Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 29, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Sand Flea robot is set to leap into reconnaissance (w/ video)- Novel filter metal-organic framework material could cut natural gas refining costs
- Ultrafast laser pulses shed light on elusive superconducting mechanism
- Physicists find patterns in new state of matter
- Modified microbes turn carbon dioxide to liquid fuel
- Brain wiring a no-brainer? Scans reveal astonishingly simple 3D grid structure
- Supercomputing the difference between matter and antimatter
- A star explodes, turns inside-out
- Plant research reveals new role for gene silencing DICER protein
- New study explains duality of longevity drug rapamycin
- Scientists reveal genetic mutation depicted in van Gogh's sunflower paintings
- First the smart phone, now the smart home: Digital technology on verge of tending to household tasks
- Scientists create compounds that dramatically alter biological clock and lead to weight loss
- When dinosaurs roamed a fiery landscape
- Scientists refine Earth's clock
Space & Earth news
Tracing arsenic threat to groundwater
In the driest inhabited continent on earth, underground water accounts for a large portion of Australia’s most precious resource – freshwater.
Rio Summit: Scientists warn of 'emergency on global scale'
Leading scientists on Thursday called on the upcoming Rio Summit to grapple with environmental ills that they said pointed to "a humanitarian emergency on a global scale."
Forest-destroying avalanches on the rise due to clear-cut logging
Scientists with the UBC Avalanche Research Group have been studying the impact of clear-cut logging on avalanche terrain in British Columbia. Understanding avalanche behavior and its destructive potential is an important factor in assessing risk of clear-cut logging of mature forest timber. An article just published in the Canadian Geotechnical Journal presents data collected from locations where avalanches have been released due to clear-cut logging; these data demonstrate the adverse effects of poor logging practices.
Increasing water scarcity in California's Bay-Delta will necessitate trade-offs; 'hard decisions' needed
Simultaneously attaining a reliable water supply for California and protecting and rehabilitating its Bay-Delta ecosystem cannot be realized until better planning can identify how trade-offs between these two goals will be managed when water is limited, says a new report from the National Research Council. Recent efforts have been ineffective in meeting these goals because management is distributed among many agencies and organizations, which hinders development and implementation of an integrated, comprehensive plan. Additionally, it is impossible to restore the delta habitat to its pre-disturbance state because of the extensive physical and ecological changes that have already taken place and are still occurring, including those due to multiple environmental stressors.
Total identifies source of North Sea gas leak
French energy giant Total said Thursday it had identified the source of a gas leak on a North Sea platform which has sparked fears of an explosion and wiped billions of euros off its market value.
Data mining deep space
Bahram Mobasher, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Riverside, has received a two-year $200,000 grant from NASA to compile into a data bank all the imaging observations of galaxy surveys that the Hubble Space Telescope has performed since 2002, when a powerful imaging instrument, the Advanced Camera for Surveys, was installed on the telescope.
TRMM satellite sees newborn Tropical Storm Pakhar's heavy rain
System 96W intensified overnight and became Tropical Storm Pakhar during the morning hours on March 29. NASA's TRMM satellite measured rainfall rates within the storm, and noticed areas of heavy rain west of the center as the storm continued to strengthen.
Litter bugs on high seas foul Titanic's resting place
Litter bugs on the high seas are fouling the Titanic's watery grave with beer cans, plastic cups, even soap boxes, a century after the "unsinkable" luxury liner went down, experts said Wednesday.
Gas explosion risk at stricken North Sea rig
French energy giant Total readied a mini-submarine in a bid to inspect a huge gas leak at a North Sea rig but played down fears of a massive explosion.
European cargo vessel docks with space station
An unmanned European craft docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday 2233 GMT, laden with tonnes of fuel, water, oxygen and other supplies, France's CNES space agency said.
Earth Hour dilemma: When the 'like' button harms the planet
Green groups around the world are turning to social networking to drive their campaign for Earth Hour on Saturday, when lights are turned off for an hour to signal concern about global warming.
Keeping an eye on volcanoes, from the sky
The importance of global and frequent data coverage of volcanoes was highlighted in a recent article published in Science. Satellites are finding that volcanoes previously thought to be dormant are showing signs of unrest.
Icy Moons through Cassini's Eyes
(PhysOrg.com) -- These raw, unprocessed images of Saturn's moons Enceladus, Janus and Dione were taken on March 27 and 28, 2012, by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
'Tidal Venuses' may have been wrung out to dry
Earth-sized exoplanets within a distant star’s habitable zone could still be very much uninhabitable, depending on potential tidal stresses — either past or present — that could have "squeezed out" all the water, leaving behind a bone-dry ball of rock.
South Africa confident on super-telescope bid ahead of talks
South African science minister Naledi Pandor said Thursday she remains confident on her country's bid to host the world's most powerful radio telescope, ahead of a crucial meeting next week.
Pattern of large earthquakes on San Jacinto fault identified with help of LiDAR
The San Jacinto Fault (SJF) Zone is a seismically active, major component of the overall southern San Andreas Fault system. Researchers from San Diego State University (SDSU) and U.S. Geological Survey have mapped evidence of past ruptures consistent with very large earthquakes along the Clark Fault, an individual strand associated with the SJF.
New seismic hazard assessment for Central America
A new study evaluates the seismic hazards for the entire Central America, including specific assessments for six capital cities, with the greatest hazard expected for Guatemala City and San Salvador, followed by Managua and San José, and notably lower in Tegucigalpa and Panamá City.
The MIRI infrared instrument has two faces
A short new video takes viewers behind the scenes with the MIRI or the Mid-Infrared Instrument that will fly on-board NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. MIRI is a state-of-the-art infrared instrument that will allow scientists to study distant objects in greater detail than ever before.
NASA's SOFIA captures images of the planetary nebula M2-9
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers using NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) have captured infrared images of the last exhalations of a dying sun-like star.
Milky Way image reveals detail of a billion stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- More than one billion stars in the Milky Way can be seen together in detail for the first time in an image captured by astronomers.
Chondritic hypothesis: New discovery shakes beliefs of Earth to the core
(PhysOrg.com) -- For a century, scientists have assumed that the Earth has same chemical make-up as the sun. But this belief has been challenged by scientists at The Australian National University.
Getting to the moon on drops of fuel: An ionic motor for small satellites
The first prototype of a new, ultra-compact motor that will allow small satellites to journey beyond Earth's orbit is just making its way out of the EPFL laboratories where it was built. The goal of the micro motor: to drastically reduce the cost of space exploration.
Powerhouse in the Crab Nebula
MAGIC telescopes measure the highest-energy gamma rays from a pulsar to date, calling theory into question.
'Mount Sharp' on Mars links geology's past and future
(PhysOrg.com) -- One particular mountain on Mars, bigger than Colorado's grandest, has been beckoning would-be explorers since it was first sighted from orbit in the 1970s. Scientists have ideas about how it took shape in the middle of ancient Gale Crater and hopes for what evidence it could yield about whether conditions on Mars have favored life.
How deep must life hide to be safe on Europa?
Jupiter's icy moon is subject to constant and significant blasts of radiation. A new experiment attempts to determine how deep life must lay beneath the crust in order to survive. This will be important for future missions looking for life on Europa.
Huge tornadoes discovered on the Sun
(PhysOrg.com) -- Solar tornadoes several times as wide as the Earth can be generated in the solar atmosphere, say researchers in the UK. A solar tornado was discovered using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly telescope on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) satellite. A movie of the tornado will be presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2012 in Manchester on Thursday 29th March.
Scientists refine Earth's clock
New research has revealed that some events in Earth's history happened more recently than previously thought.
CO2 was hidden in the ocean during the Ice Age: study
Why did the atmosphere contain so little carbon dioxide (CO2) during the last Ice Age 20,000 years ago? Why did it rise when the Earth's climate became warmer? Processes in the ocean are responsible for this, says a new study based on newly developed isotope measurements. This study has now been published in the scientific journal Science by German scientists from the Universities of Bern and Grenoble and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association.
Eclipses' effect on wind revealed
Solar eclipses don't just turn the lights out; they also make the wind slow down and change direction.
A star explodes, turns inside-out
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new X-ray study of the remains of an exploded star indicates that the supernova that disrupted the massive star may have turned it inside out in the process. Using very long observations of Cassiopeia A (or Cas A), a team of scientists has mapped the distribution of elements in the supernova remnant in unprecedented detail. This information shows where the different layers of the pre-supernova star are located three hundred years after the explosion, and provides insight into the nature of the supernova.
Technology news
LRC's 'Dimesimeter' named Top 10 Innovation
The Scientist magazine unveiled the Top 10 Innovations of 2011, and coming in at number eight was the Dimesimeter, a circadian light and activity sensor developed by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer through funding from the National Institute on Aging.
Millennial Media shares double in market debut
(AP) -- Shares of Millennial Media doubled in the mobile advertising company's market debut Thursday, as the IPO market heats up this spring.
Facebook's Zuckerberg meets Japan's prime minister
(AP) -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says Japan's massive tsunami inspired him to seek more ways for his social network to help people hit by natural disasters.
PayPal taps mobile chief Marcus as president
(AP) -- PayPal's mobile unit chief will become the online payments service's next president.
China tells Apple to 'care for workers'
The man tipped to be China's next leader has told Apple that foreign firms should protect workers, state media said Thursday, as the US giant fends off criticism over factory conditions in China.
Red Hat's red-hot shares climb to 12-year high
(AP) -- Red Hat is red hot. The software maker's shares soared nearly 20 percent Thursday to a 12-year high, as investors reacted to an earnings report that showed how much Red Hat is benefiting from a shift in the way that big companies meet their technological needs.
Egypt court orders ban of pornographic websites
(AP) -- An Egyptian court has ordered the government to ban pornographic Internet websites in order to protect society and its values.
SMU's expert touts nationwide geothermal energy potential at Capitol Hill science briefing
SMU Geothermal energy expert David Blackwell gave a Capitol Hill briefing Tuesday, March 27, on the growing opportunities for geothermal energy production in the United States, calling "unconventional" geothermal techniques a potential game changer for U.S. energy policy.
Orders soar for Ubisoft's coming 'Assassin' game
French videogame titan Ubisoft said Thursday that pre-orders for the next version of its blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" videogame are on a record-setting pace.
Zynga insiders price new stock offering at $12
(AP) -- Online games company Zynga Inc. said Wednesday that CEO Mark Pincus and other insiders will sell some of their stake at $12 a share, slightly below Wednesday's closing price.
Review: Sea of rights limits March Madness digital
(AP) -- Madness is one way to describe my experience with March Madness Live, a service for watching the annual college basketball tournament on computers and mobile devices.
LivingSocial launches takeout and delivery service
(AP) -- Throw away all those soy sauce-stained takeout menus.
Facebook to make stock market debut in May: report
Facebook will make its stock market debut in May with a record-setting initial public offering of shares, according to a report Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal.
Faster computational methods could simulate the power and signal integrity of next-generation electronic systems
The overall performance of modern computers and communications networks is dependent on the speed of electronic components, such as transistors and optical switches, as well as the quality of the wire network that powers and relays signals between these electronic components. Power and signal integrity are two important parameters for gauging the quality of a wire network, but simulating these parameters for next-generation electronic systems can take a considerable amount of time, particularly when there is a large number of components involved. Zaw Zaw Oo at the A*STAR Institute for High Performance Computing and co-workers have now significantly decreased the amount of computer time needed by developing a modelling technique that is much more efficient.
Researcher tests performance of diverse HPC architectures
Surveying the wide range of parallel system architectures offered in the supercomputer market, an Ohio State University researcher recently sought to establish some side-by-side performance comparisons.
Game Review: 'Ninja Gaiden 3' a letdown for fans
(AP) -- If you were playing video games in the 1980s, you probably remember flinging your Nintendo controller across the room after the original "Ninja Gaiden" sliced and diced you into mouth-frothing aggravation.
Making a game of research
Tablet computers are being adopted by behavioural scientists at Norway's University of Stavanger (UiS) as a more efficient way of obtaining information from young children.
European broadcasters to bid for .radio domain name
The European Broadcasting Union said Thursday that it would apply to acquire the .radio domain name for the radio community.
BlackBerry maker to cede most consumer markets
(AP) -- Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Thursday that it will cede most consumer markets and focus on business customers.
Multinational swoop nets two hackers: S.Korea police
Two young hackers have been arrested in the Netherlands and Australia in a multinational operation prompted by tips from a South Korean student, police said Thursday.
Smartphones taking over US market: study
Nearly half of US mobile phone owners have smartphones, with adoption of Internet-linked handsets rocketing in the past year, according to findings released on Thursday by the Nielsen research firm.
Reducing cash bite of wind power
The State of Illinois is facing an important renewable energy deadline in 2025, and Northwestern University's Harold H. Kung has a piece of advice for Springfield to consider now: Investment Tax Credit.
Yahoo! websites to get do-not-track tool
Yahoo! on Thursday said that it will soon add a tool to its websites that allows visitors to signal that they don't want their online activity tracked for ad targeting or other ends.
Report: Illegal overtime on Apple assembly line
(AP) -- Workers who assemble iPhones and iPads often put in more than 60 hours per week -and sometimes work for a week straight- in violation of Chinese law, according to the first independent labor audit of the Chinese factories where Apple products are made.
Concerns grow over children using tablet computers
Electronic tablets like the iPad are a revolutionary educational tool and are becoming part of childhood, but should be watched carefully so that overuse doesn't lead to learning or behavioral problems, experts say.
Two-in-one device uses sewage as fuel to make electricity and clean the sewage
Scientists today described a new and more efficient version of an innovative device the size of a home washing machine that uses bacteria growing in municipal sewage to make electricity and clean up the sewage at the same time. Their report here at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) suggested that commercial versions of the two-in-one device could be a boon for the developing world and water-short parts of the U.S.
Oracle, Google gird for trial on Android dispute
Oracle and Google are digging in their heels as they prepare for an upcoming trial.
Moving microfluidics from the lab bench to the factory floor
In the not-too-distant future, plastic chips the size of flash cards may quickly and accurately diagnose diseases such as AIDS and cancer, as well as detect toxins and pathogens in the environment. Such lab-on-a-chip technology — known as microfluidics — works by flowing fluid such as blood through microscopic channels etched into a polymer’s surface. Scientists have devised ways to manipulate the flow at micro- and nanoscales to detect certain molecules or markers that signal disease.
A computer screen you can fold
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Toronto researchers have discovered a better way to make flat-panel displays that could one day lead to computer screens you roll up like a newspaper and wallpaper that lights your living room.
First the smart phone, now the smart home: Digital technology on verge of tending to household tasks
We have all heard of the smartphone and any day now, most of us will have one. Not far behind: the smart home.
Swiss researchers present breakthrough in semiconductor structuring
(PhysOrg.com) -- ETH Zurich physicists, in collaboration with colleagues at universities in Switzerland and abroad, have made a breakthrough in the manufacture of monolithic semiconductor structures on silicon. The new structures are nearly perfect, and likely to revolutionise not only X-ray technology.
Medicine & Health news
Court takes health care case behind closed doors
(AP) -- The survival of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul rests with a Supreme Court seemingly split over ideology and, more particularly, in the hands of two Republican-appointed justices.
Asian Canadian LGB teens face greater health risks as dual minorities: research
(Medical Xpress) -- Asian Canadian teenagers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are 30 times more likely to face harassment than their heterosexual peers – a factor that is linked to higher rates of alcohol or drug use, according to University of British Columbia research.
Researcher's microdissection device hits the market to fight cancer
A new device designed to more effectively produce DNA samples for genetic testing from slide-mounted tissue samples is better equipped than most models on the market to help in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Its University of Utah inventors say the microdissection device is an effective and reasonably priced method for removing tissue samples from microscope slides. The samples are used for genetic testing, so precision is essential. The impact could be substantial because genetic testing is becoming more popular in the fight against cancer, and so the demand for efficient dissection tools is growing.
Elderly thyroid surgery patients at increased risk for postoperative complications
Elderly patients who undergo thyroid surgery are at a much higher risk than their younger counterparts for serious cardiac, pulmonary and infectious complications, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). The study findings challenge long-held beliefs that thyroidectomy carries the same risk level of postoperative complications for both older and younger patients.
Annual cost of autism has more than tripled - $126 billion US and £34 billion in the UK
Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced preliminary results of new research that estimates autism costs society a staggering $126 billion per year (U.S.) – a number that has more than tripled since 2006, and annually in the U.K. has reached more than £34 billion (equivalent to $54 billion U.S.). The costs of providing care for each person with autism affected by intellectual disability through his or her lifespan are $2.3 million in the U.S. and £1.5 million ($2.4 million) in the U.K. The lifetime costs of caring for individuals who are not impacted by intellectual disability are $1.4 million in the U.S. and £917,000 in the U.K. (equivalent to $1.46 million). The Autism Speaks-funded research, conducted by researchers Martin Knapp, Ph.D., of the London School of Economics, and David Mandell, Sc.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, will be presented at the international conference "Investing in our F! uture: The Economic Costs of Autism," hosted by Goldman Sachs in collaboration with the Child Development Centre and Autism Speaks, on March 31 in Hong Kong.
Childhood traumatic experiences associated with adult IBS symptoms
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a significantly greater prevalence of early adverse life events , including general trauma as well as physical, emotional and sexual abuse, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Prophylaxis with apixaban feasible for cancer patients
(HealthDay) -- Primary venous thromboembolism prophylaxis with apixaban, an oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor, in ambulatory cancer patients undergoing first- or second-line chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic cancer, is safe and well tolerated, according to a phase II study published online March 12 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Chemo-Linked factors may impact weight in breast cancer
(HealthDay) -- Adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer can induce weight gain and a variety of metabolic changes that may be associated with a poor prognosis for some patients, according to research published in the April issue of Obesity Reviews.
Report presents designs for study of cancer risks near US nuclear facilities
A proposed study could help determine if there is a link between living near nuclear power plants or other nuclear facilities and having a higher risk of cancer, but challenges and limitations exist, says a new report from the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. The report recommends that a pilot study be completed first to evaluate the feasibility of a full-scale study, although the ultimate decision about whether to perform either would be the responsibility of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), which sponsored the Research Council report.
Patients with digestive disorders may receive high levels of X-ray radiation
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders may be exposed to significant doses of diagnostic radiation, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Justices meet Friday to vote on health care case
(AP) -- While the rest of us have to wait until June, the justices of the Supreme Court will know the likely outcome of the historic health care case by the time they go home this weekend.
US recalls organ storage fluid over contamination fears
A major US pharmaceutical company on Thursday issued a wide-spanning global recall of the fluid used to store organs for potential transplants over fears it could be contaminated.
Study reports validation of the first point-of-care genetic test in medicine, regarding use of antiplatelet therapy
A study published Online First by the Lancet reports the successful validation and clinical application of the first point-of-care genetic test in medicine. The test successfully identifies the CYP2C19*2 allele: a common genetic variant associated with increased rates of major adverse events in individuals given clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), thus avoiding complications in those patients. The Article is by Dr Derek Y F So, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada, and colleagues.
'Gonad groping' Brits won't spot testicle cancer - doctor
Celebrity appeals for British men to fondle their testicles to detect early signs of cancer are a waste of time and possibly harmful, an opinion piece published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) says.
Emergency dispatchers suffer from symptoms of PTSD, study reveals
Dispatchers who answer 911 and 999 emergency calls suffer emotional distress which can lead to symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a new study reports. The research, published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, reveals that direct exposure to traumatic events is not necessary to lead to post-trauma disorders.
HEALTHBEAT: Helping doctors keep human touch
(AP) -- Medical student Gregory Shumer studied the electronic health record and scooted his laptop closer to the diabetic grandfather sitting on his exam table. "You can see," he pointed at the screen - weight, blood sugar and cholesterol are too high and rising.
Even a little drinking may raise breast cancer risk: study
(HealthDay) -- Just one alcoholic drink a day can boost a woman's risk of breast cancer by about 5 percent, according to a new review of existing research.
Scientists resolve how chromosomal mix-ups lead to tumors
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study by scientists from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, resolves longstanding questions about the origin of recurrent chromosomal rearrangements — known as translocations — that drive lymphomas and leukemias in humans. Translocations occur when broken strands of DNA from one chromosome are erroneously joined with those of another chromosome, thus deregulating genetic information and leading to cell transformation. Sometimes chromosomal rearrangements can be beneficial, in that they enable the immune system to respond to a vast number of microorganisms and viruses. However, translocations can result in tumors. The study was reported in the journal Nature.
Vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink may lower risk of heart disease in type 2 diabetics
Daily intake of vitamin D-fortified doogh (Persian yogurt drink) improved inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetics and extra calcium conferred additional anti-inflammatory benefits, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM).
Current chemical testing missing low-dosage effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) -- such as BPA -- can show tangible effects on health endpoints at high dosage levels, yet those effects do not predict how EDCs will affect the endocrine system at low doses, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Endocrine Reviews. Study authors say current definitions of low-dosage as used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do not fully take into account the unique influence that low doses of EDCs have on disease development in humans.
Overweight baby girls at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in adulthood
Heavier female babies are more likely to develop diabetes and related metabolic risks when they grow up compared with their male counterparts, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM).
Reduced salt equals reduced taste in the mind of consumers
(Medical Xpress) -- ‘Reduced salt’ on a food label can lead consumers to believe the food is less tasty according to Deakin University health experts.
Low levels of resistant bacteria found in Chicago-area ambulances
Treatment areas of ambulances fared well when tested for dangerous bacteria, according to a new study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Approximately six percent of sites sampled in Chicago-area ambulances tested positive for Staphyloccocus aureus (S. aureus), a bacterium that can cause serious infections and can easily acquire resistance to potent antibiotics.
Unnecessary labor induction increases risk of complications: study
A University of Adelaide study has revealed that inducing labor in pregnant women when it's not medically necessary is more likely to result in complications at birth.
Kidney cancer subtype study finds low recurrence and cancer death rates
Patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma, the second most common kidney cancer subtype, face a low risk of tumour recurrence and cancer-related death after surgery. Those are the key findings of a multi-centre study of nearly 600 patients published in the April issue of the urology journal BJUI.
Tiny electrical sensors could signal faster MRSA diagnosis
A simple test to identify MRSA in wounds could identify the superbug quickly and help prevent infection from spreading.
Study supports association of alcohol and diabetes
Subjects in a cohort in Sweden, some of whom had been exposed to a community intervention program to prevent diabetes, were evaluated 8-10 years after baseline for the presence of diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose metabolism ("pre-diabetes") in relation to a baseline report of alcohol consumption.
More autism reported, likely from better testing
(AP) -- One child out of 88 is believed to have autism or a related disorder, an increase in the rate attributed largely to wider screening.
Mind-pops more likely with schizophrenia
(Medical Xpress) -- Almost everyone reports experiencing mind-pops at some time or another, but some experience them more than others according to research conducted by the University of Hertfordshire. In the paper to be published in Psychiatry Research, findings suggest that mind-pop experiences are related to hallucinations in those people suffering from schizophrenia.
Chocolate a sweet remedy for many ills?
(HealthDay) -- International researchers have uncovered even more healthy properties of flavanols -- the antioxidants found in cocoa beans.
World's first bedside genetic test gets green light by Lancet
Developed in Canada and conducted by researchers from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, in partnership with Spartan Bioscience, the world's first bedside genetic test has received acknowledgment by The Lancet, the world's leading general medical journal.
Making medication alerts in electronic medical record systems more useful and usable
A study by Regenstrief Institute and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs investigators provides the first in-depth look at how health care providers react to medication alerts generated by electronic medical record systems. The researchers plan to use this information to improve the design of medication alerts and diminish the phenomenon known as alert fatigue, where providers can become desensitized and may start unintentionally ignoring some important warnings.
Researchers develop novel antibodies to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease
Under normal circumstances, the tau protein is a hard-working participant in memory and normal brain functioning. But as is becoming increasingly evident, in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, tau not only ceases to play a productive role in brain health, but actually undergoes a Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation to become a misshapen villain that destroys brain cells.
Artificial thymus tissue enables maturation of immune cells
The thymus plays a key role in the body's immune response. It is here where the T lymphocytes or T cells, a major type of immune defence cells, mature. Different types of T cells, designated to perform specific tasks, arise from progenitor cells that migrate to the thymus from the bone marrow. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Immunology and Epigenetics in Freiburg have generated artificial thymus tissue in a mouse embryo to enable the maturation of immune cells. In this process, they discovered which signalling molecules control the maturation of T cells. Their results represent the first step towards the production of artificial thymus glands that could be used to replace or augment the damaged organ.
Newly identified stem cells may hold clues to colon cancer
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers have identified a new population of intestinal stem cells that may hold clues to the origin of colorectal cancer.
Study discovers three new lupus genes
Three newly confirmed lupus genes are opening new avenues of research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
Being bilingual wards off symptoms of dementia
New research explains how speaking more than one language may translate to better mental health. A paper published by Cell Press in the March 29th issue of the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences examines how being bilingual can offer protection from the symptoms of dementia, and also suggests that the increasing diversity in our world populations may have an unexpected positive impact on the resiliency of the adult brain.
Researchers identify mechanism that makes breast cancer invasive
A new study has identified a key mechanism that causes breast cancer to spread. The research, published by Cell Press on March 30th in the journal Molecular Cell, enhances our knowledge about the signals that drive cancer metastasis and identifies new therapeutic targets for a lethal form of invasive breast cancer that is notoriously resistant to treatment.
Study finds psoriasis treatment increases skin cancer risk
(HealthDay) -- The long-term risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is significantly increased for patients with severe psoriasis who receive more than 350 psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) treatments compared with those who receive fewer than 50 treatments, according to research published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Post-radical cystectomy discharge patterns described
(HealthDay) -- In the past decade there has been a decrease in prolonged length of stay following radical cystectomy in the United States, while rates of transfer to a facility have remained stable, with insurance status and the surgical institution affecting discharge patterns, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.
High fruit consumption not linked to gestational diabetes
(HealthDay) -- Higher consumption of whole fruits prior to pregnancy is not associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and the association between fruit juice consumption and GDM appears to be nonlinear, according to a study published online March 23 in Diabetes Care.
A new breast cancer susceptibility gene
Mutations in a gene called XRCC2 cause increased breast cancer risk, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Human Genetics. The study looked at families that have a history of the disease but do not have mutations in the currently known breast cancer susceptibility genes.
HPV-related head & neck cancers rising, highest in middle-aged white men
Research led by Lauren Cole, a public health graduate student, and Dr. Edward Peters, Associate Professor of Public Health and Director of the Epidemiology Program at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, reports that the incidence of head and neck cancer has risen at sites associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection, with the greatest increase among middle-aged white men. At the same time, younger, Non-Hispanic blacks experienced a substantial decrease in these cancers. They also found that the disease process for tumors associated with HPV is different from those caused by exposure to tobacco and alcohol, with implications for treatment. The findings are published this month in the PLoS ONE journal.
Mom was right: It's what you know, not who you know
Conventional wisdom tells us that in the business world, "you are who you know" — your social background and professional networks outweigh talent when it comes to career success. But according to a Tel Aviv University researcher, making the right connection only gets your foot in the door. Your future success is entirely up to you, says Prof. Yoav Ganzach of TAU's Recanati School of Management.
Depression has big impact on stroke, TIA survivors
Depression is more prevalent among stroke and transient ischemic attack survivors than in the general population, researchers reported in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.
Radioactive antibody fragment may help scientists identify artery deposits
Creating a radioactive antibody fragment may allow scientists to identify fat and debris deposits in artery walls that are most likely to rupture and cause heart attacks, according to a new study in Circulation: Research, an American Heart Association journal.
Dengue virus turns on mosquito genes that make them hungrier
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have, for the first time, shown that infection with dengue virus turns on mosquito genes that makes them hungrier and better feeders, and therefore possibly more likely to spread the disease to humans. Specifically, they found that dengue virus infection of the mosquito's salivary gland triggered a response that involved genes of the insect's immune system, feeding behavior and the mosquito's ability to sense odors. The researchers findings are published in the March 29 edition of PLoS Pathogens.
HIV 'superinfection' boosts immune response
Women who have been infected by two different strains of HIV from two different sexual partners – a condition known as HIV superinfection – have more potent antibody responses that block the replication of the virus compared to women who've only been infected once. These findings, by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, are published online March 29 in PLoS Pathogens.
New York law stubs out synthetic marijuana
Synthetic marijuana, which is sold openly in shops and gives smokers a high, was banned Thursday across New York after being linked to serious health risks.
Coffee, other stimulant drugs may cause high achievers to slack off: research
(Medical Xpress) -- While stimulants may improve unengaged workers’ performance, a new University of British Columbia study suggests that for others, caffeine and amphetamines can have the opposite effect, causing workers with higher motivation levels to slack off.
Genetic regulators hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses identified
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a number of tiny but powerful "genetic regulators" that are hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses during human infection.
Lack of worldwide infrastructure to monitor flu variants leaves researchers in the dark
(Medical Xpress) -- Most people know that one of the greatest threats to mankind is a pandemic. As the human population has grown over the years, so too has the threat from diseases that are capable of wiping out huge numbers of people in one fell stroke. And of the types of pandemics that are most likely to occur, most would agree that it would likely be tied to influenza. Yet, despite the very real possibility that a strain could develop almost anywhere in the world at any time; one that could spread very quickly across the planet due to international travel, relatively little is being done to prevent it from happening. Right now today, we are all at risk due to the possibility of a strain developing that would be as lethal as the variant that killed so many during the first World War, and that could spread just as quickly, or worse. Because of this, scientists from across the globe have contributed to commentaries and editorials describing the current state of flu data collection efforts and how the process might be improved. All of which have been published in the journal Nature.
'Impossible' problem solved after non-invasive brain stimulation
(Medical Xpress) -- Brain stimulation can markedly improve people's ability to solve highly complex problems, a recent University of Sydney study suggests.
Scientists discover key component in the mother's egg critical for survival of newly formed embryo
An international team led by scientists at A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) discovered that a protein, called TRIM28, normally present in the mother’s egg, is essential right after fertilization, to preserve certain chemical modifications or 'epigenetic marks' on a specific set of genes. This newly published study paves the way for more research to explore the role that epigenetics might play in infertility.
Now it's official: beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder
French scientists say they have confirmed the folklore that a glass in your hand will make you feel sexier, smarter and funnier, even when others privately think you are a turkey.
Research duo say that far too many preclinical cancer study results are just plain wrong
(Medical Xpress) -- C. Glenn Begley, formerly head of cancer research at pharmaceutical giant Amgen and Lee M. Ellis a cancer researcher at the University of Texas, have published a paper together in Nature that is sure to cause a storm of controversy in the cancer research community. They say they have found that more than ninety percent of papers published in science journals describing "landmark" breakthroughs in preclinical cancer research, describe work that is not reproducible, and are thus, just plain wrong.
Culprit behind unchecked angiogenesis identified
German researchers unravel a critical regulatory mechanism controlling blood vessel growth that might help solve drug resistance problems in the future.
Genes for learning, remembering, forgetting: Proteins important in embryos found to change the adult brain
Certain genes and proteins that promote growth and development of embryos also play a surprising role in sending chemical signals that help adults learn, remember, forget and perhaps become addicted, University of Utah biologists have discovered.
Scientists create compounds that dramatically alter biological clock and lead to weight loss
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have synthesized a pair of small molecules that dramatically alter the core biological clock in animal models, highlighting the compounds' potential effectiveness in treating a remarkable range of disorders—including obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and serious sleep disorders.
New study explains duality of longevity drug rapamycin
A Penn- and MIT-led team explained how rapamycin, a drug that extends mouse lifespan, also causes insulin resistance. The researchers showed in an animal model that they could, in principle, separate the effects, which depend on inhibiting two protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, respectively.
Atlas shows how genes organize the surface of the brain
The first atlas of the surface of the human brain based upon genetic information has been produced by a national team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The work is published in the March 30 issue of the journal Science.
Greater traumatic stress linked with elevated inflammation in heart patients
Greater lifetime exposure to the stress of traumatic events was linked to higher levels of inflammation in a study of almost 1,000 patients with cardiovascular disease led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.
Brain wiring a no-brainer? Scans reveal astonishingly simple 3D grid structure
The brain appears to be wired more like the checkerboard streets of New York City than the curvy lanes of Columbia, Md., suggests a new brain imaging study. The most detailed images, to date, reveal a pervasive 3D grid structure with no diagonals, say scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Biology news
Keep your pets away from chocolate this Easter
Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital is warning pet owners against the temptation to share chocolate with their dogs this Easter.
Lazing in the shade grows steaks
New research confirms that cattle lying under trees and chewing cud aren’t bludging - they’re putting on condition by letting their digestive system do the work.
PCBs levels down in Norwegian polar bears
It's never been easy to be a polar bear. They may have to go months without eating. Their preferred food, seal, requires enormous luck and patience to catch. Add to that the melting of Arctic sea ice due to climate change, and the poisoning of the Arctic by toxic chemicals, and it's easy to see why polar bears worldwide are in trouble.
New study sheds light on reasons behind genomes differences between species
A study led by Lluis Ribas de Pouplana, researcher at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, gives an explanation for the divergent evolution of the genomes of different groups of species. The connection between the function of enzymes and the composition of the genomes shed light on the evolution and structure of genes, and explains differences between archaebacteria, bacteria and eukaryotes.
Scientists clone 'survivor' elm trees
Scientists at the University of Guelph have found a way to successfully clone American elm trees that have survived repeated epidemics of their biggest killer — Dutch elm disease.
Study suggests why some animals live longer
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a new method to detect proteins associated with longevity, which helps further our understanding into why some animals live longer than others.
Ticks can adapt to the Spain's climatic diversity
Carnivores in the Iberian Peninsula, such as the Iberian lynx, are under an increasingly serious threat: ticks that can adapt to changing climatic conditions and that can even survive in extremely arid environments. A study headed by Spanish researchers confirms the innate ability of ticks to adapt according to climate.
Mites form friendly societies
For plant-inhabiting predatory mites, living among familiar neighbors reduces stress. This allows individuals to focus on other tasks and be more productive, in particular while they are foraging. The new study by Markus Strodl and Peter Schausberger, from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria, supports the theory that so-called 'social familiarity' reduces the cognitive, physiological and behavioral costs of group-living, leading to increased efficiency in other tasks. Their work is published online in Springer's journal, Naturwissenschaften - The Science of Nature.
New databases harvest a rich bounty of information on crop plant metabolism
The Plant Metabolic Network, which is based at Carnegie's Department of Plant Biology, has launched four new online databases that offer an unprecedented view of the biochemical pathways controlling the metabolism of corn, soybeans, wine grapes, and cassava—four important species of crop plant. The new databases will serve as a critical resource for scientists working with these species to increase crop production, enhance biofuel development, or explore novel medicines.
Study compares growth around Yellowstone, Glacier and other national parks
The land around Yellowstone and Glacier national parks might look like it's filling up with people and houses, but it's nothing compared to the rate of development around some other U.S. national parks, according to a new Montana State University study.
New paper assigns dollar figure to cost from ship-borne invasive species to the Great Lakes
Although there has been growing recognition among researchers and policy-makers that ship-borne invasive species cause a considerable economic toll, this environmental problem often goes unaddressed because of the difficulty in quantifying annual impacts on ecosystem services.
Research shows that weakness can be an advantage in surviving deadly parasites
When battling an epidemic of a deadly parasite, less resistance can sometimes be better than more, a new study suggests.
Plant research reveals new role for gene silencing DICER protein
A DICER protein, known to produce tiny RNAs in cells, also helps complete an important step in gene expression, according to research on Arabidopsis thaliana.
Studies say commonly used pesticide may harm bees
(AP) -- A common class of pesticide is causing problems for honeybees and bumblebees, important species already in trouble, two studies suggest.
Scientists reveal genetic mutation depicted in van Gogh's sunflower paintings
In addition to being among his most vibrant and celebrated works, Vincent van Gogh's series of sunflower paintings also depict a mutation whose genetic basis has, until now, been a bit of a mystery.
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