Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for February 14, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- New record for world's smallest atomic valentine- Spray-on antenna gets great reception at Google event
- Liquid batteries could level the load
- Bumblebees get by with a little help from their honeybee rivals
- Email language tips off work hierarchy
- Research duo maps worldwide water footprint with high spatial resolution
- Apple testing smaller screen tablet: WSJ
- Chemists mimic nature to design better medical tests
- Noncoding RNAs alter yeast phenotypes in a site-specific manner
- New nano-material combinations produce leap in infrared technology
- Yahoo's talks to sell Asian assets unravel
- New study explores proteins in Yellowstone bacteria for biofuel inspiration
- Study: Antibiotics ineffective for most sinus infections
- When nerve meets muscle, biglycan seals the deal
- Study brings diagnostics for viruses a step closer to reality
Space & Earth news
NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Jasmine near Tonga
Tropical Cyclone Jasmine is still lingering near the island nation of Tonga in the South Pacific and was captured in an infrared image from NASA's Aqua satellite. Jasmine is bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall to some of Tonga's islands.
Image: Snow-bound Italy
ESA’s Envisat satellite has captured some unusual views of Italy after much the country suffered heavy snowfall a for second time in a week. Practically the whole of the north and central parts of the country are covered with snow, including the low-lying Po River valley. Snow is, of course, common during the winter in northern and Alpine areas, but last week regions such as Tuscany and Lazio further south have been dealing with heavy falls – causing significant disruption.
Climate change: French researchers complete new simulations for the next IPCC report
The French climatology community, which includes CNRS, Météo-France, the CEA, UPMC and UVSQ, has just completed a major exercise in the simulation of past and future climate conditions on a global scale. This new body of data confirms the conclusions of the most recent report by the IPCC(2007) on future changes in temperature and rainfall. By 2100, average global temperatures are expected to rise by 3.5 to 5°C according to the most unfavorable scenario, or 2°C according to the most optimistic projections. This study has been made available to the international community, and will be used by the IPCC in its next report, to be released in 2013. It provides information on likely climate conditions and trends at the end of the century and, for the first time, over the next 30 years as well.
New web tool to improve accuracy of global land cover maps
An interactive web tool has been developed to improve the accuracy and extent of global land use and forest cover information. The new 'Geo-Wiki' uses Google Earth and information provided by a global network of volunteers to fill in 'data gaps' and to verify existing land cover information. Developers this week have launched a Geo-Wiki competition to raise awareness of the tool and to encourage community involvement in environmental monitoring.
Small dams need better management
Many small dams around the world are poorly maintained and represent a safety hazard, according to Pisaniello et al. Better oversight of small dams is needed, the authors argue. The researchers reviewed literature, conducted case studies in four states in Australia, and developed policy benchmarks and best practices for small dam management.
Improving forecasts of volcanic ash concentrations
Volcanic ash can severely damage airplanes, and eruptions such as the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption may result in major disruption to air travel. Improved forecasting of ash cloud locations and concentrations could benefit the aviation industry and reduce delays, but forecasting is challenging because eruptions and atmospheric transport of volcanic ash are complex processes.
India, China attack EU on airline carbon tax
India and China joined forces on Tuesday in saying they firmly rejected the EU's "unilateral" decision to impose a carbon tax on air travel.
Fukushima faces increased quake risk - study
Japan's crippled nuclear plant at Fukushima needs to beef up safety measures to face the risk of a large earthquake, scientists said on Tuesday.
How mountain ranges get their shape
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tectonic, climate and the topography of the mountain ranges interact through a complex system of interactions and feedbacks. The nature and strength of these links are examined on the basis of data collection of 69 mountain ranges over the five continents.
Advanced communications testbed for Space Station
(PhysOrg.com) -- New and improved ways for future space travelers to communicate will be tested on the International Space Station. The SCaN Testbed, or Space Communications and Navigation Testbed - designed and built at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland over the last three years. - will launch later this year from Japan, for delivery to the Space Station.
New comet discovered by amateur astronomer
“Friday, February 10th 2012 just felt like the perfect night for a comet to be discovered by an amateur astronomer,” writes Fred Bruenjes on his astronomy blog. And, this past Friday night, that’s exactly what Fred did.
A swirling oasis of life
A serpentine eddy swirls in the southern Indian Ocean several hundred kilometers off the coast of South Africa in this natural-color image, acquired by NASA’s Terra satellite on December 26, 2011.
Kuiper's color close-up
The pale-orange coloration around the 39-mile (62-km) -wide Kuiper crater on Mercury is evident in this image, a color composition made from targeted images acquired by NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft on September 2, 2011.
Super high-resolution carbon estimates for endangered Madagascar
By combining airborne laser technology, satellite mapping, and ground-based plot surveys, a team of researchers has produced the first large-scale, high-resolution estimates of carbon stocks in remote and fragile Madagascar. The group has shown that it is possible to map carbon stocks in rugged geographic regions and that this type of carbon monitoring can be successfully employed to support conservation and climate-change mitigation under the United Nations initiative on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).
A look back suggests a sobering future of wildfire dangers in US west
The American West has seen a recent increase in large wildfires due to droughts, the build-up of combustible fuel, or biomass, in forests, a spread of fire-prone species and increased tree mortality from insects and heat.
Heart Lake holds water for Yellowstone's hydrothermal diversity theory
Within Yellowstone National Park, the water emanating from the park's famous hot springs and geysers seems to belong to either one of two distinct types. In some areas, subterranean waters rich in chlorine and dissolved silicates burst from the ground to create the park's iconic geysers. In other areas, highly acidic mud pools form from chlorine-deprived waters rich with sulfate ions.
Martian carbon dioxide clouds tied to atmospheric gravity waves
On 4 March 1997 the Mars Pathfinder lander fell through the thin Martian atmosphere. During its descent, instrumentation aboard the lander recorded the changing atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density.
Effects of sea spray geoengineering on global climate
Anthropogenic climate warming is leading to consideration of options for geoengineering to offset rising carbon dioxide levels. One potential technique involves injecting artificial sea spray into the atmosphere. The sea salt particles would affect Earth's radiation budget directly, by scattering incoming solar radiation, and indirectly, by acting as cloud condensation nuclei, which could lead to whiter clouds that reflect more radiation.
NASA sees deadly Cyclone Giovanna over the center of Madagascar
Cyclone Giovanna made landfall in eastern Madagascar very early on February 14 and continues tracking in a southwestern direction toward the Mozambique Channel. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image when Giovanna's center was close to the capital city of Antananarivo, and NASA's TRMM satellite saw powerful towering thunderstorms around its center before it made landfall.
NASA Landsat's thermal infrared sensor arrives at Orbital
A new NASA satellite instrument that makes a quantum leap forward in detector technology has arrived at Orbital Sciences Corp. in Gilbert, Ariz. There it will be integrated into the next Landsat satellite, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM).
Scientist suggests life began in freshwater pond, not the ocean
(PhysOrg.com) -- For most everyone alive today, it's almost a fundamental fact. Life began in the ocean and evolved into all of the different organisms that exist today. The idea that this could be wrong causes great discomfort, like discovering as an adult that you were adopted as a child. Nonetheless, a team of diverse scientists led by Armen Mulkidjanian is suggesting that very thing; instead of life beginning in deep thermal vents in the ocean, the prevailing view, they say it perhaps instead started in landlocked freshwater pools created by thermal vapor. Their theory is based, as they explain in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, mostly on the idea that the sea is just too salty to provide the ideal conditions necessary to spur life into existence.
'Baby fat' on the young sun?
To deal with the faint young Sun paradox, researchers are taking a fresh look at an old idea: that the Sun started out larger and more luminous than we thought.
The survivors of a 13 billion year old massacre
(PhysOrg.com) -- Our Milky Way galaxy is surrounded by some 200 compact groups of stars, containing up to a million stars each. At 13 billion years of age, these globular clusters are almost as old as the universe itself and were born when the first generations of stars and galaxies formed. Now a team of astronomers from Germany and the Netherlands have conducted a novel type of computer simulation that looked at how they were born - and they find that these giant clusters of stars are the only survivors of a 13 billion year-old massacre that destroyed many of their smaller siblings. The new work, led by Dr. Diederik Kruijssen of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching, Germany, appears in a paper in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Research duo maps worldwide water footprint with high spatial resolution
(PhysOrg.com) -- Arjen Hoekstra and Mesfin Mekonnen from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have created a worldwide water footprint map at a higher spatial resolution than has been seen before; and as they describe in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, most (92%) of the water used by people the world over, goes to growing food. They also find that about a fifth of all water used goes towards products that are exported, creating, what they describe as a “virtual” water export business.
Technology news
News Corp. consolidates global gov't affairs
(AP) -- News Corp. is consolidating its global government affairs activities and relocating them to the U.S.
India won't censor social media: minister
India does not intend to censor online social networks such as Facebook, a minister said Tuesday, but he demanded that they obey the same rules governing the press and other media.
Over-regulation of cyberspace risks infringing on human rights
In our quest to shape and regulate cyberspace, we risk subverting the global commons of information we have created, and by extension, the prospects and potential for global democracy, said University of Toronto professor Ron Deibert in his keynote speech to the 2012 iConference, hosted by the Faculty of Information.
India outsourcing sector eyes emerging markets for growth
Business from emerging markets will help India's flagship information technology sector counter slowing demand in Western nations, the country's technology minister said Tuesday.
Intelligent design: UCI's new and retrofitted Smart Labs can cut energy use by half
If research labs account for two-thirds of a campus’s carbon footprint, it doesn’t take an Einstein to target them for energy savings. Where the genius comes in is figuring out how to do it, and when UC Irvine engineers put their brains to the problem, they came up with Smart Labs – systems that can reduce energy consumption by up to 50 percent in new and retrofitted labs. UCI’s Facilities Management and Environmental Health & Safety divisions are now receiving nationwide recognition as they share their problem-solving wizardry with other campus, private-industry and government labs.
Fujitsu introduces new FRAM product series with extended voltage range
Fujitsu Semiconductor Europe today introduces a new FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) product series with an extended voltage range of 3.0V – 5.5V, offering significantly greater design flexibility for customers in the industrial and metering sectors. With this product series, Fujitsu not only supports 3V systems, but 5V systems as well. The higher operating voltage enabled by the product series leads to a higher signal/noise ratio, making the overall system more robust. In addition, by minimising the number of components that need to be qualified and stocked at customer sites, the V series makes the design and logistic process more efficient.
Review: 'The Darkness II' not worth embracing
(AP) -- When the demonic first-person game "The Darkness" was released in 2007, it was a twisted breath of fresh air among all the war simulators and space-marine romps.
Researchers eye monitoring system for offshore wind energy impacts
The next generation of wind energy facilities in the United States may be built offshore where winds are stronger, floating platforms could be utilized, and links to power grids may already exist.
Schilling's company launches first video game
(AP) -- A teenage Curt Schilling got a paper route so he could afford an Apple II just like the one his Little League coach owned.
OSCE warns of Internet pact's curbs on expression
The OSCE's media freedom representative warned Tuesday that a global online piracy pact that has sparked protests around Europe could undermine freedom of expression.
Qantas grounds spoof Twitter account
Australia's Qantas has shut down a parody public relations account for the airline on social media site Twitter, saying Tuesday it was "causing confusion" for customers.
Apple corporate reputation shines: Harris Poll
Apple dethroned Google as the company with the most respected image in the eyes of consumers, according to Harris Interactive study results.
Angry Birds fly to Facebook
"Angry Birds", the most-downloaded mobile app of 2011, was catapulted to the world of Facebook on Tuesday in a bid by its Finnish maker Rovio to get one billion people playing the addictive game.
Hackers claim to take down US tear gas maker site
The "Anonymous" hacking group on Tuesday claimed to have shut down the website of security firm Combined Systems, which it accused of providing the tear gas used in crackdowns on protests.
Scientists build GPU cluster for subatomic calculations
The latest addition to computing power at DOE’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a 45-teraflop cluster of graphics processing units that scientists use to explore the properties of the strong nuclear force. The GPU nodes power through data faster than any other computing nodes at more than five times the rate of the processing units of the previous generation.
Gas mileage of new vehicles at all-time high
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States last month was at its highest mark ever, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Ahead of the Bell: Zynga to post 4Q results
(AP) -- Zynga will show whether it was able to further boost its rapidly growing number of followers, as well as its profit and revenue as a publicly traded company, when the online game maker reports fourth-quarter results Tuesday.
French telecoms urge 'Google tax' on foreign firms
France's federation of telecommunications operators called Tuesday for the introduction of a "Google tax" on foreign firms like Google that benefit from French infrastructure.
Japan firms plan wind farm near Fukushima: report
A group of Japanese firms led by trading house Marubeni Corp. plans to build a large floating experimental wind farm off the coast of Fukushima prefecture, which was hit by a nuclear disaster last year, a report said Tuesday.
Worldwide mobile data traffic to rocket: Cisco
The amount of data sent to or from mobile gadgets around the world annually will rocket to hit the equivalent of 33 billion full-length DVD films by the year 2016, computer networking titan Cisco forecast on Tuesday.
Canada unveils new cyber monitoring rules
Canada's government Tuesday introduced a bill to give law enforcement authorities sweeping powers to probe online communications, but the move sparked criticism about threats to privacy.
Activists Anonymous hack New Zealand FM's email: report
Online activist group Anonymous hacked New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully's private email account and used it to send messages mocking him, it was reported Wednesday.
Zynga posts 4Q net loss, higher revenue
(AP) -- Online game maker Zynga Inc. reported a net loss in the last three months of 2011, weighed by hefty stock-compensation expenses and other costs in its first quarter as a public company.
Yahoo shareholder to try to seize 4 board seats
(AP) -- A major Yahoo shareholder unimpressed with a recent shake-up at the troubled company is trying to seize four seats on the board of directors.
Apple chief says factory labor under scrutiny
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Tuesday that ensuring safe working conditions at plants cranking out its coveted gadgets is a priority.
Nortel was penetrated by hackers for decade: report
Bankrupt Canadian telecom company Nortel was penetrated for at least a decade by hackers believed to have been operating from China, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
Yahoo's talks to sell Asian assets unravel
As Yahoo tries to head in a new direction, the fate of the struggling Internet company's Asian holdings remains in limbo.
Spray-on antenna gets great reception at Google event
(PhysOrg.com) -- A spray-on antenna? The idea is not fantasy but real and tested technology that works. A Utah startup has introduced a spray-on signal booster in a can that promises an improved signal. The company suggests this is a lightweight, easy answer for smartphone users who are frustrated over dropped calls and poor cellphone reception with traditional antennas. The approach can create signal-boosting antennas on nearby walls, trees or clothes. The spray product was unveiled at Google's Solve for X "conference."
Medicine & Health news
Latest advance in precise radiation treatment a powerful addition -- first in the nation
UT Southwestern Medical Center has installed a new system to deliver extremely precise and individualized radiation treatment, assuring that cancer patients in the region have access to the latest advances in radiation oncology.
Research to help hearing loss
Research at Victoria University aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of hearing defects.
UCLA docs guide mom with heart condition through birth, operate on newborn
Keyota Cole was born with a bad heart. The 33-year-old from of Bakersfield, Calif., suffers from a congenital heart disease called Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve, and from abnormal pulmonary veins. She has undergone multiple surgeries over her lifetime, including one to repair a hole in her heart, a valve replacement and the implantation of a pacemaker.
Breast implants are most popular form of plastic surgery
(Medical Xpress) -- Breast augmentations are the most common form of plastic surgery nationwide, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Loyola University Health System plastic surgeons are seeing similar trends in their practice. The number of women who are getting breast implants also is up from last year. In 2011, 307,180 women nationwide underwent a breast augmentation procedure while 296, 203 women had the same surgery in 2010.
Violent radicalisation better tackled with public health measures, say researchers
(Medical Xpress) -- With a growing number of terrorist attacks being committed by ‘home-grown’ radicals, researchers at Queen Mary, University of London are proposing a totally new approach to preventing terrorism.
Diabetes risk factors in young Sri Lankans much higher than previously thought
Scientists at King's College London and the National Diabetes Centre (Sri Lanka) have found evidence of a high number of risk factors for type 2 diabetes among the young urban population in Sri Lanka. The study is the first large-scale investigation into diabetes risk among children and young people in South Asia, and provides further evidence that the region is rapidly becoming a hotspot in the growing international diabetes epidemic.
Study finds injectable treatment for blood clots in advanced cancer patients increases
The use of an injectable, clot-preventing drug known as Low Molecular Weight Heparin to treat patients with advanced cancer complicated by blood clots increased steadily between 2000 and 2007, according to a new study published in The Oncologist, funded by the National Cancer Institute and led by Kaiser Permanente Colorado. However, despite previous research indicating LMWH is the preferred first-line treatment for cancer patients experiencing blood clots, use of LMWH is low compared to another commonly used anticoagulant, warfarin.
New guidelines developed for improved deep venous thrombosis diagnosis
A researcher at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City is part of a select panel of international experts to help develop new evidence-based clinical guidelines used by physicians worldwide for the diagnosis and treatment of blood-clotting disorders, one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the United States.
UnitedHealth unveils patient info service for MDs
(AP) -- UnitedHealth Group's Optum business is launching a service that allows doctors to share information about patients over the Internet, as health care companies continue their push to improve care with better coordination.
New Moffitt Cancer Center patent promises to accelerate cancer trials
A new patent has been issued to Moffitt Cancer Center for a computerized system that efficiently selects the right patient for the right clinical trial. The newly patented system matches the registered patient's own molecular profile – warehoused in a database of thousands of patient-donated biological tissue or tumor samples – to the molecular design of the drug aimed at targeting their disease at the molecular level, and does it quickly. The system promises to accelerate clinical trials and help shorten the time that it takes to get critically needed new drugs into the market.
JAMA review praises Georgetown professor's online anatomy dissector
A Georgetown University School of Medicine professor's online anatomy dissector designed to assist medical students in learning gross anatomy is described as a "superb learning tool" in a review published in the February 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Cardiac MRI shown to improve diagnosis in patients with life-threatening arrhythmias
New research from Western University, Canada, has demonstrated the benefits of performing Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) in cases where patients have been resuscitated after Sudden Cardiac Death or enter hospital suffering from ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat rhythm). Cardiologist Dr. James White and his colleagues at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, found CMR is a highly effective diagnostic imaging tool, identifying a cardiac diagnosis in 75 per cent of cases compared with only 50 per cent in all other testing. Overall, CMR identified a new or alternate explanation for the arrhythmia in 50 per cent of patients. The findings are published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, a Journal of the American Heart Association.
Orthopaedic smart device provides personalized medicine
Imagine a smart sensor customized to provide vital, real-time information about a patient's recent orthopaedic surgery. Instead of relying on X-rays or invasive procedures, surgeons will be able to collect diagnostic data from an implantable sensor. A study presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society 2012 Annual Meeting in San Francisco outlined this remarkable technology that promises to make post-surgical diagnosis and follow up more precise, efficient, and cost-effective.
Roche warns of counterfeit cancer drug in US
(AP) -- The maker of the best-selling cancer drug Avastin is warning doctors and patients about counterfeit vials of the product distributed in the U.S.
End-of-life care is complex but aims to provide care and comfort
Providing for fundamental human needs to people who are close to death is complex and sophisticated, but ultimately involves the integration of physical, psychological, social and spiritual elements, according to a study published in this week's PLoS Medicine by a group of international researchers.
Conventional thought on ACL injury mechanism challenged
Landing from a jump can cause a non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. But evidence presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society 2012 Annual Meeting demonstrates that the injury mechanism that causes that ACL injury involves a combination of factors rather than a single factor as some have claimed. Many hold the view that an athlete ruptures the ACL via a single plane motion -- the tibia moving forward due to a large quadriceps contraction.
Building bone from cartilage
A person has a tumor removed from her femur. A soldier is struck by an improvised explosive device and loses a portion of his tibia. A child undergoes chemotherapy for osteosarcoma but part of the bone dies as a result.
Mixed progress made by US government and schools to improve food marketing influencing children's diets
New research has found that the US government and schools have made mixed progress to comprehensively address food and beverage marketing practices that put young people's health at risk. A comprehensive review published in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that public sector stakeholders have failed to fully implement recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to support a healthful diet to children and adolescents.
Role of known cancer gene in ovarian cancer investigated
The role of a known cancer-causing gene in the development of the most lethal type of ovarian cancer is being investigated by researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute after they were awarded a Cure Cancer Australia Foundation (CCAF) grant.
Caregiver personality traits can affect health
(Medical Xpress) -- Taking care of an aging or disabled loved one can be hazardous to your health. But certain personality traits appear to reduce caregivers' risk for health problems, reports a new Cornell study.
Love, chocolate good for the heart, cardiologist says
(Medical Xpress) -- Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Julie Damp, M.D. “There are a couple of different theories behind why that might be,” Damp said.
Internet a boost for answers to mental-health
University of Melbourne researchers have found Wikipedia is the most highly rated website for accessing information on mental-health related topics.
Low hormone response may contribute to women avoiding intimacy
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Michigan researchers have found that women who avoid close relationships and intimacy have smaller hormone responses to emotionally intimate stimuli.
Study: Mexican-American youth add pounds as they lose native eating habits
(Medical Xpress) -- A University of South Carolina study shows that Mexican-American youth gain pounds as they move away from the dietary habits of their native country, a move that is putting them at risk for serious health problems.
Fragmented sleep, fragmented mind: A new theory of sleep disruption and dissociation
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientific research has shed new light on dissociative symptoms and dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. This condition seems to arise most often when a vulnerable person meets a therapist with a suggestive line of questioning or encounters sensationalized media portrayals of dissociation. Research shows that people with rich fantasy lives may be especially susceptible to such influences. A new article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests a mundane but surprising reason why some people might be vulnerable to dissociation: sleep problems.
Getting the measure of MRI
(Medical Xpress) -- A method for imaging the brain that has largely been confined to neuroscience labs may now find its place as a proper tool for medical diagnosis.
Undergrad's work details protein's role in neurological disorders
(Medical Xpress) -- A UT Dallas undergraduate’s research is revealing new information about a key protein’s role in the development of epilepsy, autism and other neurological disorders. This work could one day lead to new treatments for the conditions.
Could 'Love hormone' help treat depression?
(Medical Xpress) -- Gazing into your lover’s eyes isn’t only romantic; it also releases a brain chemical called oxytocin that strengthens social bonds in a variety of species. For some people who suffer from depression, the so-called “hormone of love” might hold out hope. Researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine are conducting a clinical trial to study whether oxytocin – the brain hormone released with touches, hugs, or when a mother and her newborn baby bond – might help patients with depression.
If you stock it, will they buy it?
(Medical Xpress) -- When it comes to offering healthy food in the local corner store, supply can impact demand, according to a study by University of Connecticut researchers. The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, found that when corner stores stocked a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, customers were more likely to buy them.
Molecule prevents fat combustion
ETH Zurich researchers have found a new role for a well-known signalling molecule, Hif1: the molecule suppresses the burning of fat, which may possibly promote obesity in humans.
Early bloomers with poor social skills more likely to smoke
Children who go through puberty earlier than their peers are more likely to have poor social skills and to smoke cigarettes during their high school years, a new study in Journal of Adolescent Health confirms. Additionally, researchers found poor social skills to be associated with smoking in early maturing girls, but not as often in early maturing boys.
Donated hearts may beat much longer
New technology increases the length of time that a human heart can remain viable for transplant after removal from a donor for transplantation.
Best time for a coffee break? There's an app for that
(Medical Xpress) -- Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda are the pick-me-ups of choice for many people, but too much caffeine can cause nervousness and sleep problems.
Critical element that improves vascular function in postmenopausal women found
Researchers studying why arteries stiffen in postmenopausal women have found a specific chemical cofactor that dramatically improves vascular function.
Turmeric-based drug effective on Alzheimer flies
Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimers. The study conducted at Linköping University, indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons.
What causes language switching in bilinguals?
The proficiency that a bilingual person has of both languages, the context in which he speaks them or unconscious changes in their use are the factors that make people who speak Spanish and Catalan switch from one language to another. The group of Cognition and Brain Plasticity at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), led by Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, has designed a questionnaire that allows understanding individual differences among bilinguals when they change the language (switching).
Research reveals molecular mechanism underlying severe anomalies of the forebrain
Researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have now identified and described a molecular mechanism underlying the most common malformation of the brain in humans. In holoprosencephaly (HPE), the forebrain (prosencephalon) is only incompletely formed. Here a binding site (receptor) for cholesterol plays a key role. If this receptor is defective, specific signals cannot be received, and the forebrain cannot separate into two hemispheres, as Dr. Annabel Christ, Professor Thomas Willnow and Dr. Annette Hammes have now shown in mice.
Vitamin D treatment not found to reduce cardiovascular abnormalities in kidney disease patients
Almost a year's treatment with a vitamin D compound did not alleviate key structural and functional cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with kidney disease and cardiac enlargement. In a paper in the February 15 Journal of the American Medical Association, an international research team reports that daily doses of a vitamin D compound did not reduce enlargement or improve impaired functioning of the heart's main pumping chamber.
People forage for memories in the same way birds forage for berries
Humans move between 'patches' in their memory using the same strategy as bees flitting between flowers for pollen or birds searching among bushes for berries.
Taking depression to heart
Mental state can play a crucial role in physical health — medical professionals have long known about the connection between anxiety and the immune system, for example. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University have found that mental health can also interfere with the heart.
Weight loss can be contagious, study suggests
Is weight loss "contagious"? According to a new study published online in the journal Obesity, teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other's weight loss, suggesting that shedding pounds can have a ripple effect.
Researchers reveal digital transcriptome of breast cancer
GW Cancer Research Team in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, published a study that is the first of its kind to use mRNA sequencing to look at the expression of genome, at a unprecedented resolution at the current time, in three types of breast cancer. The study titled, "Transcriptomic landscape of breast cancer through mRNA sequencing," is published in the Feb. 14 edition of the journal, Scientific Reports, a new open access Nature journal for large volume data.
Study: High population density is greatest risk factor for water-linked diseases
Water-associated infectious disease outbreaks are more likely to occur in areas where a region's population density is growing, according to a new global analysis of economic and environmental conditions that influence the risk for these outbreaks.
Spending more time physically active associated with better cardiometabolic measures among children
In a study that included data for more than 20,000 children and adolescents, higher amounts of time with moderate to vigorous physical activity were associated with better cardiometabolic risk factors (such as measures of cholesterol, blood pressure and waist size), regardless of the amount of time spent sedentary, according to a study in the February 15 issue of JAMA.
Short-term exposure to most major air pollutants associated with increased risk of heart attack
Short-term exposure (for up to 7 days) to all major air pollutants, with the exception of ozone, is significantly associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a review and meta-analysis of previous studies appearing in the February 15 issue of JAMA.
Brain rehearsal time ensures lasting memory performance
University of Alberta researchers have established that the ability of the brain to rehearse or repeat electrical impulses may be absolutely critical in order to make a newly acquired memory more permanent.
Trouble sleeping? It may affect your memory later on
The amount and quality of sleep you get at night may affect your memory later in life, according to research that was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28, 2012.
SIV infection may lead to increase in immune-suppressive Treg cells
Tissue in monkeys infected with a close relative of HIV can ramp up production of a type of T cell that actually weakens the body's attack against the invading virus. The discovery, in lymph nodes draining the intestinal tract, could help explain how the HIV virus evades the body's immune defenses.
Following a trail of blood: A new diagnostic tool comes of age
Blood tests have been a mainstay of diagnostic medicine since the late 19th century, offering a wealth of information concerning health and disease. Nevertheless, blood derived from the human umbilical cord has yet to be fully mined for its vital health information, according to Rolf Halden, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute.
New subtype of ovarian cancer may be vulnerable to anti-angiogenic drugs
BOSTON--Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a subtype of ovarian cancer able to build its own blood vessels, suggesting that such tumors might be especially susceptible to "anti-angiogenic" drugs that block blood vessel formation.
Different bodies, different minds
We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, absorbing information, weighing it carefully, and making thoughtful decisions. But, as it turns out, we're kidding ourselves. Over the past few decades, scientists have shown there are many different internal and external factors influencing how we think, feel, communicate, and make decisions at any given moment.
Immunization for MRSA on the horizon
Methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA) infections are resistant to antibiotics and can cause a myriad of problems -- bone erosion, or osteomyelitis, which shorten the effective life of an implant and greatly hinder replacement of that implant. MRSA can result in prolonged disability, amputation and even death.
Human 'shock absorbers' discovered
(Medical Xpress) -- An international team of scientists, led by the University of Sydney, has found the molecular structure in the body which functions as our 'shock absorber'.
Study finds child abuse can lead to stunted brain development
(Medical Xpress) -- A small team of researchers has found that various forms of child abuse can lead to stunted development in certain regions of the brain. The research carried out by Martin Teicher, Carl Anderson and Ann Polcari, all working in the Boston area, relied on questionnaires and MRI brain scans to determine that certain parts of the hippocampus, all known to be sensitive to stress, were up to six percent smaller in adults who as children had been sexually, verbally or physically abused. The team has published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study: Antibiotics ineffective for most sinus infections
Antibiotics that doctors typically prescribe for sinus infections do not reduce symptoms any better than an inactive placebo, according to investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
When nerve meets muscle, biglycan seals the deal
A protein that has shown early promise in preventing the loss of muscle function in mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has been found in a new study to be a key player in the process of joining nerves to muscles.
New class of potential drugs inhibits inflammation in brain
Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have identified a new group of compounds that may protect brain cells from inflammation linked to seizures and neurodegenerative diseases.
Biology news
94 French farms struck by new 'Schmallenberg' virus
Ninety-four farms in northern France have been hit by a novel virus, first uncovered in Germany last year, that strikes cattle, sheep and goats, a French research agency reported on Tuesday.
Knowledge of fungi helps to map risks of genetically modified crops
Plant fungi are indispensable for a good plant growth. Dutch researcher Erik Verbruggen from the VU University Amsterdam has discovered that phosphate and grass-clover have an effect on the diversity and variation in the species composition of these fungi. His research results can be used to map the possible risks of genetically modified crops for natural fungal growth.
Under the microscope #8 - beetle embryo
Under the Microscope is a collection of videos that show glimpses of the natural and man-made world in stunning close-up.
First fish app from the Smithsonian is free on iTunes
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has released the first completely portable bilingual species identification guide for the shore fishes of the tropical Eastern Pacific as a free iPhone application. Unique fish-finding, list-making tools and range maps make the app a powerful tool for scientists, divers and tour guides and a model for future phone-based field guides.
Engineered beans show promise for Africa
Slender green beans air-freighted from Kenya to markets in Western Europe are a profitable crop for high-altitude farms across sub-Saharan Africa. Breeding efforts at Cornell could help their lower altitude neighbors also harness the crop's economic potential.
Study on brain shrinkage shifts to Tassie Devils
The quality of captive breeding enclosures and time spent in them may be crucial to the success of marsupials once released back to the wild, new research suggests.
Developing hardier, weather-resistant crops
At first, the back room of plant physiologist Edgar Spalding's lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison might be mistaken for an alien space ship set straight out of a Hollywood movie. It's a room bathed in low-red light with camera lenses pointing at strange looking entities encased in Petri dishes.
New publication explains how feral hogs negatively affect native plants
Not only do feral hogs cause harm to crops and landscaping, they also inflict significant damage upon native plant communities, according to a new Texas AgriLife Extension Service publication.
Grass pea 'silver bullet' for drought and waterlogging
Research into the first ever Australian-bred and released grass pea variety has revealed its ability to enhance nitrogen (N) and Potassium (P) uptake in wheat crops.
Chromosome analyses of prickly pear cacti reveal southern glacial refugia
Analysis of chromosome number variation among species of a North American group of prickly pear cacti (nopales) showed that the most widespread species encountered are of hybrid origin. Those widespread species likely originated from hybridization among closely related parental species from western and southeastern North America. This study was published in the open access journal Comparative Cytogenetics.
U-M human embryonic stem cell line placed on national registry
The University of Michigan's first human embryonic stem cell line will be placed on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's registry, making the cells available for federally-funded research. It is the first of the stem cell lines derived at the University of Michigan to be placed on the registry.
New genetic phenomenon discovered in Witrik cattle
By studying the DNA of Witrik, colour sided or lineback, cattle from various countries, scientists from the University of Liege have discovered that pieces of DNA move from one chromosome to another in a circle. This phenomenon had never before been identified in mammals. The research results were published in the scientific magazine Nature in early February.
Report seeks to integrate microbes into climate models
The models used to understand how Earth's climate works include thousands of different variables from many scientific including atmospherics, oceanography, seismology, geology, physics and chemistry, but few take into consideration the vast effect that microbes have on climate. Now, a new report from the American Academy of Microbiology, "Incorporating Microbial Processes into Climate Models", offers a plan for integrating the latest understanding of the science of microbiology into climate models.
DNA barcoding of parasitic worms: Is it kosher?
When rabbis from the Orthodox Union started finding worms in cans of sardines and capelin eggs, they turned to scientists at the American Museum of Natural History to answer a culturally significant dietary question: could these foods still be considered kosher?
Let's stretch... Scientists study myomesin protein
The proteins actin, myosin and titin are big players in the business of muscle contraction. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hamburg, Germany, have now examined another muscle protein – myomesin – which they discovered can stretch up to two-and-a-half times its length, unfolding in a way that was previously unknown. The study is published 14 February in the open-access, online journal PLoS Biology.
Malaria parasite goes bananas before sex: new study
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research from the University of Melbourne shows how the malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) changes into a banana shape before sexual reproduction, a finding that could provide targets for vaccine or drug development and may explain how the parasite evades the human immune system.
Saltwater crocodile breeders to benefit from genome sequence
(PhysOrg.com) -- The genome sequence of the saltwater crocodile has been completed by an international collaboration of scientists, including researchers from the University of Sydney.
Researchers induce freezing tolerance in fruit fly
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most of what is known about the ability of some cold blooded animals and several insects to survive having their body temperature fall below freezing has led to the conclusion that those organisms that can do it are unique to the extent that trying to emulate those same abilities or techniques in other organisms is just not feasible. But that may change now that a team from the Czech Republic has succeeded in partially freezing a fruit fly, and then resurrecting it, using, as they describe in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a technique copied from a close relative.
Scientists now able to view critical aspects of mammalian embryonic development using new technique
A novel approach in the study of the development of mammalian embryos was today reported in the journal Nature Communications. The research, from the laboratory of Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz of the University of Cambridge, enables scientists to view critical aspects of embryonic development which was previously unobservable.
Bumblebees get by with a little help from their honeybee rivals
Bumblebees can use cues from their rivals the honeybees to learn where the best food resources are, according to new research from Queen Mary, University of London.
Noncoding RNAs alter yeast phenotypes in a site-specific manner
Personal change can redefine or even save your life—especially if you are one of a hundred yeast cell clones clinging to the skin of a grape that falls from a sun-drenched vine into a stagnant puddle below. By altering which genes are expressed, cells with identical genomes like these yeast clones are able to survive in new environments or even perform different roles within a multicellular organism.
New study explores proteins in Yellowstone bacteria for biofuel inspiration
Studies of bacteria first found in Yellowstone's hot springs are furthering efforts at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center toward commercially viable ethanol production from crops such as switchgrass.
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