Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 29, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers devise a new way to plot circadian clock- Knowing origin of broadly neutralizing antibodies could aid universal flu vaccine design
- Synchronized X-ray and optical lasers measure how light changes matter on atomic scale
- Pinpointing hot spots: Small droplets of friction-generated melts weaken faults and can lead to 'megaquakes'
- Math ability requires crosstalk in the brain
- Large methane reservoirs suggested beneath Antarctic ice sheet
- A model for development: biologists create first predictive computational model of gene networks
- Building blocks of life found around young star
- New technique could mean super thin, strong graphene-based circuits
- Flu is transmitted before symptoms appear, study suggests
- Study shows hope of greater global food output, less environmental impact of agriculture
- Chocolate: A sweet method for stroke prevention in men?
- Computer viruses could take a lesson from showy peacocks
- Low-calorie diet may not prolong life: study
- Single gene has major impact on gaits in horses and in mice
Space & Earth news
Las Cumbres Observatory spectrographs acquire target robotically
Two identical FLOYDS spectrographs, installed in recent weeks at telescopes 6,000 miles apart, robotically acquired a supernovae target this week. Due to the level of precision required and the difficulty involved, few if any, other ground-based spectrographs have ever achieved this milestone.
In Arctic, Greenpeace picks new fight with old foe
(AP)—Global warming has ignited a rush to exploit Arctic resources—and Greenpeace is determined to thwart that stampede.
Small GEO satellite platform lands at ESA
After a careful four-day road trek from Switzerland, the first model of the Small GEO communications satellite platform has arrived at ESA for testing.
'Blue moon' on same day as Neil Armstrong service
(AP)—There's a rare 'blue moon' on Friday, a fitting wink to Neil Armstrong by the cosmic calendar.
NASA satellite sees remnants of Tropical Storm Bolaven racing over China and Russia
Tropical Storm Bolaven made landfall on Aug. 28 and has been moving quickly over land while undergoing a transition. NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of the remnants of the ex-tropical storm mostly centered over eastern China.
Shaking 'swarm' fuels California's quake jitters
A "quake swarm" that has shaken southern California with hundreds of moderate temblors in quick succession is fueling jitters in the Golden State, long braced for the Big One.
Cook Islands declares world's largest marine park
The Cook Islands announced the creation of world's largest marine park at the opening of the Pacific Islands Forum, a vast swathe of ocean almost twice the size of France.
Signing out: Armstrong autographs under hammer
A series of autographs of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, will go under the hammer this week with auctioneers wondering if the sky's the limit for the prized signatures.
NASA's 'Mighty Eagle' robotic prototype lander takes 100-foot free flight
(Phys.org)—With a whistle and a roar, the "Mighty Eagle," a NASA robotic prototype lander, sailed to an altitude of 100 feet during another successful free flight Aug. 28 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
Suomi NPP captures smoke plume images from Russian and African fires
Powerful fires currently scorching parts of Russia and Africa sent up plumes of smoke into the atmosphere, images captured on Aug. 2, 2012, by the nation's newest Earth-observing satellite, Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP).
Japan estimates monster quake could kill 320,000
Japan's government on Wednesday unveiled a worst case disaster scenario that warned a monster earthquake in the Pacific Ocean could kill over 320,000 people, dwarfing last year's quake-tsunami disaster.
Proba-2's espresso-cup microcamera snaps Hurricane Isaac
An experimental camera smaller than an espresso cup on ESA's Proba-2 microsatellite caught this view of soon-to-be Hurricane Isaac as it moved west of the Florida coast into the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.
Tropical Storm Kirk looks more like a comet on NASA infrared imagery
Tropical Storm Kirk looks more like a comet than a tropical storm in infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite because of wind shear. NASA infrared imagery also revealed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation which are indicators that Kirk will continue strengthening. Meanwhile, another low pressure area appears to be organizing in the eastern Atlantic, far to the southeast of Kirk.
Rover Leaves Tracks in Morse Code
(Phys.org)—NASA's Curiosity rover took its first test stroll Wednesday Aug. 22, 2012, and beamed back pictures of its accomplishment in the form of track marks in the Martian soil. Careful inspection of the tracks reveals a unique, repeating pattern, which the rover can use as a visual reference to drive more accurately in barren terrain. The pattern is Morse code for JPL, the abbreviation for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., where the rover was designed and built, and the mission is managed.
Solar System genealogy revealed by meteorites
(Phys.org)—The stellar environment of our Solar System at its birth is poorly known, as it has accomplished some twenty revolutions around the Galactic centre since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. Matthieu Gounelle from the Laboratoire de Minéralogie et Cosmochimie du Muséum (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle/CNRS) and Georges Meynet from the Observatoire de Genève established the Solar System genealogy in elucidating the origin of a radioactive element, 26Al, which was present in the nascent Solar System. Their results are published this week in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Cooler waters help diminish Isaac's punch
(Phys.org)—Seven years after the powerful Category 3 Hurricane Katrina caused widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast, a Category 1 Hurricane Isaac, with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (70 knots), is making landfall today in southeast Louisiana. And one of the reasons why Isaac is not Katrina is the path it took across the Gulf of Mexico and the temperature of the ocean below, which helps to fuel hurricanes.
New research eclipses existing theories on the Moon formation
The Moon is believed to have formed from a collision, 4.5 billion years ago, between Earth and an impactor the size of Mars, known as "Theia." Over the past decades scientists have simulated this process and reproduced many of the properties of the Earth-Moon system; however, these simulations have also given rise to a problem known as the Lunar Paradox: the Moon appears to be made up of material that would not be expected if the current collision theory is correct. A recent study published in Icarus proposes a new perspective on the theory in answer to the paradox.
Climate change stories from the abyss
An international team of scientists have shed new light on the world's history of climate change.
Study shows hope of greater global food output, less environmental impact of agriculture
Can we have enough to eat and a healthy environment, too? Yes—if we're smart about it, suggests a study published in Nature this week by a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota and McGill University in Montreal.
Heatwaves to move toward coasts, study finds
(Phys.org)—A new study by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, suggests that the nature of California heatwaves is changing due to global warming.
NASA sees Hurricane Isaac make double landfall in Louisiana
(Phys.org)—Hurricane Isaac made two landfalls in southeastern Louisiana. Isaac's first landfall occurred in southeastern Louisiana on Aug. 28 at 7:45 p.m. EDT (1145 UTC), second landfall on Aug. 29 at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 UTC). NASA's TRMM satellite observed heavy rainfall in this slow moving storm, which leads to higher rainfall totals and flooding.
WISE survey uncovers millions of black holes
(Phys.org)—NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission has led to a bonanza of newfound supermassive black holes and extreme galaxies called hot DOGs, or dust-obscured galaxies.
Curiosity rover begins eastbound trek on martian surface
(Phys.org)—NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has set off from its landing vicinity on a trek to a science destination about a quarter mile (400 meters) away, where it may begin using its drill.
Building blocks of life found around young star
(Phys.org)—A team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has spotted sugar molecules in the gas surrounding a young Sun-like star. This is the first time sugar been found in space around such a star, and the discovery shows that the building blocks of life are in the right place, at the right time, to be included in planets forming around the star.
Large methane reservoirs suggested beneath Antarctic ice sheet
The Antarctic Ice Sheet could be an overlooked but important source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, according to a report in the August 30 issue of Nature by an international team of scientists.
Pinpointing hot spots: Small droplets of friction-generated melts weaken faults and can lead to 'megaquakes'
(Phys.org)—Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have come a step closer to deciphering some of the basic mysteries and mechanisms behind earthquakes and how average-sized earthquakes may evolve into massive earthquakes.
Technology news
Widespread flight delays hit United Airlines
United Airlines passengers were stranded at airports around the United States for hours on Tuesday due to network outages that affected its airport and website operations.
Cricket to offer Muve exclusively on Android plans
(AP)—Mobile phone carrier Cricket is making its unlimited music service, Muve Music, an exclusive feature of its higher-end phones.
Building ultra-low power wireless networks
(Phys.org)—Engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas have received funding from the National Science Foundation to create distortion-tolerant communications for wireless networks that use very little power. The research will improve wireless sensors deployed in remote areas where these systems must rely on batteries or energy-harvesting devices for power.
New automotive technology prevents accidents caused by drowsiness during driving
Aisin Seki Co., Ltd, Japan, has developed an eyelid monitor and identified symptoms in eyelid behaviour that indicate drowsiness in motorists. The new automated technology (Intelligent Transport System (ITS)) eliminates the fallibility of human judgement in gauging when drowsiness is becoming a driving hazard.
Sri Lankan airline swaps paper manuals for iPads
Sri Lanka's national carrier announced Wednesday it had jettisoned pilots' bulky paper manuals weighing 84 kilogrammes (184 pounds) in favour of iPads that weigh just 660 grams.
TacSat-4 participates in Navy fleet experiment Trident Warrior
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Tactical Satellite-4 successfully completes three weeks of intense testing, June 28, as part of the Navy's annual Trident Warrior Experiment 2012 (TW12). TacSat-4 is a Navy-led Joint mission that provides Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite communications (SATCOM).
Soaking up the Sun: partnership to make more efficient dye-sensitized solar panels
Solar panels, like those commonly perched atop house roofs or in sun-drenched fields, quietly harvesting the sun's radiant energy, are one of the standard-bearers of the green energy movement. But could they be better – more efficient, durable and affordable? That's what engineers from Drexel University and The University of Pennsylvania are trying to find out, with the aid of a little nanotechnology and a lot of mathematical modeling.
Chief creative officer leaves Zynga
Another top Zynga executive has cashed in his chips as the social games company behind "Zynga Poker" and "Farmville" strives to improve its fortunes after a losing fiscal quarter.
Woman gets 4 years for stealing Motorola secrets
(AP)—A federal judge sentenced a Chinese-born American Wednesday to four years in prison for stealing millions of dollars in trade secrets from Motorola, describing her as a soft-spoken, unassuming woman who carried out a "very purposeful raid" on the company in the dead of night.
Yelp shares surge as insiders hold on to stock
(AP)—Yelp's stock is passing one of its biggest stress tests since the online business review service went public nearly six months ago.
Man sent to prison for Internet-based Ponzi scheme
(AP)—A man who ran a Ponzi scheme disguised as an online advertising company has been sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Obama goes social with Reddit online chat
President Barack Obama reinforced his image as the social media president Wednesday as he took questions from the public in an online chat on the Reddit website.
Smartphones set to lead global handset market: survey
Smartphones are set to make up a majority of the global handset market next year, fueled by surging demand from consumers in both wealthy and emerging nations, a survey showed Tuesday.
How to avoid jack-knifing your truck
Jack-knifing is a major cause of devastation in a road traffic accident involving articulated trucks. Researchers in Greece have now designed a device to prevent this often lethal action of such vehicles. Writing in the International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, the team describes the modelling and testing of a sliding kingpin device that allows the so-called kingpin junction between the front "tractor" and the trailer to slide along the rear tractor axle and preclude the jack-knifing motion of the trailer relative to the tractor.
Shifty, but secure eyes
A biometric security system based on how a user moves their eyes is being developed by technologists in Finland. Writing in the International Journal of Biometrics, the team explains how a person's saccades, their tiny, but rapid, involuntary eye movements, can be measured using a video camera. The pattern of saccades is as unique as an iris or fingerprint scan but easier to record and so could provide an alternative secure biometric identification technology.
QUT engineer develops electricity-free home cooling system
(Phys.org)—A QUT researcher is developing a solar cooling and heating system for the home that will run independently of the electricity grid and generate domestic hot water as a by-product.
Twitter data crunching: The new crystal ball
Fabio Ciulla from Northeastern University, Boston, USA, and his colleagues demonstrated that the elimination of contestants in TV talent shows based on public voting, such as American Idol, can be anticipated. They unveiled the predictive power of microblogging Twitter signals—used as a proxy for the general preference of an audience—in a study recently published in EPJ Data Science.
Japan toilet maker unveils 'poop-powered' motorbike
Japan's best-known toilet maker on Wednesday unveiled a "poop-powered" motorcycle that can travel as far as 300 kilometres (180 miles) on a tank filled with animal waste.
Judge sets December hearing on Samsung phone ban (Update)
The judge in the landmark Apple-Samsung case set a December 6 hearing on punitive damages to the US firm for patent infringement and on whether to ban eight Samsung phones in the US market.
Modern lives in US are multi-screen: Google
Google on Wednesday released research showing that lives in the United States have gone multi-screen, with people bouncing between smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions.
Morality for robots?
On the topic of computers, artificial intelligence and robots, Northern Illinois University Professor David Gunkel says science fiction is fast becoming "science fact."
UC Riverside developing biofuel formulations for California
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside's College of Engineering – Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) are working with the state of California to develop diesel formulations with higher levels of renewable biofuels.
Google builds birthday reminders into search
Google on Wednesday began letting members of its online social network get search page reminders about the birthdays of friends.
New mileage standards would double fuel efficiency
The Obama administration has finalized regulations that will force automakers to nearly double the average gas mileage of all new cars and trucks they sell in America by 2025.
Make your own action figures with a 3-D printer
Computer graphics researchers at Cornell and Harvard have created software that will translate a graphic image of a character from a movie or video game, or even something you've created yourself, into a posable plastic model manufactured by a 3-D printer. Eventually this capability might be built into games and other software, the researchers said.
Medicine & Health news
Salmonella at Ind. farm matches outbreak strain
(AP)—The Food and Drug Administration says salmonella found at a cantaloupe farm in southwestern Indiana matches the "DNA fingerprint" of the salmonella responsible for a deadly outbreak that sickened people in 21 states.
Positive news for shingles pain sufferers
A new treatment from a University of Queensland start-up company, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, could bring hope to shingles sufferers experiencing nerve pain.
Rising cost of inpatient care linked to medical devices and supplies
Inpatient hospital treatment accounts for the largest proportion of health care spending in the U.S., with the use of diagnostic imaging services such as MRIs, frequently implicated as the probable cause. A new analysis finds that the biggest expense may not be imaging technology but from supplies including medical devices, such as stents and artificial joints. "One of the take-away messages for hospitals is that they should examine their own data in closer detail to explore the costs that are rapidly rising and have a better understanding for the underlying reasons," said lead author Jared Lane Maeda, Ph.D., of Truven Health Analytics in Washington, D.C.
Don't cut lifesaving ICDs during financial crisis, ESC warns
Implantable devices for treating cardiac arrhythmias, which include ICDs, are already underused in parts of Eastern and Central Europe and there is a risk that the financial crisis could exacerbate the problem. The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a registered branch of the ESC, is tackling this issue through ICD for Life. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of ICDs and sudden cardiac death in countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Team creates a unique mouse model for the study of aplastic anaemia
Aplastic anaemia is characterised by a reduction in the number of the bone marrow cells that go on to form the different cell types present in blood (essentially red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets). In most cases, the causes of the disorder are hard to determine, but some patients have been found to have genetic alterations leading to a shortening of their telomeres (the end regions of chromosomes that protect and stabilise DNA).
ESC analysis reveals arrhythmia treatment gaps between Eastern and Western Europe
The analysis was conducted using five editions of the EHRA White Book, which is produced by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
TAVI restricted to very old or very sick patients
The registry is part of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) of surveys and registries.
Added benefit of fampridine is not proven
Fampridine (trade name Fampyra) has been approved in Germany since July 2011 for adult patients suffering from a higher grade walking disability (grades 4 to 7 on the EDSS disability status scale), as a result of multiple sclerosis (MS). The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has assessed the added benefit of the drug pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG). According to the findings, there is no proof of added benefit, as the manufacturer's dossier contains no evaluable study data for the comparison between fampridine and the appropriate comparator therapy.
U of T and SickKids first to grow lung cells using stem cell technology
Researchers at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are paving the way towards individualized medicine for patients with cystic fibrosis.
Belimumab for lupus erythematosus: Added benefit not proven
Belimumab (trade name Benlysta) has been approved since July 2011 as an add-on therapy for adult patients with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This monoclonal antibody is only considered as treatment when the disease is still active in spite of standard therapy. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined the added benefit of this drug pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG).
What are the social implications of medical screening?
Delegates from around the world will gather for the launch of a new book on medical screening edited by University of Leicester academics.
A new approach for controlling the skyrocketing cost of health care
A potentially powerful new approach for limiting health care costs—which account for almost $1 out of every $5 spent in the U.S. each year—is the topic of the feature story in this week's edition of Chemical & Enginering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.
A breath of fresh air: Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition launches
Today the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) announced the launch of the Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition, a multi-sector group of advocates and experts dedicated to raising awareness and advancing public policies to improve the health of children who suffer from asthma.
Study targets non-small cell lung cancer
A Phase I/II, multi-center trial designed to test the safety and preliminary efficacy of a first in class cancer treatment opened worldwide today at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale Healthcare, a partnership between Scottsdale Healthcare and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). PR610 is designed to become activated in tissues with low levels of oxygen, which is characteristic of many cancers. This "targeted" approach should deliver more active drug to cancer tissue and less active drug to normal tissue.
For diabetics, a steady job is good for your health
If you're diabetic or prone to diabetes, having a steady job appears to be good for your health, and not just because of the insurance coverage.
Aging kidneys may hold key to new high blood pressure therapies
Gaining new insight to managing sodium balance and blood pressure, investigators at the University of Houston (UH) College of Pharmacy believe their work may identify future therapeutic targets to control hypertension.
Tracing the Paralympic movement's 'freak show' roots
Danielle Peers has lived the thrill and pressure, revelled in competition and brought home hardware from the Paralympic Games. But beneath the cheers, the University of Alberta researcher questions whether the Paralympic movement is as empowering as its benevolent image.
Brazil expands its anti-AIDS program
(AP) —Brazil's anti-AIDS program will be expanded to include at least 35,000 more people, a Health Ministry official said Wednesday.
New HIV/AIDS registry to help answer key questions
A new community-based HIV/AIDS registry, one of the first in the nation to include patients from rural areas, will provide a unique opportunity to find answers to myriad medical questions, from the impact of drugs such as marijuana on the virus to why some patients naturally ward off the disease.
CDC: 103 ill with salmonella tied to mangoes
(AP)—Federal health officials are investigating a foodborne illness outbreak that has sickened more than 100 people in 16 states and has been linked to salmonella-tainted mangoes.
Manhattan to be sprayed against West Nile virus
One of New York's most expensive neighborhoods will be sprayed this week with pesticide to combat the West Nile virus, officials said Tuesday.
Study: Condemned US inmates go for comfort foods (Update)
(AP)—On death row, last meals tend to be high in calories and heavy on meat.
Sleep apnea tied to insulin resistance in young, lean men
(HealthDay)—In healthy, lean, young men, the presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) correlates with insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia to maintain normal glucose levels, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in Diabetes Care.
ER study shows drop in deaths after trauma injury
(HealthDay)—New research suggests that doctors are doing a better job of treating—and saving—emergency room patients whose injuries fall between mild and severe.
Yosemite officials say 1,700 visitors risk disease
(AP)—The rustic tent cabins of Yosemite National Park—a favorite among families looking to rough it in one of America's most majestic settings—have become the scene of a public health crisis after two visitors died from a rodent-borne disease following overnight stays.
Sticks and stones: "That's so gay" negatively affects gay students
(Medical Xpress)—People may believe words are not harmful, but the phrase "that's so gay" can have negative consequences for gay, lesbian or bisexual students, a new University of Michigan study indicated.
New hope for spinal cord injury patients
A new antibody could reverse the damage caused by trauma to the central nervous system, according to new research.
Enlisting the AIDS virus to fight cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Can HIV be transformed into a biotechnological tool for improving human health? According to a CNRS team at the Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN (RNA Architecture and Reactivity) laboratory, the answer is yes. Taking advantage of the HIV replication machinery, the researchers have been able to select a specific mutant protein. Added to a culture of tumor cells in combination with an anticancer drug, this protein improves the effectiveness of the treatment at 1/300 the normal dosage levels. Published in PLoS Genetics on 23 August 2012, these findings could lead to long-term therapeutic applications in the treatment of cancer and other pathologies.
Genetic disease linked to protein build-up
Mutations of the gene Lmna previously thought to be directly responsible for a group of laminopathies—serious developmental conditions including premature aging and a form of muscular dystrophy—in fact cause them by allowing a critical protein to accumulate. An international collaborative group of researchers including Ya-Hui Chi and co-workers at the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology have discovered in mice that reducing levels of the protein, Sun1, resulted in decreased severity of the diseases and longer life spans. This breakthrough finding may eventually lead to changes of the treatment strategy for developmental conditions.
Langerhans cells migrate to their final destination in multiple waves at different stages of embryonic development
As our primary interface with the outside world, the skin needs to be able to protect itself against infectious threats. Specialized cells known as Langerhans cells (LCs) (see image) are an essential component of this defense, helping other immune cells to distinguish friend from foe. "These cells play an important role in maintaining tolerance to cutaneous antigen, while simultaneously promoting immune responses against any invading pathogens," explains Florent Ginhoux at the A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network.
Diagnostic confidence key for prompt treatment for women with heart symptoms
Doctors who believe that women have "atypical" coronary heart disease symptoms are less certain when diagnosing heart disease in women. As a result, women are less likely than men to receive treatments for an urgent cardiac event, finds a new study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Good health helps grades when students hit puberty
Good health helps children with stressful transitions from elementary school to middle school, finds a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Students with chronic conditions such as asthma, obesity, learning disabilities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and those with health-related needs, were noted to have lower academic performances.
New research sheds light on the molecular mechanisms by which a virus contributes to cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and is associated with exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV). Patients carrying the virus have a 100-fold greater risk of developing HCC, but exactly why was unclear until now. Wing Kin Sung at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore and the National University of Singapore, John Luk at the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and the National University of Singapore and co-workers have now identified genetic mechanisms by which a virus contributes to this common form of cancer.
Social media on your mind: The neuroscience behind the hype
A lot is being written about the effects of social media on the brain, how it may be changing the neural circuitry, shortening attention spans and reducing deep thinking and creativity. A group of researchers at Rutgers University in Newark, however, point out that as of date there is little hard science to prove how social media may be changing the brain's neural networks. What is known is that social media is now firmly part of our society and we have the choice to control it or not.
Penn Medicine physician offers model for teaching future physicians value-based care
(Medical Xpress)—Despite the national consensus on the need to improve the value of health care while reducing unnecessary spending, teaching hospitals often struggle to design curricula to train future physicians to deliver such care to their patients.
Gold standards of success defined for AF ablation
The 2012 expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation was developed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society (ECAS) and published in their respective journals: Heart Rhythm, EP Europace (1) and the Journal of Interventional Cardiovascular Electrophysiology (JICE).
New 'traffic light' test could save lives with earlier diagnosis of liver disease
A new 'traffic light' test devised by Dr Nick Sheron and colleagues at University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital could be used in primary care to diagnose liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in high risk populations more easily than at present.
Internet addiction—Causes at the molecular level
Everybody is talking about Internet addiction. Medically, this phenomenon has not yet been as clearly described as nicotine or alcohol dependency. But a study conducted by researchers from the University of Bonn and the Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) in Mannheim now provides indications that there are molecular-genetic connections in Internet addiction, too. The results is reported in the Journal of Addiction Medicine. The print version appears in the September issue.
Does where you live influence your attitude to alcohol?
(Medical Xpress)—Binge drinking is seen as normal by young people living in the North East, a new study has shown
Protein linked to increased risk of heart failure and death in older adults
A protein known as galectin-3 can identify people at higher risk of heart failure, according to new research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. This research is based on work from the NHLBI's Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948 and has been the leading source of research findings about heart disease risk factors.
Researchers solve mystery surrounding the death of two sisters nearly 50 years ago
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified the genetic cause of a rare and fatal bone disease by studying frozen skin cells that were taken from a child with the condition almost fifty years ago. Their study, which details how the MT1-MMP gene leads to the disease known as Winchester syndrome, appears in the August 23, 2012 online edition of The American Journal of Human Genetics.
CDC: West Nile cases rise 40 percent in 1 week
Federal health officials say that West Nile virus cases are up 40 percent since last week and are on pace to rival the record years of 2002 and 2003.
Study pinpoints malignant mesothelioma patients likely to benefit from drug pemetrexed
Previous studies have hypothesized that low levels of the enzyme thymidylate synthase (TS) likely mark patients who will benefit from the drug pemetrexed – but results have been inconclusive at best and at times contradictory. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology provides an explanation why: only in combination with high levels of a second enzyme, FPGS, does low TS predict response to pemetrexed in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Diabetes can be controlled in patients after pancreas removal
Removing the entire pancreas in patients with cancer or precancerous cysts in part of the organ does not result in unmanageable diabetes—as many physicians previously believed, research at Mayo Clinic in Florida has found. The study, published online Sunday in the journal HPB Surgery, evaluates how well patients who had their entire pancreas removed could control their resulting diabetes. The pancreas produces insulin to remove sugar from the blood, so when the organ is gone, insulin must be replaced, usually through an external pump or with injections.
Fast food restaurant lighting and music can reduce calorie intake and increase satisfaction
Your mood for food can be changed by a restaurant's choice of music and lighting, leading to increased satisfaction and reduced calorie intake, according to a new study.
Nurse leader resistance perceived as a barrier to high-quality, evidence-based patient care
(Medical Xpress)—A new national survey of more than 1,000 registered nurses suggests that serious barriers - including resistance from nursing leaders - prevent nurses from implementing evidence-based practices that improve patient outcomes.
New study evaluates noninvasive technology to determine heart disease
A study published in the most recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) presented encouraging news regarding physicians' ability to determine blood flow and associated coronary artery disease (CAD) using noninvasive CT scanning technology. Data from the Determination of Fractional Flow Reserve by Anatomic Computed Tomographic Angiography (DeFACTO) study were presented on August 26 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Germany. John R. Lesser, MD, a Cardiologist and senior researcher at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, served as a principal investigator for the DeFACTO study and Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation Cardiologist and senior researcher Robert Schwartz, MD directed the Integration Core Lab coordinating data from 17 sites worldwide.
When to worry about kids' temper tantrums
Temper tantrums in young children can be an early signal of mental health problems, but how does a parent or pediatrician know when disruptive behavior is typical or a sign of a serious problem?
US performs worst on potentially preventable death rates compared to France, Germany, and the UK
The United States lags three other industrialized nations—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—in its potentially preventable death rate, and in the pace of improvement in preventing deaths that could have been avoided with timely and effective health care, according to a Commonwealth Fund–supported study published as a web first online today in Health Affairs. Between 1999 and 2006/2007, the overall potentially preventable death rate among men ages 0 to 74 dropped by only 18.5 percent in the United States, while the rate declined by nearly 37 percent in the U.K. For women, the rate fell by 17.5 percent in the U.S. but by nearly 32 percent in the U.K.
Paralympics: Hawking defying science to open the Games
When Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease aged 21, he was given just a few years to live, but on Wednesday the scientist was to help open the Paralympics at the age of 70.
Aspirin-clopidogrel no better than aspirin alone for patients with lacunar stroke
Aspirin combined with the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel is no better than aspirin alone for stroke prevention in people with a history of lacunar strokes, and the combination carries a greater risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, according to results of a trial funded by the National Institutes of Health. Lacunar strokes occur due to chronic high blood pressure and typically produce small lesions deep within the brain.
Young children share rewards based on merit
Young children take merit into account when sharing resources, according to research published Aug. 29 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
International study reveals alarming levels of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis
A large, international study published Online First in The Lancet reveals alarming levels of tuberculosis (TB) that are resistant to both first-line and second-line drugs. The findings show high prevalence of resistance to at least one second-line drug (43.7%) among multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB patients from eight countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Worse still, the study found higher than expected overall levels of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB.
Tuning the brain: How piano tuning may cause changes to brain structure
(Medical Xpress)—Working as a piano tuner may lead to changes in the structure of the memory and navigation areas of the brain, suggests new research funded by the Wellcome Trust. In a study published today in the 'Journal of Neuroscience', scientists show that these structural differences correlate with the number of years of experience a piano tuner has.
Earphones 'potentially as dangerous as noise from jet engines,' according to new study
Turning the volume up too high on your headphones can damage the coating of nerve cells, leading to temporary deafness; scientists from the University of Leicester have shown for the first time.
Chocolate: A sweet method for stroke prevention in men?
Eating a moderate amount of chocolate each week may be associated with a lower risk of stroke in men, according to a new study published in the August 29, 2012, online issue of Neurology.
Could a cancer drug potentially prevent learning disabilities in some kids?
A drug originally developed to stop cancerous tumors may hold the potential to prevent abnormal brain cell growth and learning disabilities in some children, if they can be diagnosed early enough, a new animal study suggests.
Low-calorie diet may not prolong life: study
A low-calorie diet boosts health but does not prolong life, at least not in rhesus monkeys, scientists reported Wednesday in a new study into a long-held link between food restriction and longevity.
Collagen-seeking synthetic protein could lead doctors to tumor locations
Johns Hopkins researchers have created a synthetic protein that, when activated by ultraviolet light, can guide doctors to places within the body where cancer, arthritis and other serious medical disorders can be detected.
Scientist creates new cancer drug that is ten times more potent
Legend has it that Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." University of Missouri researchers are doing just that, but instead of building mousetraps, the scientists are targeting cancer drugs. In a new study, MU medicinal chemists have taken an existing drug that is being developed for use in fighting certain types of cancer, added a special structure to it, and created a more potent, efficient weapon against cancer.
Flu is transmitted before symptoms appear, study suggests
Research at Imperial College London examining influenza transmission in ferrets suggests that the virus can be passed on before the appearance of symptoms. If the finding applies to humans, it means that people pass on flu to others before they know they're infected, making it very difficult to contain epidemics.
Yet another tick-borne illness emerges in U.S.
(HealthDay)—Scientists have identified a new tick-borne illness in the United States—which hospitalized two men in Missouri—adding to the steadily creeping number of diseases known to be transmitted by various species of the seed-sized parasites.
Math ability requires crosstalk in the brain
A new study by researchers at UT Dallas' Center for Vital Longevity, Duke University, and the University of Michigan has found that the strength of communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain predicts performance on basic arithmetic problems. The findings shed light on the neural basis of human math abilities and suggest a possible route to aiding those who suffer from dyscalculia— an inability to understand and manipulate numbers.
Knowing origin of broadly neutralizing antibodies could aid universal flu vaccine design
National Institutes of Health scientists have identified how a kind of immature immune cell responds to a part of influenza virus and have traced the path those cells take to generate antibodies that can neutralize a wide range of influenza virus strains. Study researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH, were led by Gary Nabel, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIAID's Vaccine Research Center. Their findings appear online in advance of print in Nature.
Biology news
Morocco's illegal mussel pickers ply non-eco trade
Thousands of Morocco's unemployed slum-dwellers head to the Atlantic coast every morning to scrape a living as illegal mussel pickers. But experts say they threaten the health of the marine ecosystem.
Adelaide joins with Italy to develop 'super spaghetti'
University of Adelaide researchers are working with colleagues in Italy to produce better quality pasta that also adds greater value to human health.
Expedition returns wealth of data on whales, sea lions and birds
A University of Otago led multi-disciplinary expedition to the Sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands has recently returned with an abundance of scientific data on whales, sea lions and birds, but also evidence of ship-strike on a Southern Right Whale.
AgriLife Extension expert: Spider mite damage to corn affected by irrigation level
Spider mite infestations on corn and the damage done will vary under different irrigation levels and could dictate slight changes in management practices, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
Southern elephant seals likely detect prey bioluminescence for foraging
Bioluminescence may play a key role in successful foraging for southern elephant seals, a deep-sea predator, according to research published Aug. 29 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
Forest dam threatens Thailand's tigers: WWF
A proposed dam that would flood part of a national park in western Thailand represents a "significant new threat" to the kingdom's tigers, wildlife group WWF warned on Wednesday.
Scientist creates test, treatment for malaria-like sickness in horses
When Washington State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinary scientist Don Knowles got word two years ago that a rare but deadly infection was discovered among a group of horses in south Texas, he felt a jolt of adrenaline. Not only were the horses infected with a parasitic disease similar to malaria in humans, but the epicenter of the outbreak was at no ordinary ranch.
Small family size increases the wealth of descendants but reduces evolutionary success
Scientists have taken a step closer to solving one of life's mysteries – why family size generally falls as societies become richer.
From solo to sociable—how locusts try to avoid cannibalism
(Phys.org)—When people think of locusts they are likely to picture the swarms which affect the lives of one in ten people in the world through their harmful impact on agriculture.
Chimpanzees create social traditions
(Phys.org)—Researchers have revealed that chimpanzees are not only capable of learning from one another, but also use this social information to form and maintain local traditions. A research collaboration between the Gonzaga University and the Max Planck Institute shows that the way in which chimpanzees groom each other depends on the community to which they belong. Specifically, it is the unique handclasp grooming behaviour that reveals this local difference.
Climate change could increase levels of avian influenza in wild birds
Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, more intense rainstorms and more frequent heat waves are among the planetary woes that may come to mind when climate change is mentioned. Now, two University of Michigan researchers say an increased risk of avian influenza transmission in wild birds can be added to the list.
Oversized fat droplets: Too much of a good thing
As the national waistline expands, so do pools of intra-cellular fat known as lipid droplets. Although most of us wish our lipid droplets would vanish, they represent a cellular paradox: on the one hand droplets play beneficial roles by corralling fat into non-toxic organelles. On the other, oversized lipid droplets are associated with obesity and its associated health hazards.
'Penis-head' fish discovered in Vietnam
A new species of fish with a penis on its head has been identified in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, researchers said on Wednesday.
Single gene has major impact on gaits in horses and in mice
Researchers at Uppsala University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and their international collaborators have discovered a mutation in a single gene in horses that is critical for the ability to perform ambling gaits, for pacing and that has a major effect on performance in harness racing. Experiments on this gene in mice have led to fundamental new knowledge about the neural circuits that control leg movements. The study is a breakthrough for our understanding of spinal cord neuronal circuitry and its control of locomotion in vertebrates. The study is being published today in Nature.
Computer viruses could take a lesson from showy peacocks
(Phys.org)—Computer viruses are constantly replicating throughout computer networks and wreaking havoc. But what if they had to find mates in order to reproduce?
Eyeless Australian fish have closest relatives in Madagascar
A team of researchers from Louisiana State University and the American Museum of Natural History has discovered that two groups of blind cave fishes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean are each other's closest relatives. Through comprehensive DNA analysis, the researchers determined that these eyeless fishes, one group from Madagascar and the other from similar subterranean habitats in Australia, descended from a common ancestor before being separated by continental drift nearly 100 million years ago. Their study, which appears in the journal PLOS ONE this week, also identifies new species that add to existing biological evidence for the existence of Gondwana, a prehistoric supercontinent that was part of Pangaea and contained all of today's southern continents.
Researchers devise a new way to plot circadian clock
(Phys.org)—Everyone has an internal clock, that mysterious process which controls sleeping and hunger patterns, but now researchers are finding out that because the internal clock also controls metabolism, it would be helpful to be able to easily chart out a person's personal rhythm because it appears many drugs work better or worse at certain stages of their cycle. Until now, charting out a person's clock has involved taking blood samples every twenty minutes or so over a twenty four hour period and measuring melatonin levels. Now new research by a team in Japan has found what appears to be an easier way. They measure, as they describe in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, certain metabolites using just two blood samples over a 12 hour period to prduce an accurate clock.
A model for development: biologists create first predictive computational model of gene networks
(Phys.org)—As an animal develops from an embryo, its cells take diverse paths, eventually forming different body parts—muscles, bones, heart. In order for each cell to know what to do during development, it follows a genetic blueprint, which consists of complex webs of interacting genes called gene regulatory networks.
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