Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 2, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Simulations of vaporization of Earth-like planets tell planet-hunters what to look for in atmospheres of super-Earths- Direct imaging confirms the importance of electron-electron interactions in graphene
- Study shows one kind of squid can jettison parts of its arm (w/ Video)
- CERN teams post Higgs Boson papers - one ups its sigma level of certainty
- Star's 'cry' heralds new era for testing relativity
- Malware in BIOS stirs concern at Black Hat meet
- Researchers expand synthetic biology's toolkit: New method could enable reprogramming of mammalian cells
- Research could lead to improved oil recovery, better environmental cleanup
- New target for treating diabetes and obesity
- Cuckoo tricks to beat the neighborhood watch
- Climate warming refuted as reason for plant shifts in high-profile 2008 study
- Dust from Asia pollutes US, Canada air: study
- Writing graphics software gets much easier
- Red is the new Black
- Ethylene of no effect: Why peppers do not mature after picking
Space & Earth news
NASA sees twin typhoons headed for double China landfall
NASA's Terra satellite captured two tropical cyclones on visible imagery today, August 1 as they head for landfall. Typhoon Saola is approaching Taiwan and Typhoon Damrey approaching southern Japan, are both headed for landfall in China. Saola is forecast to landfall south of Shanghai on August 3, while Damrey is forecast to make landfall north of Shanghai on August 2.
Mars scientist explains why NASA chose Gale Crater for new rover
NASA chose Gale Crater as a landing site for its Mars Science Laboratory rover because the giant crater probably had conditions that may have once hosted life. The bottom layers near the crater floor "have minerals in them that form in water," says Philip Christensen, Regents' Professor of Geological Sciences in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration.
Stanford expert brings climate change science to heated Capitol Hill
Now's the time to prepare for the heat waves, heavy rains and droughts that climate change will bring, says Stanford's Chris Field, a noted climate researcher.
Homing in on a potential pre-quake signal
In a new analysis of the 2004 magnitude 6.0 Parkfield earthquake in California, David Schaff suggests some limits on how changes measured by ambient seismic noise could be used as a pre-earthquake signal.
NASA satellites see Tropical Storm Saola and Typhoon Damrey arm-in-arm near China
Tropical Storm Saola and Typhoon Damrey appear on NASA satellite imagery to be arm-in-arm as they enter China on August 2.
Australia is 'all ears' for Mars landing
(Phys.org) -- NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will land on Mars on Monday 6 August (AEST). The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, which CSIRO manages on behalf of NASA, will be the main tracking station for the landing. CSIRO's Parkes telescope ("The Dish") will also be receiving signals, as a backup.
Mapping the future of climate change in Africa
Our planet's changing climate is devastating communities in Africa through droughts, floods and myriad other disasters.
NASA satellite sees strength in developing Atlantic tropical low
NASA's Aqua satellite spotted some very cold, high, thunderstorms around the center of a tropical low pressure area in the Atlantic Ocean today, indicating that the system is getting stronger and more organized.
Hong Kong chokes under 'worst' air pollution
Hong Kong choked under the worst smog ever recorded in the city Thursday, with residents warned to stay indoors, away from the blanket of toxic haze, officials said.
India set to launch Mars mission in 2013
India plans to launch a mission to Mars next year, putting an orbital probe around the red planet to study its climate and geology, top space department officials said on Thursday.
Russia tests faster space docking route
An unmanned Russian cargo ship docked with the International Space Station (ISS) in a record time, officials said Thursday, taking just under six hours from launch to complete the journey.
Giant telescope will reveal the outer reaches of the universe
(Phys.org) -- The European Extremely Large Telescope Project (E-ELT) has officially been launched. This enormous telescope, with a diameter of nearly 40m, will be built in Chili and will include technologies developed at EPFL.
Forget blizzards and hurricanes, heat waves are deadliest
(Phys.org) -- In the pantheon of deadly weather events, heat waves rule.
Are large earthquakes linked across the globe?
The past decade has been plagued with what seems to be a cluster of large earthquakes, with massive quakes striking Sumatra, Chile, Haiti and Japan since 2004. Some researchers have suggested that this cluster has occurred because the earthquakes may be "communicating" across large distances, possibly triggering each other. But a new analysis by Tom Parsons and Eric Geist of the US Geological Survey concludes that the cluster could just as well be the result of random chance.
Aerial photos reveal dynamic Greenland Ice Sheet
Despite the current and rapid melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, it remains far from certain just when we will have reached a point when scientists will be able to predict its disappearance. Recent research conducted by the University of Copenhagen in conjunction with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Danish National Survey and Cadastre (KMS) in collaboration with an international team of scientists reports that this is not the first time in recent history that the ice sheet has been in retreat and then stabilised again. The researchers' results have just been published in Science.
Newest NASA Mars mission connects past and future
(Phys.org) -- NASA's newest Mars mission, landing in three days, will draw on support from missions sent to Mars years ago and will contribute to missions envisioned for future decades.
NASA braces for 'terror' in Mars landing
The biggest, baddest space rover ever built for exploring an alien planet is nearing its August 6 landing on Mars, and the US space agency is anxious for success despite huge risks.
Fingering the culprit that polluted the Solar System
(Phys.org) -- For decades it has been thought that a shock wave from a supernova explosion triggered the formation of our Solar System. According to this theory, the shock wave also injected material from the exploding star into a cloud of dust and gas, and the newly polluted cloud collapsed to form the Sun and its surrounding planets. New work from Carnegie's Alan Boss and Sandra Keiser provides the first fully three-dimensional (3-D) models for how this process could have happened. Their work will be published by The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Dust from Asia pollutes US, Canada air: study
Dust and aerosol pollution from Asia travels across the ocean and sullies the air in the United States and Canada, possibly worsening the effects of climate change, a study showed Thursday.
Red is the new Black
(Phys.org) -- The colour of night-time skyglow may be about to undergo a radical change worldwide, according to scientists of the Freie Universität Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries. They predict that with increasing use of LED street lamps, the colour of the night sky will become bluer. To track this change, the researchers developed a prototype measurement device, and used it to show that the sky currently contains far more red light on cloudy nights compared to clear nights. Their report, entitled "Red is the New Black", is published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Simulations of vaporization of Earth-like planets tell planet-hunters what to look for in atmospheres of super-Earths
(Phys.org) -- In science fiction novels, evil overlords and hostile aliens often threaten to vaporize the Earth. At the beginning of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, the officiously bureaucratic aliens called Vogons, authors of the third-worst poetry in the universe, actually follow through on the threat, destroying the Earth to make way for a hyperspatial express route.
Star's 'cry' heralds new era for testing relativity
(Phys.org) -- Last year, astronomers discovered a quiescent black hole in a distant galaxy that erupted after shredding and consuming a passing star. Now researchers have identified a distinctive X-ray signal observed in the days following the outburst that comes from matter on the verge of falling into the black hole.
Technology news
Fluid dynamics simulations aim to better predict how air circulating in a hard disk drive
Engineers rely on sophisticated simulation software to understand how air and other fluids flow over objects like an airplane wing or a golf ball. The software typically maps the air and object to a three-dimensional array (mesh) of small cells and iteratively calculates the forces in each cell over a series of time steps. Such simulations would be useful for predicting the effects of air flow on moving parts of a spinning hard disk drive — a critical step in the testing of new designs. Unfortunately, parts moving at high frequencies are notoriously difficult to simulate because they are shifted by a few nanometers only.
Heat waves, storms and blackouts
One of the world's worst blackouts has left more than 620 million people in India without power this week. Here at home, North Americans dealing with record high temperatures this summer have seen a jump in their energy costs as well as days-long power outages.
Unique anti-reflective and self-cleaning plastic films to be ramped up for industry use
Fast, high-volume production of plastics with specially engineered surfaces will soon be available using a cheaper and simpler method. IMRE and its Industrial Consortium On Nanoimprint (ICON) partner companies are piloting roll-to-roll nanoimprint technology to mass produce two types of patterned nanoimprinted plastic films. These are films with low reflectivity and better viewing angles, as well as durable, scratch-resistant films with ‘self-cleaning’ surfaces. This technology can be more cost effective than conventional batch production as ICON uses roll-to-roll processing, which enables the continuous, high throughput production of such materials on a large scale. Potential applications of such mass-produced anti-reflective films are in the mobile device and tablet markets while the self-cleaning plastics can be applied to surfaces such as walls of buildings.
India's Satyam quarterly profit jumps 56%
Indian software outsourcer Mahindra Satyam on Thursday said its quarterly net profit rose 56 percent year-on-year, beating forecasts as orders climbed.
Within reach: Drexel engineers to add arms and hands to unmanned aerial vehicles
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as those used by the military for surveillance and reconnaissance, could be getting a hand – and an arm – from engineers at Drexel University as part of a National Science Foundation grant to investigate adding dexterous limbs to the aircrafts. The project, whose subject harkens to the hovering android iconography of sci-fi movies, could be a step toward the use of UAVs for emergency response and search and rescue scenarios.
Facebook stock drops another 4 percent
Facebook's stock is getting closer to losing half of its value since its highly anticipated public offering.
Mobile ad spending up 62%, US tops Japan: survey
Mobile online advertising spending is expected to jump 62 percent worldwide in 2012, with the United States overtaking Japan as the top market, a research firm said Wednesday.
HP claims win in legal battle with Oracle
Hewlett-Packard declared victory Wednesday in a legal dispute in which it accused business software titan Oracle of reneging on a contract to use HP servers.
Social news site Digg rises from ashes
Digg, the once high-flying social news site, relaunched Wednesday under new ownership after a six-week rebuilding.
VW makes headway with its E-Bugster
Volkswagen brought some reporters to Europe recently to talk about green cars, and then spent much of the trip deriding the whole concept of battery vehicles. I drove a prototype electric Golf (with 26.5 kilowatt-hours of Sanyo batteries) in California in 2010, and the car has been making slow progress. A fleet of 20 of these competent but underwhelming buggies are quietly on the road, and production will reportedly begin in 2014. But don't expect a big push-they could be "compliance vehicles" to satisfy California green car regulations. I saw the hybrid version of the Jetta in New York, and found it amazingly cautious-not likely to dent the Prius' domination of the market.
Sony's loss grows, cuts earnings forecast
(AP) — Sony's red ink worsened in the April-June quarter and it lowered its full-year earnings forecast as it battles a strong yen and declining sales of liquid crystal display TVs and video game machines.
Big cash stockpile puts US tech firms on the spot
Apple has more than $81 billion parked overseas. Microsoft has $54 billion, Google $43 billion and Cisco $42 billion.
Finnish app maker says 'Angry Birds' IPO in late 2013
Rovio, the Finnish makers of the world's most-downloaded mobile app "Angry Birds", will seek a stock market listing by the end of 2013, chief financial officer Mikko Setala said in an interview published Thursday.
Cost of glitch for Knight Capital: $440 million (Update)
(AP) — It's turning out to be one costly glitch. A technical problem that briefly threw dozens of stocks into chaos Wednesday will cost Knight Capital Group $440 million, the trading firm said Thursday. Knight's own stock plunged for a second day, erasing 75 percent of its value in two days. The company also said it is pursuing ways to raise money to fund the expense, raising questions about the firm's viability. And several financial institutions announced they had stopped trading with Knight, at least temporarily.
Sharp to cut 5,000 jobs as quarterly loss worsens
(AP) — Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp. is slashing 5,000 jobs over the next year, or nearly 9 percent of its global workforce, after its quarterly loss ballooned from a year earlier.
Senate may go on break without passing cyber bill
The U.S. Senate could leave town this week for a monthlong break without passing legislation to protect the country's electrical grid, water supplies and other critical industries from cyberattack and electronic espionage.
Cost-effective production of infrared lenses
If visibility is poor, thermal cameras can warn drivers of people or animals on the road. Yet such devices have been very expensive – until now. An important step has been taken to manufacture them more cheaply. A new process will make the infrared lenses – a component of such cameras – up to 70 percent cheaper.
Google to expand its Finnish data center
(AP) — Google Inc. says it will invest €150 million ($177 million) to expand its data center in Finland.
Detecting thyroid disease by computer
Researchers in India have developed an improved expert system for the diagnosis of thyroid disease. They describe details of their approach to screening medical data in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Computational Science and Engineering.
Facebook growth clouded by '83m dubious accounts' (Update)
Facebook's latest figures showing growth in global users also suggest as many as 83 million may come from dubious sources -- duplicate accounts, pages for pets and those designed to send spam.
Ford adding 225 jobs to build hybrid transmissions
(AP) — Ford Motor Co. is hiring 225 workers and adding an assembly line at a Detroit-area plant to make a new hybrid-electric transmission.
Smart wireless power outlets
Many homeowners dream of being able to wash a load of laundry when the photovoltaic panels on the roof are delivering a maximum of electricity, even when they are not at home. A new Internet-enabled power outlet will soon allow users to control household appliances via their smartphone, and reduce their energy costs into the bargain.
Tech review: Waze app brings crowd-sourced road conditions
If you've been paying attention the past few years, you've seen an entire category of gadgets become almost extinct.
HP wins ruling in court battle with Oracle
(AP) — Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. said it won a "tremendous" victory in its court battle to force Oracle Corp. to continue making software for one of its server lines.
AT&T goes on spectrum shopping binge
(AP) — AT&T Inc. has gone on a shopping spree for wireless spectrum, striking three separate deals that should let it increase its capacity for wireless broadband.
Apple asks for verdict after Samsung 'misconduct'
With a major patent trial barely underway, Apple has asked a judge to rule against Samsung, saying lawyers for the South Korean firm improperly disclosed information excluded in court in a bid to sway jurors.
LinkedIn results give relief to social media
The professional social media group LinkedIn reported better-than-expected results Thursday, giving some relief to a sector battered by disappointments from Facebook and others.
Writing graphics software gets much easier
(Phys.org) -- Image-processing software is a hot commodity: Just look at Instagram, a company built around image processing that Facebook is trying to buy for a billion dollars. Image processing is also going mobile, as more and more people are sending cellphone photos directly to the Web, without transferring them to a computer first.
Industrial design students create solar bag that purifies water while person walks
(Phys.org) -- It's common knowledge that a lot of people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. In some parts of Africa, people, particularly children fall victim to bacteria in the water they drink; a lot of them die. For some, getting to a water source, even one that isn’t clean can mean walking for several miles, and then carrying it back. It’s for these people that industrial design students Ryan Lynch and Marcus Triest have designed and created what they call the Solar Bag, it’s a bag that holds water and hangs off the shoulders and lies on a person’s back and uses UV radiation from the sun to kill bacteria in the water while the person is walking or after they have arrived at their destination.
US Senate fails to approve cybersecurity measure (Update)
The Senate failed Thursday to pass legislation to protect the U.S. electrical grid, water supplies and other critical industries from cyberattack and electronic espionage, despite dire warnings from top national security officials about the potential for devastating assaults on American computer networks.
'Do not track' browser push at odds with online advertisers
When Microsoft unveils a new version of its Web browser, users will be able to traverse the Web like always but with one significant difference: The company plans to make "do not track" the default setting.
Animation research could offer unparalleled control of characters without skeletons
(Phys.org) -- Computer-generated characters have become so lifelike in appearance and movement that the line separating reality is almost imperceptible at times. "The Matrix" sequels messed with audiences' perceptions of reality (in more ways than one) with action scenes mixing CG characters and real actors. Almost a decade later, superheroes and alien warriors dominate the multiplex. But while bipeds and quadrupeds have reigned supreme in CG animation, attempts to create and control their skeleton-free cousins using similar techniques has proved time-consuming and laborious.
Malware in BIOS stirs concern at Black Hat meet
(Phys.org) -- Security researcher Jonathan Brossard has drawn attention to a backdoor espionage problem that is in an ornery class by itself. Presenting his finds at the recent Defcon and Black Hat events, Brossard has shown that any snooper placing rogue firmware on your computer “basically owns you forever.” Brossard’s proof of concept is bracing news for security professionals in public and private sectors. The importance of his research is that this kind of back door allows secret remote access over the Internet, no matter what the attempt might be to switch the hard disk or reinstall the operating system; such moves will not help.
Medicine & Health news
Pet arrival may help individuals with autism develop prosocial behavior
The introduction of a pet can have a positive effect on autistic children's behavior, as reported in research published Aug. 1 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
ACOs find risks, opportunities in quest for reduced costs, improved quality
Many health care systems across the US have declined to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program, developed under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), to improve efficiency and quality of health care delivery. In a groundbreaking collection of commentaries in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, representatives of six leading health care organizations write about the challenges of reducing health care costs while improving health care quality. They further explain why they did or did not choose to participate in one of the two models now operational at CMS.
Chile bans marketing of toys in children's food
(AP) — A new law in Chile aims to take some of the fun out of fast-food by forcing McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and other restaurants to stop including toys and other goodies with children's meals.
Clinical trials aim to help boys with fragile X syndrome
In some ways, Samuel is like many other little boys. He likes swimming, riding in his grandfather's boat, and playing games on the family's Wii. His face lights up when he sees an image of Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars.
UC Irvine studies therapy robot's effect on chemo patients
(Medical Xpress) -- Oncologists at UC Irvine Medical Center are pairing robotic baby harp seals with women receiving chemotherapy to study whether the cuddly mechanical creatures can ease pain and stress.
A protein thwarts developmental abnormalities by preventing removal of critical chemical marks from embryonic DNA
When a mammalian egg gets fertilized, it essentially undergoes a genomic ‘reset’ that transforms it into an embryonic cell capable of developing into the full spectrum of adult tissues. Daniel Messerschmidt and co-workers at the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology have now identified the protein TRIM28 as a key player in this reprogramming process.
NIH video reveals the science behind yoga
A video featuring research on how yoga works, the safety of yoga and whether yoga can help treat certain health problems is being released by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For example, there is a growing body of evidence that yoga may be beneficial for low-back pain. However, yoga has not been found helpful for treating asthma, and studies investigating yoga for arthritis have had mixed results.
Free iPad app offers personalized advice for healthy living
Health-care professionals have developed a free iPad app that estimates a user’s disease risk and offers a customized plan for living healthier lives.
UN polio suspension hits 22,000 Pakistan children
Around 22,000 Pakistani children are at risk in Karachi after the World Health Organization suspended polio vaccinations over a spate of bloody shootings, a UN official warned Thursday.
"Jade effect" helps save lives as cervical cancer rates rise
(Medical Xpress) -- The rate of new cervical cancers diagnosed in the UK increased by 15 per cent in a year, according to figures from Cancer Research UK today.
Autism Speaks and SAGE Labs develop rat models for translational autism research
Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced its expanded collaboration with Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, an initiative of Sigma Life, to develop the first rat models with modified autism associated genes, intended to accelerate discovery and translational autism research.
Disorders of consciousness: How should clinicians respond to new therapeutic interventions?
New tools have confirmed high rates of misdiagnosis of patients with chronic disorders of consciousness, such as the vegetative state. An increasing number of patients' families wish to use these novel techniques for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. An international team of researchers, including Dr. Éric Racine, researcher at the IRCM, analyzed the clinical, social and ethical issues that clinicians are now facing. Their article is published in the August edition of The Lancet Neurology, a renowned journal in the field of clinical neurology.
Ebola was spread widely at funeral of first victim
(AP) — The aid group Doctors Without Borders says the first victim of the latest Ebola outbreak in Uganda was a 3-month-old girl and that of the 65 people who attended her funeral, 15 later contracted the deadly disease.
Five-year survey confirms Uruguay's world-leading tobacco control strategy is delivering results
The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (the ITC Project) today launched a new report on the effectiveness of tobacco control policies in Uruguay. The ITC Uruguay Survey (the Survey) found that the country's world-leading, comprehensive tobacco control strategy has had positive effects on raising awareness of the true harms of smoking, reducing misperceptions about "light/mild" cigarettes, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, and reducing the demand for tobacco products through tax increases. The strategy has been accompanied by increased support for tobacco control and smoke-free policies, with two-thirds of smokers in 2011 supporting even stronger government action to protect the public from the harms of smoking, up from about half of smokers in 2006.
Anastrozole and fulvestrant combo better than single drug for metastatic breast cancer
Results of a SWOG clinical trial published August 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine show the combination of anastrozole and fulvestrant extended the median survival time of women with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer by more than six months compared to women treated with a standard therapy of anastrozole alone (47.7 months vs 41.3 months).
Study shows equatorial regions in Brazil less affected by 2009 influenza pandemic
The death toll of the 2009 influenza pandemic in equatorial climates may have been much lower than originally thought, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health's Fogarty International Center. The paper, published in PLoS ONE, challenges the idea that the pandemic was deadlier in the tropics, which harbor nearly half of the world's population and which have the highest burden of infectious disease.
Are Americans ready to solve the weight of the nation?
In a Perspective article appearing in this week's New England Journal of Medicine, public health researchers examine how recommendations in a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM)—"Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation"—square with American's opinions about the obesity epidemic.
Lack of nationwide surveillance may lead to clusters of congenital anomalies going unnoticed
One baby in every 45 was born with a congenital anomaly in 2010 according to the second annual report by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR), released today (Thursday).
Google it?: Internet searches often provide inaccurate information about infant sleep safety
In 2010, 59% of the U.S. population used internet searches for health information, and parents searching for information regarding their children were among the top users. In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published recommendations for infant sleep safety to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), suffocation, strangulation, and other accidental sleep-related deaths. However, according to a study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, Google internet searches related to infant sleep safety often do not reflect AAP recommendations.
Teen survival expectations predict later risk-taking behavior
Some young people's expectations that they will not live long, healthy lives may actually foreshadow such outcomes.
New study finds strong evidence of humans surviving rabies bites without treatment
Challenging conventional wisdom that rabies infections are 100 percent fatal unless immediately treated, scientists studying remote populations in the Peruvian Amazon at risk of rabies from vampire bats found 11 percent of those tested showed protection against the disease, with only one person reporting a prior rabies vaccination. Ten percent appear to have survived exposure to the virus without any medical intervention. The findings from investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were published today in the August 2012 issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Nutrition type affects endocrinology in SGA infants
(HealthDay) -- Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants who are formula-fed (FOF) have elevated endocrine levels of high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin and insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I) compared with breastfed (BRF) SGA infants, according to research published in the August issue of Diabetes.
Brain connectivity altered in type 2 diabetes
(HealthDay) -- Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have reduced functional connectivity in the default mode network, which is associated with insulin resistance in some brain regions, according to a study published online July 26 in Diabetes.
Signs of ADHD evident by preschool, expert says
(HealthDay) -- One out of 11 school-aged children is diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and up to 40 percent of those kids may display symptoms in preschool, an expert says.
Manufacturer's cleaning ineffective for suction tips
(HealthDay) -- Following the manufacturer's recommendations is inadequate for cleaning suction tips, with residual debris identified after cleaning, according to a study published in the August issue of the AORN Journal.
Depression could shorten cancer survival, study suggests
(HealthDay) -- Symptoms of depression are linked to shorter survival times among cancer patients, according to a new study.
A genetic variation common in East Asian populations has been linked to cancer drug resistance
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) kill cancerous cells by inducing programmed cell death. They are of enormous therapeutic benefit to patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and certain types of lung cancer, but their effectiveness may vary from individual to individual. Previous studies have estimated that one in five patients finds TKIs to be ineffective. An international team of researchers including Yijun Ruan and Axel Hillmer at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore, Sin Tiong Ong and King Pan Ng at the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Charles Chuah at the Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital and Darren Wan-Teck Lim at the National Cancer Centre has now identified a common genetic variation linked with resistance to TKIs.
Researchers call for new tactics in drug abuse fight
(Medical Xpress) -- Current U.S. drug policy is proving insufficient in shrinking the damage caused by drug abuse, but promising alternative approaches could lead to improved results, according to an article in the summer 2012 edition of Issues in Science and Technology.
Playing outdoors looks good for children's eyesight
British children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become short-sighted according to new research from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol.
E-nose detects malignant mesothelioma
Australian researchers have developed a breath test using an electronic nose to help diagnose malignant mesothelioma in its early stages, a potentially life-saving move.
Sleep disruption in toddlers with Down syndrome may affect behavior
(Medical Xpress) -- In typically developing children, links between behavioral issues and disrupted sleep have been well-researched, though fewer studies have focused on understanding how early sleep disruption affects children with Down syndrome.
A drug-screening platform for ALS
A research group at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Japan's Kyoto University has successfully recapitulated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated abnormalities in motor neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) obtained from patients with familial ALS, a late-onset, fatal disorder which is also known for Lou Gehrig's disease. In a drug screening assay using the disease model, the team further found that the chemical compound anacardic acid can rescue some ALS phenotypes in vitro.
Global health researchers urge integrating de-worming into HIV care in Africa
HIV care centers are an important and highly accessed point of care for HIV-infected children and their families in sub-Saharan Africa, but opportunities to address other health issues are being missed. Proven interventions, including routine deworming among young children, could be effectively integrated into HIV care according to a newly published article in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases by University of Washington researchers.
Two effective treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis also cost-effective
(Medical Xpress) -- Two treatments found previously to be the most effective for patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) have now been found to be the most cost-effective treatments according to new research led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry.
Vasculitis related genes cause inflammation of blood vessels
(Medical Xpress) -- Medical Scientists at Trinity College Dublin in a pan-European collaborative study have discovered genes that contribute to the condition vasculitis, causing the inflammation of blood vessels. The findings have been recently published in the leading international publication The New England Journal of Medicine.
Explainer: why mothers should breastfeed
(Medical Xpress) -- Breast milk is one of the most important components of infant care. It provides complete nutrition and helps to prevent and fight infections. And it’s also safer – in much of the world, artificial infant feed is dangerous because clean water, which is essential for mixing with the powder, may not be available.
Research identifies a protein group that may kick-start allergic reactions
(Medical Xpress) -- Allergies, or hypersensitivities of the immune system, are more common than ever before. According to the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America, one in five Americans suffers from an allergy — from milder forms like hay fever to more severe instances, like peanut allergies which can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Scientists identify genetic drivers of leukaemia
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at Newcastle University have discovered three key genetic errors which can dictate how adult patients develop leukaemia and respond to treatment and could help doctors adapt future treatments.
Mechanisms for a beneficial effect of moderate alcohol consumption on osteoporosis in women
Women after menopause tend to develop weaker bones from what is known as osteoporosis, which may lead to fractures (especially hip fractures) from falling. The weakness of the bones results from an imbalance between the normal resorption (a type of dissolving of old bone) and the laying down of new bone, an ongoing process for both men and women referred to as "bone turnover." For poorly understood reasons, after menopause the resorption of old bone in women continues but new bone is laid down less well, leading to a decrease in bone density. A variety of substances (calcium, vitamin D and various medications) have been used in an attempt to prevent the development of osteoporosis; in epidemiologic studies, moderate drinking of alcohol has also been shown to lower this risk.
Infants exposed to specific molds have higher asthma risk
(Medical Xpress) -- In the United States, one in 10 children suffers from asthma but the potential environmental factors contributing to the disease are not well known. Cincinnati-based researchers now report new evidence that exposure to three types of mold during infancy may have a direct link to asthma development during childhood.
Psychology of possibilities can enhance health, happiness, research says
First-time mothers who pay attention to their emotional and physical changes during their pregnancy may feel better and have healthier newborns than new mothers who don't, according to research to be presented at American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention.
Chronic vulvar pain related to irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis
Millions of women suffer from unexplained vulvar pain so severe it can make intercourse, exercise and even sitting unbearable.
Scientists identify a critical tumor suppressor for cancer
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a protein that impairs the development and maintenance of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), but is repressed during the initial stages of the disease, allowing for rapid tumor growth.
Study finds mechanism that turns white fat into energy-burning brown fat
Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified a mechanism that can give energy-storing white fat some of the beneficial characteristics of energy-burning brown fat. The findings, based on studies of mice and of human fat tissue, could lead to new strategies for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. The study was published today in the online edition of the journal Cell.
Heat-shock factor reveals its unique role in supporting highly malignant cancers
Whitehead Institute researchers have found that increased expression of a specific set of genes is strongly associated with metastasis and death in patients with breast, colon, and lung cancers. Not only could this finding help scientists identify a gene profile predictive of patient outcomes and response to treatment, it could also guide the development of therapeutics to target multiple cancer types.
'Unhealthy' changes in gut microbes benefit pregnant women
The composition of microbes in the gut changes dramatically during pregnancy, according to a study published by Cell Press in the August 3rd issue of the journal Cell. Although these changes are associated with metabolic disease under most circumstances, they could be beneficial in pregnant women.
Genetic copy-number variants and cancer risk
Genetics clearly plays a role in cancer development and progression, but the reason that a certain mutation leads to one cancer and not another is less clear. Furthermore, no links have been found between any cancer and a type of genetic change called "copy-number variants," or CNVs. Now, a new study published by Cell Press in The American Journal of Human Genetics on August 2 identifies CNVs associated with testicular cancer risk, but not with the risk of breast or colon cancer.
Researcher's fish-eye view could offer insights for human vision
A Purdue University student's research project related to zebrafish eye development could lead to a better understanding of vision problems that affect billions of people worldwide.
Plant-based compound slows breast cancer in a mouse model
The natural plant compound phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) hinders the development of mammary tumors in a mouse model with similarities to human breast cancer progression, according to a study published August 2 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Timing of antibiotics important in reducing infections after C-section
Giving antibiotics before cesarean section surgery rather than just after the newborn's umbilical cord is clamped cuts the infection rate at the surgical site in half, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Studying couples to improve health, better relationships
It is not always best to forgive and forget in marriage, according to new research that looks at the costs of forgiveness. Sometimes expressing anger might be necessary to resolve a relationship problem – with the short-term discomfort of an angry but honest conversation benefiting the health of the relationship in the long-term. The research is part of a larger effort to better understand the contexts in which some relationships succeed and others fail, and also to understand how close relationships affect our health.
Multiple factors motivate no reperfusion in STEMI
(HealthDay) -- For patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the decision for no reperfusion is usually multifactorial, with the most common factor being advanced age, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Taxane-induced neuropathy not tied to breast cancer outcome
(HealthDay) -- For patients with operable breast cancer, peripheral neuropathy due to adjuvant taxane therapy does not correlate with improved outcomes, according to research published online July 30 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Hypertension ups retinopathy risk with HCV treatment
(HealthDay) -- For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) treated with pegylated interferon alpha (PegIFNα) and ribavirin, retinopathy occurs frequently, especially in those with hypertension, according to a study published in the August issue of Hepatology.
Bacteria-immune system 'fight' can lead to chronic diseases, study suggests
Results from a study conducted at Georgia State University suggest that a "fight" between bacteria normally living in the intestines and the immune system, kicked off by another type of bacteria, may be linked to two types of chronic disease.
Smokers drop pricey cigarettes for cheaper alternatives: CDC
(HealthDay) -- With cigarette costs rising, more smokers are turning to cigars or "rolling their own" to cut costs, suggests a new U.S. government report that shows a substantial increase in the use of non-cigarette tobacco products.
West Nile virus on the rise in US: CDC
(HealthDay) -- With 241 cases of West Nile virus and four related deaths reported so far this year, the United States is experiencing the biggest spike in the mosquito-borne illness since 2004, health officials report.
Speaking multiple languages can influence children's emotional development
On the classic TV show "I Love Lucy," Ricky Ricardo was known for switching into rapid-fire Spanish whenever he was upset, despite the fact Lucy had no idea what her Cuban husband was saying. These scenes were comedy gold, but they also provided a relatable portrayal of the linguistic phenomenon of code-switching.
New bat virus could hold key to Hendra virus
Australian scientists have discovered a new virus in bats that could help shed light on how Hendra and Nipah viruses cause disease and death in animals and humans. The new virus - named 'Cedar' after the Queensland location where it was discovered - is a close relative of the deadly Hendra and Nipah viruses.
Modest weight loss can have lasting health benefits, research shows
Overweight and obese individuals can achieve a decade's worth of important health benefits by losing just 20 pounds, even if they regain the weight later that decade, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association's 120th Annual Convention. With a focus on psychology's role in overcoming the national obesity epidemic, the session also examined research that indicates foods high in sugar and fat could have addictive properties.
100 gene deletions in mice identifies 9 new genes that determine bone strength
A genetic screening approach to studying bone disease has found nine new genes associated with bone health and suggests a new way to discover genes that may be implicated in human skeletal diseases. A collaborative study of the mineral content, strength and flexibility of bones has found clues to the cause of bone disorders such as osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, and high bone density syndromes. The study, which brings together specialist skills in mouse gene deletion and bone measurement to assess the strength of bones in 100 mutant mouse lines, is the largest reported screen of its type for genes that regulate bone health.
Catching the cap-snatcher: Structural analysis opens the way to new anti-influenza drugs
Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Grenoble, France, have determined the detailed 3-dimensional structure of part of the flu virus' RNA polymerase, an enzyme that is crucial for influenza virus replication. This important finding is published today in PLoS Pathogens. The research was done on the 2009 pandemic influenza strain but it will help scientists to design innovative drugs against all the different influenza strains, and potentially lead to a new class of anti-flu drugs in the next 5-10 years.
Mending a broken heart -- with a molecule that turns stem cells into heart cells
For years, scientists have been looking for a good source of heart cells that can be used to study cardiac function in the lab, or perhaps even to replace diseased or damaged tissue in heart disease patients. To do this, many are looking to stem cells. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham), the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, and ChemRegen, Inc. have been searching for molecules that convert stem cells to heart cells for about eight years—and now they've found one. Writing in the August 3 issue of Cell Stem Cell, the team describes how they sifted through a large collection of drug-like chemicals and uncovered ITD-1, a molecule that can be used to generate unlimited numbers of new heart cells from stem cells.
Why women outlive men: It's in our genes, study says
Scientists are beginning to understand one of life's enduring mysteries - why women live, on average, longer than men.
Researchers find genetic cause for body tremors
Researchers at the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine and CHUM hospitals have linked some cases of Essential Tremor (ET) to a specific genetic problem. ET is the most common movement disorder, becoming increasingly frequent with increasing age, which is characterized by an involuntary shaking movement (tremor) that occurs with motion, particularly when doing precise fine movement. The researchers will be publishing their findings tomorrow in The American Journal of Human Genetics.
Embryonic blood vessels that make blood stem cells can also make beating heart muscles
UCLA stem cell researchers have found for the first time a surprising and unexpected plasticity in the embryonic endothelium, the place where blood stem cells are made in early development.
Early relationships, not brainpower, key to adult happiness
Positive social relationships in childhood and adolescence are key to adult well-being, according to Associate Professor Craig Olsson from Deakin University and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia, and his colleagues. In contrast, academic achievement appears to have little effect on adult well-being. The exploratory work, looking at the child and adolescent origins of well-being in adulthood, is published online in Springer's Journal of Happiness Studies.
Alzheimer's cognitive decline slows in advanced age
The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is advancing age. By age 85, the likelihood of developing the dreaded neurological disorder is roughly 50 percent. But researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say AD hits hardest among the "younger elderly" – people in their 60s and 70s – who show faster rates of brain tissue loss and cognitive decline than AD patients 80 years and older.
New target for treating diabetes and obesity
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a potential target for treating diabetes and obesity.
Biology news
Skin cancer identified for the first time in wild fish populations
Widespread skin cancer has been identified for the first time in wild marine fish populations, new research has shown.
Two proteins that regulate cell division co-operate to control neuronal differentiation
Researchers from the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology have identified components of the molecular mechanism that stops neural stem cells from dividing and then promotes their differentiation into different types of brain cells. During development of the nervous system, proteins called cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) tightly regulate the balance between the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells, but the exact role of each Cdk in these processes is not well understood.
Endangered Roloway monkey born in French zoo
An exceptionally rare Roloway monkey has been born at a zoo in eastern France that is striving to preserve one of the most endangered primate species on the planet.
Extinction risk factors for New Zealand birds today differ from those of the past
What makes some species more prone to extinction? A new study of nearly 300 species of New Zealand birds — from pre-human times to the present — reveals that the keys to survival today differ from those of the past.
Planarians offer a better view of eye development
Planarian flatworms have come under intense study for their renowned ability to regenerate any missing body part, even as adults. But now they may take on a starring role as a model system for studying eye development and eye diseases in vertebrates, including humans.
Study finds healthy seafood comes from sustainable fish
When ordering seafood, the options are many and so are some of the things you might consider in what you order. Is your fish healthy? Is it safe? Is it endangered? While there are many services and rankings offered to help you decide – there's even an iPhone app – a group of researchers have found a simple rule of thumb applies.
Female spiders produce mating plugs to prevent unwanted sex from males
Scientists at the Smithsonian and their colleagues have discovered a new mechanism of animal mating plug production. In the giant wood spider Nephila pilipes, a highly sexually dimorphic and polygamous species, many small males compete with one other for access to a few huge females. During copulation these males are known to sever their own genitals in an attempt to plug the female, thereby gaining paternity advantage by preventing other males from mating with her.
The one that got away - higher temperatures change predator-prey relations
Temperature rises can drastically alter relationships between predator and prey, including the success of invasive species, new research from the University of Sydney has shown.
Rat and ant rescues 'don't show empathy'
(Phys.org) -- Studies of how rats and ants rescue other members of their species do not prove that animals other than humans have empathy, according to a team led by Oxford University scientists.
Research shows how protein component that enables cell replication gets ferried to chromosome tips
Stem cells are special. Nestled in muscle and skin, organ and bone, they bide their time over years or decades until called to replace damaged or lost tissue. One secret to their longevity is an enzyme called telomerase, which stills the relentless ticking of the molecular clock that limits the life span of other cells.
Cuckoo tricks to beat the neighborhood watch
To minimise the chance of being recognised and thus attacked by the birds they are trying to parasitize, female cuckoos have evolved different guises. The new research, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, was published today in the journal Science.
Climate warming refuted as reason for plant shifts in high-profile 2008 study
(Phys.org) -- Many simple models of plant response to warming climates predict vegetation to find cooler and/or wetter locations, generally moving upslope from their current positions.
Ethylene of no effect: Why peppers do not mature after picking
(Phys.org) -- The plant hormone ethylene lets green tomatoes ripen even after the harvest, whereas the closely related chili peppers show no such effect. Researchers from the Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology wanted to understand the reason for that and compared gene expression levels and metabolic pathways of both plant species. Understanding the ripening process is important to minimize the amount of food that festers on the way from the producer to the consumer.
Elusive coral predator discovered in the wild
(Phys.org) -- It’s a ravenous predator, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. But unlike many ocean predators that struggle in an aquarium setting, this one has only been found in captivity. Until now.
Study shows one kind of squid can jettison parts of its arm (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Aquatic researcher Stephanie Bush has found that one species of squid, Octopoteuthis deletron, is able to jettison part of its arm when either attacking or being attacked. Known as arm autotomy, O. deletron is the only known species of squid able to do so. And as Bush notes in her paper published as part of the Marine Ecology Progress Series, the squid are able to release part of their arm at the point of stress, rather than as octopi do, by releasing their whole leg.
Researchers expand synthetic biology's toolkit: New method could enable reprogramming of mammalian cells
Through the assembly of genetic components into "circuits" that perform logical operations in living cells, synthetic biologists aim to artificially empower cells to solve critical problems in medicine, energy and the environment. To succeed, however, they'll need far more reliable genetic components than the small number of "off-the-shelf" bacterial parts now available.
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