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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 18, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Dark matter effect might be explained by modified way to calculate inertial mass- Freestanding carbon nanotubes may be thinner than previously thought possible
- Scientists use genetics, climate reconstructions to track global spread of modern humans out of Africa
- Your next assembly lines may have Baxter robot doing pick-up (w/ Video)
- Researchers brew up organics on ice
- Watching electrons move in topological insulators with femtosecond resolution
- Internet Explorer users are warned against Poison Ivy
- New class of materials discovered; could boost computer memory
- Optimus G: LG Electronics launches new flagship smartphone (Update)
- Record-breaking python found in Florida Everglades with 87 eggs
- Women speak less when they're outnumbered
- Psychologist studies the effects of diagram orientation on comprehension
- Surprising demographic shifts in endangered monkey population challenge conservation expectations
- New study finds chronic fatigue syndrome not linked to XMRV and pMLV viruses
- Pacifiers may have emotional consequences for boys
Space & Earth news
Discovering the ozone hole: Q&A with Pawan Bhartia
On Sept. 16, 1987, representatives from nations around the world drafted a landmark treaty known as the Montreal Protocol. This step marked the beginning of the international agreement to phase out substances that deplete Earth's protective ozone layer. Now, 25 years later, NASA satellites continue to provide clear snapshots of a generally stabilized Antarctic ozone hole as it cycles toward its annual maximum depth by late September or early October.
A Martian eclipse, captured by Curiosity
Yes, Mars gets eclipses too! This brief animation, made from ten raw subframe images acquired with Curiosity's Mastcam on September 13—the 37th Sol of the mission—show the silhouette of Mars' moon Phobos as it slipped in front of the Sun's limb.
New font allows you to 'write your name in the stars'
(Phys.org)—You can now literally—yes, literally—write your name in the stars, thanks to a University of Nottingham academic.
Kepler's supernovae
(Phys.org)—Supernovae, the explosive deaths of massive stars, are among the most momentous events in the cosmos because they disburse into space all of the chemical elements that were produced inside their progenitor stars, including the elements essential for making planets and life. One class of supernovae (type Ia) provide yet another benefit: they are considered to be standard distance candles, and are used by astronomers to estimate the distances to remote galaxies whose supernovae appear faint because they are far away; thus they can calibrate the cosmic distance scale.
TRMM satellite measures drenching rains from Typhoon Sanba in Japan, South Korea
Heavy rainfall from Typhoon Sanba caused flooding, landslides and at least one death when it hit South Korea on Monday September 17, 2012. NASA's TRMM satellite captured rainfall and thunderstorm cloud height data as Sanba drenched southwestern Japan earlier, and its eye passed to the west of the Japanese island of Kyushu.
Geologic records contain clues for future climate, says researcher
(Phys.org)—For most of the past decade, Dr. Wan Yang has spent his summers in the Bogda Mountains in northwest China, collecting rock samples that predate dinosaurs by millions of years in an effort to better understand the history of the earth's climate and perhaps gain clues about future climate change.
Ocean surface loses resistance during extreme hurricanes
TU Delft researchers have discovered that the ocean surface loses practically all aerodynamic resistance during hurricanes with extremely high wind speeds. This occurs as a result of a very smooth layer lying over the waves: a blanket of foam, spray and bubbles. A significant effect of the discovery is that global hurricane, wave and storm surge models will need to be revised.
Tracking drifting algal blooms and the nutrients that keep them going
(Phys.org)—This month MBARI researchers are conducting a two-week-long, in-depth oceanographic experiment to track the nutrients that fertilize algal blooms off the coast of Central California. This research is part of MBARI's ongoing CANON (Controlled, Agile, and Novel Observing Network) initiative, a project utilizing the latest research technologies to observe the dynamic biological, chemical, and physical activities of the ocean. In the current CANON experiment, scientists will be examining how ammonium—a key nutrient for microscopic marine algae—affects what researchers call the ocean's "biological pump."
High-flying NASA aircraft helps develop new science instruments
Over the next few weeks, an ER-2 high altitude research aircraft operating out of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., will take part in the development of two future satellite instruments. The aircraft will fly test models of these instruments at altitudes greater than 60,000 feet to gather information researchers can use to develop ways to handle data future spaceborne versions will collect.
MetOp-B launches with NASA Goddard-developed instruments
(Phys.org)—A new European meteorological satellite soared into space today, Sept. 17, with five environmental instruments aboard that were developed by the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. These instruments were developed under a reimbursable agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Manhattan-sized ice island heads out to sea
Remember that enormous slab of ice that broke off Greenland's Petermann Glacier back in July? It's now on its way out to sea, a little bit smaller than it was a couple of months ago—but not much. At around 10 miles long and 4.6 miles across (16.25 x 7.5 km) this ice island is actually a bit shorter than Manhattan, but is fully twice as wide.
Dark energy: Q&A with Steve Kuhlmann
Why do we care about dark energy in the first place?
Gaia's instruments installed and ready for testing
(Phys.org)—The payload module of ESA's billion-star surveyor Gaia is integrated and ready for the next stage of rigorous testing it must undergo before launch next year. Once in space, Gaia will make precise measurements of the positions and motions of a billion stars. The information will be used to create a 3D map of stars in our home Galaxy, the Milky Way, revealing information about its composition, formation and evolution.
HIRAD set to fly on Global Hawk mission
(Phys.org)—NASA has begun its latest airborne hurricane study called the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) mission. For the first time, NASA will be flying two unmanned Global Hawks, unmanned aerial vehicles, from the U.S. East Coast to understand the processes which underlie hurricane formation and intensity change.
Regolith: Protection for humans on Mars
For six weeks the rover "Curiosity" is now working on Mars. NASA also plans to send humans to Mars within the next 20 years. On the flight and during the stay on Moon or Mars the astronauts have to be protected against long exposure to cosmic radiation that might cause cancer. On behalf of the European Space Agency ESA the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung GmbH tests whether Moon and Mars regolith can be used to build shieldings for ground stations.
Shell Alaska scales back Arctic drilling until next year
Shell Alaska has abandoned efforts to drill into hydrocarbon deposits in the offshore Arctic after the latest glitch on its troubled oil containment barge damaged the high-tech dome designed to contain any underwater oil spill, the company said Monday.
Sea surface temperatures reach record highs on Northeast continental shelf
During the first six months of 2012, sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem were the highest ever recorded, according to the latest Ecosystem Advisory issued by NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). Above-average temperatures were found in all parts of the ecosystem, from the ocean bottom to the sea surface and across the region, and the above average temperatures extended beyond the shelf break front to the Gulf Stream.
Amazon's flying water vapor rivers bring rain to Brazil
As devastating drought spreads across much of the globe, British-born pilot Gerard Moss flies above the Amazon rainforest to show how its "flying rivers"—humid air currents—bring rain to Brazil and South America.
NASA sees Hurricane Lane punched in the eye
Powerful thunderstorms wrapped tightly around Hurricane Lane's center as it continued moving through the eastern Pacific Ocean. When NASA's Terra satellite passed over Lane it captured a close-up view of the storm and noticed that Lane's eye had become cloud-filled as if being punched in the eye. Nature is expected to fight Lane more and win over the next couple of days.
NASA eyes Tropical Storm Nadine as watches go up for Azores
Tropical Storm Nadine is nearing the Azores and watches have gone up for the northwestern group of the islands. NOAA's GOES-13 satellite captured a visible image of Nadine as it continues moving northeast through the Atlantic.
Gases created when meteors slam into planets may provide false-positives of life
Meteoroids slamming against the atmospheres of alien worlds could add organic gases that make them look inhabited by life even if they are not, researchers say.
Challengers to Clovis-age impact theory missed key protocols, study finds
An interdisciplinary team of scientists from seven U.S. institutions says a disregard of three critical protocols, including sorting samples by size, explains why a group challenging the theory of a North American meteor-impact event some 12,900 years ago failed to find iron- and silica-rich magnetic particles in the sites they investigated.
Juno's two Deep Space Maneuvers are 'back-to-back home runs'
(Phys.org)—NASA's Juno spacecraft successfully executed a second Deep Space Maneuver, called DSM-2 last Friday, Sept. 14. The 30 minute firing of its main engine refined the Jupiter-bound spacecraft's trajectory, setting the stage for a gravity assist from a flyby of Earth on Oct 9, 2013. Juno will arrive at Jupiter on July 4, 2016.
Global climate prediction system models tested
(Phys.org)—A new study has found that climate-prediction models are good at predicting long-term climate patterns on a global scale but lose their edge when applied to time frames shorter than three decades and on sub-continental scales.
Quasars: Mileposts marking the universe's expansion
Scientists can't travel deep space the way Columbus sailed and charted the New World or Lewis and Clark mapped the west. But, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and two partnering institutions have found a possible way to map the spread and structure of the universe, guided by the light of quasars.
Researchers brew up organics on ice
(Phys.org)—Would you like icy organics with that? Maybe not in your coffee, but researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., are creating concoctions of organics, or carbon-bearing molecules, on ice in the lab, then zapping them with lasers. Their goal: to better understand how life arose on Earth.
Dark matter effect might be explained by modified way to calculate inertial mass
(Phys.org)—One of the first observations suggesting the existence of an invisible dark matter came in 1933 when astronomer Fritz Zwicky noticed that galaxy clusters were more energetic than they should be, according to the mass of visible stars in them, and he proposed dark matter to explain the discrepancy. Later observations of galaxies (by Rubin & Ford, among others) showed that the galaxies' edges were rotating as fast as the insides of the galaxies, even though acceleration is supposed to decrease with radius.
Technology news
Bangladesh blocks YouTube over anti-Islam video
Bangladesh has blocked YouTube after the video-sharing website failed to take down an anti-Islam film that has sparked furious protests across the Muslim world, government officials said Tuesday.
Philippines predicts $15 bln from call centres by 2016
The Philippines expects to boost its revenues from call centres to nearly $15 billion by 2016, sustaining its three-year lead over rival India, industry leaders said Tuesday.
Russia could block YouTube over anti-Islam film
A controversial new Russian media law could be used to block YouTube in the country over postings of the anti-Islam film that has sparked deadly rioting, the communications minister warned Tuesday.
Data mining in the social-media ecosystem
Raymond Fu, a newly appointed assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, wants to build a better social-media ecosystem, one in which Facebook makes expert friend recommendations and consumer-product suggestions.
How tech is making snowboarding even more awesome
Snowboarding might be all about stamina, balance and instinct, but the sport was born in a Eureka moment of inspired thinking. Way back in 1965, a big hearted guy called Sherman Poppen fastened two skis together and attached a rope at one end, so his daughter could glide down a hill in Muskegon, Michigan.
Google goes low-tech to unleash Nigeria potential
(AP)—Despite all its cutting-edge technology, Google Inc. has turned to the humble text message to break into Nigeria's booming economy.
eBay bans sales of topless Kate magazine
US Internet auction giant eBay is banning sales of copies of French magazine Closer that feature photos of Prince William's wife Catherine topless, the website said on Tuesday.
Canon launches takeover bid for Belgium's I.R.I.S.
Japanese camera maker Canon has launched a bid to acquire Belgian firm I.R.I.S., which specialises in electronic management of documents, Belgium's stock market regulator FSMA said Tuesday.
Messaging apps show mobile Internet's rise in Asia (Update)
(AP)—A handful of smartphone apps that began as basic instant messaging services have amassed several hundred million users in Asia in just a couple of years, mounting a challenge to the popularity of online hangouts such as Facebook as they branch into games, e-commerce, celebrity news and other areas.
Deals and ordeals for Chinese tech giant Huawei
Chinese telecom giant Huawei is perplexed at its treatment in the West, with the United States fearful it is a Trojan horse for cyber warfare even as Europe eagerly courts its business.
China's Lenovo buys cloud computing firm Stoneware
(AP)—China's Lenovo Group said Tuesday it's buying small U.S. software company Stoneware as it seeks to gain a foothold in the rapidly growing field of cloud computing.
German watchdog warns of Internet Explorer breach
(AP)—The German government agency overseeing IT safety is warning of a security breach in Microsoft's Internet Explorer and recommending people use other browsers until the problem is fixed.
Cutting-edge startup aims for nano-close shave
(Phys.org)—A new startup company at UC Davis aims to bring you a better shave through semiconductor manufacturing technology. Nano-Sharp Inc. plans to use silicon wafers to make razor blades and surgical tools far more cheaply than current silicon or ceramic blades.
Electronics that flex and stretch like skin
Imec announced today that it has integrated an ultra-thin, flexible chip with bendable and stretchable interconnects into a package that adapts dynamically to curving and bending surfaces. The resulting circuitry can be embedded in medical and lifestyle applications where user comfort and unobtrusiveness is key, such as wearable health monitors or smart clothing. At the 2012 ESTC conference (Electronics System Integration Technology Conference) in Amsterdam (September 17-20, 2012), the researchers will present their results and showcase their latest demonstrations.
Twitter unveils new design, apps
Twitter on Tuesday unveiled a series of design updates, a new app for the iPad and new versions of the application for other mobile devices.
Fox launches streaming films with iTunes, Google
Twentieth Century Fox, the cinema unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., said Tuesday it would offer streaming movies for various devices through Apple's iTunes, Google Play and other services.
Apple rallies past $700 amid iPhone euphoria
Apple shares closed above $700 for the first time on Wall Street Tuesday, amid optimism about the tech giant as it launches its new iPhone 5.
European online radio platform Radionomy hits US
Radionomy.com on Tuesday launched its online radio platform in the US, putting its spin on a market dominated by the likes of Pandora and Spotify.
Yahoo closes $7.6 billion deal with Alibaba Group (Update)
Yahoo has completed a long-awaited $7.6 billion deal with China's Alibaba Group, generating a windfall that could help ease the pain of Yahoo shareholders who have endured the company's foibles during the past few years.
Readers Digest in new push in print, digital
US publishing giant Reader's Digest is expanding—both in print and digital.
Brazil unveils tax incentives to boost tech innovation
President Dilma Rousseff has approved new tax incentives to boost innovation in the information technology and telecommunications sectors, the official agencia Brasil reported Tuesday.
Microsoft hikes dividend by 15 percent to 23 cents
(AP)—Microsoft Corp. says it is increasing its quarterly dividend by 15 percent.
Researchers detect fraud with highest accuracy to date
(Phys.org)—Researchers from Brigham Young University have helped create the most robust and accurate fraud detection system to date using information from publicly available financial statements.
Improving our depth perception in augmented reality
(Phys.org)—Sports fans have come to expect some of the extras they see on their TV screen, such as the yellow lines that appear on a football field highlighting where the ball needs to go for a first down. Similarly, NASCAR fans can find their favorite driver in the pack because of those superimposed car numbers on the screen.
New tool gives structural strength to 3-D printed works
(Phys.org)—Objects created using 3-D printing have a common flaw: They are fragile and often fall apart or lose their shape.
Internet Explorer users are warned against Poison Ivy
(Phys.org)—More than a few Internet Explorer users stand vulnerable to fresh attacks of Poison Ivy. In the latest headline in the "Internet Explorer has a flaw" saga, a security hole in Internet Explorer 7,8, and 9 is being exploited. Attackers can spring a back-door Trojan on an IE browser victim's computer. The Trojan is known as Poison Ivy. Security researchers say the IE hole is new to them. They say the attacks have already taken place. Eric Romang, a security researcher, spotted the flaw a few days ago and blogged that a potential Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and 8 zero-day is actually exploited in the wild.
Medicine & Health news
Studies show limits, promise of laser removal of tattoos
(HealthDay)—Romances may fade, but until relatively recently "you-and-me-4ever" tattoos were just that: permanent.
Cardiovascular disease community calls for tougher targets to curb global risk
Agreement by governments, by the end of 2012, on a set of ambitious global targets to curb the growing scourge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which includes cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart disease and stroke), is critical to avoiding the millions of premature deaths worldwide. This, according to a new paper published by the Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce a group of eminent experts who represent five leading heart-health organizations.
More government responsibility needed in making schools 'sun-smarter'
Central government needs to take more responsibility for ensuring that New Zealand children are sun-safe while at school, according to University of Otago researchers.
Doctors treat patients atop remote Andean peak through study of Acute Mountain Sickness
Working on a remote, barren peak in the Bolivian Andes, Ryan Paterson and his fellow emergency room doctors came face-to-face with everything from altitude sickness to appendicitis to complications of sickle cell anemia.
People admit risking their health by putting off visit to the doctor
Almost one in three (32 per cent) people in the UK say that, if they had an unusual or persistent change to their body, thinking it would go away in its own time would stop them from visiting their GP according to a new survey from Cancer Research UK.
Imaging the network traffic in our brains
MRI brain scans no longer just show the various regions of brain activity; nowadays the networks in the brain can now be imaged with ever greater precision. This will make functional MRI (fMRI) increasingly powerful in the coming years, leading to tools that can be used in cognitive neuroscience. This is the claim made by Prof. David Norris in his inaugural lecture as Professor of Neuroimaging at the University of Twente on 13 September.
New study aims to train sufferers' auditory systems to 'ignore tinnitus'
An innovative multi-modal treatment programme for tinnitus will be trialled by researchers from the Centre for Brain Research at The University of Auckland, in a study made possible by a donation from Link Research and Grants.
Project highlights growing activism among people living with dementia
A researcher at the University of Southampton in collaboration with an artist at the University of Bradford have developed a brand new educational resource for raising awareness about the 820,000 people in the UK currently living with dementia, including those under the age of 65.
Eye-tracking test could facilitate earlier Alzheimer's diagnoses
With the steady increase in the life expectancy of Europe's population, researchers estimate that the number of people affected by age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, will increase dramatically in the next few years. This makes improving our understanding of the disease and its early diagnosis an important priority. New research, led by Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, in partnership with Royal Preston Hospital, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS foundation trust, and published in the Journal of the American Aging Association, shows that people with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty with one particular type of eye-tracking test.
Organisations must increase flexibility to keep elderly population connected and engaged
(Medical Xpress)—Staying mobile and socially connected is crucial to the quality of life of older people, but awareness of the issues they face is low, say Massey University researchers.
Online treatment dramatically cuts suicide risk
(Medical Xpress)—Australian research, published in the British Medical Journal Open, shows a dramatic reduction in both depression and suicidal thoughts in patients who participated in a study involving internet cognitive behaviour therapy.
Bariatric surgery substantially reduces the risk of diabetes
Bariatric surgery reduces the long-term risk of developing diabetes by over 80 % among people with obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published the results of a study conducted at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
BGI develops whole exome sequencing analysis of FFPE DNA samples to boost biomedicine
BGI Tech Solutions announced today that they have achieved whole exome sequencing analysis of total degraded DNA as low as 200 ng from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples. This advancement enables researchers to efficiently uncover the genetic information from FFPE disease samples such as cancers and infectious diseases, with the advantages of high reliability, accuracy and fast turnaround time.
Infection data may not be comparable across hospitals, study shows
A new study has found that some kinds of infection data may not be comparable across hospitals, and may not be suitable for use as a performance measure.
New gene offers hope for preventive medicine against fractures
A big international study has identified a special gene that regulates bone density and bone strength. The gene can be used as a risk marker for fractures and opens up opportunities for preventive medicine against fractures. The study, led by the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, was published in the journal PLoS Genetics.
Do you want to know another role of ribonucleotide reductase M2?
Ribonucleotide reductase (RR) is a target metabolic enzymes for cancer therapy. Few studies have described the correlation between RRM2 and the development of colorectal cancer. And the possible mechanism by which RRM2 mediates colorectal cancer progression is unclear. It is well established that in some types of cancer, elevated RRM2 levels correlate with chemoresistance, but whether it may contribute to the response to ultraviolet irradiation is unclear.
Disability caused by traumatic brain injury in children may persist and stop improving after 2 years
A child who suffers a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may still have substantial functional disabilities and reduced quality of life 2 years after the injury. After those first 2 years, further improvement may be minimal. Better interventions are needed to prevent long-lasting consequences of TBI in children conclude the authors of a study published in Journal of Neurotrauma.
New tools help nursing homes track and prevent deadly infections
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have each released new tools and information to help track deadly healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in nursing homes and other long-term care settings. Potentially deadly HAIs strike volumes of nursing home residents each year, with best estimates suggesting that up to 2.8 million infections can occur in this population annually.
FDA issues warning over-the-counter diarrhea drug
(AP)—The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use an over-the-counter drug called Intestinomicina because the anti-diarrhea treatment contains a drug linked to life-threatening injuries.
Cancer and chronic disease causes almost half of gradual deaths in Europe
Cancer and chronic disease account for almost half of gradual deaths in European Union countries, suggests research published online in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.
Millions of Europeans still at risk from high trans fatty acid content in popular foods
The heart health of millions of Europeans is still at risk because of the persistently high trans fatty acid content of certain fast and convenience foods, indicates research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Phase 3 trial confirms abiraterone acetate efficacy for patients with advanced prostate cancer
Results of a phase 3 trial published in The Lancet Oncology have confirmed that the drug abiraterone acetate (marketed as Zytiga) offers a significant survival benefit to patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, which is spreading to other parts of their body (known as metastatic prostate cancer).
People who self-harm are three times as likely to die prematurely often due to poor physical health
People who have a history of self-harm are more than three times as likely to die prematurely as the general population, and not just from the obvious causes, with deaths due to natural causes at least two times greater than anticipated and the risk also much higher for individuals living in socially deprived areas, according to a UK study published Online First in The Lancet.
Merck KGaA suffers setback for cancer drug
German pharmaceuticals maker Merck KGaA said Tuesday it is withdrawing its application for its drug Erbitux to be used to treat patients with lung cancer.
'Brain training' may lessen cognitive impairments associated with coronary bypass surgery
Each year in Quebec, nearly 6000 people undergo coronary bypass surgery. Recovery is long and quality of life is greatly affected, in particular because most patients experience cognitive deficits that affect attention and memory for weeks or even months after the surgery.
Community-based intervention feasible for obese children
(HealthDay)—A community-based scalable weight-management program correlates with significant reductions in overweight status in children, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in Pediatrics.
Cigarette taxes 'Disproportionately burden' the poor, report says
(HealthDay)—New research finds that high cigarette taxes take a heavy toll on low-income smokers, compared to those who are wealthier.
World's first mum-to-daughter uterine transplants in Sweden (Update)
Two Swedish women received new uteruses at the weekend in the world's first mother-to-daughter uterine transplants aimed at helping them have babies, Gothenburg University announced on Tuesday.
Ebola claims up to 32 lives in DR Congo: WHO (Update)
An outbreak of Ebola fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have claimed up to 32 lives since May, including that of a woman who had just given birth, the World Health Organisation said Tuesday.
Rare cancers yield potential source of tumor growth
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a genetic mutation that appears to increase production of red blood cells in tumors. The discovery, based on analysis of tissue from rare endocrine tumors, may help clarify how some tumors generate a new blood supply to sustain their growth, the researchers explained.
Breakdown of neural networks could help doctors track, better understand spread of Alzheimer's in brain
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have taken one of the first detailed looks into how Alzheimer's disease disrupts coordination among several of the brain's networks. The results, reported in The Journal of Neuroscience, include some of the earliest assessments of Alzheimer's effects on networks that are active when the brain is at rest.
New method increases viability of frozen embryos, expands reproductive options
(Medical Xpress)—For some women facing fertility issues, a faster way of freezing and storing eggs is expanding their reproductive options.
Audits and inspections 'never enough': Expert critiques food safety procedures
(Medical Xpress)—There may be a disconnect between what consumers think food auditors are doing to ensure a safe food supply and what they actually are doing, according to Doug Powell, a Kansas State University food safety expert.
Get fit post-Olympics in just 60 seconds, say researchers
(Medical Xpress)—A new paper published this month by researchers at the University of Abertay Dundee suggests that anyone inspired to get fit by the Olympics and Paralympics can do so in just 60 seconds.
Divorce can hit children under age five especially hard
(Medical Xpress)—Divorce is difficult for any family, but for young children it can lead to long-term behavioral problems not experienced by older children or by children of unwed parents who separate, according to a new study co-authored by Amy Claessens, assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
Food allergy and hyperactivity: Histories of medical controversy
(Medical Xpress)—The journey of a new medical concept from radical theory to mainstream medicine is often dogged by controversy. Dr Matthew Smith argues that such controversies are fuelled by simplistic, inflexible thinking on all sides of the debate. He believes understanding the detailed history of previous medical controversies, notably food allergies and hyperactivity, could help us respond more constructively and resolve similar emerging issues more effectively in the future.
State child care regulations failing to protect children's health, study reveals
(Medical Xpress)—Child care center regulations in most states don't uphold the health standards set by the nation's leading pediatricians' group, missing opportunities to prevent tooth decay and obesity among millions of the nation's young children, suggests a recent study.
Human trials have begun on a potentially groundbreaking cancer drug
(Medical Xpress)—In medical science, remarkable things sometimes happen that make years of toiling in the lab worthwhile.
Biomedical engineer uses optical tweezers to understand how disease takes hold
At the intersection of engineering, physics, biology and medicine, Elliot Botvinick uses laser technology to study the molecular activity of diseases. Specifically, he utilizes optical tweezers, which let researchers hold and manipulate single molecules within cells. The work has myriad applications—in cancer, heart disease and diabetes, for example — and could lead to healthcare advances.
Hopes that new substance will induce cancer cell suicide
(Medical Xpress)—The p53 gene plays a key role in the prevention of cancer, by blocking cell growth and triggering programmed cell death or apoptosis. If, however, p53 has mutated and become defective, the cancer cells can acquire the ability to evade apoptosis and become more resistant to therapy. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have now obtained results from the first tests using a new substance that can restore the function of defective p53 and activate apoptosis in cancer cells.
New findings on protein misfolding
Misfolded proteins can cause various neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) or Huntington's disease, which are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons in the brain. Researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, together with their colleagues of the Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France, have now identified 21 proteins that specifically bind to a protein called ataxin-1. Twelve of these proteins enhance the misfolding of ataxin-1 and thus promote the formation of harmful protein aggregate structures, whereas nine of them prevent the misfolding.
App lets you monitor lung health using only a smartphone
People suffering from asthma or other chronic lung problems are typically only able to get a measure of their lung function at the doctor's office a few times a year by blowing into a specialized piece of equipment. More frequent testing at home could detect problems earlier, potentially avoiding emergency room visits and hospitalization.
Tasered youth fare as well as adults, new research says
Adolescents who are tasered by law enforcement officers do not appear to be at higher risk for serious injury than adults, according to new a new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers.
Longer exercise provides added benefit to children's health
Twenty minutes of daily, vigorous physical activity over just three months can reduce a child's risk of diabetes as well as his total body fat - including dangerous, deep abdominal fat – but 40 minutes works even better, researchers report.
Brain neurons and diet influence onset of obesity and diabetes in mice
The absence of a specific type of neuron in the brain can lead to obesity and diabetes in mice report researchers in The EMBO Journal. The outcome, however, depends on the type of diet that the animals are fed.
Obesity is major contributor to heart disease, impediment to diagnosis and treatment
Obesity is a major contributor to heart disease that substantially hinders the disease's proper diagnosis and treatment, says a cardiologist researching the impact of obesity and weight loss on the heart.
Obese adults with excess abdominal fat, insulin resistance may have higher risk of type 2 diabetes
Obese adults with excess visceral fat (fat located inside the abdominal cavity, around the body's internal organs) and biomarkers of insulin resistance had an associated increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, while obese individuals with higher amounts of total body fat and subcutaneous fat (underneath the skin) did not have this increased risk, according to a study in the September 19 issue of JAMA, and theme issue on obesity.
Over long-term, gastric bypass surgery associated with higher rate of diabetes remission
Severely obese patients who had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery had significant weight loss that was sustained for an average of 6 years after the surgery and also experienced frequent remission and lower incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal cholesterol levels, compared to participants who did not have the surgery, according to a study in the September 19 issue of JAMA, and theme issue on obesity.
Government can play important role in obesity epidemic
Addressing the obesity epidemic by preventing excess calorie consumption with government regulation of portion sizes is justifiable and could be an effective measure to help prevent obesity-related health problems and deaths, according to a Viewpoint in the September 19 issue of JAMA, and theme issue on obesity.
Light drinking may relate to increase in risk for certain cancers
The majority of observational studies have shown that alcohol intake, especially heavy drinking, increases a number of upper-aero-digestive tract (UADT) and other cancers, and even moderate drinking is associated with a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer. A meta analysis published in the Annals of Oncology compares the effects between light drinkers (an average reported intake of up to 1 typical drink/day) versus "non-drinkers" in terms of relative risks for a number of types of cancer.
Group: 39 US states' obesity to pass 50 percent
(AP)—A group campaigning against obesity predicts that more than half the people in 39 U.S. states will be obese—not merely overweight, but obese—by 2030.
Study provides roadmap for delirium risks, prevention, treatment, prognosis and research
Delirium, a common acute condition with significant short- and long-term effects on cognition and function, should be identified as an indicator of poor long-term prognosis, prompting immediate and effective management strategies, according to the authors of a new systematic evidence review.
Substance-use disorders linked to increased risk of death for veterans with PTSD
Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who are also battling drug or alcohol problems face a higher risk of death, according to new research from the University of Michigan Health System and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.
Oral bacteria may signal pancreatic cancer risk
A new study finds significant associations between antibodies for multiple oral bacteria and the risk of pancreatic cancer, adding support for the emerging idea that the ostensibly distant medical conditions are related.
Early menopause associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke
Women who go into early menopause are twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and stroke, new Johns Hopkins-led research suggests.
New drug might help treat irritable bowel syndrome
(HealthDay)—A new drug significantly reduces the abdominal pain and constipation characteristic of certain types of irritable bowel syndrome, according to two new studies.
Lack of sleep affects bone health and bone marrow activity
Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in a team led by Carol Everson, Ph.D., professor of neurology, cell biology, neurobiology and anatomy, have discovered abnormalities in bone and bone marrow in rats undergoing chronic lack of sleep. They discovered abnormalities in serum markers of bone metabolism in sleep-deprived rats, which led them to conduct direct measurements of bone parameters; this time in rats experiencing recurrent sleep restriction during a large portion of their young adulthood.
Rating HPV biomarkers in head, neck cancers: Combinations work better than viral DNA in tumors alone
Not all head and neck cancers are created equal. Those started by infection with the human papillomavirus are less often fatal than those with other causes, such as smoking. Detection of a reliable fingerprint for HPV could help patients avoid unnecessarily harsh treatment. A new study finds that while one popular biomarker for HPV is not a reliable predictor of mortality from the cancers alone, combinations of some biomarkers showed much more promise.
Study finds least aggressive form of breast cancer still poses risk for death years later
Women with the most common and least aggressive subtype of breast cancer were still at risk of death from the disease more than 10 years after diagnosis, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
In lab, drug-on-the-cob fights rare disease
Biologists in Canada have made a medical enzyme using genetically-engineered corn, a feat that could one day slash the cost of treating a life-threatening inherited disease, a journal reported on Tuesday.
One in three victims of teen dating violence has had more than one abuser
(Medical Xpress)—More than one-third of young adults who reported being victims of dating violence as teenagers had two or more abusive partners, a new study suggests.
L-carnitine does not reduce cancer-related fatigue
(HealthDay)—Patients with invasive malignancies who take L-carnitine supplements do not experience a reduction in fatigue, pain, or depression, according to research published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
VTE risk varies by hormone therapy formulation
(HealthDay)—The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in postmenopausal women differs considerably according to the formulation of hormone therapy (HT) used, with the highest VTE risk seen in users of oral estrogen-progestin HT containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, according to research published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Melanoma transection doesn't affect overall survival
(HealthDay)—Melanoma transection does not affect disease-free survival or mortality, according to a study published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Hip circumference inversely tied to diabetes risk
(HealthDay)—There is an inverse relationship between hip circumference and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), according to a meta-analysis published online Sept. 3 in Obesity Reviews.
Cognitive ability, motivation tied in addictive behavior
(HealthDay)—High cognitive functioning enhances one's readiness to change addictive behavior, according to a study published in the September issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Gout is primary indication in about 0.2 percent of ER visits
(HealthDay)—Gout is the primary indication in about 0.2 percent of emergency department visits annually, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in Arthritis Care & Research.
Engineering a better hip implant
University of Iowa researchers have determined that thigh size in obese people is a reason their hip implants are more likely to fail.
Extreme temperatures may raise risk of premature cardiovascular death
Extreme temperatures during heat waves and cold spells may increase the risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) death, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.
Prejudice can cause depression at the societal, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels
Although depression and prejudice traditionally fall into different areas of study and treatment, a new article suggests that many cases of depression may be caused by prejudice from the self or from another person. In an article published in the September 2012 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, William Cox of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues argue that prejudice and depression are fundamentally connected.
Statins are unlikely to prevent blood clots, analysis finds
Despite previous studies suggesting the contrary, statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) may not prevent blood clots (venous thrombo-embolism) in adults, according to a large analysis by international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Food supplements have little effect on the weight of malnourished children
Providing energy dense food supplements within a general household food distribution has little effect on the weight of children at risk of malnutrition
The cost of glaucoma care: Small group of patients accounts for large part of costs
A small subset of patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) account for a large proportion of all glaucoma-related charges in the United States, according to new data published by researchers at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center and Washington University, St. Louis.
Purple corn compound may aid in developing future treatments for Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease
Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most serious complications related to diabetes, often leading to end-stage kidney disease. Purple corn grown in Peru and Chile is a relative of blue corn, which is readily available in the U.S. The maize is rich in anthocyanins (also known as flavonoids), which are reported to have anti-diabetic properties. Scientists from the Department of Food and Nutrition and Department of Biochemistry at Hallym University in Korea investigated the cellular and molecular activity of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) to determine whether and how it affects the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Their findings suggest that PCA inhibits multiple pathways involved in the development of DN, which may help in developing therapies aimed at type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
Is magnetic therapy effective for tinnitus?
Loyola University Medical Center is studying whether a new form of non-invasive magnetic therapy can help people who suffer debilitating tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
New study finds chronic fatigue syndrome not linked to XMRV and pMLV viruses
The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have long eluded scientists. In 2009, a paper in the journal Science linked the syndrome—sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)—to infection with a mouse retrovirus called XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related virus). Given that affected patients often have symptoms consistent with a chronic infection, this viral connection seemed plausible, and the findings were celebrated as a major achievement for a complex disease that afflicts nearly 1 million in the U.S. Another study in early 2010 published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences detected murine retrovirus-like sequences (designated pMLV: polytropic MLV) in CFS/ME patients, which provided further support for a viral theory.
Researchers identify gene partly responsible for maternal care in mice
(Medical Xpress)—The medial preoptic area of the brain has been found over the years to be very closely involved with certain behaviors in mice, such as sexual proclivity, locomotion, aggression and the motivation to care for young. The chemistry involved in such behavioral activity has unfortunately though, remained rather a mystery. Now a team of researchers working at Rockefeller University have found, as they describe in their paper detailing their findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that a gene encoding estrogen receptor protein called ERα which is expressed in neurons in the preoptic part of the mouse brain, appears to impact the degree to which mice care for their young.
Higher levels of BPA in children and teens significantly associated with obesity
Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have revealed a significant association between obesity and children and adolescents with higher concentrations of urinary bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical recently banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from sippy cups and baby bottles. Still, the chemical continues to be used in aluminum cans, such as those containing soda.
Pacifiers may have emotional consequences for boys
Pacifiers may stunt the emotional development of baby boys by robbing them of the opportunity to try on facial expressions during infancy.
Theory: Music underlies language acquisition
(Medical Xpress)—Contrary to the prevailing theories that music and language are cognitively separate or that music is a byproduct of language, theorists at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) advocate that music underlies the ability to acquire language.
New study confirms erroneous link between XMRV virus, prostate cancer
A once-promising discovery linking prostate cancer to an obscure retrovirus derived from mice was the result of an inadvertent laboratory contamination, a forensic analysis of tissue samples and lab experiments – some dating back nearly a decade – has confirmed.
Biology news
Researchers tag great white sharks off Cape Cod (Update)
(AP)—The scientists and fishermen on board the Ocearch, a repurposed crabbing vessel, received word that their scouting boat had hooked a great white shark, sparking a flurry of activity.
Major changes needed to protect Australia's species and ecosystems
(Phys.org)—A landmark study has found that climate change is likely to have a major impact on Australia's plants, animals and ecosystems that will present significant challenges to the conservation of Australia's biodiversity.
Bolivia enacts law to save Amazon river dolphins
(AP)—Bolivian President Evo Morales has enacted a law to protect Amazon river dolphins, which many researchers say are at risk.
Britain grants first licence for badger cull
Up to 3,000 badgers could be killed in England after a government agency on Friday issued the first licence for a pilot cull in a bid to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in cattle.
Scientists investigate bacterial outliers
(Phys.org)—Virginia Tech scientists have gained new insight into the evolution of the bacteria Brucella and its associated disease brucellosis, which infects mammals and can cause abortions in cattle and pigs. Humans contract the disease most often by consuming unpasteurized milk or cheese. Symptoms, such as fever, headache, and chills, are similar to the flu.
Trial strawberry variety shows exciting health potential
(Phys.org)—A Queensland strawberry-breeding program has uncovered what could become the nutritional power-berry of the strawberry industry.
Estimating 'regions of attraction' should improve computer models of biological systems
(Phys.org)—Researchers have found an effective means of estimating the "regions of attraction" (ROA) when developing computer models of biological systems – improving the ability of these models to predict how a system will respond to changing conditions. But to talk about that, we probably need to explain what an ROA is – and why it matters.
Italian architect designs world's biggest vertical garden
A shopping centre near Milan is claiming an unusual record—the biggest vertical garden in the world, covering a surface of 1,263 square metres (13,600 square feet) with a total of 44,000 plants.
Endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs might get a hoppy ending
To reach one of the last wild populations of the mountain yellow-legged frog on Earth, Adam Backlin and Elizabeth Gallegos tramped down a no-nonsense trail, scaled cliffs and barged through nettles along a vein of water in a scowling canyon deep in the San Gabriel Mountains.
After a surprise panda birth in DC, anxiety awaits
(AP)—The birth of a panda cub this weekend at Washington's zoo was cause for a party, but behind the excitement there's also some nail-biting.
Aldo Leopold's field notes score a lost 'soundscape'
Among his many qualities, the pioneering wildlife ecologist Aldo Leopold was a meticulous taker of field notes.
Study shows crows able to infer actions of hidden agent
(Phys.org)—The more scientists study animals and their intellectual abilities, the more it appears that many of them have heretofore unknown abilities that can match some of our own. One such animal is the New Caledonian crow which has been found to not only make and use tools, but to fashion them depending on which bird "culture" it happens to live in. The unusually big brained bird has also been found to live in nuclear families and some observers have suggested they even have some degree of affection for one another. For these reasons, a team of researchers from several countries got together to study their inferential skills, and as they describe in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they found the birds had an ability that until now was thought limited exclusively to us humans.
Evolutionary capacity of many fruit fly species will lag behind pace of climate change, researchers say
(Phys.org)—Many species of fruit fly lack the ability to adapt effectively to predicted increases in global temperatures and may face extinction in the near future, according to new research.
Record-breaking python found in Florida Everglades with 87 eggs
A monster Burmese python captured in the Everglades has broken the state size record, stretching 17 feet, 7 inches, its belly bursting with 87 eggs, the University of Florida announced in August.
Psychologist studies the effects of diagram orientation on comprehension
(Phys.org)—The orientation of a diagram on the page of a textbook may seem inconsequential, but it can have a significant impact on a reader's ability to comprehend the information as presented, according to a team of researchers at UC Santa Barbara, Vanderbilt University, and West Carolina University. Their findings appear in a recent issue of the journal Bioscience.
Surprising demographic shifts in endangered monkey population challenge conservation expectations
(Phys.org)—At first glance, the northern muriqui monkey is a prime conservation success story.
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