Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for March 6, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- New robot 'Cheetah' breaks land-speed record- Verizon launches wireless broadband for homes
- Preserved bone of Pterosaur found in stomach of Velociraptor
- New method for estimating parameters may boost biological models
- Scientists uncover mechanism for melanoma drug resistance
- Finding your friends and following them to where you are
- Study: Most weight loss supplements are not effective
- Study reveals how protein machinery binds and wraps DNA to start replication
- Blocking natural, marijuana-like chemical in the brain boosts fat burning
- Influencing stem cell fate: New screening method helps scientists identify key information rapidly
- Startup announces big breakthrough for electric vehicle batteries
- Galaxy cluster hidden in plain view
- Responding to the radiation threat
- Spectroscopic imaging reveals early changes leading to breast tumors
- Scientists discover primitive gut's role in left-right patterning
Space & Earth news
Mapping the depths of the earth
As they drove through the Okavengo Delta in Botswana, a team of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) scientists and three Northeastern physics students encountered a wild elephant attempting to protect his home from the unlikely intruders.
No silver bullet for avoiding floods, says water expert
Clearing waterways of vegetation will have a negative effect on the environment without solving flooding problems, warns Professor Andrew Western, University of Melbourne water expert.
Image of Jupiter from a ground-based telescope
(PhysOrg.com) -- This image of Jupiter and its moons Io and Ganymede was acquired by amateur astronomer Damian Peach on Sept. 12, 2010, when Jupiter was close to opposition. South is up and the "Great Red Spot" is visible in the image.
BYU geologists bring Antarctic ice cores to campus
BYU student Jessica Williams spent Christmas morning alone in a tent pitched in the depths of Antarctica, waiting out a four-day snowstorm by re-reading the Harry Potter series.
In sub-Saharan Africa, a shorter walk to water saves lives, study finds
In the fight against child mortality in the developing world, simple things make a big difference. A new study by Stanford researchers published by the journal Environmental Science and Technology shows that decreasing the amount of time families must walk to obtain clean water can help save the lives of young children.
Bright green algal bloom is so vast it can be seen from space
A field of green algae stretching hundreds of kilometres across the ocean surface near Antarctica is so bright that it is clearly visible from space, even through thin layers of cloud.
Costs for changing pollution criteria in Florida waters likely to exceed EPA estimates
The costs to switch to numeric criteria for limiting nutrient pollutants in Florida waters are expected to exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, says a new National Research Council report. The committee that wrote the report questioned the validity of several assumptions in the EPA cost analysis and found that EPA did not adequately report on the uncertainties that could affect the cost of the rule change.
Aviation agency asks EU to delay airline carbon tax
The head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday urged the European Union to delay rolling out a carbon tax on air travel next year, warning it could provoke trade wars.
Listening to the 9.0-magnitude japanese earthquake
(PhysOrg.com) -- Last year’s 9.0-magnitude Tohoku-Oki, Japan, earthquake was the fourth largest since 1900. However, because of thousands of seismometers in the region and Japan’s willingness to share their measurements with the rest of the world, the Tohoku-Oki quake is the best-recorded earthquake of all-time.
Space Image: Apollo 15 - Follow the tracks
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Apollo 15 Lunar Module (LM) Falcon set down on the Hadley plains (26.132°N, 3.634°E) a mere 2 kilometers from Hadley Rille.
New way to measure nitrous oxide emissions
(PhysOrg.com) -- An accurate new way to measure a potent greenhouse gas emitted during agricultural production will help countries to better manage their environmental impact, thanks to Queensland University of Technology (QUT) research.
Kepler releases new catalog of planet candidates
Since science operations began in May 2009, the Kepler team has released two catalogs of transiting planet candidates. The first catalog (Borucki et al, 2010), released in June 2010, contains 312 candidates identified in the first 43 days of Kepler data. The second catalog (Borucki et al, 2011), released in February 2011, is a cumulative catalog containing 1,235 candidates identified in the first 13 months of data.
STAR TRAK for March 2012
Mars was opposite the sun in our sky on March 3, rising at sunset and remaining visible all night. If you looked to the east as the sky darkened, you could see the Red Planet gleaming at its biggest and brightest, which happens only once every two years. The best views through a telescope are when the planet is highest in the south around midnight. Mars glows red-orange in the constellation Leo the Lion, with the bright white star Regulus nearby to the upper right (west).
Mapping the tsunami to prepare for future events
(PhysOrg.com) -- The 2011 Tohoku tsunami was Japan’s deadliest in more than 100 years. Despite an extraordinary level of preparedness by the Japanese, the tsunami caused more than 90 percent of the almost 20,000 fatalities last March.
Measuring how climate models calculate the effects of clouds on Earth's warming
Using ten years of data gathered at three unique measurement sites, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found that global climate models are not representing just how much clouds mask the sun's warming energy. And for the first time, scientists used data on the spatial coverage, height, and transparency of the clouds to inform climate models. They found the relative monthly and annual differences among three cloud fraction datasets at each site are small. However, comparing observations with a dozen global models shows that cloud coverage is significantly misrepresented in the models, by up to 150 percent at one site.
A finger to the wind
Like testing the wind direction before taking flight, researchers led by scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assessed the meteorological conditions during a large observational study of carbon-containing atmospheric particles in central California. Researchers documented the weather conditions during the study and gauged how these affected the sampled areas on a daily basis. This study provides a large body of foundational information of mixing patterns for future analysis of data from the Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES).
Using galaxies as yardsticks: Astronomy Professor builds a 3-D map of universe
Daniel Eisenstein is investigating the universe, using galaxies as his ruler, seeking to understand the cosmos’ large-scale structure and confirm theories about the dark energy that drives its expansion.
Thames flooding isn't rising, long-term records show
Events of the last few decades give the impression that major floods are becoming more common, but looking at the UK's longest-running series of river-level measurements over 60 years or longer shows this isn't the case.
Evolving planets get a bumpy ride
The formation of planets occurs under constant bombardment from particles ranging from a few nanometres to tens of kilometres in size, according to recent analyses of asteroid samples by scientists at Okayama University. The study is the first reported analysis of grains taken directly from a solar body in space.
O, Pioneers! (part 2): The derelicts of space
Before the Pioneer 11 spacecraft could venture beyond our solar system, it had to pass through the rings of Saturn. At the time, the rings were not well characterized and some thought the spacecraft could be destroyed. Whatever happened to Pioneer 11 at Saturn's rings would affect the flight plan of the Voyager spacecraft.
Sun unleashes powerful X-class solar flare
The Sun has been quiet recently but early today (04:13 UTC on March 5, 2012) it unleashed a powerful X1-class solar flare and coronal mass ejection. The latest estimates indicate the CME will probably miss Earth, but hit Mercury and Venus. Even so, the science team from the Solar Dynamics Observatory says that high-latitude skywatchers should still be alert for auroras in the nights ahead. There was also an M2-class eruption from the same big and active sunspot, Active Region 1429, on March 4th which produced another, wider CME that might yet intersect Earth. The cloud is expected to deliver a glancing blow to our planet’s magnetic field on March 6th at 04:30 UT (+/- 7 hrs).
Warm winter may bring pest-filled spring
(AP) -- The mild winter that has given many Northern farmers a break from shoveling and a welcome chance to catch up on maintenance could lead to a tough spring as many pests that would normally freeze have not.
Lessons for the northwest: Japanese death toll could have been worse
(PhysOrg.com) -- An estimated 20,000 people died or are missing after a massive earthquake-induced tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, yet some 200,000 people were in the inundation zone at the time.
Study advances science of carbon accounting
Determining with precision the carbon balance of North America is complicated, but researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have devised a method that considerably advances the science.
Astronomers find distant galaxy cluster to shed light on early universe
A decade ago, Houston businessman and philanthropist George P. Mitchell was so certain there were big discoveries to be made in physics and astronomy and that they should come out of Texas A&M University, he put money on it, endowing the George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy to bring the world's most eminent minds in physics and astronomy to Aggieland.
NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Irina still looping at sea
NASA's Aqua satellite saw Tropical Cyclone Irina making a slow loop in the southern Mozambique Channel for the third day on March 6, 2012. Because of the different weather systems moving through the region, Irina's track has been hard to forecast.
Natural levels of nitrogen in tropical forests may increase vulnerability to pollution
(PhysOrg.com) -- Waterways in remote, pristine tropical forests located in the Caribbean and Central America contain levels of nitrogen comparable to amounts found in streams and rivers flowing through polluted forests in the United States and Europe. This discovery by a Princeton University-led research team raises questions about how tropical forests might respond if they were to become exposed to additional nitrogen through water and air pollution.
Study quantifies effect of soot on snow and ice, supporting previous climate findings
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study from scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), published in Nature Climate Change, has quantitatively demonstrated that black carbon—also known as soot, a pollutant emitted from power plants, diesel engines and residential cooking and heating, as well as forest fires—reduces the reflectance of snow and ice, an effect that increases the rate of global climate change.
Researchers explain why the man in the moon faces Earth
(PhysOrg.com) -- Many of us see a man in the moon—a human face smiling down at us from the lunar surface. The "face," of course, is just an illusion, shaped by the dark splotches of lunar maria (smooth plains formed from the lava of ancient volcanic eruptions).
The iceberg's accomplice: Did the moon sink the Titanic?
(PhysOrg.com) -- The sinking of the ocean liner Titanic 100 years ago is perhaps the most famous--and most studied--disaster of the 20th century. Countless books and movies have examined in great detail the actions, choices and mistakes that led to the Titanic colliding with an iceberg the night of April 14, 1912, and sinking within hours, with approximately 1,500 people losing their lives in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
Research team shows people are carrying invasive seeds to Antarctica
(PhysOrg.com) -- When thinking of invasive plants taking hold in a new environment, not many people would think of Antarctica; it’s cold and hostile and there aren’t many types of plants that could survive there. Yet, invasive species are invading the continent nonetheless and an international team of researchers led by Steven Chown of Stellenbosch University, in South Africa has found that up to twenty percent of visitors to Antarctica inadvertently carry seeds with them, leading to unpredictable changes in the once pristine environment. The team, as they explain in their paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, made this discovery by vacuuming gear brought by visitors during the summer of 2007-8.
Galaxy cluster hidden in plain view
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of astronomers has discovered the most distant cluster of red galaxies ever observed using FourStar, a new and powerful near-infrared camera on the 6.5m Magellan Baade Telescope. The galaxy cluster is located 10.5 billion light years away in the direction of the constellation Leo. It is made up of 30 galaxies packed closely together, forming the earliest known "galaxy city" in the universe. The findings will be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Technology news
Ubisoft assassin videogame heads for US colonies
Ubisoft on Monday revealed that the next installment to its blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" videogame franchise will be set in the US colonies during the American Revolution.
'Mass Effect 3' game begins epic battle for Earth
The year's most hotly anticipated videogame lands Tuesday as the final installment of a "Mass Effect" trilogy immerses players in an epic battle for Earth.
New approach aims to slash cost of solar cells
Solar-powered electricity prices could soon approach those of power from coal or natural gas thanks to collaborative research with solar start-up Ampulse Corporation at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Cloud-based secure desktop streaming from any PC
Today at the CeBIT Fair, IBM is announcing the Secure Enterprise Desktop, an innovative service that enables corporate users to securely access the contents of their entire hard disk, including operating system, applications and company data, from anywhere in as little as two minutes.
Irish police arrest man in global computer hacking inquiry
Irish police said they had arrested a man Tuesday as part of an international operation after five members of Anonymous and an offshoot computer hacking group were charged in the United States.
Twitter adds Arabic and Hebrew
Twitter on Tuesday added Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi and Urdu to the growing list of languages available at the popular one-to-many text messaging service used by Arab Spring protesters.
Election 'robocalls' probe targets PayPal
Canada's elections watchdog focused Tuesday on online payments company PayPal's records as part of a probe of "robocalls" that misdirected voters to fake polling stations during last year's election.
iPad dispute signals new era in trademark troubles
(AP) -- iPotato, isock, icouch, istove, i-you-name-it. An Internet search for "i" words from A to Z will turn up just about any combination you might think up, from all over the world, only a handful of them related to Apple Inc.
Facebook game star Zynga opens online playground
Facebook games star Zynga has opened an online playground where users can enjoy hit titles without having to visit the world's top social network.
The future of nuclear energy
Last March, the world watched closely as Japan struggled to contain a series of equipment failures, hydrogen explosions and releases of radioactive materials at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Preventing contamination in recycling
Aluminum has long been the poster child of recycling. About half of all aluminum used in the United States is now recycled, and this recycling has clear and dramatic benefits: Pound for pound, it takes anywhere from nine to 18 times as much energy to produce aluminum from raw ore as from recycled material.
SDSC's 'Gordon' supercomputer: Ready for researchers
Accurately predicting severe storms, or what Wall Street’s markets will do next, may become just a bit easier in coming months as Gordon, a unique supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, begins helping researchers delve into these and other data-intensive projects.
UK Internet providers lose copyright court battle
The High Court has endorsed Britain's new copyright rules, siding with the music industry over Internet providers in a battle over online filesharing.
Qualcomm ups dividend, approves up to $4B buyback
(AP) -- Mobile phone chip-maker Qualcomm Inc. said Tuesday that its board approved the increase of its quarterly dividend by 16 percent to 25 cents and up to $4 billion in stock buybacks.
What is the price of free?
Scientists from the Computer Laboratory at Cambridge University have designed a method to improve privacy control in the Android apps market. The method reaches a balance between the need for developer’s revenue and the need for user’s privacy.
A heating system with a brain
A start-up from EPFL and CSEM is putting on the market a thermal regulator that uses neural networks to learn about your house as the seasons change, allowing for savings of up to 65% on fuel.
Expert: Webcam spy suspect's computer used in chat
(AP) -- A Rutgers University computer system manager told jurors on Tuesday that it appears the computer of a former student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate's intimate encounter with another man was used in two video chats on Sept. 21, 2010.
Cebit 2012: 3-D animations for everyone
3D movies like "Toy Story" or "Transformers" are based on everyday objects that are able to move like humans. Such 3D characters are created by skilled experts in time-consuming manual work. Computer scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics have now developed two computer programs that can accomplish the same process in mere seconds and can easily be handled even by inexperienced users. The researchers present their unique software for the first time at F34 in Hall 26 at the Cebit from March 6 -10, 2012.
Alternative-energy innovations on display
Climate change is in dispute. Oil and gas are staging a comeback. Republicans are questioning federal funding for energy research as a waste of money in a time of deficits.
Startups Dropbox and Box reach for the cloud
They are polar opposites, but two of Silicon Valley's hottest start-ups share similar names, market, adversaries and ambitions - perhaps with wishful eyes on going public next year.
Comcast enters smart thermostat game
Big news in the world of energy-saving home automation:
Android Market checks out, Google Play moves in
Google's digital marketplace for mobile applications, music, movies and books is unifying under a new name in an effort to spruce up the shopping experience.
List of targets of arrested computer hackers
The five computer hackers charged in New York on Tuesday and a sixth who pleaded guilty are accused of involvement in some of the most notorious hacking incidents of the past 18 months.
Verizon launches wireless broadband for homes
Verizon Wireless on Tuesday announced a version of its wireless broadband service that's designed for use in rural and remote homes that can't get DSL or cable.
Virtual blue skies brighten the office of the future
There is light at hand for those who toil away in a poorly-lit office. Scientists at the CeBIT high-tech fair have developed a system that gives the feeling of working outside under blue skies.
Finding solutions to Achilles' heel of renewable energy: intermittency
(PhysOrg.com) -- William F. Pickard introduces the February 2012 special issue of the Proceedings of the IEEE by quoting the Bible: “The wind bloweth where it listeth.” That, in so many words, describes is the major technological issue with renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.
'Shrinkable car' makes parking a breeze at high-tech fair
Scientists at the world's biggest IT fair unveiled on Tuesday what they hope is the car of the future that can shrink to fit tight parking spaces and pick you up at the touch of a button.
Hackers busted after one becomes FBI informant (Update)
A group of expert hackers who attacked governments and corporations around the globe has been busted after its ringleader - one of the world's most-wanted and most-feared computer vandals - turned against his comrades and secretly became an informant for the FBI months ago, authorities announced Tuesday.
New method for estimating parameters may boost biological models
Modeling biological systems can provide key insights for scientists and medical researchers, but periodic cycles that repeat themselves – so-called oscillatory systems – pose some key challenges. Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new method for estimating the parameters used in such models – which may advance modeling in research areas ranging from cancer to fertility.
Finding your friends and following them to where you are
A man—or person—is known by the company he keeps. That old proverb takes on new meaning in the 21st century. Computer scientists at the University of Rochester have shown that a great deal can be learned about individuals from their interactions in online social media, even when those individuals hide their Twitter messages (tweets) and other posts.
Startup announces big breakthrough for electric vehicle batteries
For years, the electric vehicle industry has been eager to build a better electric car battery: one that extends range while having a longer overall life, is affordable, quick-charging and safe.
Medicine & Health news
Evidence for the long-term safety and effectiveness of millions of knee replacement implants lacking
Knee replacement is amongst the most common surgical procedures in developed countries, with over 650 000 total knee replacements (TKR) performed in the USA in 2008 alone, at a cost of more than $10 billion. Yet there is very little or no evidence of the safety or cost-effectiveness for many of the numerous types of implants on the market. Furthermore, a lack of reliable information comparing patient-reported outcomes with different implants and surgical techniques is preventing surgeons from achieving the best outcomes for patients, according to a Seminar published Online First in The Lancet.
Review: Blood pressure drug effective for treating PTSD-related nightmares
Mayo Clinic researchers this week will announce the use of the blood pressure drug prazosin as an effective treatment to curb post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related nightmares.
Rectal formulation of tenofovir gel safe and acceptable in early phase clinical study
A gel formulation of the antiretroviral drug tenofovir designed specifically for rectal use was found safe and acceptable, according to a Phase I clinical study led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), and presented today at the 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). The results of the study, which included HIV-negative men and women who used the gel rectally once a day for one week, serve as an important step toward the development and testing of a rectal microbicide to prevent HIV from anal sex.
AAAAI: Prevalence of asthma, hay fever lower among Amish
(HealthDay) -- The prevalence of asthma, hay fever, and allergic sensitization is significantly lower among the Amish population than among Swiss children, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, held from March 2 to 6 in Orlando, Fla.
In new book, leading neuroscientist describes your brain on emotion
Building on more than 30 years of cutting-edge brain research, a new book by UW-Madison psychology and psychiatry professor Richard J. Davidson offers an inside look into how emotions are coded in our brains and our power to control them.
One in four U.S. HIV patients don't stay in care, study shows
(Medical Xpress) -- Only about 75 percent of HIV/AIDS patients in the United States remain in care consistently, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published online this week in AIDS. The study of patients across the United States is the first to provide a comprehensive national estimate of HIV care retention and information about patients who are most likely to continue their treatment over time.
High blood glucose levels may increase kidney disease in elderly populations
defined as having multiple risk factors associated with developing diabetes and heart disease—had an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Trials for new ultrasound device
An Adelaide ultrasound device is set to reduce invasive treatments for women after childbirth, thanks to a collaboration arranged by the Flinders University-based Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP).
Comprehensive guidelines needed for young adult preventive care
With no specific clinical preventive care guidelines targeting young adults, health care providers are missing key opportunities to improve the health of this population through preventive screening and intervention.
Pilot program demonstrates measureable benefits for people with schizophrenia
Washington, D.C. – People with schizophrenia report improved functioning after participating in a new, evidence-based clinical program, according to results announced today from a six-month pilot. The program, Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia, was spearheaded by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council) and administered at 10 community behavioral health organizations across the country. The program significantly improved communication, social interaction and coping skills for persons recovering from schizophrenia.
UH, Methodist team up to prepare surgeons for the operating room
Measure twice and cut once is a well-known phrase among surgeons, but this is not always what happens. To better prepare new surgeons for the operating room, University of Houston (UH) computer scientists are working with medical researchers at the Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation and Education (MITIE) to improve existing training processes. At the core of their effort is understanding the role of stress on a surgeon's path to competency.
On March 11, spring forward without losing sleep
(Medical Xpress) -- The return of daylight saving time and losing an hour of sleep causes most to cringe at the thought. According to Aparajitha Verma, M.D., medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, “springing forward” affects the sleep patterns of more than 70 million Americans. She offers some tips about how to practice good sleep hygiene before March 11 rolls around.
Unnecessary induction of labor increases risk of cesarean section and other complications
A new study published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica reveals that induction of labor at term in the absence of maternal or fetal indications increases the risk of cesarean section and other postpartum complications for the woman, as well as neonatal complications.
Life-saving radio campaign launches in Burkina Faso
Development Media International (DMI) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) are running a cluster randomised controlled trial of an innovative child survival intervention. The project is funded by the UK's leading science foundation, The Wellcome Trust, and the Planet Wheeler Foundation, set up by the founders of the Lonely Planet travel series.
Scientists discover in studies with mice that an anti-cancer gene also fights obesity
Researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre working with mice have revealed that one of the main genes protecting against cancer brings two additional health benefits by boosting longevity and combating obesity. Mice carrying extra copies of the study gene eat more than normal, but are thinner -- a novel and entirely unexpected outcome.
Electronic test result access does not reduce test ordering
(HealthDay) -- For office-based physicians, electronic access to patient imaging and laboratory test results does not decrease -- and may actually increase -- the number of diagnostic tests ordered, according to research published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
Computer software monitoring detects implantable cardioverter-defibrillator malfunctions sooner
A software monitoring program that tracks implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) function could detect problems with the devices earlier than current monitoring processes, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.
Studies show that CYP2D6 genotype does not predict tamoxifen benefit
Two studies published March 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute provide insights about the CYP2D6 genotype in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and represent a major step forward in understanding the usefulness of CYP2D6 testing for deciding whether or not a patient should receive adjuvant tamoxifen for treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Both studies found that CYP2D6 genotypes that were indicative of reduced activity of enzymes that metabolize tamoxifen did not predict clinical responsiveness to adjuvant tamoxifen therapy among postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer. One study also found that CYP2D6 genotypes of reduced enzyme activity were not linked with fewer tamoxifen-induced hot flushes in patients.
War veterans with mental health diagnoses more likely to receive prescription opioids for pain
Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with mental health diagnoses, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder, are more likely to receive prescription opioid medications for pain-related conditions, have higher-risk opioid use patterns and increased adverse clinical outcomes associated with opioid use than veterans with no mental health diagnoses, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.
Studies show benefits of immediate antiretroviral treatment for HIV-infected infants
Results from two studies presented today at the 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Seattle demonstrate the importance of identifying and treating HIV-infected infants within the first year of life both to prevent harm to the immune system and to enable normal neurological development.
Developing health systems guidance: New series
In the first paper in a three-part series on health systems guidance, Xavier Bosch-Capblanch of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland and colleagues examine in this week's PLoS Medicine how guidance is currently formulated in low- and middle-income countries, and the challenges to developing such guidance, such as the translation of research.
US health authorities warn against 'inhalable caffeine'
US health authorities on Tuesday issued a warning to the maker of a new inhalable caffeine product sold in the United States and France, citing mislabeling and safety concerns.
When drugs fail, surgery may get epilepsy under control
(HealthDay) -- Uncontrollable temporal lobe epilepsy affected almost every major aspect of John Keener's life.
Surgery less than 24 hours after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury leads to improved outcomes
Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson have shown that patients who receive surgery less than 24 hours after a traumatic cervical spine injury suffer less neural tissue destruction and improved clinical outcomes. The results of their study, the Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS) are available in PLoS One.
Study defines treatment window for HIV+ children infected at birth
HIV-positive children older than 1 year who were treated after showing moderate HIV-related symptoms did not experience greater cognitive or behavior problems compared to peers treated when signs of their infection were still mild, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. But both groups of HIV-positive children lagged behind HIV-negative children in these areas, suggesting that the first year of life may present a critical treatment window for minimizing impairments in brain development due to HIV.
Simplified approach to preventing post-birth bleeding appears safe and effective
Post-partum haemorrhage (PPH; excessive bleeding) immediately after giving birth is a major killer of women in developing countries, responsible for a third of maternal deaths in Africa and Asia. Results of an international trial published Online First in The Lancet are the first to show that omitting controlled cord traction has little effect on the risk of severe bleeding, indicating that effective prevention of PPH could be accomplished with just a uterotonic agent (e.g. oxytocin).
Microneedle vaccine patch boosts flu protection through robust skin cell immune response
Recent research found that microneedle vaccine patches are more effective at delivering protection against influenza virus in mice than subcutaneous or intramuscular inoculation. A new, detailed analysis of the early immune responses by the Emory and Georgia Tech research team helps explain why the skin is such fertile ground for vaccination with these tiny, virtually painless microneedles.
New H5N1 viruses: How to balance risk of escape with benefits of research?
In the controversy surrounding the newly developed strains of avian H5N1 flu viruses, scientists and policy makers are struggling with one question in particular: what level of biosafety is best for studying these potentially lethal strains of influenza? In a pair of commentaries, researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the University of Michigan argue their different views of how to safely handle H5N1 flu viruses. The commentaries will be published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, on Tuesday, March 6.
Cuba to test new AIDS vaccine on humans
Cuba's top biotech teams have successfully tested a new AIDS vaccine on mice, and are ready to soon begin human testing, a leading researcher told a biotechnology conference in Havana on Monday.
Parallel evolution - cystic fibrosis
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the University of Liverpool are examining the evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa over time in the lungs of ten people with cystic fibrosis to understand why it persists in these patients and why its response to antibiotics is so varied.
CRT unveils 'screen test' for potential drugs to treat oestrogen positive breast cancer
Cancer Research UK and its commercial arm, Cancer Research Technology have developed a unique test to discover molecules that could lead to potential new treatments for oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer.
Two heads are not always better than one
(Medical Xpress) -- From the corporate boardroom to the kitchen table, important decisions are often made in collaboration. But are two—or three or five—heads better than one? Not always, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher mortality in female nursing home residents
The majority of institutionalized elderly female patients are vitamin D deficient and there is an inverse association of vitamin D deficiency and mortality, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM).
Sexually abused boys engage in more unsafe sex
Boys who are victims of sexual abuse are far more likely to engage in unsafe sexual behavior as teenagers, finds a new review in the current Journal of Adolescent Health. Sexually abused boys were twice as likely to engage in unprotected sex, three times as likely to have multiple sexual partners and five times as likely to cause pregnancy compared to boys with no sexual abuse history.
Electrical stimulation of the brain is a safe treatment for depression
The use of weak electrical currents to stimulate the brain is a safe treatment for depression and might even improve attention and reduce pain elsewhere in the body, an Australian study has found.
Reproductive health providers should discuss environmental exposure risks with patients
Remove your shoes at the door of your home to avoid tracking in pollutants. Decrease consumption of processed and canned foods. Avoid the use of plastics with recycling codes #3, #4 and #7. Don't use chemical tick and flea collars or dips for pets. Reproductive health care providers should share these tips and more scientific information with women who want to become pregnant or who are pregnant, but that does not always happen.
Researcher steps closer to understand autoimmune diseases
Understanding why immune cells, called T-cells, attack the body is vital in the war against autoimmune diseases like diabetes. University of Alberta researcher Troy Baldwin is a step closer to understanding why the body's T-cells sometimes attack healthy cells causing autoimmune diseases.
Hospitalizations up for severe skin swelling
(HealthDay) -- Hospitalizations from angiodema, a serious swelling of the deep layers of the skin often around the eyes and mouth, are on the rise, new research finds.
The loss of a protein makes 'jump' the tumor to the lymph node
Metastasis is responsible for 90% of deaths in patients with cancer. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this process is one of the top goals of cancer research. The metastatic process involves a series of steps chained where the primary tumour invades surrounding tissues and ends spreading throughout the body. Ones of the first tissues undergoing metastasis are the lymph nodes surrounding the tumour.
Gene 'switch' is another possible cause for depression
(Medical Xpress) -- UK scientists have discovered another piece in the jigsaw behind depression with a finding that could help with the future development of more personalised treatment for the illness.
Is aggressive treatment of severe traumatic brain injury cost effective?
Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated that aggressive treatment of severe traumatic brain injury, which includes invasive monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) and decompressive craniectomy, produces better patient outcomes than less aggressive measures and is cost-effective in patients no matter their age––even in patients 80 years of age. These important findings can be found in the article "Is aggressive treatment of traumatic brain injury cost-effective? Clinical article," by Robert Whitmore and colleagues, published online March 6 in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Irreversible catastrophic brain hemorrhage after minor injury in a patient on dabigatran
Clinicians from the University of Utah report the death of a patient who received a mild brain injury from a ground-level fall while taking the new anticoagulant dabigatran etexilate for non–valve related atrial fibrillation. The authors describe the events that led from a mild traumatic brain injury to the man's death, the largely irreversible dangers of massive hemorrhage from direct thrombin inhibitors such as dabigatran, and the few management options that can be used to counteract this "uncontrollable" bleeding.
Marriage: A powerful heart drug in short supply
Married adults who undergo heart surgery are more than three times as likely as single people who have the same surgery to survive the next three months, a new study finds.
Scientists develop gene therapy approach to grow blood vessels in ischemic limbs
A new research discovery by a team of Stanford and European scientists offers hope that people with atherosclerotic disease may one day be able to avoid limb amputation related to ischemia. A new research report appearing online in the FASEB Journal suggests that the delivery of genes for two molecules naturally produced by the body, called "PDGF-BB" and "VEGF" may successfully cause the body to grow new blood vessels that can save ischemic limbs.
Researchers find possible genetic keys to surviving epithelial ovarian cancer
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues from 11 other institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom have used two genome-wide association studies (GWAS) – one from the U.S. and one from the U.K. – to detect a novel set of genes found to be associated with epithelial ovarian cancer patient survival. The discovery could open the door to new therapies for treating epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the most lethal kind of gynecologic malignancy.
African-Americans 7 times more likely to have keloid scarring of the head, neck
African Americans are seven times more likely than Caucasians to develop an excessive growth of thick, irregularly shaped and raised scarring on their skin – known as a keloid – following head and neck surgery, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
The brain science behind economics
Neuroscience might seem to have little to do with economics, but over the last decade researchers have begun combining these disparate fields, mining the latest advances in brain imaging and genetics to get a better understanding of the biological basis for human behavior.
Researchers report progress in cancer immunotherapy
In a bid to make cancer immunotherapy more effective, researchers report they have succeeded in halting the progress of aggressive melanoma in its tracks - at least briefly - in seven patients treated with an army of cloned cancer-fighting immune cells. In one of those patients, the treatment resulted in complete remission of his metastatic melanoma and evidence that his immune system stands ready to fight any return of the cancer after three years.
Researchers find yoga helps ease stress related medical and psychological conditions
An article by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), New York Medical College (NYMC), and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (CCPS) reviews evidence that yoga may be effective in treating patients with stress-related psychological and medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and cardiac disease. Their theory, which currently appears online in Medical Hypotheses, could be used to develop specific mind-body practices for the prevention and treatment of these conditions in conjunction with standard treatments.
New brain imaging and computer modeling predicts autistic brain activity and behavior
New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Marcel Just provides an explanation for some of autism's mysteries — from social and communication disorders to restricted interests — and gives scientists clear targets for developing intervention and treatment therapies.
From mouse to man: Circadian nitrogen balance impacts survival and susceptibility to common diseases
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine demonstrated that nitrogen balance, the process of utilizing amino acids and disposing of their toxic byproducts, occurs with a precise 24-hour rhythm – also known as circadian rhythm – in mammals. Disruption of this cycle has a direct impact on survival of organisms, and may predispose one to life altering diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Scientists pinpoint how vitamin D may help clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer's
A team of academic researchers has identified the intracellular mechanisms regulated by vitamin D3 that may help the body clear the brain of amyloid beta, the main component of plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Exercise changes your DNA
You might think that the DNA you inherited is one thing that you absolutely can't do anything about, but in one sense you'd be wrong. Researchers reporting in the March issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, have found that when healthy but inactive men and women exercise for a matter of minutes, it produces a rather immediate change to their DNA. Perhaps even more tantalizing, the study suggests that the caffeine in your morning coffee might also influence muscle in essentially the same way.
Negative prediction for sudden cardiac death high with ECG
(HealthDay) -- Electrocardiogram (ECG), with or without echocardiogram (ECHO), may have potential value as a mass screening tool to identify the most common causes of pediatric sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to a meta-analysis published online March 5 in Pediatrics.
Gastroesophageal reflux linked to tooth surface loss
(HealthDay) -- Tooth surface loss is significantly greater in individuals with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) than in controls, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.
The challenges of cancer vaccines
The first therapeutic cancer vaccine has now been approved by the FDA, and a diverse range of therapeutic cancer vaccines directed against a spectrum of tumor-associated antigens are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, according to a review published March 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Report highlights understudied, unwelcome side of cancer treatment
The number of cancer survivors in the United States has tripled since 1971 and yet gains in survival have come at the price of second malignancies and cardiovascular disease, according to a long-awaited report by a national scientific committee chaired by Lois B. Travis, M.D., Sc.D., of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Surgery soon after failure of drug treatment for epilepsy may lower risk of seizures
Patients with epilepsy who underwent brain surgery soon after failing to respond to drug treatment, but who also continued to receive drug therapy, had a lower risk of seizures during the 2nd year of follow-up compared to patients who received drug treatment alone, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.
Study examines the relative roles of testosterone and its metabolite, dihydrotestosterone in men
Men receiving testosterone supplementation who also received a drug (dutasteride) commonly used to treat an enlarged prostate gland and which blocks the conversion of testosterone to its potent metabolite DHT did not experience a significant difference in changes in certain outcomes such as muscle mass, muscle strength, or sexual function compared to men who did not receive dutasteride, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.
Study examines use of bevacizumab among patients with hereditary blood vessel disorder
In a small study that included 25 patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (a genetic disorder that leads to abnormalities of blood vessels) and severe liver involvement with this disease, patients who received the drug bevacizumab had improved cardiac output and a reduction in the duration and number of episodes of nose bleeds, a potentially life-threatening complication for patients with this disorder, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.
Basque roots revealed through DNA analysis
The Genographic Project announced today the most comprehensive analysis to date of Basque genetic patterns, showing that Basque genetic uniqueness predates the arrival of agriculture in the Iberian Peninsula some 7,000 years ago. Through detailed DNA analysis of samples from the French and Spanish Basque regions, the Genographic team found that Basques share unique genetic patterns that distinguish them from the surrounding non-Basque populations.
Smoking ban in Scotland linked to dramatic fall in preterm deliveries
The introduction of national, comprehensive smoke-free legislation in Scotland is linked with significant falls in preterm delivery and small for dates (gestational age) infants according to a study led by Jill Pell from the University of Glasgow and published in this week's PLoS Medicine.
Embryonic development protein active in cancer growth
(Medical Xpress) -- A team of scientists at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center has identified a novel protein expressed by breast cancer cells – but not normal adult tissues – that could provide a new target for future anti-cancer drugs and treatments.
Scientists uncover mechanism for melanoma drug resistance
Cancer is tough to kill and has many ways of evading the drugs used by oncologists to try and eliminate it.
Study: Most weight loss supplements are not effective
An Oregon State University researcher has reviewed the body of evidence around weight loss supplements and has bad news for those trying to find a magic pill to lose weight and keep it off – it doesn't exist.
Blocking natural, marijuana-like chemical in the brain boosts fat burning
Stop exercising, eat as much as you want ... and still lose weight? It sounds impossible, but UC Irvine and Italian researchers have found that by blocking a natural, marijuana-like chemical regulating energy metabolism, this can happen, at least in the lab.
Scientists discover that specific antibodies halt Alzheimer's disease in mice
Antibodies that block the process of synapse disintegration in Alzheimer's disease have been identified, raising hopes for a treatment to combat early cognitive decline in the disease.
Removing molecule speeds relief from depression
Getting rid of a protein increases the birth of new nerve cells and shortens the time it takes for antidepressants to take effect, according to an animal study in the March 7 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The protein, neurofibromin 1, normally helps prevent uncontrolled cell growth. The findings suggest therapeutic strategies aimed at stimulating new nerve cell birth may help treat depression better than current antidepressants that commonly take several weeks to reach full efficacy.
Spectroscopic imaging reveals early changes leading to breast tumors
Purdue University researchers have created a new imaging technology that reveals subtle changes in breast tissue, representing a potential tool to determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer and to study ways of preventing the disease.
Scientists discover primitive gut's role in left-right patterning
Scientists have found that the gut endoderm has a significant role in propagating the information that determines whether organs develop in the stereotypical left-right pattern. Their findings are published 6 March 2012 in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology.
Biology news
Report raises alarm over Laos monkey farms
Thousands of monkeys are being held in overcrowded and barren farms in Laos and sold for international laboratory research, according to a report from a British animal protection group.
Dung beetle diversity affects Florida livestock producers
Dung beetles are important to healthy cattle pasture ecosystems as they provide for nutrient recycling, removal of waste products from the soil surface and assist in the reduction of pestiferous flies.
Failed soybean disease leads to treatment for century-old cotton root rot disease
A dreaded soybean disease that didn’t materialize in the U.S. has led to an unintended positive impact of approximately $29 million annually for Texas cotton growers, according to officials with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
New study examines density stratification on microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems
Microorganisms play pivotal functions in nature, particularly within aquatic ecosystems. Whether in an ocean or a lake, they are key players in the food chain and the vitality of individual ecosystems.
Disease-carrying colonizers on the move: Predicting the spread of ticks across Canada
Researchers are watching as ticks that carry Lyme disease colonize Canada, but their research aims to predict the communities most likely to be hit by this sickness. "Our findings will help community groups and government agencies to alert the Canadians who may be at risk of picking up Lyme disease – those of us who like to visit the outdoors in spring and summer, when nymphal ticks are active but difficult to spot because of their size," said lead author Patrick Leighton of the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Nymphal ticks are ticks that have not yet reached full maturity. "Identifying where the ticks are setting up home helps pinpoint where Lyme disease risk will occur before people start getting the disease".
Carp dominate crayfish in invasive species battleground
(PhysOrg.com) -- Louisiana red swamp crayfish and common carp are two of the most invasive species on the planet yet how they interact has only recently been revealed by scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.
Study: Using a gun in bear encounters doesn't make you safer
Carrying a gun in bear country doesn't mean you're more protected in the event of a bear encounter, according to new research out of Brigham Young University.
More effective method of imaging proteins
Using a unique facility in the US, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have found a more effective way of imaging proteins. The next step is to film how proteins work – at molecular level.
Fish exposed to SSRIs exhibit abnormal behavior, study finds
Fish exhibit abnormal behavior and lower levels of anxiety when exposed to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), which are common drugs used to treat depression, among other disorders. The study, by Baylor University researchers and online in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, also found that human data for drug activity can be used to predict surface water concentrations of these substances that negatively impact fish behavior.
Genetic changes tracked as bacteria become a fatal infection
(Medical Xpress) -- An unusual case could tell researchers more about the genetic changes that occur when a common bacteria, normally carried without any problems, on rare occasions causes potentially life-threatening infections.
A bird's song may teach us about human speech disorders
(PhysOrg.com) -- Can the song of a small bird provide valuable insights into human stuttering and speech-related disorders and conditions, including autism and stroke? New research by UCLA life scientists and colleagues provides reason for optimism.
Study reveals how protein machinery binds and wraps DNA to start replication
(PhysOrg.com) -- Before any cell - healthy or cancerous - can divide, it has to replicate its DNA. So scientists who want to know how normal cells work - and perhaps how to stop abnormal ones - are keen to understand this process. As a step toward that goal, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators have deciphered molecular-level details of the complex choreography by which intricate cellular proteins recognize and bind to DNA to start the replication process. The study is published in the March 7, 2012, issue of the journal Structure.
Influencing stem cell fate: New screening method helps scientists identify key information rapidly
Northwestern University scientists have developed a powerful analytical method that they have used to direct stem cell differentiation. Out of millions of possibilities, they rapidly identified the chemical and physical structures that can cue stem cells to become osteocytes, cells found in mature bone.
When dying, bacteria share some characteristics with higher organisms
Do bacteria, like higher organisms, have a built-in program that tells them when to die? The process of apoptosis, or cell death, is an important part of normal animal development. In a new study published March 6 in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, Hanna Engelberg-Kulka and colleagues (at Hadassah Medical School of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel) have described for the first time a novel cell death pathway in bacteria that is similar to apoptosis in higher organisms. They also found that this newly described apoptotic-like death (ALD) pathway was inhibited by another non-apoptotic programmed cell death (PCD) pathway, mediated through the mazEF toxin-antitoxin system.
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