Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 19, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Scientists develop method for fabricating individual magnetic quantum dots- Your memory is like the telephone game—Each time you recall an event, your brain distorts it
- Genomics analysis demonstrates natural selection at work
- Single-atom writer a landmark for quantum computing
- Autistic adults have unreliable neural responses, study finds
- Researchers find evidence that suggests Neanderthals used feathers to adorn themselves
- Thermoelectric material is world's best at converting heat waste to electricity
- New experiment corrects prediction in quantum theory
- Astrophysicists spy ultra-distant galaxy amidst cosmic 'dark ages'
- Ocean mavericks in Maine turn tide for electrical grid
- Researchers find water doped graphite flakes exhibit superconductive properties at high temperature
- Genetic mutation may have allowed early humans to migrate throughout Africa
- Researchers develop printable lasers
- Odorant shape and vibration likely lead to olfaction satisfaction
- Google becomes online advertising king: study
Space & Earth news
Australian coal basin may be top 10 polluter: Greenpeace
A coal basin near Australia's Great Barrier Reef will rank among the world's worst producers of carbon pollution if fully mined, Greenpeace said Wednesday as it warned of devastating consequences.
NASA-JPL director Charles Elachi talks about latest Mars mission
The car-sized Mars rover Curiosity, which landed on the Red Planet last month, is the biggest, most expensive and most ambitious planetary mission in many years. But it is just one of a sweeping portfolio of past and future missions of pioneering planetary exploration managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., as JPL director Charles Elachi described in a talk at MIT on Monday.
EU MPs call for 'robust' oversight of shale gas development
European lawmakers want tough regulation of shale oil and gas exploration and member states should be cautious as they proceed, especially over 'fracking' recovery systems, a statement said on Wednesday.
Weather woes again delay US space shuttle transfer
Bad weather has for a second time forced authorities to delay the transfer of the space shuttle Endeavour from Florida to California, with the move now set for later this week, NASA said Tuesday.
Popigai: Russia's vast, untouched diamond crater
In the far north of Siberia, Russian scientists have stepped up research on a once-secret deposit of diamonds whose scale dwarfs anything ever discovered and could turn world markets "upside down".
China adds 2 satellites to global positioning net
(AP)—China has added two more satellites to a global navigation network that will eventually compete with America's Global Positioning System.
US space shuttle Endeavour heads to museum
(AP)—The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour began a journey to its new life as a museum piece Wednesday, heading west on the last ferry flight of its kind as NASA shuts down its shuttle program.
Support for carbon capture is extensive but not strong, IU study finds
A solid majority of Indiana residents think it's a good idea to address concerns about climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from coal-burning power plants and storing it underground, according to a recently published study by Indiana University researchers.
35 years ago: Our first family portrait of the Earth and Moon
Thirty-five years ago today, September 18, 1977, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft turned its camera homeward just about two weeks after its launch, capturing the image above from a distance of 7.25 million miles (11.66 million km). It was the first time an image of its kind had ever been taken, showing the entire Earth and Moon together in a single frame, crescent-lit partners in space.
NASA laser communications mission passes major review milestone
(Phys.org)—NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission has successfully completed a Mission Concept Review, a major evaluation milestone of the engineering plan to execute the build and launch of a space communications laser system. The LCRD payload is scheduled for launch onboard a Loral commercial satellite in 2017.
New, content-based geographic map search tool unveiled
A new digital map-search tool will be described by University of Cincinnati Professor Tomasz Stepinski at an international conference Sept. 20. Stepinski said the new tool, known as LandEx, is only the first of several applications to emerge from his research on application of query-by-image-content systems to thematic maps.
Retired shuttle Endeavour lands for Houston stop
(AP)—Space shuttle Endeavour has landed in Houston for a one-day stop on its trek west to retirement in a California museum.
Marine park 'the size of the Moon' takes shape in Pacific
An ambitious plan to link marine parks across a vast swathe of ocean—whose surface area would equal that of the Moon—is slowly coming together piece by piece, say conservationists.
Carbon dioxide from water pollution, as well as air pollution, may adversely impact oceans
Carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the oceans as a result of water pollution by nutrients—a major source of this greenhouse gas that gets little public attention—is enhancing the unwanted changes in ocean acidity due to atmospheric increases in CO2. The changes may already be impacting commercial fish and shellfish populations, according to new data and model predictions published today in ACS's journal, Environmental Science & Technology.
Satellite sees post-Tropical Cyclone Lane fizzle in a blanket of low clouds
Former Hurricane Lane has fizzled and its remnant circulation was spotted in a blanket of low clouds in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Arctic ice shrinks to all-time low; half 1980 size (Update)
In a critical climate indicator showing an ever warming world, the amount of ice in the Arctic Ocean shrank to an all-time low this year, obliterating old records.
NASA satellite sees fading rainfall in Tropical Storm Nadine
Tropical Storm Nadine continues to bring rains and winds to the Azores in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, but that rainfall continues to diminish according to data from NASA satellites. NASA's unmanned Global Hawk aircraft is also exploring the storm today, Sept. 19.
Warming ocean could start big shift of Antarctic ice
(Phys.org)—Fast-flowing and narrow glaciers have the potential to trigger massive changes in the Antarctic ice sheet and contribute to rapid ice-sheet decay and sea-level rise, a new study has found.
Did a Pacific Ocean meteor trigger the Ice Age?
(Phys.org)—When a huge meteor collided with Earth about 2.5 million years ago in the southern Pacific Ocean it not only likely generated a massive tsunami but also may have plunged the world into the Ice Ages, a new study suggests.
IAU votes to redefine the astronomical unit – giving it a constant value
(Phys.org)—Members of the International Astronomical Union have voted to approve a change to the definition of the famous "astronomical unit" aka, AU, from one based on variable data, to a definite number. The change has been a long time coming and will allow those in the field to describe their work more easily and will allow professors to forego the lengthy explanation of the prior definition to new students.
Study proposes new way to save Africa's beleaguered soils
A Washington State University researcher and colleagues make a case in the journal Nature for a new type of agriculture that could restore the beleaguered soils of Africa and help the continent feed itself in the coming decades.
The 'slippery slope to slime': Overgrown algae causing coral reef declines
(Phys.org)—Researchers at Oregon State University for the first time have confirmed some of the mechanisms by which overfishing and nitrate pollution can help destroy coral reefs – it appears they allow an overgrowth of algae that can bring with it unwanted pathogens, choke off oxygen and disrupt helpful bacteria.
Astrophysicists spy ultra-distant galaxy amidst cosmic 'dark ages'
With the combined power of NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes as well as a cosmic magnification effect, a team of astronomers led by Wei Zheng of The Johns Hopkins University has spotted what could be the most distant galaxy ever detected.
Technology news
Big bad 'Borderlands 2' unleashed in US
"Borderlands 2" hit the US on Tuesday with a beefed up storyline to go with a massive arsenal in the eagerly-awaited action videogame sequel.
Taiwan civil servants fall for sex video trap
Nearly 1,000 civil servants in Taiwan must take classes in cyber security after falling for a trap set up by their employer to test Internet safety, an official said on Wednesday.
Taiwan's Foxconn to open new plant in Brazil
Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn said Wednesday it is set to invest $492 million to build a new facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil to produce smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices.
Fujitsu develops technology to increase efficiency of in-service optical network resources
Fujitsu today announced the development of the world's first technology for future long-haul and metropolitan optical networks that can dynamically alter the architecture of optical network resources and enhance utilization efficiency without disrupting service.
New NIST publication provides guidance for computer security risk assessments
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a final version of its risk assessment guidelines that can provide senior leaders and executives with the information they need to understand and make decisions about their organization's current information security risks and information technology infrastructures.
Panasonic HIT photovoltaic cells demonstrate high PID resistance
Panasonic Corporation today announced that its HIT photovoltaic module's high-level of resistance to potential induced degradation (PID) has been verified by the results of tests conducted within and outside the company. The test conditions set by the third party organization were very stringent among those applied for various PID tests reported by several organizations. The successful passing of such a severe endurance test has confirmed the high quality and high reliability of Panasonic HIT modules.
T-Mobile USA names Legere as its new CEO
(AP)—T-Mobile on Wednesday named the former CEO of Global Crossing, John Legere, as its new chief executive.
YouTube extends film curb to Saudi Arabia
YouTube said Wednesday it extended its restrictions on a video sparking unrest in the Islamic world to Saudi Arabia, saying it is among countries where the film is considered illegal.
News Corp. seeks dismissal of lawsuit over hacking
(AP)—News Corp. attorneys are asking a Delaware judge to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit alleging that company directors allowed a damaging cover-up of the phone hacking scandal in Britain.
Digital initiative aimed at helping world's poor
A shift to digital payments can improve the global effort to fight poverty and improve conditions for those trapped in a cycle dependent on cash, say backers of a new initiative launched Wednesday.
Online instruction takes off among crafters
If you're itching to take up knitting or are stuck in a beadwork project, there's help - and many classes - online.
AOL names board director as new CFO
(AP)—AOL has harvested a new chief financial officer from its board of directors.
Verizon, unions reach tentative contract
(AP)—Verizon and unions representing 43,000 employees have reached tentative, three-year agreements covering job security, retirement and other issues.
Engineer admits stealing software for China exchange
A former software engineer for Chicago-based CME Group pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing computer code and other proprietary data for an electronic trading exchange in China, officials said.
Sesame Street's next chapter: Elmo talks back
(AP)—Elmo, Big Bird and the rest of the "Sesame Street" crew have always talked to kids. Now, they'll try to have a two-way conversation with their pint-sized audience using Kinect, the motion and voice-sensing controller created by Microsoft.
China cuts rare earths mining permits
(AP)—China has cut the number of permits for rare earths mining in a new move to tighten controls over the exotic minerals needed to manufacture mobile phones, electric cars and other high-tech goods.
EU, publishers near deal in e-book pricing probe
European regulators said on Wednesday they were near a deal with giant publishers accused of e-book price fixing, weeks after media giants including Apple sealed a deal in the United States.
'Virtual bumpers' can help avoid crashes
Three new Cadillac models, including the ATS sport sedan, have a new advanced safety system that can automatically stop the vehicle in low-speed conditions to help avoid crashes.
Linking human brainwaves, improved sensors and cognitive algorithms to improve target detection
For warfighters operating in the field, the ability to detect threats from standoff distances can be life-saving. When advanced radar and drone coverage is not available, warfighters typically rely on their own vision to scan their surroundings. Scanning over a wide area, though, is challenging because of the amount of territory that must be reviewed, the limited field of view of the human eye, and the effects of fatigue. Current technologies like binoculars, cameras, and portable radars can help to improve visibility and increase the threat detection rate. Unfortunately, current miss rates of 47 percent or greater using these technologies leave warfighters unprepared and vulnerable.
Programmer charged with hacking Toyota website
A computer programmer from central Kentucky who once did contract work for Toyota has been charged with hacking into and damaging computers used by the automobile maker.
New US lobby calls for 'free, innovative' Internet
A new Washington lobby group—comprised of the biggest firms in the online space—formally launched Wednesday, saying it would fight for a "free and innovative" Internet.
New airport system facilitates smoother take-offs and landings
For airline passengers who dread bumpy rides to mountainous destinations, help may be on the way. A new turbulence avoidance system has for the first time been approved for use at a U.S. airport and can be adapted for additional airports in rugged settings across the United States and overseas.
New search engine offers better access to Congress
(AP)—Congress is getting a new search engine to help people find bills that may become new laws.
China cyberattacks hit Japan in island row: police
At least 19 Japanese websites, including those of a government ministry, courts and a hospital, have come under cyberattack, apparently from China, police said Wednesday.
Canadian man pleads guilty to poker charges
(AP)—A Canadian man who once led the payment processing at two online poker companies pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy and gambling charges, agreeing to cooperate in the government's crackdown on the businesses.
17 more top universities offer free cyber courses
More leading universities are offering free online courses through the fast-growing education platform Coursera.
US judge won't lift Samsung tablet ban
A judge has refused to lift a ban on US sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computers as legal brawling continued between the South Korean electronics titan and Apple.
Blind people develop accurate mental map by playing 'video' game
Researchers have developed a new "video" game for blind people that can help them learn about a new space using only audio cues, as reported Sep. 19 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
BIOSwimmer: Robotic tuna for hard-to-reach underwater places
No question about it… they're very good at what they do. But they don't take well to orders, especially those to carry out inspection work in oily or dangerous environments, or in any kind of harsh environment, for that matter. Still, they're one of the fastest and most maneuverable creatures on the planet, having extraordinary abilities at both high and low speeds due to their streamlined bodies and a finely tuned muscular/sensory/control system.
US finance sector warned of cyber attacks
A US financial industry group warned banks and other institutions to beware cyber attacks Wednesday, after some firms reported sporadic problems with their websites.
Identifying refrigerant fluids with low 'global warming potential'
(Phys.org)—Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new computational method for identifying candidate refrigerant fluids with low "global warming potential" (GWP)—the tendency to trap heat in the atmosphere for many decades—as well as other desirable performance and safety features.
New development in cloud cyber security: 'Space travel' technique allows machine to travel virtually to another system
(Phys.org)—UT Dallas computer scientists have developed a technique to automatically allow one computer in a virtual network to monitor another for intrusions, viruses or anything else that could cause a computer to malfunction.
Groupon launches payments service in US (Update)
Groupon launched a payment service Wednesday that allows businesses to accept credit cards using an iPhone or iPod Touch, becoming the latest company to enter the growing mobile payments market.
New processes for cost-efficient solar cell production
Many people answer with a resounding "yes!" when asked if they want environmentally-friendly solar cell-based power – though it should be inexpensive. For this reason, a veritable price war is raging among the makers of photovoltaic cells. Above all, it are the cheap products of Asian origin that are making life tough for domestic manufacturers. Tough, that is, until now: the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST in Braunschweig are providing support to these companies. They are engineering coating processes and thin film systems aimed at lowering the production costs of solar cells drastically.
Google becomes online advertising king: study
Google has become the US market leader in online display ads, and now leads all categories for Internet advertising including search and mobile, a market research firm said Wednesday.
Ocean mavericks in Maine turn tide for electrical grid
(Phys.org)—Sadly speaking, the U.S. ocean-energy industry has had to take a back seat to Europe, where government subsidies help entrepreneurs and innovative companies work on their technologies. Happily speaking, the United States has, as one writer said, found its footing, but, more precisely, got feet wet. For the first time in the United States, power from the ocean is being generated for the power grid and the action is all up in Maine. Ocean Renewable Power Company announced this month that its tidal energy project is delivering electricity to the Bangor Hydro Electric Company's power grid. ORPC launched the Maine tidal device and as a result electricity is flowing from ORPC's "Cobscook Bay Tidal Project."
Medicine & Health news
Tackling 'frequent flyers' won't solve the rising emergency hospital admissions problem
Patients who are regularly admitted to hospital as emergencies (known as 'frequent flyers') make up a large proportion of admissions, but focusing just on them won't solve the problem of rising admissions, say experts in the British Medical Journal today.
Newly approved additives will be used to made surgically implanted devices safer, more successful
What began in the Dentistry lab of Professor Paul Santerre more than a decade ago is now Interface Biologics Inc. (IBI) - a privately-held company poised to transform the market for medical devices in the United States.
Oregon plague victim loses fingers and toes
(AP)—An Oregon man who nearly died from the plague in June has now lost his withered fingers and toes to the disease known as the Black Death.
Nearly half of kidney recipients in live donor transplant chains are minorities
The largest U.S. multicenter study of living kidney transplant donor chains showed that 46 percent of recipients are minorities, a finding that allays previous fears that these groups would be disadvantaged by expansion of the donor pool through this type of exchange process.
Stopping diabetes with insulin tablets
Type 1 diabetes is the autoimmune form of diabetes, in which the patients' insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by their own immune system.
Kroger recalls spinach over Listeria risk
(AP)—Kroger is recalling spinach sold at grocery stores in 15 states due to possible Listeria contamination.
10 drugmakers team up to improve testing process
(AP)—Pharmaceutical industry heavyweights are teaming up to address a challenge that's long vexed drugmakers: how to improve the way experimental drugs are tested so they can get approved, and reach patients, faster.
Explosions are the main cause of spine injuries to wounded military personnel
Spinal injuries are among the most disabling conditions affecting wounded members of the U.S. military. Yet until recently, the nature of those injuries had not been adequately explored.
West Nile virus claims first victim in Kosovo
A woman had died of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus in Kosovo as two more patients were suspected of being infected with the disease, a health official said on Wednesday.
Split-dose preparation for colonoscopy increases precancerous polyp detection rates
A new study from researchers at the Mayo Clinic Arizona showed that system-wide implementation of a split-dose preparation as the primary choice for colonoscopy significantly improved both polyp detection rates and adenoma (precancerous polyp) detection rates, overall quality of the preparation, and colonoscopy completion rates. The study appears in the September issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
ASGE initiative addresses endoscopy simulators for training and skill assessment
The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy's (ASGE) Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations (PIVI) initiative addresses the use of endoscopy simulators for training and assessing skills in an article appearing in the September issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, ASGE's monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal. This PIVI is one in a series of statements defining the diagnostic or therapeutic threshold that must be met for a technique or device to become considered appropriate for incorporation into clinical practice.
Guideline: Test can help make diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
A new guideline released by the American Academy of Neurology may help doctors in making the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The guideline is published in the September 19, 2012, online issue of Neurology.
Child mortality in Niger plummets
Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, has bucked regional trends to achieve dramatic reductions in child mortality in recent years, according to a Countdown country case study published in The Lancet.
New guidelines issued for pediatric fever and neutropenia
(HealthDay)—New evidence-based guidelines have been compiled on the management of fever and and neutropenia (FN) in children with cancer and/or who are undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation; the guidelines were published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Average 25% pay gap between men and women doctors largely 'inexplicable'
According to the latest survey of UK hourly pay by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) female doctors' pay lags behind their male colleagues by 28.6%.
African Americans less likely to adhere to DASH diet for lowering blood pressure
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which promotes consumption of more fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole grain, and less meats and sweets, is a proven effective treatment for hypertension. For some individuals, adherence to the diet can be just as effective in lowering blood pressure as taking antihypertensive medication. A new study has found that greater adherence to the diet can lead to significant reductions in blood pressure, but that African Americans are less likely to adopt the diet compared to whites. The study is published online today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Birth is no reason to go to hospital, review says
A new Cochrane Review concludes that all countries should consider establishing proper home birth services. They should also provide low-risk pregnant women with information enabling them to make an informed choice. The review has been prepared by senior researcher, statistician Ole Olsen, the Research Unit for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, and midwifery lecturer PhD Jette Aaroe Clausen.
Targeting childhood obesity early
With childhood obesity now affecting 17 percent of American children, the nation is rallying around the concept that serious action is required. In 2010, President Barack Obama established the first Task Force on Childhood Obesity, aimed at reducing the rate of such obesity to just 5 percent by 2030.
Gene helps predict which ovarian cancer sufferers will benefit most from chemotherapy
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the University of Dundee have discovered that measuring how active a gene is could predict which women with ovarian cancer will benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy drugs - a common treatment for the disease.
Large differences in lifetime physician earnings
(Medical Xpress)—A national study has found that earnings over the course of the careers of primary-care physicians averaged as much as $2.8 million less than the earnings of their specialist colleagues, potentially making primary care a less attractive choice for medical school graduates and exacerbating the already significant shortage of medical generalists.
Could painkillers be causing your headaches?
(Medical Xpress)—People who regularly take medicines, such as aspirin, paracetamol and triptans could be causing themselves more pain than relief. New guidance out today (Wednesday 19 September) from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises GPs and other healthcare professionals to consider the possibility of "medication overuse" in their patients who have been taking medicines for up to half of the days in a month, over three months.
Lower drug costs 20 years after bariatric surgery
(Medical Xpress)—A new analysis of the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study shows that despite considerably greater and sustained weight loss than conventionally treated controls, patients treated with bariatric surgery continued to use just as much inpatient and non-primary outpatient care than the controls during a 20 year follow-up period. However, cost savings in the surgery group were seen for medications that treat diabetes and cardiovascular disease between year 7 and 20, resulting in lower overall drug costs.
Making vaccines more effective
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have discovered an important mechanism in which a synthetic DNA targets the immune system that could significantly improve the effectiveness of future vaccines.
New intervention helps teens deal with their emotions through music
(Medical Xpress)—Using music to engage with and educate young people about their emotions, and how to tolerate and regulate their strong emotional states, is the focus of a new intervention developed by University of Queensland clinical psychologist Dr Genevieve Dingle.
Topical NSAIDs provide relief from arthritis pain
For those suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees or hands, applying topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—in the form of creams, gels and patches—can bring weeks of pain relief, finds a new review by The Cochrane Library.
US urged to set standards for arsenic in rice
(AP)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may consider new standards for the levels of arsenic in rice as consumer groups are calling for federal guidance on how much of the carcinogen can be present in food.
Fighting melanoma's attraction to the brain
(Medical Xpress)—The process of metastasis, by which cancer cells travel from a tumor site and proliferate at other sites in the body, is a serious threat to cancer patients. According to the National Cancer Institute, most recurrences of cancer are metastases rather than "new" cancers.
Specialist urologists should handle vasectomy reversal cases, says 10-year study
Vasectomy reversals should be carried out by urology specialists with access to appropriate micro-surgical training and assisted reproductive technologies and not general urology surgeons, according to research published in the October issue of BJUI.
Health reform 2.0: states balking at new insurance exchanges
(HealthDay)—Under the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration's controversial reform of health care, states are supposed to assist uninsured Americans in buying health coverage by setting up so-called "insurance exchanges."
Preemies' brains reap long-term benefits from Kangaroo Mother Care
Kangaroo Mother Care—a technique in which a breastfed premature infant remains in skin-to-skin contact with the parent's chest rather than being placed in an incubator—has lasting positive impact on brain development, revealed Université Laval researchers in the October issue of Acta Paediatrica. Very premature infants who benefited from this technique had better brain functioning in adolescence—comparable to that of adolescents born at term—than did premature infants placed in incubators.
Scientists show biological mechanism can trigger epileptic seizures
Scientists have discovered the first direct evidence that a biological mechanism long suspected in epilepsy is capable of triggering the brain seizures – opening the door for studies to seek improved treatments or even preventative therapies.
Neuroscientists investigate lotteries to study how the brain evaluates risk
People are faced with thousands of choices every day, some inane and some risky. Scientists know that the areas of the brain that evaluate risk are the same for each person, but what makes the value assigned to risk different for individuals? To answer this question, a new video article in Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize subjective risk assessment while subjects choose between different lotteries to play. The article, a joint effort from laboratories at Yale School of Medicine and New York University, is led by Yale's Dr. Ifat Levy. Dr. Levy explains, "This procedure allows us to examine all kinds of normal and pathological behaviors focusing on risk assessment. It could explain things like substance abuse and over-eating from a different perspective than how it is usually characterized."
Weight gain worry for stressed black girls
Could the impact of chronic stress explain why American black girls are more likely to be overweight than white girls? According to Dr. Tomiyama of the University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S., and her colleagues, higher levels of stress over 10 years predict greater increases in body weight over time in both black and white girls. However, the experience of chronic stress appears to have a greater negative effect on black girls' weight, which may explain racial disparities in obesity levels. The work is published online in Springer's journal, Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Children with autism experience interrelated health issues
(Medical Xpress)—One in 88 children has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A new study by a University of Missouri researcher found that many children with ASD also experience anxiety, chronic gastrointestinal (GI) problems and atypical sensory responses, which are heightened reactions to light, sound or particular textures. These problems appear to be highly related and can have significant effects on children's daily lives, including their functioning at home and in school.
Diseases of aging map to a few 'hotspots' on the human genome
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers have long known that individual diseases are associated with genes in specific locations of the genome. Genetics researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill now have shown definitively that a small number of places in the human genome are associated with a large number and variety of diseases. In particular, several diseases of aging are associated with a locus which is more famous for its role in preventing cancer.
New insights into how certain slow progressers control HIV infection
People with a rare genetic trait who are infected with HIV progress more slowly to AIDS than others. But even within this group, there are wide variations in time to progression. A new study illustrates in detail how the immune system fights the virus in those subjects who progress more slowly. The research, which could prove useful to efforts to develop a vaccine against HIV, is published in the September Journal of Virology.
Genetically-engineered preclinical models predict pharmacodynamic response
New cancer drugs must be thoroughly tested in preclinical models, often in mice, before they can be offered to cancer patients for the first time in phase I clinical trials. Key components of this process include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, which evaluate how the drug acts on a living organism. These studies measure the pharmacologic response and the duration and magnitude of response observed relative to the concentration of the drug at an active site in the organism.
BIDMC and Diagnostics For All create first low-cost, paper-based, point of care liver function test
A new postage stamp-sized, paper-based device could provide a simple and reliable way to monitor for liver damage at a cost of only pennies per test, say researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Diagnostics For All (DFA), a Cambridge, MA nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of people living in the developing world.
Researchers identify possible key to slow progression toward AIDS
One of the big mysteries of AIDS is why some HIV-positive people take more than a decade to progress to full-blown AIDS, if they progress at all.
Research suggests promise of cell therapy for bowel disease
New research shows that a special population of stem cells found in cord blood has the innate ability to migrate to the intestine and contribute to the cell population there, suggesting the cells' potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Misinformation: Report shows why it sticks and how to fix it
Childhood vaccines do not cause autism. Barack Obama was born in the United States. Global warming is confirmed by science. And yet, many people believe claims to the contrary.
Emotional neglect in children linked to increased stroke risk later in life
New research suggests that people who were emotionally neglected as children may have a higher risk of stroke in adulthood. The study is published in the September 19, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Emotional neglect is defined as failing to provide for a child's needs emotionally.
Sesame and rice bran oil lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol
People who cooked with a blend of sesame and rice bran oils saw a significant drop in blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions.
Yogurt consumption, blood pressure, and incident hypertension
Adding more yogurt to your diet without increasing the number of calories you eat may help lower your risk of high blood pressure, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions.
Study unveils clue to the origin of dyslexia
Because dyslexia affects so many people around the world, countless studies have attempted to pinpoint the source of the learning disorder.
Can disclosure hurt the translation of research?
All major clinical trials now include disclosures detailing who funded the study to ensure transparency. However, is it possible that this transparency is actually hurting research? One might assume that the methodological rigor of the study matters to physicians more than the disclosure. However, in a new study, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have found that pharmaceutical industry sponsorship of a research study negatively influences physicians' perceptions of the study and their willingness to believe and act on the research findings. This study will be published in the September 20, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
Tissue around tumor holds key to fighting triple negative breast cancer
A natural substance found in the surrounding tissue of a tumor may be a promising weapon to stop triple negative breast cancer from metastasizing.
People change moral position without even realizing it
Shortly after expressing a moral view about a difficult topic, people may easily endorse the opposite view and remain blind to the psychological mismatch, according to research published Sep. 19 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
Positive long-term results for endoscopic forehead-lift
(HealthDay)—Patients who undergo endoscopic forehead-lift procedures report high satisfaction and lasting results, according to research published in the September/October issue of the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
It's time cinema directors realized cancer isn't always a death sentence, study says
Films that feature characters with cancer have become a familiar sight for movie-goers in recent years, but they rarely portray the patient's chances of survival accurately, Italian reserachers will report at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna, Austria.
Use of Mephedrone—a popular party drug—can lead to permanent brain damage, research shows
(Medical Xpress)—The party drug mephedrone can cause lasting damage to the brain, according to new research led by the University of Sydney.
Neuroscientists find promise in addressing Fragile X afflictions
Neuroscientists at New York University have devised a method that has reduced several afflictions associated with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) in laboratory mice. Their findings, which are reported in the journal Neuron, offer new possibilities for addressing FXS, the leading inherited cause of autism and intellectual disability.
Simple routine could help athletes avoid choking under pressure
Some athletes may improve their performance under pressure simply by squeezing a ball or clenching their left hand before competition to activate certain parts of the brain, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Human brains share consistent genetic blueprint and possess enormous biochemical complexity
Scientists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science reported in the latest issue of the journal Nature that human brains share a consistent genetic blueprint and possess enormous biochemical complexity. The findings stem from the first deep and large-scale analysis of the vast data set publicly available in the Allen Human Brain Atlas.
New targeted drug for treating fragile X syndrome, potentially autism, is effective
An investigational compound that targets the core symptoms of fragile X syndrome is effective for addressing the social withdrawal and challenging behaviors characteristic of the condition, making it the first such discovery for fragile X syndrome and, potentially, the first for autism spectrum disorder, a study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, has found.
BG-12: New pill shows promise against relapsing multiple sclerosis
(HealthDay)—A new pill can help prevent relapse in some people with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research indicates.
Autistic adults have unreliable neural responses, study finds
Autism is a disorder well known for its complex changes in behavior—including repeating actions over and over and having difficulty with social interactions and language. Current approaches to understanding what causes these atypical behaviors focus primarily on specific brain regions associated with these specific behaviors without necessarily linking back to fundamental properties of the brain's signaling abilities.
Your memory is like the telephone game—Each time you recall an event, your brain distorts it
Remember the telephone game where people take turns whispering a message into the ear of the next person in line? By the time the last person speaks it out loud, the message has radically changed. It's been altered with each retelling.
Biology news
Seagrasses make full recovery after flood
CSIRO researchers have found that vital seagrass beds in Moreton Bay recovered within 12 months of the 2011 Brisbane floods.
Tagging of brown crabs leads to new discoveries
A study involving local fishermen has been shedding new light on the lives of brown crabs in the Orkney Islands. Researchers from Heriot-Watt's International Centre for Island Technology (ICIT) have been tagging brown crabs and have found that some females of the species travel more than 100 miles in their lives.
Signs for optimism as harvest reaches peak in Iowa
The latest government crop yield predictions may give grain farmers cause for optimism as the harvest season reaches its crescendo in Iowa, corn and soybean experts at Iowa State University said this week.
3Qs: New clues to unlocking the genome
Last week, Nature Magazine, Genome Research and Genome Biology published 30 papers on breakthrough research that will change the face of genetics. After nearly a decade of searching, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Consortium has assigned biochemical functions to 80 percent of the genome. Previously considered "junk," the development adds significant insight into the importance of the noncoding regions of DNA. We asked Veronica Godoy-Carter, assistant professor of biology, to explain.
Selective grazing and aversion to olive and grape leaves achieved in goats and sheep
Researchers from the Research Group on Ruminants led by Elena Albanell, lecturer in Animal and Food Science at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, have successfully achieved to prevent sheep and goats from chewing on the young leaves of olive trees and grapevines when grazing. By using the natural mechanism of conditioned taste aversion, researchers redirected the food preferences of ruminants, making them more willing to eliminate undesirable plants from these types of pastures, and thereby reducing the use of pesticides and farming equipment.
New cranial neural crest cell line developed
Researchers have successfully developed a stable population of neural crest cells derived from mice that can be grown in large quantities in the laboratory and that demonstrates the potential to develop into many different cell types needed throughout the body. This powerful new research tool for understanding stem cell biology and human development and disease is described in an article published in Stem Cells and Development.
DNA barcoding can ID natural health products, study says
DNA barcoding developed by University of Guelph researchers has proven up to 88 per cent effective in authenticating natural health products, according to a new U of G study.
New study reveals surprising evolutionary path of lizards and snakes
(Phys.org)— A new study, published online in Biology Letters on September 19, has utilized a massive molecular dataset to reconstruct the evolutionary history of lizards and snakes. The results reveal a surprising finding about the evolution of snakes: that most snakes we see living on the surface today arose from ancestors that lived underground.
France orders probe after rat study links GM corn, cancer (Update)
France's government on Wednesday asked a health watchdog to carry out a probe, possibly leading to EU suspension of a genetically-modified corn, after a study in rats linked the grain to cancer.
Chile's Pacific paradise endangered by goats, cats
(AP)—It's still a natural paradise far out in the Pacific, with thick jungles and stunningly steep and verdant slopes climbing out of the sea. But much of the splendor in the tiny Chilean islands that likely inspired Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" castaway novel is being eaten away.
Climate change to fuel northern spread of avian malaria
Malaria has been found in birds in parts of Alaska, and global climate change will drive it even farther north, according to a new study published today in the journal PLOS ONE.
Invasive 'Rasberry Crazy Ant' in Texas now identified species
The Rasberry Crazy Ant is an invasive ant that was first noticed infesting areas around Houston, Texas ten years ago, but its species identity has remained undetermined until now. In a paper published Sep. 19 in the open access journal PLOS ONE, a research team led by John LaPolla from Towson University in Maryland identifies the species as Nylanderia fulva. Identifying the species should help control this emerging pest, the authors write.
Modern DNA techniques applied to nineteenth-century potatoes
Researchers led by Professor Bruce Fitt, now at the University of Hertfordshire, have used modern DNA techniques on late nineteenth-century potatoes to show how the potato blight may have survived between cropping seasons after the Irish potato famine of the 1840s.
'Bends' study shows how mammals make mega-dives
Scientists in California have shed light on a marine mystery: how diving mammals can hunt for food at great depths without getting the "bends," according to a new study.
Many sharks colour blind, research confirms
(Phys.org)—New research which could help to deter and conserve sharks has confirmed that many of the ocean predators are probably completely colour blind.
Discovery of reprogramming signature may help further stem cell-based regenerative medicine research
Salk scientists have identified a unique molecular signature in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), "reprogrammed" cells that show great promise in regenerative medicine thanks to their ability to generate a range of body tissues.
Scientists uncover last steps for benzoic acid creation in plants
(Phys.org)—Purdue University scientists have mapped the entire pathway plants use to create benzoic acid, a precursor to a number of important compounds.
Oyster genome uncover the stress adaptation and complexity of shell formation
An international research team, led by Institute of Oceanology of Chinese Academy of Sciences and BGI, has completed the sequencing, assembly and analysis of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) genome—the first mollusk genome to be sequenced—that will help to fill a void in our understanding of the species-rich but poorly explored mollusc family. The study, published online today in Nature, reveals the unique adaptations of oysters to highly stressful environment and the complexity mechanism of shell formation.
Genomics analysis demonstrates natural selection at work
(Phys.org)—A team of researchers at Michigan State University has documented the step-by-step process in which organisms evolve new functions.
Genetic mutation may have allowed early humans to migrate throughout Africa
A genetic mutation that occurred thousands of years ago might be the answer to how early humans were able to move from central Africa and across the continent in what has been called "the great expansion," according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
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