Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 24, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Early universe may have been dominated by bobbing waves- Wheel hub motor concept drives hybrid progress at MTSU
- Social networking pays off more in the US than Germany
- A new route for tackling treatment-resistant prostate cancer
- Satellites see unprecedented Greenland ice sheet surface melt
- GPS can now measure ice melt, change in Greenland over months rather than years
- Scientists use microbes to make 'clean' methane
- Apple wants billions from Samsung in patent fight
- Homogeneous catalysis: ruthenium phosphine complex hydrogenates carbon dioxide to make methanol
- How a common fungus knows when to attack
- Pulling CO2 from air vital, but lower-cost technology a stumbling block so far: researchers
- Sun-powered plane on final leg of intercontinental flight
- Tropical plankton invade Arctic waters
- Hitting back at 'wiretapping' parasite
- New drug could treat Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and brain injury
Space & Earth news
Shaking the foundations of earthquake hazard prediction
European research into earthquakes of low seismicity is being incorporated into models that are more appropriate for Europe. To date, hazard assessment has been based on data from strong earthquakes.
Adding iron to the sea could combat climate change
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that adding iron to the sea could alleviate the impact of climate change.
Image: A storm of comets around star Eta Corvi
(Phys.org) -- This artist's conception illustrates a storm of comets around a star near our own, called Eta Corvi. Evidence for this barrage comes from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, whose infrared detectors picked up indications that comets were recently torn to shreds after colliding with a rocky body. In this artist's conception, one such giant comet is shown smashing into a rocky planet, flinging ice- and carbon-rich dust into space, while also smashing water and organics into the surface of the planet. A glowing red flash captures the moment of impact on the planet. Yellow-white Eta Corvi is shown to the left, with still more comets streaming toward it.
Research into oaks helps us understand climate change
Jeanne Romero-Severson, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, and her collaborators, are tracking the evolution of the live oaks of eastern North America, seeking to understand how the trees adapted to climate change during glacial periods.
Shrinking glaciers: A chronology of climate change (w/ Video)
During the last ice age, glaciers dominated New Zealand’s Southern Alps until warming temperatures some 20,000 years ago sent them into retreat. Scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, with their colleagues, are investigating the rocky remnants these glaciers left behind to learn precisely when the ice withdrew, and what glacier retreats globally can tell us about the climate system.
Portable device detects soil contamination
(Phys.org) -- The RemScan device uses an infrared signal to directly measure petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. The user simply pulls the trigger for a result in 15 seconds. The traditional method for measuring petroleum contamination involves sending soil samples to a laboratory and waiting several days for the results.
Seven countries join anti-soot and methane campaign
A coalition of countries and agencies seeking to curb Earth-warming pollutants like soot released by wood-fired ovens and methane from oil extraction, on Tuesday welcomed seven new members to its fold.
Mega-telescope breathes new life into South African outback
The sleepy South African town of Carnarvon has more churches than ATMs, but science is breathing new life into the far-flung farming centre.
Super telescope aims to inspire future S. African scientists
Excitement surges through a school hall set in the vast South African outback as rows of children roar "S-K-A" on a chilly winter morning.
Accretion around a young star
(Phys.org) -- The star TW Hydrae is located about 150 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation of Hydrae, the Water Snake. This star is relatively young, about 10 million years old, and has passed out of its infancy but is not yet mature. Astronomers are trying to understand the processes at work in stars at this stage in their lives because, for example, during this period planets might be developing from disks around the stars. The nature of the star's corona, the very hot (over a million degrees centigrade) extended gaseous outer atmosphere, is one such process. TW Hydrae provides a valuable example for two reasons: It is relatively close by and therefore bright, and it is rotating with its pole pointed nearly directly towards Earth, enabling scientists to view the star's polar region nearly face on.
The longest continuous view of Earth from space hits 40
(Phys.org) -- NASA and the Interior Department Monday marked the 40th anniversary of the Landsat program, the world's longest-running Earth-observing satellite program. The first Landsat satellite was launched July 23, 1972, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Washington's forests will lose stored carbon as area burned by wildfire increases
Forests in the Pacific Northwest store more carbon than any other region in the United States, but our warming climate may undermine their storage potential.
The Sun has a great idea
(Phys.org) -- A light bulb-shaped eruption leaps from the Sun and blasts into space in this archival image from the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, SOHO. SOHO captured the scene on 27 February 2000, watching as a large filament rose from the Sun’s broiling atmosphere and evolved into the coronal mass ejection loop seen here.
Reducing traffic at 2008 Olympics yielded large cut in CO2
China's Olympian attempt to improve air quality during the 2008 summer games did more than provide a healthier atmosphere for the athletes. It also demonstrated that widespread changes in transportation patterns could greatly reduce the threat of climate change.
More gold -- and other minerals -- in them thar hills?
Though technology has taken much of the guesswork out of mining, mountain ranges are still notoriously difficult environments in which to hunt for valuable minerals. Various methods used to draw a picture of the underground environment, including the measurement of gravitational and magnetic fields, are easily thrown off by factors such as changes in topography height, surrounding temperature, and barometric pressure.
NASA's sighting of hot towers indicated Typhoon Vicente's rapid intensification
Rapid intensification of tropical cyclones is still somewhat of a mystery to forecasters, but one marker that NASA scientists confirmed is when "hot towers" appear within a tropical cyclone as they did in Typhoon Vicente before it exploded in strength on July 23. Vicente made landfall in southern China on July 23.
Russian cargo ship fails to dock at ISS: NASA
The Russian cargo ship Progress has failed to successfully dock with the International Space Station (ISS) during tests designed to facilitate future link-ups, the US and Russian space agencies said Tuesday.
NASA researchers looking to take additive manufacturing into space
(Phys.org) -- Over the past several years, additive manufacturing has become the golden child of process engineering. This is because it allows parts to be made faster, more cheaply and in some cases to be made at all. Now space engineers are looking at additive processing technology as a means for allowing astronauts on extended missions to build their own replacement parts during their trek, rather than relying on carrying tons of spare parts with them.
A pulsar with a tremendous hiccup
(Phys.org) -- Pulsars are superlative cosmic beacons. These compact neutron stars rotate about their axes many times per second, emitting radio waves and gamma radiation into space. Using ingenious data analysis methods, researchers from the Max Planck Institutes for Gravitational Physics and for Radio Astronomy, in an international collaboration, dug a very special gamma-ray pulsar out of data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The pulsar J1838-0537 is radio-quiet, very young, and, during the observation period, experienced the strongest rotation glitch ever observed for a gamma-ray-only pulsar.
Study shows economic feasibility for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air
With a series of papers published in chemistry and chemical engineering journals, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have advanced the case for extracting carbon dioxide directly from the air using newly-developed adsorbent materials.
Satellites see unprecedented Greenland ice sheet surface melt
For several days this month, Greenland's surface ice cover melted over a larger area than at any time in more than 30 years of satellite observations. Nearly the entire ice cover of Greenland, from its thin, low-lying coastal edges to its 2-mile-thick center, experienced some degree of melting at its surface, according to measurements from three independent satellites analyzed by NASA and university scientists.
GPS can now measure ice melt, change in Greenland over months rather than years
Researchers have found a way to use GPS to measure short-term changes in the rate of ice loss on Greenland – and reveal a surprising link between the ice and the atmosphere above it.
Pulling CO2 from air vital, but lower-cost technology a stumbling block so far: researchers
Emerging techniques to pull carbon dioxide from the air and store it away to stabilize the climate may become increasingly important as the planet tips into a state of potentially dangerous warming, researchers from Columbia University's Earth Institute argue in a paper out this week.
Tropical plankton invade Arctic waters
For the first time, scientists have identified tropical and subtropical species of marine protozoa living in the Arctic Ocean. Apparently, they traveled thousands of miles on Atlantic currents and ended up above Norway with an unusual—but naturally cyclic—pulse of warm water, not as a direct result of overall warming climate, say the researchers. On the other hand: arctic waters are warming rapidly, and such pulses are predicted to grow as global climate change causes shifts in long-distance currents. Thus, colleagues wonder if the exotic creatures offers a preview of climate-induced changes already overtaking the oceans and land, causing redistributions of species and shifts in ecology. The study, by a team from the United States, Norway and Russia, was just published in the British Journal of Micropalaeontology.
Technology news
Megaupload boss raps Obama in musical protest
Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom has launched an online song attacking US President Barack Obama and urging supporters not to vote for the US leader, who he accuses of trampling on Internet freedom.
Lillian Lee: Computers not yet able to understand human speech
Perhaps Hal from "2001: A Space Odyssey" may not have been wrong when he said: "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that." Machines -- even Apple's Siri -- cannot yet completely understand our natural language, a Cornell researcher says.
Marvell, Wilocity working on 60GHz 802.11ad wireless chipsets
Marvell and Wilocity today announced a new initiative to bring tri-band Wi-Fi solutions enabled with 802.11ad to market. Marvell has chosen Wilocity, the leading developer of 60 GHz multi-gigabit wireless chipsets, to accelerate Marvell’s deployment of WiGig-compliant wireless platforms for computing, networking infrastructure and consumer electronics.
Team of students and faculty designs product to increase childhood immunization rates in developing countries
A multidisciplinary team of students and faculty members has been recognized with an international design award for their development of a smart phone application that makes it easier for children in developing countries to receive life-saving vaccinations.
Social media buzzing with Olympic ceremony 'secrets'
Social media was buzzing Tuesday with leaks from a rehearsal of the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, despite director Danny Boyle's plea for spectators to "save the surprise".
China seeks N. American energy reserves, know-how
(AP) — Offshore Chinese energy giant CNOOC's $15 billion offer for Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen Inc. is strategically calibrated to win regulatory approval — unlike its failed 2005 attempt to buy Unocal.
Iran seeks to work with Facebook against porn
(AP) — A semi-official Iranian news agency says police hope to work with Facebook to fight cyber-crimes and pornography — a turnabout in Tehran's stance toward the social networking giant that it previously banned after activists used it as an organizing tool.
Boston Globe cuts jobs in newsroom, elsewhere
The Boston Globe has offered buyouts to 43 employees, including 20 in the newsroom, in the face of "challenging times for our industry."
SAP says earnings up 18% in second quarter
German software giant SAP said Tuesday that bottom-line profits grew sharply in the second quarter of this year as software sales topped record levels.
India's Wipro Q1 net profit up 18%, sees weak outlook
India's third-largest software firm Wipro on Tuesday said net profit climbed 18 percent in the fiscal first quarter but said the global outlook remained uncertain after it gave a muted revenue outlook.
Computer hackers and defenders mix in Las Vegas
Rival factions from the Internet security world will mix warily this week at a pair of Las Vegas conferences gathering computer security experts and software savants who make sport of hacking them.
Engineers are designing, building mechanical ray (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Batoid rays, such as stingrays and manta rays, are among nature's most elegant swimmers. They are fast, highly maneuverable, graceful, energy-efficient, can cruise, bird-like, for long distances in the deep, open ocean, and rest on the sea bottom.
Apple, Samsung deadlocked in tablet patent battle
US electronics giant Apple and South Korea's Samsung Electronics each scored partial court victories in Germany Tuesday in their global war over rival tablet computers.
EU regulators suspect worldwide cartel in CD, DVD drives
The European Commission on Tuesday said it had sent a "statement of objections" to 13 firms suspected of taking part in a cartel for optical disk drives, used to read or write data on CDs and DVDs.
Identifying trending stories on Twitter and optimal temperature for data center computers
Papers on how best to identify trending stories on Twitter and on just how cool computers in data centers need to be kept has won accolades for faculty and students from UTSC's Department of Computer & Mathematical Sciences.
Researchers transform machine to make runways safer
Clemson researchers redesigned and modified a mobile drill press to retrofit a section of a runway that halts overrun aircraft, ultimately minimizing aircraft damage and passenger injury.
Tablets to push US electronic sales above $200 bn
US consumer electronic sales are expected to top $200 billion for the first time this year, propelled by strong growth in tablet computers, an industry group said Tuesday
EU hails Google's proposals in antitrust probe
The EU hailed on Tuesday proposals that Google has made after regulators launched an anti-trust probe into whether the Internet search giant had abused its dominant market position.
'Control-Alt-Hack' game lets players try their hand at computer security
Do you have what it takes to be an ethical hacker? Can you step into the shoes of a professional paid to outsmart supposedly locked-down systems? Now you can at least try, no matter what your background, with a new card game developed by University of Washington computer scientists.
'Spoofed' GPS signals can be countered, researchers show
(Phys.org) -- From cars to commercial airplanes to military drones, global positioning system (GPS) technology is everywhere -- and Cornell researchers have known for years that it can be hacked, or as they call it, "spoofed." The best defense, they say, is to create countermeasures that unscrupulous GPS spoofers can't deceive.
Apple wants billions from Samsung in patent fight
Apple told a US court Tuesday it will seek damages of more than $2.5 billion from Samsung in a patent infringement case accusing the South Korean firm of copying the iPhone and iPad maker.
Sun-powered plane on final leg of intercontinental flight
The Swiss sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse took off from southwestern France Tuesday on the final leg of its first intercontinental trip that took it from Europe to North Africa and back.
Apple profit jumps to $8.8 bn, but below forecasts
Apple on Tuesday reported a rise in its quarterly profit to $8.8 billion on hot iPad sales but the results came up short of lofty Wall Street expectations, prompting its shares to dive.
Wheel hub motor concept drives hybrid progress at MTSU
(Phys.org) -- When news broke in 2009 that a former IBM engineer had devised a kit that turns any car into a plug-in hybrid for between $3,000 and $5,000, those interested in going-green technologies took notice and hoped it was more than just a concept. This month, Dr. Charles Perry and his team at Middle Tennessee State University, where he is now a professor, have something to show for the work that has been under way since 2008. Earlier this week, a school news release announced that Perry and team saw gas mileage increase anywhere from 50 to 100 percent on a 1994 Honda station wagon retrofitted with their laboratory prototype plug-in hybrid capability. This is a wheel-hub motor, plug in hybrid kit.
Medicine & Health news
Public hearing set on proposed NY sugary drink ban
(AP) — Whether they think Mayor Michael Bloomberg is combating obesity or infringing on their rights, New Yorkers are scheduled to have their say on a proposed ban on large sugary drinks served at restaurants, movie theaters and other eateries.
True cost of alcohol related ambulance call-outs revealed
New research has revealed the true cost of ambulance call-outs to deal with drink fuelled incidents. The study, by Newcastle University experts, working with the North East Ambulance service (NEAS) and the North East Alcohol Office (BALANCE) looked purely at the cost to the ambulance service and not at the total cost to the NHS. It found that in one year there were an estimated 31,000 emergency calls for drink related incidents in the North East, a total cost of £9m to local ambulance services. That means one in ten of call-outs were alcohol related.
'Disablism' could shape the future for young people with a disability
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study led by the University of Sydney hopes to shed light on how the experiences of young Australians with a disability are shaped by discrimination.
Yale researchers enroll first patient in study of heart-preserving molecule
(Medical Xpress) -- A 69-year-old man became the first patient enrolled and treated in an ongoing study at Yale School of Medicine of BB3, a molecule that promises to preserve heart muscle, promote healing and improve clinical outcomes in heart attack patients.
Male Ontario students show declines in fighting; females show elevated bullying and mental distress
An ongoing survey of Ontario students in grades 7 to 12 conducted for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows that while the majority of students have healthy relationships and report overall good mental and physical health, some negative trends, especially among girls, have raised concerns.
Thailand confirms death from raging child virus
(AP) — Thailand has confirmed its first fatality this year from a virus that has killed hundreds of children across Asia.
New vision therapy for stroke victims
(Medical Xpress) -- Research and development by Flinders University’s Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) has resulted in a new touch screen therapy and assessment product for Adelaide-based vision rehabilitation company Neuro Vision Technology (NVT) Systems.
Greater availability of neurosurgeons could reduce risk of death from motor vehicle accidents
Researchers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire have found an association between increasing the distribution of neurosurgeons throughout the United States and decreasing the risk of death from motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). The findings of their study are described in the article "Increased population density of neurosurgeons associated with decreased risk of death from MVAs in the United States. Clinical article," by Atman Desai, M.D., and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
ESC says 50 percent of CVD deaths in Europe could be avoided with proper regulation
Up to 50% of deaths from cardiovascular disease in Europe could be avoided by implementing population level changes such as taxation and regulation of advertising. Population level prevention will produce greater impacts on CVD than individualised approaches, according to the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation (EACPR) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Vanderbilt-led team to develop 'microbrain' to improve drug testing
Take a millionth of a human brain and squeeze it into a special chamber the size of a mustard seed. Link it to a second chamber filled with cerebral spinal fluid and thread both of them with artificial blood vessels in order to create a microenvironment that makes the neurons and other brain cells behave as if they were in a living brain. Then surround the chambers with a battery of sensors that monitor how the cells respond when exposed to minute quantities of dietary toxins, disease organisms or new drugs under development.
Internists say physician-led quality initiatives could be solution to Medicare payment problems
"Repeal of Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is essential, but repeal by itself will not move Medicare to better ways to deliver care," David L. Bronson, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP), today told the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. "We need to transition from a fundamentally broken physician payment system to one that is based on the value of services to patients, building on physician-led initiatives to improve outcomes and lower costs."
Colonoscopy screening markedly reduces colorectal cancer incidence and death
A study from researchers in Switzerland found that colonoscopy with polypectomy significantly reduces colorectal cancer incidence and colorectal cancer-related death in the general population. A total of 12 colorectal cancer cases were identified in the screening group of 1,912 patients and 213 cases of colorectal cancer were found in the non-screened group of 20,774 patients. One of the 12 persons of the screened individuals with a colorectal cancer and 51 of the 213 persons of the non-screened individuals with a colorectal cancer died because of their cancers. The study appears in the July issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Phase III trial of dapivirine ring begins in Africa: New HIV prevention approach for women
A large clinical trial testing the long-term safety and effectiveness of a new approach for preventing HIV in women – a vaginal ring used once a month – is now underway in Africa, researchers announced today at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012).
Man believed cured of AIDS says he's still cured
(AP) — The first person believed to have been cured of AIDS says reports he still has the HIV virus are false.
Pitt scientists developing universal flu vaccine in partnership with Sanofi Pasteur
(Medical Xpress) -- A vaccine strategy that protects against all strains of seasonal influenza and avoids the need for annual vaccination is the ultimate goal of a research collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and vaccine-maker Sanofi Pasteur.
Is Ovarian Cancer Linked to Ovulation?
(Medical Xpress) -- Could ovulation be the link to ovarian cancer? Joanna Burdette of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy thinks it might be, and she's working to find out.
New findings from South Africa survey show great progress: Nearly one million adults each month are tested for HIV
(Medical Xpress) -- The 3rd South African National HIV Communication Survey (NCS) results released today at the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C., revealed new data that show substantial increases in behaviors that reduce the risk of HIV: condom use, HIV counseling and testing, and voluntary medical male circumcision. The data also confirm that exposure to HIV communication programs have a direct impact on people practicing these behaviors.
Canada: Parkinson's guidelines set standard for care
(Medical Xpress) -- It’s been five years in the making but health-care workers across the country now have guidelines on how to diagnose and treat patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Two out of three very obese kids already have heart disease risk factors
Two out of three severely obese kids already have at least one risk factor for heart disease, suggests research published online in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
High dietary antioxidant intake might cut pancreatic cancer risk
Increasing dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamins C, E, and selenium could help cut the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to two thirds, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.
Hair loss drug shows long-term sexual side effects
(HealthDay) -- For men with finasteride-associated side effects, sexual dysfunction may persist for months or years, even after discontinuation of the drug, according to a study published online July 12 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Bortezomib ups response, survival in multiple myeloma
(HealthDay) -- For patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), induction treatment with a combination of bortezomib, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (PAD) followed by bortezomib maintenance therapy improves complete response (CR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) rates, according to a study published online July 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Diabetes risk for elderly couch potatoes in Australia
(Medical Xpress) -- Australians aged 60 and over spend more time watching TV than other adults and are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study from The University of Queensland has found.
MoleMate cancer tester 'less accurate' than doctors' eyes
(Medical Xpress) -- Differentiating melanomas from other pigmented skin lesions in primary care is challenging - but a device used by Australian and British doctors to determine whether a patient has a melanoma has been found to be less accurate than GPs using their eyes and judgment, according to a researcher at The University of Western Australia.
Kids who play interactive video games have better motor skills
(Medical Xpress) -- Deakin University health researchers have found pre-schoolers who play interactive video games, such as Wii, have better motor skills.
Chronic pain distorts sufferers' sense of space and time
Einstein’s famous theory of relativity proposed that matter can distort space and time. Now a new study recently published in the journal Neurology suggests that chronic pain can have the same effect.
Study looks at what happens when roommates, partners have different levels of tolerance for housework left undone
(Medical Xpress) -- One area that can contribute to relational satisfaction between romantic partners or roommates can be division of household labor. Studies have shown that women traditionally do more in the household.
New proteins inhibit HIV infection in cell cultures
(Medical Xpress) -- Yale Cancer Center scientists have developed a new class of proteins that inhibit HIV infection in cell cultures and may open the way to new strategies for treating and preventing infection by the virus that causes AIDS. The findings appear in the online edition of the Journal of Virology.
Middle-aged hit by surge of potentially fatal skin cancer
British men and women in their 50s have seen cases of malignant melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer - soar from fewer than 500 each year to almost 2,000* since the end of the 1970s, new figures from Cancer Research UK show today.
Fine tuning cardiac ablation could lead to quicker results for patients with arrhythmias
University of Michigan heart researchers are shedding light on a safer method for steadying an abnormal heart rhythm that prevents collateral damage to healthy cells.
First study into the effects of MDMA on the resting brain
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from UCL and Imperial College London are carrying out a neuroscience study to examine for the first time how the resting brain responds to MDMA, the pure form of the Class A drug ecstasy. The study is funded by Channel 4, and recorded footage of it will be shown on two new science programs this autumn, ‘Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial’, alongside a live studio debate to explore issues linked with MDMA.
Giving phobias a rest: Research suggests key role for sleep in treating anxiety, stress
Exposure therapy for irrational fear of spiders seems to be more effective if it is followed by sleep, according to a recent study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. The results have implications for treatment of phobias, social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychotherapy for fear, the research suggests, should be coupled with healthy sleep. Our brains seem to use sleep, perhaps REM sleep specifically, to lay down new emotional memories.
Study supports longer scope intervals post-polypectomy
(HealthDay) -- For individuals who have had at least one adenoma removed at colonoscopy, the risk of developing colorectal cancer is greatly reduced up to five years later, according to a study published online June 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Survey finds big drop in sexual activity among black teens
(HealthDay) -- Black teenagers in the United States have become much less sexually active over the past two decades, and those who do have sex appear to be more likely to use condoms, a new survey has found.
More than a third of births 'unintended': CDC
(HealthDay) -- More than a third of births in the United States stem from unintended pregnancies, a number that's remained steady in the United States from 1982 to 2010, a new government report indicates.
SEARCH study shows 1-year drop in HIV virus levels in rural Ugandan parish after campaign
Population-wide levels of HIV virus dropped substantially between 2011 and May 2012 in a rural part of southwestern Uganda, the site of two community health campaigns led by doctors at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Blood sugar diabetes risk for South Asians
A new diabetes study at the University of Leicester has discovered that South Asians (people of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lanka origin) have higher levels of blood sugar than white Europeans independent of risk factors that influence sugar levels.
Classifying neural circuit dysfunctions using neuroeconomics
The traditional approach to psychiatric diagnosis is based on grouping patients on the basis of symptom clusters. This approach to diagnosis has a number of problems, as symptoms are not necessarily specific to a single diagnosis. Symptoms may vary among patients with a particular diagnosis, and there are no clear diagnostic biomarkers or tests for psychiatry as there are for other areas of medicine.
AIDS cure may have two main pathways: experts (Update)
Investigators are looking into two main paths toward a cure for AIDS, based on the stunning stories of a small group of people around the world who have been able to overcome the disease.
Recent research uncovers tick bite as the cause for a delayed allergic reaction to red meat
If you are a steak lover, enjoy your meat while you can. An article by Susan Wolver, MD, and Diane Sun, MD, from Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, and colleagues, explains why if you have been bitten by a tick, you may develop an allergy to red meat. Their article elucidates this connection and discusses the journey of the discovery. Their work appears online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Team develops better understanding of memory retrieval between children and adults
Neuroscientists from Wayne State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are taking a deeper look into how the brain mechanisms for memory retrieval differ between adults and children. While the memory systems are the same in many ways, the researchers have learned that crucial functions with relevance to learning and education differ. The team's findings were published on July 17, 2012, in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults: study
For older adults, loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems — such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's — and death. Attempts to diminish loneliness with social networking programs like creating community centers to encourage new relationships have not been effective.
New angioplasty procedure improves blood flow in blocked arteries to extremities
Patients with blocked arteries to their extremities, known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) or critical limb ischemia (CLI), may now find relief from lower leg pain and wounds caused by impaired leg artery circulation with the previously unproven therapy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). The XCELL trial results now available in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), reports that infrapopliteal nitinol stenting to treat CLI is safe and effective in improving wound healing, providing pain relief, and promoting amputation-free survival.
Sports guidelines for long QT syndrome patients may be too strict, study finds
Participation in competitive sports by people with long QT syndrome -- a genetic abnormality in the heart's electrical system -- has been a matter of debate among physicians. Current guidelines disqualify most LQTS patients from almost every sport. In a first-of-its-kind study, Mayo Clinic's LQTS Clinic recently examined its own experience, determining the outcome of LQTS patients who chose to remain athletes against guideline recommendations. The study is published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers find driver of breast cancer stem cell metastasis
The finding involves the cancer gene RhoC, which has previously been shown to promote metastasis of many types of cancer. RhoC levels increase as breast cancer progresses and high levels of RhoC are associated with worse patient survival.
Role of annual well-woman assessment reviewed
(HealthDay) -- For women, an annual assessment is an important part of medical care and should include screening, evaluation, and counseling, according to a Committee Opinion published online July 23 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Tudorza pressair approved for COPD
(HealthDay) -- The Tudorza Pressair (aclidinium bromide) inhaler has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat narrowing of the lung airways associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in people 18 and older.
Diets high in salt could deplete calcium in the body: research
The scientific community has always wanted to know why people who eat high-salt diets are prone to developing medical problems such as kidney stones and osteoporosis.
To understand childhood obesity, researchers look to inactive, fat rats
Childhood obesity has nearly tripled in the past three decades, and by 2009, 17 percent of those 2-19 years of age were classified as obese. If actions against childhood obesity do not take place it is likely that today's children could be the first generation in over a century to experience a decline in life expectancy due to the epidemic of childhood obesity which leads to complications in later life. While little is known about how inactivity and obesity lead to undesirable side effects such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers, scientists at the University of Missouri in Columbia have reviewed dozens of studies that look at childhood obesity using new animal models. The scientists suggest that the models could be key to better understanding the condition and its complex relationship to certain diseases.
Researchers study knee stress at tissue, cellular levels
A Cleveland Clinic research team is developing virtual models of human knee joints to better understand how tissues and their individual cells react to heavy loads – virtual models that someday can be used to understand damage mechanisms caused by the aging process or by debilitating diseases, such as osteoarthritis.
Under the right conditions, peptide blocks HIV infection at multiple points along the way
Human defensins, aptly named antimicrobial peptides, are made in immune system cells and epithelial cells (such as skin cells and cells that line the gut). One of these peptides, human neutrophil peptide 1, under certain circumstances hinders HIV infection, but exactly how it works remains unclear.
New probe provides vital assist in brain cancer surgery
A new probe developed collaboratively at Norris Cotton Cancer Center and Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering uses an innovative fluorescence-reading technology to help brain surgeons distinguish cancerous tissue from normal tissue. The probe tool, now already in use at the Cancer Center for brain surgery, may one day be used for surgeries for a variety of cancers.
Human papillomavirus types do not replace others after large-scale vaccination
Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) are now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for both teenage boys and girls. The vaccine protects against the two most common types of the virus that cause cervical cancer: HPV 16 and 18. Is there a chance that the increased number of people vaccinated might result in an increase of other types of HPV that cause cancer?
How chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases risk of lung cancer
In addition to the well-known risk factor of smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases lung cancer risk.
Yoga reduces stress; now it's known why
Six months ago, researchers at UCLA published a study that showed using a specific type of yoga to engage in a brief, simple daily meditation reduced the stress levels of people who care for those stricken by Alzheimer's and dementia. Now they know why.
Study of anti-AIDS vaginal ring begins in Africa
(AP) — Thousands of women in Africa can volunteer for major new research to see if inserting a vaginal ring coated with an anti-AIDS drug could protect them from HIV infection, U.S. scientists announced Tuesday.
Undergrads invent cell phone screener to combat anemia in developing world
Could a low-cost screening device connected to a cell phone save thousands of women and children from anemia-related deaths and disabilities?
'Sexting' may be just a normal part of dating for Internet generation
(Medical Xpress) -- For young adults today who were weaned on iPods and the Internet, the practice of "sexting," or sending sexually explicit photos or messages through phones, may be just another normal, healthy component of modern dating.
Computers may help patients restore movement after stroke
(Medical Xpress) -- New research suggests that patients whose mobility has been limited by stroke may one day use their imagination and a computer link to move their hands.
Researchers discover new target for vaccine development in abundant immune cells
White blood cells called neutrophils, which are the first line of defense against infection, play an unexpected role by boosting antibody production, according to research led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The findings suggest neutrophils have multiple roles within the immune system and function at levels previously unknown to the scientific community. The research, published in Nature Immunology, provides groundbreaking insight into possible new approaches in vaccine development for blood-borne infections and HIV.
Red potato chips: Segmentation cues can substantially decrease food intake
To test the effect of food segmentation, 98 college students were given tubes of stacked potato chips to munch on while watching a movie in class. Red-colored potato chips had been inserted at regular intervals into some of the students' tubes of chips to act as visual dividers. Students who had their snack segmented reduced their consumption by more than 50 percent compared to those who had all yellow chips which translates to about 250 calories.
New method to find novel connections from gene to gene, drug to drug and between scientists
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have developed a new computational method that will make it easier for scientists to identify and prioritize genes, drug targets, and strategies for repositioning drugs that are already on the market. By mining large datasets more simply and efficiently, researchers will be able to better understand gene-gene, protein-protein, and drug/side-effect interactions. The new algorithm will also help scientists identify fellow researchers with whom they can collaborate.
Researchers study vaccine as potential weapon against aggressive brain tumors
Researchers at Northwestern Brain Tumor Institute (NBTI) are seeking to understand if a vaccine made from a patient's own blood cells may slow the growth of a type of brain tumor. The trial is studying the vaccine's effect on glioblastoma multiformes (GBM), the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor. The trial is an example of a growing trend in cancer research that seeks to understand if vaccines can be used to turn a person's own immune system into a weapon against cancers by slowing the growth of tumors.
New study finds how a single brain trauma may lead to Alzheimer's disease
A study, performed in mice and utilizing post-mortem samples of brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease, found that a single event of a moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt proteins that regulate an enzyme associated with Alzheimer's. The paper, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, identifies the complex mechanisms that result in a rapid and robust post-injury elevation of the enzyme, BACE1, in the brain. These results may lead to the development of a drug treatment that targets this mechanism to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
New publication examines effect of early drug administration on Alzheimer's animal model
In a study published June 25 in the Journal of Neuroscience, a collaborative team of researchers led by Linda J. Van Eldik, director of the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and D. Martin Watterson of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, present results showing that a new central nervous system drug compound can reduce Alzheimer's pathology in a mouse model of the disease. The drug, called MW-151, is a selective suppressor of brain inflammation and overproduction of proinflammatory molecules from glial cells. The drug can be taken by mouth and readily enters the brain. The new study tested the hypothesis that intervention with drugs like MW-151 could be effective as a preventive measure, when administered at an early stage before Alzheimer's pathology appears, as well as after disease symptoms have begun to appear.
Some harmful effects of light at night can be reversed: study
Chronic exposure to dim light at night can lead to depressive symptoms in rodents -- but these negative effects can be reversed simply by returning to a standard light-dark cycle, a new study suggests.
Feces fossils lend new insights into connection between Native-Americans, diabetes
Why do Native Americans experience high rates of diabetes? A common theory is that they possess fat-hoarding "thrifty genes" left over from their ancestors – genes that were required for survival during ancient cycles of feast and famine, but that now contribute to the disease in a modern world of more fatty and sugary diets.
Brain discovery sheds light on link between vision and emotion
(Medical Xpress) -- Neuroscientists have discovered a new area of the brain that is uniquely specialized for peripheral vision and could be targeted in future treatments for panic disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.
Kohler motivation effect: 'Weakest links' show greatest gains in relay races
The inferior members of swimming or running relay teams – those athletes who fared poorest in individual races – showed the greatest gains when performing as part of a team, and those gains were even greater during final races as opposed to preliminary races.
A new route for tackling treatment-resistant prostate cancer
Scientists have identified what may be the Peyton Manning of prostate cancer. It's a protein that's essential for the disease to execute its game plan: Grow and spread throughout the body.
New drug could treat Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and brain injury
A new class of drug developed at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine shows early promise of being a one-size-fits-all therapy for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury by reducing inflammation in the brain.
Biology news
UQ graduate’s research provides relief for beef cattle
University of Queensland PhD graduate Stephanie Sinclair's research into the effects of dehorning beef cattle has led to a greater understanding of how to best relieve pain and promote faster healing for all breeds of cattle.
Emerging whale shark 'crisis' in China
A study involving Murdoch University and Shandong University at Weihai has found distressing trends in the catch and trade of threatened whale sharks in China.
Focusing on flood-tolerant soybeans
Soybean varieties that thrive even in soggy fields could result from studies by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. This would help increase profits for Mississippi Delta farmers who can see yield losses as high as 25 percent when they plant soybean crops in rotation with paddy rice.
Breakthrough technology focuses in on disease traits of single cells
Just like populations of human beings, clusters of living cells are made up of individuals possessing unique qualities. Traditional analytic techniques however evaluate cells in tissue aggregates, often overlooking single-cell nuances that can offer valuable clues concerning health and disease.
Bend or stretch? How stressful is hyperflexion of horses' necks?
Arguments over how best to train horses have raged for centuries. Two years ago, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) was even moved to ban the practice of hyperflexion as a result of a petition signed by over 40,000 people claiming that it caused the animals unnecessary discomfort. The FEI did make a distinction between hyperflexion by the use of extreme force and what it termed "low, deep and round" (LDR), which essentially achieves the same position without force. How forceful hyperflexion should be distinguished from permissible LDR training was not clearly stated – instead, a working group has been established to come up with an acceptable definition.
Bringing natural history collections out of the dark
In a special issue of ZooKeys, initiated by the Natural History Museum London, Vince Smith and Vladimir Blagoderov bring together 18 papers by 81 authors to look at progress and prospects for mass digitising entire natural history collections.
Webcams make Alaska bears accessible
(AP) — A new video initiative is bringing the famed brown bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park directly to computers and smartphones.
UC Berkeley survey shows college campuses can make good bird havens
The bird population on the University of California, Berkeley, campus has remained surprisingly diverse over the past 100 years, showing that it's possible to create a green wildlife haven within a dense urban area, researchers say.
Citizen scientists needed for SF State's 'ZomBee Watch'
The San Francisco State University researchers who accidentally discovered "zombie-like" bees infected with a deadly fly parasite want people across the United States and Canada to look for similar bees in their own backyards.
Drought, culling hits Australia's feral camels
Australia's feral camel population has dropped by an estimated 250,000 in recent years, but the arid outback is still home to the world's largest wild herd, officials said Tuesday.
Active forest management to reduce fire could help protect northern spotted owl
The northern spotted owl, a threatened species in the Pacific Northwest, would actually benefit in the long run from active management of the forest lands that form its primary habitat and are increasingly vulnerable to stand-replacing fire, researchers conclude in a recent study.
Fruit flies are LinkedIn: Genes may determine social skills that could shed light on human behaviour
(Phys.org) -- The fruit flies hovering around your kitchen compost bin have an active social life. As they eat, court and fight, the flies change their behavior depending on who they hang out with—just as humans do.
Ion Torrent first to enter newly revised $10m X-Prize genome sequencing contest
(Phys.org) -- Ion Torrent signified its intention to win the $10 million prize that will be given to whoever can sequence the entire genome of 100 people over the age of 100 in just one month's time, by signing up as an entrant in the latest X-Prize contest. The winner must also complete their sequencing in a way that costs a thousand dollars or less per genome, a formidable proposition to be sure as current estimates typically run three to five thousand dollars. There’s also an accuracy test at the end, which appears to have caused some of the big names in the field to hesitate in throwing their hats into the ring. Results must be at least 95% complete.
Superfast evolution in sea stars
(Phys.org) -- How quickly can new species arise? In as little as 6,000 years, according to a study of Australian sea stars.
Evolution predictable for insects eating toxic plants
(Phys.org) -- The famous biologist Stephen J. Gould once asked: If we rerun the tape of life, would the outcome of evolution be the same? For years, scientists have questioned whether evolution is predictable, or whether chance events make such predictability unlikely.
Crystal structure of a cyanobacterial protein associated with nitrogen fixation
(Phys.org) -- The crystal structure of a protein in a bacterium being studied for its renewable energy potential suggests that the protein's biological function may be unique to a process leading to hydrogen gas production, according to researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory. They determined the structure for a protein that falls into a family of proteins with a "Domain of Unknown Function," annotated DUF269, from Cyanothece 51142, a photosynthetic bacterium with a completely different lifestyle in the day and the night.
How a common fungus knows when to attack
The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans inconspicuously lives in our bodies until it senses that we are weak, when it quickly adapts to go on the offensive. The fungus, known for causing yeast and other minor infections, also causes a sometimes-fatal infection known as candidemia in immunocompromised patients. An in vivo study, published in mBio, demonstrates how C. albicans can distinguish between a healthy and an unhealthy host and alter its physiology to attack.
Hitting back at 'wiretapping' parasite
Dodder vines are parasitic plants that suck water, nutrients and information from other plants as they spread over them. Plant biologists at the University of California, Davis, have now shown that they can make plants resistant to dodder by attacking the junctions where the parasite taps into the host.
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