Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for February 21, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Microsoft says Google is bypassing its cookie stopping technology too- Chandra finds fastest wind from stellar-mass black hole
- Hubble reveals a new class of extrasolar planet
- Study explores computing bursts for smartphones
- Scientists unlock evolutionary secret of blood vessels
- A step forward in effort to regenerate damaged nerves
- Plant toughness: Key to cracking biofuels?
- Wringing more energy out of everyday motions
- Gases drawn into smog particles stay there, study reveals
- Saving data in vortex structures: New physical phenomenon could drastically reduce computer energy consumption
- ORNL finding has materials scientists entering new territory
- Researchers coax gold into nanowires
- Anticipation of stressful situations accelerates cellular aging
- Review: Vita sets new standard for portable games
- Researchers find new evidence on how cholesterol gets moved from HDLs to LDLs
Space & Earth news
Canada threatens trade war with EU over oil sands
Canada has threatened to lodge a World Trade Organization complaint against the European Union if the bloc labels oil from Alberta's tar sands as highly polluting, documents published Monday show.
Developing map of Milky Way
We now have a new way of viewing the Milky Way, thanks to Victoria astronomer Melanie Johnston-Hollitt and one of her undergraduate students.
Adelaide climate to mirror Whyalla in 50 years
Adelaide’s climate will become hotter and drier to mirror Whyalla’s climate in 50 years’ time – and we need to prepare for this change accordingly, research conducted at University of South Australia has found.
Scientists successfully complete Antarctic drilling project
A new ice core successfully drilled from the Antarctica Peninsula last month (January) may shed new light on how the vulnerable West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) has responded to climate change in the past.
Increased amount of rail freight requires cities to change
Rail freight terminals are generally centrally located in cities. In order to achieve a sustainable transport system, where most freight is transported by rail rather than by lorry, terminals must be relocated to urban peripheries. This is a conclusion of Sonke Behrends' doctoral thesis. The thesis investigates how urban and long-distance freight impact one another.
West coast log, lumber exports increased over forty percent in 2011
Log and lumber exports from Washington, Oregon, northern California, and Alaska increased 42 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, totaling 1,992 and 1,015 million board feet according to the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station. Oregon and Washington are again the largest log exporter in the U.S. since 2000.
Glenn marks 50 years since historic orbit of Earth
(AP) -- John Glenn made his historic spaceflight alone in 1962 but celebrated its 50th anniversary Monday among hundreds of people within his orbit, from fellow headline-making astronauts and NASA's administrator to family, friends and students at Ohio State University, where the public affairs school bears his name.
Hold the salt: Coastal drinking water more vulnerable to water use than climate change
(PhysOrg.com) -- Human activity is likely a greater threat to coastal groundwater used for drinking water supplies than rising sea levels from climate change, according to a study conducted by geoscientists from the University of Saskatchewan and McGill University in Montreal.
Global permafrost zones in high-resolution images on Google Earth
Thawing permafrost will have far-reaching ramifications for populated areas, infrastructure and ecosystems. A geographer from the University of Zurich reveals where it is important to confront the issue based on new permafrost maps -- the most precise global maps around. They depict the global distribution of permafrost in high-resolution images and are available on Google Earth.
Tohoku grim reminder of potential for Pacific Northwest megaquake
Tohoku earthquake is a grim reminder of the potential for another strong-motion mega-earthquake along the Pacific Northwest coast, geophysicist John Anderson of the University of Nevada, Reno told members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in a lecture at their annual conference in Vancouver, B.C. Sunday.
Aftershocks of Japan disaster being felt in US earthquake planning
The repercussions of last year’s subduction zone earthquake and tsunami in Japan are now being felt in the Pacific Northwest, as experts and disaster managers better understand the enormous risks facing this region, plan for the challenges ahead and prioritize the most urgent needs.
Study: Forested riparian zones important to nitrogen control, stream health
Human activities from agriculture to fossil fuel consumption have resulted in high levels of nitrates in many streams and rivers; now a new study suggests that nurturing riparian zone forests may be a key in maintaining healthy waterways.
Radiation detected 400 miles off Japanese coast
(AP) -- Radioactive contamination from the Fukushima power plant disaster has been detected as far as almost 400 miles off Japan in the Pacific Ocean, with water showing readings of up to 1,000 times more than prior levels, scientists reported Tuesday.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveals recent geological activity on the Moon
(PhysOrg.com) -- New images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft show the moon's crust is being stretched, forming minute valleys in a few small areas on the lunar surface. Scientists propose this geologic activity occurred less than 50 million years ago, which is considered recent compared to the moon's age of more than 4.5 billion years.
New research on Japanese quake ominous for Pacific Northwest
Scientists are still unraveling last year's giant Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and some of what they're finding doesn't bode well for the Pacific Northwest.
Gases drawn into smog particles stay there, study reveals
Airborne gases get sucked into stubborn smog particles from which they cannot escape, according to findings by UC Irvine and other researchers published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Hubble reveals a new class of extrasolar planet
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of astronomers led by Zachory Berta of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) made the observations of the planet GJ 1214b.
Chandra finds fastest wind from stellar-mass black hole
Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have clocked the fastest wind yet discovered blowing off a disk around a stellar-mass black hole. This result has important implications for understanding how this type of black hole behaves.
Technology news
NEC supports smart cities with ultra low power magnetic sensors for electronic water and gas meters
NEC Corporation announced today the commencement of sales for the MRUS74S and MRUS74X, two new ultra low power magnetic sensors, which enable the use of electronic water meters and gas meters that are essential for Smart Cities.
Netflix strikes movie deal with Weinstein Co.
(AP) -- Netflix has locked up the right to show "The Artist" and other movies from The Weinstein Co. on its Internet video service before the films are released to the leading pay-TV channels.
Charging up the auto industry
This year's iconic North American International Auto Show featured a wave of new hybrid and electric cars that suggest the vehicles have truly come into their own. But what's the future for the technology needed to power these cars? In particular, can the industry really expect in the coming years an electric car battery that is not only economical, but delivers the performance needed to make these cars a common site on the streets?
Colorado woman must turn over computer password
(AP) -- A federal appeals court in Denver refused Tuesday to get involved in a mortgage and real estate fraud case that raises questions about whether turning over a computer password amounts to self-incrimination.
AT&T CEO takes $2M pay cut over T-Mobile deal
(AP) -- AT&T's board cut CEO Randall Stephenson's 2011 pay by $2.08 million because he engineered the failed deal to buy T-Mobile USA, according to a regulatory filing.
Company suing Apple over iPad name open to talks
(AP) -- The lawyer for a Chinese company suing Apple Inc. in China over its use of the iPad trademark indicated Tuesday that his client would be willing to discuss a settlement.
Yahoo! seeks to avoid Indian lawsuit over content
Internet giant Yahoo! on Tuesday applied to be removed from a lawsuit lodged in an Indian court against social networking sites hosting allegedly offensive content.
China's Alibaba posts 16.6% rise in 2011 net profit
Chinese Internet company Alibaba on Tuesday posted a net profit of 1.71 billion yuan ($271.48 million) in 2011, up 16.6 percent over the previous year, but with weakness in the fourth quarter.
Russian search engine Yandex teams up with Twitter
Russia's top search engine Yandex said Tuesday it has teamed up with Twitter to allow the Russian firm to show the full feed of all public Twitter posts.
Never forget keys or phone ever again: Intelligent system keeps track of your items
RFID tags are becoming ubiquitous, shops, warehouses, libraries and others use them for stock and inventory control and to reduce the risk of theft. Now, a team in Dubai has developed the concept of an IPURSE, a mobile platform that keeps track of tiny RFID tags you stick to or insert into your personal possessions, mobile phone, camera, laptop, keys other gadgets and even mundane objects such as notebooks and cosmetics.
Samsung commits to LED screens, will spin off LCD unit
Samsung Electronics Co. is spinning off its LCD display manufacturing business and merging with its smaller LED display unit in a move that reveals the company's vision of the future of televisions and mobile screens.
How quickly things spread
Understanding the spread of infectious diseases in populations is the key to controlling them. If we were facing a flu pandemic, how could we measure where the greatest spreading risk comes from? This information could help inform decisions on whether to impose travel restrictions or close schools.
Applying enhanced virtuality to language learning
Merging the real world with its mirror in a virtual world so that students can be immersed in a hybrid learning environment that permits improved language teaching: that is the objective of scientists at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid who have developed the first prototype that demonstrates how a platform of this type works.
RIM releases belated new PlayBook software
Research In Motion released a free upgraded operating system for its struggling Playbook computer tablet on Tuesday, almost a year later than it first said it would.
China e-commerce firm Alibaba in privatization bid
(AP) -- Alibaba.com's parent company wants to take the Chinese e-commerce company private for $2.5 billion, the firms said Tuesday, part of a shift in business strategy that also includes plans to buy back a stake from Yahoo Inc.
Software helps improve software
The earlier a problem is detected, the easier it can be solved. Before implementing complex programs in a time-consuming process, computer scientists also want to know whether they will reach the desired performance. Apart from own experience, developers can now rely on the PALLADIO simulation tool. The software package initiated and coordinated by Professor Ralf Reussner, KIT, analyzes the program structure in advance and prognosticates the need for resources and limitations.
Mathematics confirm the efficiency of horreos with slots
Horreos, a type of Galician dry-store structure, with slotted floors regulate temperature better in sunny weather conditions, which helps preserve the corn stored there. This is something that people from ancient times knew, and has been ignored in recent restorations, that is proven now with a mathematical model developed in the University of Vigo (Spain).
Smaller antennas for smaller wireless devices and still smaller micro-air vehicles
In most cases the size of the antenna within a wireless device is actually the limiting factor in the minimum achievable size of the device itself. As such, manufacturers must "build up" to the required antenna size. Dr. Grbic's team provides a way for manufacturers to either "build down" to a much smaller size, or with a smaller antenna, to allow additional room for more capabilities with built-in options.
Engineers develop cement with 97 percent smaller CO2 and energy footprint
Drexel engineers have found a way to improve upon ordinary Portland cement (OPC), the glue that's bonded much of the world's construction since the late 1800s. In research recently published in Cement and Concrete Composites the group served up a recipe for cement that is more energy efficient and cost effective to produce than masonry's most prevalent bonding compound.
Google carrying real-time data from EU exchanges
Google is to carry real-time pricing from leading European stock exchanges, the company said Tuesday, marking an expansion of the online search giant's financial offerings.
Irish PayPal expansion to create 1,000 jobs
US online payments giant PayPal is to create 1,000 new jobs in Ireland in a major expansion of its operations in the eurozone member, Prime Minister Enda Kenny said on Tuesday.
Into the no-man's land of Fukushima
Every two minutes on the bus ride through the ghost towns surrounding Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a company guide in a white protective suit holds up a display showing the radiation level. And it is rising.
UK court OKs legal claim to be served via Facebook
(AP) -- Status update: You're sued. Legal authorities said Tuesday that a High Court judge in England has approved the use of Facebook to serve legal claims.
Netflix bolsters video library as new threat looms
(AP) -- Netflix's Internet video service is adding more marquee attractions as it braces for a new competitive threat from cable-TV provider Comcast Corp.
Recipe for success: Recycled glass and cement
(PhysOrg.com) -- Michigan State University researchers have found that by mixing ground waste glass into the cement that is used to make concrete, the concrete is stronger, more durable and more resistant to water.
Wringing more energy out of everyday motions
Randomness and chaos in nature, as it turns out, can be a good thing – especially if you are trying to harvest energy from the movements of everyday activities like walking.
Study explores computing bursts for smartphones
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study team from the computer science and engineering departments at University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan are tackling smartphone performance with an idea about chips that are designed for what they say is computational sprinting. “Our approach called computational sprinting is aimed at mobile environments like smartphones, where many interactive applications are characterized by short bursts of computational demand punctuated by long idle periods waiting for user input,” they said.
Microsoft says Google is bypassing its cookie stopping technology too
(PhysOrg.com) -- Shortly after the world learned that Google has been bypassing user preferences on Safari based browsers to allow advertisers to leave unwanted cookies on their devices, Microsoft put out a press release deploring the practice and gleefully announced that devices running Internet Explorer had no such problems. Microsoft is now backtracking on that announcement and has put out a new one declaring that Google is in fact doing the same thing with Internet Explorer 9 that it has been doing with Safari.
Medicine & Health news
British minister heckled over health reforms
(AP) -- Britain's health minister was angrily heckled Monday over health care reforms that the government says will improve efficiency but opponents claim threaten the foundation of the country's state-funded health care service.
Cardiac arrest treatment study exceeds paramedic recruitment targets
A pilot study by emergency care experts at UWE Bristol to test the best method of airway management to resuscitate out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients has exceeded target recruitment of paramedics from Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS). The research team had hoped to recruit 150 paramedics but over 180 have signed up to be involved.
Pyramax receives positive opinion from the EMA
Pyramax, a fixed-dose combination of pyronaridine and artesunate, becomes the first antimalarial to be granted a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under Article 58. This once daily, 3-day treatment is indicated for acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum and blood-stage Plasmodium vivax malaria in adults and children over 20 kg.
Researchers uncover new advancements in cardiovascular medicine
With the month of February designated as Heart Health Month, physician-researchers in the Division of Cardiology at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) – Dr. Matthew Budoff and Dr. Ronald Oudiz – continue to pave the way with their efforts to develop treatments and therapies for conditions affecting the heart, and to help improve overall heart health.
Big outbreak of child virus in Vietnam may worsen
Vietnam says a large ongoing outbreak of a common childhood virus could worsen this year.
American Heart Association launches free-access online journal
The American Heart Association has launched the online-only open-access Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease (JAHA) -- packed with free peer-reviewed research on heart disease and stroke.
Autism Speaks provides sleep strategies and dental treatment tool kits
Autism Speaks, North America's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today released the Sleep Strategies for Children with Autism: A Parent's Guide and Treating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Tool Kit for Dental Professionals, both available for free download on Autism Speaks Tools You Can Use webpage.
Can consuming caffeine while breastfeeding harm your baby?
Babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, so a breastfeeding mother's consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an interview with expert Ruth Lawrence, MD, published in Journal of Caffeine Research, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The interview is available on the Journal of Caffeine Research website at www.liebertpub.com/jcr.
Many young people don't know what constitutes sensible alcohol consumption
A new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review reveals that young people do not possess the knowledge or skills required to adhere to government guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption. This article is part of the March special themed issue of the journal on low risk drinking guidelines.
Noninvasive method accurately and efficiently detects risk of Down syndrome
Using a noninvasive test on maternal blood that deploys a novel biochemical assay and a new algorithm for analysis, scientists can detect, with a high degree of accuracy, the risk that a fetus has the chromosomal abnormalities that cause Down syndrome and a genetic disorder known as Edwards syndrome. The new approach is more scalable than other recently developed genetic screening tests and has the potential to reduce unnecessary amniocentesis or CVS. Two studies evaluating this approach are available online in advance of publication in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG).
Study says overweight Americans may risk kidney damage when attempting weight loss
With 1 in 5 overweight Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease, Cleveland Clinic researchers analyzed the nutritional and lifestyle habits of overweight adults, finding that their methods included diets and diet pills that may cause further kidney damage.
Study finds college students willing to donate genetic material to biobanks for research
A majority of college students is receptive to donating blood or other genetic material for scientific research, according to a new study from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.
Computer-assisted tools alert pediatricians to obese patients
Electronic health records and embedded tools can alert and direct pediatricians so they can better manage the weight of children and teenagers, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published online in The Journal of Pediatrics.
How text messaging can help control malaria
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Dejan Zurovac and colleagues from the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Wellcome Trust Research Program, Nairobi, Kenya discuss six areas where text messaging could improve the delivery of health services and health outcomes in malaria in Africa, including three areas transmitting information from the periphery of the health system to malaria control managers and three areas transmitting information to support management of malaria patients.
Recession and high co-pays tied to fewer colonoscopy screenings among people with health insurance
The recent U.S. economic recession was the longest and most severe since World War II. During this period, personal spending on health care grew at the slowest rate in over 50 years, suggesting that Americans used less health care.
Mount Sinai first to use visually guided catheter ablation system to treat AFib patient
For the first time in a new U.S. clinical trial, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have used the HeartLight Endoscopic Ablation System (EAS) to correct abnormal electrical signals inside the heart of a patient affected by atrial fibrillation (AFib), one of the nation's most common heart ailments. The device is the first catheter ablation system to incorporate a camera that allows doctors to see a direct, real-time image of the patient's heart tissue during ablation.
Comparing antimalarial drugs and their effects over the Plasmodium lifecycle
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Michael Delves of Imperial College London, UK and colleagues compare the activity of 50 current and experimental antimalarials against liver, sexual blood, and mosquito stages of selected human and nonhuman parasite species, including Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium berghei, and Plasmodium yoelii.
In-house pharmacists can help GPs reduce prescribing errors by up to 50 percent
Medication errors are common in primary care but the number of mistakes could be reduced significantly if GPs introduced an in-house pharmacist-led intervention scheme.
Extending smoking ban outside bars could help curb 'social smoking'
Extending the smoking ban outside bars could help curb "social smoking" because this goes hand in hand with drinking, suggests a small qualitative study published online in Tobacco Control.
Alcohol in movies influences young teens' drinking habits
Young teens who watch a lot of movies featuring alcohol are twice as likely to start drinking compared to peers who watch relatively few such films, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
New approach could more effectively diagnose personality disorders
(Medical Xpress) -- Personality disorders could be more effectively diagnosed by identifying and targeting the disrupted neurobiological systems where the disorders originate, report Cornell researchers.
Hepatitis C deaths up, baby boomers most at risk
(AP) -- Deaths from liver-destroying hepatitis C are on the rise, and new data shows baby boomers especially should take heed - they are most at risk.
Poor body image linked with Facebook time
Teenage girls are spending a concerning amount of time on the Internet, potentially leading to low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction, research by Flinders University reveals.
Passion pitfall: Research finds that rekindling a romance often extinguishes a couple's happiness
Before renewing romance with an ex, it may be better to move on to the next.
Bird flu claims third victim this year in Indonesia
Tests on a 19-year-old woman who died last week showed she had contracted the bird flu virus, Indonesia's third human death from the deadly disease this year, the health ministry said Tuesday.
Positive media portrayals of obese individuals reduce weight stigma
(Medical Xpress) -- Presenting obese individuals in a positive, non-stereotypical manner in the media could help reduce weight-biased attitudes held by the public, finds a study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale. The study, published online in Health Psychology, investigates the impact on public attitudes and preferences of both stigmatizing and positive portrayals of obese individuals in the media.
iPads show the way forward for medical imaging
Tablet computers such as the iPad are becoming more and more popular, but new research from the University of Sydney means they could soon be used in hospitals as a tool for doctors to view medical imaging.
Omega-3 linked with reduced risk for smallest babies
(Medical Xpress) -- Omega-3 fatty acids may have a role in preventing heart attack or strokes in adults who were small at birth, according to University of Sydney researchers.
Exercise plays key role in managing obesity: study
(Medical Xpress) -- In spite of recent media reports suggesting that exercise may not be useful in obesity management, overweight and obese people should not be discouraged from taking it up, according to a paper published today in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Alcohol abuse could kill around 210,000 people over the next 20 years, academic warns
A University of Southampton academic has warned the UK is on the ‘potential tipping point’ in the war against alcohol abuse and says failure to reform alcohol laws will result in 210,000 avoidable alcohol-related deaths over the next 20 years.
X-Chromosome gene variant linked to SIDS in boys
(HealthDay) -- A gene variant on the X-chromosome is associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) only in boys, particularly those who die at the ages of highest SIDS prevalence, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in Pediatrics.
Over-reactive parenting linked to negative emotions and problem behavior in toddlers
Researchers have found that parents of young children who anger easily and over-react are more likely to have toddlers who act out and become upset easily.
Referees feel stress during matches regardless of their physical condition
All referees feel stress on match days. However, contrary to what you might believe, a joint study by the Catholic University of Brasilia, A Coruña University and James Cook University in Australia state that the level of stress is not linked to the physical condition of these referees, but to their nervous system. The researchers measured the activity of Spanish football referees on a normal day and on a match day.
New blood test for early cancer detection developed
A simple blood test is being developed by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel that may provide early detection of many types of cancer.
Promising new compound for treating stroke
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have designed, produced and patented a new chemical compound for the possible treatment of brain damage caused by stroke. The compound binds 1,000 times more effectively to the target protein in the brain than the potential drug currently being tested on stroke victims. The results of biological tests have just been published in the renowned journal PNAS.
Telomere failure, telomerase activation drive prostate cancer progression
Genomic instability caused by an erosion of the protective caps on chromosomes, followed by activation of an enzyme that reinforces those caps, allows malignant cells to evade destruction and acquire more deadly characteristics, researchers report in an Online Now article at the journal Cell.
Energy network within cells may be new target for cancer therapy
Mitochondria, tiny structures within each cell that regulate metabolism and energy use, may be a promising new target for cancer therapy, according to a new study. Manipulation of two biochemical signals that regulate the numbers of mitochondria in cells could shrink human lung cancers transplanted into mice, a team of Chicago researchers report in the journal FASEB.
FDA: New suppliers to ease 2 cancer drug shortages
Federal regulators said Tuesday that they've approved new suppliers for two crucial cancer drugs, easing critical shortages - at least for the time being - that have patients worried about missing life-saving treatments.
Does depression contribute to the aging process?
Stress has numerous detrimental effects on the human body. Many of these effects are acutely felt by the sufferer, but many more go 'unseen', one of which is shortening of telomere length.
Is fructose being blamed unfairly for obesity epidemic?
Is fructose being unfairly blamed for the obesity epidemic? Or do we just eat and drink too many calories?
Influenza vaccination of pregnant women helps their babies
Vaccinating pregnant women against the influenza virus appears to have a significant positive effect on birth weight in babies, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Serotonin could play a large role in bone loss
Scientists have long known that calcium leaches from the bones both during lactation and in certain types of cancer. The driver behind these phenomena is a molecule called parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP), which is secreted by the mammary glands. The signal that regulates the secretion of PTHrP, and where this other unknown molecule exerts its influence, has remained a mystery. Now, in a new study using cells and tissues from mice, cows, and people, a team of researchers at the University of Cincinnati have identified this mystery molecule as serotonin, a neurotransmitter most often recognized for its role in happiness and well-being. The scientists also identified the specific receptor that serotonin acts on in mammary tissue. Understanding these two findings more deeply could lead to better ways to combat bone loss, potentially by using drugs that affect serotonin signaling.
Being born in another country may protect against stroke for US Hispanics
New research finds foreign-born Hispanics now living in the United States appear to be less likely to have a stroke compared to non-Hispanic white people. The research 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. The research is also being simultaneously published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Purdue researchers reveal role of protein mutation in Parkinson's disease
Purdue University researchers revealed how a mutation in a protein shuts down a protective function needed to prevent the death of neurons in Parkinson's disease, possibly opening the door to new drug strategies to treat the disorder.
Study: Brain makes call on which ear is used for cell phone
If you're a left brain thinker, chances are you use your right hand to hold your cell phone up to your right ear, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Are there biosocial origins for antisocial behavior?
An assistant professor at Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice is working to unlock the mysteries surrounding the role that genetics and environmental influences play on criminal and antisocial behavior.
New study shows minority toddlers with autism are more delayed than affected Caucasian peers
The first prospective study of ethnic differences in the symptoms of autism in toddlers shows that children from a minority background have more delayed language, communication and gross motor skills than Caucasian children with the disorder. Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute concluded that subtle developmental delays may be going unaddressed in minority toddlers until more severe symptoms develop.
Environmental pollutant linked with overweight
The levels of the environmental pollutant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that mothers had in their blood during pregnancy increased the risk of obesity in their daughters at 20 years of age. The findings come from a recent study of Danish women in which the Norwegian Institute of Public Health participated.
Cell energy sensor mechanism discovered: Studies linked to better understanding of cancer drugs
Johns Hopkins and National Taiwan University researchers have discovered more details about how an energy sensing "thermostat" protein determines whether cells will store or use their energy reserves.
Stronger intestinal barrier may prevent cancer in the rest of the body, new study suggests
A leaky gut may be the root of some cancers forming in the rest of the body, a new study published online Feb. 21 in PLoS ONE by Thomas Jefferson University researchers suggests.
A mechanism to improve learning and memory
There are a number of drugs and experimental conditions that can block cognitive function and impair learning and memory. However, scientists have recently shown that some drugs can actually improve cognitive function, which may have implications for our understanding of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The new research is reported 21 February in the open-access journal PLoS Biology.
New discovery in fight against Huntington's disease
Researchers at National University of Ireland Galway have made a significant scientific discovery in the fight against Huntington's disease. The novel findings are published 21 February in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology.
Specially-bred mice help target an annual outbreak: the flu
As part of a national collaboration, Oregon Health & Science University researchers are studying specially bred mice that are more like humans than ever before when it comes to genetic variation. Through these mice, the researchers hope to better understand and treat an infectious disease that plagues us year in and year out: the flu.
Revising the 'textbook' on liver metabolism offers new targets for diabetes drugs
A team led by researchers from the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (IDOM) at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, has overturned a "textbook" view of what the body does after a meal. The study appears online this week in Nature Medicine, in advance of print publication.
Study finds some insulin production in long-term Type 1 diabetes
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research has found that insulin production may persist for decades after the onset of type 1 diabetes. Beta cell functioning also appears to be preserved in some patients years after apparent loss of pancreatic function. The study results appear in the March issue of Diabetes Care.
A breakthrough in understanding the biology and treatment of ovarian cancer
Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania have discovered that the presence and integrity of the opioid growth factor receptor (OGFr), which mediates the inhibitory action of opioid growth factor (OGF) on cell proliferation, is a key to understanding the progression and treatment of human ovarian cancer. Transplantation of human ovarian cancer cells that were molecularly engineered to have a reduced expression of OGFr, into immunocompromised mice resulted in ovarian tumors that grew rapidly. This discovery, reported in the February 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, provides fresh new insights into the pathogenesis and therapy of a lethal cancer that is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in the USA, and has a death rate that is unchanged for over 75 years.
High blood homocysteine levels are not linked with coronary heart disease
A comprehensive study in this week's PLoS Medicine shows levels of the amino acid, homocysteine, have no meaningful effect on the risk of developing coronary heart disease, closing the door on the previously suggested benefits of lowering homocysteine with folate acid once and for all.
Preventing and treating drug use with smartphones
Clinical researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) are combining an innovative constellation of technologies such as artificial intelligence, smartphone programming, biosensors and wireless connectivity to develop a device designed to detect physiological stressors associated with drug cravings and respond with user-tailored behavioral interventions that prevent substance use. Preliminary data about the multi-media device, called iHeal, was published online first in the Journal of Medical Toxicology.
Tuberculosis researchers find answer to 30-year-old puzzle
(Medical Xpress) -- After three decades of searching, the random screening of a group of compounds against the bacterium that causes tuberculosis has led scientists to a eureka discovery that breaks through the fortress that protects the bacterium and allows it to survive and persist against treatments.
CDC study suggests H3N2 swine virus may have pandemic potential
(Medical Xpress) -- A CDC study led by microbiologist Terrence Tumpey has found that the H3N2 virus that infected several people in the United States last year, may have more pandemic potential than has been thought. The study is based on research conducted by the CDC on ferrets. The team has published the results of their study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Reformulated imatinib eliminates morphine tolerance in lab studies
By reformulating the common cancer drug imatinib (Gleevec), researchers have eliminated morphine tolerance in rats – an important step toward improving the effectiveness of chronic pain management in patients, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Blocking telomerase kills cancer cells but provokes resistance, progression
Inhibiting telomerase, an enzyme that rescues malignant cells from destruction by extending the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, kills tumor cells but also triggers resistance pathways that allow cancer to survive and spread, scientists report in the Feb. 17 issue of Cell.
'Stealth' properties of cancer-causing genetic mutations identified
Scientists have discovered that cancer-causing genetic mutations have better-disguised electronic signatures than other mutations - a trait which could help them fly under the radar of the body's defence mechanisms.
The molecular basis of touch sensation: New function of a well-known gene identified
A gene known to control lens development in mice and humans is also crucial for the development of neurons responsible for mechanosensory function, as neurobiologists of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have now discovered.
A step forward in effort to regenerate damaged nerves
The carnage evident in disasters like car wrecks or wartime battles is oftentimes mirrored within the bodies of the people involved. A severe wound can leave blood vessels and nerves severed, bones broken, and cellular wreckage strewn throughout the body – a debris field within the body itself.
Scientists unlock evolutionary secret of blood vessels
The ability to form closed systems of blood vessels is one of the hallmarks of vertebrate development. Without it, humans would be closer to invertebrates (think mollusks) in design, where blood simply washes through an open system to nourish internal organs. But vertebrates evolved closed circulation systems designed to more effectively carry blood to organs and tissues.
Cocaine and the teen brain: Study offers insights into addiction
When first exposed to cocaine, the adolescent brain launches a strong defensive reaction designed to minimize the drug's effects, Yale and other scientists have found. Now two new studies by a Yale team identify key genes that regulate this response and show that interfering with this reaction dramatically increases a mouse's sensitivity to cocaine.
Anticipation of stressful situations accelerates cellular aging
The ability to anticipate future events allows us to plan and exert control over our lives, but it may also contribute to stress-related increased risk for the diseases of aging, according to a study by UCSF researchers.
Neuroscientists identify how the brain works to select what we (want to) see
If you are looking for a particular object — say a yellow pencil — on a cluttered desk, how does your brain work to visually locate it?
Biology news
Toying with biological systems
Bacteria don’t normally take photographs. Nor do they attack tumor cells or produce chemicals. But with some help from biological engineer Chris Voigt, they can do all that and more.
Quality of life of obese dogs improves when they lose weight
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have found that overweight dogs that lose weight have an improved quality of life compared to those that don’t.
UA pursues links between worms and their bacteria
The NemaSym Research Coordination Network is an opportunity for scientists to collaborate on nematode research.
'Texting cow' technology boost for farmers
A smart collar which closely monitors the health of cows and sends the results back to farmers using mobile phone technology is being developed as part of a three-year-project co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board.
New York eyes shark fin trade ban
A group of New York legislators on Tuesday unveiled a draft law banning trade in shark fins, saying the practice, which serves the market for Chinese shark fin soup, was decimating the ocean predators.
Maize hybrid looks promising for biofuel
Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have identified a new contender in the bioenergy race: a temperate and tropical maize hybrid. Their findings, published in GCB Bioenergy, show that the maize hybrid is potentially capable of producing ethanol from biomass (plant material used for biofuel production) at levels equal to or greater than ethanol produced from grain harvested from current commercial maize hybrids.
Science overturns view of humans as naturally 'nasty'
Biological research increasingly debunks the view of humanity as competitive, aggressive and brutish, a leading specialist in primate behavior told a major science conference Monday.
New wheat varieties resist global wheat threat
(PhysOrg.com) -- Innovative techniques in wheat breeding are necessary to meet the needs of the world's growing population and overcome environmental challenges, said Ravi Singh at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting, Feb. 16-20, in Vancouver, Canada.
New species of sea snake discovered
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have discovered a new species of sea snake in the Gulf of Carpenteria, northern Australia, which is unique in having raised scales.
New species of bat found in Vietnam
A distinctive echolocation frequency led to the discovery of a new species of bat within the genus Hipposideros. Although this bat is similar to the species Hipposideros armiger, differences in acoustics, size, and DNA between these bats led to the identification of the new species. This new member of the bat community, which has been found in two locations in Vietnam, has been given the scientific name Hipposideros griffini.
Wildlife and cows can be partners, not enemies, in search for food
(PhysOrg.com) -- Princeton University researchers are leading an effort to put to pasture the long-held convention of cattle ranching that wild animals compete with cows for food.
Trapped in a ring: Ring-like protein complex helps ensure accurate protein production
In fairy tales, magic rings endow their owners with special abilities: the ring makes the wearer invisible, fulfils his wishes, or otherwise helps the hero on the path to his destiny. Similarly, a ring-like structure found in a protein complex called 'Elongator' has led researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) in Strasbourg, France, in exciting new directions. Published today in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, the first three-dimensional structure of part of this complex provides new clues to its tasks inside the cell and to its role in neurodegenerative diseases.
Irish mammals under serious threat from 'invasional meltdown'
Some of Ireland's oldest inhabitants are facing serious threat and possible extinction because of foreign species, according to researchers at Queen's University.
Rare fungus kills endangered rattlesnakes in southern Illinois
A small population of rattlesnakes that already is in decline in southern Illinois faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report. The finding matches reports of rattlesnake deaths in the northeast United States.
Coral-eating sea star invaders turn out to be locals
Researchers at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR), organized research units in the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, and Rutgers University have disproven the secondary outbreak hypothesis in the Central Pacific.
Honeycomb structure responsible for bacteria's extraordinary sense
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cornell researchers have peered into the complex molecular network of receptors that give one-celled organisms like bacteria the ability to sense their environment and respond to chemical changes as small as 1 part in 1,000.
Big, bad bacterium is an 'iron pirate'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Life inside the human body sometimes looks like life on the high seas in the 1600s, when pirates hijacked foreign vessels in search of precious metals.
Soil bacteria and pathogens share antibiotic resistance genes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Disease-causing bacteria’s efforts to resist antibiotics may get help from their distant bacterial relatives that live in the soil, new research at Washington University School of Medicine suggests.
MRSA in livestock acquired drug resistance on the farm, now infects humans
Researchers have discovered that a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria that humans contract from livestock was originally a human strain, but it developed resistance to antibiotics once it was picked up by farm animals. The findings, which appear in the online journal mBio on Tuesday, February 21, illustrate a very close link between antibiotic use on the farm and potentially lethal human infections.
Ant colonies remember rivals' odor and compete like sports fans
A new study led by the University of Melbourne has shown that weaver ants share a collective memory for the odour of ants in rival nests, and use the information to identify them and compete, similar to how sports fans know each other instantly by their unique colours.
Caught in the act: Study discovers microbes speciating
Not that long ago in a hot spring in Kamchatka, Russia, two groups of genetically indistinguishable microbes decided to part ways. They began evolving into different species – despite the fact that they still encountered one another in their acidic, boiling habitat and even exchanged some genes from time to time, researchers report. This is the first example of what the researchers call sympatric speciation in a microorganism.
Plant toughness: Key to cracking biofuels?
Along with photosynthesis, the plant cell wall is one of the features that most set plants apart from animals. A structural molecule called cellulose is necessary for the manufacture of these walls. Cellulose is synthesized in a semi-crystalline state that is essential for its function in the cell wall function, but the mechanisms controlling its crystallinity are poorly understood. New research from a team including current and former Carnegie scientists David Ehrhardt (Carnegie), Ryan Gutierrez (Carnegie), Chris Somerville (U.C. Berkeley), Seth Debolt (U. Kentucky), Dario Bonetta (U. Ontario) and Jose Estevez (U. de Buenos Aires) reveals key information about this process, as well as a means to reduce cellulose crystallinity, which is a key stumbling block in biofuels development. Their work is published online by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences for the week of February 20-24.
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