Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 20, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Diamond in the rough: Half-century puzzle solved- Researchers produce first complete computer model of an organism
- Sex chromosome evolution tracked in fruit fly
- Scientists create highly transparent solar cells for windows that generate electricity
- Disorderly conduct: Probing the role of disorder in quantum coherence
- NaCl to give way to RockSalt: Computer scientists develop a tool to improve software fault isolation
- New ideas add further mystery to why there is less lithium-7 in the universe than expected
- Five potential habitable exoplanets now
- When the beat goes off: Errors in rhythm follow pattern, physicists find
- SuperSTEM research reveals that graphene re-knits its holes
- Hollow iron oxide nanoparticles for lithium-ion battery applications
- Benefits of prostate-specific antigen testing remain unclear
- Tiny 'Firefly' Satellite set to flash straight into lightning and thunderstorms
- Researchers identify genetic markers for testosterone, estrogen level regulation
- 'Seeds' of massive black holes found at the center of the Milky Way galaxy
Space & Earth news
IRVE-3 flight hardware test sounding rocket
NASA will launch an inflatable aeroshell/heat shield technology demonstrator on a Black Brant XI sounding rocket July 22 from the agency's launch range at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Scientists bring low frequency, 'First light' to the Jansky Very Large Array
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientists from the Radio Astrophysics and Sensing Section of the Remote Sensing Division in conjunction with radio astronomers and engineers from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Socorro, N.M., achieve "First Light" image, May 1, 2012, at frequencies below 1-gigahertz (GHz) on the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA).
NASA hypersonic Inflatable Tech Test now set for launch July 22
NASA managers are rescheduling the launch of an inflatable heat shield technology demonstration flight from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., until no earlier than Sunday, July 22.
France maintains shale gas ban: environment minister
France has no intention of lifting its ban on shale gas exploration because of continued concerns over its environmental impact, Environment and Energy Minister Delphine Batho said Friday.
Tropical Depression Khanun blankets South Korea
Tropical Depression Khanun came ashore with some heavy rainfall in the morning hours (local time) on Thursday, July 19. NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Khanun's clouds on July 19, covering all of South Korea like a blanket.
Sea rise threatens 'paradise' Down Under
When Elaine Pearce left Sydney for the seaside peace of Old Bar 12 years ago she was assured her new house was a solid investment, with a century's worth of frontage to guard against erosion.
Funding cut imperils undersea lab off Florida Keys
(AP) — Ocean explorer Sylvia Earle sported one Rolex dive watch on each wrist as she slipped beneath the balmy waters of the Florida Keys for a weeklong stay at an undersea research lab where marine biologists have kept constant watch on a coral reef.
TRMM sees Fabio's remnants fading in cool Pacific waters
NASA's TRMM satellite noticed that Fabio's remnants have "chilled out" in very cool waters of the Eastern Pacific, while only dropping light to moderate rains.
Researchers design first field experiment to test the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs
(Phys.org) -- Over the last 150 years, human beings have released hundreds of billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere. About one quarter of this carbon has been absorbed by the world's oceans, causing them to become more acidic. Ocean acidification is especially dangerous to corals and other organisms that build skeletons out of calcium carbonate. Many experiments have documented the effects of ocean acidification in the laboratory, but few have been performed in the natural environment. A recent article in Nature Publishing's Scientific Reports journal describes the first controlled field experiment to test the effects of acidification on coral reefs—a multi-institutional effort that involved several MBARI engineers and was based on pioneering work at MBARI.
Degradation free spectrometers sounding rocket
(Phys.org) -- The July 24, 2012 Degradation Free Spectrometers (DFS) sounding rocket mission's ultimate objective is to significantly advance the state of the art in short wavelength observing solar spectrometers to permit more detailed investigation and understanding of the physics, and hence behavior, of our dynamic sun. Such spectrometers must be capable of high cadence measurements of the highly variable Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) solar flux and have minimal degradation over multi-year time scales while observing the sun 24/7, in order to improve previous state of the art instruments such as the still active SEM instrument on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft launched in December of 1995.
Landsat looks and sees
The American sage Yogi Berra once said: "You can see a lot by just looking."
Earth-observing camera to launch to International Space Station
(Phys.org) -- A remote-controlled Earth-observing camera system called ISERV will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's third H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) this week. Once installed, the system will be directed by researchers on the ground to acquire imagery of specific areas of the globe for disaster analysis and environmental studies.
Colorful science sheds light on solar heating
A crucial, and often underappreciated, facet of science lies in deciding how to turn the raw numbers of data into useful, understandable information – often through graphs and images. Such visualization techniques are needed for everything from making a map of planetary orbits based on nightly measurements of where they are in the sky to colorizing normally invisible light such as X-rays to produce "images" of the sun.
River networks on Titan point to a puzzling geologic history
For many years, Titan’s thick, methane- and nitrogen-rich atmosphere kept astronomers from seeing what lies beneath. Saturn’s largest moon appeared through telescopes as a hazy orange orb, in contrast to other heavily cratered moons in the solar system.
Five potential habitable exoplanets now
(Phys.org) -- New data suggest the confirmation of the exoplanet Gliese 581g and the best candidate so far of a potential habitable exoplanet. The nearby star Gliese 581 is well known for having four planets with the outermost planet, Gliese 581d, already suspected habitable. This will be the first time evidence for any two potential habitable exoplanets orbiting the same star. Gliese 581g will be included, together with Gliese 667Cc, Kepler-22b, HD85512, and Gliese 581d, in the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog of the PHL @ UPR Arecibo as the best five objects of interest for Earth-like exoplanets.
Tiny 'Firefly' Satellite set to flash straight into lightning and thunderstorms
(Phys.org) -- Imagine a fully-instrumented satellite the size of a half-gallon milk carton.
'Seeds' of massive black holes found at the center of the Milky Way galaxy
A research team at Keio University, led by Associate Professor Tomoharu Oka, has discovered intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidates at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. It is about 30,000 light-years from the solar system in the direction of Sagittarius. IMBH candidates are considered to be the "seeds" that form and grow massive black holes.
Unexpectedly slow motions below the Sun's surface
(Phys.org) -- The interior motions of the Sun are much slower than predicted. Rather than moving at the speed of a jet plane (as previously understood) the plasma flows at a walking pace. The result of this new study, whose lead author is from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, will be published in an upcoming issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The scientists use observations of solar oscillations from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to see into the Sun's interior. As Laurent Gizon and Aaron C. Birch from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research comment in the same issue of PNAS, these new observations demonstrate the unique capabilities of helioseismology with SDO to probe the mysteries of the deep solar interior.
Technology news
Rights groups eye 'superheroes' for Internet defense
The Internet's "superheroes" are rallying to defend online freedom, while taking a page from Hollywood's playbook.
Twitter appeals order to hand over protester data
Twitter said Thursday it was appealing a court ruling ordering it to turn over data on one of its users involved in the Occupy Wall Street protest movement.
A digital "stethoscope" for monitoring equipment
An intelligent diagnostic system from Siemens can monitor the condition of mechanical equipment just by analyzing the noises it makes. The system's sensors listen to machine noises in the same way that a doctor listens to a patient's heart and lungs. The system learns to tell the difference between normal and faulty operation by analyzing noises and vibrations. The sensors it requires are simple, and the system can be used on many different kinds of machines and equipment. Three prototypes of STEVE (Siemens Tremor EValuation Equipment) - as the Siemens' researchers have dubbed their system - are currently undergoing testing in power plants in Morocco and the U.S., as well as at Siemens' gas turbine test center in Berlin.
Revolutionary power: Direct current in buildings
Siemens, working together with European partners, is studying if and how direct current (DC) could be used inside buildings in addition to the usual alternating current (AC). This addition could save energy when used in certain applications, such as in office buildings. It could also be advantageous for the integration of renewable energy sources and for grid stability. The project, known as DC Components and Grid (DCC+G), is funded by a number of European research ministries and will run until spring 2015.
Government calls on academia to train tomorrow's cyber security experts
Universities are today being invited by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), via a call on its website, to apply for grants to run two new dedicated Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs), that will train postgraduates to maintain the UK's security in the face of growing cyber threats.
Kayak shares rise nearly 30 percent in debut
(AP) — Shares of travel website Kayak Software Corp. are up nearly 26 percent in their first day of trading on the Nasdaq.
Twitter Olympics: Beware the distractions
(AP) — Hello (at)Twitter world!!! I'm at (hash)Olympics. Shd be training not tweeting ... LOL
Russian held in Cyprus on US hacking charge
A Russian national accused of cyber attacks on the online retail giant Amazon.com in 2008 has been arrested in Cyprus, US officials said Thursday.
Twitter lets advertisers better target tweets
Twitter on Thursday began letting businesses more easily turn tweets into advertising that targets users of the globally popular one-to-many text messaging service.
US Olympics fans will turn to tablets for coverage: study
US fans of the Olympics will be tracking the summer games on multiple screens, turning to tablets and smartphones for news, survey results showed Thursday.
Protect privacy from drones at home, lawmakers say
Before thousands of civilian drones begin flying in U.S. skies, Congress should take steps to protect the public's privacy and prevent terrorists from hacking or jamming signals that control the aircraft, lawmakers said Thursday.
Microsoft reports first loss as public company
Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss in its 26 years as a public company on Thursday as it declared a struggling online ad business a bust and prepared for one of the biggest product updates in its history.
Brazil to build first algae-based biofuel plant
The world's first industrial plant producing biofuels from seaweed will be built in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco in late 2013, the official in charge of the project said Thursday.
Micron announces first high-volume Phase Change Memory modules for mobile devices
Micron Technology, one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced an industry first with high-volume availability of its 45-nanometer (nm) Phase Change Memory (PCM) for mobile devices, featuring 1-gigabit (Gb) PCM plus 512-megabit (Mb) LPDDR2 in a multichip package.
New Yahoo! chief gets plump pay package
Yahoo! chief Marissa Mayer will be paid one million dollars a year and be eligible for many times that amount in stock and bonuses if she hangs on to the post, the company revealed on Thursday.
Obama warns of cyber threats to US
President Barack Obama warned of cyber threats to critical US infrastructure and called on Congress to take action in an op-ed published Friday in the Wall Street Journal.
US startup seeks to liberate diners from queues
Robb Myer cannot stomach the notion of being stuck at the entrance of a restaurant waiting for word that a table is finally available.
Vodafone Q3 revenue down 7.7 percent
(AP) — Vodafone Group PLC, Europe's largest mobile phone company, said Friday that revenue fell by 7.7 percent in the three months ending June 30 compared with a year earlier as gains in emerging markets were offset by a patchy performance in Europe.
Social media becomes outlet after deadly spree
News of Friday's horrific shooting spree in a US movie theater spread quickly on social media, and video and pictures from the scene spread around the world within minutes of the deadly attack.
US venture funding falls 12 percent in 2Q to $7B
(AP) — Funding for startups fell 12 percent in the April-June period as U.S. venture capitalists poured less money into fewer deals than a year earlier. But the number of companies getting funded in the earliest stages of development reached the highest level in more than a decade — a hopeful sign for the broader economy and an indication that investors are willing to wait for returns.
Smart suit improves physical endurance
The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University today announced that it has received a $2.6 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a smart suit that helps improve physical endurance for soldiers in the field.
Neuroscience joins cryptography
(Phys.org) -- Security experts are turning to cognitive psychology for fresh ideas on authentication. Hristo Bojinov of Stanford University and others on his team have a new authentication design based on the concept of implicit learning. Implicit learning refers to learning patterns without any conscious knowledge of the learned pattern. An example of this is riding a bicycle. One knows how to ride a bicycle, but cannot explain how. The technique involves, through a crafted computer game, delivering a secret password in the user’s brain without the user consciously knowing what the password is.
Google profits surge on growing ad revenue (Update)
Google on Thursday reported a surge in quarterly profit to $2.79 billion on the back of rising online advertising revenue, beating Wall Street expectations.
New iPad goes on sale in China after suit settled
Apple released its newest iPad in China on Friday after settling a lawsuit over ownership of its name and requiring buyers to place orders in advance to control crowds.
Street display spins electromagnetic dots, bares clues (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- TNT’s promotion of a crime-solving show Perception is turning out to be a Manhattan pedestrian show-stopper with its electromagnetic-dot display. The recently introduced sidewalk display raises eyebrows on what technology can bring to the effort of messaging large audiences. Call it sign technology of the future planted in the here and now. A giant screen made up of 40,000 physical dots fast-spinning from black to white has been rolled out and on to the streets of Manhattan at Herald Square at 885 Sixth Avenue and 32nd Street.
Progress made in building rechargeable lithium-air battery
(Phys.org) -- Researchers in the United Kingdom have taken another step towards proving that so named lithium-air (Li-O2) batteries might one day become practical. Up to now the problem has been using the technology to build a battery that uses oxygen and that can survive many charge-discharge-recharge cycles. Now Zhangquan Peng, Stefan Freunberger, Yuhui Chen and Peter Bruce of Saint Andrews in Scotland, have developed a way to build a lithium-air battery, using a gold electrode that, as they describe in their paper published in the journal Science, survived a hundred cycles with just 5% loss of power.
NaCl to give way to RockSalt: Computer scientists develop a tool to improve software fault isolation
A team led by Harvard computer scientists, including two undergraduate students, has developed a new tool that could lead to increased security and enhanced performance for commonly used web and mobile applications.
Medicine & Health news
Farmers tough on artificial limbs
When a farmer or rancher is injured on the job, there's an 11 percent chance that an amputation will occur. That's two and a half times more likely than in any other industry.
New report describes 7 essential steps toward an AIDS-free generation
The end of AIDS is within our reach. But as the authors of a new special supplement in the August, 2012 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiencies (JAIDS) point out, new financial investments – and renewed commitments – from countries around the world will be critical to fully implement proven treatment and prevention tools already at hand and to continue essential scientific research.
Elder abuse affects Latinos disproportionately
A sobering new study by researchers from the University of Southern California Davis School of Gerontology finds that elder abuse in low-income Latino communities goes largely unreported. More than 40 percent of Latino elders told Spanish-speaking interviewers that they had been abused or neglected in the last year — yet only 1.5 percent of victims said they had ever reported the abuse to authorities.
Study questions safety and effectiveness of common kidney disease drugs
Drugs commonly prescribed to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may not be as strongly effective as once thought, and may cause unexpected harm to blood vessels, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings indicate that additional studies on the drugs, called phosphate binders, are needed.
Hungarian teen dies of bacterial meningitis
A Hungarian teenager has died of bacterial meningitis and 69 people who came in contact with her were prescribed antibiotics, public health officials said.
Report: J&J will pay $2.2B in Risperdal settlement
(AP) — Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay as much as $2.2 billion to resolve an investigation into its marketing of the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal, according to a published report.
The search for medical technologies abroad
The search for medical technologies through 'medical travel' can change the lives of patients and their family members, according to medical anthropologists Cecilia Vindrola-Padros and Linda M. Whiteford, who examined the lives of Bolivian and Paraguayan families who traveled to Buenos Aries, Argentina, seeking pediatric oncology care for their children. In a study published in the current issue of Technology and Innovation – Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors, Vindrola-Padros and Whiteford, who are both at the University of South Florida, examined the diverse and complex causes that lead to medical travel in quest of new and better medical technologies, and also analyzed the role of the host country.
Predominately black-serving hospitals provide poorer care
Hospitals that mostly serve Black patients have worse mortality outcomes for both Black and White patients with three common conditions: heart attack, congestive heart failure or pneumonia. The new study in Health Services Research suggests that there is an urgent need to improve care at predominately black-serving institutions.
Video games can be good for your health
(Medical Xpress) -- Stroke patients once considered too disabled to regain function in their affected limbs are now showing signs of recovery because of a new therapy that utilizes the Nintendo Wii.
UAHuntsville professor explains logic behind healthcare ruling, shares top five Supreme Court decisions
Thanks to the speed of media archivists, on June 28, right after The U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision upholding the majority of President Obama’s controversial Affordable Healthcare Act, America was reminded of Chief Justice John Roberts’ words during his nomination hearings in 2005 when he said, “judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules.”
Complications following two-level axial lumbar interbody fusion
Surgeons from the Instituto de Patologia da Coluna in Sao Paulo, Brazil have found that an innovative minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to achieve two-level axial lumbar interbody fusion produced immediate successful results, but within 2 years complications set in, making the procedure far less desirable. Findings of this study are reported in the article "Results and complications after 2-level axial lumbar interbody fusion with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Clinical article," by Luis Marchi, Leonardo Oliveira, Etevaldo Coutinho, M.D., and Luiz Pimenta, M.D., Ph.D., published this week online in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.
ECGs administered by paramedics can speed treatment for severe heart attacks
A new program that trains emergency medical service technicians (EMS) to read electrocardiograms so that they can evaluate patients with chest pain, and expedite treatment for the severe heart condition known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a serious form of heart attack, has excellent results and should become the standard of care, according to two studies published in the current issue of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
US tech accused of infecting 30 with hepatitis C
(AP) — A traveling U.S. hospital technician accused of infecting 30 people with hepatitis C with tainted needles told investigators he "lied to a lot of people" but denied taking or selling drugs.
Stanford researcher to expand DNA database by adding Latin Americans
(Medical Xpress) -- Genetic mapping has led scientists to a better understanding of human disease and how to fight ailments like diabetes, mental illness and cancer.
In Washington, free HIV-AIDS testing while you wait
Faced with the highest HIV-AIDS rates in the United States, community health activists in the nation's capital have come up with a novel way for people to save their own lives while killing time.
HIV racial disparities noted for men who have sex with men
(HealthDay) -- Similar racial disparities are seen in HIV infection for men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States and the United Kingdom, according to a study published online July 20 in The Lancet.
Don't be afraid to talk to your kids about Colorado killings
(HealthDay) -- As word spread Friday that a heavily armed man had shot up a suburban Denver movie theater crowded with families and children for a midnight showing of the new Batman movie, mental health experts offered guidance on how to cope with the tragedy.
Lack of insurance linked to advanced stage cervical cancer
A large national sample of women diagnosed with cervical cancer between 2000 and 2007 finds lack of insurance was second only to age as the strongest predictor of late stage at diagnosis, a gap the authors say is likely attributable to lack of screening.
Better systems needed for medical device cybersecurity, experts say
Medical devices save countless lives, and increasingly functions such as data storage and wireless communication allow for individualized patient care and other advances. But after their recent study, an interdisciplinary team of medical researchers and computer scientists warn that federal regulators need to improve how they track security and privacy problems in medical devices.
Immune drug helps patients with serious kidney disorder
A drug commonly used to treat immune disorders such as lymphoma and arthritis also benefits patients with an immune disorder of the kidneys that can lead to kidney failure, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of new study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings could help people who are living with the condition, called idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), avoid taking the potentially toxic medications that are currently prescribed to treat it.
Better management of traumatic brain injury
New treatments to lessen the severity of the more than 21,000 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) cases that occur in Australia each year are on the horizon.
CPAP treatment effective in patients with milder obstructive sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), well established as an effective treatment for severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is also effective in patients with mild and moderately severe OSA and daytime sleepiness, according to a new study.
Vitamin D may protect against lung function impairment and decline in smokers
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with worse lung function and more rapid decline in lung function over time in smokers, suggesting that vitamin D may have a protective effect against the effects of smoking on lung function, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.
Being in awe can expand time and enhance well-being
whether it's the breathtaking scope of the Grand Canyon, the ethereal beauty of the Aurora Borealis, or the exhilarating view from the top of the Eiffel Tower – at some point in our lives we've all had the feeling of being in a complete and overwhelming sense of awe.
Blood vessel forming potential of stem cells from human placenta and umbilical cord blood
A study comparing whether endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) derived from human placenta or those derived from human umbilical cord blood are more proliferative and better for forming new blood vessels has found that ECFCs derived from human placenta are more vasculogenic.
Fatal car crashes less likely in major cities, CDC study finds
(HealthDay) -- The death rate from motor vehicle crashes in America's 50 largest cities is lower than the overall rate for the nation -- 8.2 deaths versus 11.1 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively, a new study finds.
Chronic periodontitis increases risk of psoriasis
(HealthDay) -- Patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with psoriasis, and this risk is lessened but not nullified by CP treatment using gingivectomy or periodontal flap operation, according to research published online July 3 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Tornadoes don't have to be deadly, experts say
(HealthDay) -- More "safe rooms" to flee to, listening for weather alerts and better planning, especially for seniors, could reduce the death toll from devastating tornadoes, a new U.S.government report finds.
ANCA-associated vasculitis has genetic component
(HealthDay) -- A genome-wide association study of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis shows a genetic contribution to disease susceptibility, which differs between granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, according to a study published in the July 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Turkey fights back at ballooning weight gain
In Turkey, the land of kebabs and sweet lokum, expanding waistlines are the target of a new anti-obesity campaign by the government to help one million Turks slim down over the next year.
Nobel laureate, discoverer of HIV, sees 'hope' for cure
The Nobel laureate who helped to discover HIV says there is hope for an AIDS cure following recent discoveries, in an interview with AFP ahead of a global conference on the disease.
Beneficial bacteria may help ward off infection
(Medical Xpress) -- While many bacteria exist as aggressive pathogens, causing diseases ranging from tuberculosis and cholera, to plague, diphtheria and toxic shock syndrome, others play a less malevolent role and some are critical for human health.
Algal oil to help healthy diets
Algal oils are a sustainable solution to solve future resource problems, according to Roger Huerlimann, a PhD student at James Cook University in Townsville.
Bounty mutiny descendants have low rates of myopia: study
Descendants of a British mutiny who have lived for generations in the Pacific have among the lowest rates of myopia in the world, according to an Australian study.
Meta-analysis: Interventions improve depression in cancer patients
Despite guidelines recommending screening for depression in cancer patients, it's been unclear whether interventions designed to treat this depression are effective. A study by the University of Colorado Cancer Center and other institutions, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, changes that. This meta-analysis of 10 studies encompassing 1362 patients shows that especially cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacologic interventions decrease depressive symptoms in cancer patients.
Finding genes that expand waistlines
Some common genetic variants associated with obesity in east Asians have been identified by two international research teams involving RIKEN researchers. Yukinori Okada and Toshihiro Tanaka at the RIKEN Center for Genomic Medicine in Yokohama, Japan, co-led the first study, and Tanaka co-led the second in an international collaborative consortium, the Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN).
High definition fiber tracking images accurately reflect brain fiber anatomy
High definition fiber tracking, or HDFT, provides colorful, detailed images of the brain’s fiber network that accurately reflect brain anatomy observed in surgical and laboratory studies, according to a new report from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the August issue of Neurosurgery. The findings support the notion that HDFT scans can provide valuable insight into patient symptoms and the prospect for recovery from brain injuries, and can help surgeons plan their approaches to remove tumors and abnormal blood vessels in the brain.
Health care for released prisoners prevents high emergency department use
Expediting primary health care for chronically ill inmates soon after release from prison results in fewer visits to hospital emergency departments, a Yale study has found. The study is published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Cell research opens new avenues in combating neurodegenerative diseases
Scientists at the University of Manchester have uncovered how the internal mechanisms in nerve cells wire the brain. The findings open up new avenues in the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases by analysing the cellular processes underlying these conditions.
3-D tumor models improve drug discovery success rate
Imagine millions of cancer cells organized in thousands of small divots. Hit these cells with drugs and when some cells die, you have a candidate for a cancer drug. But a review published this week in the journal Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery argues that these 2D models in fact offer very little information about a potential drug's effects in the body and may often give researchers misleading results.
Parkinson's: Newly discovered antibody could facilitate early diagnosis
Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease are a result of pathogenic changes to proteins. In the neurodegenerative condition of Parkinson’s disease, which is currently incurable, the alpha-synuclein protein changes and becomes pathological. Until now, there have not been any antibodies that could help to demonstrate the change in alpha-synuclein associated with the disease. An international team of experts led by Gabor G. Kovacs from the Clinical Institute of Neurology at the MedUni Vienna has now discovered a new antibody that actually possesses this ability.
Best memory? You're likely to decide as a teen
(Medical Xpress) -- Whether the subject is your favourite songs or the greatest footballer of all time, surveys that rely on remembering the past will be skewed towards one particular decade of the participants’ lives, according to a Flinders University researcher.
Designer compounds inhibit prion infection
(Medical Xpress) -- A team of University of Alberta researchers has identified a new class of compounds that inhibit the spread of malfunctioning proteins in the brain that cause lethal neurodegenerative diseases in humans and animals.
Including stroke severity in risk models improves mortality prediction
(Medical Xpress) -- Adding stroke severity to a hospital 30-day mortality model based on claims data for Medicare beneficiaries with acute ischemic stroke was associated with improvement in predicting the risk of death at 30 days and changes in performance ranking regarding mortality for a considerable proportion of hospitals, according to a new study whose authors include two University of Cincinnati (UC) neurologists.
Significant decline of genital warts in young women
(Medical Xpress) -- The incidence of condyloma or genital warts (GW) is significantly declining in young women, according to a novel register study from Karolinska Institutet. The researchers suggest that this recent development may be explained by the introduction of the national HPV vaccine program in Sweden.
Music has big brain benefits compared to other leisure pursuits
(Medical Xpress) -- It turns out mom was right. Music lessons are good for you, and those benefits may last a lifetime.
European regulator: Gene therapy treatment OK (Update)
(AP) — The European Medicines Agency is recommending the first-ever approval of a gene therapy treatment in the EU, in a significant move for a type of treatment that has so far failed to deliver on its promise to cure diseases.
New study evaluates link between physical activity in middle age and onset of dementia in later life
(Medical Xpress) -- Dementia and cognitive impairment are important public health issues, due to the morbidity associated with deteriorating memory, and the cost of caring for patients by both families and health services.
Pertussis reaches epidemic level in Washington state
(HealthDay) -- Pertussis rates may reach record levels this year in the United States, where Washington state is experiencing an ongoing epidemic, according to a report published in the July 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
Simple measures may curb excessive weight gain in pregnancy
(HealthDay) -- Healthy eating and low or moderate levels of exercise during pregnancy can help a woman avoid excessive weight gain and may reduce her infant's risk of being overweight or obese later in life, new research indicates.
Alcohol poses serious risks for those with diabetes
(HealthDay) -- People who have certain chronic medical conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, are even more susceptible than most to the ill effects of alcohol, though they may not be aware of how potentially dangerous alcohol can be.
The health benefits, and risks, of alcohol
(HealthDay) -- Mirroring so much of life, alcohol consumption comes with plusses and minuses.
Stroke caregivers are at risk for depression
Caregivers of stroke survivors are at risk for developing depression and complications from chronic stress, according to a study published by researchers at the Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) in the latest issue of Biological Research for Nursing.
Animal study: long-term ritalin doesn't impact growth
(HealthDay) -- Chronic use of methylphenidate (Ritalin) in young monkeys has no significant effect on growth or the dopamine system, or the likelihood of becoming addicted to cocaine, according to a study published online July 18 in Neuropsychopharmacology.
Components ID'd for ideal acne severity global grading tool
(HealthDay) -- Using an established method for consensus building, experts have identified the essential clinical components and features for an acne severity global grading tool, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Older Americans see better today, study finds
(HealthDay) -- Older Americans see better than their parents did in old age, according to a new study that finds visual impairment among the U.S. elderly has declined 58 percent since the 1980s.
Adoption of new screening guidelines ups GDM diagnosis
(HealthDay) -- Implementation of the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) recommendations for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening in Israel would increase GDM diagnoses by approximately 50 percent, with risk stratification recommended to reduce over-treatment, according to research published online July 11 in Diabetes Care.
Peri-op antidepressant use safe for face-lift surgery
(HealthDay) -- For patients undergoing face-lift surgery, perioperative use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) seems safe and does not adversely affect outcome, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Kyprolis approved for multiple myeloma
(HealthDay) -- Kyprolis (carfilzomib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain people with multiple myeloma who have already been given at least two prior therapies.
Many medicaid patients skip drugs that could prevent heart trouble
(HealthDay) -- Many Medicaid recipients with chronic health conditions that can lead to heart disease -- diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol -- do not take their prescribed medications, a new study has found.
Triangles guide the way for live neural circuits in a dish
Korean scientists have used tiny stars, squares and triangles as a toolkit to create live neural circuits in a dish.
Anxiety disorders in poor moms likely to result from poverty, not mental illness
Poor mothers are more likely to be classified as having the mental illness known as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) because they live in poverty – not because they are suffering from a psychiatric disorder, according to Rutgers researchers.
Novel anti-malarial drug target identified
An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have identified the first reported inhibitors of a key enzyme involved in survival of the parasite responsible for malaria. Their findings, which may provide the basis for anti-malarial drug development, are currently published in the online version of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Researchers identify genetic markers for testosterone, estrogen level regulation
A research study led by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with a global consortium, has identified genetic markers that influence a protein involved in regulating estrogen and testosterone levels in the bloodstream. The results, published online in PLoS Genetics, also reveal that some of the genetic markers for this protein are near genes related to liver function, metabolism and type 2 diabetes, demonstrating an important genetic connection between the metabolic and reproductive systems in men and women.
Benefits of prostate-specific antigen testing remain unclear
(HealthDay) -- It remains unclear whether the benefits of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing outweigh the harms, but evidence suggests that men with a longer life expectancy may benefit from testing, according to a provisional clinical opinion from the American Society of Clinical Oncology published online July 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Severe flu increases risk of Parkinson's: research
Severe influenza doubles the odds that a person will develop Parkinson's disease later in life, according to University of British Columbia researchers.
Biology news
French crusader for gibbons in Borneo jungle
For 15 years Aurelien Brule has lived in the Indonesian jungle, crusading against palm oil multinationals, loggers and corruption in his bid to save endangered gibbons from annihilation.
Alien species play havoc with fish
Researchers in Italy suggest that one of the main limits of spatially explicit forms of marine conservation, such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), is that they cannot protect areas from major threats, including coastal modifications and changes in hydrodynamic and sedimentary regimes, as well as the spread of exotic species. Alien species, in particular the green algae Caulerpa racemosa, have invaded the Mediterranean Sea and other MPAs, significantly impacting the feeding habits of demersal species, and in turn potentially affecting fish populations. The study is presented in the journal PLoS ONE.
Indian snake charmers urged to switch to fakes
Animal rights group PETA on Friday called on India's snake charmers to use fake reptiles during an upcoming serpent festival and spare the animals their annual torture.
Study to examine how mining and climate affect native fish
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at The University of Western Australia will investigate how native freshwater fish in northwest Australia are dealing with changes to their habitat caused by climate change and mining.
Red hair is a sign of oxidative stress in wild boars, but gray is a-ok
A coat of a certain color could be costly for wild boars, according to research published in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.
Fla. lake contaminants affect alligator weight, biological responses in offspring
(Phys.org) -- Five-month-old female alligators exposed during development to toxins found in a polluted Florida lake show changes in ovarian gene function and decreased body weight at hatching, but paradoxically showed accelerated growth rates in the months after hatching, according to a study at the University of Florida.
UF veterinary researchers discover new virus linked to death of Australian snakes
A University of Florida researcher and colleagues in Australia and Germany have discovered what might be a deadly new snake virus.
Findings from quantitative analysis of chromatin structure challenge classical model of static regularity
The DNA in the human genome is organized into irregularly folded fibers during cell division, according to a recent study by a team of researchers led by Kazuhiro Maeshima of the RIKEN SPring-8 Center and RIKEN Advanced Science Institute in Japan.
Alumnus plays a pivotal role in eradicating rinderpest disease
Eliminating disease is a lofty goal, though one rarely attained by humankind. In fact, modern science has achieved it only twice: first with smallpox in humans several decades ago and then again last year with a disease known as rinderpest or “cattle plague.”
Study determines theoretical energy benefits and potential of algae fuels
It's theoretically possible to produce about 500 times as much energy from algae fuels as is needed to grow the fuels, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.
Dominant deer hinds choose the best food
Deer hinds (Cervus elaphus) have a hierarchical organisation system: the oldest and largest hold the most dominant positions. Therefore, a nutrient rich diet benefits the more dominant hinds, who have preferential access to the best food sources. This allows them to grow even bigger, improving their milk production and body condition.
Overuse of deworming drugs led to widespread resistance among parasites
(Phys.org) -- A long forgotten foe is beginning to reemerge on pastures and meadows around the world, and farmers are finding that they have no way to combat it. Parasitic worms infecting cows, sheep, goats and horses are becoming resistant to the drugs used to kill them, and if changes are not made in how the few remaining drugs that still work are used, there may be no way left to fight the growing threat, according to Ray Kaplan, a University of Georgia professor in the department of infectious diseases.
Marine reserves aid ecosystem recovery after environmental disasters: study
(Phys.org) -- Protected ocean areas known as marine reserves jumpstart the recovery of nearby commercial fishing areas after an environmental event, concludes a study of abalone by researchers from Stanford and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Researchers discover fastest known speciation for marine animals
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), an organized research unit within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, have made a remarkable discovery in an international collaboration with University of California at Davis, Simon Frasier University and the University of Sydney Understanding the processes that create and maintain biodiversity, such as when and how new species form, remains one of the greatest challenges facing biologists, conservation scientists, and managers today. These processes are especially obscure in the ocean, where many organisms have tiny juvenile larval stages that swim in the plankton for some time before settling into a largely sedentary adult.
Sex chromosome evolution tracked in fruit fly
(Phys.org) -- Fruit flies are commonly used in genetics research because their lifespan is short, they are easy to breed in the laboratory, and mutants are widely available. There are about 1,500 known species. Now a new study of one of these species of fruit fly has tracked the evolution of a pair of sex chromosomes that appeared only around a million years ago.
Researchers produce first complete computer model of an organism
(Phys.org) -- In a breakthrough effort for computational biology, the world's first complete computer model of an organism has been completed, Stanford researchers reported in the journal Cell.
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