Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 17, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Artificial photosynthesis system gets efficiency boost from graphene- New technique allows production of complex microchip structures in one self-assembling step
- Calculations reveal fine line for hydrogen release from storage materials
- Man-made synthetic pores mimic important features of natural pores
- Why is Earth so dry?
- Infants' recognition of speech more sophisticated than previously known, researchers find
- In search of the key word: Bursts of certain words within a text are what make them keywords
- Musical glove improves sensation, mobility for people with spinal cord injury
- Sharing synchronized events helps us feel closer to strangers
- Student-designed robots play games, make art, try to catch a toy helicopter
- Glyphosate-resistant 'superweeds' may be less susceptible to diseases
- 'Sifting' liquid at the molecular level: Method uses nanotubes to separate liquids
- Nanoscale scaffolds and stem cells show promise in cartilage repair
- Researchers find evidence of link between immune irregularities and autism
- Refining the tool kit for sustainable fisheries
Space & Earth news
NASA selects launch contractor for three missions
(Phys.org) -- NASA has selected United Launch Services LLC of Englewood, Colo., to launch the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) and Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) spacecraft. The spacecraft will launch in October 2014, July 2014 and November 2016, respectively, aboard Delta II rockets from Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the SMAP and OCO-2 missions for NASA.
NASA selects launch contractor for Jason-3 mission
(Phys.org) -- NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif., to launch the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Jason-3 spacecraft in December 2014 aboard a Falcon 9 v1.0 rocket from Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is contributing three instruments to the mission: a radiometer, the GPS system and a satellite laser ranging reflector.
ESA hands over MSG-3 weather satellite to EUMETSAT
Since the launch of MSG-3, ESA’s mission controllers have been working to ensure that this latest weather satellite’s voyage to 36 000 km above the Equator runs smoothly. With MSG-3 healthy and now in its place of work, ESA has handed operations over to Eumetsat. The third Meteosat Second Generation satellite took to the skies on an Ariane 5 rocket on 5 July from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Once fully operational, it will deliver essential information from geostationary orbit to monitor the weather over Europe, Africa and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Joyful crews unite aboard space station (Update)
A grinning multinational crew of three floated through the open hatches of the International Space station on Tuesday to join the trio already on board the experimental science lab spinning around Earth.
NASA builds menu for planned Mars mission in 2030s
(AP) — Through a labyrinth of hallways deep inside a 1950s-era building that has housed research that dates back to the origins of U.S. space travel, a group of scientists in white coats is stirring, mixing, measuring, brushing and, most important, tasting the end result of their cooking.
Prelude to an X-Class solar flare
What takes place on the Sun before it unleashes a huge solar flare? It’s a thing of beauty, and observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory are helping scientists understand how magnetic energy on the Sun creates these giant explosions. Below is a video that shows all the activity on the Sun before it emitted a huge X 1.4- class solar flare on July 12, 2012.
Follow your curiosity: Some new ways to explore Mars
(Phys.org) -- As NASA's Mars Rover Curiosity prepares to land on Mars, public audiences worldwide can take their own readiness steps to share in the adventure. Landing is scheduled for about 10:31 p.m. PDT on Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6), at mission control inside NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Landsat data continuity mission becomes an observatory
(Phys.org) -- Engineers at Orbital Sciences Corporation, Gilbert, Ariz., have installed the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instrument back onto to the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) spacecraft. With both the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and TIRS instruments now on the spacecraft, LDCM is a complete observatory.
University of Minnesota, Google team to offer new 360-degree images of Antarctica
See the inside of early polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's hut, visit a penguin colony and take in the wonders of the Antarctic landscape from the comfort of your own home or office with new images launched online today by Google in cooperation with the University of Minnesota's Polar Geospatial Center.
NASA's TRMM satellite eyeing Tropical Storm Khanun's rainfall
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is keeping an eye on the rainfall being generated by Tropical Storm Khanun as it moves past Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.
NASA watching Tropical Storm Fabio head to southern California
Southern California's coast is already feeling rough surf from Tropical Storm Fabio, and as the storm draws closer it is expected to bring scattered showers and thunderstorms as well. NASA's Aqua satellite peered into Fabio's clouds to see what power lurks under them, and saw only a small area of heavy rainfall remaining and the cooler waters that Fabio is now moving through.
A magnetic monster's dual personality
(Phys.org) -- Is it a magnetar or is it a pulsar? A second member of a rare breed of dead, spinning star has been identified thanks to an armada of space-based X-ray telescopes, including ESA’s XMM-Newton. Its curious behaviour is illustrated in this animation.
Digging up lessons from an ancient quake
Beth Arcos picked her way through muck and pickleweed just west of the Bremerton waterfront, on the trail of an ancient earthquake and tsunami.
Mars goal: nail the landing
Three weeks from Sunday night, an amiable, whip-smart engineer named Ray Baker will be staring into his computer screen at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, hopeful and helpless - or, as he puts it, "sweating blood."
NASA's Mars rover two weeks from landing
(Phys.org) -- NASA's most advanced planetary rover is on a precise course for an early August landing beside a Martian mountain to begin two years of unprecedented scientific detective work. However, getting the Curiosity rover to the surface of Mars will not be easy.
Soil moisture and hot days linked in a global study
(Phys.org) -- For the first time scientists at ETH Zurich have examined globally the connection between soil moisture and extreme heat with measured data. Their study shows that precipitation deficits increase the probability of hot days in many regions of the world. The results will help to better assess heat risks.
Global health impacts of the Fukushima nuclear disaster calculated
Radiation from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster may eventually cause anywhere from 15 to 1,300 deaths and from 24 to 2,500 cases of cancer, mostly in Japan, Stanford researchers have calculated.
Greenland glacier loses ice island twice the size of Manhattan
(Phys.org) -- An ice island twice the size of Manhattan has broken off from Greenland’s Petermann Glacier, according to researchers at the University of Delaware and the Canadian Ice Service. The Petermann Glacier is one of the two largest glaciers left in Greenland connecting the great Greenland ice sheet with the ocean via a floating ice shelf.
The electric atmosphere: Plasma is next NASA science target
Our day-to-day lives exist in what physicists would call an electrically neutral environment. Desks, books, chairs and bodies don't generally carry electricity and they don't stick to magnets. But life on Earth is substantially different from, well, almost everywhere else. Beyond Earth's protective atmosphere and extending all the way through interplanetary space, electrified particles dominate the scene. Indeed, 99% of the universe is made of this electrified gas, known as plasma.
Why is Earth so dry?
(Phys.org) -- With large swaths of oceans, rivers that snake for hundreds of miles, and behemoth glaciers near the north and south poles, Earth doesn't seem to have a water shortage. And yet, less than one percent of our planet's mass is locked up in water, and even that may have been delivered by comets and asteroids after Earth's initial formation.
Technology news
Microsoft apologises over web browser 'error' in EU
Microsoft apologised on Tuesday after the European Commission opened a probe over its failure to provide customers a web browser choice, saying it was a mistake.
NREL helps cut building energy use in half
The blips of a heart monitor, the hum of an MRI, the intense lights of a surgical room: all can bring both comfort and fear — and all require a lot of power. But new hospitals are being filled with natural, calming light and are leveraging energy from the sun and earth to power the machines, instruments, and tools medical professionals use to help patients recover.
Consumer Reports: Special 'eco' car models don't pay off
The special "eco" versions of small cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Honda Civic don't improve fuel economy enough to be worth the extra money, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports.
Yahoo turns to former nemesis to be its CEO savior
(AP) — As a top executive at Google for the past 13 years, Marissa Mayer played an instrumental role in developing many of the services that have tormented Yahoo as its appeal waned among Web surfers, advertisers and investors.
LG Display, employees charged with OLED theft
(AP) — LG Display Co. said 11 people including six of its own employees have been charged with stealing advanced TV display technology from rival Samsung.
Samsung to buy part of British electronics firm
South Korea's Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it had signed a deal to buy a mobile technology unit belonging to British firm Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) in a bid to improve its handheld devices.
Do you know where you're going? Your smart phone soon will
(Phys.org) -- Your smart phone may soon be able to predict where you are going, according to research by University of Birmingham computer scientists.
Study finds renewable energy could power more of electricity-scarce Afghanistan
(Phys.org) -- Afghanistan's growing economy is spurring more industrialization, but a severe energy shortage in the country threatens that progress.
EU threatens Microsoft with antitrust fine over web browser (Update)
The European Commission threatened Microsoft with another big fine on Tuesday after the US software giant failed to give 28 million European customers the ability to choose their web browser.
Tech lets you run a smart home remotely
A technology developed by a Florida company can transform any residence can into a smart home.
New Yahoo! CEO Mayer pregnant
Marissa Mayer, the former senior Google executive who on Tuesday will take over the reins of Internet pioneer Yahoo!, is pregnant and expecting the baby in October.
Frog calls inspire a new algorithm for wireless networks
Males of the Japanese tree frog have learnt not to use their calls at the same time so that the females can distinguish between them. Scientists at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia have used this form of calling behaviour to create an algorithm that assigns colours to network nodes – an operation that can be applied to developing efficient wireless networks.
Americans juggle phones, TV at same time: survey
In the new "multiscreen" world, more than half of American adults with mobile phones use them while watching television, including to check the veracity of what they see on TV, a survey showed Tuesday.
New Dell fund will invest in data storage technology
The chief of US computer maker Dell on Tuesday announced the launch of a $60 million fund focused on investing in technology for storing the massive amounts of data being collected by businesses.
Intel 2Q earnings fall, sees economic headwinds
(AP) — Intel Corp., the world's largest chipmaker, said Tuesday that the weak global economy is slowing its growth, and revenue for the current quarter is likely to come in below Wall Street forecasts.
Yahoo! profit dips, but stays ahead of forecasts (Update)
Yahoo! said Tuesday its profit in the past quarter fell modestly in results reflecting upheaval at the struggling Internet pioneer, which named a new top executive this week.
Intel fights to keep customers from defecting
Some of chip colossus Intel's biggest customers and partners are exploring a competing microprocessor design, signaling the start of a much-anticipated tech donnybrook that analysts say could trigger a dramatic shift in the computer industry.
Design student creates G.A.U.N.T.L.E.T. glove that allows single handed typing (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Jiake Liu, co-founder of Kabob.it has been demonstrating his G.A.U.N.T.L.E.T. glove at this year’s TechCrunch meetup in Atlanta. The name of the glove is an acronym meant to describe both its function and looks. It has metallic letters affixed to parts of the front of the fingers and another metal piece on the thumb that allows for connections to be made when pressing the thumb against the letters, effectively allowing a person to use the glove as a Bluetooth enabled wireless keyboard that works with just one hand.
Computer forecasting matched rises, ebbs in Afghanistan violence
In August 2010, shortly after WikiLeaks released tens of thousands of classified documents that cataloged the harsh realities of the war in Afghanistan, a group of friends - all computer experts - gathered at the New York City headquarters of the Internet company Bitly Inc. to try and make sense of the data.
Pay-TV industry divided on Web strategy
Want to watch an episode of TNT's "The Closer" online? You have to fill out a form on TNT's website, proving you have a cable or satellite television subscription. And your cable or satellite provider also needs to have a deal with TNT to carry its content online.
Medicine & Health news
Study shows ER nurses not immune to critical incidents
(Medical Xpress) -- Emergency room (ER) nurses deal with critical incidents daily and appear to be able to seamlessly carry on with their work. Recent research from a Master of Nursing student at the University of Calgary, however, suggests that some of these incidents are emotionally, physically and behaviourally devastating to the nurse and at times they suffer alongside their patients’ family and friends.
South Africa recalls 500,000 HIV test kits: ministry
South Africa is recalling 500,000 HIV test kits it ordered from a South Korean company despite a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning over inconclusive results, the health ministry said Tuesday.
UNAIDS welcomes US approval of drug to stop HIV
The UN agency tasked with fighting AIDS on Tuesday welcomed the decision by the United States to allow the use of an HIV prevention pill for the first time.
WHO awards China official for battling smoking
(AP) — The World Health Organization is giving China's health minister an award for battling smoking in a country whose people and government remain prodigiously addicted to tobacco.
Taiwan finds H5N1 virus in birds smuggled from China
Dozens of pet birds smuggled from southern China into Taiwan tested positive for the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus and were destroyed, Taiwanese authorities said Tuesday.
New study to explore emotion and food connection
(Medical Xpress) -- Among the greatest concerns for females in an age of celebrity culture is the issue of body image. Concerns about how we look can take over our lives and significantly impact our mood and relationships.
Progress, but no letup: 'Equal rights does not necessarily mean equal lives,' says LGBT activist
From the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, to the expansion of marriage rights in several states, to the passing of a federal hate crimes prevention act, the past several years have been a time of unprecedented progress for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans.
Expert panel calls for new research approach to prevent youth violence
Most research into youth violence has sought to understand the risk factors that increase the likelihood of violence. Now, a federal panel has called for a new research approach to identify the protective factors that would reduce the likelihood that violence will happen. Grounded in the tools and insights of public health, the approach calls for studies that can guide the development of prevention strategies to reduce or eliminate risk factors, and add or enhance protective factors. The findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Expert Panel on Protective Factors for Youth Violence are published in a supplement to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
New therapeutic target for prostate cancer identified
A small, naturally occurring nucleic acid sequence, called a microRNA, known to regulate a number of different cancers, appears to alter the activity of the androgen receptor, which plays a critical role in prostate cancer. Directly targeting microRNA-125b to block androgen receptor activity represents a novel approach for treating castrate-resistant prostate cancer. This promising new strategy for improving the effectiveness of anti-androgenic and other hormonal therapies is described in an article in BioResearch Open Access.
Poisoning from industrial compounds can cause similar effects to ALS
Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) at the University of Barcelona (UB) have coordinated a research into how the IDPN nitrile causes neurological syndromes similar to those of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a severe neuromuscular degenerative disease. The study, led by Jordi Llorens, has been recently published in Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology journal.
Penn expert addresses ethical implications of testing for Alzheimer's disease risk
Diagnostic tests are increasingly capable of identifying plaques and tangles present in Alzheimer's disease, yet the disease remains untreatable. Questions remain about how these tests can be used in research studies examining potential interventions to treat and prevent Alzheimer's disease. Experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania will today participate in a panel at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) discussing ways to ethically disclose and provide information about test results to asymptomatic older adults.
Unmet needs: Adolescents and young adult cancer patients lack psychological, social support
A cancer diagnosis for adolescents and young adults can be especially challenging, and new research shows the social, psychological and informational support these patients need might be going unmet.
Clemson researcher: Humanizing computer aids affects trust, dependence
Computerized aids that include person-like characteristics can influence trust and dependence among adults, according to a Clemson University researcher.
Revised geographic adjustments could improve accuracy of Medicare payments
Changing the way that Medicare payments are adjusted to account for regional variations in the cost of providing care as recommended by a previous report from the Institute of Medicine would result in payment increases for some hospitals and practitioners and decreases for others, concludes the Phase II report from the IOM study. Geographic adjustments should be used to ensure the accuracy of payments, said the committee that wrote the report, but they are not optimal tools to tackle larger national policy goals such as improving access to care in medically underserved areas.
Report focuses on sustainability of infectious disease surveillance
Just as the globalization of trade and travel is rapidly evolving, so is the globalization of infectious diseases and the need for cooperative approaches to detect, prevent and control them, according to Dr. David Dausey, chair of the Mercyhurst University Public Health Department.
Reporting of hospital infection rates and burden of C. difficile
A new study published today in PLoS Medicine re-evaluates the role of public reporting of hospital-acquired infection data.
Social entrepreneurship for sexual health
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Joseph Tucker from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA and colleagues lay out a social entrepreneurship for sexual health (SESH) approach that focuses on decentralized community delivery, multisectoral networks, and horizontal collaboration (business, technology, and academia).
Study uses novel incentive to encourage HIV patient care and treatment
In a new study by ICAP at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, researchers are assessing a novel approach to encourage newly diagnosed HIV positive people to seek care and adhere to HIV treatment. The unique study in the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) gives people who test HIV positive a coupon for a gift card to claim after they complete clinic visits and laboratory tests. Patients who adhere to HIV treatment regularly can decrease the amount of HIV in their blood, leading to viral suppression. Study participants who achieve viral suppression also receive gift cards as a reward and motivation for a maximum of four times a year.
Study shows that blood poisoning drug withdrawn by manufacturer may be effective after all
A controversial drug used to treat patients with severe sepsis (a whole-body inflammatory response often bought on by blood poisoning) withdrawn by manufacturer Eli Lilly in October 2011 due to concerns over its efficacy may offer some benefit to patients after all, according to a new systematic review of the evidence published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Open access journals reaching the same scientific impact as subscription journals
BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine adds scientific rigour to the debate about open access research, by publishing an article which compares the scientific impact of open access with traditional subscription publishing and has found that both of these publishing business models produce high quality peer reviewed articles.
Sodium buildup in brain linked to disability in multiple sclerosis
A buildup of sodium in the brain detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be a biomarker for the degeneration of nerve cells that occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
Large breasts can take mental, physical toll on teens
(HealthDay) -- For many teen girls, an overly large cup size may not be such a good thing, with many reporting serious discomfort both physically and emotionally because of their large breasts.
Playing several sports keeps kids slimmer: study
(HealthDay) -- Teens who play on three or more sports teams are much less likely to be overweight or obese than their peers who don't play a sport, new research finds.
Free light chains identified in chronic rhinosinusitis
(HealthDay) -- Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) have increased free light chain (FLC) concentrations, particularly those with CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), according to a study published online July 5 in Allergy.
Physical illness hospitalization found to increase suicide risk
(HealthDay) -- Hospitalization for physical illness more than doubles the risk of suicide, with approximately one-quarter of suicides attributable to physical illness, according to research published online July 9 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Using a pedometer ups leisure walking time for older adults
(HealthDay) -- Compared with time-based physical activity goals, using a pedometer to measure steps increases leisure walking time, even a year after the initial intervention, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
New research shows that coastal populations are healthier than those inland
A new study from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Exeter, has revealed that people living near the coast tend to have better health than those living inland.
Aspirin still first-line therapy for unstable angina/NSTEMI
(HealthDay) -- Aspirin is still the first line of therapy for patients with unstable angina or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ticagrelor can be used in place of clopidogrel or prasugrel instead of aspirin or as a second antiplatelet agent, according to a report from the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF)/American Heart Association (AHA) published online July 16 in Circulation.
Endurance training cuts lipid-induced insulin resistance
(HealthDay) -- Endurance training seems to lessen the effect of lipid-induced insulin resistance, specifically by preventing lipid-induced reduction in nonoxidative glucose disposal (NOGD), according to a study published online July 10 in Diabetes.
With drug-loaded nanogel, researchers attack cancerous tumors
(Medical Xpress) -- Yale University scientists have developed a new mechanism for attacking cancerous tumors that intensifies the body’s immune response while simultaneously weakening the tumor’s ability to resist it.
Research sheds new light on cells implicated in recurrent miscarriage
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Birmingham scientists have discovered that one of the body’s key immune cells remains active against the fetus during pregnancy, a finding that offers fresh understanding of the complex relationship between the mother and baby during pregnancy and offers insights to the potential causes of miscarriage and stillbirth among women.
Study finds using present verb tense can positively affect substance abuse
(Medical Xpress) -- The use of present versus the past tense in recalling an experience with binge drinking can positively influence behaviors, an important development in aiding the development of alcohol abuse messages.
Cell glue gives insights into cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- University of Queensland researchers have discovered an important step in how proteins glue cells together to form healthy tissues, a process that is often disturbed in diseases such as cancer and inflammation.
Improved survival for patients with chronic blood diseases
(Medical Xpress) -- New research from Karolinska Institutet shows that the survival for patients with chronic myeloproliferative diseases has improved in recent decades. This is despite the fact that no targeted drugs have yet been registered for this group of diseases. More than 9,000 patients have been included in a unique population-based study which has been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Could 'friendly' gut bacteria help fight heart disease?
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the University of Reading are looking at ways of tackling heart disease and diabetes - through our guts.
GPs' knowledge gap hinders uptake of long-term contraception
(Medical Xpress) -- General practitioners (GPs) lack the knowledge and ability to adequately provide long-term contraceptive care to women in their practices, according to new research.
Healthy eating key to girls' ability to learn
(Medical Xpress) -- Lower birth weight and poor childhood diet can lead to poor learning and behaviour in children, particularly girls, according to new research.
Bladder control an issue for young women
(Medical Xpress) -- Traditionally considered an older women’s condition, urinary incontinence (UI) affects one in eight healthy young women, causing depression in some, according to a new study.
Girls with eating disorders regain healthy fatty acid levels when their weight normalizes
A study of teenage girls with eating disorders has shown that reduced essential fatty acid levels returned to normal once the girls increased their weight to a healthy level.
"Kiddio" app may help parents get kids to eat more vegetables
(Medical Xpress) -- Parents who are perplexed by their preschooler's dislike of vegetables may find help in a science-based video game that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded scientists and their colleagues are creating for parents to play on smartphones.
Triggers study evaluates regular staff, ICU specialists
A system of care focused on the detection and systematic assessment of patients with clinical instability can yield similar outcomes as rapid response teams staffed with trained intensive care specialists, a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center study has found.
Genetic tests for Alzheimer's disease a comfort for the majority
Genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease can reduce anxiety for people, regardless of whether the test confirms a risk of developing the disease.
Study may explain how exercise improves heart function in diabetics
A detailed study of heart muscle function in mice has uncovered evidence to explain why exercise is beneficial for heart function in type 2 diabetes. The research team, led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, found that greater amounts of fatty acids used by the heart during stressful conditions like exercise can counteract the detrimental effects of excess glucose and improve the diabetic heart's pumping ability in several ways. The findings also shed light on the complex chain of events that lead to diabetic cardiomyopathy, a form of heart failure that is a life-threatening complication of type 2 diabetes.
Female money doesn't buy male happiness
Macho men whose partners earn more than they do have worse romantic relationships, in part because the difference in income is a strain for them, according to a new study by Patrick Coughlin and Jay Wade from Fordham University in the US. Conversely, men who are not so traditional in their masculinity do not place as much importance on the difference in income and, as a result, appear to have better quality relationships with their female partner. The work is published online in Springer's journal Sex Roles.
US regulators to decide on new weight loss drug
US regulators decide Tuesday on whether to approve the second new anti-obesity drug in 13 years, Qnexa, which studies have shown may help some people lose up to 10 percent of their body weight.
Physical health problems substantially increase use of mental health services, study shows
People who experience a physical health problem, from diabetes and back pain to cancer or heart disease, are three times more likely to seek mental health care than patients who report having no physical ailment, according to a new study by Oregon State University researchers.
Genetic link to rapid weight gain from antipsychotics discovered
Scientists have discovered two genetic variants associated with the substantial, rapid weight gain occurring in nearly half the patients treated with antipsychotic medications, according to two studies involving the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
Study: Children abused by parents face increased cancer risk
Frequent abuse by a parent can increase a child's cancer risk in adulthood, and the effects are especially significant when mothers abuse their daughters and fathers abuse their sons, according to new research from Purdue University.
Small study: Drug may help stabilize Alzheimer's
For the first time, researchers are reporting that a treatment might help stabilize Alzheimer's disease for as much as three years, although the evidence is weak and found in only four patients.
New health issues tied to low-level lead exposure
Despite dramatic progress in reducing Americans' exposure to lead over the past 25 years, a growing body of research finds that children and adults still face health risks from even very low levels of the toxic metal in their blood.
Widely prescribed multiple sclerosis treatment with interferon beta may not slow progression of disease: study
Researchers with the UBC Hospital MS Clinic and Brain Research Centre at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia have published important data in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) about the impact of a common drug therapy on the progression of multiple sclerosis for people with the relapsing‑remitting form of the disease.
Vitamin E may lower liver cancer risk
High consumption of vitamin E either from diet or vitamin supplements may lower the risk of liver cancer, according to a study published July 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Hospitals' stroke-care rankings change markedly when stroke severity is considered
As part of the Affordable Care Act, hospitals and medical centers are required to report their quality-of-care and risk-standardized outcomes for stroke and other common medical conditions. But reporting models for mortality that don't consider stroke severity may unfairly skew these results.
Treating chronic hepatitis C with milk thistle extract does not appear beneficial
Use of the botanical product silymarin, an extract of milk thistle that is commonly used by some patients with chronic liver disease, did not provide greater benefit than placebo for patients with treatment-resistant chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, according to a study in the July 18 issue of JAMA.
20-year quest ends as scientists pin down structure of elusive, heart-protective protein
It is a cellular component so scarce, some scientists even doubted its existence, and many others gave up searching for its molecular structure. Now a team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins has defined the protein structural composition of mitoKATP, a potassium channel in the mitochondria of the heart and other organs that is known to protect against tissue damage due to a heart attack or stroke. Importantly, the newly found channel strongly improves heart cell survival, demonstrating an essential life-saving role.
New way of mapping physicians provides valuable network science tool
A new way of mapping how physicians share patients provides opportunities for improving the quality of medical care and organizing the nature of care delivery, according to researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.
Mammography screening shows limited effect on breast cancer mortality in Sweden
Breast cancer mortality statistics in Sweden are consistent with studies that have reported that screening has limited or no impact on breast cancer mortality among women aged 40-69, according to a study published July 17 in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute.
Physicians' focus on risks for stroke and dementia saved lives, money
Fewer people died or needed expensive long-term care when their physicians focused on the top risk factors for stroke and dementia, according to research reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA).
Memantine drug shown to improve memory in those with Down syndrome
Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found a drug that boosts memory function in those with Down syndrome, a major milestone in the treatment of this genetic disorder that could significantly improve quality of life.
Source of Haiti cholera bug goes under microscope
(AP) — The death rate from the Haiti cholera epidemic that has killed more than 7,000 people over the past two years has finally ebbed, but the debate about the source of the disease has only grown more heated.
New drug approved for colonoscopy preparation
(HealthDay) -- Prepopik (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide and citric acid) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adults preparing for a colonoscopy, a diagnostic procedure to inspect the colon's inner lining.
Missed sleep may contribute to asthma morbidity
(HealthDay) -- Missed sleep may contribute to asthma morbidity in urban children, according to a study published in the July issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Prevalence of gout increases with increasing BMI
(HealthDay) -- Having an increased body mass index (BMI) correlates with increased prevalence of gout in adults, according to study published online July 6 in Arthritis Care & Research.
U.S. doctors embracing electronic health records: survey
(HealthDay) -- A majority of U.S. physicians have now adopted an electronic health record system as part of their routine practice, a new national survey reveals.
FDA bans BPA from baby bottles, sippy cups
(HealthDay) -- The controversial plastics chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is now banned for use in baby bottles and sippy cups, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.
Induction chemo beneficial in locally advanced pancreatic CA
(HealthDay) -- For most patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC), induction with a combination of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is feasible, resulting in clinical benefit, a chance of resectability, and improved survival, according to a study published online July 6 in Cancer.
Obesity plus low vitamin D may add up to a greater risk of diabetes
The combination of obesity and vitamin D deficiency may put people at even greater risk of insulin resistance than either factor alone, according to new research from the Drexel University School of Public Health recently published early online in the journal Diabetes Care. Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects 25.6 million adults and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Marijuana use more than doubles risk of premature birth
A large international study led by University of Adelaide researchers has found that women who use marijuana can more than double the risk of giving birth to a baby prematurely.
Modified tPA could be effective stroke treatment without bleeding risk
Even when its clot-dissolving powers are removed, the stroke drug tPA can still protect brain cells from the loss of oxygen and glucose induced by a stroke, researchers have discovered.
Stress fuels breast cancer metastasis to bone
Stress can promote breast cancer cell colonization of bone, Vanderbilt Center for Bone Biology investigators have discovered.
Trials involving switching HIV drugs may not be beneficial to participants
A increasingly used type of HIV study which involves switching patients on one type of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to another, to see whether the new drug is as good as the at preventing replication of the HIV virus, may be unethical, according to a new Essay published in this week's PLoS Medicine. The studies, termed non-inferiority trials, are only ethical if participants can meaningfully benefit from the treatment change and are more likely to benefit than suffer harm, according to Andrew Carr from the HIV unit in St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, Jennifer Hoy from the infectious diseases unit in Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and Anton Pozniak from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, UK. The authors argue in their essay that such trials are not in the best interests of patients, especially as often, these trials have inadequate numbers to assess the key expected benefit and reports all outcomes.
Mothers who give birth to large infants at increased risk for breast cancer
Delivering a high-birth-weight infant more than doubles a woman's breast cancer risk, according to research from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The researchers suggest that having a large infant is associated with a hormonal environment during pregnancy that favors future breast cancer development and progression.
A nursing program shows promise for reducing deaths from chronic illnesses
A community-based nursing program delivered in collaboration with existing health care services is more effective in reducing the number of older people dying from chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, than usual care according to a study by US researchers published in this week's PLoS Medicine.
A 'Kit' for increasing insulin production
Scientists from Western University in London, Canada and the Children's Health Research Institute, an Institute within the Lawson Health Research Institute, have identified the critical role of a receptor called c-Kit in the development and function of insulin-producing beta cells, making it an exciting therapeutic target for the management of diabetes.
Exposure to sexual content in popular movies predicts sexual behavior in adolescence
Intuitively it simply makes sense: exposure to sexual content in movies at an early age probably influences adolescents' sexual behavior. And yet, even though a great deal of research has shown that adolescents who watch more risky behaviors in popular movies, like drinking or smoking, are more likely to drink and smoke themselves, surprisingly little research has examined whether movies influence adolescents' sexual behaviors.
New roadmap suggests proven routes to ending health disparities
Major disparities exist along racial and ethnic lines in the United States for various medical conditions, but guidance is scarce about how to reduce these gaps. Now, a new "roadmap" has been unveiled to give organizations expert guidance on how to improve health equity in their own patient populations.
Researchers link Kawasaki Disease in childhood with increased risk of adult heart disease
Cedars-Sinai researchers have linked Kawasaki Disease, a serious childhood illness that causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, with early-onset and accelerated atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease in adults.
Study shows how aging impairs immune response
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have uncovered one of the mechanisms by which aging may compromise the ability of the immune system to fight infections and respond to vaccines. The study, conducted in aging mice, shows that administering antioxidants may help reverse this loss of immune function. The findings were published online this month in the journal Cell Reports.
Experimental drug may extend therapeutic window for stroke
A team led by a physician-scientist at the University of Southern California (USC) has created an experimental drug that reduces brain damage and improves motor skills among stroke-afflicted rodents when given with federally approved clot-busting therapy.
Package inserts overstate diagnostic TB tests' accuracy
Clinicians and laboratory professionals often rely on manufacturers' package inserts to assess the accuracy of diagnostic medical tests. However, package inserts frequently greatly overstate such tests' accuracy, according to a case study of package inserts for tuberculosis (TB), which is published in the July 2012 Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
Use of surgical robots booming despite hefty cost
Dr. John Lenihan sits at a computer console about 20 feet from his hysterectomy patient lying on the operating table.
Exercise can shield the aging brain, studies show
(HealthDay) -- Evidence is mounting that exercise provides some protection from memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, with three new studies showing that a variety of physical activities are associated with healthier brains in older adults.
Plastics chemical in dental fillings might affect children's behavior: study
(HealthDay) -- Children who receive dental fillings made from the controversial plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) could undergo small but long-term changes in their behavior, a new study suggests.
Scientists discover key pathway for development of insulin-producing cells
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a molecular signaling pathway that drives the growth and maturation of young human beta cells — the insulin-producing cell type in the pancreas that malfunctions in diabetes — in mice and humans.
Synthesized compound flushes out latent HIV
(Medical Xpress) -- A new collection of compounds, called "bryologs" – derived from a tiny marine organism – activate hidden reservoirs of the virus that currently make the disease nearly impossible to eradicate.
Study reveals brain functions during visual searches
(Medical Xpress) -- You're headed out the door and you realize you don't have your car keys. After a few minutes of rifling through pockets, checking the seat cushions and scanning the coffee table, you find the familiar key ring and off you go. Easy enough, right? What you might not know is that the task that took you a couple seconds to complete is a task that computers — despite decades of advancement and intricate calculations — still can't perform as efficiently as humans: the visual search.
Researchers link two biological risk factors for schizophrenia
(Medical Xpress) -- Johns Hopkins researchers say they have discovered a cause-and-effect relationship between two well-established biological risk factors for schizophrenia previously believed to be independent of one another.
Sharing synchronized events helps us feel closer to strangers
(Medical Xpress) -- Psychologists at Royal Holloway, University of London have discovered that sharing a synchronized experience with another person may change the perception we have of ourselves and make strangers appear more familiar and similar to ourselves.
Infants' recognition of speech more sophisticated than previously known, researchers find
The ability of infants to recognize speech is more sophisticated than previously known, researchers in New York University's Department of Psychology have found. Their study, which appears in the journal Developmental Psychology, showed that infants, as early as nine months old, could make distinctions between speech and non-speech sounds in both humans and animals.
Musical glove improves sensation, mobility for people with spinal cord injury
Georgia Tech researchers have created a wireless, musical glove that may improve sensation and motor skills for people with paralyzing spinal cord injury (SCI).
Nanoscale scaffolds and stem cells show promise in cartilage repair
Johns Hopkins tissue engineers have used tiny, artificial fiber scaffolds thousands of times smaller than a human hair to help coax stem cells into developing into cartilage, the shock-absorbing lining of elbows and knees that often wears thin from injury or age. Reporting online June 4 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, investigators produce an important component of cartilage in both laboratory and animal models. While the findings are still years away from use in people, the researchers say the results hold promise for devising new techniques to help the millions who endure joint pain.
Researchers find evidence of link between immune irregularities and autism
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) pioneered the study of the link between irregularities in the immune system and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism a decade ago. Since then, studies of postmortem brains and of individuals with autism, as well as epidemiological studies, have supported the correlation between alterations in the immune system and autism spectrum disorder.
Biology news
281 rhinos killed by poachers in S. Africa this year
Poachers in South Africa have killed 281 rhinos so far this year, with the world-famous Kruger National Park accounting for over half the killings, authorities said Tuesday.
S. Korea dumps whaling plan: report
South Korea has decided to scrap its fiercely criticised plan to resume "scientific" whaling, apparently because of international pressure, a report said Tuesday.
UN agency warns of growing locust threat in Mali
The UN food agency on Tuesday warned the unrest in northern Mali means that efforts to contain the threat of desert locusts are being hampered and appealed for $10 million (8.1 million euros) in aid.
Helping pigs to digest phosphorus
Phosphorus is a vital nutrient for pig growth, but pigs do not always digest it well. Research conducted at the University of Illinois has determined how adding various levels of the enzyme phytase to the diet improves how pigs digest the phosphorus in four different feed ingredients. Improving phosphorus digestibility has positive implications for producers' bottom lines as well as for the environment.
Stem cell research aids understanding of cancer
(Phys.org) -- An international team of researchers led by renowned stem cell scientist Professor Martin Pera has discovered a novel marker that plays an important role in our understanding of how cancer develops in the liver, pancreas and oesophagus.
Indonesia's 'unique' whale sharks get pet tags
The "unique habit" of whale sharks that converge to feed from fishing nets in Indonesia has allowed them to be tagged with low-cost technology usually used on pets, conservationists said Tuesday.
Nepal snow leopard threatened by climate change
Nepal's elusive snow leopards, thought to number just 500 in the wild, are under threat from warmer and wetter weather in the Himalayas that is reducing their habitat, a new study says.
First snow leopards collared in Afghanistan
Two snow leopards were captured, fitted with satellite collars, and released for the first time in Afghanistan by a team of Wildlife Conservation Society conservationists and Afghan veterinarians conducting research during a recent expedition.
Oldest reproductive orangutan celebrates 50th birthday
A Sumatran orangutan believed to be the oldest reproductive specimen in captivity celebrated his 50th birthday Tuesday at a zoo in western France.
Studies dispel claims of 'shadow biosphere' on Earth
A few scientists have argued that descendants of an alternative origin of life may still lurk in a "shadow biosphere" somewhere here on Earth. It's an intriguing idea, but the search for the shadow inhabitants is becoming the Bigfoot hunt of microbiology.
Research team finds zebra finches learn to vocalize in ways similar to humans
(Phys.org) -- In the quest to better understand how people learn to communicate, researchers have focused on different parts of the brain. In so doing, they’ve discovered two parts in particular that are involved in language processing and speech vocalization: Wernicke’s and Broca’s area respectively. Now new research shows that a type of songbird, the zebra finch, has analogous regions in its brain. The first called the NCM appears to be involved in processing the songs of its father when young, while the HVC is involved in song vocalization in finches of all ages.
Glyphosate-resistant 'superweeds' may be less susceptible to diseases
(Phys.org) -- Scientists searching for clues to understand how superweeds obtain resistance to the popular herbicide glyphosate may have been missing a critical piece of information, a Purdue University study shows.
Refining the tool kit for sustainable fisheries
As spatial planning is used increasingly to manage fisheries and other ocean resources, researchers are working to determine the best ways to use and refine the various spatial management tools. Among them are marine protected areas (MPAs), one of the most common methods, which limit or entirely curtail fishing in a given area.
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