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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 23, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Can quantum theory be improved?- Polar bear evolution tracked climate change, new DNA study suggests
- Study: Infants can use language to learn about people's intentions
- Power-strip lookalike hacks office networks
- Printed photonic crystal mirrors shrink on-chip lasers down to size
- Researchers discover that 'red tide' species is deadlier than first thought
- Why does vivid memory 'feel so real?' Real perceptual experience, mental replay share similar brain activation patterns
- Study shows why some types of multitasking are more dangerous than others
- Researchers develop laser technology to fight cancer
- Caught in the act: Bats use the sound of copulating flies as a cue for foraging
- New species of ancient rodents hint at what could be world's oldest grasslands
- Research confirms existence of vitamin B 'deserts' in the ocean
- Mice have distinct subsystem to handle smell associated with fear
- New study shows pre-human effect on biodiversity in northern Madagascar
- Why do anti-hunger and anti-obesity initiatives always fall short?
Space & Earth news
The largest research expedition of its kind near the site of Deepwater Horizon incident
Scientists have embarked on a 3-week expedition aboard the R/V Walton Smith in the Gulf of Mexico to understand how surface ocean currents near the site of the Deepwater Horizon influence the fate and transport of oil/dispersants, like those from the 2010 spill. In other words, they will investigate where pollutants travel, and how fast they get there. This experiment is an essential step in understanding the elusive surface ocean currents that transport pollutants.
Croscat Volcano may have been the last volcanic eruption in Spain 13,000 years ago
The volcanic region of La Garrotxa, with some forty volcanic cones and some twenty lava flows, is considered to be the best conserved region in the Iberian Peninsula. It is also the youngest volcanic area. Although the approximate age of some of these volcanic constructions is known, one of the main problems when studying volcanoes is to pinpoint the chronology of each of their eruptions. Several geochronological studies have been conducted, but existing data is scarce and imprecise. With regard to the chronology of the Croscat Volcano, considered one of the most recent volcanic constructions, the latest dating was obtained with the technique of thermoluminescence conducted in the 1980s.
New subseafloor observatory begins measurement of frictional heating by the 2011 Tohoku, Japan earthquake
On July 16, 2012, Chikyu, operations in the second part of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST), achieved another objective by installing temperature sensors across the plate boundary where the science team infers the fault slipped during the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake.
Amid drought, US opens up land for grazing, haying
The Obama administration opened up protected US land to help farmers and ranchers hit by severe drought Monday, and encouraged crop insurance companies to forgo charging interest for a month.
Sally Ride, first US woman in space dead at 61
Sally Ride, the first US woman to fly in space, died on Monday after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her foundation announced. She was 61.
NASA says test flight of new heat shield a success
NASA says an experimental heat shield for future spacecraft landings has successfully survived a test launch that brought it through the earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 7,600 mph (12,230 kph).
Rise in temperatures and CO2 follow each other closely in climate change
The greatest climate change the world has seen in the last 100,000 years was the transition from the ice age to the warm interglacial period. New research from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen indicates that, contrary to previous opinion, the rise in temperature and the rise in the atmospheric CO2 follow each other closely in terms of time. The results have been published in the scientific journal, Climate of the Past.
NASA successfully tests hypersonic inflatable heat shield
A large inflatable heat shield developed by NASA's Space Technology Program has successfully survived a trip through Earth's atmosphere while travelling at hypersonic speeds up to 7,600 mph.
Investigative team finds river spillway flooding caused new land formation in Louisiana
(Phys.org) -- A team of geologists, civil engineers and one representative from the US Army Corp of engineers has found that when a spillway was opened last year to prevent flooding of the Mississippi river from drowning New Orleans, new land was created. The team, which has had their paper on the topic printed in the journal Nature Geoscience, says that this is the first time new land formation has been documented this way and now the technique might be used in the future to build up eroded lands.
A taste of solar maximum
Forecasters say Solar Max is due in the year 2013. When it arrives, the peak of 11-year sunspot cycle will bring more solar flares, more coronal mass ejections, more geomagnetic storms and more auroras than we have experienced in quite some time.
Unprecedented Indian Ocean heatwave creates melting pot
(Phys.org) -- An unprecedented Indian Ocean heatwave that peaked in March 2011 with large impacts on marine organisms at Jurien Bay, 250km north of Perth, may provide crucial insights into how extreme climatic events affect life in the sea, according to research led by The University of Western Australia.
Hubble has an audience of stellar flashbulbs
(Phys.org) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a crowd of stars that looks rather like a stadium darkened before a show, lit only by the flashbulbs of the audience’s cameras. Yet the many stars of this object, known as Messier 107, are not a fleeting phenomenon, at least by human reckoning of time — these ancient stars have gleamed for many billions of years.
Fools' gold found to regulate oxygen
As sulfur cycles through Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land, it undergoes chemical changes that are often coupled to changes in other such elements as carbon and oxygen. Although this affects the concentration of free oxygen, sulfur has traditionally been portrayed as a secondary factor in regulating atmospheric oxygen, with most of the heavy lifting done by carbon. However, new findings that appeared this week in Science suggest that sulfur's role may have been underestimated.
Traveling through the volcanic conduit
How much ash will be injected into the atmosphere during Earth's next volcanic eruption? Recent eruptions have demonstrated our continued vulnerability to ash dispersal, which can disrupt the aviation industry and cause billions of dollars in economic loss. Scientists widely believe that volcanic particle size is determined by the initial fragmentation process, when bubbly magma deep in the volcano changes into gas-particle flows.
Research confirms existence of vitamin B 'deserts' in the ocean
First hypothesized in the 1960s, marine zones where B-vitamins are undetectable may influence the growth of phytoplankton, the foundation of sea life.
Researchers discover that 'red tide' species is deadlier than first thought
A University of Connecticut researcher and his team have discovered that a species of tiny aquatic organism prominent in harmful algal blooms sometimes called "red tide" is even deadlier than first thought, with potential consequences for entire marine food chains.
Technology news
Australians hit by 'pay up or die' extortion text
Police across Australia warned mobile phone users on Monday to ignore a text message sent to "a large number of people" threatening death if they did not pay Aus$5,000 (US$5,150).
UK hacking scandal spreads, 100-plus new claims (Update)
(AP) — British police are investigating new tabloids in the country's growing phone hacking scandal, including the Trinity Mirror PLC newspaper group as well as the U.K.'s Express Newspapers, a senior Scotland Yard official said Monday.
Fujitsu semiconductor launches power management IC MB39C326 for mobile devices
Fujitsu Semiconductor today announced the release of MB39C326, a DC-DC converter for mobile devices. By automatic step-up/down switching mode, its range of power supply voltage can be expanded. MB39C326 contains an oscillation FET and adopts a small package with 2.15mm x 1.94mm, hence it forms a power supply system with small mounting area and low BOM (bill of materials) cost. This product controls the output voltage by DAC signal supporting APT and ET function.
Hawking launches supercomputer
(Phys.org) -- Professor Stephen Hawking has launched the most powerful shared-memory supercomputer in Europe. Professor Hawking anticipates that the COSMOS supercomputer, manufactured by SGI and the first system of its kind, will open up new windows on our Universe.
UTC to sell Rocketdyne unit to GenCorp for $550M
(AP) — United Technologies is selling its engine division unit to aerospace manufacturer GenCorp Inc. for $550 million as the conglomerate raises money for its largest acquisition and solidifies its core aerospace business.
America Invents Act is a game changer
In an article published in the current issue of Technology and Innovation- Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors, Janet Gongola, Patent Reform Coordinator for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), describes the process of implementing the America Invents Act (2011, H,R. 1249), the first patent law reform in 60 years. "The America Invents Act is the foundation for a 21st century patent system, but the public must join in the construction effort to erect the walls and roof," said Gongola, who manages all aspects of the USPTO's implementation of the act.
New DataONE portal streamlines access to environmental data
Environmental researchers who investigate climate change, invasive species, infectious diseases, and other data-intensive topics can now benefit from easy access to diverse datasets through technology released today by the Data Observation Network for Earth, or DataONE.
Software maker VMware buys Nicira for $1.26B
(AP) — Business software maker VMware is buying computer networking specialist Nicira for nearly $1.3 billion.
Sing for the win
(Phys.org) -- A new app game developed by a Cambridge student challenges people to sing the right note at the right time in order to smash down a wall and advance to the next level - surreptitiously engaging them with basic music theory at the same time.
Making allowances for job seekers on Facebook
Your inappropriate Facebook profile, posts and photos could lose you your next job, according to an in-depth study of employers from six different industries. The conclusion of a paper to be published in the International Journal of Work Innovation this month reveals that many employers are using the Facebook profiles of job candidates to filter out weaker applicants based on perception of lifestyle, attitudes and personal appearance.
India tops list of spam e-mail spewers
A few years ago, Ankur Suri saw a friend beaten up by fellow classmates after he e-mailed pornography to female friends - or rather, his computer had.
BlackBerry maker insists it's healthy, but customers prepare for worst
BlackBerry's Research in Motion insists it's not in a "death spiral," but that isn't stopping many companies from preparing - just in case.
Virtual dressing rooms changing the shape of clothes shopping
At the Westfield Culver City (Calif.) mall, jeans shopper Stephanie Heredia stepped into a booth resembling an airport body scanner. In less than 20 seconds, she walked away with a printout that recommended a dozen denim styles to fit her hourglass-shaped frame.
Appeal court favors Kodak in Apple patent dispute
An appeals court on Monday sided with bankrupt photo pioneer Eastman Kodak by endorsing a US International Trade Commission (ITC) move rejecting claims it infringed on two Apple patents.
WTO to examine China rare earths dispute, says source
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is to investigate China's export restrictions on rare earths, a source close to the organization said on Monday.
Moody's downgrades Nokia credit rating, outlook negative
International ratings agency Moody's on Monday downgraded the long-term debt of Nokia by two notches, to "Ba3", cautioning the Finnish mobile phone giant would likely suffer even deeper than expected losses going forward.
App detects potholes, alerts Boston city officials
The next time your car hits a pothole, a new technology could help you immediately tell someone who can do something about it.
Cisco to cut 1,300 jobs in realignment (Update)
US computer network giant Cisco Systems said Monday it was cutting 1,300 jobs, or two percent of its global workforce, in response to an uncertain economic outlook.
Record-setting electric airplane exceeds 200-mph (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Last week’s record of the fastest ever manned electric aircraft was set by electric-vehicle record-setter Chip Yates. He already had credentials as holding the world record for fastest electric motorcycle going over 196 mph last year. As a test pilot this time around, Yates flew an electric airplane and achieved 202.6 mph in level flight. This topped the previous record of 175 mph last year by the electric aircraft Cri-Cri. The latter, flown by French pilot Hugues Duval, broke the record during the Paris Air Show. The aircraft was powered by a pair of 35-horsepower electric motors and a pair of lithium polymer batteries.
New lab working on security shoe sole to ID people
High-tech security? Forget those irksome digital eye scans. Meet the biometric shoe.
Engineering students race first 3-D printed boat in Milk Carton Derby
(Phys.org) -- University of Washington mechanical engineering students braved uncharted waters as they paddled to the finish line at the annual Milk Carton Derby at Green Lake in Seattle in what they believe is the world's first boat made using a 3-D printer.
New model of disease contagion ranks U.S. airports in terms of their spreading influence
Public health crises of the past decade — such as the 2003 SARS outbreak, which spread to 37 countries and caused about 1,000 deaths, and the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic that killed about 300,000 people worldwide — have heightened awareness that new viruses or bacteria could spread quickly across the globe, aided by air travel.
US defends suit on Apple, e-books amid criticism
US antitrust authorities Monday defended their lawsuit accusing Apple and major publishers of a price-fixing conspiracy on e-books, saying the action is "in the public interest."
How Apple's phantom taxes hide billions in profit
On Tuesday, Apple is set to report financial results for the second quarter. Analysts are expecting net income of $9.8 billion. But whatever figure Apple reports won't reflect its true profit, because the company hides some of it with an unusual tax maneuver.
Power-strip lookalike hacks office networks
(Phys.org) -- Pwnie Express, the company specializing in cyber security products, calls its new device “ingenious.” Bloggers hearing about it are paying attention to the fact that it is a power-strip lookalike but with far more ambitious intentions, such as stealth-penetrating a corporate network. Power Pwn is the name of the little device for security testing on corporate networks. It looks like an under the office desk power strip. It is actually a testing platform where security can be put to the test, a self-hacking tool for launching remotely-activated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet attacks.
Medicine & Health news
Young African women risk HIV infections from older men
Poverty drove single teenage mother Kate Mzungu to seek out a rich older man, who buys her food and pays for her housing in exchange for the pleasures of her young company.
Sex, drugs, stigma put Thai transsexuals at HIV risk
From a cafe near the go-go bars of a Bangkok red light district where she campaigns for safe sex, Gigi gives an unvarnished view of how she joined Thailand's growing ranks of transgender people with HIV.
AIDS conference opens Sunday at key turning point
The world's largest AIDS conference returned to the U.S. on Sunday with a plea against complacency at a time when the epidemic is at a critical turning point. "We can start to end AIDS," one expert said.
Gum disease: The most common form of bone loss
On July 19, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research announced it will be funding the work of three research teams investigating bone health. The University of Toronto’s Dr. Michael Glogauer, Associate Professor with the Faculty of Dentistry, heads one of those teams. A clinician scientist whose post-doctoral work at Harvard focussed on neutrophils – white blood cells that help fight infection and inflammation - Glogauer spoke with U of T News about seeking new ways to identify bone loss in gum disease.
Parents of severely disabled kids say they enrich their lives
(HealthDay) -- When Vanessa Hernandez's sixth child was born, she knew right away her daughter was different.
UN and OIE call for greater controls on rinderpest virus
The UN's food agency and the OIE called on countries on Monday to comply with a 2011 global moratorium and destroy potentially dangerous rinderpest virus samples or put them into safe storage.
New Queen's spin-in company to revolutionize cancer detection
The development of novel medical imaging techniques to revolutionise cancer detection and treatment will be the result of a new partnership announced today between Queen's University Belfast and Cirdan Imaging Ltd.
HPTN study finds greatly elevated HIV infection rates among young black MSM in the US
Study results released today by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) show disturbing rates of new HIV infections occurring among black gay and bisexual men in the U.S. (also known as men who have sex with men, or MSM), particularly young black MSM. The HPTN 061 study showed that the overall rate of new HIV infection among black MSM in this study was 2.8% per year, a rate that is nearly 50% higher than in white MSM in the U.S. Even more alarming, HPTN 061 found that young black MSM—those 30 years of age and younger—acquired HIV infection at a rate of 5.9% per year, three times the rate among U.S. white MSM. The overall infection rate among black MSM in this U.S study is comparable to the rate seen in the general populations of countries in sub-Saharan Africa hardest hit by the HIV epidemic. HPTN 061 was a large multi-site study of HIV and black MSM conducted in six U.S. cities, and the first to determine the rate of new HIV infection among such a large prospec! tive cohort of U.S. black MSM (referred to as HIV incidence).
ICAP study finds concerningly high HIV infection rates for young black gay and bisexual men in US
Researchers at ICAP's Harlem Prevention Center (HPC) joined the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) today to announce study results that showed disturbing rates of new HIV infections occurring among black gay and bisexual men in the U.S. (also known as men who have sex with men, or MSM), particularly young black MSM.
Aspirin protects against Barrett's esophagus
Aspirin use appears to reduce the risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE), the largest known risk factor for esophageal cancer, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Clinical trial seeks to cure advanced Crohn's disease using bone marrow transplant
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have opened a clinical trial to test the theory that giving a patient a new immune system can cure severe cases of Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
Study finds non-disclosure of HIV serostatus common among India female sex workers
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) in partnership with Indian researchers and HIV positive networks groups, have found that in India, non-disclosure of HIV serostatus to sex partners among both HIV-infected female sex workers (FSWs) and HIV-infected clients of FSWs is exceedingly common. These findings currently appear online in the journal AIDS and Behavior.
US donates extra $150 million to battle AIDS
(AP) — Science now has the tools to slash the spread of HIV even without a vaccine — and the U.S. is donating an extra $150 million to help poor countries put them in place, the Obama administration told the world's largest AIDS conference Monday.
Gates urges more tools, vaccine to end AIDS
AIDS cannot be halted through treatment alone, and more prevention tools, in particular a vaccine, are needed to move seriously toward ending it, philanthropist Bill Gates said Monday.
UCSF/SFGH researchers call for change in new FDA recommendation on HIV and TB drug doses
In January, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidelines on dosing of an HIV medication used to treat people infected with both HIV and tuberculosis (TB) because of a potential interaction between two of the main drugs used to treat each disease.
Many adults with diabetes have no insurance coverage
(HealthDay) -- Approximately two million adults under the age of 65 years with diabetes have no health insurance, according to research published online July 11 in Diabetes Care.
Scientists call for increased surveillance as study assessing HIV drug resistance shows rising rates in Africa
New research published online first in the Lancet suggests that drug-resistant HIV has been increasing in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa since the roll-out of antiretroviral therapy nearly a decade ago.
Pre-season fitness makes no difference to risk of injury
But the type of sport played and gender did, according to a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation, Therapy & Technology. This study into varsity athletics found that women had a shorter time to injury than men and that certain sports, such as volleyball, also had a significantly shorter time to injury than others, such as hockey or basketball.
New lipid screening guidelines for children overly aggressive, researchers say
Recent guidelines recommending cholesterol tests for children fail to weigh health benefits against potential harms and costs, according to a new commentary authored by three physician-researchers at UCSF.
Children with trisomy 13 and 18 and their families are happy
Children with trisomy 13 or 18, who are for the most part severely disabled and have a very short life expectancy, and their families lead a life that is happy and rewarding overall, contrary to the usually gloomy predictions made by the medical community at the time of diagnosis, according to a study of parents who are members of support groups published today in Pediatrics. The study was conducted by Dr. Annie Janvier of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center and the University of Montreal with the special collaboration of the mother of a child who died from trisomy 13, Barbara Farlow, Eng, MSc as the second author.
New hope for society's most challenging kids
(Medical Xpress) -- Parents of young children who show extreme behaviour problems and a lack of empathy or remorse may find new hope from research at the University of Sydney.
Depression a global problem: It's not just Westerners who get the blues
(Medical Xpress) -- Depression and anxiety are found in every society in the world, debunking old theories that only Westerners get depressed.
Drinking sugar-sweetened soft drinks leads to fat gain
(Medical Xpress) -- New research from Bangor University has shown that regularly drinking sugar sweetened soft drinks can increase fat gain, inhibit fat metabolism, and increases blood glucose in your body. So if you’re thirsty and think of reaching for a sugary soft drink- don’t - it can compromise your long-term health. Reach for water instead.
Hypertension drug does not increase breast cancer risk for women over 55
(Medical Xpress) -- A commonly prescribed medicine used to treat conditions such as heart failure and hypertension does not present women over 55 with any increased risk of breast cancer, a new study at the University of Dundee has shown.
Study finds 75 percent of Chinese adults at risk for diabetes or heart disease
(Medical Xpress) -- More than three-quarters of Chinese adults have at least one risk factor for type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, reveals new data in a long-term study done by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and published this week in Obesity. Rates of hypertension, diabetes and triglycerides are particularly high, even in the young and trim.
Monday's medical myth: Blame it on my sweet tooth
My wife says she has a sweet tooth. But doesn’t everyone? It’s universal to the human condition (as well as the human palate) to like something sweet.
American schools unable to handle teen dating violence, study finds
(Phys.org) -- Preventing and addressing adolescent dating violence is not a high priority for most American schools, even though the majority of counselors have assisted survivors, says a new study from Ball State University.
Test can identify patients with hypertension at higher risk of death
(Medical Xpress) -- An inexpensive and routinely performed blood test could help identify patients with high blood pressure who are at increased risk of dying from the condition.
Multiple sclerosis drug disappoints on disability
(Medical Xpress) -- This week the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study with unfortuate news for the millions of people who suffer from multiple sclerosis. In the large study, a therapy known as interferon beta failed to stave off the progression of the incurable disease. Albert Lo, associate professor of neurology and epidemiology, comments on what the study means for patients, why it was well-designed, and how a new effort to support research on the disease in Rhode Island could help.
Multiple mild concussions have a cumulative, lasting effect
(Medical Xpress) -- Repeated concussions, even mild ones, can result in profound problems with learning and memory, suggests a study led by William Meehan, MD, director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Michael Whalen, MD, director of the Acute Brain Injury Laboratory at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Using a mouse model, the study documents cumulative, long-lasting impairment of brain function after repeated mild concussions, especially when they occur in close succession.
Most regret ever starting smoking
(Medical Xpress) -- The majority of smokers and ex-smokers – 85 per cent – regret ever starting the potentially deadly habit in the first place, show new data from Cancer Research UK published today.
HIV cases could be reduced with combined prevention efforts, study says
(Medical Xpress) -- In a study published in the latest edition of The Lancet, researchers from Emory University propose that biomedical interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, combined with behavioural and structural prevention strategies could prevent as many as 25 percent of new HIV infections among men having sex with men (MSM) globally over the next decade.
Smartphone can be a new tool in emergency department diagnosis
(Medical Xpress) -- Emory Eye Center investigators have found that smartphone displays are as good, and may be better, for reading fundus photographs of the back of the eye (retina and optic nerve) than desktop computer monitors.
Sea anemones venom key to Multiple Sclerosis treatment
(Medical Xpress) -- Sea anemones use venomous stinging tentacles to stun their prey, but one component of that venom is being used by researchers to treat the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
UVC light kills wound bacteria
Ultraviolet (UVC) light can eradicate wound-infecting bacteria on mice increasing both survival and healing rates, according to a paper in the July 2012 issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. The light did not damage the animals' skin or delay wound healing, says principal investigator Michael R. Hamblin, of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Penile foreskin is immunologically complete: raises new vaccine possibilities for HIV vaccine
Rhesus macaque monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) harbor immunoglobulin G (IgG) and SIV-specific antibodies and T cells in the foreskin of the penis, according to a study in the July 2012 Journal of Virology. This is the first time antibody secreting cells, antiviral antibodies or antiviral T cells have been reported in the foreskin of any primate.
32-country study shows that type 2 diabetes drug is clinically effective for long-term use
An extended trial of a drug for people with type 2 diabetes has confirmed that the oral DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin is a safe and effective means of lowering glucose levels for up to 102 weeks, either on its own or in combination with other selected oral anti-diabetic medication.
'Toe-walking' more common in kids with mental woes: study
(HealthDay) -- As many as one in 20 children may predominantly walk on their toes in early childhood. Youngsters who have developmental delays or neuropsychiatric disorders, however, are more likely to walk on their toes, according to a new study from Sweden.
Heart medication converts cancer cells into vaccine
(HealthDay) -- A class of heart medications, cardiac glycosides, can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), whereby dying cancer cells are converted into a vaccine that stimulates antitumor response, according to a study published in the July 18 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
Afinitor approved for advanced breast cancer
(HealthDay) -- Afinitor (everolimus) has been approved in combination with the drug exemestane to treat postmenopausal women with advanced hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Largest review of management and treatment of Barrett's dysplasia and adenocarcinoma
The world's largest review of all the evidence on the best way of managing and treating common pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions of the oesophagus (gullet) has found that good endoscopy equipment, more endoscopic surgery, and more tissue sampling are required to improve care for patients.
Neuroeconomics to study decision-making in anxious individuals
Anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million American adults each year, and although they are treatable, they often cause significant distress.
Joslin researchers gain new understanding of diabetes and kidney disease
Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified biological mechanisms by which glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut hormone, protects against kidney disease, and also mechanisms that inhibit its actions in diabetes. The findings, which are reported today online by Diabetes, may lead to the development of new therapeutic agents that harness the actions of GLP-1 to prevent the harmful effects of hyperglycemia on renal endothelial cells.
Snacking and BMI linked to double effect of brain activity and self-control
Snack consumption and BMI are linked to both brain activity and self-control, new research has found.
New line of approach for combination therapy against melanoma
A melanoma is a malignant form of skin cancer and is one of the most aggressive types of tumors there is. Treatment is particularly difficult, because melanomas are usually resistant against conventional chemotherapy treatments. Agnieszka Gembarska and Chris Marine
miR-122: Loss of tiny liver molecule might lead to liver cancer
A new study shows that loss of a small RNA molecule in liver cells might cause liver cancer and that restoring the molecule might slow tumor growth and offer a new way to treat the disease.
Neural precursor cells induce cell death in certain brain tumors
Neural precursor cells (NPC) in the young brain suppress certain brain tumors such as high-grade gliomas, especially glioblastoma (GBM), which are among the most common and most aggressive tumors. Now researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have deciphered the underlying mechanism of action with which neural precursor cells protect the young brain against these tumors. They found that the NPC release substances that activate TRPV1 ion channels in the tumor cells and subsequently induce the tumor cells to undergo stress-induced cell-death.
First results of community health campaign in Uganda for HIV and other diseases
A clinical study in a remote region of southwest Uganda has demonstrated the feasibility of using a health campaign to rapidly test a community for HIV and simultaneously offer prevention and diagnosis for a variety of other diseases in rural and resource-poor settings of sub-Saharan Africa.
Researchers develop ginseng-fortified milk to improve cognitive function
American ginseng is reported to have neurocognitive effects, and research has shown benefits in aging, central nervous system disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. The challenges of incorporating ginseng into food are twofold: it has a bitter taste, and food processing can eliminate its healthful benefits. Reporting in the August issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, a group of scientists has formulated low-lactose functional milk that maintained beneficial levels of American ginseng after processing. An exploratory study found the product was readily accepted by a niche group of consumers.
Tel Aviv University research links childhood obesity to cancer risk
Parents are increasingly conscious of the dangers of childhood obesity. There is a growing recognition of health problems associated with extra pounds, including the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and joint and muscle pain.
Survival rates for premature babies in high-level NICUs are better than previously reported
Premature babies are more likely to survive when they are born in high-level neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) than in hospitals without such facilities, and this benefit is considerably larger than previously reported.
Cancer-causing toxin found in Chinese baby formula
A Chinese dairy has been ordered to suspend production after a cancer-causing toxin was found in its infant formula, China's quality watchdog said Monday, in the country's latest milk scare.
Functional neurologic abnormalities due to prenatal alcohol exposure are common
Most children who are exposed to large amounts of alcohol while in the womb do not go on to develop fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Instead, problems that arise fall under a broader term that describes a spectrum of adverse outcomes, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). A study using population-based prospective data from Chile to examine the risk for developing components of FASD has found that functional central nervous system abnormalities were alarmingly high.
Is YouTube a prescription for vertigo?
Watching videos on YouTube may be a new way to show the treatment for a common cause of vertigo, which often goes untreated by physicians, according to a study published in the July 24, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Increased heart attack risk associated with total hip, knee replacement surgeries
Total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries were associated with increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, heart attack) in the first two weeks after the surgical procedures, according to report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.
Study examines use of diagnostic tests in adolescents with hypertension
A study of adolescents with hypertension enrolled in the Michigan Medicaid program suggests that guideline-recommended diagnostic tests – echocardiograms and renal ultrasonography – were poorly used, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
When campuses and their surrounding communities can join forces to stop alcohol abuse
Not only is alcohol use pervasive among U.S. college students, who typically drink more than their same-aged, non-college peers, but college students also seem to lag behind their peers in 'maturing out' of harmful drinking patterns. There has been little examination of interventions that link community-level and campus-level environments. A unique study that assessed this two-pronged approach to reducing high-risk drinking in and around college campuses has found that it is highly effective in decreasing severe and interpersonal consequences of drinking.
Disinhibition/drinking differences between African-American and European-American youth
Compared to European American adolescents, African American adolescents are more likely to abstain from alcohol, drink less frequently, and engage in less heavy drinking when they do drink. Very little research has examined racial differences in disinhibition. A study of changes in impulsivity and sensation seeking from childhood into adolescence has found that European American youth have higher levels of sensation seeking while African American youth have higher levels of impulsivity.
Alcoholism and HIV infection have different effects on visuomotor procedural memory processes
The different effects on memory processes by chronic alcoholism and HIV infection likely reflect the specific neuropathology associated with each condition: frontocerebellar dysfunction in alcoholism and frontostriatal dysfunction in HIV infection. A study of the separate and combined contribution of injury related to chronic alcoholism and HIV infection has found they differently affect the processes involved in procedural learning and memory of visuomotor information.
Public health expert David Dausey calls BPA ban 'hollow victory'
The FDA says baby bottles and sippy cups can no longer contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor that mimics estrogen. But what about the hundreds of other plastic items, from water bottles to dental sealants, containing BPA?
New findings break tanning misconceptions: 'There is no such thing as a safe tan'
A new study conducted by GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) researchers Edward C. De Fabo, Ph.D., Frances P. Noonan, Ph.D., and Anastas Popratiloff, M.D., Ph.D., has been published in the journal Nature Communications. Their paper, entitled "Melanoma induction by ultraviolet A but not ultraviolet B radiation requires melanin pigment," was published in June 2012.
Research shows potential of microneedles to target therapeutics to the back of the eye
Thanks to tiny microneedles, eye doctors may soon have a better way to treat diseases such as macular degeneration that affect tissues in the back of the eye. That could be important as the population ages and develops more eye-related illnesses – and as pharmaceutical companies develop new drugs that otherwise could only be administered by injecting into the eye with a hypodermic needle.
Trial signals major milestone in hunt for new TB drugs
A novel approach to discover the first new tuberculosis (TB) combination drug regimen cleared a major hurdle when Phase II clinical trial results found it could kill more than 99 percent of patients' TB bacteria within two weeks and could be more effective than existing treatments, according to a study published today in the Lancet. These results add to a growing body of evidence that the new regimen could reduce treatment by more than a year for some patients.
First study of heart 'maps' for kids could help correct rapid rhythms
The first study of a procedure to make three-dimensional "maps" of electrical signals in children's hearts could help cardiologists correct rapid heart rhythms in young patients, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2012 Scientific Sessions.
Aging heart cells rejuvenated by modified stem cells
Damaged and aged heart tissue of older heart failure patients was rejuvenated by stem cells modified by scientists, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2012 Scientific Sessions. The study is simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Strobe eyewear training improves visual memory
Stroboscopic training, performing a physical activity while using eyewear that simulates a strobe-like experience, has been found to increase visual short-term memory retention, and the effects last for 24 hours.
Scientists: Novel TB drug combo passes first test
Scientists are hot on the trail of a new tuberculosis treatment that a small study suggests might one day offer an alternative to battle this deadly lung disease, even if it is resistant to today's two main drugs.
Boosting new memories with wakeful resting
Too often our memory starts acting like a particularly porous sieve: all the important fragments that should be caught and preserved somehow just disappear. So armed with pencils and bolstered by caffeine, legions of adults, especially older adults, tackle crossword puzzles, acrostics, Sudoku and a host of other activities designed to strengthen their flagging memory muscles.
Scientists identify likely predictors of hepatitis C severity: viral evolution and host protein levels
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have identified several factors in people infected with the hepatitis C virus that may predict whether the unusually rapid progression of disease from initial infection to severe liver conditions, such as cirrhosis, will occur. Knowing whether a patient's condition is likely to deteriorate quickly could help physicians decide on the best course of treatment.
Alzheimer's drug fails in 1 study, 2nd continues
Pfizer Inc. said Monday that a closely watched experimental Alzheimer's drug failed to slow the disease in one late-stage study, but the drug maker said it will continue to study the drug's effect on a different group of patients.
Children continue to be underrepresented in drug trials
(HealthDay) -- Even for conditions with a high pediatric disease burden, only a small proportion of clinical drug trials study pediatric patients, according to research published online July 23 in Pediatrics.
NYC ban on super-sized sodas would cut consumers' calories: study
(HealthDay) -- A day before a public hearing on New York City's proposed ban on super-sized restaurant sodas, a new analysis finds that such a ban would spare consumers excess calories.
Study finds breast cancer cells able to turn off interferon production to avoid immune response
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers working in Australia have found that certain breast cancer cells are able to switch off the gene that is responsible for causing the production of interferon, an immunity response protein that the body uses to fight off viral and bacterial infections. Because of this, the team writes in their paper published in Nature Medicine, cancer cells are able to spread to other parts of the body, particularly bone, without being attacked by the immune system.
Brain variants of protein associated with Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases identified
(Medical Xpress) -- A protein essential for metabolism and recently associated with neurodegenerative diseases also occurs in several brain-specific forms. This discovery emerged in the course of a research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the findings of which have now been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. The scientists working on the project discovered a large new region in the genetic code of the protein PGC-1alpha. Previously unknown variations of the protein, which can be found specifically in the brain, are produced from this region. This discovery may provide tissue-specific starting points for the development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
New recruits in the fight against disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have discovered the structure and operating procedures of a powerful anti-bacterial killing machine that could become an alternative to antibiotics.
Study offers new clue on how brain processes visual information, provides insight into neural mechanisms of attention
Ever wonder how the human brain, which is constantly bombarded with millions of pieces of visual information, can filter out what's unimportant and focus on what's most useful?
Powerful class of antioxidants may be potent Parkinson's treatment
A new and powerful class of antioxidants could one day be a potent treatment for Parkinson's disease, researchers report.
MRI study shows social deprivation has a measurable effect on brain growth
Severe psychological and physical neglect produces measurable changes in children's brains, finds a study led by Boston Children's Hospital. But the study also suggests that positive interventions can partially reverse these changes.
Why do anti-hunger and anti-obesity initiatives always fall short?
With widespread hunger continuing to haunt developing nations, and obesity fast becoming a global epidemic, any number of efforts on the parts of governments, scientists, non-profit organizations and the business world have taken aim at these twin nutrition-related crises. But all of these efforts have failed to make a large dent in the problems, and now an unusual international collaboration of researchers is explaining why.
Why does vivid memory 'feel so real?' Real perceptual experience, mental replay share similar brain activation patterns
Neuroscientists have found strong evidence that vivid memory and directly experiencing the real moment can trigger similar brain activation patterns.
Study shows why some types of multitasking are more dangerous than others
In a new study that has implications for distracted drivers, researchers found that people are better at juggling some types of multitasking than they are at others.
Researchers develop laser technology to fight cancer
Researchers at the Center for Laser Applications at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma have developed a technology that goes on a "seek and destroy" mission for cancerous tumors. They have harnessed the power of lasers to find, map and non-invasively destruct cancerous tumors.
Mice have distinct subsystem to handle smell associated with fear
A new study finds that mice have a distinct neural subsystem that links the nose to the brain and is associated with instinctually important smells such as those emitted by predators. That insight, published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, prompts the question whether mice and other mammals have specially hardwired neural circuitry to trigger instinctive behavior in response to certain smells.
Bloodstream scavenger inhibits clotting without increased bleeding
A compound that mops up debris of damaged cells from the bloodstream may be the first in a new class of drugs designed to address one of medicine's most difficult challenges -- stopping the formation of blood clots without triggering equally threatening bleeding.
Synthetic stimulants called 'bath salts' act in the brain like cocaine: study
The use of the synthetic stimulants collectively known as "bath salts" have gained popularity among recreational drug users over the last five years, largely because they were readily available and unrestricted via the Internet and at convenience stores, and were virtually unregulated.
Study: Infants can use language to learn about people's intentions
Infants are able to detect how speech communicates unobservable intentions, researchers at New York University and McGill University have found in a study that sheds new light on how early in life we can rely on language to acquire knowledge about matters that go beyond first-hand experiences.
Biology news
'Tree of Life' still stands after Derecho
(Phys.org) -- The "Tree of Life" at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., took on the June 29 derecho and suffered some damage, but remains strong. The derecho brought winds of more than 80 mph in Maryland, and was a traumatic event for many people, animals, trees and structures. One of the tree's large limbs cracked and came down in the storm.
Clemson plant breeders roll out new oat variety
Clemson University plant breeders announced a new high-yielding variety of oats.
Asia fuels record elephant, rhino killings: WWF
Releasing a report rating countries' efforts at stopping the trade in endangered species, WWF said elephant poaching was at crisis levels in central Africa while the survival of rhinos was under grave threat in South Africa.
Not just lone sharks: Social networks under the sea
(Phys.org) -- Scientists are delving into the social networking behaviour of sharks, to determine why and when large marine predators congregate, and the mysteries of their society.
Copper surfaces could reduce hospital acquired infections
Research from the Medical University of South Carolina suggests that adding copper to hospital surfaces which are commonly touched by medical personnel and patients could help reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections. The findings appear in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
Judging DNA by its cover
Stem cells hold great promise for the medicine of the future, but they can also be a cause of disease. When these self-renewing, unspecialized cells fail to differentiate into diverse cell types, they can start dividing uncontrollably, leading to cancer. Already several decades ago, Weizmann Institute scientists were among the first to demonstrate the link between cancer and the faulty differentiation of stem cells. Now a new Weizmann Institute-led study, published in Molecular Cell, reveals a potential molecular mechanism behind this link.
Public sightings suggest increase in basking sharks in British waters
The number of basking sharks recorded in Britain's seas could be increasing, decades after being protected from commercial hunting in the late 20th century. The most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of basking shark sightings in UK waters, by the University of Exeter, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) and Wave Action, is published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.
Herding sheep really are selfish
Many animals spend time together in large groups not because they enjoy each other's company, but rather because it lowers their own chances of being eaten should an uninvited guest arrive on the scene—or so the theory goes. Now, researchers who have strapped GPS-enabled backpacks to flocking sheep and a herding dog provide some of the first hard evidence that this "selfish herd theory" is true. The findings appear in the July 24th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.
Researchers unfold the mechanisms underlying blood disorders
A Finnish research team together with researchers from New York, USA, has uncovered a protein structure that regulates cell signalling and the formation of blood cells.
Sequencing technology helps reveal what plant genomes really encode
(Phys.org) -- A team, led by scientists from the University of Dundee and the James Hutton Institute (JHI), have become the first researchers in the world to apply a new technique to sequence the genes of the plant Arabidopsis.
All washed up and somewhere to go
(Phys.org) -- Wrack, it's called--the tangled mass of seaweed found on beaches around the world. It washes in with the high tide and lingers long after the waters recede.
Gorillas filmed performing amazing feat of intellectual ability
(Phys.org) -- Researchers working in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda have filmed gorillas dismantling snares set by poachers to catch smaller game. Previously, anecdotal evidence had suggested that silverback gorillas had been seen dismantling snares. In this instance it was two young blackback, mountain gorillas that were involved. The team, part of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Karisoke Research Center, filmed first a silverback motioning towards the snare. Next, two young male blackbacks arrived on the scene, surveyed the situation, then proceeded to take apart the snare, avoiding being caught in it in the process.
Caught in the act: Bats use the sound of copulating flies as a cue for foraging
Mating at night does not necessarily lead to offspring, at least in flies: males produce a buzzing sound with their wings that can be perceived by bats. Stefan Greif from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, and colleagues, observed this in a long-term study on wild Natterer's bats that eat the copulating flies in a double-sized meal. Flies that were just sitting or walking on the ceiling did not elicit a predatory response by the bats. This is the first experimental evidence how mating itself can be risky.
New study shows pre-human effect on biodiversity in northern Madagascar
A recent study, by an international research group led by Lounes Chickhi, group leader at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, and CNRS researcher in Toulouse, France, questions the prevailing account that degradation of tropical ecosystems is essentially a product of human activity. Their findings call for reassessment of the impact of local communities on their environment.
Polar bear evolution tracked climate change, new DNA study suggests
A whole-genome analysis suggests that polar bear numbers waxed and waned with climate change, and that the animals may have interbred with brown bears since becoming a distinct species millions of years ago.
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