Phys.Org Newsletter Tuesday, May 22

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 22, 2012:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Limits to growth: Scientists identify key metastasis-enabling enzyme
- Availability of hydrogen controls chemical structure of graphene oxide
- SpaceX private rocket blasts off for space station (Update)
- Raspberry Pi to add camera later this year
- The older we get, the less we know (cosmologically)
- Google completes takeover of Motorola Mobility
- Learning and memory: The role of neo-neurons revealed
- More plant species responding to global warming than previously thought
- Seagrasses can store as much carbon as forests
- Tesla to launch electric sedan in US on June 22
- How one strain of MRSA becomes resistant to last-line antibiotic
- Probability of contamination from severe nuclear reactor accidents is higher than expected: study
- For monogamous sparrows, it doesn't pay to stray (but they do it anyway)
- Scientists unravel role of fusion gene in prostate cancer
- Array of light for early disease detection?

Space & Earth news

Brazil fights illegal logging to protect Amazon natives
Brazil said Monday it was working hard to stop illegal logging in Amazon rainforest land inhabited by the ethnic Awa people, a group said to be threatened with extinction.

New NASA App 2.0 Released For iPhone, iPod Touch
NASA released Monday an updated version of the free NASA App for iPhone and iPod touch. The NASA App 2.0 includes several new features and a completely redesigned user interface that improves the way people can explore and experience NASA content on their mobile devices.

Marine scientist champions Blue Carbon
Seagrasses could be the oceans’ best-kept secret, and a multibillion-dollar marketplace, for mitigating global climate change, according to a study published this week.

Professor offers insight into Florida's recent sinkholes
A sinkhole, about 100-feet-wide and 50-feet-deep, opened up in the backyard of a home in a Windermere, Fla. May 3. Almost one week later, another sinkhole that was 80-feet-long and 40-feet-wide opened in the backyard of a home in Jonesville, Fla.

US Earth observations, science and services are critical to society but are at risk
Earth observations, science, and services (Earth OSS) inform and guide the activities of virtually all economic sectors and innumerable institutions underlying modern civilization, according to a new study by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Policy Program. The report also found that Earth OSS in the United States face considerable challenges because economic downturns and Federal budget deficits put efforts to build and maintain Earth OSS capabilities at serious risk.

Chile's vanishing Patagonian lake
In less than 24 hours Lake Cachet II in Chile's southern Patagonia vanished, leaving behind just some large puddles and chunks of ice in the vast lake bed.

Sophisticated simulations predict future warming
The chances of our planet being hit by a global warming of 3 degrees Celsius by 2050 is as likely as it being hit by an increase of 1.4 degrees, new research shows. Presented in the journal Nature Geoscience, the British study ran close to 10 000 climate simulations on home computers via a sophisticated climate model to get the results, which suggest that failure to stop emissions will force Earth to cross the two-degree barrier before this century ends.

Creating action-inspiring tornado warnings
One year ago this week, 158 people died when a tornado with winds greater than 200 mph struck Joplin, Mo. Even though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued tornado warnings and activated siren alerts ahead of time, it was clear that some people ignored, disregarded or waited too long to react to them. As meteorologists continue to learn more about tornado formation and improve their forecasting, they are also working to improve how warnings are communicated to and received by the public.

Proba-2 catches solar eclipse
(Phys.org) -- Europe missed Sunday’s solar eclipse on the other side of the planet but ESA’s space weather microsatellite Proba-2 passed repeatedly through the Moon’s shadow.

Dark matter makes a comeback
Recent reports of dark matter’s demise may be greatly exaggerated, according to a new paper from researchers at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Key facts about SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies is the first private company to attempt to send its own cargo capsule to the International Space Station and back.

Nea Kameni volcano movement captured by Envisat (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Archived data from the Envisat satellite show that the volcanic island of Santorini has recently displayed signs of unrest. Even after the end of its mission, Envisat information continues to be exploited for the long-term monitoring of volcanoes.

NASA satellite sees Tropical Storm Sanvu pass Guam, strengthen
Tropical Depression 03W in the western North Pacific did exactly what forecasters expected over the last twenty-four hours: it became a tropical storm named Sanvu and passed west of Guam on a northwesterly track.

NASA Sees Eastern Pacific's Second Tropical Storm Form
On May 21, NASA satellites were monitoring Tropical Depression 02E in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and 24 hours later it strengthened into the second tropical storm of the season. Tropical Storm Bud was captured by NOAA's GOES-13 satellite on May 22, and appears to be well-formed.

Alberto now a tropical depression
Infrared satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed Alberto weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it appears more disorganized. At 10:30 a.m. EDT on May 21, Tropical Storm Alberto weakened to a tropical depression, and has maintained that status today, May 22.

Refining fire behavior modeling
Research by USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station biometrician Bernie Parresol takes center stage in a special issue of the journal Forest Ecology and Management due out in June. Parresol is lead author of two of the five articles—and co-author of two more—in an issue that focuses on methods that incorporate fine-scale data into the tools Southeastern forest managers use to assess wildfire potential and plan mitigation treatments.

Commercial spacecraft speeds toward space station
(AP) -- Opening a new, entrepreneurial era in spaceflight, a ship built by a billionaire businessman sped toward the International Space Station with a load of groceries and other supplies Tuesday after a spectacular middle-of-the-night blastoff.

What's the big deal about private space launches?
(AP) -- The first private spaceship is headed to the International Space Station. Some questions and answers about the cargo mission by Space Exploration Technologies, known as SpaceX:

Beam them up: Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor in orbit
(AP) -- James Doohan, Scotty from "Star Trek," spent his acting career whizzing through the cosmos. Gordon Cooper was one of America's famous Mercury seven astronauts. And Bob Shrake spent his work life anonymously helping send NASA's high-tech spacecraft to other planets.

Capturing planets
(Phys.org) -- The discovery of planets around other stars has led to the realization that alien solar systems often have bizarre features - at least they seem bizarre to us because they were so unexpected. For example, many systems have giant planets closer to their star than Mercury is to the Sun, while other have the opposite - giant planets more than ten times farther way from their star than Jupiter is from our Sun. Astronomers think they understand how planets could end up close to the star: they gradually drift in from more customary orbits. But how can planets end up so far away?

Cassini spots tiny moon, begins to tilt orbit
(Phys.org) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn's tiny moon Methone as part of a trajectory that will take it on a close flyby of another of Saturn's moons, Titan. The Titan flyby will put the spacecraft in an orbit around Saturn that is inclined, or tilted, relative to the plane of the planet's equator. The flyby of Methone took place on May 20 at a distance of about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers). It was Cassini's closest flyby of the 2-mile-wide (3-kilometer-wide) moon. The best previous Cassini images were taken on June 8, 2005, at a distance of about 140,000 miles (225,000 kilometers), and they barely resolved this object.

A new way to discover pulsars
(Phys.org) -- The Large Area Telescope (LAT), built by SLAC for the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, collects information on high-energy gamma rays from numerous sources in the sky. Among these are small, elusive objects called pulsars, which spin up to hundreds of times per second. Their name derives from the beams their magnetic fields produce as a result of this spin, which look like the pulsing beam of a lighthouse when, by chance, they happen to sweep across our field of view.

Famed US alien seeker shifts gaze back to Earth
After decades spent scanning the heavens for signs of life elsewhere in the cosmos, astronomer Jill Tarter is stepping back, and letting a colleague take charge of the quest.

Seagrasses can store as much carbon as forests
(Phys.org) -- Seagrasses are a vital part of the solution to climate change and, per unit area, seagrass meadows can store up to twice as much carbon as the world's temperate and tropical forests.

SpaceX private rocket blasts off for space station (Update)
A first-of-its-kind commercial supply ship rocketed toward the International Space Station following a successful liftoff early Tuesday, opening a new era of dollar-driven spaceflight.

The older we get, the less we know (cosmologically)
(Phys.org) -- The universe is a marvelously complex place, filled with galaxies and larger-scale structures that have evolved over its 13.7-billion-year history. Those began as small perturbations of matter that grew over time, like ripples in a pond, as the universe expanded. By observing the large-scale cosmic wrinkles now, we can learn about the initial conditions of the universe. But is now really the best time to look, or would we get better information billions of years into the future - or the past?

Technology news

Sequoia tech legend to step back for medical reasons
Michael Moritz, a venture capitalist who provided early backing for firms including Google and Yahoo!, is stepping back from management at Sequoia Capital for medical reasons.

New Zealand smashes global child pornography ring
A global network that used social networking sites such as Facebook to distribute child pornography has been smashed after a tip-off from New Zealand authorities, officials said Tuesday.

Scientists announce coalition to develop the world's cleanest passenger locomotive
Plans to create the world's first carbon-neutral higher-speed locomotive were announced today by the Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR), a collaboration of the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment (IonE) and the nonprofit Sustainable Rail International (SRI). CSR draws on the carbon-neutral solid biofuel research expertise of the University of Minnesota and the modern steam mechanical engineering capabilities of SRI to develop the most powerful carbon-neutral locomotive to date.

Aereo wins partial victory in broadcasters' suit
(AP) -- Aereo, a startup that takes live TV broadcasts and sends them to mobile devices in New York for a monthly fee, has won a partial victory in court over the media companies that are suing it.

Hackers hit US Justice Department, again
The US Justice Department acknowledged an intrusion in its computer network as the notorious hacker collective Anonymous claimed to have obtained large amounts of data from it.

Former Yahoo! executive charged with insider trading
US regulators announced that a former Yahoo! executive has agreed to plead guilty in an insider trading scheme that involved leaking word of the Internet search giant's pact with Microsoft.

Microsoft sees 'rebirth' with new Windows 8 system
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 series -- featuring an upgraded cloud computing service -- marks a "rebirth" of its operating systems, chief executive Steve Ballmer said on Tuesday.

Microsoft service makes research a social affair
An "experimental" project by Microsoft to mix online social networking and academic research was open to the public on Monday.

Kodak patent deemed invalid in fight with Apple-RIM
A US judge on Monday said a Kodak patent allegedly infringed upon by Apple and Blackberry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) was not valid, dealing another blow to the struggling photography pioneer.

Armenia jails Russian computer virus 'mastermind'
A court in Armenia on Tuesday gave a four-year jail sentence to the alleged Russian mastermind behind a computer virus crime group which infected some 30 million computers worldwide.

UC San Diego researchers in Florence explore new ways to search for lost Leonardo mural
(Phys.org) -- In 1505 Leonardo da Vinci began painting a mural – to commemorate the Battle of Anghiari – in the Palazzo Vecchio’s Great Hall, the seat of government in Renaissance Florence.

Data in the fast lane
A new approach to managing data over a network has enabled a Microsoft Research team to set a speed record for sifting through, or “sorting,” a huge amount of data in one minute.

UK virtual orchestra puts you in conductor's stand
(AP) -- A London museum is putting the conductor's baton in visitors' hands, allowing guests to direct a virtual orchestra using three-dimensional motion sensors.

Study highlights how Twitter is used to share information after a disaster
A study from North Carolina State University shows how people used Twitter following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan, highlighting challenges for using the social media tool to share information. The study also indicates that social media haven't changed what we communicate so much as how quickly we can disseminate it.

Where are Facebook's friends? Stock slide deepens (Update)
(AP) -- Facebook's newly public stock is sliding further on its third trading day as investors reconsider how much the social network is worth.

ICANN resumes bids for new Internet suffixes
(AP) -- The organization overseeing a major expansion of Internet addresses has reopened its system for letting companies and organizations submit proposals.

Researchers take virus-tracking software worldwide
A biomedical informatics researcher who tracks dangerous viruses as they spread around the globe has restructured his innovative tracking software to promote even wider use of the program around the world.

Civil engineers find savings where the rubber meets the road
A new study by civil engineers at MIT shows that using stiffer pavements on the nation's roads could reduce vehicle fuel consumption by as much as 3 percent — a savings that could add up to 273 million barrels of crude oil per year, or $15.6 billion at today's oil prices. This would result in an accompanying annual decrease in CO2 emissions of 46.5 million metric tons.

New ad zapper has TV networks worried about sales
(AP) -- The maker of a new DVR that lets consumers zap away broadcast TV commercials at the touch of a button suggested Tuesday that the networks are being short-sighted in opposing the technology.

Apple still top global brand as value jumps: survey
Apple has extended its lead as the world's most valuable corporate name with a strong 19 percent increase in its so-called brand value, a survey showed Tuesday.

SAP to buy Ariba for $4.5B, extending cloud push
(AP) -- Business software maker SAP AG on Tuesday said it will buy Ariba Inc., which makes Web-based software that connects suppliers and buyers online, for about $4.51 billion.

Google completes Motorola deal, heralding new era
(AP) -- Google has completed its $12.5 billion purchase of device maker Motorola Mobility in a deal that poses new challenges for the Internet's most powerful company as it tries to shape the future of mobile computing.

Website address 'revolution' back in motion
The Internet domain name "revolution" was back in action on Tuesday with the agency in charge of website addresses once again taking applications for online neighborhoods breaking the ".com" mold.

Dell profit plunges on disappointing sales
US computer maker Dell on Tuesday reported a 33 percent drop in profits in a disappointing quarterly report for former market leader.

Inventor of first wireless TV remote control dies at 96
Eugene Polley, who in 1955 invented the first wireless remote control for television, has died of natural causes, his longtime employer Zenith Electronics said Tuesday. He was 96.

Facebook settles US suit on 'sponsored stories'
Facebook has settled a lawsuit alleging the social network improperly used members for advertising purposes without their consent in so-called "sponsored stories," court documents showed Tuesday.

Why Facebook still doesn't look cheap
(AP) -- If you were thinking of picking up a few shares of Facebook last week, when it went public at a price of $38, you might be seriously tempted now that the stock has fallen $7 in two days.

Google completes takeover of Motorola Mobility
Google closed Tuesday its $12.5 billion deal for Motorola Mobility, a key manufacturer of smartphones and other devices that puts the Internet giant in head-to-head competition with Apple.

Tesla to launch electric sedan in US on June 22
Tesla Motors said Tuesday it would begin deliveries of "the world's first premium electric sedan" on June 22, slightly ahead of schedule.

Probability of contamination from severe nuclear reactor accidents is higher than expected: study
Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) — some 200 times more often than estimated in the past.

Medicine & Health news

The Women's Health Initiative study and hormone therapy -- what have we learned 10 years on?
In July 2002 the publication of the first Women's Health Initiative (WHI) report caused a dramatic drop in Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HT ) use throughout the world. Now a major reappraisal by international experts, published as a series of articles in the peer-reviewed journal Climacteric (the official journal of the International Menopause Society), shows how the evidence has changed over the last 10 years, and supports a return to a "rational use of HT, initiated near the menopause".

Born to run barefoot? Some end up getting injured
(AP) -- Swept by the barefoot running craze, ultramarathoner Ryan Carter ditched his sneakers for footwear that mimics the experience of striding unshod.

A possible target for broad-range HPV therapeutics emerges
(Medical Xpress) -- Among viruses, human papilloma virus (HPV) stands out: with more than 180 distinct isotypes or variations catalogued to date, it presents an extremely difficult target for broad-range treatments. And while the HPV vaccine provides protection against the most common HPV infections, it only covers four of the 180-plus isotypes.

The Medical Minute: Solitaire for stroke -- It's not a game
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in North America -- down from third. Despite this "improvement," stroke remains the leading cause of adult disability. Ischemic strokes, caused by blood vessel blockages, are by far the most common type of stroke. For ischemic strokes, early intervention is crucial. The only drug FDA approved for the treatment of ischemic stroke is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Unfortunately, this drug must be given very soon after stroke onset, within the first three hours for most people and up to four and a-half hours for some.

Clinical trials for Alzheimer's drug to begin in early 2013
After an announcement by federal officials approving clinical trials for the drug Crenezumab, researchers searching for a way to treat Alzheimer's Disease are gearing up for a rare study that will allow them to test a therapy for a genetically predestined disease — before its onset.

Influence of maternal sexual communication on adolescent risky sexual behaviors
When mothers engage in frequent sexual discussions with their teenagers but fail to express clear disapproval of teenagers’ sexual involvement, their efforts are more likely to result in greater risky sexual involvement by their teen, according to a new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study was conducted by Atika Khurana, postdoctoral fellow at the Annenberg Public Policy Center and Elizabeth C. Cooksey, Professor of Sociology and Associate Director of the Center for Human Resource Research at the Ohio State University.

Educational games to train middle schoolers' attention, empathy
Two years ago, at a meeting on science and education, Richard Davidson challenged video game manufacturers to develop games that emphasize kindness and compassion instead of violence and aggression.

Asthma drug discovery
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from King’s College London have uncovered a new mechanism of action for a group of asthma drugs already on the market, which could enable more effective treatment for patients with a particular type of allergic asthma – between 30 to 50 per cent of sufferers.   

Inhibition of PBEF is a possible therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension
Inhibition of pre-B Cell Colony-Enhancing Factor (PBEF) could be a potential therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a preclinical study in an animal model of PH.

Children failing asthma therapy may have severe asthma with fungal sensitization
New research presented at the ATS 2012 International Conference in San Francisco suggests that a significant proportion of children with asthma failing Step 4 or greater therapy may have severe asthma with fungal sensitization (SAFS).

Antidepressant use associated with increased mortality among critically ill patients?
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, have found that critically ill patients were more likely to die if they were taking the most commonly prescribed antidepressants when they were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Baseline characteristics of children with mild persistent asthma predict response to inhaled corticosteroid
A further analysis of a previously published National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) funded study of children with mild persistent asthma reports the relative benefits of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment varies among children with differing demographic and clinical characteristics.

Identifying asthma patients who tolerate lower doses of steroids remains problematic
Common respiratory measurements are not effective in determining which asthma patients are able to significantly decrease their use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medications without risk of flare-ups or exacerbations, according to a new study conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom. The study also showed that nearly three-quarters of asthma patients can safely decrease, or step-down, their use of ICS medications once their symptoms are under control.

Excess maternal weight before and during pregnancy can result in larger babies
Excess weight in pregnant women, both before pregnancy and gained during pregnancy, is the main predictor of whether mothers will have larger than average babies, which can result in increased risk of cesarean section or trauma during delivery, states a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Elimination of two ribosome subunits activates cell cycle control
Alterations in the formation of ribosomes (the elements of the cell where proteins are made) cause the induction of p53 protein and cell cycle disruption. This process is crucial to understand fundamental biological processes and the emergence of various diseases. Now, scientists at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have found that this response is achieved independently, depending on which subunit of the ribosome (40S and 60S) is impaired, by the joint action of two proteins of the ribosome. The research results are published in the latest issue of the journal Genes and Development.

Better tests for sleeping sickness
Lies Van Nieuwenhove, researcher at the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, has produced proteins imitating typical parts of the sleeping sickness parasite. They can be used in more efficient diagnostic tests, without the need for culturing dangerous parasites.

Canada should significantly increase its funding of randomized clinical trials
Large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are critical for determining effectiveness of medical therapies, tests and procedures. Yet Canada provides scant support for these studies compared with other western countries, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Home damage following Sept. 11 attacks linked with higher levels of respiratory illness
Residents of Lower Manhattan who suffered home damage following the September 11 terrorist attacks are more likely to report respiratory symptoms and diseases than area residents whose homes were not damaged, concludes a study conducted by researchers in Atlanta and New York City. The researchers based their study on data collected in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR), a cohort study of more than 71,000 rescue/recovery workers and survivors of the World Trade Center attacks.

Study reveals sarcoidosis-related mortality rates among black women
A new study conducted by researchers from Boston University has found that sarcoidosis accounts for 25 percent of all deaths among women in the Black Women's Health Study who have the disease. The study is the largest epidemiologic study to date to specifically address mortality in black females with sarcoidosis.

Systems treating severe heart attacks expanding nationwide
The number of systems of care that quickly transfer and treat heart attack patients has increased substantially across the nation, according to research published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.

Use of multicomponent intervention linked with decrease in using physical restraint in nursing homes
Nursing homes that used a multicomponent intervention that included staff training and supportive materials for staff, residents and relatives had a lower rate of use of physical restraints such as bilateral bed rails and belts, according to a study in the May 23/30 issue of JAMA.

UK may allow IVF for older women, same-sex couples
(AP) -- A powerful health advisory agency says Britain should extend free fertility treatments to women up to age 42 as well as same-sex couples, recommendations likely to be followed by many of the U.K.'s medical centers.

FDA clears test for mastocytosis diagnosis
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new test to help physicians diagnose a group of rare cell disorders. The test, or assay, was developed by an expert at Virginia Commonwealth University in the field of mast cells.

Revised ARDS definition sets out levels of severity
An international task force this week unveiled a revised definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a disease first recognized during the Vietnam War in casualties with limb injuries who had trouble breathing.

Researchers unravel the relation between DNA methylomes and obesity
In a highlighted paper published online in Nature Communications, researchers from Sichuan Agricultural University and BGI reported the atlas of DNA methylomes in porcine adipose and muscle tissues, providing a valuable epigenomic source for obesity prediction and prevention as well as boosting the further development of pig as a model animal for human obesity research.

Five percent of workers gave up smoking when the anti-tobacco law took effect in Spain
The enforcement of Law 42/2010, which extends the smoking ban to public places, has accompanied a progressive reduction in the percentage of smokers (from 40.3% to 35.3%) and in consumption amongst the working population. This decline applies to men and women of all ages and occupations.

Wrongful convictions can be reduced through science, but tradeoffs exist
Many of the wrongful convictions identified in a report this week hinged on a misidentified culprit — and a new report in a top journal on psychological science reveals the paradox of reforms in eyewitness identification procedure. In our efforts to make sure that good guys don't get locked up, we could let more bad guys go.

Cleft lip/palate cause much more than cosmetic problems
Children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other craniofacial disorders face numerous medical challenges beyond appearance.

New initiative aims to increase mobility for disabled children worldwide
A team of global partners has tasked itself with the daunting challenge of bringing mobility to disabled children of developing nations.

Methods in most prediction studies do not follow guidelines
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Walter Bouwmeester of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands and colleagues investigate the reporting and methods of prediction studies in 2008 in six top international general medical journals. The authors' findings reveal that the majority of prediction studies do not follow current methodological recommendations.

New blood thinner may lower chances of clots in high-risk heart patients: FDA
(HealthDay) -- The new blood thinner Xarelto appears to lower the chances of potentially fatal blood clots in high-risk heart patients, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review has found.

Correct treatment of common diabetic foot infections can reduce amputations
Diabetic foot infections are an increasingly common problem, but proper care can save limbs and, ultimately, lives, suggest new guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

Stress shrank brain area of Japan tsunami survivors: study
Emotional stress caused by last year's tsunami caused a part of some survivors' brains to shrink, according to scientists in Japan who grasped a unique chance to study the neurological effects of trauma.

Cycling may negatively affect male reproductive health, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- A study by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing has found that serious male cyclists may experience hormonal imbalances that could affect their reproductive health.

New research dashes notions of benign brain plaque
(Medical Xpress) -- The time may have come to scrub the idea that brain plaque — deposits of protein that clog passages between brain cells — might not be all that bad.

Recommendation against PSA test too drastic: WU expert
(Medical Xpress) -- A new recommendation issued today by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force against routine PSA testing for healthy men age 50 and older goes too far, says a prostate cancer expert at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. 

Newly discovered protein makes sure brain development isn't 'botched'
(Medical Xpress) -- Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered a protein that appears to play an important regulatory role in deciding whether stem cells differentiate into the cells that make up the brain, as well as countless other tissues. This finding, published in the April Developmental Cell, could eventually shed light on developmental disorders as well as a variety of conditions that involve the generation of new neurons into adulthood, including depression, stroke, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Study: Anti-clotting drugs rarely needed in children with big-bone fractures
(Medical Xpress) -- Children with pelvic and thigh fractures develop dangerous blood clots so rarely that anti-clotting therapy should be given only to those with underlying conditions that increase clotting risk, according to a study from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

New protein signature of breast cancer progression identified
A protein signature that predicts overall survival in breast cancer patients has been uncovered in the most comprehensive survey of protein expression patterns in breast cancer progression to date.

Experimental vaccine elicits robust response against both HIV and tuberculosis
Clinician researchers in China have developed a vaccine that acts simultaneously against HIV-1 and M. tuberculosis (Mtb). An estimated 14 million people worldwide are coinfected with the two pathogens. The research is published in the May 2012 issue of Clinical and Vaccine Immunology.

Antibiotics boost risk of infection with antifungal-resistant candida
Previous exposure to certain antibiotics could boost the risk of infection with drug-resistant strains of a severe fungal infection. Researchers report their findings in the May 2012 issue of the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Interactive website helps parents keep teen drivers safe
Nearly 30,000 parents around the state are using a free, interactive web resource that provides information and tools to help parents protect their teens while they gain experience driving without adult supervision.

Flu shot during pregnancy shows unexpected benefits in large study
Getting a flu shot during pregnancy provides unanticipated benefits to the baby, according to the authors of a large population-based study examining the issue. Specifically, the study showed that H1N1 vaccination during the pandemic was associated with a significantly reduced risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and extremely small babies at birth.

Researchers create new anti-cancer drug
A team of University of Hawaii Cancer Center scientists led by James Turkson, Ph.D. have created a new type of anti-cancer drug named BP-1-102. The drug, which can be orally administered, targets a key protein that triggers the development of many types of cancer including lung, breast and skin cancers.

Study reveals how high-fat foods impact diabetes and metabolic syndrome
A University of Michigan Health System study provides new clues about the health-damaging molecular changes set in motion by eating high-fat foods.

Vitamin C improves pulmonary function in newborns of pregnant smoking women
Vitamin C supplementation in pregnant women who are unable to quit smoking significantly improves pulmonary function in their newborns, according to a new study.

Genetic marker may predict smoking quantity in African Americans
In a step toward understanding possible genetic differences in smoking behaviors, a team of researchers co-led by SRI International has identified a genetic marker associated with smoking quantity in people of African ancestry. The study's findings may help guide future public health decisions related to smoking, because the more people smoke, the higher their risk of lung cancer.

A quick fix is possible for sacroiliac joint pain in many children and adolescents
Investigators report that a simple bedside manual therapy to correct a painful misaligned sacroiliac joint was highly successful in a group of 45 patients 10 to 20 years of age. Thirty-six patients (80 percent) obtained significant pain relief, whereas nine patients (20 percent) experienced minimal to no relief. In 24 patients (53 percent) complete resolution of pain was experienced immediately upon treatment. Only two patients required a second treatment because of symptom recurrence. These findings are reported in a new article, "Sacroiliac joint pain in the pediatric population.

GPS for the brain: Researchers develop new brain map
University of Georgia researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows great promise as a new guide to the inner workings of the body's most complex and critical organ.

Alcohol intake in the elderly affects risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia are most common in the very elderly, and are associated with huge health costs. With a rapidly ageing population throughout the world, factors that affect the risk of cognitive decline and dementia are of great importance. A review paper by Kim JW et al published in Psychiatry Investigation on the association between alcohol consumption and cognition in the elderly provides an excellent summary of the potential ways in which alcohol may affect cognitive function and the risk of dementia, both adversely and favourably as alcohol may have both a neuro toxic and neuro protective effect, depending on the dose and drinking pattern. Longitudinal and brain imaging studies in the elderly show that excessive alcohol consumption may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia, but regular low to moderate alcohol intake may protect against cognitive decline and dementia and provide cardiovascular benefits.

Bias found in mental health drug research presented at major psychiatric meeting
When thousands of psychiatrists attend their field's largest annual meeting each year, the presentations they hear about research into drug treatments report overwhelmingly on positive results.

Stem cell research paves way for progress on dealing with Fragile X retardation
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have achieved, for the first time, the generation of neuronal cells from stem cells of Fragile X patients. The discovery paves the way for research that will examine restoration of normal gene expression in Fragile X patients.

Neuron-nourishing cells appear to retaliate in Alzheimer's
When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report.

Bee pollen supplements can cause anaphylactic reactions
Although many people take bee pollen as a health supplement, it can cause severe anaphylactic reactions. However, most people are unaware of the risks, states an article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Asthma medication linked with arrhythmias in children, young adults
Use of inhaled anticholinergics (IACs) has been associated with an increased risk of potentially dangerous heart arrhythmias among young asthma patients, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The medications are commonly used to help control asthma flare-ups, and recent studies have shown that they may be an effective treatment option for routine asthma management.

Early-life risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Factors influencing early life non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) incidence include family characteristics, high fetal growth, older maternal age, low birth order, and male gender, according to a study published May 22 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Studies examine CPAP treatment and cardiovascular outcomes in adults with obstructive sleep apnea
Two studies that included adults with obstructive sleep apnea examined the effectiveness of reducing the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, including high blood pressure, by treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), according to the articles in the May 23/30 issue of JAMA.

Two-step tooth implantation and built-up bone can be longer lasting: study
Periodontists routinely grow bone in the mouth to guarantee a stable environment for teeth and tooth implants. But whether it's better to build up bone before placing the implant, or to simply place the implant and allow bone to grow around it, has been a subject of considerable medical debate.

Reactions to HIV drug have autoimmune cause, reports AIDS journal
Potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions to the anti-HIV drug abacavir occur through an autoimmune mechanism, resulting from the creation of drug-induced immunogens that are attacked by the body's immune system, according to a study published online by the journal AIDS, official journal of the International AIDS Society.

Food fight or romantic dinner? Communication between couples is key to improving men's diets
Married men will eat their peas to keep the peace, but many aren't happy about it, and may even binge on unhealthy foods away from home.

Novel biomarkers reveal evidence of radiation exposure
Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin have identified novel biomarkers that could be used to confirm exposure to damaging radiation in large groups of people potentially exposed to unknown and variable doses for the purpose of triage and treatment.

Researchers present new findings for novel pancreatic cancer vaccine
A novel pancreatic cancer vaccine shows promise in improving survival when added to standard treatment, according to new research out of University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The Phase 2 data was presented today at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, part of Digestive Disease Week in San Diego.

Research suggests why bovine TB continues to spread
The failure of the current bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication programme could be partly due to a parasitic worm that hinders the tests used to diagnose TB in cows, according to new research published this week.

Researchers spearhead groundbreaking research into treatment of brain swelling
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have reported the results of groundbreaking research into the prevention of cerebral oedema or swelling of the brain, a major cause of death in people who have sustained a traumatic injury to the brain, out of hospital cardiac arrest or stroke. The research, which is published this week in the international journal, Nature Communications, uses a radically new patented technology, developed in Ireland and termed, 'Neuronal Barrier Modulation' which has been shown in an animal model simulating human brain swelling, to be highly effective in reducing the dangerous effects of this condition, while improving cognitive outcome. The research was sponsored by the US Department of Defense and Enterprise Ireland.

Do bald men face higher risk of prostate cancer?
(HealthDay) -- Got hair? If you don't, you might have a higher risk of prostate cancer, a preliminary study suggests.

U.S. liver transplants declining
(HealthDay) -- The number of liver transplants in the United States has decreased since 2006, a new study finds.

Body building, diet supplements linked to liver damage: study
(HealthDay) -- Body-building and weight-loss products are the types of dietary supplements most likely to cause liver injury, according to a small new study.

Barrow researchers use magic for discoveries
Researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center have unveiled how and why the public perceives some magic tricks in recent studies that could have real-world implications in military tactics, marketing and sports.

New tool helps decide what drugs to include in health care formularies
A new tool that could provide a useful framework for deciding what medicines to include in drug formularies is presented in this week's PLoS Medicine by the experts from Harvard Medical School and the University of Illinois at Chicago who developed it.

Psychological Science explains uproar over prostate-cancer screenings
The uproar that began last year when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force stated that doctors should no longer offer regular prostate-cancer tests to healthy men continued this week when the task force released their final report. Overall, they stuck to their guns, stating that a blood test commonly used to screen for prostate cancer, the PSA test, causes more harm than good — it leads men to receive unnecessary, and sometimes even dangerous, treatments.

Breast cancer clinical trial tests combo of heat shock protein inhibitor and hormonal therapy
Pushed to the brink of survival, the hyper-driven cells of a cancerous tumor tap into an ancient system that has helped organisms cope with internal stresses and environmental challenges since life began. As an integral part of this system, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) has been shown to help malignant cells accommodate the genetic changes and profound disturbances in normal biology that occur in cancers.

Scientists see potential in novel leukemia treatment
Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center may be one step closer to developing a new therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after discovering that the targeted agents obatoclax and sorafenib kill leukemia cells much more effectively when combined than when the drugs are administered individually.

Colonoscopy may detect curable cancer in elderly: study
(HealthDay) -- Colonoscopies helped doctors detect a high rate of curable cancer in elderly people who had the screening for the first time, a new study indicates.

Middle-aged diabetics may need earlier colon checks
(HealthDay) -- Researchers who say they've linked type 2 diabetes with earlier development of precancerous colon lesions recommend people with the blood sugar disorder start colorectal screenings at a younger age than others.

U.S. sees drop in deaths linked to diabetes
(HealthDay) -- Healthier lifestyles and better disease management led to a sharp drop in death rates for Americans with diabetes between 1997 and 2006, especially deaths caused by heart disease and stroke, a new federal government report shows.

Two patients in Scotland get stem cell transplants to treat blindness
(Medical Xpress) -- Two people in Scotland have received stem cell transplants into their eyes in a clinical trial that is aimed at restoring vision in people that suffer some degree of blindness due to damage to the cornea. One of the patients has agreed to have their name released; Sylvia Paton, of Edinburgh. She suffers from a hereditary disease called aniridia which causes incomplete formation of the iris and leads to damage to the cornea. In Mrs. Paton’s case, the condition led to havening no iris at all in one eye and just ten percent vision, along with a heightened sensitivity to light. She received the transplant in February (performed by Dr. Ashish Agrawal) but neither she nor her team of doctors will know how effective the treatment has been for many more months.

Learning and memory: The role of neo-neurons revealed
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS have recently identified in mice the role played by neo-neurons formed in the adult brain. By using selective stimulation the researchers were able to show that these neo-neurons increase the ability to learn and memorize difficult cognitive tasks. This newly discovered characteristic of neo-neurons to assimilate complex information could open up new avenues in the treatment of some neurodegenerative diseases. This publication is available online on the Nature Neuroscience journal's website.

Scientists unravel role of fusion gene in prostate cancer
Up to half of all prostate cancer cells have a chromosomal rearrangement that results in a new "fusion" gene and formation of its unique protein -- but no one has known how that alteration promotes cancer growth. Now, Weill Cornell Medical College researchers have found that in these cancer cells, the 3-D architecture of DNA, wrapped up in a little ball known as a chromatin, is warped in such a way that a switch has been thrown on thousands of genes, turning them on or off to promote abnormal, unchecked growth. Researchers also found that new chromosomal translocations form, further destabilizing the genome.

Array of light for early disease detection?
A special feature in this week's issue of the journal Science highlights protein array technology, touching on research conducted by Joshua LaBaer, director of the Biodesign Institute's Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics.

Newly discovered breast milk antibodies help neutralize HIV
Antibodies that help to stop the HIV virus have been found in breast milk. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center isolated the antibodies from immune cells called B cells in the breast milk of infected mothers in Malawi, and showed that the B cells in breast milk can generate neutralizing antibodies that may inhibit the virus that causes AIDS.

Limits to growth: Scientists identify key metastasis-enabling enzyme
(Medical Xpress) -- On the complex road to eradicating cancer, controlling or preventing metastatic growth initiated by primary tumors is high on the to-do list. A key area of such research is the development of therapies based on identifying markers of metastasis associated with altered choline metabolism in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. Recently, scientists at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADO), University of Dortmund, Germany, studying the tumor metabolome – the characteristic metabolic phenotype of tumor cells fundamental to the tumor’s metastatic capacity – identified EDI3 (endometrial differential 3) as the enzyme responsible for a decreased glycerophosphocholine (GPC) to phosphocholine (PC) ratio by cleaving GPC to produce choline. The scientists concluded that since inhibiting EDI3 activity corrects the GPC/PC ratio and thereby decreases tumor cell migration capacity, it represents a possible the! rapeutic modality.

Biology news

EU food agency rejects France ban on Monsanto GM maize
Europe's food safety agency EFSA on Monday rejected the grounds for a temporary French ban on a genetically modified strain of maize made by US company Monsanto.

Scientists hope OSU whale-tracking data can reduce accidental deaths
(Phys.org) -- A multi-agency team of scientists has launched a project to reduce the number of whales killed from ship strikes and entanglement in fishing nets by identifying high-risk areas along the West Coast of the United States.

In future, phones can identify the Troubadour on the tree top
In spring, the sound of birds serenading fills the air. The Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics is developing a system that can recognize a bird species based on a song segment. The system can be put to use by nature enthusiasts and biologists monitoring bird populations.

Garlic constituent blocks biofilm formation, could benefit CF patients and others
E Pluribus Unum, the motto of the United States, could just as well apply to biofilm-forming bacteria. Bacterial biofilms are far more resistant than individual bacteria to the armories of antibiotics we have devised to combat them. Now Tim Holm Jakobsen and Michael Givskov of the University of Copenhagen, and their many collaborators have pinpointed a constituent of garlic that attacks a key step in the development of biofilms, in an effort they hope may offer help in particular for patients with cystic fibrosis. The research is published in the May 2012 issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

How environmental effects regulate genes
Swiss researchers provide evidence that a protein in the cell nucleus responds to environmental stimuli like a kind of sensor, regulates genes accordingly and thus exchanges information with the cell memory. And that’s not all: cancer drugs that are currently being tested inhibit precisely this protein – and, thanks to new findings, soon maybe even more specifically.

Help at the nest sets chicks up for life
The help that relatives give to nesting birds benefits their offspring well into adult life, researchers have found.

Does polyploidy play a role in the onset of the Italian endemic flora?
Besides the obvious differences between plants and animals, subtle ones lie concealed within the cell, even within the nucleus. In both plant and animal cells, the nucleus contains DNA, which condenses into chromosomes during cell division. Chromosomes can be counted at that stage, revealing the chromosome number for each species. Here comes a difference: while the chromosome number spans a relatively short range across animal species (2-296: 46 in man), some plant species have over 1000 chromosomes. The adder's-tongue Ophioglossum reticulatum, a fern ally from the tropics, has 1440 chromosomes in its vegetative cells.

Study finds low agreeableness linked to a preference for aggressive dogs
A study carried out at the University of Leicester's School of Psychology has found that younger people who are disagreeable are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs, confirming the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.

New frog species from Panama dyes fingers yellow
A new bright yellow frog species has been found in the mountains of western Panama. The frog belongs to a species-rich group of frogs, the so called rainfrogs that lack a tadpole stage, but develop directly as little frogs inside the egg.

Mapping the genomes of crocodiles and alligators -- It's not for the faint of heart
(Phys.org) -- David Ray never turns his back on his research, and with good reason! "If it can't bite you, it's not interesting," he jokes.

Extinction looms for gibbons in Vietnam, scientists say
The first comprehensive study of gibbons in Vietnam in over a decade has found that three of the six species (the cao vit and western black crested gibbons and the northern white-cheeked gibbon) are perilously close to extinction, and the remaining three have suffered massive population declines.

The gene that boosts sugar beet yields
A European team of researchers has discovered a gene with the potential to increase sugar beet yields. Presented in the journal Current Biology, the findings of the study show how the long-sought bolting gene B in the sugar beet crop could help seed producers boost cultivation efficiency by mitigating yield-reducing contaminations, and could also support breeders in their efforts to create new cultivars with larger beets.

In cod we trust: DNA test combats fisheries fraud
Scientists on Tuesday said they had devised a DNA test to pinpoint the geographical origins of commercial seafish, in a breakthrough against illegal trawling that threatens fish stocks worldwide.

New means of safeguarding world fish stocks proven
Powerful and versatile new genetic tools that will assist in safeguarding both European fish stocks and European consumers is reported in Nature Communications. The paper reports on the first system proven to identify populations of fish species to a forensic level of validation.

Track Atlantic bluefin tuna to learn migration, habitat secrets
New fish-tagging studies of young bluefin tuna in Atlantic waters off New England by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are offering the first fishery-independent, year-round data on dispersal patterns and habitat use for the popular game fish. The availability of miniaturized pop-up satellite tags suitable for smaller (two- to five-year-old) fish helped make the research possible.

'Natural causes' at fault for Peru dolphin deaths: officials
Nearly 900 dolphins that washed up along Peru's northern coast since the start of the year died of natural causes, a top official said Tuesday, citing a government report that failed to convince environmental activists here.

How one strain of MRSA becomes resistant to last-line antibiotic
Researchers have uncovered what makes one particular strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) so proficient at picking up resistance genes, such as the one that makes it resistant to vancomycin, the last line of defense for hospital-acquired infections. They report their findings in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, on Tuesday May 22.

MIT biologist relishes the challenge of picking apart the cell's most complex structure
One of the most important structures in a cell is the nuclear pore complex — a tiny yet complicated channel through which information flows in and out of the cell’s nucleus, directing all other cell activity.

Researchers uncover how plant skin is assembled
(Phys.org) -- For the first time, scientists have identified how a plant's skin is assembled.

More plant species responding to global warming than previously thought
(Phys.org) -- Far more wild plant species may be responding to global warming than previous large-scale estimates have suggested.

For monogamous sparrows, it doesn't pay to stray (but they do it anyway)
It's quite common for a female song sparrow to stray from her breeding partner and mate with the male next door, but a new study shows that sleeping around can be costly.

---

This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://phys.org/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com