Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 10, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Particles magnetically 'click' to form superstructures- Solar thermal process produces cement with no carbon dioxide emissions
- Researchers say habitat loss and tropical cooling were to blame for mass extinction
- WebRTC puts video chats all in the browser
- Carbon nanotubes: The weird world of 'remote Joule heating'
- 5 more minutes? New clock answers resounding 'no'
- Alzheimer's precursor protein controls its own fate, study finds
- Processes at the surface of catalysts: Oxygen defects act as active centers
- Apple market value hits $600B
- Sony more than doubles net loss forecast to $6.4 bn
- Personality, habits of thought and gender influence how we remember
- Study finds that the Dead Sea almost dried up over 100,000 years ago
- Sulfur in every pore: Improved batteries with carbon nanoparticles
- Wireless providers to disable stolen phones
- Researchers use brain-injury data to map intelligence in the brain
Space & Earth news
LADEE closer to exploration of lunar environment
NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) has received its integrated propulsion system that will enable the spacecraft to reach the moon. Achieving this milestone means the LADEE observatory is one step closer to launching its 2013 mission to explore the lunar environment.
Space shuttle discovery to fly over Washington metro area April 17
(Phys.org) -- NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with space shuttle Discovery mounted atop will fly approximately 1,500 feet above various parts of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on Tuesday, April 17.
Earth, this is Space Station, do you hear me?
Are you following Andre Kuipers' mission through his blog, Twitter or Flickr? Astronauts are sharing the privilege of being in space with the people back at home via social media. Communication with space stations has not always been so easy.
Report warns of urbanization swell by 2050
We hear and read a lot about our human carbon footprint but what do we know about our urban footprint? According to a new United Nations (UN) report, this urban footprint will expand by another 1.2 million square kilometres if we fail to make changes to our cities' development patterns. This huge increase is the size of France, Germany and Spain combined. The report's highlights were presented at the recent international science meeting, 'Planet Under Pressure', in London, United Kingdom.
Las Cumbres Telescope sees first light at McDonald Observatory
(Phys.org) -- The first of a planned suite of telescopes of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope (LCOGT) Network achieved first light recently at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory.
Experts suggest grazing cows, sheep, ducks in forests
(Phys.org) -- Putting cows, sheep and other livestock into forests to graze could prove to be a valuable tool for New York woodland management, say Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) agriculture educators and colleagues in the Cornell Forestry Program.
NASA views our perpetually moving ocean
(Phys.org) -- The swirling flows of Earth's perpetually changing ocean come to life in a new NASA scientific visualization that captures the movement of tens of thousands of ocean currents.
Satellite beacon mission suggested for asteroid Apophis
According to a Russian news story, a report just released by the Russian Academy of Sciences suggests sending a satellite with a radio beacon to asteroid 99942 Apophis for better determining its trajectory and finding out how big of a threat it might be to Earth in passes the asteroid will make in 2036 and 2068.
New report assesses impact of climate change on forest diseases
Climate change is projected to have far-reaching environmental impacts both domestically and abroad. A recently published report by the USDA Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) examines the impact of climate change on forest diseases and how these pathogens will ultimately affect forest ecosystems in the Western United States and Canada.
Radiation from Japan found in kelp off US West Coast
Radioactive iodine was found in kelp off the US West Coast following last year's earthquake-triggered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown, according to a new study.
Oceans apart: New research suggests that ocean-crust formation is a dynamic process
Three-fifths of Earth’s crust lies underwater, spread out along the seafloor. More than four cubic miles of ocean crust forms each year, constantly regenerating like new skin across the globe. This ocean crust arises along mid-ocean ridges — underwater mountain ranges that ripple along the ocean floor like jagged scars.
Lake researchers find fishermen a good resource for limnology
(Phys.org) -- By studying lakes and streams, limnologists are able to learn how water systems work which is vital in a world where human population increases cause such resources to become ever more valuable. Thus, any new source of reliable information that can add to the overall understanding of how such a system works can become invaluable over time. It is for this reason that a trio of researchers from the Center for Water Research and Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Western Australia, found themselves enlisting the help of local fishermen when studying Lake Como in the Italian Alps. In so doing, they found, as they describe in their paper published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, that knowledge fishermen gain both from their ancestors and through experience can be used to expand on scientific studies to provide a much more thorough analysis of a lake’s flow patterns.
Bering Strait may be global temperature stabilizer
(Phys.org) -- A diverse group of climate researchers has found after running computer simulations that the strait that separates North America and Russia might be serving as a global temperature stabilizer. This, they write in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is because when the strait is blocked, melting glacial freshwater in the Arctic Ocean can’t make its way to the Pacific, causing it to back up and eventually flow into the Atlantic, disturbing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and eventually air temperatures.
When stellar metallicity sparks planet formation
New research predicts the criteria needed for Earth-like planets to form around a star that have one-tenth the metallicity of our Sun. If researchers find small, rocky planets orbiting stars with lower metallicity, it may challenge the presently accepted "core accretion" model of planetary formation.
Climate change helps then quickly stunts growth, decade-long study shows
(Phys.org) -- Global warming may initially make the grass greener, but not for long, according to new research conducted at Northern Arizona University.
Study finds that the Dead Sea almost dried up over 100,000 years ago
Rapidly dropping water levels of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth's surface heralded for its medicinal properties, has been a source of ecological concern for years. Now a drilling project led by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University reveals that water levels have risen and fallen by hundreds of meters over the last 200,000 years.
Researchers say habitat loss and tropical cooling were to blame for mass extinction
(Phys.org) -- The second-largest mass extinction in Earth's history coincided with a short but intense ice age during which enormous glaciers grew and sea levels dropped. Although it has long been agreed that the so-called Late Ordovician mass extinction—which occurred about 450 million years ago—was related to climate change, exactly how the climate change produced the extinction has not been known. Now, a team led by scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has created a framework for weighing the factors that might have led to mass extinction and has used that framework to determine that the majority of extinctions were caused by habitat loss due to falling sea levels and cooling of the tropical oceans.
Technology news
Iran denies has plan to cut Internet access
Iran has denied online reports surfacing Tuesday that it plans to cut access to the Internet in August and replace it with a national intranet, according to a statement by the ministry of communication and information technology.
China web giants vow to fight 'rumours'
Three of China's top Internet portals have pledged to work with the government to banish online rumours, as jittery authorities crack down on the web following widespread rumours of a coup.
Carriers agree to disable stolen phones for good
(AP) -- Cellphone companies and the government are trying to make it as difficult to use a stolen cellphone as it is to sell a stolen car.
Microsoft deal with AOL part of patent scramble
(AP) -- AOL's $1 billion deal to sell and license patents to Microsoft is another in a series of "Antiques Roadshow" moments in the technology world. Faded companies have been rummaging through their assets recently, and some of them have found musty old patents that turn out to be worth a great deal.
Bharti Airtel offers 4G service in India
India's Bharti Airtel said on Tuesday it had become the first company in the country to offer high-speed Internet services using fourth-generation (4G) telecommunications technology.
India takes US visa fee hike to WTO
India is challenging the United States at the World Trade Organisation over increased visa fees for skilled workers that have hit the country's flagship outsourcing firms, an official said Tuesday.
Microsoft, Nokia put all on the line for Lumia phone launch
Not long ago, it wouldn't be unusual to walk into an AT&T store looking for a Windows Phone and not be able to easily locate one - much less find a sales rep who could talk about it knowledgably and enthusiastically.
Internet thieves piggyback on legitimate users
Theft of Internet service is on the rise, and experts say only a few of the culprits are being caught.
Miniature sensors may advance climate studies
(Phys.org) -- An air sampler the size of an ear plug is expected to cheaply and easily collect atmospheric samples to improve computer climate models.
Yahoo CEO outlines new corporate structure
(AP) -- A week after announcing a painful round of job cuts, Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson unveiled a plan Tuesday that will reorganize the company into three main divisions focused on users, advertisers and technology.
SAP buying mobile work software firm Syclo
German business software colossus SAP AG on Tuesday announced a deal to buy a US firm specializing in applications for employees tending to work outside of offices.
Loyal Instagram users fret about Facebook's reach
(AP) -- Poor Instagram users. First, their beloved photo-sharing application moves from iPhone-only exclusivity to the Android phone masses. A week later, Facebook swallows up the tiny startup behind the app for $1 billion. The purchase sparked worries that Facebook might shutter Instagram or change it for the worse by harvesting their personal information or shoving ads into their carefully curated photo streams.
Sony more than doubles net loss forecast to $6.4 bn
Japan's Sony on Tuesday said it would book a net loss of about $6.4 billion in the year to March, more than double its previous forecast amid sweeping changes at the struggling electronics giant.
Chips as mini Internets
Computer chips have stopped getting faster. In order to keep increasing chips’ computational power at the rate to which we’ve grown accustomed, chipmakers are instead giving them additional “cores,” or processing units.
Apple market value hits $600B
(AP) -- Apple, already the world's most valuable company, hit the $600 billion level for the first time Tuesday.
Wireless providers to disable stolen phones
(AP) -- Major wireless service companies have agreed to disable cellphones after they are reported stolen under a strategy intended to deter the theft and resale of wireless devices.
WebRTC puts video chats all in the browser
(Phys.org) -- “It’s all in the browser. No plugins. And you don’t just need only Chrome either, Good stuff.” Those are the comments you can hear when in WebRTC circles. For those who have not yet heard about WebRTC, you probably will and more often in the months to come. A web standard still in its draft stage is getting lots of attention, nightly experiments, and hard work to get the standard into shape. The WebRTC standard has been endorsed by a number of browser vendors. The standard group’s reason for being is that “Currently, there is no free, high quality, complete solution available that enables communication in the browser." WebRTC aims to make that happen.
Medicine & Health news
Early-stage lung cancer treatments evaluated in patients with breathing problems
(Medical Xpress) -- The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine is seeking patients for a clinical study to determine the best treatment for patients with early-stage lung cancer who also have breathing problems.
Chill therapy: Benson touts treatment potential of stress-control methods
In the 1970s, Herbert Benson’s book “The Relaxation Response” described a method for easing moments of great stress — the opposite of the “fight or flight” mechanism that causes panic when it kicks in at the wrong time.
Offering lung cancer screening as an insurance benefit would save lives at a relatively low cost
Lung cancer is the most lethal cancer in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer causes more than 150,000 deaths annually and has a survival rate of 16 percent. More Americans die of lung cancer each year than of cervical, breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
Marriage and a high socioeconomic level improve health
People with a high socioeconomic level have been demonstrated to have better health than the rest of people. Other protective factors against chronic diseases are having higher education, having a job, and the per capita income and welfare in the region of residence.
Canada should play a role in addressing the global cancer epidemic: researchers
Cancer is a growing health concern in low- and middle-income countries, and there is an opportunity for Canada to make a significant contribution to help tackle the disease, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Words from a formerly fat physician
For obese patients, losing weight may require a different solution than calorie reduction and exercise, writes a formerly obese physician in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Waging war against rotavirus
Canada should show leadership in supporting adoption of the rotavirus vaccination in developing countries, but it must also ensure that all Canadian infants are vaccinated against the virus, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Engineers enter fight against AIDS in Africa
(AP) -- Getting AIDS test results from labs to remote villages once took weeks in Mozambique, with the information sent by courier along the impoverished country's terrible roads. The delay could mean death.
Michigan cancer programs follow care guidelines for common cancers, study finds
A majority of Michigan oncology practices participating in a statewide consortium followed treatment guidelines for common cancers, but had gaps in managing symptoms and end-of-life care, according to a new study.
Report outlines innovative breast cancer rehabilitation model
A new supplement in the journal Cancer outlines an innovative model to address a wide range of physical issues faced by women with breast cancer and offers hope for improved function and full participation in life activities for patients through rehabilitation and exercise. A panel of experts proposes a prospective surveillance model (PSM) that could reduce the incidence and severity of breast cancer treatment-related physical impairments. The model was developed over the past year by a panel of internationally known experts, with the support of the American Cancer Society and input from national healthcare professional organizations and advocacy groups.
Study: Dental therapists worldwide offer safe care
(AP) -- A new report says dental therapists worldwide including those in rural Alaska, offer safe, competent care in locations with rare access to dentists.
Brazil alarmed over rising obesity rate
In Brazil, a country known for girls in mini-bikinis and where body-consciousness borders on obsession, nearly half the population is overweight, a study by the Ministry of Health released Tuesday found.
How many calories does it take to reach childhood obesity prevention goals?
In order for the nation to achieve goals set by the federal government for reducing obesity rates by 2020, children in the United States would need to eliminate an average of 64 excess calories per day, researchers calculated in a study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. This reduction could be achieved by decreasing calorie intake, increasing physical activity, or both. Without this reduction, the authors predict that the average U.S. youth would be nearly four pounds heavier than a child or teen of the same age was in 2007-2008, and more than 20% of young people would be obese, up from 16.9% today.
Geographic information systems demonstrate links between health and location
The neighborhoods in which children and adolescents live and spend their time play a role in whether or not they eat a healthy diet, get enough exercise or become obese, concludes a collection of studies in a special theme issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Frequent dental X-rays linked to most common brain tumor
People who received frequent dental x-rays in the past have an increased risk of developing the most commonly diagnosed primary brain tumor in the United States. That is the finding of a study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Although dental x-rays are necessary in many cases, these findings suggest that moderate use of this form of imaging may be of benefit to some patients.
More exercise, eating less fat and weight loss programs are in, popular diets are out
Contrary to popular perception, a large proportion of obese Americans can and do lose weight, say researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. What's more, they say, the old tried and true methods of eating less fat and exercising are some of the most effective paths to weight loss success.
Fatty acids fight cancer spread
Tiny agents found in omega-3 could potentially be used to block the path of primary cancer tumours, preventing the advance to secondary stage cancers according to pharmacy researchers at the University of Sydney.
uok? Text messages - even automated ones - can soothe the disconnected soul
(Medical Xpress) -- Text messaging often gets a bad rap for contributing to illiteracy and high-risk behavior such as reckless driving. But a social welfare professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has found an upside to texting, especially for people who feel stressed out, isolated and alone.
Children's deaths linked to post-tonsillectomy codeine, study says
Western researchers are sounding an alarm over the danger of giving children pain-killers containing codeine following a tonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).
No bad luck this friday unless you think it will happen
(Medical Xpress) -- Have you watched the movie Friday the 13th? Scary, isn’t it? Well, perhaps not quite as scary as the infamous Rebecca Black song, “Friday” – but close enough. If you are one of those who carries around a rabbit’s foot and strokes it all day long for good luck or makes a wish after blowing away a fallen eyelash – then you are probably in the midst of bolting your doors, turning on all the lights and hiding under the comforting warmth of your comforter. Tomorrow just so happens to be Friday the 13th and if you have friggatriskaidekaphobia – it’s simply not a day to be trifled with.
Women veterans report poorer health despite access to health services, insurance
As more and more soldiers return from recent conflicts overseas, new research reveals that female veterans experience poorer health than other women.
Approach to diabetes self-management too narrow, study suggests
A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London reveals the many difficulties faced by people with diabetes in self-managing their disease.
US teen births: Miss. has highest rate, NH lowest
(AP) -- Teen births fell again in the United States in 2010 with the highest rate once more in Mississippi, according to a new government report.
New way to treat strokes is a 'game-changer,' docs say
A new generation of devices could significantly improve care for patients who have some of the most devastating types of strokes.
Prosthetics get the personal touch
We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better ... stronger ... faster. -Opening to "The Six Million Dollar Man"
Researchers identified a protein useful in predicting the risk of pulmonary metastases in breast cancer patients
Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have shown that breast cancer cells that metastasize to the lung express a higher level of the protein peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2). The study suggests that the modulation of the levels of this protein could be a new therapeutic strategy to prevent lung metastases. The study results have been advanced in the online edition of the journal Oncogene.
Supplement use predicts folate status in Canadian women
Researchers have gained new insight into why 22% of Canadian women of childbearing age are still not achieving a folate concentration considered optimal for reducing the risk of having babies with neural tube defects, despite a virtual absence of folate deficiency in the general Canadian population.
Pre-nursing home hospitalization of dementia patients incurs sizable Medicare costs
A new study that tracked what Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) costs Medicare during three distinct stages of patient care suggests that the government insurer could realize substantial savings through efforts to reduce the hospitalizations that occur before patients became permanent nursing home residents.
Mothers and OCD children trapped in rituals have impaired relationships
A new study from Case Western Reserve University finds mothers tend to be more critical of children with obsessive-compulsive disorder than they are of other children in the family. And, that parental criticism is linked to poorer outcomes for the child after treatment.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation shows promise in patients with severe aortic stenosis
German researchers report success with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis—a special form of aortic stenosis that is difficult to treat. Results published in the April issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, the peer-reviewed journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), show that while all-cause mortality was high within the first six months, TAVI significantly improved heart function and exercise capacity in surviving patients.
Study on inflammatory bowel disease in First Nations people adds to understanding of disease
Inflammatory bowel disease is relatively rare in Canadian First Nations people but common in white people, possibly due to different genetic variants, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) that helps improve understanding of the mechanisms of the disease.
High blood pressure medication use by heart failure patients not linked with increased risk of death
Although observational studies have suggested that losartan, a drug used primarily for the treatment of hypertension, may be associated with an increased risk of death among patients with heart failure compared with other medications in the same class of drugs (angiotensin II receptor blockers [ARBs]), an analysis that included nearly 6,500 patients found that overall, use of losartan was not associated with increased all-cause death or cardiovascular death compared with use of the ARB candesartan, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.
Chest pain patients educated about risk more likely to opt out of stress test
Chest pain patients educated about their future heart attack risk and involved in deciding care options were more likely than less-aware patients to opt out of stress testing, according to research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.
Stroke risk considerably higher if sibling had stroke
If your brother or sister had a stroke, you may be at least 60 percent more likely to have one too, according to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.
The green light gives the game away: New method for direct identification of antigens
The immune system is a vital part of our defenses against pathogens, but it can also attack host tissues, resulting in autoimmune disease. The antigens that induce destructive immune reactions can now be identified directly – without any prior knowledge of their possible structure.
Web-based tool produces fast, accurate autism diagnosis
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have significantly reduced from hours to minutes the time it takes to accurately detect autism in young children.
Researchers find critical regulator to tightly control deadly pulmonary fibrosis
An international team of researchers led by Georgia State University scientists have found a key component in the pathological process of pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal disease for which there is currently no cure.
Calif. finds toxins in 'nontoxic' nail polishes
(AP) -- Some nail polishes commonly found in California salons and advertised as free of a so-called "toxic trio" of chemicals actually have high levels of agents linked to birth defects, according to state chemical regulators.
Court weighs graphic health warnings on cigarettes
(AP) -- A federal appeals court is considering the constitutionality of requiring large graphic photos on cigarette packs to show that smoking can harm or kill smokers.
FDA to decide on Qnexa obesity drug in July
US regulators will decide in July whether to approve Qnexa, the first obesity drug in more than a decade, extending the initial deadline by three months, the California-based drug-maker VIVUS said.
Research offers new clues to prevent infection in cardiac devices
Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, the 'superbug' behind MRSA, can be a major problem for patients who have a medical implant, such as a replacement heart valve or pacemaker.
Supporting LGB children may influence their long-term health, study finds
'Coming out' as gay, lesbian or bisexual may be good for your health, particularly when parental support is involved.
Overcoming obsessive-compulsive disorder: Researcher pioneers treatment that tackles sufferers' fears and doubts
Did I remember to lock the back door? Did I turn off the stove? Were the lights still on when I left the house this morning? Such minor doubts are part our daily mental chatter. But for the over 650,000 Canadians who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), thoughts along these lines can lead to compulsive checking — a potentially debilitating behaviour that keeps the sufferer locked in an endless cycle of fear and doubt.
Study: Women not getting enough exercise; at risk of developing metabolic syndrome
A national study shows that women are less likely than men to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, resulting in greater odds of developing metabolic syndrome – a risky and increasingly prevalent condition related to obesity.
Online tool estimates youth exposure to alcohol ads on radio
A new online tool from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health determines the extent of exposure to radio alcohol advertisements among young people ages 12 to 20 in 75 different media markets. This free and user-friendly tool is the first service to provide parents, health departments and other key audiences with access to customizable information on youth exposure to radio alcohol advertising.
U.S. panel rejects ovarian cancer screening
(HealthDay) -- A leading U.S. government panel has renewed its 2004 recommendation that women at average risk for ovarian cancer not get screened for the disease.
Alternative medicine doesn't affect asthma care in children
(HealthDay) -- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is not associated with adherence to pediatric asthma treatment, according to a study published online April 9 in Pediatrics.
Early response is an indicator for rectal cancer survival
(HealthDay) -- In patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing radical resection, response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is an early marker that correlates with rates of recurrence-free survival, distant metastases, and local recurrences, according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Tivozanib exhibits antitumor activity in renal cancer
(HealthDay) -- The potent, selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, -2, and -3 inhibitor, tivozanib, demonstrates antitumor activity and is well tolerated in patients with advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Mitochondrial respiratory capacity, sperm motility linked
(HealthDay) -- Sperm with higher motility have increased mitochondrial respiratory capacity, according to a study published in the April issue of Urology.
Mobile stroke unit roughly halves time to diagnosis and treatment of patients with suspected stroke
Using a specialised ambulance or mobile stroke unit (MSU) to assess and treat patients who have had a suspected stroke at the site of the emergency roughly halves the time from the initial call for help to treatment decision, and could increase the number of patients eligible for life-saving treatment, according to results of a study published Online First in The Lancet Neurology.
New study examines risks and benefits of the first line treatment for diabetes
Although the drug metformin is considered the gold standard in the management of type 2 diabetes, a study by a group of French researchers published in this week's PLoS Medicine suggests that the long-term benefits of this drug compared with the risks are not clearly established—an important finding given that currently, thousands of people around the world are regularly taking metformin to help control their blood sugar levels in the belief that it also has long-lasting health benefits.
Tamiflu: Full reports from trials should be public; regulators respond to recommendations
The full clinical study reports of drugs that have been authorized for use in patients should be made publicly available in order to allow independent re-analysis of the benefits and risks of such drugs, according to leading international experts who base their assertions on their experience with Tamiflu (oseltamivir).
Symptoms that mimic epilepsy linked to stress, poor coping skills
Based on their clinical experience and observations, a team of Johns Hopkins physicians and psychologists say that more than one-third of the patients admitted to The Johns Hopkins Hospital's inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit for treatment of intractable seizures have been discovered to have stress-triggered symptoms rather than a true seizure disorder.
U.S. spends too little on public health initiatives: report
(HealthDay) -- The United States needs to spend more on its chronically underfunded public health system and use that money more efficiently, according to an Institute of Medicine report released Tuesday.
Can a standard vision test predict nighttime driving performance?
Just because a driver has passed the motor vehicle administration's vision test may not mean he or she is safe to drive. A recent study found that the frequency and distance at which drivers with moderate levels of blurred vision and cataracts recognize pedestrians at night was severely reduced, even when the drivers have passed the required vision test.
Study: Tax deadline day can be deadly on US roads
(AP) -- The two certainties in life - death and taxes - may be more intertwined than Ben Franklin ever imagined: A study found that deadly auto accidents increase on Tax Day.
Zip code as important as genetic code in childhood obesity
Nearly 18 percent of U.S. school-aged children and adolescents are obese, as the rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity puts children at greater risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other illnesses, and of suffering severe obesity as adults. New study results indicate that where a child lives, including factors such as the neighborhood's walkability, proximity to higher quality parks, and access to healthy food, has an important effect on obesity rates. Researchers found that children living in neighborhoods with favorable neighborhood environment attributes had 59 percent lower odds of being obese.
Autism by the numbers: Researchers examine impact of new diagnostic criteria
Getting an autism diagnosis could be more difficult in 2013 when a revised diagnostic definition goes into effect. The proposed changes may affect the proportion of individuals who qualify for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, according to a study by Yale Child Study Center researchers published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
High blood pressure may be especially lethal for blacks
(HealthDay) -- Black people with high blood pressure are twice as likely to suffer sudden cardiac death than whites or other racial groups who suffer hypertension, according to a new study.
Certain birth control pills may carry higher blood clot risk: FDA
(HealthDay) -- U.S. health officials announced Tuesday that birth controls pills containing drospirenone -- a man-made version of the hormone progesterone -- may be associated with a higher risk of blood clots and will require new labels.
Researchers find head turning resets cocktail party effect
(Medical Xpress) -- Anyone who has ever been to a cocktail party knows how difficult it can be to hear and follow conversations due to a host of distracting noises. Some might have even noticed that if they focus on a person talking, that after a few seconds, it seems to become easier to follow what they are saying. That’s the basis for what researchers call, the “cocktail party effect.” But how and why it works, and sometimes doesn’t is still poorly understood. To find out more, a team of Japanese researchers from NTT Communication Science Laboratories conducted a series of experiments and found, as they report in their paper published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, that something as innocuous as moving one’s head can upset the cocktail party effect, forcing the listener to once again focus and wait for the clearing-up to kick in again.
The neurogenics of niceness: Study finds peoples' relative niceness may reside in their genes
(Medical Xpress) -- It turns out that the milk of human kindness is evoked by something besides mom's good example.
Alzheimer's precursor protein controls its own fate, study finds
A research team led by the University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences has found that a fragment of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) -- known as sAPP-α and associated with Alzheimer's disease -- appears to regulate its own production. The finding may lead to ways to prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease by controlling the regulation of APP.
Antioxidant may disrupt Alzheimer's disease process
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now the sixth leading cause of death among Americans, affecting nearly 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. There is currently no treatment that alters the course of this disease. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that changes in the way the body handles iron and other metals like copper and zinc may start years before the onset of AD symptoms. A new study shows that reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect the brain from changes related to AD.
Electrocardiography can predict heart attacks in healthy older adults
Can a simple diagnostic test used to measure a heart's electrical activity help predict heart attacks? And can that knowledge help doctors reroute their patients away from coronary heart disease?
Personality, habits of thought and gender influence how we remember
We all have them – positive memories of personal events that are a delight to recall, and painful recollections that we would rather forget. A new study reveals that what we do with our emotional memories and how they affect us has a lot to do with our gender, personality and the methods we use (often without awareness) to regulate our feelings.
Researchers use brain-injury data to map intelligence in the brain
Scientists report that they have mapped the physical architecture of intelligence in the brain. Theirs is one of the largest and most comprehensive analyses so far of the brain structures vital to general intelligence and to specific aspects of intellectual functioning, such as verbal comprehension and working memory.
New MRI technique may predict progress of dementias
A new technique for analyzing brain images offers the possibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict the rate of progression and physical path of many degenerative brain diseases, report scientists at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.
Biology news
Mechanical properties and microstructure of cranial and beak bones of the woodpecker and the lark
Woodpeckers do not experience head injury despite repeated high-speed impacts during pecking at 6-7 m/s and decelerations up to 1,000 g. This biomechanical analysis of woodpecker cranial structures sheds light on the stresses associated with woodpecker pecking and may inspire new approaches to the prevention and treatment of human head injury.
Nature-based tourism often benefits local environment, economy: study
(Phys.org) -- When nature lovers book vacations in the great outdoors, they want their dollars to help preserve the places they visit, and a University of Florida study suggests that often happens.
Egg Cetera #5: Nature's paradoxical packaging
In the fifth report of our Egg Cetera series on egg-related research, engineers and zoologists work together to discover the secrets of the eggshell.
Electric fish charges up research on animal behavior
An electric eel can generate enough current to stun its prey, just like a Taser. Weakly electric fish can also generate electricity, but not enough to do any harm. "Weakly electric fish are unique in that they produce and detect electric fields. They use these electric fields in social communication and to detect objects," explains Johns Hopkins University neuroethologist Eric Fortune.
High-tech tactic may expose stealthy salmonella
Even the smallest quantity of Salmonella may, in the future, be easily detected with a technology known as SERS, short for "surface-enhanced Raman scattering." U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist Bosoon Park at Athens, Ga., is leading exploratory studies of this analytical technique's potential for quick, easy and reliable detection of Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens.
Fur loss, lesions reported in Beaufort Sea polar bears
Research scientists working for the U.S. Geological Survey report that some Alaska polar bears are losing their fur.
Why letting salmon escape could benefit bears and fishers
New research suggests that allowing more Pacific salmon to spawn in coastal streams will not only benefit the natural environment, including grizzly bears, but could also lead to more salmon in the ocean and thus larger salmon harvests in the long term—a win-win for ecosystems and humans. In a new article and accompanying synopsis published April 10 in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, Taal Levi and co-authors from UC Santa Cruz and Canada investigate how increasing "escapement"—the number of salmon that escape fishing nets to enter streams and spawn—can improve the natural environment.
Bacteria 'munching' on Titanic: scientists
In less than 30 years, there may be nothing left of the Titanic but a heap of "rusticles," warns researcher Henrietta Mann, who has spent four years researching bacteria gnawing on its sunken hull.
Feral pigs exposed to nasty bacteria
A North Carolina State University study shows that, for the first time since testing began several years ago, feral pigs in North Carolina have tested positive for Brucella suis, an important and harmful bacteria that can be transmitted to people.
Slow snails, fast genes: Predatory snails refine venoms through continuous gene duplication
(Phys.org) -- When tropical marine cone snails sink their harpoon-like teeth into their prey, they inject paralyzing venoms made from a potent mix of more than 100 different neurotoxins.
The tiny, lethal weapon that viruses use to kill bacteria
(Phys.org) -- It could be the tiniest armor-piercing weapon in the biological universe: EPFL scientists have measured a one-nanometer needle-like tip that viruses use to attack bacteria.
Changing climate can affect fish fertility
(Phys.org) -- Warmer water temperatures can greatly increase the reproductive capacity of the widely distributed pest fish species gambusia, or mosquito fish, a new study has found.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://www.physorg.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment