Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for April 3, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Quad-core Snapdragon S4 is firing up for laptop wars- 3-D, after-the-fact focus image sensors invented
- Nanoscale magnetic media diagnostics by rippling spin waves
- 'Tunable' metal nanostructures for fuel cells, batteries and solar energy
- Mice fed a high-fat diet show signs of artery damage after only 6 weeks
- Study reveals how cancer drug causes diabetic-like state
- Scientists find promising vaccine targets on hepatitis C virus
- Infection linked to dangerous blood clots in veins and lungs, study shows
- Robosquirrels versus rattlesnakes
- BlackBerry maker out to capitalize on rivals
- Dutch 'flying car' takes to the skies
- Research on stickleback fish shows how adaptation to new environments involves many genes
- Advanced power-grid research finds low-cost, low-carbon future in West
- How social contact with sick ants protects their nestmates
- MIT scientists launch personalized robot project
Space & Earth news
Space tourist is just one way to describe Simonyi
(AP) -- Charles Simonyi may still be described as a space tourist even though the Microsoft billionaire has no plans to take a third vacation on the International Space Station and hasn't hung out in outer space for a few years.
Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array: Famous radio telescope officially gets new name
Astronomers and officials from around the globe gathered on the high desert of New Mexico Saturday to officially bestow a new name on the world's most famous radio telescope and to mark its transformation into a new and vastly more powerful tool for science. The iconic Very Large Array (VLA) now is the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, honoring the founder of radio astronomy.
Total to airlift team to stricken North Sea rig this week
Energy giant Total said it will send a team of experts by helicopter to a stricken North Sea gas platform on Wednesday or Thursday to assess how to stop a potentially explosive gas leak.
Sls avionics test paves way for full-scale booster firing
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA has successfully tested the solid rocket booster avionics for the first two test flights of the Space Launch System, America's next heavy-lift launch vehicle. This avionics system includes electrical components for the SLS' solid rocket boosters, which provide propulsion to augment the core stage main engines of the rocket. The first qualification test of the five-segment SLS booster is slated for spring 2013.
Ice sculptures fill the deepest parts of Mars
One of the “weirdest and least understood” areas of Mars, the enormous Hellas Impact Basin contains strange flowing landforms that bespeak of some specialized and large-scale geologic process having taken place. The HiRISE camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently captured the image above, showing what’s being called “lava lamp terrain” — stretched and contorted surface that looks like overworked modeling clay or pulled taffy… or, with a bit of imagination, the melted, mesmerizing contents of a party light from another era.
'Titanic' director says ocean 'alien world'
Fresh from his journey to the deepest point of the Pacific in a solo submarine dive, Hollywood director James Cameron has spoken to Australian schoolchildren, answering questions on how fast his craft could travel to how he went to the toilet.
NASA infrared image sees a stronger Tropical Storm Daphne
Tropical Storm Daphne strengthened overnight and was captured in an infrared image from NASA's Terra satellite. Daphne moved away from the Fiji islands and remains north of New Zealand in the South Pacific on April 3, 2012.
Why Europe's climate faces a stormy future
(PhysOrg.com) -- Europe is likely to be hit by more violent winter storms in the future. Now a new study into the effects of climate change has found out why.
Venus invades the Pleiades
This week the second planet from the sun will pass directly in front of the Pleiades star cluster. It's a rare sunset conjunction that's easy to find with the unaided eye, but best seen through binoculars or a small telescope.
Technology news
Hail to the new NYC taxi; Nissan cab unveiled
(AP) -- In a cab and your cellphone just died? No problem. Just plug it in.
China lifts microblog controls that sparked outcry
(AP) -- China's two biggest microblog sites resumed normal service Tuesday after a three-day ban on posting comments that sparked complaints about censorship amid the country's worst high-level political crisis in years.
James Murdoch steps down as BSkyB chairman
(AP) -- Media executive James Murdoch, under pressure over his role in Britain's tabloid phone hacking scandal, has stepped down as chairman of British Sky Broadcasting PLC, the company announced Tuesday.
1940 US census viewable online after near freeze
(AP) -- The newly released 1940 U.S. census is such a hot item that it took a day for the website to get up to speed after tens of millions of hits almost paralyzed it.
Programming computers to help computer programmers
Computer scientists from Rice University, the University of Pennsylvania and seven other institutions are teaming up to address one of the greatest ironies of the information age: While computers and robots have automated the manufacture of thousands of products, the software that allows them to do this is still written mostly by hand.
Union contracts to expire for 40,000 AT&T workers
(AP) -- Union contracts for 40,000 AT&T workers expire at midnight Saturday, putting the company at risk of a strike.
Google loses Australian advert cases
Internet giant Google was Tuesday found guilty of false and misleading advertising in Australia after a court upheld an appeal by the country's competition regulator.
First Lady, Google launch White House virtual tours
First Lady Michelle Obama said Tuesday that Google is opening doors to the White House on the Internet by letting users pay virtual visits to all the public rooms.
US judge allows class action suit against India's Tata
A US judge has approved a class action suit against Tata Consultancy alleging that the Indian firm unfairly kept the US tax refunds of Indian employees working abroad, court documents show.
Facebook fans get to play out celebrity fantasies
A trio of console videogame stars joined the online social play revolution with a free-to-play title that lets folks at Facebook virtually live out celebrity fantasies.
Settlement talks fail in Google vs. Oracle patent case
A federal judge in the heart of Silicon Valley said Monday that Google and Oracle have failed to settle a patent dispute out of court and that the case will head to civil trial.
India's Tata says US class action 'without merit'
Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy Services on Tuesday denied a US class action suit that it unfairly kept the US tax refunds of Indian employees working abroad, saying the claims were "without merit".
Google starts building data centre in Taiwan
US Internet giant Google on Tuesday started building one of its three planned data centres in Asia to meet fast growing online demand from the region, the company said.
Online passwords are insecure: study
Online passwords are so insecure that one per cent can be cracked within 10 guesses, according to the largest ever sample analysis.
Rare earth metals: Another challenge for the green economy?
If you follow the clean energy dialogue, then you may have encountered discussions about the role of rare earth metals at some point in the last year or two. If not, read on, because rare earths should not be a rare topic to you.
Nuclear centrifuge project to move ahead
A giant nuclear centrifuge project in southern Ohio will move forward despite a setback in Congress this week, uranium enrichment company USEC said Friday.
Stock traders look to Facebook, Twitter for tips
The next big stock tip might be as close as a Twitter feed. Professional traders are developing computer programs that scour Internet posts in search of the next stock market darling. Their technology analyzes everything uttered about a company - good or bad, racy or mundane - and spits out trading recommendations.
Newspapers erect pay walls in hunt for new revenue
(AP) -- Newspapers are returning to a business strategy that served them well in the heyday of street-corner newsboys shouting the front-page news. They're enticing people with a little free online content before asking them to pay up.
Facebook failing on privacy promises: campaign group
Facebook has failed to meet a deadline to improve its privacy policies that was set by the data commissioner in Ireland, home to it overseas headquarters, an Austrian advocacy group said on Tuesday.
Facebook responds to Yahoo with own patent suit
(AP) -- Facebook is stepping up its patent dispute with Yahoo by filing its own lawsuit against the struggling Internet icon.
Google Art Project premieres upgrades in Chicago
(AP) -- High technology merged with high culture Tuesday at The Art Institute of Chicago when Google Inc. announced an upgrade to its Google Art Project initiative, adding thousands of works in dozens more countries.
Facebook app lets you share your power usage
(AP) -- People share all sorts of life events on Facebook. A new app lets you share even more - your energy usage.
Al-Qaeda sites go silent in possible cyber attack
Al-Qaeda's main Internet sites have gone silent for more than a week in an unprecedented blackout that is most likely the result of a cyber attack, analysts said Tuesday.
Canadians rally against wind power
Hundreds of Canadians demonstrated on Tuesday calling for an end to subsidies for wind power, saying noise from colossal turbines is making some people sick and driving down rural property prices.
Online tool helps you assess your intellectual property awareness
A new online tool can help small companies and entrepreneurs evaluate their awareness of intellectual property (IP)—trade secrets, company data and more—and learn how to protect it. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) teamed up to create the IP Awareness Assessment, available at no charge at www.uspto.gov/inventors/assessment/.
Photo app Instagram launches on Android phones
(AP) -- IPhone-less hipsters rejoice: The popular photo-taking and photo-sharing app Instagram is now on Android.
EU probes Motorola in patent war with Apple, Microsoft
European regulators opened Tuesday two antitrust investigations against Motorola Mobility, bought by US Internet giant Google, in the latest chapter of an escalating patent war with Apple and Microsoft.
Researchers use Facebook to dispel notion that social contagion is like biological contagion
(PhysOrg.com) -- Historically, diseases tend to spread most quickly when introduced into a crowded environment. The more neighbors there are, the more easily viruses can hop from person to person. More recently, the same sort of language has been used to describe how social ideas and adoption spreads. Facebook for example, has been described as spreading like a disease. Now however, researchers from Cornell University have shown that users adopting Facebook, tend to do so more predictably when receiving invitations from multiple sources, rather than a lot of requests from members of the same group, which implies that Facebook and its growth, does not actually compare with biological contagion at all. They have published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Where the wild winds blow: Stanford engineers use weather models to site offshore wind farms
(PhysOrg.com) -- Politics aside, most energy experts agree that cheap, clean, renewable wind energy holds great potential to help the world satisfy energy needs while reducing harmful greenhouse gases. Wind farms placed offshore could play a large role in meeting such challenges, and yet no offshore wind farms exist today in the United States.
Company develops conductive yarn for soldier uniforms
(PhysOrg.com) -- Modern military uniforms for servicemen from some countries such as those that serve Great Britain have evolved to the point that batteries and cables are needed for electronic devices that are carried; the problem with that of course is that cables are unwieldy and batteries are bulky, not to mention heavy. Both tend to get in the way of mobility, which is rather crucial for a soldier in battlefield conditions. To get rid of the cables, a company called Intelligent Textiles has come up with a type of yarn that can conduct electricity, which can be woven directly into the fabric of the uniform. And because they allow the uniform itself to become one large conductive unit, the need for multiple batteries can be eliminated as well.
Google's self-driving car takes blind man on errands
A self-driving car being developed by Google Inc. took a blind man for a ride this week, driving him to a Taco Bell and then to a dry cleaner in San Jose, Calif.
BlackBerry maker out to capitalize on rivals
Research In Motion launched a new software platform Tuesday that lets businesses manage smartphones made by rivals that have been devouring the BlackBerry maker's market share.
Dutch 'flying car' takes to the skies
Is it a flying car or a driving aircraft? Either way, the Personal Air and Land Vehicle, or PAL-V for short, has just proved it can handle the skies as well as the highway, both at up to 180 kilometres (112 miles) per hour, its Dutch developers said Tuesday.
Advanced power-grid research finds low-cost, low-carbon future in West
The least expensive way for the Western U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to help prevent the worst consequences of global warming is to replace coal with renewable and other sources of energy that may include nuclear power, according to a new study by University of California, Berkeley, researchers.
3-D, after-the-fact focus image sensors invented
(PhysOrg.com) -- At the heart of digital photography is a chip called an image sensor that captures a map of the intensity of the light as it comes through the lens and converts it to an electronic signal.
Medicine & Health news
Tremelimumab shows promise in treatment of liver cancer
Tremelimumab treatment stabilized patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma due to chronic hepatitis C infection for more than 12 months, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 – April 4.
Immunotherapy and chemotherapy regimen may prolong survival in advanced cancers
Maintenance therapy with interleukin-2 and 13-cis retinoic acid may be an inexpensive method for increasing survival in patients with a variety of stage 4 cancers, according to data reported at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 – April 4.
Changes in asthma treatment improve wait time and patient care in emergency
Dr. Roger Zemek, Director of Emergency Research at the CHEO Research Institute and ED physician, and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, has overseen the creation and implementation of a Medical Directive that now empowers nurses to administer an oral steroid treatment, which has reduced wait time and improved patient care. This research is published today in Pediatrics.
You, revealed: 'X-Rays of the Soul' examines history, influence of Rorschach test
With the creation, in 1921, of the Rorschach inkblot test, psychologists and researchers had at their disposal a tool that might offer access to the inner life or “secret self” of a subject: the projective test.
The cost of caring
Parents of children with autism are more likely to get common ailments such as colds, coughs and headaches as a direct result of the increased stresses linked to their caring duties, according to research from Northumbria University.
Bone marrow transplantation assists in acceptance of donated organs
In an organ transplant the recipient protects himself with an immune reaction against the alien organ. This reaction is counteracted long-term with the use of immunosuppressants. In future this medication might no longer be necessary. If bone marrow belonging to the donor is also transplanted, no immune reaction occurs. However, this is still associated with undesirable side effects.
Osteopathic faculty write text to help standardized test takers
Three years ago, Donald Sefcik, senior associate dean of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, set out to write a guide to help medical and physician assistant students study for standardized tests.
Drug combination may provide option to patients with NSCLC ineligible for bevacizumab
A combination of nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer may be a promising option for patients ineligible for treatment with bevacizumab, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 - April 4.
Sequencing cancer mutations: there's an app for that
Using precise information about an individual's genetic makeup is becoming increasingly routine for developing tailored treatments for breast, lung, colon and other cancers. But techniques used to identify meaningful gene mutations depend on analyzing sequences of both normal and mutant DNA in tumor samples, a process that can yield ambiguous results. Now, a team of Johns Hopkins researchers says it has developed an easy-to-use online computer software application that can clear up any confusion faster and cheaper than other methods currently used to do the job.
New study finds two-drug combo slows advanced pancreatic cancer
The combination of the novel drug TH-302 with the standard drug gemcitabine has shown early signs of delaying the worsening of cancer in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, a Mayo Clinic-led study has found. This was evaluated using a measure termed progression-free survival (PFS). According to the results of a multi-center Phase II clinical trial, patients receiving the combination of gemcitabine and TH-302 demonstrated a progression-free survival of 5.6 months compared to 3.6 months in those patients who received gemcitabine alone.
Pancreatic cancer clinical trial results released
The feasibility of selecting treatment based on individual molecular characteristics was demonstrated in a first-of-its kind pancreatic cancer clinical trial reported today by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare.
A new application allows online statistical analysis of gene-expression data
The journal Computers in Biology and Medicine has published an article on the new IT application BootstRatio, created by IDIBELL researchers. The application allows online statistical analysis of data from gene expression. It is accessible through http://regstattools.net/br and any scientist is already to use it.
Northwestern study compares endovascular brain aneurysm repair devices
Approximately 6 million Americans have brain aneurysms, a condition that occurs when a weak or thin spot develops on a blood vessel in the brain causing it to balloon. Often, these do not cause symptoms and go undetected, but every year an estimated 30,000 Americans experience a ruptured aneurysm that bleeds into the brain causing a life threatening injury. Immediate medical treatment is necessary to prevent stroke, nerve damage or death, and includes surgery or coiling. Coiling is an approach that blocks blood flow to the aneurysm by filling it with platinum coils. While less invasive than surgery, the likelihood of future aneurysm recurrence and subsequent treatment is higher with coiling. In an effort to lower the risk for repeat aneurysm treatment after coiling, Northwestern Medicine researchers are examining a new type of gel-coated coil to determine if it is more effective than the standard bare coils in preventing aneurysm recurrence.
Excess body weight associated with increased risk for prostate cancer recurrence
Researchers have found an association between excess body weight and an increased risk for cancer recurrence in men with clinically localized prostate cancer.
Race may play role in presentation of triple-negative breast cancer in hispanic women
Hispanic women in Puerto Rico who have triple-negative breast cancer share similar disease characteristics with Hispanic women in California, suggesting that race plays a significant role in the presentation of triple-negative breast cancer among Hispanic women.
Nearly half of cancer survivors died from conditions other than cancer
Although cancer recurrence may be the overriding fear for many survivors, nearly half of survivors from a recently presented study died from other conditions.
UK officials boost health measures before Olympics
(AP) -- U.K. health officials are increasing their surveillance for any potential disease outbreaks that could disrupt the London Olympics this summer.
Annual mammography with screening ultrasound may benefit women at increased risk of breast cancer
The addition of a screening ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to annual mammography in women with an increased risk of breast cancer and dense breast tissue resulted in a higher rate of detection of incident breast cancers, according to a study in the April 4 issue of JAMA.
Changes in diagnostic coding may affect data that indicate decline in pneumonia hospitalizations
Although data indicate that between 2003-2009 there was a substantial decline in the U.S. in hospitalizations for pneumonia and inpatient deaths, analysis suggests that trends in documentation and diagnostic coding, rather than improvements in actual outcomes, may explain much of the observed changes, according to a study in the April 4 issue of JAMA.
Credible medical evidence of widespread torture in Darfur
Allegations of widespread, sustained torture and other human rights violations by the Government of Sudan and Janjaweed forces against non-Arabic-speaking civilians are corroborated in a study published in this week's PLoS Medicine. In the study medical forensic experts reviewed the medical records of patients seen at a clinic in Darfur.
Harmless human virus may be able to boost the effects of chemotherapy
A naturally-occurring harmless human virus may be able to boost the effects of two standard chemotherapy drugs in some cancer patients, according to early stage trial data published in Clinical Cancer Research.
Baseline hormone levels may predict survival in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer
Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with the androgen inhibitor abiraterone and who had high baseline hormone levels had longer overall survival compared with patients with low hormone levels, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 - April 4.
Asbestos workers at significantly increased risk of heart disease/strokes
Workers exposed to asbestos as part of their job are at significantly greater risk of heart disease and stroke than the general population, finds research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Early life emotional trauma may stunt intellectual development
Early life emotional trauma may stunt intellectual development, indicates the first long term study of its kind, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Young women at growing risk of drunk-driving crashes
Underage female drinkers have been at a growing risk of fatal car crashes in recent years -- so much that they've caught up with their male counterparts, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Strong and consistent evidence supports low-energy-density diets for weight loss
A new report published online today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics systematically reviews and updates the evidence underlying the recommendation in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 to consume a diet low in energy density (ED). The report addresses the growing body of evidence linking ED, or the number of calories in a given amount of food, and body weight in adults as well as children and adolescents. The systematic review concluded that there is strong and consistent evidence in adults showing that consuming a diet higher in ED is associated with increased body weight, while consuming a diet that is relatively low in ED improves weight loss and weight maintenance. In children and adolescents, moderately strong evidence shows a relationship between higher ED diets and increased weight.
Mutant bird flu 'less lethal', says paper's author
The author of a paper on a mutant bird flu strain said Monday that experts agreed to publish it only after he explained that the virus was "much less lethal" than previously feared.
Cheap, safe device helps avoid premature birth
A simple low-cost silicon ring can slash the risk of premature birth, a major cause of death in newborns and health problems in adult life, according to a trial reported on Tuesday by The Lancet.
Most americans getting adequate amounts of vitamins, nutrients
(HealthDay) -- Most people in the United States are getting adequate nutrition, but some groups experience lower levels of vital nutrients than that which is recommended for good health, according to the Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition released April 2 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
School environment has little effect on teen mental health
(HealthDay) -- There is limited evidence that the school environment impacts adolescent mental health, according to a review published online April 2 in Pediatrics.
Fizzy drinks a predictor of future health problems
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists can already see damage in the eyes of children who have been drinking fizzy drinks and eating too many carbohydrates.
Investigational targeted drug induces responses in aggressive lymphomas
(Medical Xpress) -- Preliminary results from clinical trials in a subtype of lymphoma show that for a number of patients whose disease was not cured by other treatments, the drug ibrutinib can provide significant anti-cancer responses with modest side effects.These results were presented as part of the opening plenary session at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 on April 1 by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues.
Serious complications after oesophageal surgery cause lasting health problems in long-term survivors
(Medical Xpress) -- Oesophageal cancer is a very serious form of cancer that, if not fatal, requires extensive surgery. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that when serious complications arise after surgery for oesophageal cancer, many patients suffer other health problems, such as breathlessness, fatigue, insomnia and eating problems, for five years afterwards.
Peptide vaccine shows evidence of immunological, clinical activity in children with gliomas
Peptide vaccination in children with gliomas was well tolerated with evidence of immunological and clinical responses, but some children experienced periods of immunological pseudoprogression, where tumors appeared larger than they actually were, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 – April 4.
Peptide vaccine stimulates immune response in patients with breast cancer
Patients with breast cancer assigned to the HER2-based peptide vaccine AE37 had immunologic responses compared with a control group, according to 24-month results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 – April 4.
Single session ablation relieves misery of cancer that has spread to the bones
(Medical Xpress) -- Radio frequency ablation (RFA) enables doctors to destroy abnormal growths, quell arrhythmias and halt nerves’ transmission of pain signals.
Seeing Beyond the Visual Cortex
(Medical Xpress) -- It's a chilling thought--losing the sense of sight because of severe injury or damage to the brain's visual cortex. But, is it possible to train a damaged or injured brain to "see" again after such a catastrophic injury? Yes, according to Tony Ro, a neuroscientist at the City College of New York, who is artificially recreating a condition called blindsight in his lab.
Microchip success for bionic eye
(Medical Xpress) -- Research to restore sight to the clinically blind has reached a critical stage, with testing underway of the prototype microchips that will power the bionic eye.
Improving exercise performance of heart failure patients
(Medical Xpress) -- A new pilot study led by researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University Pauley Heart Center and the VCU School of Pharmacy shows that targeting and blocking a key molecular player involved with inflammation in the heart may improve exercise performance in patients who suffer from heart failure.
Study finds method to improve transplant cell delivery
(Medical Xpress) -- A new technique for improving delivery of stem cells may lead to better and faster tissue repair, a breakthrough with promise for sports medicine and military populations.
New compound targets key mechanism behind lymphoma
Scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia have come one step closer to developing the first treatment to target a key pathway in lymphoma. The new findings will be announced at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012 on Tuesday, April 3.
Viral replication impedes the efficacy of a targeted therapy against virus-induced lymphomas
Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is a human tumor virus and an etiological agent for Kaposi's sarcoma and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL). PELs are aggressive lymphomas with reported median survival time shorter than six months after diagnosis.
Chemo may get boost from cholesterol-related drug
Johns Hopkins investigators are testing a way to use drugs that target a cholesterol pathway to enhance the cancer-killing potential of standard chemotherapy drugs. Their tests, in mouse models of pancreatic cancer, may yield new and more effective combinations of current and possibly new anti-cancer drugs.
Nutritional supplement works against some pancreatic cancer cells in mice
The dietary supplement gamma-linoleic acid can inhibit the growth of a subset of pancreatic cancer cells and selectively promote cancer cell death in mice, a Mayo Clinic study has found. The supplement, a fatty acid also known as GLA, worked particularly well when combined with the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine, the researchers say. The findings were presented today by Mayo Clinic pathologist Ruth Lupu, Ph.D., at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012.
Noninvasive stool test for colorectal cancer unaffected by variables
A study presented today by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago identified two genes that are optimal targets to be analyzed in a new noninvasive test for colorectal cancer developed by Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with Exact Sciences Corporation. The test uses a small sample of a patient's stool to check for specific DNA changes, known as gene methylation, that occur as cancer develops. The test can quickly detect both early stage cancer and precancerous polyps.
Study identifies point when negative thoughts turn into depression
Negative thinking is a red flag for clinical depression. Stopping such thoughts early on can save millions of people from mental illness, according research study from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
Activity in brain networks related to features of depression
Depressed individuals with a tendency to ruminate on negative thoughts, i.e. to repeatedly think about particular negative thoughts or memories, show different patterns of brain network activation compared to healthy individuals, report scientists of a new study in Biological Psychiatry.
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease for relatives of cancer patients
A current study shows that the risk for coronary heart disease and stroke increases by almost thirty per cent in a person whose partner has cancer. The cause is probably the negative stress to which the cancer patient's relative is exposed.
Our brains on food: From anorexia to obesity and everything in between
The brains of people with anorexia and obesity are wired differently, according to new research. Neuroscientists for the first time have found that how our brains respond to food differs across a spectrum of eating behaviors – from extreme overeating to food deprivation. This study is one of several new approaches to help better understand and ultimately treat eating disorders and obesity.
Being ignored online or in person, it's still exclusion
People who are excluded by others online, such as on Facebook, may feel just as bad as if they had been excluded in person, according to researchers at Penn State and Misericordia University.
Can a ray of sunshine help the critically ill?
Scientists have long believed that vitamin D, which is naturally absorbed from sunlight, has an important role in the functioning of the body's autoimmune system. Now Prof. Howard Amital of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sheba Medical Center has discovered that the vitamin may also affect the outcomes of patients in intensive care.
Bilingual children switch tasks faster than speakers of a single language
Children who grow up learning to speak two languages are better at switching between tasks than are children who learn to speak only one language, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. However, the study also found that bilinguals are slower to acquire vocabulary than are monolinguals, because bilinguals must divide their time between two languages while monolinguals focus on only one.
Higher-spending hospitals have fewer deaths for emergency patients
Higher-spending hospitals do have better outcomes for their emergency patients, including fewer deaths, according to a Vanderbilt study released as a working paper through the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Researchers validate staging classifications for neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor surgery response
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have carried out a study to validate the utility of new tumor classification systems for staging and predicting relapse-free survival for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and who may be candidates for surgery.
New hormone for lowering blood sugar
New evidence points to a hormone that leaves muscles gobbling up sugar as if they can't get enough. That factor, which can be coaxed out of fat stem cells, could lead to a new treatment to lower blood sugar and improve metabolism, according to a report in the April issue of Cell Metabolism.
Autistic kids born preterm, post-term have more severe symptoms
For children with autism, being born several weeks early or several weeks late tends to increase the severity of their symptoms, according to new research out of Michigan State University.
Study: Golfers can improve their putt with a different look
Golfers looking to improve their putting may find an advantage in visualizing the hole as bigger, according to a new study from Purdue University.
Young girls more likely to report side effects after HPV vaccine
Younger girls are more likely than adult women to report side effects after receiving Gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccine. The side effects are non-serious and similar to those associated with other vaccines, according to a new study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the Journal of Women's Health.
More than 40 percent of patients with RA are inactive
(HealthDay) -- More than 40 percent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are inactive, with lack of motivation and lack of belief in physical activity strongly related to inactivity, according to a study published in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Lower GI problems plague many with rheumatoid arthritis
Add lower gastrointestinal (GI) problems such as ulcers, bleeding and perforations to the list of serious complications facing many rheumatoid arthritis patients. They are at greater risk for GI problems and gastrointestinal-related death than people without the disease, a Mayo Clinic study shows. Researchers say their findings point out the need for new ways to prevent and treat lower GI disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients; the incidence of lower gastrointestinal complications is rising even as upper GI problems decrease significantly among rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Caffeine and exercise may be protective against skin cancer caused by sun exposure
The combined effects of exercise plus caffeine consumption may be able to ward off skin cancer and also prevent inflammation related to other obesity-linked cancers.
New drug prevents spread of human prostate cancer cells
A new drug developed by Northwestern Medicine scientists prevented human prostate cancer cells from spreading to other tissues without any toxic effects to normal cells or tissues. The drug turns off the "go" switch in the cancer cells and immobilizes them.
Cruciferous vegetable consumption linked to improved breast cancer survival rates
Eating cruciferous vegetables after breast cancer diagnosis was associated with improved survival among Chinese women, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 - April 4.
New biomarker to identify hepatitis B-infected patients at risk for liver cancer
Hepatitis B-infected patients with significantly longer telomeres — the caps on the end of chromosomes that protect our genetic data — were found to have an increased risk of getting liver cancer compared to those with shorter ones, according to findings presented by researchers at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012.
Eliminating the 'good cholesterol' receptor may fight breast cancer
Removing a lipoprotein receptor known as SR-BI may help protect against breast cancer, as suggested by new findings presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2012 by Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center researchers.
Early warning system for seizures could cut false alarms
Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, but in a third of these cases, medication cannot keep seizures from occurring. One solution is to shoot a short pulse of electricity to the brain to stamp out the seizure just as it begins to erupt. But brain implants designed to do this have run into a stubborn problem: too many false alarms, triggering unneeded treatment. To solve this, Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers have devised new seizure detection software that, in early testing, significantly cuts the number of unneeded pulses of current that an epilepsy patient would receive.
UN in Haiti sees jump in cholera cases
(AP) -- Haiti is seeing a jump in the number of cholera cases as the Caribbean nation heads into the annual rainy season, a United Nations humanitarian agency said Tuesday.
Stopping the spread of a deadly childhood bone cancer
Many children with the bone cancer, osteosarcoma, die after the tumor spreads to their lungs. In a critical step toward finding a way to stop metastasis, researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center say they have discovered an agent that prevents this type of cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice with the disease.
Adding drug to chemotherapy following colon cancer surgery does not improve disease-free survival
Adding the drug cetuximab to a regimen of drugs used for the treatment of patients following surgery for stage III colon cancer did not result in improved disease-free survival, according to a study in the April 4 issue of JAMA.
Researchers discover a DNA marker that indicates if ovarian cancer treatment will be successful
Researchers and doctors at the North Shore-LIJ Health System and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered that blood can help determine the best treatment plan for patients with ovarian cancer. More specifically, a genetic marker embedded in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), called microRNA, indicates if a patient with ovarian cancer has a benign or cancerous tumor, and that she will benefit from chemotherapy after surgery on the tumor. This data will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting to be held from Saturday through Wednesday (March 31- April 4) in Chicago, IL.
Scientists find increased ApoE protein levels may promote Alzheimer's disease
Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have enhanced our understanding of how a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease keeps young brains healthy, but can damage them later in life—suggesting new research avenues for treating this devastating disease.
New research could lead to better treatments for cardiovascular disease
Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered a new process that controls the ability of arteries to regulate blood pressure.
Cholesterol drug shows benefit in animal study of Alzheimer's disease
A cholesterol drug commonly prescribed to reduce cardiovascular disease risk restores blood vessel function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in the April 4 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The drug simvastatin (Zocor) — which works by slowing cholesterol production — also improves learning and memory in adult, but not aged Alzheimer's model mice. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that early treatment with statins protects against some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Increasing height and body mass index are risk factors for ovarian cancer
A study in this week's PLoS Medicine suggests that increasing height and, among women who have never taken menopausal hormone therapy, increased body mass index are risk factors for developing ovarian cancer.
Researchers use a game to change how scientists study outbreaks
An international team of scientists has created an innovative tool for teaching the fundamentals of epidemiology—the science of how infectious diseases move through a population.
How do cancers become resistant to chemotherapy?
Genetic mutations in cancer cells can lead to resistance to treatment, thereby potentially resulting in relapse. However, a new article, published April 3 in the magazine section of the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, suggests that the converse may also happen. Steven Frank from the University of California, Irvine, and Marsha Rosner from the University of Chicago, propose that it may often be the case that a few cells become resistant before any genetic change, and then later acquire the genes to stabilize that resistance.
'Positive stress' helps protect eye from glaucoma
Working in mice, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have devised a treatment that prevents the optic nerve injury that occurs in glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that is a leading cause of blindness.
Drug patch approved for advanced Parkinson's and restless leg syndrome
(HealthDay) -- The Neupro (rotigotine) transdermal system has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat advanced Parkinson's disease and moderate-to-severe restless leg syndrome, the Belgian drug maker UCB said Tuesday in a news release.
US warns of cancer-agent in Japan weight loss pills
The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday warned consumers not to take a product called "Japan Rapid Weight Loss Diet Pills" because they contain a suspected cancer-causing agent.
New immune defence enzyme discovered
(Medical Xpress) -- Neutrophil granulocytes comprise important defences for the immune system. When pathogenic bacteria penetrate the body, they are the first on the scene to mobilise other immune cells via signal molecules, thereby containing the risk. To this end, they release serine proteases – enzymes that cut up other proteins to activate signal molecules. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried have now discovered a new serine protease: neutrophil serine protease 4, or NSP4. This enzyme could provide a new target for the treatment of diseases that involve an overactive immune system, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers study and develop approach to treat mitochondrial disorders
(Medical Xpress) -- Within each of our cells are a number of organelles governing operations – making sure we function as smoothly as possible. But one slip on the molecular level could mean disaster.
Mice fed a high-fat diet show signs of artery damage after only 6 weeks
High fat diets cause damage to blood vessels earlier than previously thought, and these structural and mechanical changes may be the first step in the development of high blood pressure. These findings in mice, by Marie Billaud and colleagues from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in the US, are published online in Springer's Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research.
Study reveals how cancer drug causes diabetic-like state
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered why diabetic-like symptoms develop in some patients given rapamycin, an immune-suppressant drug that also has shown anti-cancer activity and may even slow ageing.
Scientists find promising vaccine targets on hepatitis C virus
A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has found antibodies that can prevent infection from widely differing strains of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in cell culture and animal models.
Infection linked to dangerous blood clots in veins and lungs, study shows
Research shows older adults who get infections of any kind – such as urinary, skin, or respiratory tract infections – are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for a dangerous blood clot in their deep veins or lungs, University of Michigan Health System research shows.
Study shows why some pain drugs become less effective over time
Researchers at the University of Montreal's Sainte-Justine Hospital have identified how neural cells like those in our bodies are able to build up resistance to opioid pain drugs within hours. Humans have known about the usefulness of opioids, which are often harvested from poppy plants, for centuries, but we have very little insight into how they lose their effectiveness in the hours, days and weeks following the first dose.
Biology news
Novel approach to curing crop diseases tested
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sugar may be a treat for humans, but for aphids it can be life threatening. A $452,000 grant to Cornell and Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) will fund research exploiting this vulnerability to control agriculturally important insect pests.
Stomata development in plants unraveled -- a valuable discovery for environmental research
Gent researchers at VIB have unraveled the action mechanism of the main plant hormone that regulates the development of stomata. This breakthrough has important implications for environmental research and for the protection of plants against disease and stress. The study has been published in the prestigious science journal Nature Cell Biology.
A nation of animal lovers?
A new study has estimated that over 260,000 cats and dogs entered the care of UK rescue organisations during 2009, the first full year since the onset of the UK recession.
Love is in the air for Britain's giant pandas
The clock is ticking, and the heat is on. A giant male panda loaned to Britain by China has just 36 hours to make his move on his female companion or he'll have to wait another year.
Reducing insecticide use by identifying disease-carrying aphids
In work that could cut back on insecticide use, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have found a way to distinguish aphids that spread plant viruses from those that do not.
Wheat bacteria may ward off plant disease
A Flinders University researcher is digging deep to discover how certain bacterial strains found in wheat can stimulate a plant’s natural defence fighting mechanisms.
Pollen can protect mahogany from extinction
New research from the University of Adelaide could help protect one of the world's most globally threatened tree species - the big leaf mahogany - from extinction.
Is bioenergy expansion harmful to wildlife?
Despite the predicted environmental benefits of biofuels, converting land to grow bioenergy crops may harm native wildlife. Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig have developed a way to study the effects of increased energy crop cultivation on farmland bird populations.
Algae biofuels: the wave of the future
Researchers at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have assembled the draft genome of a marine algae sequence to aid scientists across the US in a project that aims to discover the best algae species for producing biodiesel fuel. The results have been published in Nature Communications.
Task force recommends reducing global harvest of 'forage fish'
A task force that conducted one of the most comprehensive analyses of global "forage fish" populations issued its report this week, which strongly recommends implementing more conservative catch limits for these crucial prey species.
Plants mimic scent of pollinating beetles
The color and scent of flowers and their perception by pollinator insects are believed to have evolved in the course of mutual adaptation. However, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Zurich has now proved that this is not the case with the arum family at least, which evolved its scent analogously to the pre-existing scents of scarab beetles and thus adapted to the beetles unilaterally. The mutual adaptation between plants and pollinators therefore does not always take place.
Research on stickleback fish shows how adaptation to new environments involves many genes
A current controversy raging in evolutionary biology is whether adaptation to new environments is the result of many genes, each of relatively small effect, or just a few genes of large effect. A new study published in Molecular Ecology strongly supports the first "many-small" hypothesis.
How social contact with sick ants protects their nestmates
In a research article published April 3 in the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, Prof. Sylvia Cremer and colleagues at the Institute of Science and Technology, Austria show how micro-infections promote social vaccination in ant societies. Like crowded megacities, ant colonies face a high risk of disease outbreaks. These are kept in check by the ants' social immune system—a set of collective hygienic behaviours and adaptive changes in interaction frequencies that acts in conjunction with the physiological, innate immune system of colony members. Prof. Cremer and colleagues now unravel how taking care of sick ants promotes disease protection in their group members.
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