Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 30, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Qubits that never interact could exhibit past-future entanglement- Researchers study how to avoid charge traps in plastic electronics
- Engineers create ultra-sensitive artificial skin
- New coating prevents more than 99 percent of harmful bacterial slime from forming on surfaces
- Study pushes back onset date of South Africa's Later Stone Age by more than 20,000 years
- 10-year-old problem in theoretical computer science falls
- NASA's newest Mars rover faces a tricky landing
- Study discovers eating habits of Diplodocus
- A better judge of character with oxytocin nasal spray?
- Infection warning system in cells contains targets for antiviral and vaccine strategies
- IPhone appeal dims as Samsung shines
- Grin and bear it -- smiling facilitates stress recovery
- Tiny airborne pollutants lead double life: study
- New genetic target found for diuretic therapy
- In shipwrecks, men more likely to survive: study
Space & Earth news
Bolivia consults locals on jungle highway project
The Bolivian government of President Evo Morales Sunday met with indigenous Amazon basin lowland residents to discuss plans for a controversial highway that would run through their their homeland.
New Mars rover digitally designed and tested
NASA scientists used software from Siemens to help create the new Mars rover Curiosity, which is currently on its way to Mars. The 900-kilogram rover is the largest Mars vehicle to date. It will reach the red planet on August 6, 2012, and begin to conduct various experiments to obtain new information, which it will transmit back to earth. Development software from Siemens helped to ensure that all of the components fit together, work properly, and withstand the mission's harsh conditions. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used Siemens PLM (product lifecycle management) software during the vehicle's entire development process in order to digitally design and simulate the rover and virtually assemble it without having to build a prototype.
NASA sees compact Tropical Storm Damrey approaching southern Japan
Tropical Storm Damrey appears to be a compact tropical storm on NASA satellite imagery as it heads west. It is expected to pass north of Iwo To, Japan and later south of Kyushu, one of Japan's large islands.
Making Mars a little less alien
The chemistry that makes up the surface of Mars could soon become a little less alien thanks to research from an academic at The Australian National University.
Image: Saturn's moons
(Phys.org) -- The Cassini spacecraft watches a pair of Saturn's moons, showing the hazy orb of giant Titan beyond smaller Tethys. This view looks toward the Saturn-facing sides of Titan (3,200 miles, or 5,150 kilometers across) and Tethys (660 miles, or 1,062 kilometers across).
Curiosity Rover on track for early August landing
(Phys.org) -- Six days before reaching Mars, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft performed a flight-path adjustment scheduled more than nine months ago.
Geotail: 20 years of science and still going strong
(Phys.org) -- On July 24, 1992, the joint JAXA/NASA Geotail mission launched into space aboard a Delta II launch vehicle. It was the vanguard for a set of coordinated missions known as the International Solar Terrestrial Physics or ISTP project that studied the magnetic environs of Earth. Along with the Wind and Polar missions launched later, Geotail flew up into space to provide information about the way the magnetic envelope surrounding Earth, called the magnetosphere, responds to incoming material and energy from the sun.
Mars landing sky show
Every time NASA lands a rover on Mars--or even makes the attempt--it is cause for celebration. On August 5th, the heavens themselves are aligning to mark the event.
A fish friendly facility for the International Space Station
(Phys.org) -- While aquariums provide a relaxing pastime for humans on Earth, recreation is not the goal behind the new Aquatic Habitat, or AQH, aboard the International Space Station. Instead, researchers will use this unique facility to look at how microgravity impacts marine life.
Flags still standing at several Apollo landing sites on the moon
Mark Robinson, Principal Investigator of the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter Camera (LROC) says the most often-asked questions he gets about the images LRO has taken of the Moon are about pictures of the Apollo landing sites and what is visible. Especially, Robinson said, people want to know if the flags are still standing.
Cloud seeds and ozone holes
New findings on the growth of ice clusters in Polar Stratospheric Clouds could help clarify the process of ozone depletion in the atmosphere.
Webb telescope gets 'golden touch'
(Phys.org) -- NASA technology does some amazing things. Imagine taking one-tenth of an ounce of gold and spreading it so thin that it completely coats something over four feet in diameter. That's what scientists and engineers did for the primary mirror segments that will fly on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
Global warming is due to humans: US ex-skeptic (Update)
A prominent US skeptic of the human causes of climate change, Richard Muller, has reversed course and said on Monday that he now believes greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming.
Pollution can make citizens – both rich and poor – go green
Nothing inspires environmentalism quite like a smog-filled sky or a contaminated river, according to a new study that also indicates that environmentalism isn't just for the prosperous.
NASA sees Typhoon Saola's huge reach over the Philippines
Typhoon Saola looks like a monster tropical cyclone in infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite today, July 30. Although Saola's center is over 300 nautical miles (368 miles/592 km) south-southeast of Taiwan, it stretches over the north and central Philippines and has triggered a number of warnings throughout the country.
Study: Cool climate, not population loss, led to fewer fires
In the years after Columbus' voyage, burning of New World forests and fields diminished significantly – a phenomenon some have attributed to decimation of native populations by European diseases. But a new University of Utah-led study suggests global cooling resulted in fewer fires because both preceded Columbus in many regions worldwide.
Probing gravity
(Phys.org) -- Einstein's theory of relativity is remarkable not only because it is so successful in explaining seemingly bizarre observations (like the bending of starlight) or because it has assembled a coherent picture of nature. One would expect these results from any good theory. Relativity is also amazing because its has shown that the universe behaves in completely non-intuitive ways (at least to humans): time dilates, lengths contract, gravity warps space, and mass and energy are related by E=mc^2. Our so-called "common sense" is sometimes just plain wrong.
Hubble sees a galaxy festooned with stellar nurseries
(Phys.org) -- The galaxy NGC 4700 bears the signs of the vigorous birth of many new stars in this image captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Tiny airborne pollutants lead double life: study
University of British Columbia and Harvard researchers have provided visual evidence that atmospheric particles -- which are ubiquitous in the atmosphere, especially above densely populated areas -- separate into distinct chemical compositions during their life cycle.
NASA's newest Mars rover faces a tricky landing
It's the U.S. space agency's most ambitious and expensive Mars mission yet — and it begins with the red planet arrival Sunday of the smartest interplanetary rover ever built.
One in five streams damaged by mine pollution in southern West Virginia: study
Water pollution from surface coal mining has degraded more than 22 percent of streams and rivers in southern West Virginia to the point they may now qualify as impaired under state criteria, according to a new study by scientists at Duke and Baylor.
Technology news
New high standards for emergency wireless devices
First responders rely increasingly on wireless communication devices, and in emergencies they cannot afford major signal loss or delay caused by attenuation, interference, or reflection. Because lives are on the line and every second counts, the development of high-performance, high-reliability devices that meet widely accepted performance standards is a high priority.
Fujitsu develops technology to automatically resolve performance problems in distributed storage
Fujitsu Laboratories today announced the development of a technology that automatically resolves problems caused by concentrated accessing of popular data items in a distributed storage system in order to curb access-time slowdowns.
Off to a good start: Argonne's rising stars in battery research shine
Looking at Fikile Brushett, a director’s postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, one would hardly guess that he is already two years out of graduate school and about to start a faculty position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As he bounds down the halls of Argonne’s Chemical Sciences and Engineering building, he exudes youthful energy that perhaps comes from his undergraduate days of playing varsity soccer at the University of Pennsylvania.
Blackout hits 300 million in northern India
A massive power cut blacked out northern India Monday, leaving more than 300 million people without power, shutting down water plants and stranding hundreds of trains in the worst outage in a decade.
New Russia internet law deemed censorship by critics
A new law seeking to protect minors from internet sites with harmful content comes into force in Russia on Monday amid criticism that it is a veiled move to increase censorship in the country.
US jury to decide Apple, Samsung patent case
Jury selection was set to open on Monday in a US federal court in the blockbuster patent case pitting Apple against Samsung, which accuse each other of copying patents for smartphones and tablets.
Offshore use of vertical-axis wind turbines gets closer look
(Phys.org) -- Sandia National Laboratories’ wind energy researchers are re-evaluating vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) to help solve some of the problems of generating energy from offshore breezes.
Wind turbine with record-breaking rotors
Siemens has produced the world's longest rotor blades for wind turbines. Measuring 75 meters in length, the blades are almost as big as the wingspan of an Airbus A380. Beginning this fall, the B75 rotor blades will be installed into a prototype six-megawatt offshore wind power system in Denmark's Østerild test station. As it moves, each rotor covers 18,600 square meters, which is the size of two and a half soccer fields. The tips of the blades move at up to 80 meters per second, or 290 kilometers per hour. The huge rotor was made possible by special technologies that enable Siemens to make extremely strong yet lightweight structures.
Plenty of promise from EVs, but they haven't delivered -- yet
California is the nation's electric vehicle capital, hands down.
Mobile banking, once a gee whiz feature, is becoming ubiquitous
Mobile banking, which not long ago was the next new thing, is quickly becoming a must-have service for banks and credit unions.
Group says kept in the dark about Facebook case
An Austrian group fighting for clearer privacy policies on Facebook complained Monday that the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) was keeping it in the dark about proceedings.
Public can explore time-lapse videos of Earth with new tool from Carnegie Mellon and Google
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, working with colleagues at Google and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), have adapted their technology for interactively exploring time-lapse imagery to create a tool that enables anyone to easily access 13 years of NASA Landsat images of the Earth's surface.
Apple: 3M copies of Mountain Lion out in 4 days
(AP) — Apple says Mac users downloaded 3 million copies of Mountain Lion, its latest operating system, in the first four days it was available.
Blockbuster Apple-Samsung trial packs US court (Update)
Jury selection began Monday in the blockbuster Apple-Samsung trial, a high stakes legal contest over infringement of patents for hot-selling smartphones and tablet computers.
Dutch computer scientists present smile database
What exactly happens to your face when you smile spontaneously, and how does that affect how old you look? Computer scientists from the University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Faculty of Science recorded the smiles of hundreds of visitors to the NEMO science centre in Amsterdam, thus creating the most comprehensive smile database ever.
Twitter clocks half-billion users: monitor
Over 500 million people are on micro-blogging site Twitter and Americans and Brazilians are the most connected, according to a study by social media monitor Semiocast released Monday.
Spain's Telefonica completes sale of China Unicom stake
Spanish telecom giant Telefonica said Monday it has completed its sale of a 4.56 percent stake in China Unicom for 1.14 billion euros ($1.4 billion).
Apple stock jumps after reports on new iPhone
Apple shares shot higher Monday after unconfirmed reports that the tech giant was preparing to launch a new version of its hot-selling iPhone in September.
Hackers topple Huawei routers
Hackers at an infamous Def Con gathering were shown how to easily slip into computer networks through some routers made by Chinese electronics colossus Huawei Technologies.
Taiwan university sues Apple over iPhone patents
Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University has filed a suit against US tech giant Apple, claiming the company's Siri intelligent assistant has infringed on two of its patents.
Hackers see "sheeple" sheared by Google wireless data grab
Long before Google online mapping service cars snatched data from private wireless hotspots there was the Wall of Sheep.
Skype tells surveillance alarm-raisers they got it all wrong
(Phys.org) -- Skype, the famous and widely used voice-over-Internet protocol service and software application that in 2011 became Microsoft's online message, phone and video chat service, is fighting off assumptions and reports that its parent Microsoft has made it loosen up and roll out a welcome mat to law enforcement for surveillance purposes. Skype has issued flat denials that it has changed its policy about outside surveillance of users’ Skype communications. Skype insists that any technical upgrades to its system have not been with surveillance in mind.
Design Structure Matrix analysis: Better product design through a simple square chart
Suppose you were asked to streamline the process of real estate development. Or to better organize the offices of an international manufacturer. Or to explain how the parts of a digital printer interact. The complexities of all these tasks would likely seem daunting.
Rutgers engineers design cell phone app to reduce distracted driving
(Phys.org) -- Laws that limit cell phone use while driving don’t seem to be curbing accidents blamed on drivers who insist on talking or texting behind the wheel.
Engineers create ultra-sensitive artificial skin
(Phys.org) -- Engineers from South Korea and the United States working together have developed a new type of artificial skin that is less complex, cheaper to make and more sensitive than other electronic sensors designed to mimic human skin. In their paper published in Nature Materials, the team says the idea for their strain gauging material came from the way tiny hairs on some beetles’ bodies interlock with equally tiny hairs on their wings, allowing them to sense very small external stimuli.
10-year-old problem in theoretical computer science falls
(Phys.org) -- Interactive proofs, which MIT researchers helped pioneer, have emerged as one of the major research topics in theoretical computer science. In the classic interactive proof, a questioner with limited computational power tries to extract reliable information from a computationally powerful but unreliable respondent. Interactive proofs are the basis of cryptographic systems now in wide use, but for computer scientists, they’re just as important for the insight they provide into the complexity of computational problems.
Medicine & Health news
Michigan courts use HIV disclosure laws to punish poor, marginalized individuals
(Medical Xpress) -- Michigan's felony HIV disclosure law is a tool to control and punish marginalized and poor individuals in criminal court cases, according to new University of Michigan findings.
Black gay and bisexual men at greater risk for HIV infection than white counterparts
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at ICAP’s Harlem Prevention Center 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 among those age 30 and younger.
Adrenoleukodystrophy unravelled
The European X-ALD project undertook an initiative to understand the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). The gene therapy approach for treating ALD developed during the study brings hope to many young boys that have inherited the disease.
3Qs: The fastest man on no legs
South African double-amputee Oscar Pistorius will compete in the 400-meter sprint at the 2012 London Olympics wearing high-tech carbon-fiber prosthetic legs. Northeastern University news office asked David Nolan, an associate clinical professor of physical therapy in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, to expound upon the controversy over whether Pistorius’ pair of artificial legs would give him an unfair advantage over the field.
In Massachusetts, 'individual mandate' led to decreased hospital productivity
As the "individual mandate" of the Affordable Care Act moves forward, debate and speculation continue as to whether universal health insurance coverage will lead to significant cost savings for hospitals. The assumption is that providing appropriate primary care will improve the overall health of the population, resulting in less need for hospital services and less severe illness among hospitalized patients. Findings from a recent study published in Health Care Management Review challenge that assumption.
Court: Namibia HIV sterilizations violated rights
(AP) — Namibia's government sterilized three women infected with HIV without getting proper consent, forcing them to sign forms they didn't understand as they suffered through the pains of labor, a judge ruled Monday.
Obesity in type 2 diabetes: Recommendations from guidelines are largely consistent
On 10th July 2012, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published the results of a literature search for evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of obesity in type 2 diabetes. The aim of the report was to identify those recommendations from current guidelines of high methodological quality that may be relevant for a possible new obesity module in the disease management programme (DMP) for type 2 diabetes.
From cancer to Olympics, twice, for US beach star
(AP) — U.S. beach volleyball star Jake Gibb had to overcome cancer to make it to the Olympics.
ACP and SGIM find the PCMH model aligns with principles of medical ethics and professionalism
The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) explore the ethical dimensions of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) in a new position paper published by the Journal of General Internal Medicine: "The Patient-Centered Medical Home: An Ethical Analysis of Principles and Practice." The text is also available on ACP's website.
Judge says Arizona's abortion ban can take effect
(AP) — Arizona's ban on abortions starting at 20 weeks of pregnancy will take effect this week as scheduled after a federal judge ruled Monday that the new law is constitutional.
What would happen without PSA testing?
Eliminating the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer would be taking a big step backwards and would likely result in rising numbers of men with metastatic cancer at the time of diagnosis, predicted a University of Rochester Medical Center analysis published in the journal, Cancer.
Psychological abuse puts children at risk
Child abuse experts say psychological abuse can be as damaging to a young child's physical, mental and emotional health as a slap, punch or kick.
Surgical patient safety program lowers SSIs by one-third following colorectal operations
A surgical patient safety program that combines three components—accurate outcome measurement, support of hospital leadership, and engaged frontline providers—reduces surgical site infections (SSIs) by 33 percent in patients who undergo colorectal procedures, according to a new study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Teething baby? Avoid benzocaine, FDA says
(HealthDay) -- Parents should not use benzocaine products to relieve teething pain in babies except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Study assesses impact of lesion severity on coronary event risk
(HealthDay) -- Contrary to previous evidence, angiographic lesion severity may predict subsequent risk of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within three months, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Good long-term limb salvage for diabetic foot patients
(HealthDay) -- For patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), long-term limb salvage is favorable; however, long-term survival remains poor, particularly for those with peripheral artery disease (PAD) or chronic renal insufficiency, according to a study published online July 18 in Diabetes Care.
Short/long-term analyses deem etanercept safe for psoriasis
(HealthDay) -- Etanercept treatment is well tolerated for psoriasis, with no indication of dose-related or cumulative toxicity in short- or long-term analyses, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Possible new approach to fighting chronic inflammatory diseases
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience have discovered a potential new approach to treating chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Negative stereotypes about the poor hurt their health
(Medical Xpress) -- Adolescents who grow up in poverty are more likely to report being treated unfairly, and this perception of discrimination is related to harmful changes in physical health, reports a new Cornell study published in the July issue of Psychological Science.
What pituitary tumours may tell us about the biology of other cancers
(Medical Xpress) -- Expression levels of a DNA repair gene called MGMT have been widely studied across many cancers as a biomarker of response to temozolomide, a chemotherapeutic agent. Now Australian scientists have published findings suggesting MGMT may also play a significant role in tumour progression.
Researchers identify potential treatment target for metastatic pancreatic cancer using CTC chip technology
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers with the Stand Up To Cancer CTC Chip Dream Team have identified a potential treatment target in metastatic pancreatic cancer through a detailed analysis of genes expressed in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) – cells that break off from solid tumors and travel through the bloodstream.
For a healthy heart consider a red
Hippocrates used red wine to disinfect wounds. The Romans would add small amounts to their water supply to ensure purity. And in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Cornelius toasts to his nephew’s “better health” – even if the wine did turn out to be poisoned.
Future of fiber: Researcher seeks to update fiber recommendation in children, increase understanding of nutrient
(Medical Xpress) -- Experts have long since determined the recommended daily amounts of certain nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, but the numbers for nutrients like fiber have proven more difficult to nail down.
New link found between MS treatment and vitamin D
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study by researchers at the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania (Menzies) suggests that one of the main treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) may also increase the amount of vitamin D patients receive from sun exposure.
Nurse staffing, burnout linked to hospital infections
Nurse burnout leads to higher healthcare-associated infection rates (HAIs) and costs hospitals millions of additional dollars annually, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Fruit flies light the way to pinpoint genetic changes that spell cancer
By studying fruit flies, scientists at A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have successfully devised a fast and cost-saving way to uncover genetic changes that have a higher potential to cause cancer. With this new approach, researchers will now be able to rapidly distinguish the range of genetic changes that are causally linked to cancer (i.e. “driver” mutations) versus those with limited impact on cancer progression. This research paves the way for doctors to design more targeted treatment against the different cancer types, based on the specific cancer-linked mutations present in the patient. This study published in the prestigious journal Genes & Development could help advance the development of personalized medicine in cancer care and treatment.
Brains of teens who smoke cigarettes reveal early signs of addiction
(Medical Xpress) -- The brains of adolescents who smoke as little as two cigarettes a day respond to images of smoking as do the brains of heavily addicted adult smokers: with pleasure.
Brain development is delayed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) due to a delay in brain development or the result of complete deviation from typical development? In the current issue of Biological Psychiatry, Dr. Philip Shaw and colleagues present evidence for delay based on a study by the National Institutes of Health.
6 more Ugandans admitted with possible Ebola
(AP) — Six more patients suspected to have Ebola have been admitted to the hospital days after investigators confirmed an outbreak of the highly infectious disease in a remote corner of western Uganda, a health official said on Monday.
Health coaches could be key to successful weight loss, study suggests
Coaches can help athletes score touchdowns and perfect their golf swing, but can they also influence weight loss? Researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center say health coaches could play an important role in the battle of the bulge, according to the findings of a pilot study published online in the journal Obesity.
Shared decision-making between doctors and patients can reduce antibiotic use
A training tool that helps physicians involve patients in decision-making can reduce the use of antibiotics for acute respiratory infections, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Post-cardiac arrest care system improved survivors' neurologic status
Fewer sudden cardiac arrest survivors had neurologic impairment after a novel regional system of care was implemented, according to research published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.
Children with heart defects need early evaluation for related disorders
Children born with a congenital heart defect should receive early evaluation, prompt treatment and ongoing follow-up for related developmental disorders affecting brain function, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation.
Diagnostic imaging increases among stage IV cancer patients on Medicare
The use of diagnostic imaging in Medicare patients with stage IV cancer has increased faster than among those with early-stage (stages I and II) disease, according to a study published July 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Time outdoors may reduce myopia in children
(HealthDay) -- Increasing time spent outdoors may reduce the development or progression of myopia in children and adolescents, according to a study published online July 20 in Ophthalmology.
Self-efficacy predicts fibromyalgia symptomatology
(HealthDay) -- Self-efficacy is a significant predictor of fibromyalgia symptomatology, according to a study published online July 17 in Arthritis Care & Research.
Liver cancer cells stop making glucose as they become cancerous
As liver cancer develops, tumor cells lose the ability to produce and release glucose into the bloodstream, a key function of healthy liver cells for maintaining needed blood-sugar levels.
Researchers identify link between kidney removal and erectile dysfunction
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a link between patients who undergo total nephrectomy - complete kidney removal - and erectile dysfunction. Results from the multi-center study were recently published online in the British Journal of Urology International.
Parents find terms 'large' or 'gaining too much weight' less offensive than 'obese'
If doctors want to develop a strong rapport with parents of overweight children, it would be best if physicians used terms like "large" or "gaining too much weight" as opposed to the term "obese." These were findings recently published by medical researchers at the University of Alberta.
Parents can increase children's activity by increasing their own
Parents concerned about their children's slothful ways can do something about it, according to research at National Jewish Health. They can increase their own activity. In the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Kristen Holm, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health, and her colleagues report that, when parents increase their daily activity, as measured by a pedometer, their children increase theirs as well.
Stem cell therapy could offer new hope for defects and injuries to head, mouth
In the first human study of its kind, researchers found that using stem cells to re-grow craniofacial tissues—mainly bone—proved quicker, more effective and less invasive than traditional bone regeneration treatments.
Mechanism of lung cancer-associated mutations suggests new therapeutic approaches
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers have identified how one of the genes most commonly mutated in lung cancer may promote such tumors.
Brains are different in people with highly superior autobiographical memory
UC Irvine scientists have discovered intriguing differences in the brains and mental processes of an extraordinary group of people who can effortlessly recall every moment of their lives since about age 10.
New vaccine for renal cell carcinoma found to increase survival rates
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers working for German pharmaceutical company Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, have outlined two successful outcomes for their multipeptide vaccine IMA901 in a paper they’ve had published in the journal Nature Medicine. In it they describe how renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients vaccinated with IMA901 experienced longer survival rates and how they’ve also discovered key markers that they believe indicate which patients are most likely to benefit from the vaccine.
Fear study reveals mental processes
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers studying how our minds develop fears in response to danger found that people can quickly learn to recognise a threat even when they are unaware of it.
Researcher finds the use of traditional, natural medicines offer economic benefits
For millions of people around the world being sick doesn't mean making a trip to the local pharmacy for medicines like Advil and Nyquil. Instead it means turning to the forest to provide a pharmacopeia of medicines to treat everything from tooth aches to chest pains.
When rules change, brain falters
For the human brain, learning a new task when rules change can be a surprisingly difficult process marred by repeated mistakes, according to a new study by Michigan State University psychology researchers.
New genetic target found for diuretic therapy
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have identified a new genetic target for diuretic therapy in patients with fluid overload—like those with congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis or kidney failure.
A better judge of character with oxytocin nasal spray?
(Medical Xpress) -- In other contexts, oxytocin is already well-known as the “bliss hormone”. The hormone is secreted upon stimulation by touch and is known to result in a feeling of calm and physical relaxation. It is also used to induce labour in childbirth and as an aid for women experiencing difficulties in breastfeeding.
Infection warning system in cells contains targets for antiviral and vaccine strategies
Two new targets have been discovered for antiviral therapies and vaccines strategies that could enhance the body's defenses against such infectious diseases as West Nile and hepatitis C. The targets are within the infection warning system inside living cells.
Grin and bear it -- smiling facilitates stress recovery
Just grin and bear it! At some point, we have all probably heard or thought something like this when facing a tough situation. But is there any truth to this piece of advice? Feeling good usually makes us smile, but does it work the other way around? Can smiling actually make us feel better?
Detecting cancer with lasers has limited use, researchers say
One person dies every hour from melanoma skin cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. A technique, known as photoacoustics, can find some forms of melanoma even if only a few cancerous cells exist, but a recent study by MU researchers found that the technique was limited in its ability to identify other types of cancer. Attaching markers, called enhancers, to cancer cells could improve the ability of photoacoustics to find other types of cancer and could save lives thanks to faster diagnosis, but the technique is in its early stages.
Biology news
Rescued sperm whale dies in Indonesia
A sperm whale that was rescued and returned to sea after being stranded for four days in shallow waters off the coast of West Java in Indonesia has died, a rescuer said Monday.
Interpol wildlife operation results mark Global Tiger Day
Interpol marked Global Tiger Day Sunday by announcing the results of an operation to help save the endangered species that saw 40 arrests and the seizure of big cat skins and other body parts.
Growing a green lawn means finding grasses that need less water
You have to give Doug Soldat credit. He picked the right year to begin a study on the drought tolerance of Wisconsin turfgrasses.
Delving into darkness to discover new species
(Phys.org) -- Deep in the recesses of a northwestern Arizona cave, a beetle scuttles along the floor, navigating its way with its long antennae as hair-like tufts on its slender legs drag across the rocks.
Plants to express human proteins
Plants are emerging as important biotechnology tools for the production of highly purified recombinant proteins. The Plastomics network dissected the process of foreign gene insertion into plants and their potential use as protein production reservoirs.
So how do plants know when to flower?
Professor Caroline Dean recently wrote a blog article for The Independent website on how plants know when to flower. This was part of a series of blogs on Women in Science.
Hong Kong hails success in monkey birth control
Hong Kong on Monday hailed the success of a birth control programme for the city's wild monkeys, saying the primates' numbers have dropped 15 percent over four years.
Dozens of wild peacocks die in Pakistan desert
Dozens of wild peacocks have died suddenly in Pakistan, prompting experts to fear an outbreak of the highly contagious Newcastle disease.
RATS research may teach rodents to detect explosives
A rat may never be man's best friend, but the Rugged Automated Training System (R.A.T.S.) research sponsored by scientists with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, in collaboration with engineers at West Point and the Counter Explosives Hazards Center, will determine if and how these animals can be trained to save Soldiers' lives.
Tel Aviv University researcher says plants can see, smell, feel, and taste
Increasingly, scientists are uncovering surprising biological connections between humans and other forms of life. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has revealed that plant and human biology is much closer than has ever been understood — and the study of these similarities could uncover the biological basis of diseases like cancer as well as other “animal” behaviors.
Humpback whales staying in Antarctic bays later into autumn
Large numbers of humpback whales are remaining in bays along the Western Antarctic Peninsula to feast on krill late into the austral autumn, long after scientists thought their annual migrations to distant breeding grounds would begin, according to a new Duke University study.
Researchers track global dispersion of chickens throughout history using DNA
(Phys.org) -- The lowly chicken has had a remarkable impact on human history, providing a food source for innumerable people over the years. Modern scientists believe chickens (Gallus gallus) were first domesticated over 5000 years ago somewhere in Southeast Asia, and since that time have been carried to every place that humans exist. Tracking their migration helps historians track human migration. Now new research by a team made up of people from a variety of sciences from around the world has found, using mitochondrial DNA evidence from bones of ancient chickens, what they believe to be the great-grandmother’s of the modern chicken. They have published their findings in the journal PLoS One.
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