Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 30, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Fairness can evolve by imitating one's neighbor: physicists- Sterling science: Strain in silver nanoparticles creates unusual 'twinning'
- Light-activated skeletal muscle engineered (w/ Video)
- Kinect@Home crowdsources for 3-D models
- Human, soil bacteria swap antibiotic-resistance genes: study
- Uncoiling the cucumber's enigma: Researchers discover a biological mechanism for coiling
- Physicists measure photonic interactions at the atomic level
- A one-way street for spinning atoms
- 'Nanoresonators' might improve cell phone performance
- 'Nature' survey shows scientists happy with jobs but worried about money
- DNA scan sheds new light on mankind's mysterious cousins (Update)
- Biophysicists unravel secrets of genetic switch
- Walls of lunar crater may hold patchy ice, LRO radar finds
- First field study finds soot particles absorb significantly less sunlight than predicted by models
- New research identifies prime source of ocean methane
Space & Earth news
Image: Hurricane Isaac at night
(Phys.org)—Early on August 29, 2012, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi-NPP satellite captured this nighttime view of Hurricane Isaac and the cities near the Gulf Coast of the United States.
Synchronized tumbling: how to catch a retired satellite
In space, there are no brakes. Active satellites and spacecraft achieve controlled movement with thrusters. Retired satellites, on the other hand, no longer controlled from Earth, tumble in their orbits through space while traveling at high speed. A spacecraft seeking to rendezvous with such a satellite must perform a delicate dance to safely approach and synchronize movements. With the help of teams of individuals from around the world, DARPA is beginning to determine the steps required. Their work could inform the design of autonomous control mechanisms for all manner of complex future space operations.
Where is it cheapest to cut carbon?
Researchers from The Australian National University have shed some light on why some countries are more reluctant to agree to an international carbon price than others.
Northern Rockies skies for September
The early September night sky is dominated by the summer triangle (Vega, Deneb and Altair) directly overhead. The constellation Scorpius lies on the southwest horizon with its brilliant red star, Antares.
U of T atmospheric physicist discusses ozone, climate change and the Quadrennial Ozone Symposium
As leading international scientists gather in Toronto to discuss new findings on ozone and climate change for the 22nd Quadrennial Ozone Symposium, U of T News spoke with Professor Kimberly Strong about her research, the Arctic ozone hole and atmospheric research at U of T.
QandA with scott knowles: The politics of Hurricane Isaac
The prospect of dangerous winds, flooding and fire have been ominously looming over the Gulf Coast, but the level of destruction to the southern U.S. is not the only aftermath many Americans are awaiting from the storm dubbed Isaac.
No-till farming helps capture snow and soil water
A smooth blanket of snow in the winter can help boost dryland crop productivity in the summer, and no-till management is one way to ensure that blanket coverage, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research.
Carbon release from collapsing coastal permafrost in Arctic Siberia
In this week's issue of Nature a study lead by Stockholm University, with collaborators from Russia, US, UK, Switzerland, Norway, Spain and Denmark, show that an ancient and large carbon pool held in a less-studied form of permafrost ("Yedoma") is thaw-released along the ~ 7000 kilometer desolate coast of northernmost Siberian Arctic.
Los Alamos provides HOPE for radiation belt storm probes
Los Alamos National Laboratory expertise in radiation detection and shielding is poised to help a national team of scientists better understand a mysterious region that can create hazardous space weather near our home planet.
Thai firm pleads guilty over Australian oil spill
A Thai state-owned firm on Thursday admitted four charges over a huge oil spill off northwestern Australia, the country's worst ever offshore drilling accident.
Japanese spacecraft to search for clues of Earth's first life
In a Physics World special report on Japan, Dennis Normile reports on how the Japanese space agency JAXA plans to land a spacecraft onto an asteroid in 2018 to search for clues of how life began on Earth.
A slow-moving Isaac brings flooding to Gulf states
(Phys.org)—Isaac - once a Category 1 hurricane and now a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (60 knots) - continues to create havoc across the Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas to Florida. While "only" reaching Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale upon landfall on Aug. 28, Isaac is a slow mover, crawling along at only about six miles (10 kilometers) per hour. This slow movement is forecast to continue over the next 24 to 36 hours, bringing a prolonged threat of flooding to the northern Gulf Coast and south-central United States.
Watch out for the Blue Moon
(Phys.org)—When someone says "Once in a Blue Moon," you know what they mean: Rare, seldom, even absurd.
Astronauts take spacewalk to fix up space station
(AP)—Two astronauts—an American and Japanese—are taking a spacewalk to replace failed equipment at the International Space Station.
ACE, workhorse of NASA's heliophysics fleet, is 15
(Phys.org)—The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) is Earth's vanguard. Orbiting around a point 900,000 miles away between the Earth and our sun, this satellite is ever vigilant, recording the combination of radiation—from the sun, from the solar system, from the galaxy—that streams by. None of this radiation can harm humans on Earth, but the biggest bursts of particles from the sun can flow into near-Earth space causing a dynamic space weather system that can damage satellites and interfere with radio communication transmissions and navigation systems.
NASA completes maximum parachute test for Orion spacecraft
(Phys.org)—NASA Tuesday successfully completed another parachute test of its Orion spacecraft high above the skies of the U.S. Yuma Army Proving Ground in southwestern Arizona. The test examined the maximum pressure Orion's parachutes might face when returning from exploration missions.
Coral scientists use new model to find where corals are most likely to survive climate change
Marine conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society working with other coral reef experts have identified heat-tolerant coral species living in locations with continuous background temperature variability as those having the best chance of surviving climate change, according to a new simplified method for measuring coral reef resilience.
Increased sediment and nutrients delivered to bay as Susquehanna reservoirs near sediment capacity
Reservoirs near the mouth of the Susquehanna River just above Chesapeake Bay are nearly at capacity in their ability to trap sediment. As a result, large storms are already delivering increasingly more suspended sediment and nutrients to the Bay, which may negatively impact restoration efforts.
NASA watching Tropical Storm Isaac drench US Gulf Coast region and lower Mississippi River Valley
NASA satellites are providing forecasters with data on rainfall rates within Tropical Storm Isaac as it continues to track over Louisiana, Mississippi and spread northward into the lower Mississippi Valley. Isaac has a large supply of rain, drawing its power from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. NASA's TRMM satellite revealed that some areas within Isaac were dropping rainfall at a rate of 2.75 inches per hour.
Jupiter-bound spacecraft set for key maneuver
A Jupiter-bound spacecraft prepared to fire its engine Thursday for an important maneuver intended to bring it back toward Earth.
Spacewalking astronauts stymied by sticky bolts
(AP)—Sticky bolts proved too much for spacewalking astronauts Thursday, forcing them to leave a new power-switching box dangling from the International Space Station instead of bolted down.
NASA spies fifth Atlantic hurricane and twelfth tropical depression
Tropical Storm Kirk intensified into a hurricane today, Aug. 30, while another tropical depression was born. Satellite imagery revealed Hurricane Kirk and newborn Tropical Depression 12 romping through the central Atlantic Ocean today, while Tropical Storm Isaac continues to drench the U.S. Gulf coast and Mississippi Valley. Kirk became the Atlantic Ocean season's fifth hurricane today, Aug. 30.
NASA spotted hot towers in Ileana that indicated its increase to hurricane status
Hot Towers are towering clouds that emit a tremendous amount of latent heat (thus, called "hot"). NASA research indicates that whenever a hot tower is spotted, a tropical cyclone will likely intensify. Less than 14 hours after the TRMM satellite captured an image of Ileana's rainfall and cloud heights, Ileana strengthened into a hurricane on Aug. 29.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Tembin make landfall in South Korea
Tropical Storm Tembin made landfall in the in southwestern South Korea and NASA's Aqua satellite captured the extent of the storm's elongated cloud cover, revealing the effect of wind shear on the storm.
Multi-tasking supernova: Record-breaking stellar explosion helps understand far-off galaxy
(Phys.org)—Nature hath no fury like a dying star—and astronomers couldn't be happier...
NASA launches RBSP twin satellites to radiation belts (Update)
Twin satellites rocketed into orbit Thursday on a quest to explore Earth's treacherous radiation belts and protect the planet from solar outbursts.
Marine fossils show location as important as area for biodiversity
(Phys.org)—Science has charted a close relationship between the number of species in a given region and the area of the region. This relationship has been documented for many present-day environments, where it can be used to estimate the number of species that will be lost if an area of a given size is eradicated through human actions.
Saturn and its largest moon reflect their true colors
(Phys.org)—Posing for portraits for NASA's Cassini spacecraft, Saturn and its largest moon, Titan, show spectacular colors in a quartet of images being released today. One image captures the changing hues of Saturn's northern and southern hemispheres as they pass from one season to the next.
A surprisingly bright superbubble
(Phys.org)—This composite image shows a superbubble in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way located about 160,000 light years from Earth.
Unexpected finding shows fungi may not help store climate change's extra carbon
Fungi found in plants may not be the answer to mitigating climate change by storing additional carbon in soils as some previously thought, according to an international team of plant biologists.
New research identifies prime source of ocean methane
Up to 4 percent of the methane on Earth comes from the ocean's oxygen-rich waters, but scientists have been unable to identify the source of this potent greenhouse gas. Now researchers report that they have found the culprit: a bit of "weird chemistry" practiced by the most abundant microbes on the planet.
First field study finds soot particles absorb significantly less sunlight than predicted by models
Viewed as a potential target in the global effort to reduce climate change, atmospheric black carbon particles absorb significantly less sunlight than scientists predicted, raising new questions about the impact of black carbon on atmospheric warming, an international team of researchers, including climate chemists from Boston College, report today in the latest edition of the journal Science.
Walls of lunar crater may hold patchy ice, LRO radar finds
(Phys.org)—Small patches of ice could make up at most five to ten percent of material in walls of Shackleton crater. Scientists using the Mini-RF radar on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have estimated the maximum amount of ice likely to be found inside a permanently shadowed lunar crater located near the moon's South Pole. As much as five to ten percent of material, by weight, could be patchy ice, according to the team of researchers led by Bradley Thomson at Boston University's Center for Remote Sensing, in Mass.
Dawn spacecraft prepares for trek toward dwarf planet
(Phys.org)—NASA's Dawn spacecraft is on track to become the first probe to orbit and study two distant solar system destinations, to help scientists answer questions about the formation of our solar system. The spacecraft is scheduled to leave the giant asteroid Vesta on Sept. 4 PDT (Sept. 5 EDT) to start its two-and-a-half-year journey to the dwarf planet Ceres.
Technology news
Indie stores, Kobo reading service reach e-deal
(AP)—Independent booksellers have found a new partner to help them sell e-books.
Velox2 challenges world cycling record in Nevada desert
It's all set to happen between 10 and 15 September: that's when TU Delft and VU University Amsterdam's Human Power Team will be making a bid to break the world cycling record, currently at 133 km/ hour. Last year Velox's recumbent cyclist Sebastiaan Bowier came excruciatingly close with 129.6 km/ hour.
BT sells 14.1% stake in India's Tech Mahindra
British telecoms group BT said Thursday that it has completed the sale of a 14.1-percent stake in Indian IT group Tech Mahindra to institutional investors for £158.6 million.
LinkedIn plans to expand to Sunnyvale, Calif.
(AP)—Professional networking website LinkedIn plans to expand its California operation to a new campus in Sunnyvale.
Top 5 makers of tablets, led by Apple and iPad
Apple extended its dominance in tablet computers in the second quarter, shipping nearly seven out of every 10 tablets, according to research firm IHS iSuppli.
Judge refuses to delay NY case for Google appeal
(AP)—The federal judge presiding over challenges to Google Inc.'s plans to create the world's largest digital library has refused to delay the 7-year-old case while Google appeals his decision to grant authors class certification.
Pandora loss shrinks as revenue rises
Internet radio firm Pandora on Wednesday reported that its revenue climbed in the recently-ended quarter but that it still lost money due in large part to royalties paid out for songs.
China will be top smartphone market in 2012: survey
China will overtake the United States as the biggest market for smartphones amid a surge in low-cost handsets, a survey said Thursday.
Dell's remake hits a rough patch
Dell Inc.'s journey toward business transformation has run into a rough stretch of road.
A whisker-inspired approach to tactile sensing
Inspired by the twitching whiskers of common rats and Etruscan shrews, European researchers have developed rodent-like robots and an innovative tactile sensor system that could be used to help find people in burning buildings, make vacuum cleaners more efficient and eventually improve keyhole surgery.
New cybersecurity tool suite demonstrated
A new suite of cybersecurity software tools is being demonstrated at Idaho National Lab this week. The tools will help the electric utility industry protect their control system networks from cyber attack.
Twitter targets ads based on interests
Twitter on Thursday began letting advertisers target users with "promoted tweets" based on interests expressed at the globally popular one-to-many texting service.
Publishers ink $69 mn deal in ebook price-fixing case
US prosecutors announced Thursday that the top three US publishing houses have inked a $69 million deal to close the book on charges that they schemed to fix prices of digital titles.
Japan court to rule on Apple-Samsung patent brawl
A Japanese court on Friday will issue a ruling in a bitter patent dispute between Apple and its South Korean rival Samsung, the latest case in a global war between the two technology giants.
Smartphone app can track objects on the battlefield as well as on the sports field
University of Missouri researchers have developed new software using smartphones' GPS and imaging abilities, that determine the exact location of distant objects as well as monitor the speed and direction of moving objects. The software could eventually allow smartphone-armed soldiers to target the location of their enemies. On the home front, the software could be used by everyone, including golfers judging distance to the green and biologists documenting the location of a rare animal without disturbing it.
Kinect@Home crowdsources for 3-D models
(Phys.org)—An open source undertaking called Kinect@Home offers the world a deal: "Users get access to 3-D models they can embed anywhere on the internet, and we use this data to create better computer vision algorithms." Scan objects at home or in your work area and send ithem off, uploading the scan to the Kinect@Home database to help roboticists and computer vision researchers to improve their algorithms. In return, you get a copy of the scan, which you can embed in a website or use for any 3-D modeling program. In calling upon all Kinects in the world to volunteer and record 3-D models, the team behind the crowdsourcing effort will achieve its vision of simply making and sharing 3-D models of the real world easy.
Light-activated skeletal muscle engineered (w/ Video)
Many robotic designs take nature as their muse: sticking to walls like geckos, swimming through water like tuna, sprinting across terrain like cheetahs. Such designs borrow properties from nature, using engineered materials and hardware to mimic animals' behavior.
Medicine & Health news
Study explores medical exemptions from school vaccination requirements across states
In states where medical exemptions from vaccination requirements for kindergarten students are easier to get, exemption rates are higher, potentially compromising herd immunity and posing a threat to children and others who truly should not be immunized because of underlying conditions, according to a study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases and now available online. Nationwide in scope, the study found inconsistency among states in standards allowing medical exemptions from school immunization requirements. The investigators concluded that medical exemptions should be monitored and continuously evaluated to ensure they are used appropriately.
S.Leone cholera outbreak to worsen as rainy season peaks
Gripped by its worst cholera outbreak in nearly 15 years, which has already left 229 dead, Sierra Leone is likely to see cases triple in the next month as the rainy season hits its peak, estimates show.
Health reform: How community health centers could offer better access to subspecialty care
The Affordable Care Act will fund more community health centers, making primary care more accessible to the underserved. But this may not necessarily lead to better access to subspecialty care.
DHS intern helps develop portable virus detection
(Medical Xpress)—When Cesar Ambriz's father discovered a tomato-farming job in northern California, he and his family left their relatives and crossed the Mexican border to establish a life ripe with promise. "In Mexico it's really tough for anyone to go to college, especially to get financial aid. It's a challenge if you don't have money," Ambriz says. After obtaining a high GPA and standardized test scores, he made the step marking history in his family line. He became a first-generation college student by enrolling in a private school with a 7 percent acceptance rate.
Danish Genmab inks $1.1 bn deal with Johnson & Johnson
Danish pharmaceutical group Genmab said Thursday it had reached a deal worth up to $1.1 billion (876 million euros) with US drug giant Johnson & Johnson for the rights to the cancer treatment Daratumumab.
Do it like the immune system: novel antimicrobials
Microbial infections are becoming unbeatable due to progressive mutations that lead to antimicrobial drug resistance. European scientists exploited the characteristics of novel antimicrobial compounds that mimic the dual activities of natural antimicrobial proteins.
Mathematical modelling to tackle metabolic diseases
Predictive mathematical models of signalling pathways are powerful biological tools that could be used for drug development. Using a similar approach, European scientists developed a computational model for answering research questions regarding the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway.
Novel aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder
A multivariate analysis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) performed by European researchers is expected to improve risk assessment and disease diagnosis.
Non-communicable diseases having devastating global impact
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are no longer just a problem in wealthy nations – the rate of NCDs in low-to-middle income countries are increasing faster than in developed countries.
Small mercies: Program for children with life-threatening conditions shows early success
(Medical Xpress)—A child is desperately ill, and a family faces a stark choice: Should they try to save the child's life with therapeutic treatments, or ease the pain through hospice and other pain-relief services?
Hantavirus: Be careful, not fearful
(Medical Xpress)—Hantavirus, a potentially fatal virus transmitted by rodents such as deer mice, is making news following an unusual outbreak at a popular tourist area of Yosemite National Park. The recent cases are a reminder for campers to be cautious, but not necessarily fearful, according to UCSF infectious diseases expert, Charles Chiu, MD, PhD.
Storm-related stress? Five self-help tips
(Medical Xpress)—With Isaac coming ashore this morning (Aug. 29)—seven years from the date of Hurricane Katrina's landfall—New Orleanians are facing some unique stresses, along with the familiar ones. Jane Parker, Tulane School of Social Work professor, shares some of her tips for handling any storm in a healthy manner.
3Qs: Two thumbs down
Mobile-phone users who send dozens—or even hundreds—of text messages per day may have begun to notice pain, tingling or numbness in their thumbs from excessive button pushing. Northeastern University news office asked Jack Dennerlein, a professor of physical therapy in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, to explain the growing health concern among obsessive smartphone users: the so-called texting thumb.
State tax incentives do not appear to increase the rate of living organ donation
The policies that several states have adopted giving tax deductions or credits to living organ donors do not appear to have increased donation rates. Authors of the study, appearing in the August issue of the American Journal of Transplantation, found little difference in the annual number of living organ donations per 100,000 population between the 15 states that had enacted some sort of tax benefit as of 2009 and states having no such policy at that time.
Fruit company recalls mangoes with salmonella risk
(AP)—Fruit distributor Splendid Products is recalling several lots of Daniella brand mangoes, which may have triggered an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened more than 100 people in 16 states.
Bristol-Myers recalls vials of cancer drug
(AP)—Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. is recalling more than 31,000 units of a chemotherapy drug after discovering one vial was overfilled, putting patients at risk of an overdose.
Immunodeficient patients with secondary lung disease benefit from combined chemotherapy
A team of researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Research Institute defined a new treatment for a potentially fatal lung disease in patients with a primary immunodeficiency known as common variable immunodeficiency (CVID).The findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology.
More disease warnings sent to past Yosemite guests
(AP)—Public health workers are warning more recent visitors to Yosemite National Park that they may have been exposed to a deadly rodent-borne disease. Two guests have died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and at least one was sickened.
IADR/AADR published study estimates high prevalence of periodontis in US adults
In a study titled "Prevalence of Periodontis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010," lead author Paul Eke, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimates the prevalence, severity and extent of periodontitis in the adult U.S population using data from the 2009 and 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle. The study is published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR).
US park service was warned about Yosemite rodents
(AP)—The National Park Service was warned in 2010 to increase inspections for rodents in one of its most popular parks and prevent them from entering areas where people sleep, a report obtained Thursday states.
New drug approved for irritable bowel, chronic constipation
(HealthDay)—Linzess (linaclotide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat forms of chronic constipation that don't respond to traditional treatment, and irritable bowel syndrome accompanied by constipation, the agency said Thursday in a news release.
Tiny batteries pose growing threat to kids
(HealthDay)—As the use of small button batteries has become more widespread to power devices such as toys, watches and hearing aids, more young children have swallowed them, resulting in choking and even deaths, a new U.S. report says.
Yosemite shuts cabins at center of rodent probe
(AP)—More than 90 cabins in California's Yosemite National Park were closed several days after the site was found to be at the center of a mouse-borne virus that has been blamed for the deaths of two people, officials said Thursday.
MRI scanners affect concentration and visuospatial awareness
Standard head movements made while exposed to one of the three electromagnetic fields produced by a heavy duty MRI scanner seem to temporarily lower concentration and visuospatial awareness, shows an experimental study published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Smokers more than double their risk of burst aneurysm
Smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of a potentially fatal brain bleed as a result of a burst aneurysm, finds research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Chronic stress linked to high risk of stroke
[Is psycho-physical stress a risk factor for stroke? A case-control study Online First doi 10.1136/jnnp-2012-302420]
Living against the clock: Does loss of daily rhythms cause obesity?
When Thomas Edison tested the first light bulb in 1879, he could never have imagined that his invention could one day contribute to a global obesity epidemic. Electric light allows us to work, rest and play at all hours of the day, and a paper published this week in Bioessays suggests that this might have serious consequences for our health and for our waistlines.
Increased risk of prematurity and low birth weight in babies born after three or more abortions
One of the largest studies to look at the effect of induced abortions on a subsequent first birth has found that women who have had three or more abortions have a higher risk of some adverse birth outcomes, such as delivering a baby prematurely and with a low birth weight.
Subclinical atherosclerosis noted in diffuse scleroderma
(HealthDay)—Patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc), without any clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, have indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in Arthritis Care & Research.
Cetuximab, paclitaxel combo active in urothelial cancer
(HealthDay)—The monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cetuximab, augments the antitumor activity of paclitaxel in patients with previously treated urothelial cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Gene score IDs prognosis in metastatic neuroblastoma
(HealthDay)—For children with metastatic MYCN-nonamplified neuroblastoma (NBL-NA) diagnosed at age 18 months or older, increased expression of tumor-associated inflammatory genes seems to correlate with poor prognosis, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
National test identifies barriers to organ donation
(HealthDay)—A national test of the Rapid Assessment of Hospital Procurement Barriers in Donation (RAPiD) has identified specific barriers to organ donation and patient referral, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the American Journal of Transplantation.
Afinitor disperz approved for rare pediatric cancer
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Afinitor Disperz (everolimus tablets for oral suspension), the first form of the anti-cancer drug Afinitor to be created especially for children.
Hurricane Isaac could stir up allergies, asthma
(HealthDay)—Dangerous winds and flooding aren't the only hazards posed by Hurricane Isaac as it pounds Louisiana and Mississippi.
Dual effects noted for alcohol and energy drink co-ingestion
(HealthDay)—Although consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) increases alertness and may negate some intoxication-related sedation effects, it can lead to negative physiological and psychological side effects associated with overstimulation, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Researchers discover mechanism leading from trichomoniasis to prostate cancer
Researchers have identified a way in which men can develop prostate cancer after contracting trichomoniasis, a curable but often overlooked sexually transmitted disease.
Work, mahjong and tea: Hong Kong's secrets to longevity
Covered in smog and cramped apartment towers, Hong Kong is not usually associated with a healthy lifestyle. But new figures show that Hong Kongers are the longest-living people in the world.
All grown up and gone for good? Advice on empty-nest syndrome
(Medical Xpress)—Your high school graduate is off to college to embark on a newly independent life. But they're not the only one making a transition: parents too face emotional and lifestyle adjustments. With advice on empty-nest syndrome and the college transition, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital physicians offer expert tips for parents and children on topics including redecorating your child's room, credit cards, keeping in touch and more.
Legislated to health?
Obesity rates in North America are a growing concern for legislators. Expanded waistlines mean rising health-care costs for maladies such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. One University of Alberta researcher says that if people do not take measures to get healthy, they may find that governments will throw their weight into administrative measures designed to help us trim the fat.
Strong female portrayals eliminate negative effects of violent media
Men and women are less likely to experience negative effects to sexual violent media when watching a positive portrayal of a strong female character, even when that character is a victim of sexual violence.
Shisha smoking as bad as cigarettes for lungs: study
Water-pipe smoking is as bad as deeply inhaling cigarette smoke when it comes to causing respiratory problems, according to a study published on Thursday.
Stanford researchers' cooling glove 'better than steroids'
(Medical Xpress)—The temperature-regulation research of Stanford biologists H. Craig Heller and Dennis Grahn has led to a device that rapidly cools body temperature, greatly improves exercise recovery, and could help explain why muscles get tired.
Stresses of poverty may impair learning ability in young children
(Medical Xpress)—The stresses of poverty—such as crowded conditions, financial worry, and lack of adequate child care—lead to impaired learning ability in children from impoverished backgrounds, according to a theory by a researcher funded by the National Institutes of Health. The theory is based on several years of studies matching stress hormone levels to behavioral and school readiness test results in young children from impoverished backgrounds.
Malaria nearly eliminated in Sri Lanka despite decades of conflict
(Medical Xpress)—Despite nearly three decades of conflict, Sri Lanka has succeeded in reducing malaria cases by 99.9 percent since 1999 and is on track to eliminate the disease entirely by 2014.
Immunological genome project researchers probe every type of immune cell
(Medical Xpress)—They haven't cured the common cold yet, but a nationwide "big science" team aims to identify new strategies for orchestrating immune responses to better fight disease.
Mutation ID'd in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
(HealthDay)—MYD88 L265P is a common, recurring mutation in patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, according to a study published in the Aug. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Particular donor genotype lowers leukemia relapse rate
(HealthDay)—Patients with acute myeloid leukemia who receive a stem cell transplant from a donor with activating killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotype KIR2DS1, which has ligand specificity for human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C2 antigen, have a lower rate of relapse, according to a study published in the Aug. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Most U.S. schools unprepared for pandemics: study
(HealthDay)—Many U.S. schools are not prepared for another pandemic, according to a new study.
Kids with neurological conditions at higher risk of flu death: CDC
(HealthDay)—Children with neurologic disorders such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability or epilepsy are at increased risk of dying from flu, a new study says.
Confusion over diabetes types adds to patients' woes
(HealthDay)—Given that about one in 12 Americans has diabetes, chances are good you know someone with some form of the disease. But you may be less informed about the different types of diabetes and their causes and treatments.
New diagnostic biomarkers offer ray of hope for Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common brain disorders, with an estimated 35 million people affected worldwide. In the last decade, research has advanced our understanding of how AD affects the brain. However, diagnosis continues to rely primarily on neuropsychological tests which can only detect the disease after clinical symptoms begin. In a supplement to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, investigators report on the development of imaging-based biomarkers that will have an impact on diagnosis before the disease process is set in motion.
Possible therapy for tamoxifen resistant breast cancer identified
(Medical Xpress)—A study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) has discovered how tamoxifen-resistant breast-cancer cells grow and proliferate. It also suggests that an experimental agent might offer a novel targeted therapy for tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer.
Cancer 'turns off' important immune cells, complicating experimental vaccine therapies
A research report published in the September 2012 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology offers a possible explanation of why some cancer vaccines are not as effective as hoped, while at the same time identifies a new therapeutic strategy for treating autoimmune problems. In the report, scientists suggest that cancer, even in the very early stages, produces a negative immune response from dendritic cells, which prevent lymphocytes from working against the disease. Although problematic for cancer treatment, these flawed dendritic cells could be valuable therapeutic tools for preventing the immune system from attacking what it should not, as is the case with autoimmune disorders and organ transplants.
What babies eat after birth likely determines lifetime risk of obesity, rat study suggests
Rats born to mothers fed high-fat diets but who get normal levels of fat in their diets right after birth avoid obesity and its related disorders as adults, according to new Johns Hopkins research.
New genetic risk factor for inflammation identified in African American women
African Americans have higher blood levels of a protein associated with increased heart-disease risk than European Americans, despite higher "good" HDL cholesterol and lower "bad" triglyceride levels. This contradictory observation now may be explained, in part, by a genetic variant identified in the first large-scale, genome-wide association study of this protein involving 12,000 African American and Hispanic American women.
Study gives new insight on inflammation
Scientists' discovery of an important step in the body's process for healing wounds may lead to a new way of treating inflammation.
Kidney stenting lowers blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension
Patients with uncontrolled renovascular hypertension saw a significant improvement in their blood pressure with renal artery stent deployment. The multicenter HERCULES trial, evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the RX Herculink Elite Stent, found that patients with higher blood pressure levels at baseline had the most dramatic reduction in blood pressure following intervention. Trial details appear in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).
New research uncovers diverse metabolic roles for PML tumor suppressor gene
Two papers led by scientific teams from the Cancer Genetics Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) shed new light on the genetic mechanisms underlying cellular energy and metabolism and, at the same time, highlight both the challenges and opportunities of genetic approaches to cancer treatment.
Does wisdom really come with age? It depends on the culture
(Medical Xpress)—"Wisdom comes with winters," Oscar Wilde once said. And it's certainly comforting to think that aging benefits the mind, if not the body. But do we really get wiser as time passes?
'Hulk' protein, Grb10, controls muscle growth
Scientists have moved closer toward helping people grow big, strong muscles without needing to hit the weight room. Australian researchers have found that by blocking the function of a protein called Grb10 while mice were in the womb, they were considerably stronger and more muscular than their normal counterparts. This discovery appears in the September 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal. Outside of aesthetics, this study has important implications for a wide range of conditions that are worsened by, or cause muscle wasting, such as injury, muscular dystrophy, Type 2 diabetes, and problems produced by muscle inflammation.
Researchers make clinical trials a virtual reality
Clinical trials can be time-consuming, expensive and intrusive, but they are also necessary. Researchers at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma have developed an invention that makes clinical trials more efficient by moving them into the virtual world.
More heart problems with two chemo drugs for breast cancer
Women who have breast cancer and are treated with two chemotherapy drugs may experience more cardiac problems like heart failure than shown in previous studies, according to a new Cancer Research Network study by Group Health researchers and others in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Early activation of immune response could lead to better vaccines
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a new "first response" mechanism that the immune system uses to respond to infection. The findings challenge the current understanding of immunity and could lead to new strategies for boosting effectiveness of all vaccines. The study, conducted in mice, published online today in the journal Immunity.
Lyme retreatment guidance may be flawed
(Medical Xpress)—Most doctors treat Lyme disease with antibiotics for two to four weeks after diagnosis, but if symptoms persist after that, medical guidelines recommend against antibiotic retreatment. That recommendation may not be warranted. A newly published statistical review of the four studies upon which those guidelines are based reports flaws in design, analysis, and interpretation that call into question the strength of the evidence against retreatment.
Chemical exposure in the womb from household items may contribute to obesity
Pregnant women who are highly exposed to common environmental chemicals - polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) - have babies that are smaller at birth and larger at 20 months of age, according to a study from Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health published online in the August 30 edition of Environmental Health Perspectives.
People merge supernatural and scientific beliefs when reasoning with the unknown, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Reliance on supernatural explanations for major life events, such as death and illness, often increases rather than declines with age, according to a new psychology study from The University of Texas at Austin.
Sweetened soft drinks linked to preterm birth
Sweetened (sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened) drinks may be linked to preterm birth, according to a recent joint study between Norwegian and Swedish researchers. It is important to prevent preterm birth since it may lead to early death, diseases in infancy and childhood as well as long-term disability.
Cardiovascular risk evaluation for all men should include assessment of sexual function
Assessment of sexual function should be incorporated into cardiovascular risk evaluation for all men, regardless of the presence or absence of known cardiovascular disease, according to Dr. Ajay Nehra, lead author of a report by the Princeton Consensus (Expert Panel) Conference, a collaboration of 22 international, multispecialty researchers. Nehra is vice chairperson, professor and director of Men's Health in the Department of Urology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Neuroscience just got faster, cheaper and easier
Richard Gershon has a shiny new toolbox for neuroscientists that will revolutionize their clinical research by making it radically faster, cheaper and more accurate. It also will help researchers recruit children and adults for studies because participation will be much less time consuming.
Moving toward regeneration: Scientists show how pluripotent stem cells mobilize in wounded planarian worms
The skin, the blood, and the lining of the gut—adult stem cells replenish them daily. But stem cells really show off their healing powers in planarians, humble flatworms fabled for their ability to rebuild any missing body part. Just how adult stem cells build the right tissues at the right times and places has remained largely unanswered.
Antibody prevents hepatitis C in animal model
A monoclonal antibody developed by MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and tested in an animal model at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, prevents infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Urinary protein excretion—even in the normal range—raises diabetics' heart risks
In individuals with type 2 diabetes, any degree of measurable urinary protein excretion—even in what is considered the normal range—increases their risk of experiencing heart problems, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of new study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings could help identify patients who should be treated with cardioprotective medications.
Lung cancer risk unaffected by metformin use in diabetes
(HealthDay)—Patients with type 2 diabetes who take metformin do not have a reduced risk of lung cancer, in contrast to previous observational studies, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Diabetes Care.
Too few girls get HPV vaccine against cancer: CDC
(HealthDay)—Parents and doctors can do more to protect girls from cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), say U.S. health officials who are concerned by lagging HPV vaccination rates among females.
New drug approved for lack of certain white blood cells
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug tbo-filgrastim to treat certain cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who have a condition called severe neutropenia, the FDA said in a news release.
Domestic coal use linked to substantial lifetime risk of lung cancer in Xuanwei, China
The use of "smoky coal" for household cooking and heating is associated with a substantial increase in the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer, finds a study from China published in the British Medical Journal today.
Australians implant 'world first' bionic eye
Australian scientists said Thursday they had successfully implanted a "world first" bionic eye prototype, describing it as a major breakthrough for the visually impaired.
Researchers prove that leukemias arise from changes that accumulate in blood stem cells
(Medical Xpress)—Imagine that a police bomb squad comes upon a diabolically designed bomb controlled by a tangled mass of different wires, lights and switches, some of which have a real function while others are decoys. The police don't know how to begin defusing the bomb because they don't know which parts are important. Then imagine the police discover the bomb-making factory and are able to see hundreds of these bombs at various stages of construction. With this information, they can reconstruct how the bomb was put together, and therefore how to disarm it.
Early menopause in mice: A model of human POI
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have established a genetic mouse model for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), a human condition in which women experience irregular menstrual cycles and reduced fertility, and early exposure to estrogen deficiency.
Protein impedes microcirculation of malaria-infected red blood cells
(Medical Xpress)—When the parasite responsible for malaria infects human red blood cells, it launches a 48-hour remodeling of the host cells. During the first 24 hours of this cycle, a protein called RESA undertakes the first step of renovation: enhancing the stiffness of the cell membranes.
Researchers identify potential treatment for cognitive effects of stress-related disorders
Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified a potential medical treatment for the cognitive effects of stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study, conducted in a PTSD mouse model, shows that an experimental drug called S107, one of a new class of small-molecule compounds called Rycals, prevented learning and memory deficits associated with stress-related disorders. The findings were published today in the online edition of Cell.
Studying everyday eye movements could aid in diagnosis of neurological disorders
Researchers at the University of Southern California have devised a method for detecting certain neurological disorders through the study of eye movements.
Cancer gene family member functions key to cell adhesion and migration
The WTX gene is mutated in approximately 30 percent of Wilms tumors, a pediatric kidney cancer. Like many genes, WTX is part of a family. In this case, WTX has two related siblings, FAM123A and FAM123C. While cancer researchers are learning more of WTX and how its loss contributes to cancer formation, virtually nothing is known of FAM123C or FAM123A, the latter of which is a highly abundant protein within neurons, cells that receive and send messages from the body to the brain and back to the body.
Biology news
Dog jawbones regrown with biomedicine technique
(Phys.org)—Whiskey, an 80-pound Munsterlander dog from San Francisco, still tugs on chew toys and snacks on doggie treats thanks to veterinary surgeons and biomedical engineers at the University of California, Davis, who adapted cutting-edge biomedical technology to regrow jawbones in dogs that have lost bone to injuries or removal of cancerous tumors.
Biodiversity conservation depends on scale: Lessons from the science-policy dialogue
The year 2010 marked the deadline for the political targets to significantly reduce and halt biodiversity loss. The failure to achieve the 2010 goal stimulated the setting up of new targets for 2020. In addition, preventing the degradation of ecosystems and their services has been incorporated in several global and the EU agendas for 2020. To successful meet these challenging targets requires a critical review of the existing and emerging biodiversity policies to improve their design and implementation, say a team scientists in a paper published in the open access journal Nature Conservation.
Ecological monitoring on bird populations in Europe re-evaluated
Biodiversity and environmental monitoring is of crucial importance to diagnose changes in the environment and natural populations in order to provide conservation practice with relevant data and recommendations. The information from monitoring is required, for example, for the design and evaluation of biodiversity policies, conservation management, land use decisions, and environmental protection.
New Norwegian-produced fish welfare technology is now in commercial production
In 2009, researchers from the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) and the University of Oslo began refining, integrating and testing new technology for monitoring the environmental conditions in salmon cages.
Bacterial cause found for skin condition rosacea
Scientists are closer to establishing a definitive bacterial cause for the skin condition rosacea. This will allow more targeted, effective treatments to be developed for sufferers, according to a review published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.
GI pathogen at lake linked to human fecal contamination
(HealthDay)—Water at beaches along Lake Erie contains a pathogen associated with human fecal contamination, Arcobacter species, which are known to cause gastrointestinal illness in humans, and levels correlate with beach advisories, according to a study published in the August issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Scientists call policy-makers to be scale-aware
To be successful, nature conservation measures must account for the complexity of the human impact and how nature responds to them, at different spatial and temporal scales. "Scale-sensitive research" emerges as a new, interdisciplinary field in nature conservation where researchers adjust concepts, analyses, and tools to the scale in which these might be used. Policy-makers, on their side, must ensure that the decisions they take resolve ecological problems at the relevant administrative and spatial scales.
Biodiversity protects tropical rainforests from drought
(Phys.org)—Forest carbon stocks in protected West African rainforests increased despite a 40-year drought, due to a dramatic shift in tree species composition.
New DNA-method tracks fish and whales in seawater
Danish researchers at University of Copenhagen lead the way for future monitoring of marine biodiversity and resources. By using DNA traces in seawater samples to keep track of fish and whales in the oceans. A half litre of seawater can contain evidence of local fish and whale faunas and combat traditional fishing methods. Their results are now published in the international scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Bees that go 'Cuckoo' in others' nests
The biota of island archipelagos is of considerable interest to biologists. These isolated areas often act as 'evolutionary laboratories', spawning biological diversity rapidly and permitting many mechanisms to be observed and studied over relatively short periods of time. Such islands are often the places of new discoveries, including the documentation of new species.
Viruses could be the key to healthy corals
Corals are an invaluable part of the marine ecosystem, fostering biodiversity and protecting coastlines. But they're also increasingly endangered. Pathogenic bacteria, along with pollution and harmful fishing practices, are one of the biggest threats to the world's coral populations today.
Millipede family added to Australian fauna
An entire group of millipedes previously unknown in Australia has been discovered by a specialist – on museum shelves. Hundreds of tiny specimens of the widespread tropical family Pyrgodesmidae have been found among bulk samples in two museums, showing that native pyrgodesmids are not only widespread in Australia's tropical and subtropical forests, but are also abundant and diverse. The study has been published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
New intellectual testing regimen identifies 'exceptional' chimp
(Phys.org)—Quite often, those people who take care of animals learn over time which are smarter than others. They don't need to test them, they see it in the way the animals behave. Unfortunately, that's not very scientific, so evolutionary anthropologists Esther Herrmann and Josep Call have devised a number of challenges for three groups of chimps to see if perhaps a measure of intelligence can be determined for a given species. They have published a report of their findings in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, one of which is the discovery that one chimp clearly stood out from the rest.
The evolution of the mustards' spice
The tangy taste a mustard plant develops to discourage insect predators can be the difference between life and death for the plants. A new study has used this trait and its regional variations to conquer the difficult task of measuring the evolution of complex traits in a natural environment.
Microbes help hyenas communicate via scent
(Phys.org)—Bacteria in hyenas' scent glands may be the key controllers of communication.
Researchers use Ranger supercomputer to identify genetic differences related to social lives of mammals
In the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains two closely related species of mice share a habitat and a genetic lineage, but have very different social lives. The California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) is characterized by a lifetime of monogamy; the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is sexually promiscuous.
Solving 1960s genetics mystery could clear obstacles for synthetic biologists
The threads of an evolutionary mystery that dates to the birth of molecular biology are beginning to unravel, thanks to a new investigation by computational bioengineers at Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Key genetic mechanism in plant hormone signaling may help protect crops from stressors
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered a key genetic switch by which plants control their response to ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone best known for its ability to ripen fruit, but which, under stress conditions, can cause wilted leaves, premature aging and spoilage from over-ripening. The findings, published August 30 in Science magazine, may hold the key to manipulating plants' ethylene on/off switch, allowing them to balance between drought resistance and growth and, therefore, decrease crop losses from drought conditions.
Human, soil bacteria swap antibiotic-resistance genes: study
Soil bacteria and bacteria that cause human diseases have recently swapped at least seven antibiotic-resistance genes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report Aug. 31 in Science.
Uncoiling the cucumber's enigma: Researchers discover a biological mechanism for coiling
Captivated by a strange coiling behavior in the grasping tendrils of the cucumber plant, researchers at Harvard University have characterized a new type of spring that is soft when pulled gently and stiff when pulled strongly.
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