Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 6, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Microswimmers: Micron-scale swimming robots could deliver drugs, carry cargo using simple motion- First detailed report defines limits of methane-exhaling microbial life in an undersea volcano
- Riding herd on photons: New 'metamaterial' prevents electromagnetic waves from reflecting backward
- Rock varnish may hold clues to life on Mars
- NASA rover lands on Mars (Update 4)
- Researchers discover blood biomarker for Lou Gehrig's disease, could lead to new treatments
- Seeing through walls: Laser system reconstructs objects hidden from sight
- Brain's stem cells 'eavesdrop' to find out when to act
- Increased productivity, not less energy use, results from more efficient lighting
- Lab in the Wild asks: What's your Internet like?
- Image: Mars Curiosity rover caught in the act of landing by HiRISE
- New study represents major breakthrough in macular degeneration
- 'Black drink': Scientists find evidence of ritual use of caffeinated brew at Cahokia
- Study finds correlation between injection wells, small earthquakes
- Extreme plasma theories put to the test
Space & Earth news
QUT showcases 4D technology at world's biggest meeting of geological minds
With resource exploration and mining being a key focus of the world's biggest geological congress currently underway in Brisbane, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will showcase in-house developed software that helps better understand how subsurface groundwater systems behave.
Interglacial on snowball Earth
Researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London have discovered that ice retreated completely through the glaciations.
New Hampshire leads nation in percent tree cover
Tree cover in the nation's Lower 48 states covers 659 million acres, more than one-third of the nation, according to a U.S. Forest Service study of national tree cover and impervious surfaces. New Hampshire leads the nation in percent tree cover (89 percent), followed by Maine (83 percent) and Vermont (82 percent). On the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota has the lowest percent tree cover (3 percent), followed by Nebraska (4 percent) and South Dakota (6 percent).
World Bank unveils carbon incentive plan in Philippines
The World Bank said on Monday it plans to buy carbon credits from pig farms in the Philippines, helping farmers generate extra income by setting up environment friendly waste treatment facilities.
NASA sees Typhoon Haikui approaching China in visible and infrared light
Two NASA satellites have captured data on the activity of Typhoon Haikui as it nears the China coast. NASA's Terra satellite provided a visible look at the storm, while NASA's Aqua satellite investigated it in infrared light. Both showed some strong thunderstorms within that were likely packing heavy rainfall.
New study helps predict impact of ocean acidification on shellfish
An international study to understand and predict the likely impact of ocean acidification on shellfish and other marine organisms living in seas from the tropics to the poles is published this week (date) in the journal Global Change Biology.
NASA counting down to nail-biting Mars plunge
The most high-tech rover NASA has ever designed was speeding toward Mars on Monday to attempt an acrobatic landing on the planet's surface.
STAR TRAK for August 2012
The annual Perseid meteor shower, which will peak on Aug. 11-12, is one of the most popular every year because it happens on warm summer nights, when gazing at the starry sky is always enjoyable. In a clear, dark sky there may be as many as 60 bright meteors per hour, some with smoke trails that last several seconds after the meteor has vanished. Start observing around midnight local daylight time. A crescent moon will rise around 1 a.m., but it won't have much effect.
NSLS helps fine-tune vision of new NASA telescope array
(Phys.org) -- This summer, NASA is deploying NuSTAR, an array of focusing telescopes that will map the sky in the high-energy X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. These maps will allow scientists to study black holes, supernovae, and other cosmic phenomena in greater detail than ever before. But the new telescope array might not have been possible without the high-tech testing at Brookhaven Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS).
Colorado State University hurricane forecast team predicts slightly below-average remainder of season
The Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast Team slightly increased its overall seasonal forecast today, while still calling for a slightly below-average remainder of the season due to the likely development of El Nino.
Joy after seven minutes of terror at NASA lab
After years of hard work and seven minutes of terror, workers of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory here let out their tears of joy.
Australian scientists celebrate 'textbook' Mars landing
Australian scientists involved in the successful landing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity rover on the Red Planet hailed the touchdown as "textbook" on Monday.
ESA spacecraft records crucial NASA signals from Mars
(Phys.org) -- This morning at 7:14 CEST, ESA’s Mars Express acquired signals from NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory as it delivered the car-sized Curiosity rover onto the Red planet’s surface. ESA’s New Norcia tracking station also picked up signals directly from the NASA mission, 248 million km away at Mars.
NASA lands rover on Mars to seek signs of life (Update)
NASA opened a new chapter in the history of interplanetary exploration on Monday when its $2.5 billion nuclear-powered robot Curiosity beamed back pictures from the surface of Mars.
Next on Mars: 400 scientists on an alien road trip
Imagine taking 400 scientists on an alien road trip where each one wants to examine every interesting rock along the way. Welcome to the next two years of NASA's landmark robotic mission on Mars.
Why Mars again? A look at NASA's latest venture
(AP) — NASA's new robot rover named Curiosity landed safely late Sunday in a huge crater near the equator of Mars and will soon begin its scientific studies. This marks NASA's seventh landing on the red planet and is its 19th Mars mission, including those by orbiters and other spacecraft.
Microbes, sponges, and worms add to coral reef woes
Microbes, sponges, and worms—the side effects of pollution and heavy fishing—are adding insult to injury in Kenya's imperiled reef systems, according to a recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Azores.
NASA watches Tropical Storm Florence develop and weaken
The sixth tropical storm of the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season formed over the past weekend, and NASA kept an on its progression. Tropical Storm Florence was born in the eastern Atlantic and weakened when it interacted with dry air.
Aqua satellite shows strongest side of Tropical Storm 13W
When NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared view of the northwestern Pacific's latest tropical storm, Tropical Storm 13W, the data revealed the bulk of the heavy rainfall on the northern side of the center.
NASA sees a strengthening Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical Storm Ernesto continues to track through the Caribbean and satellite data and NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft revealed a strengthening storm mid-day on Monday, August 6. NASA infrared data revealed strong thunderstorms on August 5 that indicated a strengthening storm, and the GOES-13 satellite showed a well-organized tropical storm 24 hours later.
Substantial water pollution risks from hydraulic fracturing: research
Stony Brook University scientists have found that the disposal of contaminated wastewater from hydraulic fracturing – commonly known as “fracking” – wells producing natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region poses substantial potential risks of river and other water pollution that suggests additional regulation to reduce the potential of drinking water contamination.
The spectral energy distribution of protostars
(Phys.org) -- Stars form when gravitational forces coalesce the gas and dust in interstellar clouds until the material forms clumps dense enough to become stars. Precisely how this happens, however, is still very uncertain. The infall of matter is probably not symmetric, it may be inhibited by the pressure of very hot radiation around the young stellar embryo, or perhaps it is constrained in other ways. These processes enable surrounding material to develop into disks around the stars, and it in turn can evolve into planets. The differences in the conditions are important to our understanding of the formation of our solar system because planets like the Earth are built from just such material that does not make it into the star.
Cold spell gripped Europe 3,000 years before 'Little Ice Age,' says study
(Phys.org) -- Human civilization arose during the relatively balmy climate of the last 10,000 years. Even so, evidence is accumulating that at least two cold spells gripped the northern hemisphere during this time, and that the cooling may have coincided with drought in the tropics. Emerging research on climate during this Holocene period suggests that temperature swings were more common than previously thought, and that climate changes happened on a broad, hemispheric scale.
New Mars rover sends higher-resolution image
(Phys.org) -- About two hours after landing on Mars and beaming back its first image, NASA's Curiosity rover transmitted a higher-resolution image of its new Martian home, Gale Crater. Mission Control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., received the image, taken by one of the vehicle's lower-fidelity, black-and-white Hazard Avoidance Cameras - or Hazcams.
Research links extreme summer heat events to global warming
(Phys.org) -- A new statistical analysis by NASA scientists has found that Earth's land areas have become much more likely to experience an extreme summer heat wave than they were in the middle of the 20th century. The research was published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study finds correlation between injection wells, small earthquakes
Most earthquakes in the Barnett Shale region of north Texas occur within a few miles of one or more injection wells used to dispose of wastes associated with petroleum production such as hydraulic fracturing fluids, according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin. None of the quakes identified in the two-year study were strong enough to pose a danger to the public.
Image: Mars Curiosity rover caught in the act of landing by HiRISE
(Phys.org) -- An image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured the Curiosity rover still connected to its 51-foot-wide (almost 16 meter) parachute as it descended towards its landing site at Gale Crater.
NASA rover lands on Mars (Update 4)
NASA has successfully landed its $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity rover on the surface of the Red Planet, breaking new ground in US-led exploration of an alien world.
Rock varnish may hold clues to life on Mars
(Phys.org) -- As NASA’s Curiosity rover prepares to search for signs that Mars may once have supported life, a team of researchers analyzing rocks in New York may have found a clue telling the rover where to look. By gazing through high-powered microscopes, the researchers discovered that the dark brownish/blackish coating on some rocks, called rock varnish, probably stems from large numbers of microorganisms that died on the rocks. Later, manganese in the microbes would have mixed with tiny clay minerals to adhere to the surface of the rocks and form the several-micrometers-thick layer of manganese-rich varnish.
Technology news
Knight Capital says it has $400M financing deal
(AP) — Knight Capital says investors have agreed to supply it with $400 million in financing, which would help the trading firm stay in business after last week's disastrous software glitch that shook U.S. stock trading and jeopardized its future.
New approaches needed for uncovering, identifying, and treating buried chemical warfare material
The current approach for identifying and destroying buried chemical munitions and related chemical warfare materials uncovered during environmental remediation projects is neither reliable enough nor has the capability to efficiently tackle large-scale projects, says a new report from the National Research Council. An alternative or modified approach is needed to remediate the Redstone Arsenal and other such projects on active and former U.S. Department of Defense sites and ranges.
Engineers solve leaky water pipes problem
Leaky pipes are a common problem for the water industry: according to UK regulator, Ofwat, between 20 and 40 per cent of the UK's total water supply can be lost through damaged pipes. Developing more accurate ways of finding leaks would enable water companies to save revenue and reduce their environmental impact.
Global fears shackle India's outsourcing job-hoppers
The employee turnover rate in India's notoriously job-hopping outsourcing sector has fallen sharply as a weak global economy hits the flagship industry, a study on Monday showed.
Researchers demonstrate markerless motion capture
Conventional motion capture for film and game production involves multiple cameras and actors festooned with markers. A new technique developed by Disney Research, Pittsburgh, has demonstrated how three-dimensional motion capture can be accomplished with a single camera and without aid of markers.
Team develops new model for animated faces and bodies
Computer graphic artists who produce computer-animated movies and games spend much time creating subtle movements such as expressions on faces, gesticulations on bodies and the draping of clothes. A new way of modeling these dynamic objects, developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Disney Research, Pittsburgh, and the LUMS School of Science and Engineering in Pakistan, could greatly simplify this editing process.
Touch your philodendron and control your computer (w/ Video)
A yucca plant might make your office desk look nice, but with a new technology developed at Disney Research, Pittsburgh, that little shrub could possibly control your computer. And the jade plant nearby? Put your hand close to it and your iPod could start playing your favorite tunes.
Spyker sues GM over failed Saab takeover
(AP) — Spyker Cars NV, the tiny Dutch company that bought Swedish carmaker Saab from General Motors Co. for $74 million in 2010, said Monday it is suing GM for $3 billion in damages.
Researchers aim to broaden researcher access to protein simulation
Using just an upgraded desktop computer equipped with a relatively inexpensive graphics processing card, a team of computer scientists and biochemists at the University of California, San Diego, has developed advanced GPU accelerated software and demonstrated for the first time that this approach can sample biological events that occur on the millisecond timescale.
120 intelligent cars warn each other in the test
One of the largest fleet tests in the world was launched today in Germany. 120 cars hit the road to test a system known as simTD, a technology that enables vehicles to communicate with each other and their environment. Cars can exchange information on traffic conditions and possible dangers. Researchers at Technische Universität München played a key role in designing the test scenarios. They will also be evaluating the data.
Imagining how light behaves in 2-D world gives researchers insights for faster 3-D rendering
Though sophisticated three-dimensional imagery is abundant in computer-generated games and movies, a group of researchers from Disney Research, Zürich, University of California, San Diego, Limbic Software, and RWTH Aachen University say they have gained insights to improve the rendering of those images by envisioning a flat, two-dimensional world.
Sharp shares hit by reports of Hon Hai deal rethink
Shares in Japan's Sharp, which slumped 28 percent at the end of last week after a poor earnings report, fell further Monday after Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision said it would renegotiate a deal to invest in it.
Researchers unlock secret of the rare 'twinned rainbow'
Scientists have yet to fully unravel the mysteries of rainbows, but a group of researchers from Disney Research, Zürich, UC San Diego, Universidad de Zaragoza, and Horley, UK, have used simulations of these natural wonders to unlock the secret to a rare optical phenomenon known as the twinned rainbow.
New technique improves rendering of smoke, dust and participating media
Computer graphic artists often struggle to render smoke and dust in a way that makes a scene look realistic, but researchers at Disney Research, Zürich, Karlsruhe Technical Institute in Germany, and the University of Montreal in Canada have developed a new and efficient way to simulate how light is absorbed and scattered in such scenes.
Computer science professor to release comprehensive 3-D deformable object library for free
On Monday, Aug. 6, USC Professor Jernej Barbič will release the world's most comprehensive library of 3D deformable modeling software for free open source download.
IPv6 adoption picture is in pink but not rosy
(Phys.org) -- On June 6th World IPv6 Launch Day reminded the world of an industry-wide effort to help accelerate the use of IPv6 and to get websites to enable IPv6 permanently. Reports are coming in from stats-gatherers that adoption of the new standard is already off to a solid start, but levels of optimism and assessments of successful growth vary from one source to another. Some reports say growth is still slow while others look at the same numbers and say adoption is on a real roll.
Artist tests superstition on the stock market with robot analyst
(Phys.org) -- Shing Tat Chung, a designer, artist and graduate of the Royal College of Art, has partnered with Jim Hunt, computer programmer with a British trading group, to create what appears to be the world’s first computer controlled investment fund buyer/seller program that uses superstition to make its choices, rather than math, or science. Called Sid the Superstitious Robot, the program is the result of The Superstitious Fund Project, which Chung started to raise interest, and funds, for his initiative.
Bringing power to the people -- and heat as well
In some isolated clinics in parts of Africa, the electricity needed to power lights and medical devices is generated by expensive imported diesel fuel; the water supply can be so cold in winter that health workers can’t even wash their hands properly. But a startup company established by a team of MIT students and alumni aims to change that.
Disney researchers add sense of touch to augmented reality applications (w/ Video)
Technology developed by Disney Research, Pittsburgh, makes it possible to change the feel of real-world surfaces and objects, including touch-screens, walls, furniture, wooden or plastic objects, without requiring users to wear special gloves or use force-feedback devices. Surfaces are not altered with actuators and require little if any instrumentation.
Increased productivity, not less energy use, results from more efficient lighting
(Phys.org) -- Two researchers have reprised in the journal Energy Policy their groundbreaking finding that improvements in lighting — from candles to gas lamps to electric bulbs — historically have led to increased light consumption rather than lower overall energy use by society.
Lab in the Wild asks: What's your Internet like?
One size fits all? Not on the Web. Users from different countries and cultures actually interact with information in different ways.
Movement-limited toddler gets 3-D-printed magic arms (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- A disabled toddler suffering from Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) is able to pick up objects and play, not only thanks to her research team of doctors at the Nemours/duPont Hospital for Children but thanks to the technology of 3-D printing, which enabled her to use a magical arms device to move freely for the first time.
Medicine & Health news
China arrests nearly 2,000 in fake drug crackdown
(AP) — China's Ministry of Public Security says it has detained nearly 2,000 people in a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit drugs, including some to treat cancer.
Delivering nitrogen preserved vaccines across Tanzania
Transporting a vaccine at -140 degrees Celsius on the difficult roads of Sub-Saharan Africa is problematic, but five students in life sciences have gone to Tanzania to attempt to find a solution.
Infographic: McMaster researchers break-down the perfect athlete
At the halfway point of the 2012 London Olympics, viewers have already witnessed some of the most awe-inspiring performances in the history of the Games - from 15-year-old Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte taking gold in the 100-metre breaststroke, to our own Canadian men's eight claiming silver in the dying seconds of Wednesday's race (including Mac grads Jeremiah Brown and Doug Csima).
Malawi to test 250,000 people for HIV in one week
Malawi on Monday launched a week-long campaign to test 250,000 people for HIV in what health authorities called a crucial intervention in a country ravaged by AIDS.
Off-label drug use common, but patients may not know they're taking them, study finds
Many people have probably heard of off-label drug use, but they may not know when that applies to prescriptions they are taking, a Mayo Clinic analysis found. Off-label drug use occurs when a physician prescribes medication to treat a condition before that use has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In a newly published article in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers pose and answer 10 questions about off-label drug use.
Those who are covered, recover
Insurance status is a better predictor of survival after a serious cardiac event than race, and may help explain racial disparities in health outcomes for cardiovascular disease. A new study by Derek Ng, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US, and his team shows that race is not linked to an increased risk of death but being underinsured is a strong predictor of death among those admitted into hospital with a serious cardiac event. Their work appears online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Investing in quality of care for diabetic patients reduces costs
University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers have found that medical group practices can reduce costs for patients with diabetes by investing in improved quality of care.
New study examines injuries to US workers with disabilities
A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University compared medically attended noncccupational and occupational injuries among U.S. workers with and without disabilities.
New method provides fast, accurate, low cost analysis of BRCA gene mutations in breast cancer
Individuals with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a significantly higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers. Families at risk have been seeking genetic testing and counseling based on their mutation carrier status, but the standard method of direct sequencing is labor-intensive, costly, and it only targets a part of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. A group of Canadian scientists has developed a new sequencing approach to provide a more effective method of BRCA1/2 mutational analysis. Their work is published in the September issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
Ginger muscles in on diabetes
(Medical Xpress) -- Ginger, the common spice and ancient Asian remedy, could have the power to help manage the high levels of blood sugar which create complications for long-term diabetic patients, a University of Sydney study reports.
Is TV the temptress for junk food?
(Medical Xpress) -- A University of Queensland study has found that while obesity rates have been partly attributed to the easy access of cheap, high calorie food, many individuals exposed to the same food continue to lie well within the healthy weight range.
Disturbance during foetal period behind severe eye disease
(Medical Xpress) -- The congenital eye disease persistent foetal vasculature syndrome leads to bleeding, detached retina, and a cloudy lens. Now researchers at Uppsala University show in a model for the disease that it may be associated with an excessive expression of a growth factor during the foetal period.
Probing what fuels cancer
Cancer is often described as a genetic disease, after all the transition a cell goes through in becoming cancerous tends to be driven by changes to the cell's DNA.
A promising step forward in prostate cancer treatment
When treating prostate cancer with radiotherapy, knowing the prostate cancer position is critical to accurately targeting the radiation beam to avoid missing the tumour and irradiating healthy tissue. Prostate cancer patients being treated with radiotherapy can now have their prostate position known to within 0.5mm during radiation treatment thanks to a study led by Professor Paul Keall, NHMRC Australia Fellow at the University of Sydney.
Brain signal ID's responders to fast-acting antidepressant
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists have discovered a biological marker that may help to identify which depressed patients will respond to an experimental, rapid-acting antidepressant. The brain signal, detectable by noninvasive imaging, also holds clues to the agent’s underlying mechanism, which are vital for drug development, say National Institutes of Health researchers.
Heterogeneous ER+ breast cancer models allow more accurate drug testing
(Medical Xpress) -- Cell cultures are homogeneous. Human tumors are not. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment reports the development of human-derived estrogen-positive (ER+) breast cancer models that retain their heterogeneity, allowing researchers to more accurately test drugs for this disease.
Cyberbullying less frequent than traditional bullying, according to international studies
Traditional in-person bullying is far more common than cyberbullying among today's youth and should be the primary focus of prevention programs, according to research findings presented at the American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention.
'Toxic' oestrogen by-product linked with fatal lung condition
(Medical Xpress) -- The breakdown of oestrogen could play an important role in the onset of a rare but devastating condition of high blood pressure in the lungs.
Taking a hit or two
Cancer only arises if two or more genes are mutated. Learning which combinations of mutations cause cancer represents an extremely laborious endeavor. In the current issue of the journal Nature Methods Robert Eferl and colleagues announce a novel mouse model which is set to make this work much easier.
The genetic cause of a severe skeletal disease in Brazilian Terrier puppies revealed
The genetics research group led by Professor Hannes Lohi, based at the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center, has, in collaboration with Adjunct Professor Kirsi Sainio's research group, discovered the cause of a life-threatening skeletal disorder affecting Brazilian Terriers. The disease is caused by a mutation in the GUSB gene. Malfunction of the GUSB gene has previously been linked to a severe skeletal disorder in humans, called type VII mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS VII).
Anti-angina drug shows protective effects from carbon monoxide
An international research team, led from the University of Leeds, has found that a common anti-angina drug could help protect the heart against carbon monoxide poisoning.
Violent TV shows keep young kids awake: study
(HealthDay) -- There's more evidence that watching violent or age-inappropriate images on TV, in movies or on computers can significantly disrupt children's sleep.
Honey a sweet treatment for kids' night-time cough
(HealthDay) -- Instead of reaching for a commercial medicine when your child is coughing through the night because of a common cold, Israeli researchers suggest giving honey a try.
Grateful teens may have less risk for depression, other problems
(HealthDay) -- For anyone raising teenagers, the idea of helping them feel grateful for everyday things may seem like a long shot; just getting them to mumble a "thank you" every now and then can be a monumental accomplishment.
UNC team describes novel inflammatory protein function
A UNC-led team of scientists describes the function of a previously uncharacterized protein that dramatically influences inflammation.
Lifting malaria's deadly veil: mystery solved in quest for vaccine
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the Burnet Institute have made a major breakthrough in the quest for a vaccine against malaria, which causes up to one million deaths each year.
Vaginal delivery as safe as cesarean for most early preterm births
Vaginal delivery for early preterm fetuses presenting head first, or vertex presentation, had a high rate of success with no difference in neonatal mortality compared to cesarean delivery, a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports. For breech births, however, the failure rate of vaginal delivery was high and planned cesarean delivery was associated with significantly lower neonatal mortality.
Researchers find proteins may point way to new prostate cancer drug targets
Two proteins that act in opposing directions – one that promotes cancer and one that suppresses cancer — regulate the same set of genes in prostate cancer, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers have found.
Researchers investigate treatment for tumor cells in spinal fluid
In two to five percent of women with breast cancer, tumor cells migrate into the spinal fluid invading the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord called the meninges. While a rare complication, the condition is challenging because there is no agreed-upon standard of treatment, leaving little hope for patients affected. Northwestern Medicine® researchers are currently examining a novel approach to delivering an FDA approved drug that they hope will advance research for this type of cancer and lead to discoveries that may improve outcomes in the future.
Adalimumab is a promising therapy for children with Crohn's disease
Adalimumab (an anti-tumor necrosis factor [TNF] antibody) is effective in maintaining remission in certain pediatric patients with Crohn's disease, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
'Green biased' yellow fever swept through Irish immigrants in 19th century US
New research by University of Warwick historian Dr Tim Lockley has found why yellow fever had a green bias in 19th century fever outbreaks in the southern states of the US. Almost half of the 650 people killed by yellow fever in Savannah Georgia in 1854 were Irish immigrants.
Sun monitor set to go on the market
A monitor developed at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, to help prevent over-exposure to the sun is set to go on the market as part of a new spinout company.
Infants of overweight mothers grow more slowly
Pregnant women who are overweight or obese can encounter a host of health complications. The added weight also appears to affect how their children grow and develop, at least initially.
Researchers test new drug for patients with neuroendocrine tumors
A researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center and his international team of colleagues have reported study results on a novel multireceptor-targeted somatostatin analogue called pasireotide (SOM230) manufactured by Novartis Pharma AG. The Phase II, open-label, multicenter study in patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NET) whose symptoms were no longer responsive to octreotide LAR therapy found that the drug was effective and well tolerated in controlling patient symptoms.
Creatine aids women in outmuscling major depression
Women battling stubborn major depression may have a surprising new ally in their fight—the muscle-building dietary supplement creatine.
Researchers pursue red flag for schizophrenia relapse
Blood levels of a protein that helps regulate inflammation may also serve as a red flag for relapse in some schizophrenia patients, researchers said.
Preschool children who can pay attention more likely to finish college
Young children who are able to pay attention and persist on a task have a 50 percent greater chance of completing college, according to a new study at Oregon State University.
US-born Latinas at great risk of having babies with retinoblastoma
In a large epidemiologic study, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center found that the children of U.S.-born Latina women are at higher risk of having retinoblastoma, a malignant tumor of the retina which typically occurs in children under six.
The scientific side of steroid use and abuse
Leslie Henderson investigates the cellular basis for behavioral changes seen with the abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids. In her laboratory work, Henderson has looked at three major behavioral systems typically associated with steroid abuse -- reproduction, aggression in males, and anxiety in both sexes. Studies have shown there are "critical periods" -- periods of time during adolescence when exposure to steroids can impose permanent changes in both brain organization and function.
Poorest Americans at risk if states opt out of Medicaid expansion
Health coverage for the poorest Americans could be in jeopardy in many states as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last month on the Affordable Care Act, according to a new legal analysis. The report examines federal and state Medicaid options following the United States Supreme Court's ruling in NFIB v Sebelius and appears in the August issue of the journal Health Affairs.
Critically ill uninsured Americans still at risk of being turned away from hospitals despite law
Despite a twenty-five year old law that bans "patient dumping" the practice continues to put uninsured Americans at risk, according to a national team of researchers led by a professor at the George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services. Patient dumping is the practice of turning away or transferring uninsured patients with emergency medical conditions.
ER overcrowding hurts minorities in California
Hospitals in areas with large minority populations are more likely to be overcrowded and to divert ambulances, delaying timely emergency care, according to a multi-institutional study focused on California.
Implantable defibrillators lead to decrease in cardiac arrests
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators account for one-third of the decrease in cardiac arrests caused by ventricular fibrillation in North-Holland, according to research in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.
Despite financial challenges, safety-net hospitals provide high quality care
A Yale study of the care quality received at safety-net hospitals — which provide care for the majority of uninsured and other vulnerable populations — found that quality at these facilities is similar to non-safety-net hospitals. This is despite the unique financial challenges at safety-net hospitals in the face of rising costs and the potential impact of the health care law.
More education, socioeconomic benefits equals longer life
Despite advances in health care and increases in life expectancy overall, Americans with less than a high school education have life expectancies similar to adults in the 1950s and 1960s.
White children more likely to receive CT scans than Hispanic or African-American children
White children are more likely to receive cranial (head) CT scans in an emergency department following minor head trauma, compared with African-American or Hispanic children, a study published by researchers at UC Davis has found.
Weight training associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
Men who do weight training regularly—for example, for 30 minutes per day, five days per week—may be able to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 34%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and University of Southern Denmark researchers. And if they combine weight training and aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or running, they may be able to reduce their risk even further—up to 59%.
Behavioral intervention can reduce tics in adults with Tourette syndrome
Specially designed comprehensive behavioral therapy is more effective than sessions offering patient support and education in helping adults with Tourette syndrome manage their tics – sudden, repetitive motions or vocalizations – according to a study in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. The findings come from a team of investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard Medical School, Yale University, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and other institutions.
Fainting: All in the family?
Fainting has a strong genetic predisposition, according to new research published in the August 7, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Fainting, also called vasovagal syncope, is a brief loss of consciousness when your body reacts to certain triggers, such as emotional distress or the sight of blood.
Physical activity associated with lower risk of death in patients with diabetes
Higher levels of physical activity were related to lower risk of death in patients with diabetes, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine.
Mothers, children underestimate obesity in China
Childhood obesity is on the rise in China, and children and parents there tend to underestimate body weight, according to Penn State health policy researchers.
Study examines effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone on cognitive function
Treatment with growth hormone-releasing hormone appears to be associated with favorable cognitive effects among both adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults, according to a randomized clinical trial published Online First by Archives of Neurology.
Study examines decision-making brain activity in patients with hoarding disorder
Patients with hoarding disorder exhibited abnormal activity in regions of the brain that was stimulus dependent when deciding what to do with objects that did or did not belong to them, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Long-term use of blood pressure meds promoting sun sensitivity may raise lip cancer risk
Long-term use of commonly used blood pressure medications that increase sensitivity to sunlight is associated with an increased risk of lip cancer in non-Hispanic whites, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears in the current online issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
A 'learning health system' moves from idea to action
In the United States, clinicians are struggling to provide better and more affordable health care to more people—while keeping up with new scientific developments. The idea of a "learning health system" is one proposed solution for rapidly applying the best available scientific evidence in real-time clinical practice. In the August 7 Annals of Internal Medicine, a Group Health Cooperative team describes the experience of turning this intriguing concept into action.
Racial differences in diabetes diagnostic thresholds: study
Healthcare providers should take into account differences among racial groups when using hemoglobin A1C levels to diagnose and monitor diabetes, new research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests.
Cocaine use in Swiss cities among highest in Europe: report
Cocaine use in several Swiss cities is among the highest in Europe, researchers said on Monday.
Unsuspected PE does not up mortality risk in cancer patients
(HealthDay) -- Cancer patients with an unsuspected pulmonary embolism (UPE) do not have an increased mortality risk and have a similar risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) to those with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), according to research published online July 27 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Pupil dilation reveals sexual orientation: study
There is a popular belief that sexual orientation can be revealed by pupil dilation to attractive people, yet until now there was no scientific evidence. For the first time, researchers at Cornell University used a specialized infrared lens to measure pupillary changes to participants watching erotic videos. Pupils were highly telling: they widened most to videos of people who participants found attractive, thereby revealing where they were on the sexual spectrum from heterosexual to homosexual.
Researchers discover blood biomarker for Lou Gehrig's disease, could lead to new treatments
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) are the first to discover that changes in monocytes (a type of white blood cell) are a biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. This finding also brings the medical community a step closer toward a new treatment for the debilitating neurological disease that affects approximately 30,000 Americans.
Brain's stem cells 'eavesdrop' to find out when to act
Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have figured out how stem cells found in a part of the brain responsible for learning, memory and mood regulation decide to remain dormant or create new brain cells. Apparently, the stem cells "listen in" on the chemical communication among nearby neurons to get an idea about what is stressing the system and when they need to act.
Epilepsy drug levetiracetam reverses memory loss in animal model of Alzheimer's disease
Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered that an FDA-approved anti-epileptic drug reverses memory loss and alleviates other Alzheimer's-related impairments in an animal model of the disease.
New genetic study defines the genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas
A new genetic analysis focusing on Jews from North Africa has provided an overall genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas. The findings support the historical record of Middle Eastern Jews settling in North Africa during Classical Antiquity, proselytizing and marrying local populations, and, in the process, forming distinct populations that stayed largely intact for more than 2,000 years. The study, led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, was published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Possible muscle disease therapeutic target found
The study of muscular system protein myostatin has been of great interest to researchers as a potential therapeutic target for people with muscular disorders. Although much is known about how myostatin affects muscle growth, there has been disagreement about what types of muscle cells it acts upon. New research from a team including Carnegie's Chen-Ming Fan and Christoph Lepper narrows down the field to one likely type of cell. Their work is published the week of August 6 by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
New study represents major breakthrough in macular degeneration
University of Kentucky researchers, led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, have made an exciting finding in the "dry" form of age-related macular degeneration known as geographic atrophy (GA). GA is an untreatable condition that causes blindness in millions of individuals due to death of retinal pigmented epithelial cells.
Biology news
Ferry 'hits whales' in Sydney Harbour
A humpback whale and its calf were injured on Monday after apparently being hit by a ferry in Sydney Harbour, with witnesses saying the animals had ugly gashes and cuts.
Veterinarian sayssome dogged diligence beforehand good way to find perfect fur-ever friend
(Phys.org) -- Feeding a stray dog is a kind gesture -- and one that may generate a new best friend.
Virtual nanoscopy: Like 'Google Earth' for cell biologists
Just as users of Google Earth can zoom in from space to a view of their own backyard, researchers can now navigate biological tissues from a whole embryo down to its subcellular structures thanks to recent advances in electron microscopy and image processing, as described in The Journal of Cell Biology (JCB). An upgrade to the JCB DataViewer (http://jcb-dataviewer.rupress.org), JCB's browser-based image presentation tool, now also makes these data publicly accessible for exploration and discovery.
A new line of defense: Researchers find cattle vaccine works to reduce E. coli O157:H7 in a large-scale feedlot setting
(Phys.org) -- A commercial vaccine for cattle can effectively reduce levels of E. coli by more than 50 percent, a Kansas State University study has found. The vaccine is also effective using two doses instead of the recommended three doses, which can help cut costs for the beef industry.
Tale of two scientific fields -- ecology and phylogenetics -- offers new views of Earth's biodiversity
Patterns in nature are in everything from ocean currents to a flower's petal.
Airborne technology helps manage elephants
For years, scientists have debated how big a role elephants play in toppling trees in South African savannas. Tree loss is a natural process, but it is increasing in some regions, with cascading effects on the habitat for many other species. Using high resolution 3-D mapping, Carnegie scientists have for the first time quantitatively determined tree losses across savannas of Kruger National Park. They found that elephants are the primary agents—their browsing habits knock trees over at a rate averaging 6 times higher than in areas inaccessible to them. The research also found that elephants prefer toppling trees in the 16-to-30 foot (5-8 m) range, with annual losses of up to 20% in these height classes. The findings, published in Ecology Letters, bolster our understanding of elephant conservation needs and their impacts, and the results could help to improve savanna management practices.
New bird species discovered in 'cloud forest' of Peru
A colorful, fruit-eating bird with a black mask, pale belly and scarlet breast – never before described by science – has been discovered and named by Cornell University graduates following an expedition to the remote Peruvian Andes.
Seafood, wild or farmed? The answer may be both
– Most people think of seafood as either wild or farmed, but in fact both categories may apply to the fish you pick up from your grocery store. In recent years, for example, as much as 40 percent of the Alaskan salmon catch originated in fish hatcheries, although it may be labeled "all wild, never farmed."
Forensic tools for catching poachers
The trade in ivory was largely outlawed in 1989, but poaching continues and remains a serious threat to the African elephant. Seizures of large amounts of ivory, sometimes over a ton, continue to occur. Research by Alfred Roca, an assistant professor at the university, could be the basis for the development of new law enforcement tools.
Researcher sees how forests thrive after fires and volcanoes
Forests hammered by windstorms, avalanches and wildfires may appear blighted, but a Washington State University researcher says such disturbances can be key to maximizing an area's biological diversity.
Cycads in central Australia are not ancient relics
(Phys.org) -- An ancient plant isolated in the heart of Australia, more than 1200km from its coastal cousins, is now believed to have arrived inland far more recently than initially thought.
Scientists create low-lignin plants with improved potential for biofuel production
(Phys.org) -- Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new enzyme that effectively “masks” the synthetic precursors of lignin, a plant cell wall component that makes plant biomass particularly difficult to break down. When it was expressed in plants, this enzyme substantially reduced lignin content in the cell wall and increased the digestibility of cell wall biomass, which should make it easier to convert plant biomass into biofuels. A paper describing the research will be published in The Plant Cell on July 31, 2012.
Giant moa had climate change figured out
(Phys.org) -- An international team of scientists involving researchers from the University of Adelaide has used ancient DNA from bones of giant extinct New Zealand birds to show that significant climate and environmental changes did not have a large impact on their populations.
Scientists peek at the early evolution of sex chromosomes
Two new studies offer insight into sex chromosome evolution by focusing on papaya, a multimillion dollar crop plant with a sexual problem (as far as growers are concerned) and a complicated past. The findings are described in two papers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
First detailed report defines limits of methane-exhaling microbial life in an undersea volcano
By some estimates, a third of the Earth's organisms by mass live in our planet's rocks and sediments, yet their lives and ecology are almost a complete mystery. This week, microbiologist James Holden at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and others report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the first detailed data about a group of methane-exhaling microbes that live deep in the cracks of hot undersea volcanoes.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://phys.org/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment