Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 17, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Computing experts unveil superefficient 'inexact' chip- Electron hopping in graphene oxide leads to highly sensitive sensing
- Electric Imp serves up plants-thirsty, lights-on control
- Group finds circadian clock common to almost all life forms
- Coffee buzz: Study finds java drinkers live longer
- Study: Rates of PTSD among Afghanistan, Iraq soldiers dramatically lower than predicted
- Russian whizzes win global collegiate IT contest
- Researchers reveal ancient giant turtle fossil
- Suspicion resides in two regions of the brain
- New technique reveals unseen information in DNA code
- Study shows religion is a potent force for cooperation, conflict
- Abundance of rare DNA changes following population explosion may hold clues to common diseases
- New study shows that workplace inspections save lives, don't destroy jobs
- In hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis chemical reactions, water adds speed without heat
- Babies' susceptibility to colds linked to immune response at birth
Space & Earth news
Could cap and trade for water solve problems facing the United States' largest rivers?
Lake Mead, on the Colorado River, is the largest reservoir in the United States, but users are consuming more water than flows down the river in an average year, which threatens the water supply for agriculture and households. To solve this imbalance scientists are proposing a Cap and Trade system of interstate water trading. The proposal, published in Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA), builds on the success of such an initiative in Australia.
New models to predict coral bleaching
(Phys.org) -- Curtin University researchers have used computational fluid dynamics and powerful supercomputers to create new models for understanding and predicting coral bleaching.
Image: The shake, rattle and roar of the J-2X engine
(Phys.org) -- The shake, rattle and roar lasted just seven seconds, but the short J-2X test conducted May 16 at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi moved the space agency ever closer to a return to deep space.
Oxygen isotopes improve weather predictability in Niger
For the African nation of Niger, the effect of seasonal atmospheric variability on the weather is poorly understood. Because most residents rely on local agriculture, improving the predictability of seasonal weather and precipitation availability is crucial.
Annual Arctic sea ice less reflective than old ice
In the Arctic Ocean, the blanket of permanent sea ice is being progressively replaced by a transient winter cover. In recent years the extent of the northern ocean's ice cover has declined. The summer melt season is starting earlier, the winter freeze is happening later, the areal extent of the ice has decreased, and more ice is failing to last through the summer.
UN talks take first steps on 2015 climate deal
UN members on Thursday took their first steps in a marathon to negotiate a new global pact by 2015 that for the first time will place rich and poor under a common legal regime to tackle climate change.
CA museum gets big gift to build shuttle exhibit
(AP) -- The California Science Museum said it has raised nearly half of the $200 million needed to build a permanent exhibit for the space shuttle Endeavour.
Russia delivers three astronauts to ISS
Two Russians and an American joined three colleagues aboard the International Space Station Thursday for a mission that should include receiving the orbiter's first visit from a private spacecraft.
NASA lends ultraviolet space telescope to Caltech
(Phys.org) -- Caltech has taken over operation from NASA of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), a space telescope that for the last nine years has been surveying the cosmos in ultraviolet light. In this first agreement of its kind, NASA is lending the telescope to Caltech, which has led the mission and will continue operating and managing it through the support of private funders.
Opportunity's Traverse map from sol 2951
(Phys.org) -- After spending 19 weeks working in one place while solar power was too low for driving during the Martian winter, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is on the move again. The winter worksite was on the north slope of an outcrop called Greeley Haven. The rover used its rear hazard-avoidance camera after nearly completing the May 8 drive, capturing this view looking back at the Greeley Haven.
Asteroid 2012 KA to buzz Earth on May 17
On the heels of a bus-sized asteroid that passed harmlessly between Earth and the orbit of the Moon on May 13, another asteroid between 4.5 and 10 meters (14-33 feet) wide will buzz by at about the same distance on May 17, 2012.
The most profitable asteroid is...
With the recent announcement of the asteroid mining company, Planetary Resources, some of the most-asked questions about this enticing but complex endeavor include, what asteroids do we mine? Which are the easiest asteroids to get to? Could it really be profitable?
1,000 years of climate data confirms Australia's warming
In the first study of its kind in Australasia, scientists used 27 natural climate records to create the first large-scale temperature reconstruction for the region over the past 1,000 years.
Washburn telescope optics get 130-year checkup, cleaning
(Phys.org) -- Bit by bit over the last two decades, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's iconic Washburn Observatory has been restored to its original sheen.
Microplastics endanger ocean health
Tiny pieces of plastic contaminate almost every sea in the world. Now scientists have found that marine creatures like fish and birds are eating this microscopic waste, which may be harming their health.
US forecasters say heat will stay on this summer
(AP) -- And the heat goes on. Forecasters predict toasty temperatures will stretch through the summer in the U.S. And that's a bad sign for wildfires in the West.
Tracking a Jurassic reversal of the Earth's magnetic field
Roughly 180 million years ago, during the height of the Jurassic period, the Earth's magnetic field flipped, bringing the magnetic north pole once again into the Northern Hemisphere.
Commercial rocket will fly to the space station
For the first time, a private company will launch a rocket to the International Space Station, sending it on a grocery run this weekend that could be the shape of things to come for America's space program.
Japan in first commercial satellite launch
Japan successfully put a South Korean satellite into space Friday, in its first foray into the European- and Russian-dominated world of commercial launches.
NASA says competition is key to private space race
Competition is vital to the race among private companies to replace the space shuttle, NASA said Thursday, after Congress called for the US space agency to fund a single company.
SpaceX poised for high-stakes space station launch
SpaceX on Saturday aims to become the first private company to send its own cargo ship to the International Space Station, a feat that only a handful of world governments have pulled off.
NASA survey counts potentially hazardous asteroids
(Phys.org) -- Observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system's population of potentially hazardous asteroids. The results reveal new information about their total numbers, origins and the possible dangers they may pose.
Kepler satellite telescope reveals hundreds of superflares on distant stars
(Phys.org) -- Here on Earth we are occasionally concerned about solar flares due to the impact they can have on our electrical systems. But our solar flares are puny when compared to so-called superflares that occur with other stars. A new research study by a team from Japan’s Kyoto University has found after studying one patch of sky over a 120 day period in 1990 using data from the Kepler telescope, that superflares are rather common, and as they describe in their paper published in the journal Nature, some are a billion times as powerful as those that occur with our own sun.
Celestial tapestry is born of uncertain parentage
(Phys.org) -- A new Legacy Image from the Gemini Observatory reveals the remarkable complexity of the planetary nebula Sharpless 2-71 (Sh 2-71). Embroiled in a bit of controversy over its “birth parents” the nebula likely resulted from interactions between a pair of two old and dying stars. Legacy images like this one share the stunning beauty of the universe as revealed by the twin 8-meter Gemini telescopes in Hawai‘i and Chile.
Seeking signs of life at the glacier's edge
Microbes living at the edges of Arctic ice sheets could help researchers pinpoint evidence for similar microorganisms that could have evolved on Mars, the Jovian moon Europa, or Saturn's moon Enceladus.
Astronomer urges researchers everywhere to study Venus transit
(Phys.org) -- Jay Pasachoff, Director of Hopkins Observatory, Chair of the Astronomy Department at Williams College and Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy, has written a commentary piece published in the journal Nature, urging stargazers everywhere to take advantage of the unique opportunity to study the Venus transit, which will occur June 5-6. It will be, he reminds readers, a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Herschel reveals galaxy-packed filament
A McGill-led research team using the Herschel Space Observatory has discovered a giant, galaxy-packed filament ablaze with billions of new stars. The filament connects two clusters of galaxies that, along with a third cluster, will smash together and give rise to one of the largest galaxy superclusters in the universe.
Technology news
Activision, EA settle lawsuit over execs' leaving
(AP) -- The legal battle between gaming giants Activision Blizzard Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc. is over, with the companies announcing they have settled a case that accused EA of improperly recruiting two executives who oversaw the creation of the smash videogame "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2."
Australia warns of 'bespoke' online child sex abuse
Australian police warned Thursday that paedophiles were using Internet live-streaming sites to order "bespoke" child sex crimes for real-time viewing, from countries including the Philippines.
Iran to sue Google over dropping Persian Gulf name
(AP) -- Iran says it will sue Google over dropping the name of the Persian Gulf on Google Maps.
Saving lives with Google Maps -- disaster-tracking software developed by Abertay student
Emergency responses to natural disasters could be coordinated more quickly and save lives thanks to new software developed at the University of Abertay Dundee.
Pinterest gets $100 mn, led by Japan's Rakuten
Japanese online giant Rakuten announced Thursday it was leading a $100 million investment in Pinterest, a fast-growing US bulletin-board style social media website.
Navy pilot training enhanced by AEMASE 'smart machine'
Navy pilots and other flight specialists soon will have a new "smart machine" installed in training simulators that learns from expert instructors to more efficiently train their students.
Buffett's Berkshire to buy Media General papers
(AP) -- Billionaire Warren Buffett's company is making another foray into newspapers, agreeing to buy 63 newspapers from Media General Inc. for $142 million.
Facebook may be economic, jobs driver
Out of thin air, Facebook is evolving into a global driver of jobs and economic growth.
India's Mahindra Satyam swings into net profit
India's software outsourcer Mahindra Satyam on Thursday said it had swung into net profit for the three months to March, from a net loss a year earlier.
Review: Facebook snapshot doesn't capture dynamics
(AP) -- In my five years on Facebook, I've shared a lot of photos, links and other tidbits about my life. I've commented on what my friends share, and I've endorsed plenty of their posts by hitting the "like" button. I've gained Facebook friends over the years, and I've lost some.
Tale of the tape: Google versus Facebook
Facebook is the hottest Internet company to hit the stock market since Google went public in 2004. The Silicon Valley companies, located seven miles apart, also happen to be locked in a bitter battle for Web surfers' allegiance and online advertisers' money.
Clean energy becomes a selling point
As somewhat bewildered Apple shoppers in San Francisco, New York and Toronto learned firsthand this month, Greenpeace has a new enemy: dirty data. To attract attention to its report, "How Clean Is My Cloud?" - which draws attention to the coal and nuclear power plants supplying energy for the "cloud computing" server farms of many prominent digital businesses, including Apple and Amazon - Greenpeace launched a series of coordinated in-store protests at Apple stores across North America. Activists carried black-and-white balloons or came dressed as cleaning crews, spraying down windows to cleanse the company of its dirty greenhouse gas emissions.
California leads green tech funding, reduces greenhouse emissions
California has had remarkable success in developing and deploying clean technology, using it to help fuel the state's economic rebound and drive its effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions, even as its population continues to grow.
Cybercrimes (via cell phones) up in 2011
Addicted as we are to our online life and our mobile devices, it's no surprise that a growing number of cyber-criminals are lurking out there with us.
Viacom, Time Warner Cable settle dispute over app
(AP) -- Viacom Inc., the parent of pay TV networks MTV and Comedy Central, has settled a dispute with Time Warner Cable Inc. over whether its subscribers can watch shows like "Jersey Shore" on mobile devices while at home.
Companies ask: Does advertising on Facebook pay?
(AP) -- Responding to extraordinary demand, Facebook said Wednesday that it would sell more stock in the company's initial public offering. But ahead of the IPO, a debate emerged between two of the nation's largest automakers: Does it pay to advertise on the social network?
As Facebook grows, millions say, 'no, thanks'
(AP) -- Don't try to friend MaLi Arwood on Facebook. You won't find her there.
Facebook to kick off IPO the hacker way: reports
Facebook will go public hacker style with an all-night software bending bash to culminate with co-founder Mark Zuckerberg remotely ringing the Nasdaq opening bell on Friday, reports said.
Asian start-ups gain as Facebook's Saverin looks East
Far from the Wall Street limelight, Facebook's co-founder Eduardo Saverin is keeping a low profile in Singapore, investing his wealth in tech start-ups while enjoying a life of luxury.
Toshiba shares jump as it drops Japan TV operations
Toshiba shares surged almost six percent Thursday after saying it had stopped making televisions in Japan where a strong yen has hurt exports as slow demand and falling prices also ate into earnings.
Internet usage patterns may signify depression
(Phys.org) -- In a new study analyzing Internet usage among college students, researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology have found that students who show signs of depression tend to use the Internet differently than those who show no symptoms of depression.
Review: Autodesk's 3-D technology cool but frustrating
Last week, Autodesk updated its suite of 3-D printing and modeling applications, releasing an iPad version of 123D Catch, a program that creates a virtual object by stitching together two-dimensional photographs taken of a real-world one.
Facebook IPO has privacy implications, advocates say
Facebook's IPO could be one of the most successful in history, but that very success could force the company to make a choice between protecting users' privacy and exploiting their personal data.
Google Chrome heading to iPhone, analysts predict
Google Chrome is coming to the iPhone, or at least that's what one group of analysts say.
Technology convergence may widen the digital divide
(Phys.org) -- Technology is helping communication companies merge telephone, television and Internet services, but a push to deregulate may leave some customers on the wrong side of the digital divide during this convergence, according to a Penn State telecommunications researcher.
Bluetooth baby
Checking the heart of the unborn baby usually involves a stethoscope. However, an inexpensive and accurate Bluetooth fetal heart rate monitoring system has now been developed by researchers in India for long-term home care. Details are reported in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Computers in Healthcare.
IBM, HP allegedly implicated in Poland graft scandal: report
Global IT giants IBM and Hewlett-Packard have allegedly been implicated in a corruption scandal over a technology upgrade in Poland's public administration, the Rzeczpospolita daily reported Thursday.
US senators propose 'anti-Saverin' tax evasion law
Two US senators, angered by what they said was Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's deliberate tax avoidance, announced legislation Thursday to stop him and other exiles from re-entering the country.
Comcast to start charging heavy downloaders extra
(AP) -- Comcast, the country's largest Internet service provider, is going to start charging extra when customers go over a certain monthly data limit.
Twitter joins Firefox effort to thwart online tracking
Twitter on Thursday took a stand for online privacy by backing a Firefox web browsing feature that lets people signal that they don't want their Internet activity tracked.
Clash in US on mobile privacy protection
Law enforcement officials and civil liberties advocates clashed Thursday at a US congressional hearing on a proposed law to protect the "location privacy" of people using mobile phones.
Reports: HP poised to eliminate up to 30,000 jobs
(AP) -- Published reports say Hewlett-Packard is poised to eliminate up to 30,000 jobs to help offset dwindling demand for personal computers as more people connect to the Internet on smartphones and tablets.
Wall Street girds for Facebook frenzy
Wall Street and investors around the globe girded for a frenzy for Facebook shares with investors hungry for a piece of the social network's share offering expected to be launched on Friday.
Facebook's $16 billion IPO one of world's largest
(AP) -- Facebook's initial public offering of stock is shaping up to be one of the largest ever. The world's definitive online social network is raising at least $16 billion, a big windfall for a company that began eight years ago with no way to make money.
Free live TV is coming to your smartphone and tablet
Would you like to watch live network TV on your smartphone or stream a movie? The answer is probably yes to both.
Russian whizzes win global collegiate IT contest
Three Russian computer whizzes were crowned the world's top collegiate programmers Thursday, when they clobbered 111 other teams from across the globe to win the 36th annual "Battle of Brains" in Warsaw.
Computing experts unveil superefficient 'inexact' chip
Researchers have unveiled an "inexact" computer chip that challenges the industry's dogmatic 50-year pursuit of accuracy. The design improves power and resource efficiency by allowing for occasional errors. Prototypes unveiled this week at the ACM International Conference on Computing Frontiers in Cagliari, Italy, are at least 15 times more efficient than today's technology.
Electric Imp serves up plants-thirsty, lights-on control
(Phys.org) -- Electric Imp wants to revive the dream of All Things Internet with its new device launched this week. Its Imp is able to connect devices to the Internet, where you can monitor and control information from your phone, mobile computer, or any other Imp-enabled devices. The Los Altos, California, company has essentially managed to come up with a cloud-based home automation unit. The Imp looks like any standard user-installable SD card and is equipped with embedded processor and Wi-Fi capability. The card’s WiFi radio supports 802.11b/g/n, and has an integrated antenna.
Medicine & Health news
Psychiatric units safer as in-patient suicide falls
Suicides by psychiatric in-patients have fallen to a new low, research published today has found.
Pediatric epilepsy impacts sleep for the child and parents
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital for Children in Boston have determined that pediatric epilepsy significantly impacts sleep patterns for the child and parents. According to the study available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), sharing a room or co-sleeping with their child with epilepsy decreases the sleep quality and prevents restful sleep for parents.
Reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir vaginal gel safe for rectal use
A change in the formulation of tenofovir gel, an anti-HIV gel developed for vaginal use, may make it safer to use in the rectum, suggests a study published online this week in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. In laboratory tests of rectal tissue, researchers from the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN) found that the reformulated gel was less harmful to the lining of the rectum than the original vaginal formulation, and just as effective in protecting cells against HIV.
Design toots flute player injury prevention
Classical musicians suffer playing-related injuries at a surprisingly high rate, so a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) student has created a device to help.
Researchers investigate hockey board safety
Hockey is one of the toughest sports games. Players need both finesse and speed on the ice, but they also need to be strong. Being slammed into the boards or glass while chasing the puck is hard on the body. And the stronger the players get, the higher the number of injuries. Researchers in Finland investigated whether the shock-absorbing properties of different dasher board structures and materials can affect injury rates. Their findings show that the different types of boards' shock-absorbing properties varied significantly.
Early substance use linked to lower educational achievement
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers have found evidence that early drug and alcohol use is associated with lower levels of educational attainment.
Solution to spare embryos
An overwhelming majority of South Australians would rather see spare embryos used and not discarded, a Flinders University study has found.
Older mums putting health at risk
Delayed childbearing for an increasing number of women is putting them at higher risk of serious illness and complications, a new study has found.
More cutting-edge cancer research supported by industry
Nearly half of the research presented at ASCO's annual meeting last year came from researchers with ties to companies, and the amount appears to be increasing every year, according to new findings from Fox Chase Cancer Center. The new findings will be presented this year at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting on Monday, June 4.
Researchers find no disparities in imaging before breast cancer surgery
If racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer exist, they are not due to differences in the use of imaging to assess the extent of tumors before surgery, according to new findings that will be presented by Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Monday, June 4.
Accelerated chemotherapy given before surgery benefits patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer
For some patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, treatment may begin before they undergo cystectomy, or surgical removal of the bladder. They may be advised by oncologists to receive chemotherapy before surgery. A large randomized clinical trial published in 2003 demonstrated a survival benefit for neoadjuvant, or pre-surgical, MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) using a standard dose and schedule. However, in an effort to improve toxicity, standard MVAC has been essentially abandoned in favor of other regimens. All current standard neoadjuvant regimens require 12 weeks of chemotherapy.
Testing for mutations identified in squamous cell lung cancer tumors helps personalize treatment
Screening lung cancer tumor samples for cancer-causing, or "driver," genetic mutations can help physicians tailor patients' treatments to target those specific mutations. While scientists have identified cancer-causing mutations for the majority of lung adenocarcinomas — the most common type of non-small cell lung cancer — and have developed drugs that can successfully address them, scientists have not yet identified targeted therapies for another type of non-small cell lung cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma.
Common genetic variants identify autism risk in high risk siblings of children with ASD
By focusing on the identification of common genetic variants, researchers have identified 57 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that predict—with a high degree of certainty--the risk that siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will also develop the condition. The findings were presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research.
Researchers undertake radical new cancer survivorship study
Researchers from the Macmillan Survivorship Research Group (MSRG), at the University of Southampton, have developed the first study of its kind looking at the experiences and needs of people after primary treatment of colorectal cancer.
Specialized care by experienced teams cuts death and disability from bleeding brain aneurysms
People with bleeding brain aneurysms have the best chance of survival and full recovery if they receive aggressive emergency treatment from a specialized team at a hospital that treats a large number of patients like them every year, according to new guidelines just published by the American Stroke Association.
Fate of 'uninsurables' hinges on Supreme Court
(AP) -- Cancer patient Kathy Watson voted Republican in 2008 and believes the government has no right telling Americans to get health insurance. Nonetheless, she says she'd be dead if it weren't for President Barack Obama's health care law.
Panel debates bioterrorism protection for children
(AP) -- The Obama administration is asking a presidential commission to help decide an ethical quandary: Should the anthrax vaccine and other treatments being stockpiled in case of a bioterror attack be tested in children?
Open heart surgery for kidney disease patients
One type of open heart surgery is likely safer than the other for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Raising HDL not a sure route to countering heart disease
A new paper published online in The Lancet challenges the assumption that raising a person's HDL — the so-called "good cholesterol" — will necessarily lower the risk of a heart attack. The new research underscores the value of using genetic approaches to test biological hypotheses about human disease prior to developing specific drugs. A team led by researchers from the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) explored naturally occurring genetic variations in humans to test the connection between HDL levels and heart attack. By studying the genes of roughly 170,000 individuals, the team discovered that, when examined together, the 15 HDL-raising variants they tested do not reduce the risk of heart attack.
Meta-analysis confirms benefit of statins in those with no previous history of vascular disease
Statin therapy safely reduces the risk of major vascular events (non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, and revascularisation surgery) by about a fifth in a wide range of individuals, including those with no previous history of vascular disease, both men and women, and the old and young, according to results of a new meta-analysis published Online First in The Lancet. These findings confirm the effectiveness of statins for primary prevention (preventing the development of vascular disease) and demonstrate that the benefits of widespread statin use greatly outweigh any known side effects, suggesting that current national and international treatment guidelines might need to be reviewed.
Higher pain tolerance in athletes may hold clues for pain management
Stories of athletes bravely "playing through the pain" are relatively common and support the widespread belief that they experience pain differently than non-athletes. Yet, the scientific data on pain perception in athletes has been inconsistent, and sometimes contradictory. Investigators from the University of Heidelberg have conducted a meta-analysis of available research and find that in fact, athletes can indeed tolerate a higher level of pain than normally active people. However, pain threshold, the minimum intensity at which a stimulus is perceived as painful, did not differ in athletes and normal controls. Their findings are published in the June issue of Pain.
Pancreatic islets infusion for diabetes patient being readied for procedure in Japan
The Japanese Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association (JPITA) is preparing for the nation's first transplantation of pancreatic islets from a brain-dead donor to a patient with Type 1 diabetes, it was learned Saturday.
More doctors are ditching the old prescription pad
(AP) -- Doctors increasingly are ditching the prescription pad: More than a third of the nation's prescriptions now are electronic, according to the latest count.
Don't dodge the difficult conversation, says new report
Palliative care for cancer patients in the UK is well established – but the situation is starkly different for those suffering from heart failure. A recent service evaluation led by the University of Hull and Hull York Medical School (HYMS) shows this doesn't have to be the case – particularly if clinicians have the courage to talk about death with their patients.
Children with cancer have complete responses in a Children's Oncology Group phase 1 trial
A pill designed to zero in on abnormal genes that drive specific cancers has produced encouraging early results in children with an uncommon but aggressive type of lymphoma, as well as in children with a rare form of neuroblastoma.
Leukoencephalopathy risk factors ID'd for MS drug
(HealthDay) -- Drug company researchers say they've determined which multiple sclerosis patients are most vulnerable to developing a rare brain infection while taking a powerful drug called Tysabri (natalizumab).
Many primary care docs don't know long-term effects of chemo: survey
(HealthDay) -- Many primary care doctors don't know the long-term side effects of the chemotherapy treatments that cancer survivors under their care may have been given, a new survey found.
Study identifies a hormone that may help hibernating bears avoid bone loss
A hormone that plays a role in regulating body weight may be a key to understanding how hibernating bears can remain inactive for so long and not experience bone loss, according to a research team led by a University of Maine alumna and researcher.
Research shows how to increase mental wellbeing and feel happy
Why is it that some people seem to waltz through life in a bubble of happiness, when for others each day is a struggle? Should we just accept the personality we're born with? Or can we act and think ourselves to happiness?
Pedicure fish may harbor harmful bacteria, CDC says
Back in 2008, a new pedicure trend swept the nation: tiny fish eating the dead skin off customers' feet. Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the so-called "doctor fish" may carry bacteria that could cause serious infections.
Being obese may make job search tougher: study
(HealthDay) -- It was the small square photo clipped to an applicant's resume that most influenced whether a woman would be hired. But there was a hidden catch: The pictures showed the same six women both before and after weight-loss surgery.
Study finds herbal extract may curb binge drinking
An extract of the Chinese herb kudzu dramatically reduces drinking and may be useful in the treatment of alcoholism and curbing binge drinking, according to a new study by McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers.
Zebrafish could hold the key to understanding psychiatric disorders
Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have shown that zebrafish could be used to study the underlying causes of psychiatric disorders.
Genetic testing may not trigger more use of health services
People have more and more chances to participate in genetic testing that can indicate their range of risk for developing a disease. Receiving these results does not appreciably drive up— or diminish—test recipients' demand for potentially costly follow-up health services, according to a new study in the May 17, 2012 early online issue of Genetics in Medicine.
Hybrid vaccine demonstrates potential to prevent breast cancer recurrence
A breast cancer vaccine already shown to elicit a powerful immune response in women with varying levels of HER2 expression has the ability to improve recurrence rates and is well tolerated in an adjuvant setting, according to new research from a clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
New study shows simple task at six months of age may predict risk of autism
A new prospective study of six-month-old infants at high genetic risk for autism identified weak head and neck control as a red flag for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and language and/or social developmental delays. Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute concluded that a simple "pull-to-sit" task could be added to existing developmental screenings at pediatric well visits to improve early detection of developmental delays.
Teaching creativity to children from a galaxy away
Playing make-believe is more than a childhood pasttime. According to psychologists, it's also crucial to building creativity, giving a child the ability to consider alternative realities and perspectives. And this type of thinking is essential to future development, aiding interpersonal and problem-solving skills and the ability to invent new theories and concepts. That has been shown to be a component of future professional success in fields from the arts to the sciences and business.
Parents are happier than non-parents, new research suggests
New research by psychologists at three North American universities, including the University of British Columbia, finds that parents experience greater levels of happiness and meaning from life than non-parents.
Pain relief through distraction -- it's not all in your head
Mental distractions make pain easier to take, and those pain-relieving effects aren't just in your head, according to a report published online on May 17 in Current Biology.
Scientists study serious immune malfunction
Defects in the gene that encodes the XIAP protein result in a serious immune malfunction. Scientists used biochemical analyses to map the protein's ability to activate vital components of the immune system. Their results have recently been published in Molecular Cell, a journal of international scientific repute.
Protein RAL associated with aggressive characteristics in prostate, bladder and skin cancers
We have known for years that when the proteins RalA and RalB are present, cells in dishes copy toward aggressive forms of cancer. However, until this week, no study had explored the effects of RAL proteins in human cancers – an essential step on the path to developing drugs to target these proteins. From metastasis in bladder cancer, to seminal vessel involvement in prostate cancer, to shortened survival in squamous cell carcinoma, a study published this week in the journal Cancer Research shows that proteins RalA and RalB are associated with aggressive cancer characteristics in human tumors.
Fewer young americans smoking, survey finds
(HealthDay) -- Smoking rates among American teens and young adults fell between 2004 and 2010, but too many of them still light up, a new federal government report reveals.
ASCO: For chemo's nausea, olanzapine beats metoclopramide
(HealthDay) -- For patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy who experience breakthrough chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, treatment with olanzapine (Zyprexa) is significantly better than treatment with metoclopramide, according to a phase III study released May 16 in advance of presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from June 1 to 5 in Chicago.
ASCO: Dabrafenib/Trametinib active in metastatic melanoma
(HealthDay) -- For patients with V600 BRAF-mutant solid tumors, treatment with the oral BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the oral MEK 1/2 inhibitor trametinib is tolerated and has clinical activity in BRAF inhibitor-naive metastatic melanoma, according to a study released May 16 in advance of presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from June 1 to 5 in Chicago.
Predictors of length of hospital stay after spine surgery ID'd
(HealthDay) -- A variety of pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors contribute to increased length of stay (LOS) for patients who undergo level 1 minimally invasive (MIS) transforaminal interbody fusions (TLIF) spine surgery, according to a study published online May 8 in Spine.
Drowning is leading cause of kids' accidental death: CDC
(HealthDay) -- Drowning kills more American children 1 to 4 years old than any cause except birth defects, according to a new federal report.
Tiny tool can play big role against tuberculosis, researcher finds
A tiny filter could have a big impact around the world in the fight against tuberculosis. Using the traditional microscope-based diagnosis method as a starting point, a University of Florida lung disease specialist and colleagues in Brazil have devised a way to detect more cases of the bacterial infection.
Simple procedure lowers blood pressure in kidney disease patients
Disrupting certain nerves in the kidneys can safely and effectively lower blood pressure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings indicate that the procedure might improve CKD patients' heart health.
Google goes cancer: Researchers use search engine algorithm to find cancer biomarkers
The strategy used by Google to decide which pages are relevant for a search query can also be used to determine which proteins in a patient's cancer are relevant for the disease progression. Researchers from Dresden University of Technology, Germany, have used a modified version of Google's PageRank algorithm to rank about 20,000 proteins by their genetic relevance to the progression of pancreatic cancer. In their study, published in PLoS Computational Biology, they found seven proteins that can help to assess how aggressive a patient's tumor is and guide the clinician to decide if that patient should receive chemotherapy or not.
Researchers map damaged connections in Phineas Gage's brain
(Medical Xpress) -- Poor Phineas Gage. In 1848, the supervisor for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad in Vermont was using a 13-pound, 3-foot-7-inch rod to pack blasting powder into a rock when he triggered an explosion that drove the rod through his left cheek and out of the top of his head. As reported at the time, the rod was later found, "smeared with blood and brains."
Coffee buzz: Study finds java drinkers live longer
One of life's simple pleasures just got a little sweeter. After years of waffling research on coffee and health, even some fear that java might raise the risk of heart disease, a big study finds the opposite: Coffee drinkers are a little more likely to live longer. Regular or decaf doesn't matter.
Abundance of rare DNA changes following population explosion may hold clues to common diseases
One-letter switches in the DNA code occur much more frequently in human genomes than anticipated, but are often only found in one or a few individuals.
Professor links gene mutations with heart disease precursors
(Medical Xpress) -- It may be easier in the future to test and potentially provide early treatment for the one in 500 people affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
When you eat matters: Study offers drug-free intervention to prevent obesity, diabetes
It turns out that when we eat may be as important as what we eat. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that regular eating times and extending the daily fasting period may override the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet and prevent obesity, diabetes and liver disease in mice.
Researchers announce the first comprehensive genome studies of the evolution of 21 breast cancers
In two back-to-back reports published online on 17 May in Cell, researchers have sequenced the genomes of 21 breast cancers and analysed the mutations that emerged during the tumours' development. The individual results are described below.
Study: Rates of PTSD among Afghanistan, Iraq soldiers dramatically lower than predicted
A decade after the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, studies have shown that the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among troops is surprisingly low, and a Harvard researcher credits the drop, in part, to new efforts by the Army to prevent PTSD, and to ensure those who do develop the disorder receive the best treatment available.
Suspicion resides in two regions of the brain
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on my parahippocampal gyrus.
Babies' susceptibility to colds linked to immune response at birth
Innate differences in immunity can be detected at birth, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. And babies with a better innate response to viruses have fewer respiratory illnesses in the first year of life.
Biology news
Slow-motion film reveals what happens when lizards drop their tails
Timothy Higham, an assistant professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside, will be featured in the program “Animal Superpowers: Extreme Survivors” on the National Geographic Wild Channel, 8 p.m., ET and PT, Sunday, June 3.
Study highlights new mammal species for promoting conservation fundraising
Images of tigers and elephants are among the most common threatened mammals used by conservation organisations as ‘flagships’ to promote fundraising – but new research led by the University suggests that other threatened ‘Cinderella species’ could prove equally effective.
Southern pine beetle impacts on forest ecosystems
Research by USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) scientists shows that the impacts of recent outbreaks of southern pine beetle further degraded shortleaf pine-hardwood forest ecosystems in the southern Appalachian region. The authors suggest that cutting and burning these sites reduces heavy fuel loads, improves soil nutrient status, and opens the canopy for restoration of these shortleaf pine communities.
Race to save the devil Down Under
It's been hundreds of years since the Tasmanian devil last lived on the Australian mainland but, in the misty hills of Barrington Tops, a pioneering group is being bred for survival.
Research looks at impact on honeybees from chemicals and mites
(Phys.org) -- University of Florida honeybee researcher Jamie Ellis is interested in what happens to bees that encounter chemicals and Varroa mites — but he’s even more interested in how younger bees fare long-term after facing those challenges.
Jungle cats caught on camera in Belize
A camera trap survey, set up by scientists from Ya’axché Conservation Trust, has caught pictures of Central America’s two big cats: the jaguar and the puma (known locally as the red tiger).
A new optical microscopy approach opens the door to better observations in molecular biology
Researchers from the Institut Pasteur and CNRS have set up a new optical microscopy approach that combines two recent imaging techniques in order to visualize molecular assemblies without affecting their biological functions, at a resolution 10 times better than that of traditional microscopes. Using this approach, they were able to observe the AIDS virus and its capsids (containing the HIV genome) within cells at a scale of 30 nanometres, for the first time with light. This newly developed approach represents a significant advance in molecular biology, opening the door to less invasive and more precise analyses of pathogenic microorganisms present in human host cells. This study is already published in the Electronic Edition of PNAS.
Functional genomics gets tiny
A little more than a decade ago, researchers discovered an ancient mechanism that cells use to silence genes. Like a dimmer switch turning down a light, RNA interference (RNAi) dials down gene activity in simple organisms as well as in humans. Scientists have seized RNAi as a tool to “turn down” genes to determine what they do, an area of study known as functional genomics.
Fighting bacteria's strength in numbers
Scientists at The University of Nottingham have opened the way for more accurate research into new ways to fight dangerous bacterial infections by proving a long-held theory about how bacteria communicate with each other.
A long-held assumption confirmed: We can learn a lot from other species' genes
Researchers at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute have confirmed the long-held belief that studying the genes we share with other animals is useful. The study, published today in the open access journal PLoS Computational Biology, shows how bioinformatics makes it possible to test the fundamental principles on which life science is built.
New research discovers metabolic adaptation to high altitudes
When mammals are cold, they can employ physical changes to stay warm -- such as intense shivering. Like any form of aerobic exercise, though, "shivering thermogenesis" is especially challenging at high altitudes because there is less oxygen in the thin mountain air. So how do high-altitude mammals maintain a constant body temperature in low-oxygen, extremely cold alpine environments?
New technique reveals unseen information in DNA code
Imagine reading an entire book, but then realizing that your glasses did not allow you to distinguish "g" from "q." What details did you miss? Geneticists faced a similar problem with the recent discovery of a "sixth nucleotide" in the DNA alphabet.
Researchers reveal an RNA modification influences thousands of genes
Over the past decade, research in the field of epigenetics has revealed that chemically modified bases are abundant components of the human genome and has forced us to abandon the notion we've had since high school genetics that DNA consists of only four bases.
Pollination with precision: How flowers do it
Pollination could be a chaotic disaster. With hundreds of pollen grains growing long tubes to ovules to deliver their sperm to female gametes, how can a flower ensure that exactly two fertile sperm reach every ovule? In a new study, Brown University biologists report the discovery of how plants optimize the distribution of pollen for successful reproduction.
Forest diversity from Canada to the sub-tropics influenced by family proximity
How species diversity is maintained is a fundamental question in biology. In a new study, a team of Indiana University biologists has shown for the first time that diversity is influenced on a spatial scale of unparalleled scope, in part, by how well tree seedlings survive under their own parents.
Research uncovers new exception to decades-old rule about RNA splicing
There are always exceptions to a rule, even one that has prevailed for more than three decades, as demonstrated by a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) study on RNA splicing, a cellular editing process. The rule-flaunting exception uncovered by the study concerns the way in which a newly produced RNA molecule is cut and pasted at precise locations called splice sites before being translated into protein.
Group finds circadian clock common to almost all life forms
(Phys.org) -- A group of biology researchers, led by Akhilesh Reddy from Cambridge University have found an enzyme that they believe serves as a circadian clock that operates in virtually all forms of life. In a paper published in the journal Nature, they describe a class of enzymes known as peroxiredoxins which are present in almost all plants and other organisms and which appear to serve as a basic ingredient in non-feedback loop biological clocks.
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