injury.
Updated American Cancer Society nutrition guidelines stress need for supportive environment
Updated guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention from the American Cancer Society stress the importance of creating social and physical environments that support healthy behaviors. The report includes updated recommendations for individual choices regarding diet and physical activity patterns, but emphasizes that those choices occur within a community context that can either help or hinder healthy behaviors.
How the brain puts the brakes on the negative impact of cocaine
Research published by Cell Press in the January 12 issue of the journal Neuron provides fascinating insight into a newly discovered brain mechanism that limits the rewarding impact of cocaine. The study describes protective delayed mechanism that turns off the genes that support the development of addiction-related behaviors. The findings may lead to a better understanding of vulnerability to addiction and as well as new strategies for treatment.
Homicide drops off US list of top causes of death
(AP) -- For the first time in 45 years, homicide has fallen off the list of the nation's top 15 causes of death, government health officials said Wednesday.
Study offers clue as to why alcohol is addicting: Drinking releases brain endorphins
Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco.
Participating in marathons, half-marathons not found to increase risk of cardiac arrest
Participation in marathon and half-marathon races is at an all-time high, but numerous reports of race-related cardiac arrests have called the safety of this activity into question. A new study finds that participating in these races actually is associated with a relatively low risk of cardiac arrest, compared to other forms of athletics. An analysis of 10 years of data, appearing in the January 12 New England Journal of Medicine, reveals that most of those experiencing cardiac arrest during marathons and half-marathons had undiagnosed, pre-existing cardiac abnormalities. Male marathon participants accounted for most cardiac arrests and appear to be at increasing risk. The study also identifies bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as a key factor in patient survival.
Gym benefits help Medicare plans recruit healthy seniors
Because healthy enrollees cost them less, Medicare Advantage plans would profit from selecting seniors based on their health, but Medicare strictly forbids practices such as denying coverage based on existing conditions. Another way to build a more profitable membership is to design insurance benefits that attract the healthiest patients. In a study published in the Jan. 12, 2012, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, Brown University researchers report that plans have managed to do just that by offering fitness club memberships as a covered benefit.
Genetic mutation leads to cold allergy, immune deficiency and autoimmunity
Investigators at the National Institutes of Health have identified a genetic mutation in three unrelated families that causes a rare immune disorder characterized by excessive and impaired immune function. Symptoms of this condition include immune deficiency, autoimmunity, inflammatory skin disorders and cold-induced hives, a condition known as cold urticaria.
Treatment with light benefits Alzheimer's patients, study finds
Exposure to light appears to have therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's disease patients, a Wayne State University researcher has found.
Stenting for stroke prevention becoming safer in high-risk patients
Placing a stent in a key artery in the neck is safer than ever in patients ineligible for the standard surgical treatment of carotid artery disease, according to a new study published online today in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.
A diet rich in slowly digested carbs reduces markers of inflammation in overweight and obese adults
Among overweight and obese adults, a diet rich in slowly digested carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes and other high-fiber foods, significantly reduces markers of inflammation associated with chronic disease, according to a new study by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Such a "low-glycemic-load" diet, which does not cause blood-glucose levels to spike, also increases a hormone that helps regulate the metabolism of fat and sugar. These findings are published online ahead of the February print issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
ISG15: A novel therapeutic target to slow breast cancer cell motility
Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), a ubiquitin like protein, is highly elevated in a variety of cancers including breast cancer. How the elevated ISG15 pathway contributes to tumorigenic phenotypes remains unclear and is the subject of a study published in the January 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine.
FDA: J&J delayed reporting insulin pump problems
(AP) -- Federal regulators have warned Johnson & Johnson that it could face fines and other sanctions for selling faulty insulin pumps and delaying disclosures of serious injuries to diabetics who were using its OneTouch Ping and 2020 pumps.
Atrial arrhythmias detected by pacemakers increase risk of stroke
An irregular heartbeat that you don't even feel but can be picked up by a pacemaker is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, says a new McMaster University study.
Internet addiction disorder characterized by abnormal white matter integrity
Internet addiction disorder may be associated with abnormal white matter structure in the brain, as reported in the Jan. 11 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE. These structural features may be linked to behavioral impairments, and may also provide a method to study and treat the disorder.
Late-stage sepsis suppresses immune system
(Medical Xpress) -- Patients who die from sepsis are likely to have had suppressed immune systems that left them unable to fight infections, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown.
Parkinson's treatment shows positive results in clinical testing
Researchers from the University of Florida and 14 additional medical centers reported results today in the online version of The Lancet Neurology journal indicating that deep brain stimulation — also known as DBS — is effective at improving motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.
Gene identified as a new target for treatment of aggressive childhood eye tumor
New findings from the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP) have helped identify the mechanism that makes the childhood eye tumor retinoblastoma so aggressive. The discovery explains why the tumor develops so rapidly while other cancers can take years or even decades to form.
Cancer sequencing project identifies potential approaches to combat aggressive leukemia
Researchers have discovered that a subtype of leukemia characterized by a poor prognosis is fueled by mutations in pathways distinctly different from a seemingly similar leukemia associated with a much better outcome. The findings from the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP) highlight a possible new strategy for treating patients with this more aggressive cancer.
How the brain computes 3D structures
The incredible ability of our brain to create a three-dimensional (3D) representation from an object's two-dimensional projection on the retina is something that we may take for granted, but the process is not well understood and is likely to be highly complex. Now, new research published by Cell Press in the January 12 issue of the journal Neuron provides the first direct evidence that specific brain areas underlie perception of different 3D structures and sheds light the way that the primate brain reconstructs real-world objects.
Scientists isolate protein linking exercise to health benefits
A team led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has isolated a natural hormone from muscle cells that triggers some of the key health benefits of exercise. They say the protein, which serves as a chemical messenger, is a highly promising candidate for development as a novel treatment for diabetes, obesity and perhaps other disorders, including cancer.
Chemotherapy may influence leukemia relapse: research
The chemotherapy drugs required to push a common form of adult leukemia into remission may contribute to DNA damage that can lead to a relapse of the disease in some patients, findings of a new study suggest.
Study finds first major genetic mutation associated with hereditary prostate cancer risk
After a 20-year quest to find a genetic driver for prostate cancer that strikes men at younger ages and runs in families, researchers have identified a rare, inherited mutation linked to a significantly higher risk of the disease.
Red wine researcher accused of falsifying data
A University of Connecticut researcher known for his work on red wine's benefits to cardiovascular health falsified his data in more than 100 instances, university officials said Wednesday.
Biology news
Predators hunt for a balanced diet
An international team of scientists from the Universities of Exeter and Oxford in the UK, University of Sydney (Australia), Aarhus University (Denmark) and Massey University (New Zealand) based their research on the ground beetle, Anchomenus dorsalis, a well-known garden insect that feasts on slugs, aphids, moths, beetle larvae and ants.
By the light of January's Wolf Moon
(PhysOrg.com) -- A cold-eyed moon rises above Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. It is January. For Native Americans, it is the time of the Wolf Moon.
China launches operation to free pandas into wild
China on Wednesday released six young captive pandas into semi-wild enclosures as part of a project aimed at helping the endangered bears adapt to the wild and eventually go free.
Picky females prefer well-fed males
(PhysOrg.com) -- A good upbringing can make you more attractive to females – if you are a mosquitofish, that is.
Study finds fish offspring grow best at same temperature as parents
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fish parents can pre-condition their offspring to grow fastest at the temperature they experienced, according to research published in the February 2012 edition of Ecology Letters. This pre-conditioning, known as transgenerational plasticity (TGP), occurs whenever environmental cues experienced by either parent prior to fertilization changes how their offspring respond to the environment.
Tradable harvest quotas may save whales: study
Every year, a group of anti-whaling nonprofit organizations that includes Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, and the World Wildlife Fund spend, by conservative estimates, some $25 million on a variety of activities intended to end commercial whaling.
New frog species is world's smallest vertebrate
LSU's Chris Austin recently discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size – less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record. Austin, leading a team of scientists from the United States including LSU graduate student Eric Rittmeyer, made the discovery during a three-month long expedition to the island of New Guinea, the world's largest and tallest tropical island.
Evolution is written all over your face
Why are the faces of primates so dramatically different from one another?
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