Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 5, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- LED's efficiency exceeds 100%- Why we've got the cosmological constant all wrong
- Spider silk conducts heat as well as metals, study finds
- Computer simulations suggest graphynes may be even more useful than graphene
- A traffic jam of quantum particles
- Study supports theory of extraterrestrial impact
- Smart, self-healing hydrogels open new possibilities in medicine, engineering
- Researchers gain new insight into prefrontal cortex activity
- The Earth's new water budget
- Snakes around world evolve along similar path of poison resistance say biologists
- Study: Demise of large animals caused by both man and climate change
- New Alzheimer's marker strongly predicts mental decline
- Researchers announce new advance in body 'chemical switch' study
- Scientists search for source of creativity: Calling it a 'right brain' phenomenon is too simple, researchers say
- Making memories: How one protein does it
Space & Earth news
Working models for the gravitational field of Phobos
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Despite decades of Martian exploration, we still know very little about Phobos. Many fundamental properties of this small potato-shaped body stay vague, for example, its gravitational field. SHI Xian and coauthors from Shanghai Astronomical Observatory and Technical University Berlin recently updated working models for the gravitational field of Phobos. Their work, entitled "Working models for the gravitational field of Phobos", was published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, 2012, Vol 55(2).
Sand layer plays a key role in protecting the underlying permafrost in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
The effect of sand layer on the ground temperature of permafrost is one of the unsolved scientific problems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the sand layers were found to play a key role in the protection of the underlying permafrost by the measured data, and this research work was published in Chinese Science Bulletin.
Characterization of winter organic aerosols in Beijing, China
Organic aerosol (OA) is a crucial component of atmospheric fine particles. To achieve a better understanding of the sources of OA is very significant for air pollution control. In the 2012, Vol 57(7) of Chinese Science Bulletin, a paper identified three main sources of submicron OA in Beijing winter of 2010 with a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. It provides a new effective strategy for moderating the fine particles pollution of Beijing.
UN scientists warn of increased groundwater demands due to climate change
Climate change has been studied extensively, but a new body of research guided by a San Francisco State University hydrologist looks beneath the surface of the phenomenon and finds that climate change will put particular strain on one of our most important natural resources: groundwater.
New insights into cloud formation
Clouds have a profound effect on the climate, but we know surprisingly little about how they form. Erika Sundén, researcher at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has studied how extremely small cloud particles can dispose of excess energy. This knowledge is necessary to understand processes in the atmosphere that affect global climate change.
New methods for better purification of wastewater
Before wastewater reaches recipient waters, nutrients must be removed in order to avoid eutrophication and large algal blooms, which may result in serious damage to animal and plant life. Robert Almstrand at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has shown in his thesis that better removal of nitrogen from wastewater can be achieved by providing the bacteria that purify the water with alternating high and low levels of nutrients.
Canadian ice hockey feels the heat
The future of Canadian outdoor ice hockey – a sport synonymous with the country's culture – is being threatened by anthropogenic climate change, new research suggests.
Ice dam collapses at Argentine glacier
An ice dam at Argentina's Perito Moreno glacier collapsed early Sunday, creating an impressive spectacle not seen since July 2008, although few tourists were actually awake to experience the moment.
Quake researchers warn of Tokyo's 'Big One'
A year on from one of the biggest earthquakes in recorded history, Japanese scientists are warning anew that Tokyo could soon be hit by a quake that will kill thousands and cause untold damage.
In Japan, seismic waves slower after rain, large earthquakes
An earthquake is first detected by the abrupt side-to-side jolt of a passing primary wave. Lagging only slightly behind are shear waves, which radiate out from the earthquake's epicenter and are seen at the surface as a rolling wave of vertical motion. Also known as secondary or S waves, shear waves cause the lifting and twisting motions that are particularly effective at collapsing surface structures. With their capacity to cause damage, making sense of anything that can influence shear wave vertical velocities is important from both theoretical and engineering perspectives.
How rainwater can meet clean-water needs
At a remote village called Bisate in the desperately poor nation of Rwanda, a clinic faced chronic shortages of water during the nation’s twice-yearly dry seasons. Sometimes there was simply not enough water available even for seriously dehydrated patients to drink, or for health workers to maintain basic standards of sanitation.
Engineers tuck nuSTAR in its nose cone
(PhysOrg.com) -- Technicians at Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California are placing the two halves of the rocket nose cone, or fairing, around NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), in preparation for its launch. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 21.
The snows of Mount Washington
"Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Close to the western summit there is the dried and frozen carcass of a leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that altitude." ---Ernest Hemingway, The Snows of Kilimanjaro
'Light meter in the sky' opens a window into the secret world of clouds
On a foggy spring morning, as experienced in parts of the UK over the past few days, looking to the horizon, it can be difficult to tell where the land ends and the sky begins. Now scientists at the University of Reading have found a new way to see inside and above clouds.
In forests, past disturbances obscure warming impacts
Past disturbances, such as logging, can obscure the effects of climate change on forest ecosystems. So reports a study just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper, exploring nitrogen dynamics, found that untangling climate impacts from other factors can be difficult, even when scientists have access to decades of data on a forest's environmental conditions.
A 'melted' moon makes for bad future landing sites
The miniature radio frequency (min-RF) radar instrument aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is revealing some interesting things about how impact melts form around craters on the Moon. Impacts produce a crater, ejecta (pulverized rock that is thrown around the crater), and melt. A lot is known about craters and ejecta, because they form such spectacular features on the planetary surfaces. But melt is a fairly minor component of the impact process, and so is not as easily observed. Relatively little is therefore known about impact melts. Now, new data from the mini-RF radar instrument is helping to fill this knowledge gap and also offering insight into future landing spots on the Moon.
Massive fireball witnessed over the UK by countless observers
On the evening of March 3rd 2012 at approximately 21:40 GMT, an incredibly bright fireball/bollide was seen over the United kingdom.
Weathering of rocks impacts climate change
Chemical weathering of rocks by carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater has never been taken into account in models of future climate change so far. However, researchers from the Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, in collaboration with the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement and the University of Bergen (Norway), have now demonstrated its sensitivity: the higher the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, the more powerful the carbon sink, which accelerates the dissolution of rocks. The study suggests that this mechanism should be incorporated into any models of future climate change. The research is published in the journal Nature Climate Change dated March 2012.
SpaceX completes important 'wet dress' rehearsal test for upcoming flight to space station
SpaceX successfully completed a key test of the Falcon 9 rocket that will fly the first commercial flight to the International Space Station. Called a ‘wet dress rehearsal,’ SpaceX brought the Falcon 9 "stack" with the Dragon capsule atop to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral on March 1, and loaded it with 76,000 gallons of highly refined kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel. Pre-liftoff operations were conducted as engineers went through a full count-down simulation, stopping at 5 seconds before ‘launch.’
Shortcuts costly when buying conservation from farmers: study
Farmers in the U.S. and the European Union receive billions of dollars in government subsidies each year to make changes in their operations that will improve the environment. However, a new study by Paul Armsworth, assistant professor in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, finds that these government programs may offer very poor value for money.
Final FACE harvest reveals increased soil carbon storage under elevated carbon dioxide
Elevated carbon dioxide concentrations can increase carbon storage in the soil, according to results from a 12-year carbon dioxide-enrichment experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Counting down to the Transit of Venus - our nearest exoplanet test-lab
(PhysOrg.com) -- Three months before the last transit of Venus this century, scientists are gathering at the Observatoire de Paris to finalise their observation plans in a workshop supported by the Europlanet Research Infrastructure and the EGIDE/PHC Sakura Program.
First study to measure value of marine spatial planning
The ocean is becoming an increasingly crowded place. New users, such as the wind industry, compete with existing users and interests for space and resources. With the federal mandate for comprehensive ocean planning made explicit in the National Ocean Policy, the need for the transparent evaluation of potential tradeoffs is now greater than ever.
New report questions hard-edged 'living shorelines' in estuaries
The increasing use of large breakwaters and other hard structures to reduce erosion in "living shorelines" along coastal estuaries may be no better for the environment than the ecologically harmful bulkheads they were designed to replace, according to a report this week by scientists at Duke and Western Carolina universities.
Singapore top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific: WWF
Affluent Singapore had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, conservation group WWF said Monday.
New date set for Europe's resupply mission to ISS
Flight controllers have set March 23 for the launch of a European supply ship to the International Space Station (ISS), the European Space Agency told AFP on Monday.
NASA satellites see Tropical Storm Irina getting loopy
Two NASA satellites have been measuring rainfall and cloud top temperatures in Tropical Storm as it has been "going loopy" in the Mozambique Channel over the last couple of days. Irina is making a cyclonic loop, something that a tropical cyclone does on occasion whenever there are a couple of weather systems that push it in different directions.
Launch madness at Wallops in March - '5 in 5'
Launch madness will hit the east coast in March as NASA launches five rockets in approximately five minutes to study the high-altitude jet stream from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Researchers challenge study on hydrofracking's gas footprint
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Cornell study's contention that hydraulic fracturing would be worse for climate change than burning coal is being challenged by another study, also by Cornell researchers.
Possible water in the atmosphere of a super-Earth
A "super-Earth" is an exoplanet (a planet around another star) whose mass is between about two and ten Earth-masses. Planets larger than this are closer to Uranus and Neptune in size (and perhaps in other physical properties as well). The category of "super-Earth" currently refers only to the mass of the object, and not to its radius, its orbital distance from the star, its surface temperature, or its atmospheric properties, although naturally astronomers are working hard to identify super-Earths that might offer clues about the Earth in these features. Of the 576 exoplanets whose basic parameters are currently approximately known, there are 36 in the super-Earth category.
Antlia dwarf galaxy peppers the sky with stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- The myriad faint stars that comprise the Antlia Dwarf galaxy are more than four million light-years from Earth, but this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image offers such clarity that they could be mistaken for much closer stars in our own Milky Way. This very faint and sparsely populated small galaxy was only discovered in 1997.
Flying through a geomagnetic storm
Glowing green and red, shimmering hypnotically across the night sky, the aurora borealis is a wonder to behold. Longtime sky watchers say it is the greatest show on Earth.
The Earth's new water budget
Investigating the history of water on Earth is critical to understanding the planet's climate. One central question is whether Earth has always had the same amount of water on and surrounding it, the same so-called "water budget". Has Earth gained or lost water from comets and meteorites? Has water been lost into space? New research into the Earth's primordial oceans conducted by researchers at the Natural History Museum of Denmark at the University of Copenhagen and Stanford University revisits Earth's historical water budget. The results have just been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal.
Space weather: Explosions on Venus
In the grand scheme of the solar system, Venus and Earth are almost the same distance from the sun. Yet the planets differ dramatically: Venus is some 100 times hotter than Earth and its days more than 200 times longer. The atmosphere on Venus is so thick that the longest any spacecraft has survived on its surface before being crushed is a little over two hours. There's another difference, too. Earth has a magnetic field and Venus does not – a crucial distinction when assessing the effects of the sun on each planet.
Study supports theory of extraterrestrial impact
A 16-member international team of researchers that includes James Kennett, professor of earth science at UC Santa Barbara, has identified a nearly 13,000-year-old layer of thin, dark sediment buried in the floor of Lake Cuitzeo in central Mexico. The sediment layer contains an exotic assemblage of materials, including nanodiamonds, impact spherules, and more, which, according to the researchers, are the result of a cosmic body impacting Earth.
Technology news
Making surveillance cameras more efficient
A University of California, Riverside professor has recently co-authored a book about his surveillance camera research that has applications in everything from homeland security, environmental monitoring and home monitoring.
Fujitsu introduces next-generation multimode, multiband transceiver IC for 2G/3G/4G mobile products
Fujitsu Semiconductor today introduced the MB86L11A, the company’s next-generation, single-chip 2G/3G/4G transceiver. The multiband, multimode device supports all modes, including LTE (FDD and TDD), HSPA+, WCDMA, GSM, EDGE, EDGE-EVO, CDMA, and TD-SCDMA. Sampling of the MB86L11A will begin in Q2 2012.
Power hungry: The nation's energy grid is on the Department of Homeland Security's mind
The nation's electric grid isn't something most of us think about very often, except when an event such as the infamous 2003 blackout in the northeast takes place.
New Fujitsu V series FRAMs deliver optimal design flexibility
Fujitsu Semiconductor America (FSA) today extended its growing portfolio of Ferroelectric memory products with the introduction of a new Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FRAM) product series that features a wide voltage range of 3.0V to 5.5V, offering significant design flexibility for consumer and industrial applications.
'Authentication Outlet': Electricity use can be managed, consumed on a per-user and per-device basis
In recent years, the situation surrounding the supply of electricity and energy has changed significantly, and this has raised social concern over the impact of such supply on the global environment and our lives.
Saving fuel on the buses
Bus and truck companies could cut their fuel bills by more than 7% simply by training their drivers on more efficient driving techniques and offering a financial reward to those who improve fuel economy. A study published in the International Journal of Sustainable Society, suggests that training and financial reward improves efficiency by 7.3% whereas training or reward alone leads to about 5% savings.
Lady Gaga tops 20 million followers on Twitter
Pop diva Lady Gaga has become the first person with more than 20 million followers on Twitter.
Anonymous blocks Peru's high-tech police website
The vigilante Internet hackers called Anonymous blocked the website of Peru's police who fight against computer crime, a officials said Monday.
NREL, UCLA certify world record for polymer solar cell efficiency
Scientists boosted the significance of tandem polymer solar cells by successfully testing cells with low-bandgap polymers that achieved certified conversion efficiencies of 8.62 ± 0.3% with respect to standard terrestrial reporting conditions.
Fuel for thought
Like a lot of economists, Christopher Knittel entered college with career plans in mind. Unlike a lot of economists, Knittel had plans that involved baseball. At California State University at Stanislaus, Knittel was good enough to make the team as a second baseman. But during his freshman season, reality sank in.
New revenue model elusive for US papers: study
US newspapers are searching for a new revenue model in an era of falling circulation, declining print advertising dollars and free online competition.
Bankruptcy threat to iPad trademark challenger
(AP) -- A major creditor of Proview Electronics, which is challenging Apple Inc.'s use of the iPad trademark, has moved to have the ailing computer monitor maker liquidated, reports said Monday.
Abu Dhabi gets full ownership of chip manufacturer
(AP) -- A microchip manufacturer controlled by the Abu Dhabi government says it has reached an agreement to acquire a minority stake held by former owner Advanced Micro Devices.
German IT sector in bullish mood at world's top tech fair
The German IT sector headed into the world's biggest high-tech fair in bullish mood, seeing record sales in 2012 ahead of the event's inauguration Monday by the leaders of Germany and Brazil.
Head for the clouds, feet firmly on the ground
Computer engineers in the US writing in the International Journal of Communication Networks and Distributed Systems have reviewed the research literature to get a clear picture of cloud computing, its adoption, use and the security issues it faces.
Chinese downloads 25 billionth Apple app
Apple announced Monday said that downloads from its App store had hit 25 billion, with a person in eastern China grabbing a $10,000 prize for taking the tally to the landmark level.
Is seaweed the future of biofuel?
As scientists continue the hunt for energy sources that are safer, cleaner alternatives to fossil fuel, an ever-increasing amount of valuable farmland is being used to produce bioethanol, a source of transportation fuel. And while land-bound sources are renewable, economists and ecologists fear that diverting crops to produce fuel will limit food resources and drive up costs.
Advanced radiation sensor reveals material composition within a second
At the Micro and Nano Laboratory in Gaustadbekkdalen in Oslo, Sweden, scientists have created one of the most advanced radiation sensors in the world: an X-ray detector that can reveal the composition of materials in a fraction of a second.
US prosecutors file for extradition of Kim Dotcom
(AP) -- Federal prosecutors in the United States have filed papers in New Zealand seeking the extradition of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and three of his colleagues, whom they accuse of making a fortune by helping Internet users share files illegally.
Two UK accused of stealing Jackson music from Sony
(AP) -- Two men have been charged in Britain with hacking into Sony Music's computers and stealing music, the company and British police said Monday. A person familiar with the situation said the hackers had obtained unreleased Michael Jackson tracks.
Yahoo! to lay off 'thousands': report
Yahoo! is preparing to lay off thousands of workers in a sweeping restructuring being launched less than three months after CEO Scott Thompson took control, according to a report Monday.
Google boss lays out future vision at world's top tech fair
Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt cast a science-fiction vision of the future as the world's top tech fair opened Monday, with the German IT sector predicting record sales in 2012.
Mobile industry champions paying with phones
Paying with a mobile phone is gradually become a reality for consumers, with banks, telecommunications operators and Internet players all jumping in to offer payment options.
In Swiss city, 'augmented reality' is out of this world
A pair of Swiss policemen cast a suspicious eye as a creature in a space helmet with a camera mounted on top and carrying an astronaut's backpack wanders around Basel's St. Johann Park.
Internet muscles in on world's biggest IT fair
Internet players are set to make a big splash at the world's biggest IT fair opening in Germany Monday, likely to widen the event's appeal from a traditional devotion to pure technology.
A new direction for game controllers: Prototypes tug at thumb tips to enhance video gaming
University of Utah engineers designed a new kind of video game controller that not only vibrates like existing devices, but pulls and stretches the thumb tips in different directions to simulate the tug of a fishing line, the recoil of a gun or the feeling of ocean waves.
App turns tablet into math aid for visually impaired students (w/ video)
Without looking down, Kira runs her index finger across the screen of an Android tablet that she is holding in her lap. For the occasion, she has painted her fingernails bright pink. When her finger touches a line drawn on the screen, the tablet vibrates quietly. Scanning her finger back and forth and feeling the vibration come and go allows her to trace the line's path. When her finger reaches a pink dot, the tablet gives off an electronic tone and she grins delightedly.
Senator seeks US probe of smartphone privacy
A leading US senator called Monday for a government probe into whether smartphone applications used on the Apple and Android platforms can steal private data including photos and address books.
Hacker thieves targeted Anonymous allies: Symantec
Anonymous on Monday gave mixed reactions to a US computer security firm's report that backers of the notorious hacker group were suckered into downloading software that steals online banking information.
IBM making the Louvre Museum smarter
IBM on Monday revealed an alliance with the venerable Louvre Museum to use sensors, real-time data analysis and other Internet Age tools to make the museum smarter.
Iberdrola builds huge wind farm in US
Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has completed one of the world's biggest wind farms in the US state of Ohio, which will produce more than 300 megawatts of power, it said on Monday.
Medicine & Health news
Analyzing, and preventing, school shootings
Earlier this week, a teenager was accused of killing three high school students after he opened fire at Chardon High School in Ohio. Eric Madfis, a doctoral candidate in Northeastern’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and a research associate at the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, has been working with criminology expert and professor Jack Levin to complete his dissertation focused on school shootings. We asked Madfis to analyze this shooting, how it relates to past school shootings and how similar tragedies in the future might be prevented.
Problems with TGA transparency, says Australian study
The Therapeutic Goods Administration's record on medical device regulation lacks transparency according to research led by the University of Sydney.
Nurses' job satisfaction well below average
At a time of growing tensions in the nursing industry, a national survey has shown that poor job satisfaction and a lack of trust in management are widespread in the workforce.
Trauma study is first to show how cyclists are injured and killed on city streets
A study by researchers at Queen Mary, University of London and Barts and The London NHS Trust proves that HGVs pose the greatest risk of death and serious injury to cyclists.
Whole-body CT scans in trauma can prove but not exclude injuries
For assessing severe trauma, single-pass whole-body computed tomography (CT) can prove but not definitively exclude the presence of injuries and should be performed later than 30 minutes after admission to an emergency department for optimal results, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Difficult discussions now can ease difficult decisions later for patients with heart failure
Patients with advanced heart failure should have ongoing conversations with their healthcare providers to make informed decisions about treatment options that match their personal values, goals and preferences, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation.
Persistent depression linked with cognitive decline in older patients with coronary artery disease
Persistent depression symptoms may be associated with significantly greater declines in cognitive performance in older patients with coronary artery disease who underwent cardiac catheterization, according to a study published in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
New study launched investigating the impacts of personal genomic testing
As genetic risk information plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, private companies have made personal genomic testing for these risk factors widely available to the public. However, very little data has been gathered to understand the motivations and expectations of consumers of personal genomic services, the psychological and behavioral impact of these services, and the associated ethical, legal and social issues—until now. The Impact of Personal Genomics (PGen) Study, one of the first major studies to prospectively examine the impact of consumer genomics, is prepared to launch its data collection phase.
Government studies inconclusive on health impact of chemical contaminants at Fort Detrick, Md.
Two government-issued studies are unable to demonstrate whether people were harmed by groundwater contaminated with toxic pollutants from Area B of Fort Detrick, Md., says a new report by the National Research Council. Furthermore, it is unlikely that additional studies could establish a link, because data on early exposures were not collected and cannot be obtained or reliably estimated now, the report notes.
New approach to stroke therapy
LMU researchers developed a new strategy for the treatment of stroke, which could help to improve blood flow to ischemic brain. Strokes are due to a localized reduction in the blood supply to the brain, mainly due to the blockage of a vessel by a blood clot. This can lead to the death and irreversible loss of nerve cells. In about 90% of cases, no dedicated treatment is available that can effectively prevent serious damage following an acute stroke.
Barriers identified to pediatric advance care discussions
(HealthDay) -- Prognostic understanding and parental attitude are significant barriers to advance care discussions (ACD) for children with life-threatening conditions, according to a study published online March 5 in Pediatrics.
ACP releases new colorectal cancer screening guidance statement
The American College of Physicians (ACP) today issued a new guidance statement for colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women in the United States. The guidance statement and a patient summary appear in the March 6 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, published by ACP.
Stem cells can repair a damaged cornea
A new cornea may be the only way to prevent a patient going blind – but there is a shortage of donated corneas and the queue for transplantation is long. Scientists at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have for the first time successfully cultivated stem cells on human corneas, which may in the long term remove the need for donators.
Report suggests ways to improve health-care provider 'report cards'
As health care reform expands the use of "report cards" to grade health care providers, greater attention to reporting methods may be needed to assure the quality of such efforts, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Web-based support helps women with breast cancer
Every day 18 Swedish women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Although there is a real need for support and information, many women struggle and get lost in the deluge of information. In a study of 227 women, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have developed a web-based programme to guide patients all the way from diagnosis to rehabilitation.
Study highlights ways video games can be enhanced for older adults
Advances in technology have brought the video gaming experience closer to that of traditional physical games. Although systems, such as the Wii, that incorporate these features fly off the shelves, the increasingly complex technology may alienate certain segments of the population, including seniors. In their upcoming Ergonomics in Design article, "Putting Fun Into Video Games for Older Adults," authors Anne McLaughlin and colleagues conclude that even games for "all ages" do not adequately meet older adults' needs and suggest how game developers can increase the benefits while reducing the physical, cognitive, and affective costs of play.
Advice urges wider sharing of heart care decisions
(AP) -- A heart device might save your life but leave you miserable. That awful possibility is the reason for new advice urging doctors to talk more honestly with people who have very weak hearts and are considering pumps, pacemakers, new valves or procedures to open clogged arteries.
Children with asthma at higher risk for shingles: study
(HealthDay) -- Children with asthma have a higher risk for developing shingles -- a painful skin rash -- following infection with the herpes zoster virus, new research reveals.
First guidelines issued for getting people newly diagnosed with HIV disease into care
Leading AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins and other institutions around the world have issued new guidelines to promote entry into and retention in HIV care, as well as adherence to HIV treatment, drawn from the results of 325 studies conducted with tens of thousands of people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Keep smiling: Collagen matrix promotes gum healing around exposed roots
Receding gums often result in tooth sensitivity and can lead to decay of the root and persistent inflammation of the gum. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Head & Face Medicine demonstrates that a novel method using bovine collagen is able to enhance gum healing. This resulted in thicker margins around the tooth and, in over half the cases, complete coverage of exposed roots.
Heavy kids may not respond as well to asthma meds
(HealthDay) -- Overweight children may not respond as well to common asthma medicines known as inhaled corticosteroids, new research finds.
Many asthmatics do well on food-allergy tests, study finds
(HealthDay) -- People with asthma fare better on a type of food-allergy test called a "food challenge" than non-asthmatics, new research suggests.
Kids' abnormal breathing during sleep linked to increased risk for behavioral difficulties
A study of more than 11,000 children followed for over six years has found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing are prone to developing behavioral difficulties such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, as well as emotional symptoms and difficulty with peer relationships, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their study, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, published online today in the journal Pediatrics.
Nose spray for panic attacks?
(Medical Xpress) -- Max Planck researchers have succeeded in showing in experiments on mice that the anxiolytic substance neuropeptide S (NPS) can be absorbed through the nasal mucosa and unfold its effect in the brain. Having bound to its receptors, the neuropeptide S reaches particular neurons in the brain in this way. Just four hours after the administration of the drug, the tested mice showed less anxiety. Altered neuronal activity was also measured directly in the hippocampus, an important brain structure for learning and memory. These findings confirm that neuropeptide S is a promising new drug for the treatment of patients suffering from anxiety disorders.
Study suggest that conscious perception has little to do with the primary visual cortex
From a purely intuitive point of view, it is easy to believe that our ability to actively pay attention to a target is inextricably connected with our capacity to consciously perceive it. However, this proposition remains the subject of extensive debate in the research community, and surprising new findings from a team of scientists in Japan and Europe promise to fuel the debate.
Study shows dry storage a viable option for biospecimens
(Medical Xpress) -- A University of Colorado Cancer Center pilot study has discovered that the quality of dehydrated RNA from human cancer biospecimens compares favorably to those stored in ultra-low-temperature (minus-80 centigrade) freezers.
New automated system to kill bacteria in hospital water systems and taps
A team of Trinity College Dublin researchers has developed a fully automated system that eradicates bacterial contamination in hospital water tanks, distribution systems and taps. This type of contamination was linked to the recent tragic deaths of three babies in a Belfast Maternity Hospital. The findings will be published in the April edition of Journal of Hospital Infection and have just been published online.
Stress making your blood pressure rise? Blame your immune system
If stress is giving you high blood pressure, blame the immune system. T cells, helpful for fighting infections, are also necessary for mice to show an increase in blood pressure after a period of psychological stress, scientists have found.
How chemotherapy becomes more effective
Researchers from the University of Zurich have found a cellular brake that protects cancer cells from chemotherapy -- and they demonstrate which medication can be used to render it inoperative. Their study published in the journal Natural Structural and Molecular Biology provides the molecular basis for promising therapeutic advances.
Lasting T cell memories
The generation of new memories in the human immune system doesn't come at the cost of old ones, according to a study published on March 5th in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
A culprit behind brain tumor resistance to therapy
Persistent protein expression may explain why tumors return after therapy in glioblastoma patients, according to a study published on March 5th in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Younger children in the classroom likely overdiagnosed with ADHD
The youngest children in the classroom are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- and prescribed medication -- than their peers in the same grade, according to a study just published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Family members of ICU patients too optimistic when faced with grim prognoses
Family members of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) tend to be overly optimistic about the possibility of recovery despite being told that the prognosis is grim, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, reported in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, indicate that family members try to sustain hope and harbor beliefs that their loved one will defy medical odds.
Radiation still used despite evidence of little benefit to some older breast cancer patients
Even though a large clinical study demonstrated that radiation has limited benefit in treating breast cancer in some older women, there was little change in the use of radiation among older women in the Medicare program, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the March Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Children with mild traumatic brain injury appear more likely to have postconcussion symptoms
Children with mild traumatic brain injuries appear more likely to have persistent postconcussion symptoms, including cognitive complaints such as inattention and forgetfulness, which can affect quality of life, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Vitamin D intake may be associated with lower stress fracture risk in girls
Vitamin D may be associated with a lower risk of developing stress fractures in preadolescent and adolescent girls, especially among those very active in high-impact activities, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Risk for drug abuse in adopted children appears influenced by family, genetics
In a national Swedish adoption study, the risk for drug abuse appears to be increased among adopted children whose biological parents had a history of drug abuse, according to a report published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry.
Maternal use of SSRIs associated with fewer depressive symptoms, delayed fetal head growth
Treating pregnant women with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) appears to be associated with fewer depressive symptoms, reduced fetal head growth and a higher risk for preterm birth, but not with a delay in fetal body growth, according to a report published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Will a genetic mutation cause trouble? Ask Spliceman
In a brief paper in the journal Bioinformatics, Brown University researchers describe a new, freely available Web-based program called Spliceman for predicting whether genetic mutations are likely to disrupt the splicing of messenger RNA, potentially leading to disease.
Researchers ID gene behind primary cervical dystonia, a neck-twisting disorder
Researchers have identified a gene that causes adult-onset primary cervical dystonia, an often-painful condition in which patients' necks twist involuntarily. The discovery by a team from the Jacksonville, Fla., campus of Mayo Clinic and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center sheds light on a movement disorder that physicians previously could seldom explain. Their research appears in the Annals of Neurology.
Hyperactivity: Increased prevalence of children with ADHD and the use of stimulants
A new study from the Université de Montréal shows an increase in prevalence of Canadian children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in the use of medications associated with ADHD in school-age children.
New study finds quality-of-life discussions are important for ICU patients
A new study from Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing emphasizes the importance of having discussions related to quality of life before becoming critically ill.
Women happier in relationships when men feel their pain
Men like to know when their wife or girlfriend is happy while women really want the man in their life to know when they are upset, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.
Study finds intrauterine exposure to drugs does not affect academic achievement test scores
Researchers from Boston University Schools of Medicine (BUSM) and Public Health along with Boston Medical Center have found children's academic achievement test scores not affected by intrauterine exposure to cocaine, tobacco or marijuana. However, alcohol exposure in children who had no evidence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) did lead to lower scores in math reasoning and spelling even after controlling for other intrauterine substance exposures and contextual factors. These findings currently appear on-line in the journal of Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies.
Retinol supplementation may lower melanoma risk
(HealthDay) -- Retinol supplementation is associated with a lower risk of melanoma, according to research published online March 1 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Late preemie birth may be linked to higher asthma risk
(HealthDay) -- Babies born just a few weeks early appear to face a greater risk of developing asthma when compared with children born at full term, new research reveals.
Physicians order costly, redundant neuroimaging for stroke patients, study says
Neuroimaging for stroke patients may be unnecessarily costly and redundant, contributing to rising costs nationwide for stroke care, according to University of Michigan research.
School bullies more likely to be substance users, study finds
Middle- and high-school students who bully their classmates are more likely than others to use substances such as cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana, a new study found.
Discovery of a molecule that initiates maturation of mammalian eggs can lead to more IVF pregnancies
Women who have eggs that cannot mature will not become pregnant, and they cannot be helped by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Now researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have identified a molecule called Cdk1 that has an important function for mammalian egg maturation. In the future this could lead to an increased rate of successful IVF.
Perception and preference may have genetic link to obesity
About five years ago, animal studies first revealed the presence of entirely novel types of oral fat sensors or receptors on the tongue. Prior to this time, it was believed that fats were perceived only by flavor and texture cues. With this new information, "everything that we thought we knew about fat perception got turned on its head," said Beverly Tepper, a professor in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
Teaching about hearing can save young people's ears
Many adolescents frequently expose their ears to loud sounds, for example from portable music players. Some of them may think that 'the doctor said that my hearing is good, so I guess I can handle the loud volume'. A new doctoral thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows that research-based teaching in school can be used to positively change adolescents' awareness and behaviour.
New universal platform for cancer immunotherapy developed
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report this month in Cancer Research a universal approach to personalized cancer therapy based on T cells. It is the first time a system for making an adaptable, engineered T-cell to attack specific tumor types has been proposed, depending on which abnormal proteins, called antigens, are expressed by individual patients' tumor cells.
Tonsils make T cells, too, study shows
A new study provides evidence that a critical type of immune cell can develop in human tonsils. The cells, called T lymphocytes, or T cells, have been thought to develop only in the thymus, an organ of the immune system that sits on the heart.
New health concerns about 'fake pot' in US
A type of fake pot has raised new health concerns in the United States after at least three users were hospitalized for kidney failure, authorities in the western state of Wyoming said Monday.
Merck: FDA won't OK its combo cholesterol drug now
(AP) -- Federal regulators have rejected Merck & Co.'s new combination cholesterol drug, which includes a generic version of the mega-blockbuster Lipitor - at least for now.
Severe PMS may last longer than thought
(HealthDay) -- For years, women with the severe form of premenstrual syndrome known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) were told that their symptoms should subside the day menstruation begins.
Mouse study suggests vitamin E may weaken bones
(HealthDay) -- Vitamin E may stimulate cells that result in bone loss, a new study suggests.
New point of attack for breast cancer with poor prognosis
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research describe how the protein phosphatase SHP2 promotes breast cancer with poor prognosis. As they report in the latest issue of Nature Medicine, SHP2 is necessary for the maintenance of the few tumor initiating cells (TICs) in a breast tumor. These cells are thought to sustain the growth of the tumor, promote metastasis and lead to relapses.
Neuroscientist group finds daydreaming uses same parts of the brain as social skills
(Medical Xpress) -- A group of Australian neuroscientists have been reviewing the results of many studies done over the years regarding the parts of the brain that are thought to be used in different real world scenarios and have found that many of them appear to be involved when people go into what is called a default network - more commonly known as daydreaming, or running on auto-pilot. Their findings suggest, as they write in their paper published in Nature Reviews Neurology, that the default network is tied very closely with the same areas of the brain generally thought of as those used for social skills.
Using patients' own tumor-fighting cells to knock back advanced melanoma
A small, early-phase clinical trial to test the effectiveness of treating patients with advanced melanoma using billions of clones of their own tumor-fighting cells combined with a specific type of chemotherapy has shown that the approach has promise. One patient of the 11 experienced a long-term, complete remission that has lasted more than three years, and in four others with progressive disease, the melanoma temporarily stopped growing. The results of the study are published in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences for the week of March 5.
Scientists find new potential target for rheumatoid arthritis
Newcastle University scientists, in work funded by Arthritis Research UK, have discovered a new way of potentially treating rheumatoid arthritis. This works by preventing damaging white blood cells cells from entering the joints.
Next-generation DNA sequencing to improve diagnosis for muscular dystrophy
Scientists at The University of Nottingham have used a revolutionary new DNA-reading technology for a research project that could lead to correct genetic diagnosis for muscle-wasting diseases.
Researchers announce new advance in body 'chemical switch' study
Scientists investigating a 'biochemical switch' linked to strokes and heart disease claim to have made an advance in understanding how it is 'turned on'.
New Alzheimer's marker strongly predicts mental decline
A new marker of Alzheimer's disease can predict how rapidly a patient's memory and other mental abilities will decline after the disorder is diagnosed, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
Scientists search for source of creativity: Calling it a 'right brain' phenomenon is too simple, researchers say
It takes two to tango. Two hemispheres of your brain, that is.
Making memories: How one protein does it
Studying tiny bits of genetic material that control protein formation in the brain, Johns Hopkins scientists say they have new clues to how memories are made and how drugs might someday be used to stop disruptions in the process that lead to mental illness and brain wasting diseases.
Researchers gain new insight into prefrontal cortex activity
The brain has a remarkable ability to learn new cognitive tasks while maintaining previously acquired knowledge about various functions necessary for everyday life. But exactly how new information is incorporated into brain systems that control cognitive functions has remained a mystery.
Biology news
Arctic evolution leads to salmonella vaccine
Bacteria harvested from the frigid waters of the Arctic could be the key to a new type of temperature-sensitive vaccine. University of Victoria microbiology researcher Dr. Francis Nano has received Genome BC Proof-of-Concept funding to use that bacteria to develop a vaccine that will immunize chickens against Salmonella enterica.
WUSTL anthropologists' work prompts Republic of Congo to enlarge national park
Research by Washington University in St. Louis anthropologist Crickette Sanz, PhD, and colleague David Morgan, PhD, has spurred the Republic of Congo to enlarge its Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park boundaries to include the Goualougo Triangle.
Japan zoo hunts for escaped penguin
The hunt was on Monday for a penguin that scaled a sheer rock face to escape from a Tokyo zoo, and was last seen swimming in a river in the Japanese capital.
Pet bears to be returned to wild in Vietnam
Seven Asiatic black bears kept as pets in small cages will be prepared for a return to the wild in Vietnam after their owner decided they were too big for captivity, an official said Monday.
Flower study aids crop development
Warming autumn evenings are causing plants to flower faster than they used to, scientists have found.
Organic strawberries better pollinated
Organic cultivation methods not only benefit biodiversity; they also appear to have a positive effect on the ecosystem service pollination. In a study of strawberry plants in Skåne, the proportion of fully pollinated flowers was significantly higher on organic farms. This is shown in new research from Lund University in Sweden.
Plant neighbors 's(c)ent' to protect
People and animals are not the only ones who can smell. Plants are also able to perceive odors, but they process them in a very different way . While insects or mammals smell odors within a second of exposure, plants require much longer exposure times to respond. Then using this information, they react effectively to the odors emitted by infected or infested neighboring plants in order to increase their resistance to pest insects or disease. The new study by Sarai Giron-Calva, from the Department of Genetic Engineering at CINVESTAV-Irapuato in Mexico, and colleagues is published online in Springer's Journal of Chemical Ecology.
Unraveling biological networks
A new approach to disentangling the complexities of biological networks, such as the way in which proteins interact in our body's cells has been developed by researchers in China. The team's algorithm could allow biologists and biomedical researchers to unravel new clues about how cells work and what goes awry with such networks in various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
Seeing without eyes: Hydra stinging cells respond to light
In the absence of eyes, the fresh water polyp, Hydra magnipapillata, nevertheless reacts to light. They are diurnal, hunting during the day, and are known to move, looping end over end, or contract, in response to light. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Biology shows that stinging cells (cnidocytes) in hydra tentacles, which the animals use for self protection and to catch prey, are linked via a simple nervous system to primitive light responsive cells that co-ordinate the animals' feeding behavior.
Ant identification boosts blue butterflies
Scientists have developed a fast, cheap and reliable technique that vastly improves the chances of successfully reintroducing the endangered large blue butterfly to the UK.
Sawfishes sure can wield a saw (w/ video)
Sawfishes wouldn't be sawfishes if they didn't come equipped with long toothy snouts—their saws. Now, researchers reporting in the March 6 issue of Current Biology, have figured out what they use those saws for, and it turns out the answer is quite impressive. It might even help save the critically endangered and incredibly elusive sawfishes.
Study: Demise of large animals caused by both man and climate change
Past waves of extinctions which removed some of the world's largest animals were caused by both people and climate change, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. Their findings were reported today, 05 March, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Snakes around world evolve along similar path of poison resistance say biologists
(PhysOrg.com) -- Utah State University biologists have long studied varied species of North American garter snakes that have evolved an amazing resistance to a deadly neurotoxin found in innocuous-looking newts, a favorite food of the snakes.
Small dams, big impact on Mekong River fish: study
Plans to build hydropower dams along small branches of southeast Asia's longest river could have a devastating impact on millions of people who rely on the world's largest inland fishery, scientists said Monday.
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