Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 16, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- T-ray madness: Scientists score wireless data record- Paralyzed individuals control robotic arms to reach and grasp using brain computer interface (w/ Video)
- Zebrafish study isolates gene related to autism, schizophrenia and obesity
- Brainput system takes some brain strain off multi-taskers
- ViviSat space vehicles will keep satellites on track
- Google searches get smarter (Update)
- Electronic congestion in the microchips of the future
- How the worm knows where its nose is
- Chocolate and diamonds: Why volcanoes could be a girl's best friend
- Researchers make promising discovery in pursuit of effective lymphoma treatments
- Baby galaxies grew up quickly
- Three-telescope interferometry allows astrophysicists to observe how black holes are fueled
- ApoE4 Alzheimer's gene causes brain's blood vessels to leak, die
- Landscape of cancer genes and mutational processes in breast cancer
- Biologists produce potential malarial vaccine from algae
Space & Earth news
UB examines violations in developing natural gas in Pennsylvania's marcellus shale
The University at Buffalo's Shale Resources and Society Institute today issued a report, "Environmental Impacts During Shale Gas Drilling: Causes, Impacts and Remedies," which offers the first quantitative data review of Pennsylvania's regulation of hydraulic fracturing of natural gas.
How to avoid a global food crisis
The world faces a major challenge in the coming decades as global food demand is poised for unprecedented growth.
Saving the planet, one microwave at a time
Making simple repairs could save the UK could save millions of pounds by replacing fuses or plugs rather than throwing away perfectly reusable microwaves with brand new ones.
Ariane rocket launches two Asian satellites
An Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched two Asian telecoms satellites into orbit from the Kourou space centre in French Guiana, European operator Arianespace announced.
China, Japan, US to witness 'ring' solar eclipse
At sunrise in some parts of China and Japan and by sunset in the western United States, a partial solar eclipse is set to slink across a narrow swath of the Earth on May 20 and 21.
Research on neutrinos allows the discovery of vortices in the abysses of the eastern Mediterranean
An INFN research project on neutrinos has made it possible to observe for the first time the presence of chains of marine vortices in the Mediterranean at depths of more than 3000 meters, large water structures of diameters of approximately 10 km, moving slowly at speeds of approximately 3 centimeters per second.
Lunar boom: Why we'll soon be mining the moon
As history has repeatedly shown, where there are valuable minerals to be unearthed, adventurous humans will arrive in droves – even if it means battling extreme conditions and risking life and limb.
Triple whammy: Ocean warming, La Nina, and cyclone produced Queensland floods
(Phys.org) -- A record La Niña event coupled with tropical cyclone Tasha generated most of the record deluge of rain that devastated much of Queensland in December 2010, but a new study has found that another big culprit was also in play - record high sea-surface temperatures off northern Australia.
Ancient tree-ring records from southwest U.S. suggest today's megafires are truly unusual
Today’s mega forest fires of the southwestern U.S. are truly unusual and exceptional in the long-term record, suggests a new study that examined hundreds of years of ancient tree ring and fire data from two distinct climate periods.
Robotic spacecraft / rover hybrids for space exploration
The big news from space exploration is that small bodies in the cosmos offer tantalizing insight about the very formation of our solar system. So what strategy can be employed to inspect these mini-worlds in a systematic and affordable way?
Sumatra faces yet another risk -- major volcanic eruptions
The early April earthquake of magnitude 8.6 that shook Sumatra was a grim reminder of the devastating earthquakes and tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people in 2004 and 2005.
Trashing old, unused medications best for reducing environmental impact
Returning extra medicine to the pharmacy for disposal might not be worth the extra time, money or greenhouse gas emissions, according to a University of Michigan study that is the first to look at the net effects of so-called take-back programs.
Preparing for a Martian climbing trip
In August, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will reach the Red Planet and begin its search for habitats that could have supported life.
Japan enters commercial space race
Japan will put a commercial satellite into space on Friday, officials said, in its first foray into the European- and Russian-dominated world of contract launches.
A deeper look at Centaurus A
(Phys.org) -- The strange galaxy Centaurus A is pictured in a new image from the European Southern Observatory. With a total exposure time of more than 50 hours this is probably the deepest view of this peculiar and spectacular object ever created. The image was produced by the Wide Field Imager of the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile.
Astronomers discovered ancient Egyptian observations of a variable star
The study of the "Demon star", Algol, made by a research group of the University of Helsinki, Finland, has received both scientific and public attention. The period of the brightness variation of this eclipsing binary star has been connected to good prognoses three millennia ago. This result has raised a lot of discussion and the news has spread widely in the Internet.
Solar eclipse this weekend
Something strange is about to happen to the shadows beneath your feet.
Chocolate and diamonds: Why volcanoes could be a girl's best friend
Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered a previously unrecognised volcanic process, similar to one that is used in chocolate manufacturing, which gives important new insights into the dynamics of volcanic eruptions.
Baby galaxies grew up quickly
Baby galaxies from the young Universe more than 12 billion years ago evolved faster than previously thought, shows new research from the Niels Bohr Institute. This means that already in the early history of the Universe, there was potential for planet formation and life. The research results have been published in the scientific journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters.
Three-telescope interferometry allows astrophysicists to observe how black holes are fueled
(Phys.org) -- By combining the light of three powerful infrared telescopes, an international research team has observed the active accretion phase of a supermassive black hole in the center of a galaxy tens of millions of light years away, a method that has yielded an unprecedented amount of data for such observations. The resolution at which they were able to observe this highly luminescent active galactic nucleus (AGN) has given them direct confirmation of how mass accretes onto black holes in centers of galaxies.
Black carbon, tropospheric ozone most likely driving Earth's tropical belt expansion
Black carbon aerosols and tropospheric ozone, both manmade pollutants emitted predominantly in the Northern Hemisphere's low- to mid-latitudes, are most likely pushing the boundary of the tropics further poleward in that hemisphere, new research by a team of scientists shows.
ViviSat space vehicles will keep satellites on track
(Phys.org) -- A company that aims to sell satellite protective services is eagerly stating its business case to geosynchronous satellite operators that can benefit from its approach toward orbit mission extension. ViviSat intends to help these operators to add years to the revenue-producing life of a satellite. Having to mind one’s orbit assets is a concern that the company believes will draw new customers. The company’s CEO, Major General, U.S.A.F. [Ret.] Craig Weston, said that ViviSat was in negotiations with potential customers and that market conditions for such services were strong. Weston is the head of U.S. Space; he has spent a large part of his career operating communications, infra-red warning, and reconnaissance satellites.
Technology news
AP IMPACT: Evacs and drills pared near nuke plants
(AP) -- Without fanfare, the nation's nuclear power regulators have overhauled community emergency planning for the first time in more than three decades, requiring fewer exercises for major accidents and recommending that fewer people be evacuated right away.
Germany's T-Mobile to cut 900 US jobs
Germany's T-Mobile, the fourth-largest wireless telecommunications company in the United States, said Tuesday it would cut 900 jobs as part of a company-wide restructuring.
Facebook co-founder Saverin to stay in Singapore (Update)
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin intends to stay in Singapore but has no plans to take up citizenship after giving up his US passport, his spokesman said.
Fans can check out Euro 2012 stadiums online
Football fans heading to Ukraine and Poland for Euro 2012 can now take a digital stroll through the tournament stadiums and host cities on Google Street View, organisers said Wednesday.
ADB sells $339 million 'clean energy' bonds
The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it had sold $339 million worth of bonds to help fund investment in more environmentally-friendly power projects in the region.
Poland seeks competitive edge through new technology
Poland, which is expected to post the European Union's highest growth this year, is hoping to further boost its competitive edge by investing in new technology, the country's e-government czar said Wednesday.
WPI research team to conduct tests aimed at better understanding post-earthquake fires
A team of researchers from the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will conduct groundbreaking tests on May 23-25 aimed at better understanding the effects of earthquakes on building systems designed to suppress or prevent the spread of fires. The test are part of a major $5 million study, supported by a coalition of government agencies and industry partners, seeking to learn what needs to be done to ensure that high-value buildings, such as hospitals and data centers, can remain operational in the aftermath of earthquakes.
Zuckerberg's Facebook story is study in contrasts
(AP) -- When Hollywood set out to tell the story of how Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook, it enjoyed the flexibility of portraying a man who, despite his social network's worldwide reach, was all but unknown to the public.
News Corp takes stake in private China film group
US media giant News Corp. has taken a 19.9 percent stake in Bona Film Group, which calls itself the largest privately owned film distributor in China, the firms said.
Asia helps drive Facebook's 1-billion goal
As Facebook nears saturation levels in some Western countries, Asian users are helping drive the social-networking leader's march on the 1-billion-user milestone and beyond.
Is Facebook worth the bet? Doubts amid the frenzy
Everyone knows it is a giant of the Internet that will make money for a long while. But is Facebook worth investing in at its elevated initial public offering price?
Football: Goal-line technology trial in Danish league - FIFA
One of two goal-line technology systems being tested for FIFA's rules body is to be used at two Danish league matches in the coming week, the world governing body said on Wednesday.
Wild blue yonder: Engineers tackle challenges of hypersonic flight
(Phys.org) -- Aeronautical engineers believe hypersonic planes flying at seven to 15 times the speed of sound will someday change the face of air and space travel. That is, if they can master such flight's known unknowns.
Individual typing style gives key to user authentication
Your typing style is as individual as your fingerprints. Being able to use typing style to identify a change in users could be a vital security and forensic support for organisations such as banks, the military and universities, says QUT PhD researcher Eesa Al Solami.
Samsung on top as mobile phone sales dip: survey (Update)
Mobile phone sales worldwide suffered a rare dip in the first three months of this year on softened demand in Asian markets, industry tracker Gartner reported Wednesday.
China Mobile in talks with Apple over iPhone
China Mobile, the world's biggest mobile operator by subscribers, said Wednesday the company is in talks with Apple to offer the popular iPhone to its users in the Asian nation.
HTC smartphones blocked by US customs
US mobile carrier Sprint said Wednesday it was delaying the introduction of an Android smartphone from Taiwan's HTC after the devices were blocked by US customs.
"Social Network" writer to pen Steve Jobs film script
Sony Pictures Entertainment on Wednesday said that the Academy Award winning screenwriter behind "The Social Network" will write the script for a film about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
NY tech fest heralds Silicon Valley of the East
The Big Apple may not have California's weather, but tech fans at New York Internet Week say that in every other way the city is on course to become Silicon Valley 2.0.
Technology accessibility is improving, but big challenges lie ahead
When the iPad debuted two years ago, there was lots of talk about whether people beyond the iPhone and Mac faithful would use such a thing.
Zynga's chief operating officer plays it safe
As a hurricane barreled toward the Florida Keys, John Schappert, the chief operating officer of Zynga Inc., was on a charter boat to catch lobsters with half a dozen friends.
EV battery swaps intended for long hauls
Ever driven through a car wash? Going through a Better Place battery-switching station is like that - minus the soap suds, of course.
Shades of Instagram, MobileMe may be coming to iCloud
An upgrade appears to be on the horizon for Apple's iCloud, potentially shifting the service from just syncing your shots to sharing them as well.
Hackers booby-trap foreign policy group websites
Internet security researchers warned that foreign policy and human rights websites are being booby-trapped by hackers in what appears to be cyber espionage.
Facebook investors to cash out more shares
(AP) -- Insiders and early Facebook investors will be unloading more of their shares in the initial public offering, the company said Wednesday, as they take advantage of investor demand.
Engineers aim to boost the future of renewable energy by collecting solar power in space
Solar power gathered in space could be set to provide the renewable energy of the future thanks to innovative research being carried out by engineers at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
Technique enables mass production of custom concrete building components from digital designs
Like other professionals, architects have used computer-aided design (CAD) software in their work for decades. Typically, the resulting digital files are converted to hard-copy plans, which are then used to support traditional construction practices.
Google searches get smarter (Update)
Google on Wednesday began making its search engine smarter, in what the Internet giant called a major upgrade that looks beyond query words to figure out what people are actually seeking online.
Brainput system takes some brain strain off multi-taskers
(Phys.org) -- A research team made up of members from Indiana University, Tufts and MIT and led by Erin Treacy Solovey, a has built a brain monitoring system that offloads some of the computer related activities a person is performing when multi-tasking begins causing stress. Called Brainput, the system makes use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to monitor brain activity and a computer system to interpret the results and then to cause changes to tasks to reduce brain overload, i.e. when stress levels reach a certain point, the computer turns on autonomous computer activities that hopefully reduce the amount of stress the person is experiencing.
T-ray madness: Scientists score wireless data record
(Phys.org) -- Wednesday headlines trumpeted how "Japanese researchers smash Wi-Fi records" and "Scientists show off the future of Wi-Fi." The excitement is for good reason. A team of scientists have broken the record for wireless data transmission. They showed that they were capable of transmitting data at 3Gb/at frequencies up to 542GHz. They have done so in uncharted territory, so to speak, the terahertz band, a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is currently unregulated. They reported success in making Wi-Fi twenty times faster.
Medicine & Health news
Drugs reduce bone cancer damage but clinical guidance remains non-specific
Bone cancer-related fractures and pain can be reduced by drug treatment, but no one drug is superior, according to a review published in The Cochrane Library. Researchers undertook a systematic review of the current evidence on bisphosphonate drugs, which are used to prevent bone damage in multiple myeloma.
Stabilizing Fanconi anemia with antioxidants
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder which affects one person in 350,000. People affected by this disease have defects in DNA repair, and are hypersensitive to oxidative damage, resulting in bone marrow failure and an increased predisposition to cancer. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases shows that a combination of the fatty acid α-lipoic acid (α-LA) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can stabilize the DNA of blood cells from FA patients, and drastically reduce its instability.
Novel approaches to treating Alzheimer's disease include early intervention
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Comprehensive Alzheimer’s Program at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have announced two new clinical trials for patients with either mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and one trial for Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Student co-authors radiology study
“I believe that out of anxiety, patients want to know their test results as quickly as possible,” Roman Nelson (’12) said. “Having a medical scan done often comes with profound news, either good or bad, so patients want to know what’s happening in their lives as soon as they can.”
How a five-minute chat can make a big difference to dialysis patients
The constant health education that dialysis patients receive can lead to boredom and noncompliance.
Link between relaxation and eczema relief studied
A Murdoch University student is investigating the link between relaxation and its ability to reduce the severity of eczema.
Delivery of gene-therapy for heart disease boosted 100-fold; now in 100-patient trial
Cardium Therapeutics today announced a late-breaking poster presentation at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 15th Annual Meeting being held May 16-19, 2012 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
University of Minnesota startup to treat challenging bacterial infection
A live biological preparation developed by University of Minnesota researchers could put a stop to an increasingly prevalent, and sometimes deadly, infection caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile. CIPAC Limited, based in Australia with subsidiaries in California, will continue to work with the university to advance the technology to treat patients by using frozen and, eventually, encapsulated preparations.
Nottingham researchers lead world's largest study into pre-eclampsia
Researchers from The University of Nottingham are leading the largest ever international research project into the genetics of the potentially fatal condition pre-eclampsia.
At outset of careers, medical students already concerned about workloads, study shows
Medical students around the country are graduating this month, and preparing for the milestone that culminates four years of hard training – their first job as a doctor.
Study shows delays in siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders
A new University of Miami (UM) study shows that one in three children who have an older sibling with an Autism Related Disorder (ASD) fall into a group characterized by higher levels of autism-related behaviors or lower levels of developmental progress. The study will be presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in May, 2012. ASDs are developmental conditions characterized by problems with social interaction and communication. Previously, an international consortium of researchers found that almost one in five of the younger siblings of children with an ASD themselves developed an ASD.
Life-saving primary PCI rising in Stent for Life countries
Life saving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) treatment is increasing in countries participating in the Stent for Life Initiative.
Similar outcomes of surgical vs. nonsurgical treatment for cervical spine fracture
For older adults with "C2" fractures of the upper (cervical) spine, surgery and nonsurgical treatment provide similar short- and long-term outcomes, reports a study in the May issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
US lowers cutoff for lead poisoning in young kids
(AP) -- For the first time in 20 years, U.S. health officials have lowered the threshold for lead poisoning in young children.
Health experts narrow the hunt for Ebola
Response efforts to outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Africa can benefit from a standardized sampling strategy that focuses on the carcasses of gorillas, chimpanzees and other species known to succumb to the virus, according to a consortium of wildlife health experts.
HIV may afflict almost half Asia-Pacific transgenders: UN
Nearly half of transgender people in the Asia-Pacific region could have HIV as poor healthcare and high-risk lifestyles push infection rates to "critical levels", a UN report said Thursday.
Hormone-depleting drug shows promise against localized high-risk prostate tumors
A hormone-depleting drug approved last year for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer can help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in many patients with aggressive cancers that have yet to spread beyond the prostate, according to a clinical study to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), June 1-5, in Chicago.
Revised glioblastoma classification should improve patient care
Radiation oncology researchers have revised the system used by doctors since the 1990s to determine the prognosis of people with glioblastoma, which is the most devastating of malignant brain tumors.
Clergy can fight HIV on faith-friendly terms
The public health community has long struggled with how best to reduce HIV infection rates among black Americans, which is seven times that of whites. In a new paper in the journal PLoS ONE, a team of physicians and public health researchers report that African-American clergy say they are ready to join the fight against the disease by focusing on HIV testing, treatment, and social justice, a strategy that is compatible with religious teaching.
Experimental agent may help older people with chronic leukemia
The experimental drug ibrutinib (PCI-32765) shows great promise for the treatment of elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to interim findings from a clinical trial.
Phase I study of temsirolimus, capecitabine proves safe; positive survival trend seen
A phase I clinical trial examining the safety of combining temsirolimus and capecitabine in advanced malignancies suggests the two agents can be given safely to patients. In addition, the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers conducting the study in cancer patients whose tumors have resisted multiple treatments say the combination demonstrates "promising evidence" of disease control and should be studied in a phase II trial. Their clinical findings and additional data from the study will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, June 1 through 5, 2012.
Study combines lapatinib with cetuximab to overcome resistance in EGFR-driven tumors
Targeted therapies have been studied for years, but recent laboratory research is providing robust clues about drugs that might work better in combination, particularly in treating cancers that have become resistant to therapy. That kind of information is behind a novel clinical trial at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center that combines cetuximab and lapatinib. Findings from this phase I study will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago, June 1st through 5th.
TB patient charged in Calif for not taking meds
(AP) -- Authorities in California took the unusual step of jailing and charging a tuberculosis patient who they say refused to take medication to keep his disease from becoming contagious.
US shoe firm gets kicked for butt claims
US shoemaker Skechers is to pay $40 million to settle claims that it deceived consumers by suggesting its sports shoes could help tone their butts and lose weight, officials said Wednesday.
Should childhood vaccination be mandatory?
In the British Medical Journal today, two experts debate whether childhood vaccination should be mandatory in the UK.
20 percent 'fat tax' needed to improve population health: experts
Taxes on unhealthy food and drinks would need to be at least 20% to have a significant effect on diet-related conditions such as obesity and heart disease, say experts in the British Medical Journal today. Ideally, this should be combined with subsidies on healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables, they add.
Targeted therapy with pazopanib prolongs progression-free survival in advanced soft-tissue sarcoma
For patients with metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma whose disease has progressed following standard chemotherapy, treatment with pazopanib (a drug that targets the growth of new cancer-related blood vessels) nearly tripled progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo, according to results of the PALETTE trial, published Online First in The Lancet. This is the first time a randomised phase 3 trial in metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma has shown improvement in PFS.
Scientists hunt ways to stall Alzheimer's earlier
(AP) -- Look for a fundamental shift in how scientists hunt ways to ward off the devastation of Alzheimer's disease - by testing possible therapies in people who don't yet show many symptoms, before too much of the brain is destroyed.
High blood pressure affects 1 in 3: WHO (Update)
One in three adults suffers from high blood pressure, a key trigger of heart disease, health experts said on Wednesday while underlining the growing number of cases in developing countries.
Maternal deaths cut by half: UN
Better care has cut the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth by nearly half in the past two decades, but there is still a death every two minutes, according to UN figures released Wednesday.
Frequent cooking will help you live longer
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study published in Public Health Nutrition links frequent cooking to a longer life.
Death risk for marathoners remains low during or soon after race
Even though hundreds of thousands more people finished grueling 26.2 mile marathons in the United States in 2009 compared to a decade earlier, a runner’s risk of dying during or soon after the race has remained very low -- about .75 per 100,000, new Johns Hopkins research suggests. Men, however, were twice as likely to die as women.
Scientists discover marker to identify, attack breast cancer stem cells
Breast cancer stem cells wear a cell surface protein that is part nametag and part bull's eye, identifying them as potent tumor-generating cells and flagging their vulnerability to a drug, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report online in Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Breast cancer effectively treated with chemical found in celery
Apigenin, a natural substance found in grocery store produce aisles, shows promise as a non-toxic treatment for an aggressive form of human breast cancer, following a new study at the University of Missouri. MU researchers found apigenin shrank a type of breast cancer tumor that is stimulated by progestin, a synthetic hormone given to women to ease symptoms related to menopause.
Lenalidomide prolongs disease control for multiple myeloma patients after stem cell transplant
Multiple myeloma patients are better equipped to halt progression of this blood cancer if treated with lenalidomide, or Revlimid, following a stem cell transplant, according to a study co-authored by a physician with the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute.
Too many drugs for many older patients
Older patients are increasingly prescribed multiple drugs that, when combined, can lead to negative side effects and poor health outcomes. A new Cochrane Library evidence review reveals that little is known about the best ways to avoid inappropriate prescribing of medications for seniors or how to maximize health benefits while minimizing prescriptions.
Breaking down how we breathe
(Medical Xpress) -- If you’re an average person (not from Lake Wobegon) you breathe in about 900 times an hour. You probably don’t think about it much, but Daniel Mulkey does. He studies what happens at the molecular level when you breathe and how your body gets the message that it’s time to take a breath.
Detecting tumour cells individually
(Medical Xpress) -- Swiss researchers have devised a method to detect mutations in tumor cells that are only present in a proportion of the cancer’s cells. The analysis reveals that cells of individual tumours are more variable than first thought – and differ from patient to patient.
Let's get moving: Unravelling how locomotion starts
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the University of Bristol have shed new light on one of the great unanswered questions of neuroscience: how the brain initiates rhythmic movements like walking, running and swimming.
Genes make for a life of success
Genes play a greater role in forming character traits than was previously thought, new research suggests.
Alteration of gene may disrupt our bodies internal rhythm, causing sleep disorder
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have found that a gene known as RAI1 controls one of the most important genes in circadian rhythm, CLOCK.
Study suggest chemicals in the environment could threaten male fertility
(Medical Xpress) -- New research from the University of Glasgow, in collaboration with academics in Edinburgh, Aberdeen (James Hutton Institute and the University of Aberdeen) and INRA (France) has shown that fertility in a subset of men could be threatened by chemicals that are routinely found within our environment.
Cyber partners help you go the distance
A new study, testing the benefits of a virtual exercise partner, shows that the presence of a moderately more capable cycling partner boosts motivation to stick to an exercise program. The work by Brandon Irwin and colleagues, from Michigan State University in the US, is published online in Springer's journal, Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
US, Great Britain share risk factors for child behavior problems
New research from North Carolina State University shows that the United States and Great Britain share common risk factors that increase the likelihood of behavioral problems in children – and that Britain's broader social welfare programs don't appear to mitigate those risks.
How blind can 'read' shown in new research
A method developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for training blind persons to "see" through the use of a sensory substitution device (SSD) has enabled those using the system to actually "read" an eye chart with letter sizes smaller than those used in determining the international standard for blindness.
'Gaydar' automatic and more accurate for women's faces, psychologists find
After seeing faces for less than a blink of an eye, college students have accuracy greater than mere chance in judging others' sexual orientation. Their "gaydar" persisted even when they saw the photos upside-down, and gay versus straight judgments were more accurate for women's faces than for men's.
Protective molecule, ACE2, also proving its worth in diabetic patients
ACE2, a molecule that has been shown to prevent damage in the heart, is now proving to be protective of the major organs that are often damaged in diabetic patients.
Children with rare, incurable brain disease improve after gene therapy
Using gene transfer techniques pioneered by University of Florida faculty, Taiwanese doctors have restored some movement in four children bedridden with a rare, life-threatening neurological disease.
Brain injury to soldiers can arise from exposure to a single explosion: study
A team of investigators have shown evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in brain tissue from blast-exposed military service personnel.
FDA-approved drug daclizumab makes established cancer vaccine work better
A team from the Perelman School of Medicine and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania found that the FDA-approved drug daclizumab improved the survival of breast cancer patients taking a cancer vaccine by 30 percent, compared to those patients not taking daclizumab. This proof-of-concept study is published this week in Science Translational Medicine. Senior authors of the study are Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, associate professor of Medicine, and James Riley, PhD, associate professor of Microbiology.
Predicting cancer relapse: Study finds high-throughput sequencing bests flow cytometry
A study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that a next-generation, high-speed DNA-decoding technology called high-throughput sequencing can detect the earliest signs of potential relapse in nearly twice the number of leukemia patients as compared to flow cytometry, the current gold standard for detecting minimal residual disease. The results of the study, led by Hutchinson Center computational biologist Harlan Robins, Ph.D., are reported in the May 16 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
Study finds head impacts in contact sports may reduce learning in college athletes
A new study suggests that head impacts experienced during contact sports such as football and hockey may worsen some college athletes' ability to acquire new information. The research is published in the May 16, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
When does planning interfere with achieving our goals?
It seems really simple: If you want to achieve something, set a goal and then make specific plans to implement it. But according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, consumers get overwhelmed while juggling multiple goals.
Want to avoid ED following prostate cancer surgery? Find an experienced, gentle surgeon
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the U.S., and radical prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate gland, remains the most popular therapeutic option, accounting for half of treatments.
You are what you eat: Why do male consumers avoid vegetarian options?
Why are men generally more reluctant to try vegetarian products? According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, consumers are influenced by a strong association of meat with masculinity.
Healthy eating can cost less, study finds
Is it really more expensive to eat healthy? An Agriculture Department study released Wednesday found that most fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods cost less than foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
Genetic test may spot raised autism risk
(HealthDay) -- Researchers report that a new DNA test may be able to spot an increased risk of autism in children as young as 6 months old.
Could nasal spray of 'love hormone' treat autism?
(HealthDay) -- Children with autism given a squirt of a nasal spray containing the hormone oxytocin showed more activity in brain regions known to be involved with processing social information, a small study found.
Many parents of kids with autism don't put faith in pediatricians
(HealthDay) -- Many parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder don't feel they can turn to their pediatricians for advice on treatments, a new study finds.
Sex influences survival in esophageal cancer
(HealthDay) -- Sex is an independent prognostic factor for patients with locoregional esophageal cancer (LEC) and metastatic esophageal cancer (MEC), according to a study published online May 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Trial set to see if drug can prevent Alzheimer's
(HealthDay) -- Researchers are preparing to test an experimental drug in people genetically primed to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Asthma cases continue to rise in U.S., affecting millions
(HealthDay) -- Asthma continues to take its toll on Americans, with almost 19 million adults (8.2 percent) suffering from the disorder in 2010, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Increased sudden cardiac death rate among HIV patients
(HealthDay) -- Patients with HIV/AIDS have a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to a study published in the May 22 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Girl child marriages decline in south Asia, but only among youngest
Each year, more than 10 million girls under the age of 18 marry, usually under force of local tradition and social custom. Almost half of these compulsory marriages occur in South Asia. A new study suggests that more than two decades of effort to eliminate the practice has produced mixed results.
Study finds common antibiotic azithromycin carries heart risk
Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a rare, but important risk posed by the antibiotic azithromycin, commonly called a "Z-pack." The study found a 2.5-fold higher risk of death from cardiovascular death in the first five days of taking azithromycin when compared with another common antibiotic or no antibiotics at all.
In drug-approval race, US FDA ahead of Canada, Europe
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally approves drug therapies faster and earlier than its counterparts in Canada and Europe, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers. The study counters perceptions that the drug approval process in the United States is especially slow.
Experts say psychiatry's diagnostic manual needs overhaul
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), long the master reference work in psychiatry, is seriously flawed and needs radical change from its current "field guide" form, according to an essay by two Johns Hopkins psychiatrists published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Simple, low-cost checklist dramatically improves practices of health workers during childbirth
Boston, MA ─ A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) found that a simple checklist-based childbirth safety program dramatically improved adherence to essential childbirth care practices at a pilot hospital in south India. Of 29 practices measured, 28 were improved after adoption of the checklist and overall adherence to essential practices was 150% better after the checklist was introduced.
'Last resort' antibiotics increasingly used to fight multidrug-resistant bugs
Multidrug-resistant pathogens are becoming more frequent, and the few "last resort" treatments available for infections with these bacteria have also shown an increase in use in recent years, according to a study published May 16 in the open access journal PLoS ONE.
Modeling neurological damage of a traumatic brain injury survivor
In 1848, railroad worker Phineas Gage survived a severe brain injury when a tamping rod shot through his skull, resulting in significant behavioral changes. In a new study, reported May 16 in the open access journal PLoS ONE, researchers have used CT images of his skull in conjunction with MRI and connectomic brain imaging data of living subjects to reconstruct the injury and investigate which regions of the brain were affected to result in the behavioral changes.
Finnish researchers identify the cause for LGL leukemia
Researchers of the University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, have discovered that a mutation in the STAT3 gene is an underlying cause for LGL leukemia. Since the STAT3 gene is also abnormally expressed in many other cancers and autoimmune diseases, this finding has roused extensive interest. The research will be published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday, May 17, 2012.
Smartphones a big help to visually impaired
iPhones and other smartphones can be a huge help to the visually impaired, but few vision doctors are recommending them to patients, according to a study co-authored by a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine ophthalmologist.
Collaborative study looks for clues on hard-to-treat breast cancer
Some types of breast cancer can be successfully treated with drugs such as tamoxifen, but treatment for a type of breast cancer more common in young and black women is still limited to radiation and general chemotherapy. Called triple negative breast cancer, this type of cancer is the focus of a 20-month, $8.6-million research project that aims to find new diagnostic tools and options for drugs.
Positive feedback in the developing brain
(Medical Xpress) -- When an animal is born, its early experiences help map out the still-forming connections in its brain. As neurons in sensory areas of the brain fire in response to sights, smells, and sounds, synapses begin to form, laying the neuronal groundwork for activity later in life. Not all parts of the brain receive input directly from the external world, however, and researchers have wondered how these regions build their wiring early in development.
Researchers make promising discovery in pursuit of effective lymphoma treatments
Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have identified a target for slowing the progression of multiple myeloma by using currently available drugs.
Landscape of cancer genes and mutational processes in breast cancer
In a study published today in Nature, researchers describe nine new genes that drive the development of breast cancer. This takes the tally of all genes associated with breast cancer development to 40.
ApoE4 Alzheimer's gene causes brain's blood vessels to leak, die
Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. Now, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that in mice, having the most risky variant of ApoE damages the blood vessels that feed the brain.
Paralyzed individuals control robotic arms to reach and grasp using brain computer interface (w/ Video)
In an ongoing clinical trial, a paralyzed woman was able to reach for and sip from a drink on her own – for the first time in nearly 15 years – by using her thoughts to direct a robotic arm. The trial is evaluating the safety and feasibility of an investigational device called the BrainGate neural interface system. This is a type of brain-computer interface (BCI) intended to put robotics and other assistive technology under the brain's control.
Zebrafish study isolates gene related to autism, schizophrenia and obesity
What can a fish tell us about human brain development? Researchers at Duke University Medical Center transplanted a set of human genes into a zebrafish and then used it to identify genes responsible for head size at birth.
Biology news
Dog, nappy and football found in Aussie croc
Rangers who shot a saltwater crocodile that was terrorising pets in northern Australia found a dog, a pair of shorts, a football and a nappy in its stomach, according to a local report.
Rare elephant found dead in Indonesia
A critically-endangered Sumatran elephant has been found dead in Indonesia's Aceh province, an official said Wednesday, the second death from suspected poisoning within a month.
Reproductive isolation driving evolution of species
Evolution of species remains a hot topic since Darwin’s theory of natural selection. A European initiative addressed the issue of speciation from the viewpoint of reproductive isolation.
UW plant breeders develop an even heart-healthier oat
University of Wisconsin-Madison plant breeders have developed a new oat variety that's significantly higher in the compound that makes this grain so cardio-friendly.
Crabs will fake it to avoid a fight, research finds
Dr Robbie Wilson, Head of the Performance Lab at the University of Queensland, where this study was conducted, said the research identified more than just some crabby behaviour.
Plant growth without light control: Synthetic photoreceptor stimulates germination and development
Plants are dependent on the sun. Sunlight does not only supply them with energy, but also controls their development steps. So-called photoreceptors activate the processes of germination, leaf development, bud formation, and blossoming in the cells. The light-absorbing component of a photoreceptor may be replaced by a chemically similar synthetic substance. For the first time, the effects on complete plants are now described in the The Plant Cell journal.
Common fungicide wreaks havoc on freshwater ecosystems
Chlorothalonil, one of the world's most common fungicides used pervasively on food crops and golf courses, was lethal to a wide variety of freshwater organisms in a new study, University of South Florida researchers said Wednesday.
Millennium-old olive trees of the Iberian Peninsula are younger than expected
Northeast Spain is home to olive trees so old that they are known as "millennium-old." A group of scientists have now studied their age. The oldest is to be found in the Catalan region of Montsia and is 627 years old making it one of the oldest olive trees recorded in Europe.
Not only humans compensate: Dosage compensation of sex chromosomes in plants
Swiss researchers have found evidence that plants also "invented" the dosage compensation of sex chromosomes. They detected this phenomenon in the white campion.
Freshwater crayfish found to have substance covering teeth astonishingly similar to human enamel
A team of Israeli and German scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces have found an enamel-like layer in the mandibles of freshwater crayfish, according to an article in Nature Communications titled "Enamel-like Apatite Crown Covering Amorphous Mineral in a Crayfish Mandible."
Movement patterns of endangered turtle vary from Pacific to Atlantic
The movement patterns of critically endangered leatherback turtles vary greatly depending on whether the animals live in the North Atlantic or the Eastern Pacific, with implications for feeding behavior and population recovery, according to research published May 16 in the open access journal PLoS ONE.
Scientists lift lid on turtle evolution
The turtle is a closer relative of crocodiles and birds than of lizards and snakes, according to researchers who claim to have solved an age-old riddle in animal evolution.
Crows found able to distinguish between human voices
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered that carrion crows are able to distinguish between familiar and unknown human voices. They also found, as they write in their paper published in the journal Animal Cognition, that the birds are able to do the same with other birds outside of their species, though they react in different ways.
House mice put endangered petrels at risk of extinction
Common house mice are demolishing what could be the only breeding population of endangered Atlantic petrels in the world, scientists have found.
Microscope looks into cells of living fish
Microscopes provide valuable insights in the structure and dynamics of cells, in particular when the latter remain in their natural environment. However, this is very difficult especially for higher organisms. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, and the American National Institutes of Health (NIH) have now developed a new method to visualize cell structures of an eighth of a micrometer in size in living fish larvae. It is published in the Nature Methods magazine.
How the worm knows where its nose is
For decades, scientists have studied Caenorhabditis elegans – tiny, transparent worms – to glean clues about how neurons develop and function. A new Harvard study suggests that the worms' nervous system is much more capable and complex than previously thought, and has a way to monitor its own motion, a model one day could serve to develop treatments for disorders like schizophrenia.
Separate species, shared genomes: Butterfly genome reveals promiscuous sharing of large regions of DNA code
A landmark effort to sequence the genome of a South American butterfly has revealed the key behind its unusual ability to mimic other butterflies.
Biologists produce potential malarial vaccine from algae
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have succeeded in engineering algae to produce potential candidates for a vaccine that would prevent transmission of the parasite that causes malaria, an achievement that could pave the way for the development of an inexpensive way to protect billions of people from one of the world's most prevalent and debilitating diseases. Initial proof-of-principle experiments suggest that such a vaccine could prevent malaria transmission.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment