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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 25, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Intel roadmap leaked for SoC with Ivy Bridge graphics- ISS crew takes shelter to avoid passing space junk
- A double ring ceremony prepares telomerase RNA to wed its protein partner
- Scientists link chromosome length to heart disease risk
- Single molecules in a quantum movie
- Inner weapons against allergies: Gut bacteria control allergic diseases
- A hidden architecture: Researchers use novel methods to uncover gene mutations for common diseases
- Genetics of flu susceptibility: Researchers find gene that can transform mild influenza to a life-threatening disease
- Scientists identify novel pathway for T-cell activation in leprosy
- IAI's military robot acts like barber in charity role
- Patent requests in Europe reach record in 2011
- Work on Africa's biggest wind farm in Kenya to begin
- Cell therapy using patient's own bone marrow may present option for heart disease
- Materials inspired by Mother Nature: A 1-pound boat that could float 1,000 pounds
Space & Earth news
Court orders FDA action on antibiotic use on farms
(AP) -- A federal court judge has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to take action on its own 35-year-old rule that would stop farmers from mixing popular antibiotics into animal feed, a practice which is widely believed to have led to a surge in dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria.
Director James Cameron to take record-setting plunge
"Titanic" director James Cameron could dive as early as this weekend to the deepest place on Earth, further than any other human has on a solo mission, so long as the weather cooperates.
Weather records due to climate change: A game with loaded dice
The past decade has been one of unprecedented weather extremes. Scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany argue that the high incidence of extremes is not merely accidental. From the many single events a pattern emerges. At least for extreme rainfall and heat waves the link with human-caused global warming is clear, the scientists show in a new analysis of scientific evidence in the journal Nature Climate Change. Less clear is the link between warming and storms, despite the observed increase in the intensity of hurricanes.
ISS crew takes shelter to avoid passing space junk
A piece of an old Russian satellite whizzed by the International Space Station on Saturday, forcing its six-member crew to temporarily take shelter in two Soyuz escape capsules, officials said.
Technology news
Senators ask feds to probe requests for passwords
(AP) -- Two U.S. senators are asking Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether employers asking for Facebook passwords during job interviews are violating federal law, their offices announced Sunday.
Facebook takes steps to address privacy concerns
(AP) -- Facebook has taken steps in recent days to address more worries about privacy, warning employers not to ask prospective employees for their passwords and trying to clarify its user "rights and responsibilities" policies.
Facebook buys IBM patents
Facebook confirmed Friday that it has added a trove of IBM patents to its arsenal on an increasingly lawsuit-strewn technology battlefield.
Africans consumers targeted as key by electronics firms
From solar-powered lights to televisions that can withstand power blackouts, electronics mega-firms are wooing African consumers with products that target local, often challenging, environments.
Work on Africa's biggest wind farm in Kenya to begin
The construction of what is to become Africa's biggest wind farm will start by June in an arid region of northern Kenya, the project's officials said on Saturday.
Patent requests in Europe reach record in 2011
Patent requests in the Europe reached a record high in 2011, in a telling sign that companies are determined to stay on the cutting edge despite a debt crisis and an uncertain economy.
Medicine & Health news
South Africa launches plan to curb rampant TB in gold mines
South Africa on Saturday launched a plan to diagnose tuberculosis in the country's gold mines, where the disease's incidence is the highest in the world.
Public camps at US high court for health hearing
A dozen people camped out in front of the US Supreme Court overnight into Saturday to make sure they would get a first glimpse of a historic hearing into the president's health reform law next week.
Aide says Cheney had heart transplant
(AP) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney had a heart transplant Saturday, after five heart attacks over the past 25 years and countless medical procedures to keep him going. Cheney, 71, waited nearly two years for his new heart, the gift of an unknown donor.
Nepal 'werewolf' family to be treated in Kathmandu
A family suffering from a rare genetic condition in which hair grows all over the face arrived in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu on Sunday for treatment of their "werewolf-like" appearance.
Rejecting 'Obamacare' would be 'grave and profound'
Neal Katyal, who as acting US Solicitor General defended the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's flagship health reform in lower courts, has warned in an interview with AFP of "grave" and "profound" consequences if the Supreme Court accepts a challenge to the law.
Interventional radiology: Mitigating symptoms, improving quality of life of MS patients
Researchers report that performing angioplasty (a treatment that involves temporarily inserting and blowing up a tiny balloon inside a clogged artery to help widen it) on veins in the neck and chest is safe—and may be an effective way to treat the venous abnormalities found in those with multiple sclerosis and provide symptom relief. The findings were presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Interventional radiologists see 'significant' symptom relief in MS patients
Researchers who investigated the connection between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (a reported condition characterized as a blockage in the veins that drain blood from the brain and spinal cord and returns it to the heart) and multiple sclerosis indicate that a minimally invasive endovascular treatment for CCSVI, is safe and may produce "significant," short-term improvement in physical- and mental health-related quality of life in individuals with MS. These findings were presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Minimally invasive treatment for ruptured aneurysm: Safe, reduces mortality
A burst aneurysm (a local area of bulge) in the abdominal aorta—the largest blood vessel in the body -- is a deadly condition. In fact, about half of these patients don't make it to the hospital in time. Those who do more often than not face open surgery to repair the blood vessel. This study finds that a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment for ruptured aneurysms called endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is safer than open surgical repair and is associated with lower mortality rates, say researchers Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Lower dosage CT-guided lung biopsy protocol maintains quality, minimizes exposure
New guidelines for CT-guided biopsies of lung nodules significantly reduce radiation exposure allowing individuals the benefit of the procedure, which may cut down on overall lung cancer deaths. This research is being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Interventional radiology: Potential breakthrough to treat men's enlarged prostate
A new interventional radiology treatment, prostatic artery embolization, may bring hope to men with debilitating symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, say the group of researchers who pioneered its use. The findings were presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Transneuronal spread model fits neurodegenerative disease
(HealthDay) -- Neurodegenerative diseases may be characterized by specific regions of the brain that are critical network epicenters, with disease-related vulnerability associated with shorter paths to the epicenter and greater total connectional flow, according to a study published in the March 22 issue of Neuron.
Complications in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention tend to occur within first 30 days
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty or angioplasty, is a procedure used to treat acute coronary syndromes. PCI involves opening a blocked blood vessel by threading and inflating a balloon-tipped tube into the vessel. Sometimes a stent is also inserted to keep the blood vessel open.
Tears during coronary angioplasty: Where are they and how do they affect patient outcomes?
Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital discovered that blockages in the right coronary artery and those in bending areas of the coronary artery are the most common places for dissection, a tear in the artery that can occur during balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries.
Study examines treatment of heart failure with bone marrow cells
Use of a patient's bone marrow cells for treating chronic ischemic heart failure did not result in improvement on most measures of heart function, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific sessions.
Merck blood thinner shows mixed results: study
An experimental blood thinning drug made by the pharmaceutical giant Merck may reduce the risk of dying from a heart attack but also boosts the danger of internal bleeding, researchers said Saturday.
Nuclear medicine: a vital but troubled industry
Life begins at 40, but not for a small and ageing fleet of nuclear reactors vital for millions of life-saving medical procedures each year and using material that could go in an atomic bomb.
Popcorn: the snack with even higher antioxidant levels than fruits and vegetables
Popcorn's reputation as a snack food that's actually good for health popped up a few notches today as scientists reported that it contains more of the healthful antioxidant substances called "polyphenols" than fruits and vegetables. They spoke at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, being held here this week.
Diabetes associated with higher risk of cardiovascular problems in men
According to a new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), men with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were at higher risk for major cardiovascular events (e.g., death, heart attack, stroke) compared with men who had a history of CVD.
Significant mismatch between PCI capable-hospitals and need
There is an imbalance between the rapid growth of cardiac catheterization laboratories, which provide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, relative to the growth in the overall U.S. population, as well as patients who experience an acute heart attack, or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to a study presented March 25 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.
Large-scale, community-wide preventive initiative dramatically impacts cardiovascular risk profile
A population-wide community and clinical prevention program involving 10,000 adults meaningfully reduced the cardiovascular (CV) risk profile among a substantial portion of the population as indicated by those participating in screenings. Findings also indicate the level of improvements differ by gender for specific cardiovascular risk factors. The results will be presented March 25 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.
Researchers discover first-ever link between tiny genetic structures, imminent heart attack risk
Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute have, for the first time ever, made a connection between tiny genetic molecules called microRNAs and the imminent threat of a heart attack, according to a new study.
Some 90-year-old heart attack patients have 'excellent' outcomes with coronary stenting
Selected patients 90 years and older who experience an acute heart attack, or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), have reasonable outcomes with coronary stenting, and should be considered for reperfusion therapy, based on a scientific poster being presented at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.
Intervention results in increased use of evidence-based medications for patients with acute coronary syndrome
Among patients with acute coronary syndromes (such as heart attack or unstable angina) treated at public hospitals in Brazil, implementation of a multifaceted intervention that included educational materials, checklists and reminders resulted in improvement in the use of evidence-based medicines during the first 24 hours of hospitalization, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's annual scientific sessions.
Cell therapy using patient's own bone marrow may present option for heart disease
Cell therapy may present an option for patients with ischemic heart disease to use their own bone marrow cells to repair the damaged areas of their hearts, and may pave the way for future treatment options, according to the FOCUS trial, which will be presented as a late-breaking clinical trial March 24 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.
Scientists identify novel pathway for T-cell activation in leprosy
UCLA researchers pinpointed a new mechanism that potently activates T-cells, the group of white blood cells that play a major role in fighting infections.
Genetics of flu susceptibility: Researchers find gene that can transform mild influenza to a life-threatening disease
A genetic finding could help explain why influenza becomes a life-threating disease to some people while it has only mild effects in others. New research led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has identified for the first time a human gene that influences how we respond to influenza infection.
A hidden architecture: Researchers use novel methods to uncover gene mutations for common diseases
Human geneticists have long debated whether the genetic risk of the most common medical conditions derive from many rare mutations, each conferring a high degree of risk in different people, or common differences throughout the genome that modestly influence risk.
Inner weapons against allergies: Gut bacteria control allergic diseases
When poet Walt Whitman wrote that we "contain multitudes," he was speaking metaphorically, but he was correct in the literal sense. Every human being carries over 100 trillion individual bacterial cells within the intestine -- ten times more cells than comprise the body itself.
Scientists link chromosome length to heart disease risk
No one really wants the short end of the stick, in this case the short end of a chromosome. Telomeres, which are DNA-protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes, can be thought of as protein "caps" that protect chromosomes from deteriorating and fusing with neighboring chromosomes.
Biology news
Worm scanning speeds research
Scientists from The University of Queensland's School of Biological Sciences have developed a simplified, cheaper, all-purpose method they say can be used by scientists around the globe to more easily count the blind worms (Caenorhabditis elegans or C.elegans).
A double ring ceremony prepares telomerase RNA to wed its protein partner
Few molecules are more interesting than DNA—except of course RNA. After two decades of research, that "other macromolecule" is no longer considered a mere messenger between glamorous DNA and protein-synthesizing machines. We now know that RNA has been leading a secret life, regulating gene expression and partnering with proteins to form catalytic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes.
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