Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for February 27, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Keeping it together: Protecting entanglement from decoherence and sudden death- Researchers resolve controversy over gallium manganese arsenide that could boost spintronic performance
- Immortal worms defy aging
- Amoeba offers key clue to photosynthetic evolution
- Paper highlights need for correctly measuring solar cell efficiency
- Study: Arctic sea ice decline may be driving snowy winters seen in recent years
- Mysterious electron acceleration explained
- Scientists image the charge distribution within a single molecule for the first time
- Ultra-fast outflows help monster black holes shape their galaxies
- Upper class people more likely to cheat: study
- Experimental smart outlet brings flexibility, resiliency to grid architecture
- Scientists get first full look at prehistoric New Zealand penguin
- New research shows childhood adversity causes changes in genetics
- Scientists see red on NASA cuts of Mars missions
- Ice Age coyotes were supersized, fossil study reveals
Space & Earth news
Climate change threatens S.Africa's rooibos tea
Farm workers swing their sickles through red branches, bundling them up before laying them out in the sunshine to dry.
China accuses US firm over child lead poisoning
Authorities in Shanghai have accused US Fortune 500 battery maker Johnson Controls and several other companies of emitting excessive amounts of lead blamed for poisoning dozens of children.
BP, plaintiffs focus on Gulf oil spill settlement
(AP) -- Nearly two years after his brother Gordon was killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, Chris Jones had planned to drive in from Baton Rouge with other relatives to attend the start of the federal trial over the nation's worst offshore oil disaster.
Time for a rethink on climate change, say top environmental economists
Governments have done so little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they should consider investing into the Rand D of large scale geo-engineering projects and their governance, according to 26 of the world’s leading environmental economists.
Andromeda galaxy pops up ultraluminous X-ray sources
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, Swift Gamma-ray Burst Explorer and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton Observatory have been studying an object known as an ultraluminous X-ray source -- ULX, for short -- in the neighboring Andromeda galaxy (M31). Scientists have long debated the nature of these super-bright X-ray sources, and Chandra's 2009 discovery of a nearby ULX in Andromeda sparked intense interest.
35 years later, the 'wow!' signal still tantalizes
Since the SETI program first began searching for possible alien radio signals a few decades ago, there have been many false alarms but also instances of fleeting signals of interest which disappeared again as quickly as they had appeared. If a potential signal doesn’t repeat itself so it can be more carefully observed, then it is virtually impossible to determine whether it is of truly cosmic origin. One such signal in particular caught astronomers’ interest on August 15, 1977. The famous “Wow!” signal was detected by the Big Ear Radio Observatory at Ohio State University; it was thirty times stronger than the background noise but lasted only 72 seconds and was never heard again despite repeated subsequent searches.
Part of Keystone XL oil pipeline to go ahead: company
TransCanada Corp announced Monday it would go ahead with construction of part of its Keystone XL oil pipeline that does not require US presidential approval, a stretch from the state of Oklahoma to the US Gulf Coast.
Land-ocean connections
Scientists from the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii – Manoa (UHM) and colleagues recently discovered that land-based plant material and coastal macroalgae indirectly support the increased abundances of bottom fish in submarine canyons, like those off the north shore of Moloka'i. Less than a few miles from the shore, these underwater canyons connect to deep river valleys that cut across the landscape of north Moloka'i.
A new generation of meteorological satellites
(PhysOrg.com) -- Europe’s next fleet of meteorological satellites is set to debut in 2017, following today’s signing of the development contract. While Meteosat Third Generation will ensure full continuity with the current Meteosat satellite family, it will also introduce significant improvements.
O, Pioneers! (Part 1): The motes in God's eye
March 2012 marks the fortieth anniversary of the launch of one of the most extraordinary spacecraft ever constructed - Pioneer 10 - the first true deep space probe. The story of the Voyager spacecraft is well known but that of the Pioneer probes much less so.
Accident damages mirror on telescope slated for dark energy camera
An accident at the Blanco 4m telescope at Chile’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory has severely damaged a secondary mirror. The telescope is currently shut down for installation of the highly anticipated Dark Energy Survey Camera, and on February 20, 2012, the telescope’s f/8 secondary mirror was dropped during testing, resulting in fractures in the glass in the center of the mirror. Officials at the telescope said they are analyzing the extent of the damage to the mirror, and whether it extends beyond the visible cracks on the surface. They are also reviewing how the accident might affect the installation of the “DECam.”
Mercury down under
NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft, about to wrap up its first full year in orbit around Mercury, captured this view of the planet’s heavily-cratered southern hemisphere on August 28, 2011. Because of its orbit, MESSENGER gets particularly good panoramic views of Mercury’s underside.
Supreme Court rejects emergency carp measures
(AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to order emergency measures that might prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, despite a warning that the exotic fish pose a "dire threat" to the region's environment and economy.
Rocket launches from Poker Flat Research Range
On Saturday, Feb. 18 at 8:41 p.m. Alaska time, scientists launched a NASA sounding rocket from Poker Flat Research Range into a brilliant aurora display. The rocket mission, designed to gather information on space weather conditions that affect satellite communications, was a success.
Three days of NASA infrared images show System 92S tropically developing
NASA satellites have been watching the low pressure area called System 92S for days, and infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite showed cloud temperatures were cooling, indicating the storm was getting more organized after it moved over northern Madagascar. Now it may be headed for landfall in Mozambique.
Ancient Arabic writings help scientists piece together past climate
Ancient manuscripts written by Arabic scholars can provide valuable meteorological information to help modern scientists reconstruct the climate of the past, a new study has revealed. The research, published in Weather, analyses the writings of scholars, historians and diarists in Iraq during the Islamic Golden Age between 816-1009 AD for evidence of abnormal weather patterns.
Preview of a forthcoming supernova
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Hubble Telescope captured an image of Eta Carinae. This image consists of ultraviolet and visible light images from the High Resolution Channel of Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. The field of view is approximately 30 arcseconds across.
Reduction in US carbon emissions attributed to cheaper natural gas
In 2009, when the United States fell into economic recession, greenhouse gas emissions also fell, by 6.59 percent relative to 2008.
Antarctic salty soil sucks water out of atmosphere: Could it happen on Mars?
(PhysOrg.com) -- The frigid McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica are a cold, polar desert, yet the sandy soils there are frequently dotted with moist patches in the spring despite a lack of snowmelt and no possibility of rain.
Scientists see red on NASA cuts of Mars missions
NASA said Monday it's not giving up on Mars, but it'll have to get there later and at a lower price.
Study: Arctic sea ice decline may be driving snowy winters seen in recent years
A new study led by the Georgia Institute of Technology provides further evidence of a relationship between melting ice in the Arctic regions and widespread cold outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere. The study's findings could be used to improve seasonal forecasting of snow and temperature anomalies across northern continents.
Ultra-fast outflows help monster black holes shape their galaxies
(PhysOrg.com) -- A curious correlation between the mass of a galaxy's central black hole and the velocity of stars in a vast, roughly spherical structure known as its bulge has puzzled astronomers for years. An international team led by Francesco Tombesi at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., now has identified a new type of black-hole-driven outflow that appears to be both powerful enough and common enough to explain this link.
Technology news
Recovery bypasses Silicon Valley non-tech workers
(AP) -- Daniel Macias is the face of Silicon Valley seldom seen by those who don't live there.
Visual alerts shown to evoke quicker reactions than alerts through other senses
New research has shown that visual alerting methods are still considered to be the most trustworthy, as compared to auditory or tactile alerts. This is shown by research conducted by a team of scientists at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, USA.
Researchers to develop new energy storage device based on water
The global energy demand is still increasing. However, today's concepts for power generation aren't able to deliver the amount of electricity, which is needed in the future. Dr. Fabio La Mantia, junior group leader of the "Semiconductor and Energy Conversion"-group (Center for Electrochemical Sciences) of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, is working on a solution for the problem.
Harry Potter e-books coming to schools, libraries
(AP) -- Harry Potter e-books are coming to schools and libraries, at a date to be determined.
Review: Oscars iPad app wonderful, but distracting
(AP) -- Interactivity during the Academy Awards telecast once meant booing at the television every time there was a winner I hadn't picked for my Oscars pool. This year, I had my head glued to an iPad instead.
Nokia eyes China in smartphone comeback push
Mobile phone giant Nokia on Monday looked to a launch in China to help it stage a comeback in the fiercely competitive smartphone market after a dismal 2011.
WikiLeaks publishes 'millions' of Stratfor emails
Whistleblowing website WikiLeaks on Monday began publishing more than five million confidential emails from US-based intelligence firm Stratfor, the anti-secrecy group said.
Call for tough new targets on European Union energy reduction
Energy efficiency experts at the University of East Anglia (UEA) are calling for ambitious new targets to reduce energy demand across the European Union.
Motorola Solutions buying $1.17B shares from Icahn
(AP) -- Motorola Solutions Inc. is buying about $1.17 billion of its stock back from billionaire investor Carl Icahn.
Japanese chipmaker Elpida files for bankruptcy
(AP) -- Computer chipmaker Elpida Memory Inc. filed for Japan's largest manufacturing bankruptcy Monday after amassing debts from nose-diving prices, competition from Samsung and flooding in Thailand last year that stifled demand.
Finding explosives with laser beams
Scientists at Vienna University of Technology have found a way to detect chemicals over long distances, even if they are enclosed in containers.
Automated stress testing for Web 2.0 applications helps Web developers find programming errors
Web applications such as Google Mail, Facebook and Amazon are used every day. However, so far there are no methods to test them systematically and at low cost for malfunctions and security vulnerabilities. Therefore, computer scientists from Saarland University are working on automatic methods of testing, which check complex web applications autonomously. For the first time, they will present this work at exhibition booth F34 in hall 26 at the computer fair Cebit. The trade show will take place from March 6 to 10 in Hannover.
ORNL tool puts spotlight on nation's electricity generation capacity
A technology developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory could streamline and strengthen the process for siting power plants while potentially enhancing the nation's energy security.
Groupon launching in Thailand
Groupon announced Monday it was launching in Thailand, the 47th country for the daily deals site outside the United States.
Brazil has 47.5 million active Internet users
The number of active Internet users in Brazil rose two percent in January and more than 11 percent over the past 12 months to reach 47.5 million, IBOPE Nielsen Online reported Monday.
Facebook risks alienating touchy users with new ads
Advertising on Facebook is about to gain a more prominent place, as the company works to boost revenues in advance of an initial public offering of stock.
Feud over iPad highlights faded tech firm's woes
The battle between an ailing Chinese electronics maker and Apple Inc. over the iPad name is just as much a tale of obsolescence in the fast-moving global technology industry as it is a legal row over a trademark.
Futuristic wall display shows real-time energy usage
(PhysOrg.com) -- There's more to the home energy conservation system designed by Queensland University of Technology industrial design graduate Erica Pozzey than meets the eye.
Experimental smart outlet brings flexibility, resiliency to grid architecture
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sandia National Laboratories has developed an experimental "smart outlet" that autonomously measures, monitors and controls electrical loads with no connection to a centralized computer or system. The goal of the smart outlet and similar innovations is to make the power grid more distributed and intelligent, capable of reconfiguring itself as conditions change.
Work video calls connect with personal smartphones
Telepresence colossus Polycom is connecting secure workplace video-call systems with hot smartphones to stay in synch with a trend toward people using their own gadgets on the job.
Paper highlights need for correctly measuring solar cell efficiency
(PhysOrg.com) -- As the pace of solar cell research continues to accelerate, the question for every new design is “what’s its efficiency?” Since measuring how efficiently a solar cell converts sunlight into electricity involves several factors, making a correct measurement can be challenging. Henry Snaith, a physicist at the University of Oxford who designs solar cells, estimates that compounding small mistakes in measuring efficiency can result in overestimations of up to five times that of the actual value.
Medicine & Health news
Novartis says EU approves expanded use of Glivec
Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis said Monday the European Union will allow it to expand its use of the drug Glivec to treat certain rare forms of gastrointestinal cancer.
Roche extends its hostile takeover bid for Illumina
Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche said Monday it is sticking by its hostile $5.7-billion (4.2 billion euros) bid for US gene mapper Illumina and is extending it for a month.
The Medical Minute: Hope for those with vision loss
One of the most difficult things optometrists and ophthalmologists must tell a patient is that he or she has an eye disease that already has or could permanently rob them of their vision. Today, the most common diseases in the adult population that cause permanent vision loss are macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Although treatments are available for each of these diseases that can either slow down or prevent further loss of sight, there are far too many individuals whose vision declines regardless of medical intervention. Losing vision as an adult affects every aspect of that person’s life: most importantly, the loss of independence and quality of life.
With amputation averted, triathlete can now prepare for next big race
Clifford Barnes heard the news in April: He might lose his left leg below the knee. The prospect was almost too much to bear for the 57-year-old triathlete, whose passion is competing in endurance races.
Population studies at heart of initiative to improve health
In an era of personalized medicine, the idea of our collective health may seem a bit old-fashioned. But as our growing population ages and alarm bells sound about the appalling prevalence of serious health threats such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, physicians, researchers and policy-makers alike are taking notice.
5 Questions: Blaschke on patients who don't 'dose' properly
Your doctor writes out a prescription that calls for you to take a pill twice a day for the next month. So, that’s what you do, right? Wrong. A huge number of Americans fail to properly follow their doctors’ orders. And while it may seem that their actions only hurt themselves, there’s growing evidence that a culture of “non-adherence” to medication regimens has consequences for all of us.
New study reveals increasing nurse-to-patient ratios do not extend patient safety
(Medical Xpress) -- Hospitals are currently under pressure to control the cost of medical care, while at the same time improving patient health and reducing medical errors through appropriate nurse staffing levels. A study into the effects of a law requiring increased nurse-to-patient ratios on patient mortality finds that mandating such changes do not reduce adverse patient outcomes.
Tailoring drugs to fit a patient's genetic predisposition
Drugs are not equally effective on all patients. A treatment that is dramatically effective on some patients can be ineffective on others. Drugs can also have serious side effects; in the worst case, a drug used to treat a disease can produce a fatal outcome. By examining genetic differences among individuals and administering drugs on the basis of such findings, the impact of side effects can be reduced. Taisei Mushiroda, the Laboratory Head of the Research Group for Pharmacogenomics at the RIKEN Center for Genomic Medicine, is making advances in personalized medicine with research into how drugs can be tailored to a patient’s genetic information through the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
Looking at links between depression and insomnia
People with both insomnia and depression who have found anti-depressants ineffective can draw hope from a new study currently recruiting in Melbourne.
Understanding a woman's heart means knowing what to look for
Reyna Robles was always the first one up and the last one to bed: she possessed more than enough steam to come home from her full-time job, prepare a meal for her husband and children, take her dogs for walk and help her kids with homework. Before bedtime, she’d fit in a good work out.
'John, smoking is dangerous' sometimes works better than 'smoking is dangerous'
"Dear John, due to smoking you have a higher chance of developing lung cancer than if you would not smoke." People who have smoked for a longer period of time and who read such a personalised warning are especially more inclined to stop smoking than if they receive a general warning. So concludes NWO-funded health scientist Arie Dijkstra. His research demonstrates that smokers differ strongly in their responses to information.
The poor, in fact, are less likely to sue their doctor
Contrary to the common perception among physicians that poor people sue doctors more frequently, Ramon L. Jimenez from the Monterey Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute and his team demonstrate that socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, in fact, tend to sue physicians less often. Their work suggests that this myth may exist because of subconscious prejudices or stereotypes that affect thinking and decision making without doctors being aware of it - a phenomenon known as unconscious bias. Dr. Jimenez and his colleagues' work is published online in Springer's journal, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
Which type of obesity surgery is best?
Surgery for obesity improves lives and may save money. There are two very commonly performed operations to treat morbid obesity in the UK but it is unclear which is the most effective and provides the greatest benefit for patients and the NHS.
England 'should look to the Scots' to solve alcohol problem, says Nottingham academic
England should look to Scotland to solve its drinking culture, which has seen having a pint of lager become as cheap and freely accessible as downing a pint of milk, an expert at The University of Nottingham has said.
US recalls India-made birth control pills
A batch of birth control pills manufactured in India for US distribution has been recalled due to a packaging error that could make the pills ineffective, US health authorities said on Monday.
Younger patients more likely to live a decade or longer after heart transplant
Heart transplant patients who receive new organs before the age of 55 and get them at hospitals that perform at least nine heart transplants a year are significantly more likely than other people to survive at least 10 years after their operations, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.
Protocol reduces sternal wound infections in children by 61 percent
A two-year effort to prevent infections in children healing from cardiac surgery reduced sternum infections by 61 percent, a San Antonio researcher announced at the Cardiology 2012 conference Feb. 23 in Orlando, Fla.
Multimodal palliative approach OK for advanced esophageal CA
(HealthDay) -- For patients with advanced esophageal cancer, use of an individualized, multimodal approach with palliative intention achieves an acceptable mean survival time, with initial use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) offering significantly longer median survival compared to other modalities, according to the results of a single medical center study published online Feb. 14 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
Combo of diabetes, depression increases post-MI mortality
(HealthDay) -- Having both diabetes and depression significantly increases the risk of dying in the years following a heart attack, beyond the increased risk from either condition alone, according to a study published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.
HFSA updates recommendations for use of cardiac resynchronization therapy
Based on a review of the latest evidence, the Guidelines Committee of the Heart Failure Society of America now recommends that the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) be expanded to a larger group of patients with mild heart failure symptoms. Recommendations for integrating new evidence into clinical practice appear in the February issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.
New drug improves glucose control without increasing risk of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients
TAK-875, a new treatment for type 2 diabetes, improves glycaemic (blood sugar) control and is equally as effective as the sulphonylurea glimepiride (a common drug treatment) but has a significantly lower risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and few side effects, according to the results of a phase 2 randomised trial published Online First in The Lancet.
Dental pulp stem cells transformed by 'bad breath' chemical
Japanese scientists have found that the odorous compound responsible for halitosis – otherwise known as bad breath – is ideal for harvesting stem cells taken from human dental pulp.
Mirrors ease Cambodian amputees' phantom pain
Pov Sopheak lost his left leg in a landmine blast in 1990. Yet some nights the pain in his "left foot" is so bad he cannot sleep. Like many amputees, he suffers from phantom pain.
Turkey: quadruple limb transplant fails
A Turkish hospital says world's first quadruple limb transplant has failed.
Targeted drug helps leukemia patients who do not benefit from initial therapy
A new study has found that patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have not responded to interferon treatments experience long-term benefits when they switch to the targeted drug imatinib. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that imatinib is the treatment of choice for these patients.
Math can save Tylenol overdose patients
University of Utah mathematicians developed a set of calculus equations to make it easier for doctors to save Tylenol overdose patients by quickly estimating how much painkiller they took, when they consumed it and whether they will require a liver transplant to survive.
Study supports use of quick shot for seizures
For treating prolonged seizures outside a hospital setting, a quick intramuscular shot of anti-convulsant medication with an auto-injector, a kind of spring-loaded syringe, is as effective — if not more effective — than starting an intravenous line to administer medicine directly to the bloodstream.
Medical tattoos offer important health information
(AP) -- Tattoos have long served as fashion statements, but a small number of Americans are now relying on them for a more practical, potentially lifesaving purpose: to warn first responders about important medical conditions.
Study compares traits of autism, schizophrenia
(Medical Xpress) -- A UT Dallas professor is studying the differences between the social impairments found in autism and schizophrenia to help develop better treatments for people with both disorders.
Metacognition: I know (or don't know) that I know
At New York University, Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Steve Fleming is exploring the neural basis of metacognition: how we think about thinking, and how we assess the accuracy of our decisions, judgements and other aspects of our mental performance.
New study finds obesity-asthma link in children varies by race/ethnicity
Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are more likely to have asthma than their healthy weight counterparts, according to a new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study published in the online edition of Obesity. The study, which included more than 681,000 children between ages 6 and 19, found that the association between asthma and body mass index varied by race and ethnicity.
Indian doctors remove giant tumour from patient
An Indian woman is in a stable condition in a hospital in the northern state Haryana after doctors removed a tumour larger than the size of a football from her ovary on Monday, a medical officer said.
'Active' video games may not boost kids' fitness: study
(HealthDay) -- Apparently there's no guarantee that your kids will mend their couch-potato ways if you give them a fitness video game.
Eye-tracking reveals variability in successful social strategies for children with autism
In a study published in the March 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Katherine Rice and colleagues, from the Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and Emory University School of Medicine, used eye-tracking technology to measure the relationship between cognitive and social disability in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the ability of children with ASD to pay attention to social interactions.
Scientists collaborate in discovery of new targets for the treatment of asthma
A collaboration between scientists in Trinity College Dublin and the United Kingdom has identified new processes that lead to the development of a novel cell implicated in allergies. The discovery has the potential for new strategies to treat asthma and other allergic diseases. The research findings have just been published in the leading international journal Nature Immunology.
Researchers describe link between prescription and illicit drug misuse in high-risk groups
A new report from researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health identifies patterns in the misuse of illicit drugs among young adults who also misuse prescription drugs. The report, "Misuse of Prescription and Illicit Drugs among High-Risk Adults" in Los Angeles and New York, was recently published in the first issue of the Journal of Public Health Research.
Work-focused psychotherapy can help employees return to work sooner
Employees on sick leave with common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety fully returned to work sooner when therapy deals with work-related problems and how to get back on the job, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Irregular heartbeat strong predictor of decline in people at risk of heart disease
An irregular heartbeat -- atrial fibrillation -- is a strong predictor of cognitive decline and the loss of independence in daily activities in older people at risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
First study on long-term cognitive effects of breast cancer CMF chemotherapy finds subtle impairment
Dutch investigators have reported that women who received CMF chemotherapy (a combination regimen including the drugs cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil) for breast cancer between 1976 and 1995 scored worse on cognitive tests than women who never had cancer. The differences in performance were subtle but statistically significant, and occurred mainly in word learning, memory and information processing speed. The findings – published February 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology – indicate that cognitive problems, which are known to occur shortly after treatment, may also be observed 20 years after treatment.
Prostate cancer treatment overused in some older patients: study
Treatment is not always warranted for older men with prostate cancer and a short life expectancy, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the Feb. 27 Archives of Internal Medicine.
Traces of listeria found in Vancouver ready-to-eat fish products: study
A University of British Columbia study has found traces of the bacteria listeria in ready-to-eat fish products sold in Metro Vancouver, Canada.
AAP reaffirms breastfeeding policy
(HealthDay) -- Breastfeeding should be considered a basic health issue, rather than a lifestyle choice, and as such, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reaffirms its recommendations for exclusive breastfeeding for a baby's first six months of life, according to a policy statement published online Feb. 27 in Pediatrics.
AAP recommends HPV vaccine for boys, too
(HealthDay) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday renewed its call that all boys ages 11 and 12 receive the three-dose vaccine for the human papillomavirus (HPV).
A giant little step in cancer treatment opening up new therapeutic horizons
A study headed up by the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) heralds a new horizon in the fight against cancer, opening up a parallel dimension to existing treatment options. The data, published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, demonstrate that by combining two drugs that had already been used on a patient in the past but had stopped working, they boost each other's efficacy and at the same time manage to break down the patient's resistance to each of them individually, presenting a third potential treatment option for clinically advanced metastatic tumours.
Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids may cause memory problems
A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3 fatty acids include the nutrients called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Hearing loss linked to 3-fold risk of falling
Hearing loss has been linked with a variety of medical, social and cognitive ills, including dementia. However, a new study led by a Johns Hopkins researcher suggests that hearing loss may also be a risk factor for another huge public health problem: falls.
Study examines stent implantation compared to initial medical therapy for stable coronary disease
A meta-analysis of eight previously published clinical trials suggests that initial stent implantation for patients with stable coronary artery disease is not associated with improved outcomes compared with initial medical therapy for prevention of death, nonfatal heart attacks, unplanned revascularization or angina, according to a study published in the Feb. 27 Archives of Internal Medicine. The article is part of the journal's Less is More series.
Behavioral intervention in physician offices linked with modest reductions in waist circumference
A physical activity and diet program implemented by health educators in physician offices appears to be associated with modest reductions in waist circumference among obese patients, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine.
Use of telephone intervention did not improve adherence to osteoporosis medication regimen
Telephone motivational counseling sessions did not result in a statistically significant improvement in adherence to an osteoporosis medication regimen, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
How accurate are rapid flu tests? New research could lead to more timely diagnosis
A new study conducted by researchers from McGill University, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC), and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, has put the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) under the microscope. The meta-analysis of 159 studies showed three key findings: that RIDTs can be used to confirm the flu, but not to rule it out; that test accuracy is higher in children than it is in adults; and that RIDTs are better at detecting the more common influenza A virus than they are at detecting influenza B.
Researchers identify novel pathway responsible for infection of a common STD pathogen
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have for the first time identified a novel pathway that is necessary for infection to occur with the pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is responsible for the second most common infectious disease worldwide, gonorrhea. The study, which was recently published online in the Journal of Bacteriology, may lead to new treatment methods for this sexually transmitted disease.
Patient dies after Turkey quadruple limb transplant
A Turkish patient who underwent what was touted as the world's first quadruple limb transplant died on Monday due to complications, the hospital announced.
Aurora-A hinders tumor-suppressor to allow chemotherapy resistance
A protein abundantly found in treatment-resistant cancers holds an important tumor-suppressor out of the cell nucleus, where it would normally detect DNA damage and force defective cells to kill themselves, a team of scientists reports in the current Cancer Cell.
Deaths triple among football players, morning temperatures thought to play a role
Heat-related deaths among football players across the country tripled to nearly three per year between 1994 and 2009 after averaging about one per year the previous 15 years, according to an analysis of weather conditions and high school and college sports data conducted by University of Georgia researchers.
Protein identified that can lengthen our life?
Cells use various methods to break down and recycle worn-out components—autophagy is one of them. In the dissertation she will be defending at Umea University in Sweden, Karin Håberg shows that the protein SNX18 is necessary for cells to be able to perform autophagy.
Research sheds light on how immune system's 'first responders' target infection
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have discovered previously unsuspected aspects of the guidance system used by the body's first line of defense against infection.
Heartburn controlled with step down to once daily therapy
(HealthDay) -- The majority of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients who take twice-daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, are able to successfully step down to management of heartburn with a daily dose of dexlansoprazole modified release (MR), according to a study published in the March issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Researchers hopeful about male partner for 'The Pill'
Women may say, "It's about time." Guys may have the same reaction. After many overly optimistic predictions, a male version of The Pill may truly be in sight. And a team at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, a nationally recognized center of research into male contraceptives, is working to be among the first to put a new generation of products on the market.
DNA tags key to brain changes in mental disorders
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London have found a relationship between molecular tags on our DNA and the weight of a particular region of the human brain called the cerebellum. The findings may provide important clues for understanding the causes of schizophrenia and autism.
Delivering RNA with tiny sponge-like spheres
For the past decade, scientists have been pursuing cancer treatments based on RNA interference — a phenomenon that offers a way to shut off malfunctioning genes with short snippets of RNA. However, one huge challenge remains: finding a way to efficiently deliver the RNA.
Multiple sclerosis: Damaged myelin not the trigger
Damaged myelin in the brain and spinal cord does not cause the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS), neuroimmunologists from the University of Zurich have now demonstrated in collaboration with researchers from Berlin, Leipzig, Mainz and Munich. In the current issue of Nature Neuroscience, they therefore rule out a popular hypothesis on the origins of MS. The scientists are now primarily looking for the cause of the development of MS in the immune system instead of the central nervous system.
'Universal' vaccines could finally allow for wide-scale flu prevention
An emerging class of long-lasting flu vaccines could do more than just save people the trouble of an annual flu shot.
Antisense oligonucleotides make sense in myotonic dystrophy
Antisense oligonucleotides – short segments of genetic material designed to target specific areas of a gene or chromosome – that activated an enzyme to "chew up" toxic RNA (ribonucleic acid) could point the way to a treatment for a degenerative muscle disease called myotonic dystrophy, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in a report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study offers insight to how fructose causes obesity, metabolic syndrome
A group of scientists from across the world have come together in a just-published study that provides new insights into how fructose causes obesity and metabolic syndrome, more commonly known as diabetes.
New research shows childhood adversity causes changes in genetics
In a look at how major stressors during childhood can change a person's biological risk for psychiatric disorders, researchers at Butler Hospital have discovered a genetic alteration at the root of the association. The research, published online in PLoS ONE on January 25, 2012, suggests that childhood adversity may lead to epigenetic changes in the human glucocorticoid receptor gene, an important regulator of the biological stress response that may increase risk for psychiatric disorders.
Bird flu, pig flu, now bat flu? Human risk unclear
(AP) -- For the first time, scientists have found evidence of flu in bats, reporting a never-before-seen virus whose risk to humans is unclear.
New findings shed light on body's iron-absorption process
Iron is a key mineral for human health. Too much of it in your body — or too little — can lead to major health problems.
Modified bone drug kills malaria parasite in mice
A chemically altered osteoporosis drug may be useful in fighting malaria, researchers report in a new study. Unlike similar compounds tested against other parasitic protozoa, the drug readily crosses into the red blood cells of malaria-infected mice and kills the malaria parasite. The drug works at very low concentrations with no observed toxicity to the mouse.
Biology news
Battling insects that cause trouble in paradise
(PhysOrg.com) -- We aren't the only species that like tropical vacation spots. Japanese beetles plague parts of the Azores, and Oriental fruit flies infest some of French Polynesia. But U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are turning to nature to combat these invasive pests.
Forage silage alternatives sought in wake of drought
Silage worries have producers asking a lot of questions as spring planting nears, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
Ancient penguin DNA is key to conservation
Conservation of the King Penguin is proving successful following research showing that the species has recovered past genetic diversity in just 80 years despite a prior threat of extinction.
Frontal attack or stealth? How subverting the immune system shapes the arms race between bacteria and hosts
Why is it that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can cause tuberculosis with as little as 10 cells, whereas Vibrio cholerae requires the host to ingest up to tens of millions of cells to cause cholera? This is the question that two research teams, from the Pasteur Institute, in France, and the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia and the University of Lisbon, in Portugal, answer in the latest issue of the journal PLoS Pathogens. The researchers show that bacteria that are able to invade and/or destroy cells of the host's immune system have higher infectivity, whereas those that are more motile, multiply faster and communicate with each other are less infectious, that is, it takes more bacterial cells to trigger an infection. These findings help understand the patterns that shape infectivity of bacteria, and contribute to more accurate predictions of how emerging pathogens may evolve, with implications for public health.
Glow and be eaten: Marine bacteria use light to lure plankton and fish
Not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes it is just bacteria trying to get ahead in life.
Aquatic ecologist studies silent killer of bald eagles
(PhysOrg.com) -- Something is killing American bald eagles, and Susan Wilde is determined to find out what. An assistant professor in the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Wilde has a theory about the silent killer of America's most famous birds. She thinks their food is killing them, causing avian vacuolar myelinopathy, with deadly brain lesions and neurological problems.
Study extends the 'ecology of fear' to fear of parasites
(PhysOrg.com) -- Here’s a riddle: What’s the difference between a tick and a lion? The answer used to be that a tick is a parasite and the lion is a predator. But now those definitions don’t seem as secure as they once did.
Analyzing complex plant genomes with the newest next-generation DNA sequencing techniques
Genomes are catalogs of hereditary information that determine whether an organism becomes a plant, animal, fungus or microbe, and whether the organism is adapted to its surroundings. Determining the sequence of DNA within genomes is crucial to human medicine, crop genetics, biotechnology, forensic science, threatened species management, and evolutionary studies. The last 5 years have witnessed tremendous advances in DNA sequencing technologies, and it is now possible to sequence millions of fragments of DNA in a single analysis, and at a fraction of their previous cost. These "next-generation" methods are spurring a revolution in plant biology by providing powerful tools to examine previously-unimagined questions, in any plant of interest.
Indigenous peoples at forefront of climate change offer lessons on plant biodiversity
Humans are frequently blamed for deforestation and the destruction of environments, yet there are also examples of peoples and cultures around the world that have learned to manage and conserve the precious resources around them. The Yanesha of the upper Peruvian Amazon and the Tibetans of the Himalayas are two groups of indigenous peoples carrying on traditional ways of life, even in the face of rapid environmental changes. Over the last 40 years, Dr. Jan Salick, senior curator and ethnobotanist with the William L. Brown Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden has worked with these two cultures. She explains how their traditional knowledge and practices hold the key to conserving, managing and even creating new biodiversity in a paper released in the new text, "Biodiversity in Agriculture: Domestication, Evolution, and Sustainability," published by Cambridge University Press.
Coral reef study traces indirect effects of overfishing
A study of the tropical coral reef system along the coastline of Kenya has found dramatic effects of overfishing that could threaten the long-term health of the reefs. Led by scientists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the study was published in the journal Coral Reefs (online publication January 28).
Webcam tracks 3-month-old polar bear's development
(AP) -- Advocacy groups have set up a webcam to let viewers worldwide follow the development of a three-month-old polar bear cub in a Danish wildlife park.
In vino veritas: Promiscuous yeast hook up in wine-making vats
Humans aren't the only species that like to get busy with a glass of bubbly, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Turns out, the common baker's yeast has indulged in a frenzy of amorous frolicking in the fermentation vats of winemakers for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years, with interesting results.
Genetic mechanics: First-ever 3-D images of DNA damage sensor create
Everything — from noxious chemicals found in cigarette smoke or car exhaust, to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, to even something as benign as oxygen — is working overtime to damage DNA. Fortunately, all living things have a defense: an intra-cellular mechanic that patrols DNA, searching for errors and repairing them, thousands of times a day.
Some bacteria attack using spring-loaded poison daggers
Bacteria have evolved different systems for secreting proteins into the fluid around them or into other cells. Some, for example, have syringe-like exterior structures that can pierce other cells and inject proteins. Another system, called a type VI secretion system, is found in about a quarter of all bacteria with two membranes. Despite being common, researchers have not understood how it works. Now a team, co-led by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), has figured out the structure of the type VI secretion system apparatus and proposed how it might work—by shooting spring-loaded poison molecular daggers.
Immortal worms defy aging
Researchers from The University of Nottingham have demonstrated how a species of flatworm overcomes the ageing process to be potentially immortal.
Amoeba offers key clue to photosynthetic evolution
The major difference between plant and animal cells is the photosynthetic process, which converts light energy into chemical energy. When light isn't available, energy is generated by breaking down carbohydrates and sugars, just as it is in animal and some bacterial cells. Two cellular organelles are responsible for these two processes: the chloroplasts for photosynthesis and the mitochondria for sugar breakdown. New research from Carnegie's Eva Nowack and Arthur Grossman has opened a window into the early stages of chloroplast evolution. Their work is published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the week of February 27-March 2.
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