Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for January 18, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Bubble-propelled microrockets could operate in the human stomach- Faint 'satellite galaxy' discovered
- Watching a gas turn superfluid
- The faster-than-fast Fourier transform
- Serial killing follows predictable pattern based on brain activity
- Novel gene mutations associated with bile duct cancer
- Mapping the destructive path from cigarette to emphysema
- Ulcer-causing bacteria baffled by mucus: Viscoelasticity impact on collective behavior of swimming microorganisms
- Study shows how neurons interact, could lead to new treatment for addiction
- New method pinpoints important gene-regulation proteins
- Review: Thunderbird innovates, but Web mail wins
- Exercise triggers beneficial cellular recycling: study
- US joins effort to draw up space 'code of conduct'
- New study evaluates impact of land use activity in the Amazon basin
- Ancient popcorn discovered in Peru
Space & Earth news
Hong Kong clean air targets fail to impress
Environmentalists on Wednesday expressed disappointment at new clean-air targets for Hong Kong, as research showed pollution-related illnesses killed more than 3,000 residents a year.
Brisbane climate change study warns of many years of life lost
Queensland University of Technology (QUT), in collaboration with CSIRO, has conducted a world-first study into the potential impact climate change will have on 'years of life lost' in Brisbane.
New guidebook provides framework for managing US forests in face of climate change
Resource managers at the nation's 155 national forests now have a set of science-based guidelines to help them manage their landscapes for resilience to climate change.
ASU's Center for Meteorite Studies acquires exotic piece of Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Arizona State University’s Center for Meteorite Studies has acquired a significant new sample for its collection, a rare martian meteorite that fell in southern Morocco in July 2011. It is the first martian fall in around fifty years.
UA makes mirrors for world's largest telescope
(PhysOrg.com) -- The second of seven 27-foot diameter mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope was cast on Jan. 14 inside a rotating furnace at the UA's Steward Observatory Mirror Lab.
JPL radar treks to great white north to study snow
(PhysOrg.com) -- Beginning Jan. 17, NASA will fly an airborne science laboratory, including a unique airborne radar built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., above Canadian snowstorms to tackle a difficult challenge facing the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission -- measuring snowfall from space.
Climate and the statistics of extremes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Swiss mathematicians have shown that the risk of extreme climate events is largely underestimated. They are developing a model for better understanding the impact of climate change.
What happened to all the snow?
Winter seems to be on hold this year in some parts of the United States. Snowfall has been scarce so far in places that were overwhelmed with the white stuff by the same time last year.
Climate balancing: Sea-level rise vs. surface temperature change rates
Engineering our way out of global climate warming may not be as easy as simply reducing the incoming solar energy, according to a team of University of Bristol and Penn State climate scientists. Designing the approach to control both sea level rise and rates of surface air temperature changes requires abalancing act to accommodate the diverging needs of different locations.
US to reject Canada pipeline: reports
The United States will Wednesday reject the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, a politically charged project that is bitterly opposed by environmentalists, news reports said.
Black Friday provides bushfire answers
Clearing vegetation close to houses is the best way to reduce impacts of severe bushfires, according to a team of scientists from Australia and the USA who examined house loss after as a result of Black Saturday, when a series of fires raged across the Australian state of Victoria, killing 173 and injuring 414.
NASA spaceport breaks ground for shuttle display
NASA's retired space shuttle Atlantis is a step closer to completing its final journey.
US joins effort to draw up space 'code of conduct'
The United States pledged Tuesday to join an EU-led effort to develop a space "code of conduct" that would set rules for orbiting spacecraft and for mitigating the growing problem of orbiting debris.
Sea temperature changes can forecast South American wildfires, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- As a boy in coastal San Diego in the 1980s, Jim Randerson loved the exotic fish, birds and even tides of red crustaceans that washed ashore during storms created by temperature changes in far-off seas. Across the globe, Yang Chen was a child in rural southeast China witnessing the pollution created by new manufacturing and power plants.
Voyager instrument cooling after heater turned off
(PhysOrg.com) -- In order to reduce power consumption, mission managers have turned off a heater on part of NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, dropping the temperature of its ultraviolet spectrometer instrument more than 23 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit). It is now operating at a temperature below minus 79 degrees Celsius (minus 110 degrees Fahrenheit), the coldest temperature that the instrument has ever endured.
Surfboard-sized drones crossing pacific to monitor sea surface
Hundreds of miles off the California coast, four drones about the size of surfboards and are tossing across the Pacific toward Hawaii, controlled by pilots on shore.
New study evaluates impact of land use activity in the Amazon basin
A new paper published today in Nature reveals that human land use activity has begun to change the regional water and energy cycles-the interplay of air coming in from the Atlantic Ocean, water transpiration by the forest, and solar radiation-of parts of the Amazon basin. In addition, it shows that ongoing interactions between deforestation, fire, and climate change have the potential to alter carbon storage, rainfall patterns and river discharge on an even larger basin-wide scale.
Faint 'satellite galaxy' discovered
(PhysOrg.com) -- A faint “satellite galaxy” 10 billion light years from Earth is the lowest-mass object ever detected at such a distance, says University of California, Davis, physics professor Chris Fassnacht, who aided in the satellite’s discovery.
Technology news
India's IT giant TCS slumps despite profit boost
Shares in India's biggest outsourcing firm TCS slid as much as 5.1 percent Wednesday amid investor concern about the outlook for a sector dependent on demand from crises-hit Europe and the United States.
Consumers urged to be vigilant in wake of Zappos cyberattack
(PhysOrg.com) -- As an estimated 24 million Zappos.com customers begin receiving notifications that some of their personal data have been compromised in a massive cyberattack, an Indiana University cybersecurity expert is warning those affected to be on the lookout for targeted fraud attempts.
NXP demonstrates groundbreaking solar street lighting solution at CES 2012
NXP Semiconductors announced that it has developed an innovative, sustainable and highly efficient solar-powered street lighting solution, together with Philips Lighting. The groundbreaking Solar Gen2 solution, which NXP is demonstrating this week at CES 2012 (booth CP8), could have a major impact on energy consumption in urban areas at night. By charging street lamps during daylight hours, the new solar-powered solution from Philips Lighting and NXP can supplement the capacity of the conventional electricity grid, saving money and reducing CO2 emissions.
SOPA, PROTECT IP will stifle creativity and diminish free speech, says WUSTL experts
Wikipedia and other sites go dark to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act under consideration in Congress. Three law professors from Washington University in St. Louis, Kevin Collins, Gregory Magarian and Neil Richards, signed a letter to Congress in opposition to the PROTECT IP Act. Below are Magarian and Richards’ current comments on SOPA and PROTECT IP.
How Internet is changing Ugandan business
Sitting in the glow of his flat-screen computer monitor in a fashionable office, Donald Kasule says that until recently it was almost impossible to imagine making a success of an Internet start-up in Uganda.
French version of Huffington Post online on Monday
The French version of the US socialite blogger Arianna Huffington's news website, the Huffington Post, will go online Monday, hoping to repeat the success that made her an Internet multimillionaire.
Wikipedia editors question site's blackout
Can the world live without Wikipedia for a day? The shutdown of one of the Internet's most-visited sites is not sitting well with some of its volunteer editors, who say the protest of anti-piracy legislation could threaten the credibility of their work.
China's drive for 'green' cars hits roadblocks
Foreign and domestic car makers are struggling to sell environmentally friendly vehicles in China, the world's largest auto market, even as Beijing pumps billions into clean energy.
Alleged Russian cybercriminal charged in New York court
The Justice Department announced indictments against two Russians Tuesday for allegedly hacking into computers of US financial institutions to steal credit card numbers and stock information before running up bills.
Dutch hi-tech company ASML profits rise
ASML, key global supplier of computer chip-making systems and high-tech bellwether, Wednesday posted record sales for 2011 alongside a fourth-quarter slump of nearly 30 percent in net income.
Map making, made easy: Web platform lowers barrier to collaboration
Soon, scholars worldwide will have an easier time creating, publishing, and sharing maps and other geospatial data, thanks to the release of WorldMap, an open source software platform that fills the growing niche between desktop mapping applications and more lightweight, nimble Web solutions.
Blog loses ruling to protect Motorola cellphone tipster
A Cook County, Ill., judge Friday ruled that a California technology blog doesn't qualify as a reporter and ordered it to turn over information on the tipster who leaked details about a Motorola cellphone.
Apple discloses names of suppliers
Apple Inc., which has been criticized for allowing harsh work conditions at some of its China-based suppliers, has for the first time disclosed the names of all of its suppliers and manufacturing partners.
Study: One-quarter of high-tech jobs lost from US in decade
More than a quarter of the nation's high-tech manufacturing jobs were lost in the past decade, according to a new government study.
Small businesses see mobile payments as chance to lower costs
Urban Bean manager Liz Abene started hunting for a new way to process card payments after the coffee shop's transaction fees skyrocketed. It was costing $60 a month, she said, just to have the credit card equipment on the counter.
Technology, costs, lack of appeal slow e-textbook adoption
Textbooks are often a luxury for college senior Vatell Martin. The accounting major at Virginia State University got by in several courses with study groups and professors' lectures. "It's not that I didn't want to buy," he says. "Sometimes, I just didn't have the money for a $200 book."
High-tech companies take on urban design with smart cities
Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and other major Japanese electronics makers are increasingly turning their sights toward "smart city" projects designed to create eco-friendly, energy-efficient communities.
Facebook shows relentless global growth
In country after country, Facebook is toppling the incumbent local social network in what seems like an unstoppable march to global dominance.
Wikipedia, Google protest US antipiracy proposals
(AP) -- January 18 is a date that will live in ignorance, as Wikipedia started a 24-hour blackout of its English-language articles, joining other sites in a protest of pending U.S. legislation aimed at shutting down sites that share pirated movies and other content.
Protest exposes Silicon Valley-Hollywood rivalry
In a move that heightens the growing tension between Silicon Valley and Hollywood, Wikipedia and other websites went dark Wednesday in protest of two congressional proposals intended to thwart the online piracy of copyrighted movies and TV programs.
EBay reports higher 4Q earnings, revenue
(AP) -- EBay says its net income grew in the fourth quarter, helped by a gain on the sale of its remaining investment in Skype and higher revenue.
Hollywood, Silicon Valley face off over piracy bill
Wikipedia, Google and hundreds of other websites staged online protests Wednesday against US legislation targeting Internet piracy of movies and music and the sale of counterfeit goods.
Developing power-over-fiber communications cable: When total isolation is a good thing
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sometimes total electrical isolation is a good thing — and that’s the idea behind a power-over-fiber (PoF) communications cable being developed by engineers at Sandia National Laboratories.
Dropbox co-founder aims to build his own Google, not sell to them
Four years ago, Drew Houston was just another super-smart hacker with ambitions of starting his own company.
Review: Thunderbird innovates, but Web mail wins
The last time I relied on email software for personal messaging, George W. Bush was starting his second term, Pluto was still a planet and the Motorola Razr was America's most popular mobile phone.
Medicine & Health news
Drug improves survival of colorectal cancer patients, trial results show
An investigational drug called regorafenib slowed the progression of tumors and lengthened the lives of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, an international phase III clinical trial found. The findings were presented today at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Francisco by Mayo Clinic oncologist Axel Grothey, M.D., principal investigator of the trial in the United States.
Does anyone understand the government's NHS reforms, asks senior professor?
Despite 25 years of experience researching health systems, including writing over 30 books and 500 academic papers, Professor Martin McKee from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine says he still can't understand the government's plan for the NHS.
Despite the risks, mephedrone users in the UK are ready to try the next legal high
Since mephedrone was made illegal in the UK in 2010, the street price of the drug has risen while the quality has degraded, which in turn may have reduced use of the drug. New research published online today reveals that young people who continued to use mephedrone after it became illegal would switch to a new legal high if it were pure and rated highly by their friends or on the Internet. They would be less deterred by a lack of scientific research on the new drug.
Muscle relaxants and neuromodulators for managing RA pain: Many options, but no clear successes
Pain management is a high priority for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, so three researchers in Australia analysed existing study data to see whether two different classes of drugs can help. When looking at muscle relaxants, they discovered that neither the benzodiazepine agents, diazepam and triazolam, nor the non- benzodiazepine agent, zopiclone, reduce pain when taken for one to 14 days. However, even this short use was associated for both agents with drowsiness and dizziness.
NJ parents: Disabled girl was denied transplant
(AP) -- The parents of a 3-year-old New Jersey girl say she's being denied a kidney transplant because of her mental disabilities, but experts caution the situation may be much more complex.
QCMB research examines the myths behind Queensland's rising caesarean rates
Researchers from UQ's Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies have explored the reasons for the rising rates of caesarean sections in Queensland.
No increase in brain tumours in the Nordic countries
(Medical Xpress) -- The incidence of glioma - the most common form of brain tumour - is not increasing in the Nordic countries, contradicting the claim that mobile phone use is a cause of the disease. This according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the scientific journal Epidemiology. The analyses presented by the researchers also show that the increased risks previously reported to be associated with mobile telephony in a few individual studies should have been observable in the general cancer statistics if mobile phone use had indeed been associated with a true risk increase.
Setting a good example? Smoking amongst key occupational groups
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published by researchers from University of Otago, Wellington has found that smoking rates have declined rapidly amongst many occupational groups over the last 25 years.
Researchers warn adolescents seeking treatment for pain on internet
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from University of Bath's Centre for Pain Research have warned of the potential dangers to adolescents who use internet forums as a means of information and advice to treat pain.
Study shows racial differences in doctors' unspoken language
(Medical Xpress) -- When communicating with white patients, black physicians may face greater challenges than their white counterparts, according to a University of South Carolina study.
Recommended services not always given during patients' annual exams
New research finds that patients may not always receive all of the screening tests and counseling services that are due during their medical checkups.
WHO nominates current head Chan for second term
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday nominated its current chief Margaret Chan for a second term at the head of the UN agency.
Dermatologists find telemedicine effective for patient care
UC Davis Health System dermatologists, using videoconferencing technology known as teledemedicine, have determined that live interactive consultations can improve clinical outcomes for patients because they usually involve beneficial changes in medical diagnosis and disease management that otherwise might not occur.
Researchers develop comprehensive, accessible vision testing device
Eighty-five percent of children's learning is related to vision. Yet in the U.S., 80 percent of children have never had an eye exam or any vision screening before kindergarten, statistics say. When they do, the vision screenings they typically receive can detect only one or two conditions.
Coexisting medical conditions increase treatment costs
More than 250,000 hip fractures occur every year in the U.S., often resulting in hospitalization, surgery, nursing-home admission, long-term disability, and/or extended periods of rehabilitation. Independent existing medical conditions (otherwise known as comorbidities) significantly increase the treatment cost and length of hospitalization for older adults who have sustained a hip fracture, according to a new study recently published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Family to meet with hospital in transplant debate
(AP) -- The parents of a 3-year-old New Jersey girl who claim she's being denied a kidney transplant because of her mental disabilities say they will meet with hospital officials next week. The claim has caused a furor online but experts warn the situation may be much more complex.
Quality improvement initiatives can save moms, babies in Africa
A large regional hospital in Ghana saw a reduction in maternal and infant deaths after continuous quality improvement (QI) initiatives were put into place through a collaborative partnership.
Radiation-induced damage to brain tissue reversed by oxygen starvation in mice
Treating brain tumors with whole brain radiation therapy can damage healthy brain tissue, but a new study in mice reveals that limiting the oxygen supply, or hypoxia, can alleviate some of the cognitive impairment caused by the radiation. The results are reported in the Jan. 18 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.
Scientists uncover novel mechanism of glioblastoma development
Most research on glioblastoma development, a complicated tumor of the brain with a poor prognosis, has focused on the gene transcription level, but scientists suggest that post-transcriptional regulation could be equally or even more important.
Enhancing cognition in older adults also changes personality
A program designed to boost cognition in older adults also increased their openness to new experiences, researchers report, demonstrating for the first time that a non-drug intervention in older adults can change a personality trait once thought to be fixed throughout the lifespan.
Study finds convincing evidence that the combined oral contraceptive pill helps painful periods
A large Scandinavian study that has been running for 30 years has finally provided convincing evidence that the combined oral contraceptive pill does, indeed, alleviate the symptoms of painful menstrual periods – dysmenorrhoea. The research is published online in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction today.
Effects of Tamiflu still uncertain, warn experts, as Roche continues to withhold key trial data
Two years after pharmaceutical giant Roche promised the BMJ it would release key Tamiflu trial data for independent scrutiny, the safety and effectiveness of this anti-influenza drug remains uncertain, warn experts today.
Research reveals power of the subconscious in human fear
The human subconscious has a bigger impact than previously thought on how we respond to danger, according to research led by the University of Exeter. Published today, the study shows that our primitive response to fear can contradict our conscious assessment of danger.
Continuing uncertainties surround anti-influenza drug
Incomplete availability of data has hampered a thorough assessment of the evidence for using the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir, a Cochrane Review has found. However, after piecing together information from over 16,000 pages of clinical trial data and documents used in the process of licensing oseltamivir (Tamiflu) by national authorities, a team of researchers has raised critical questions about how well the drug works and about its reported safety profile. The new analysis shows inconsistencies with published reports, and describes possible under-reporting of drug-related side-effects in some published trial reports. While the drug did reduce the time to first alleviation of symptoms by an average of 21 hours, it did not reduce the number of people who went on to need hospital treatment. Results from the reanalysis of data also raise questions about how the drug works as an influenza virus inhibitor.
Scientists show brain vulnerable to Hepatitis C virus
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the University of Birmingham have demonstrated for the first time that human brain cells can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), it is reported today.
Internet gambling on the rise in Australia
(Medical Xpress) -- Internet gambling is on the rise in Australia according to new research from the University of Sydney and Southern Cross University, with factors such as convenience and ease of access contributing to its popularity.
Posture balance directly linked with back pain
Back pain has a direct linear link with a person’s balance, according to new research from a Murdoch University PhD student.
Signs prove effective in prompting people to use stairs instead of elevator
Signs that read, "Burn Calories, Not Electricity" posted in lobbies of New York City buildings, motivated more people to take the stairs and continue to use them even months later.
Older women with normal T-scores may not need bone mineral density screening for 15 years
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and other organizations have recommended that women ages 65 and older be routinely screened for osteoporosis using bone mineral density (BMD) screening. However, how often women should be screened is a topic that remains controversial and undecided, with no definitive scientific evidence to provide guidance.
The link between TB and a gene mutation that causes lung cancer
Tuberculosis (TB) has been suspected to increase a person's risk of lung cancer because the pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis can induce genetic damage. However, direct evidence of specific genetic changes and the disease have not been extensively reported.
Job-related injuries and illnesses estimated to cost nation $250 billion per year
In the first comprehensive review of its kind since 1992, a UC Davis researcher has estimated the national annual price tag of occupational injuries and illnesses at $250 billion, much higher than generally assumed.
To fight epidemic of unnecessary suffering, Stanford dean calls for major public health campaign
The amount of needless suffering caused by both acute and chronic pain in the United States is a major, overlooked medical problem that requires improved education at multiple levels, stretching from the implementation of new public health campaigns to better training of primary care physicians in pain management.
Bacterial toxin may play important role in acute, chronic urinary tract infections
Researchers from the University of Utah have identified a process by which the most common types of urinary tract infection-causing bacteria are able to trigger bladder cell shedding and disable immune responses. According to this new study, published in the Jan. 19, 2012, issue of Cell Host & Microbe, α-hemolysin, a toxin secreted by many strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), may play an important, unexpected role during both the establishment and persistence of urinary tract infections.
Weighing up the causes of obesity
Stress can make you fat – and being obese can create stress. A new hypothesis seeks to explain how.
Non-invasive measurements of tricuspid valve anatomy can predict severity of valve leakage
An estimated 1.6 million Americans suffer moderate to severe leakage through their tricuspid valves, which are complex structures that allow blood to flow from the heart's upper right chamber to the ventricle. If left untreated, severe leakage can affect an individual's quality of life and can even lead to death.
First link between potentially toxic PFCs in office air and in office workers' blood
In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists are reporting that the indoor air in offices is an important source of worker exposure to potentially toxic substances released by carpeting, furniture, paint and other items. Their report, which documents a link between levels of these so-called polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in office air and in the blood of workers, appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Lack of sleep makes your brain hungry
New research from Uppsala University, Sweden, shows that a specific brain region that contributes to a person's appetite sensation is more activated in response to food images after one night of sleep loss than after one night of normal sleep. Poor sleep habits can therefore affect people's risk of becoming overweight in the long run. The findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
New medication, surgery may offer relief for patients with psoriatic arthritis
Medications or biologic agents that target T-cells, white blood cells involved in the body's immune system, appear to offer significant benefit to patients suffering from psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a type of arthritis that affects up to 48 percent of patients with the skin disease psoriasis, according to a new review article in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS). About 7.5 million Americans – roughly 2.2 percent of the population – have psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that causes red, flaky skin.
'Women worse at math than men' explanation scientifically incorrect, researchers say
A University of Missouri researcher and his colleague have conducted a review that casts doubt on the accuracy of a popular theory that attempted to explain why there are more men than women in top levels of mathematic fields. The researchers found that numerous studies claiming that the stereotype, "men are better at math" – believed to undermine women's math performance – had major methodological flaws, utilized improper statistical techniques, and many studies had no scientific evidence of this stereotype.
New research reveals how alpha-synuclein interacts with cell membranes in Parkinson's disease
The accumulation of α-synuclein, a small, negatively charged protein, in neural cells, is one of the hallmarks of Parkinson's disease. It has been suggested that oligomeric α-synuclein causes membranes to become permeable, or to form channels on the outer cell membrane. Now, a group of scientists from Sweden has found a way to reliably replicate α-synuclein aggregation on cell membranes to investigate how different forms of α-synuclein interact with membranes under different conditions and to learn if any of the α-synuclein species can penetrate these membranes. Their results are published in the current issue of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.
Study shows connection between birth weights and armed conflict
A new study shows pregnant women exposed to armed conflict have a higher risk of giving birth to underweight babies, a result that could change the way aid is delivered to developing countries.
Solving the mystery of an old diabetes drug that may reduce cancer risk
In 2005, news first broke that researchers in Scotland found unexpectedly low rates of cancer among diabetics taking metformin, a drug commonly prescribed to patients with Type II diabetes. Many follow-up studies reported similar findings, some suggesting as much as a 50-per-cent reduction in risk.
Aspirin merits testing for prevention of cervical cancer in HIV-infected women
Research conducted by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center global health investigators and cancer specialists in New York, Qatar and Haiti suggests that aspirin should be evaluated for its ability to prevent development of cervical cancer in HIV-infected women.
Choking game prevalent among teens in Texas
Nearly one out of seven college students surveyed at a Texas university has participated in the Choking Game, a dangerous behavior where blood flow is deliberately cut off to the brain in order to achieve a high, according to a study by The Crime Victims' Institute at Sam Houston State University.
Study pinpoints and plugs mechanism of AML cancer cell escape
A study published this week in the journal Leukemia identifies a mechanism that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells use to evade chemotherapy – and details how to close this escape route.
Researchers identify genetic signatures of exceptional longevity in re-published study
While environment and family history are factors in healthy aging, genetic variants play a critical and complex role in conferring exceptional longevity, according to researchers from the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, Boston Medical Center, IRCCS Multimedica in Milan, Italy, and Yale University.
Behavioral priming paradigm needs update
Behavioral priming, in which behavior is changed by introducing subconscious influences, is a well-established phenomenon, but a new study shows that the cause may be different than what was previously assumed, and that the experimenter's expectations are also crucial for the priming effect to be seen. The results are reported in the Jan. 18 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.
Which Direction Now? Just Ask the North-Facing Map in Your Head
(Medical Xpress) -- You’re driving from work to pick up your kids at school. The drive is familiar; you’ve done it almost every day for years. But how do you know in which direction the school is from your home? Landmarks? The sun? Animal instinct? Now, a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, yields an alternative answer that surprised even its authors, Julia Frankenstein, Betty J. Mohler, Heinrich H. Bülthoff, and Tobias Meilinger, who collaborated at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, in Tübingen, Germany.
British pharmacy chain announces roll-out of new smart pills loaded with microchip
(Medical Xpress) -- A new pharmaceutical program that many Britons might find literally hard to swallow, has been announced. Pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy has partnered with American technology firm Proteus Biomedical to bring to the British public a product called Helius; a tiny microchip that is swallowed in pill form and whose purpose is to help remind patients to take their medications on time and to offer bio-feedback such as body temperature, heart rate and even sleeping patterns.
Study shows how neurons interact, could lead to new treatment for addiction
Harvard scientists have developed the fullest picture yet of how neurons in the brain interact to reinforce behaviors ranging from learning to drug use, a finding that might open the door to possible breakthroughs in the treatment of addiction.
Mapping the destructive path from cigarette to emphysema
From the cherry red tip of a lighted cigarette through the respiratory tract to vital lung cells, the havoc created by tobacco smoke seems almost criminal, activating genes and portions of the immune system to create inflammation that results in life-shortening emphysema, said researchers led by those at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Study uncovers mechanism by which melanoma drug accelerates secondary skin cancers
Patients with metastatic melanoma taking the recently approved drug vemurafenib (Zelboraf) responded well to the twice daily pill, but some of them developed a different, secondary skin cancer. Now, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, working with investigators from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Roche and Plexxikon, have elucidated the mechanism by which vemurafenib excels at fighting melanoma but also allows for the development of skin squamous cell carcinomas.
Novel gene mutations associated with bile duct cancer
Investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center have identified a new genetic signature associated with bile duct cancer, a usually deadly tumor for which effective treatment currently is limited. Their report, which has been published online in The Oncologist, finds that growth-enhancing mutations in two related genes may account for nearly a quarter of bile duct tumors arising within the liver, presenting the possibility that drugs targeting this mutation could represent a new strategy to control tumor growth.
Exercise triggers beneficial cellular recycling: study
Everyone knows exercise is good for you. We’re told time spent on the treadmill can reduce our risk of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. But exactly how exercise provides this protection is a bit of a mystery. A new study finds that exercise prompts cells to break down unwanted proteins and other cellular junk to produce more energy. The process, called autophagy, may explain how exercise fends off metabolic disorders like diabetes and protects against other diseases.
Good intentions ease pain, add to pleasure: study
A nurse's tender loving care really does ease the pain of a medical procedure, and grandma's cookies really do taste better, if we perceive them to be made with love - suggests newly published research by a University of Maryland psychologist. The findings have many real-world applications, including in medicine, relationships, parenting and business.
Biology news
Oslo voices concern over shrinking number of whalers
Norwegian authorities called Wednesday on the country's whaling industry to counter the dramatic drop over the past decade in the number of boats partaking in the annual whale hunts.
UBC researchers to sequence Chardonnay genome
The University of British Columbia’s Wine Research Centre has launched an international collaboration with the Australian Wine Research Institute to sequence the Chardonnay grape genome.
Older is better for hunting dogs
(PhysOrg.com) -- Older dogs and male dogs are better hunting companions than younger dogs and female dogs says the author of a new study on the hunting ability and nutritional status of domestic dogs in lowland Nicaragua. In addition, he says, dogs are more suited to wildlife sustainability than other hunting options.
Dung beetle dance provides crucial navigation cues
(PhysOrg.com) -- The dung beetle dance, performed as the dung beetle moves away from the dung pile with his precious dung ball, is a mechanism to maintain the desired straight-line departure from the pile, according to a study published in today’s issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.
Juvenile predation preventing Steller sea lion recovery
A new study suggests that the impact of predation on juvenile Steller sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska has been significantly underestimated, creating a "productivity pit" from which their population will have difficulty recovering without a reduction of predators.
Extremely rare turtle released into the wild
The Wildlife Conservation Society, in conjunction with the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, announced today the successful release of a Southern River terrapin (Batagur affinis) – one of the most endangered turtles on earth – into the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia.
Insects top latest inventory of newly discovered species
More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects – 9,738 or 50.6 percent – according to the 2011 State of Observed Species (SOS) report released Jan. 18 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University.
Ruthless boas know when to ditch their squeeze
Boa constrictors can sense the heartbeat of their quarry as they suffocate it, thus giving themselves the signal to know when the prey is dead, scientists say.
Genetic code cracked for a devastating blood parasite
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have cracked the genetic code and predicted some high priority drug targets for the blood parasite Schistosoma haematobium, which is linked to bladder cancer and HIV/ AIDS and causes the insidious urogenital disease schistosomiasis haematobia in more than 112 million people in Africa.
New method pinpoints important gene-regulation proteins
A novel technique has been developed and demonstrated at Penn State University to map the proteins that read and regulate chromosomes -- the string-like structures inside cells that carry genes. The specific order in which these proteins attach DNA-containing nucleosomes along the chromosome determines whether a brain cell, a liver cell, or a cancer cell is formed. Until now, it has been exceedingly difficult to determine exactly where such proteins bind to the chromosome, and therefore how they work. The new technique precisely pinpoints their location, and has the potential to take high-resolution snapshots of proteins as they regulate or miss-regulate an entire genome.
Unveiling malaria's 'invisibility cloak'
The discovery by researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of a molecule that is key to malaria's 'invisibility cloak' will help to better understand how the parasite causes disease and escapes from the defenses mounted by the immune system.
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