Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 26, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities- Signature of long-sought particle that could revolutionize quantum computing
- Sumatra quake was part of crustal plate breakup: Study shows huge jolt measured 8.7, ripped at least 4 faults
- Researchers make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging
- Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet
- Protein structure unlocks one mystery of multi-drug tolerance
- 2012 Sumatra earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week, research shows
- Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus
- Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming
- New study shows gut bacteria could cause type 2 diabetes
- Search for element 113 concluded at last
- Research breakthrough opens door to new strategy for battling HIV
- Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA
- Buddhist statue, discovered by Nazi expedition, is made of meteorite, new study reveals
- Dioxin causes disease and reproductive problems across generations
Space & Earth news
Gale before Curiosity: What we knew and what the rover may reveal
The first comprehensive analysis of what we knew about the Gale crater on Mars before the recent landing of space rover Curiosity has been published by the International Journal of Astrobiology (IJA).
Loss of species makes nature more sensitive to climate change
High biodiversity acts as an insurance policy for nature and society alike as it increases the likelihood that at least some species will be sufficiently resilient to sustain important functions such as water purification and crop pollination in a changing environment.
As population, interest in outdoor recreation grow, more pressure likely for northern forests
Despite just modest gains in population and participation in outdoor recreation compared to the rest of the nation, there is a strong likelihood of increasing pressure on forest and other undeveloped lands in northern states as the population grows and recreation demands shift.
S. America's Pacific coast eyes tsunami warning system
Officials from countries along South America's Pacific coast met at a UNESCO-sponsored event in Peru's capital Tuesday to design a tsunami early-warning system.
European cargo fails to undock from space station
(AP)—The European Space Agency says the undocking of its cargo craft from the International Space Station has been postponed after a communication malfunction during planned separation late Tuesday.
Global warming slows down world economy: report
Climate change caused by global warming is slowing down world economic output by 1.6 percent a year and will lead to a doubling of costs in the next two decades, a major new report said.
NASA explores underground substructures below fault
(Phys.org)—The Surprise Valley Fault, a stretch of land that snakes along the Warner Mountain Range in northeastern California, is pocked with small surface scars and billows steam from hot springs, which makes it an ideal location to study underground seismic activity. In the past, data collection was limited to ground surveys performed by foot and four-wheel all-terrain vehicles. This year, data collection of this treacherous terrain was enhanced by employing an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), called the Sensor Integrated Environmental Remote Research Aircraft (SIERRA), managed and operated by NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif.
Study looks at making asteroid mining viable
There's been a lot of buzz in the media lately about mining asteroids, largely brought on by the introduction of Planetary Resources, Peter Diamandis' new venture into the industry. But is this business proposition actually viable? NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts is funding a study that hopes to answer that question.
New 'Sun-skirting' comet could provide dazzling display in 2013
2013 is looking to be a promising year for potential naked-eye comets, as a new comet has been discovered that will likely skirt close to the Sun, and could provide a stunning display late next year. The comet, named Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), as it was discovered by a Russian team at the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON), is currently about the distance of Jupiter's orbit. But it is projected to come within less than 2 million km from the Sun at perihelion by November 28, 2013. Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero from the Remanzacco Observatory in Italy, along with their colleague Nick Howes from the UK have imaged the comet with the RAS telescope in New Mexico, and say, "According to its orbit, this comet might become a naked-eye object in the period November 2013 – January 2014. And it might reach a negative magnitude at the end of November 2013."
Will NASA really build a 'gateway' L-2 Moon base?
Over the weekend, The Orlando Sentinel reported that NASA is considering building a hovering outpost beyond the Moon at L-2 (Lagrangian point 2) that will be a 'gateway' to serve as a point for launching human missions to Mars and asteroids. The buzz among the space-related social medias ranged from "this is the greatest idea ever" to "this is make-work for the Space Launch System, (NASA's new rocket.)" The newspaper's report cited a White House briefing given in September by NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, but said "it's unclear whether it has the administration's support. Of critical importance is the price tag, which would certainly run into the billions of dollars."
Sea of the living dead
(Phys.org)—The world's coral reefs have become a zombie ecosystem, neither dead nor truly alive, and are on a trajectory to collapse within a human generation according to an academic from The Australian National University.
Coral hotspots found in deepwater canyons off northeast US coast
(Phys.org)—For the first time in decades, researchers have conducted an extensive exploration for deep-sea corals and sponges in submarine canyons off the northeastern coast of the US. The survey revealed coral "hotspots," and found that a new coral habitat suitability model could help predict where corals are likely to occur. The model is being developed by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) and the National Ocean Service's Biogeography Branch.
Space debris threatens ISS: report
The International Space Station is in danger of being hit by two pieces of debris from an old Russian satellite that had previously hit a US craft in 2009, a news report said on Wednesday.
Disposition to form ice crystals is measured and modeled for a new framework
(Phys.org)—Instead of dust-bunnies under the sofa, this dust helps form ice crystals that are at the heart of clouds. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used dust's loftier disposition to create a new way to calculate how all particles, not just dust, attract and form ice crystals in clouds. Steering multiple data points into one flexible calculation, they efficiently simulated how ice forms on dust particles, a calculation that will help them nail down how ice latches on to atmospheric soot, organic, and biological particles as well. Their research was published in the August issue of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Sharpest-ever ground-based images of Pluto and Charon
(Phys.org)—Despite being infamously demoted from its status as a major planet, Pluto (and its largest companion Charon) recently posed as a surrogate extrasolar planetary system to help astronomers produce exceptionally high-resolution images with the Gemini North 8-meter telescope. Using a method called reconstructive speckle imaging, the researchers took the sharpest ground-based snapshots ever obtained of Pluto and Charon in visible light, which hint at the exoplanet verification power of a large state-of-the-art telescope when combined with speckle imaging techniques. The data also verified and refined previous orbital characteristics for Pluto and Charon while revealing the pair's precise diameters.
Satellite sees Miriam weaken to a tropical storm
Once a powerful hurricane, Miriam is now a tropical storm off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Tropical Storm Miriam was seen in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by NOAA's GOES-15 satellite, and the visible image revealed that the strongest part of the storm was north and west of the center.
NASA sees very heavy rain in Super Typhoon Jelawat and heavy rain pushed from Ewinar's Center
NASA's TRMM satellite measured the rainfall of Super Typhoon Jelawat and Tropical Storm Ewiniar as they continue moving through the western North Pacific Ocean. Super Typhoon Jelawat had super rainfall rates around its eye, while nearby Tropical Storm Ewinar's heaviest rainfall was pushed north and west of its center because of wind shear.
Stagnant interiors suppress chances of super-Earths supporting life
(Phys.org)—Exoplanet hunters estimate that there could be billions of super-Earths—planets with a mass of up to ten times that of Earth—orbiting stars in the Milky Way alone. But do super-Earths really deserve their name and would they be capable of hosting life? A study of the thermal evolution of rocky super-Earths suggests that they may bear very little resemblance to our home planet. Dr. Vlada Stamenkovic will present the results at the European Planetary Science Congress on Wednesday 26th September.
Astronauts may play role in Mars robotic missions
NASA's future plans to explore Mars may end up using astronauts as space messengers.
The rich colors of a cosmic seagull (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—This new image from ESO's La Silla Observatory shows part of a stellar nursery nicknamed the Seagull Nebula. This cloud of gas, formally called Sharpless 2-292, seems to form the head of the seagull and glows brightly due to the energetic radiation from a very hot young star lurking at its heart. The detailed view was produced by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope.
Dawn suggests special delivery of hydrated material to Vesta
(Phys.org)—The mechanism by which water is incorporated into the terrestrial planets is a matter of extensive debate for planetary scientists. Now, observations of Vesta by NASA's Dawn mission suggest that hydrous materials were delivered to the giant asteroid mainly through a build-up of small particles during an epoch when the Solar System was rich in dust. This is a radically different process from the way in which hydrous materials are deposited on the moon and may have implications for the formation of terrestrial planets, including the delivery of the water that forms Earth's oceans. Maria Cristina De Sanctis and the Dawn team will present the scenarios at the European Planetary Science Congress in Madrid on Wednesday 26th September.
Elusive atmospheric compound revealed in the laboratory
(Phys.org)—Like a talented escape artist, this atmospheric performer has managed to hide its modus operandi—until now. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of California-San Diego have exposed the antics of an organic or carbon-containing compound and how it reacts with water in the atmosphere to complete its escape act. Documenting the particle's MO gives scientists a way to track this atmospheric player and has implications for understanding its warming and cooling effects on the climate. Their research was recently published in Aerosol Science and Technology.
Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming
A warming climate and rising seas will enable salt marshes to more rapidly capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, possibly playing a role in slowing the rate of climate change, according to a new study led by a University of Virginia environmental scientist and published in the Sept. 27 issue of the journal Nature.
2012 Sumatra earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week, research shows
It's known that large quakes trigger smaller quakes hours later as the strong seismic waves pass through the Earth. USGS and UC Berkeley seismologists have now shown that at least some large quakes – strike-slip as opposed to thrust quakes – can trigger distant quakes for up to a week. The strong surface waves from such events appear to prime some faults to break later, though how is unclear.
Buddhist statue, discovered by Nazi expedition, is made of meteorite, new study reveals
It sounds like an artifact from an Indiana Jones film; a 1,000 year-old ancient Buddhist statue which was first recovered by a Nazi expedition in 1938 has been analysed by scientists and has been found to be carved from a meteorite. The findings, published in Meteoritics and Planetary Science, reveal the priceless statue to be a rare ataxite class of meteorite.
NYC auction offers 125 meteorites for sale
A New York City auction will offer 125 meteorites for sale, including a large chunk of the moon and a 179-pound (81-kilogram) iron cosmic rock that evokes Edvard Munch's iconic painting "The Scream."
Hurricane Irene polluted Catskills watershed
(Phys.org)—The water quality of lakes and coastal systems will be altered if hurricanes intensify in a warming world, according to a Yale study in Geophysical Research Letters.
Extreme climate change linked to early animal evolution
An international team of scientists, including geochemists from the University of California, Riverside, has uncovered new evidence linking extreme climate change, oxygen rise, and early animal evolution.
Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet
(Phys.org)—Enormous troughs that reach across the asteroid Vesta may actually be stretch marks that hint of a complexity beyond most asteroids. Scientists have been trying to determine the origin of these unusual troughs since their discovery just last year. Now, a new analysis supports the notion that the troughs are faults that formed when a fellow asteroid smacked into Vesta's south pole. The research reinforces the claim that Vesta has a layered interior, a quality normally reserved for larger bodies, such as planets and large moons.
Sumatra quake was part of crustal plate breakup: Study shows huge jolt measured 8.7, ripped at least 4 faults
Seismologists have known for years that the Indo-Australian plate of Earth's crust is slowly breaking apart, but they saw it in action last April when at least four faults broke in a magnitude-8.7 earthquake that may be the largest of its type ever recorded.
Technology news
Advances in recycling for the electronics sector
Research has addressed the mounting problem of polymers from the electronics sector entering the waste stream. An EU-funded research team investigated a fully recyclable polymer and have developed new moulding methods for components.
STMicroelectronics to showcase cutting-edge contactless solutions
With the dramatic increase in demand for contactless solutions in healthcare, medical and fitness markets, ST's unique dual-interface EEPROM products should draw a great deal of attention. These EEPROMs deliver valuable information in conjunction with an RFID reader such as in a NFC-enabled smart phone. The EEPROMs are designed to enable both wired and wireless two-way reading/writing with a low-power I2C interface or in ISO15693 mode.
Research points the way to an Internet more resilient to attacks
It's startling to ponder the numerous ways our society relies almost completely upon on the Internet to conduct the business of everyday life. Commerce, communication and even national security all require a functioning World Wide Web.
Light metals shape the future of flight
Deep within the labyrinth of Monash University's Clayton campus in Melbourne is a metallurgy laboratory so significant in what it is doing that it has attracted some of the biggest companies in the global aerospace industry from the other side of the world.
Launch of world's smallest combo chip for automotive keyless entry systems
NXP Semiconductors today announced the NCF2960 – the world's smallest combo chip solution for automotive keyless entry with immobilizer functions. The compact solution uniquely integrates a security transponder, micro RISC kernel, and multi-channel radio transmitter in a single package.
Brazilian court bans anti-Islam film from YouTube
(AP)—A court in Brazil said it has ordered YouTube to remove clips of the movie that has touched off deadly protests across the Muslim world, the latest in a spate of court-ordered content-removal cases against the video-sharing site here.
Students painlessly measure knee joint fluids in annual Sandia contest
Texas Tech University repeated last year's victory in the novel design category of Sandia National Laboratories' annual competition to design new, extraordinarily tiny devices, while Carnegie Mellon University won the educational microelectromechanical (MEMS) prize for the second year in a row.
Small town, rural Americans rely on local paper: survey
Americans in small towns and rural areas rely more on newspapers and television for local news than their big-city counterparts, a survey showed Wednesday.
Mr. Sexy Back tries to bring Myspace back
(AP)—"Who am I to say I want you back? When you were never mine to give away."
Companies agree to settle computer spying charges
(AP)—The Federal Trade Commission says a software design company and seven computer rental firms have agreed to settle charges that they secretly gathered confidential and personal information about consumers who had rented machines from them.
Google offers virtual dives in world's coral reefs
Google has begun letting users of its online mapping service take virtual scuba dives to explore precious living reefs being surveyed by scientists.
Latin America has room to grow on Internet, experts say
Google's managing director for Spanish-speaking Latin America says the Internet has become the "focus group for the world" and the smart advertiser uses it to anticipate consumer behavior rather than just to tout products.
Japan firms showcase personal toilet-bidet devices
Japanese firms on Wednesday showcased incontinence devices that combine a diaper with a personal bidet, removing waste before cleaning and then drying the wearer as they sleep.
Do you know how much you're texting while driving? Study says no
Texting while driving is a serious threat to public safety, but a new University of Michigan study suggests that we might not be aware of our actions.
Students prefer apps to the Web when using smartphones
Students prefer using apps on their smartphones instead of being pointed to mobile app sites, according to a survey of Purdue University students. This runs counter to a move toward mobile Web development using HTML 5 by many Web developers.
Federal law needed to safeguard 'digital afterlives'
(Phys.org)—Federal law ought to play a stronger role in regulating social networking sites by allowing users to determine what happens to their "digital afterlives," says a recently published paper by a University of Illinois expert in intellectual property law.
Computers match humans in understanding art
Understanding and evaluating art has widely been considered as a task meant for humans, until now. Computer scientists Lior Shamir and Jane Tarakhovsky of Lawrence Technological University in Michigan tackled the question "can machines understand art?" The results were very surprising. In fact, an algorithm has been developed that demonstrates computers are able to "understand" art in a fashion very similar to how art historians perform their analysis, mimicking the perception of expert art critiques.
New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements
What does a yoghurt look like over time? The food industry will soon be able to answer this question using a new fluid simulation tool developed by the Department of Computer Science (DIKU) at the University of Copenhagen as part of a broad partnership with other research institutions. An epoch-making shift in the way we simulate the physical world is now a reality.
Time not ripe for Twitter IPO, CEO says
Twitter is not readying a public offering nor is it seeking to be sold to another group, chief executive Dick Costolo said Wednesday.
Dartmouth smartphone app targets driver safety
"CarSafe" is a driver safety app that detects dangerous driving behavior using dual-cameras on smartphones. This is the latest smartphone app to come out of Dartmouth and is featured in the September 25 NewScientist. The Android app was developed by Professors Andrew Campbell and Lorenzo Torresani in the Department of Computer Science, and Dartmouth's Smartphone Sensing Group.
Wells Fargo website down in wake of threat
Wells Fargo's website was experiencing problems Wednesday, after a threat against US banking firms from a group pledging retaliation for an online video that has sparked unrest in the Muslim world.
Global sales of 'smart devices' surging: study
Global sales of so-called smart connected devices—computers, smartphones and tablets—rose sharply in the past quarter, driven by smartphones and tablets, a survey showed Wednesday.
Celtic Renewables aims to process next-gen biofuel
(Phys.org)—A distillery agreement between two companies in Scotland is to turn whiskey byproducts into fuel. Those who look forward to a bright future of biofuels that are easier on the environment will be interested in their story. The two companies will strive to combine two byproducts of whisky production, "pot ale" and "draff," to produce renewable products, including next-generation butanol, or biobutanol. The pot-ale refers to residue from the stills. The draff refers to what is left of the grains. Bacteria feeding on the byproducts can produce butanol. The production of butanol by biological means was first performed by Louis Pasteur in 1861, but has recently taken on revived interest.
Toyota shows off all solid state lithium superionic conductor based prototype battery
(Phys.org)—It's no secret that Toyota has been hard at work trying to improve on current battery technology to power electric vehicles, last year the company described a prototype solid state lithium superionic conductor battery in an article in the journal Nature Materials that was based on a three dimensional framework. And just this month the company announced plans to introduce several new lines of hybrid and all electric vehicles over the next three years (after also announcing that the Prius hybrid now accounts for ten percent of all sales). The sticking point has been and remains, the batteries used in such vehicles which can account for up to half their cost to consumers.
Computer scientists synthesize cloth sounds for animation
(Phys.org)—Someday, virtual reality may be so well done that you won't be able to tell it's just computer animation. To make that happen we'll have to hear it as well as see it, from dramatic noises like the sound of a breaking glass to subtle details like the rustling of clothing as characters move.
Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary
An artificially intelligent virtual gamer created by computer scientists at The University of Texas at Austin has won the BotPrize by convincing a panel of judges that it was more human-like than half the humans it competed against.
Medicine & Health news
Poll: Most see health law being implemented
(AP)—Americans may not be all that crazy about President Barack Obama's health care law, but a new poll shows they don't see it going away.
20 firemen to get 300-kilo French man to hospital
A 300-kilo (660-pound) Frenchman who was unable to leave his home by himself has been hospitalised in an operation requiring 20 emergency workers and a stone mason.
Thailand to sell generic Viagra drug: officials
Thailand has approved an affordable generic version of the anti-impotence drug Viagra to go on sale next week, as the country looks to combat rampant counterfeit production, officials said Wednesday.
Surfing the net helps the elderly stay connected
The internet is giving older people in rural areas a new lease on life, according to a report released today by the University of Adelaide.
Minimizing cyclists' exposure to traffic-related air pollution in urban areas
It starts with a simple piece of clear rubber tubing connected to a small and nondescript – though expensive – oblong brown box, both attached to a bicycle frame.
Are you addicted to the internet?
People worried about the amount of time they spend online are invited to take part in a study about internet addiction.
Autistic tendencies linked to compulsive Internet use
The more autistic tendencies a person exhibits the greater the chance that he or she uses the Internet in a compulsive manner. NWO researcher Catrin Finkenauer from VU University Amsterdam has demonstrated this relationship scientifically for the first time. Compulsive Internet use can have a negative effect on a person's well-being and on the maintenance of relationships. Finkenauer published the research results today in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. The multidisciplinary research could be realised thanks to a collaboration with the communication scientists Monique Pollmann and Peter Kerkhof, and psychologist Sander Begeer.
Research sheds light on debilitating stomach condition
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) have accurately mapped the patterns of abnormal gastric electrical activity that occurs during gastroparesis, a debilitating stomach condition.
Australian women miss guidelines around healthy eating and exercise
Women in Australia are exercising less and most are not eating nearly enough vegetables, researchers have found.
Clinical trial evaluates synthetic cannabinoid as brain cancer treatment
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center are evaluating the safety and tolerability of a synthetic cannabinoid called dexanabinol (ETS2101). Delivered as a weekly intravenous infusion, the drug is being tested in patients with all forms of brain cancer, both primary and metastatic.
EU to tighten medical controls after breast implant scandal
A breast implant scandal affecting thousands of women this year damaged confidence and highlighted the need to tighten controls in Europe on everyday medical devices, the European Commission said Wednesday.
New Otago collaboration brings oral TB vaccine for humans closer
Researchers in New Zealand are inching closer to the development of the first effective oral vaccine to protect against tuberculosis - a disease which still kills more people worldwide than any other bacterial disease.
WHO advising Saudis on virus ahead of Hajj
The UN health agency said Wednesday it knew of no more cases in the Gulf of a mystery illness from the same virus family as the deadly SARS but was advising Saudi Arabia ahead of the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage.
Gut reaction: Morality in food choice
We've all heard the saying, "you are what you eat." It turns out the old adage might be true on more than just a physical level. The food you choose may also reflect your personal ethics.
Singing in the brain
What does anger sound like? What music does sorrow imply? Human emotion is being given a new soundtrack thanks to an exciting new collaboration between art and neuroscience.
Uruguay lawmakers vote to legalize abortion
(AP)—Legislators have voted in Uruguay by a razor-thin margin to legalize abortion.
Bangladesh doctors urge Viagra production halt
Bangladeshi doctors Wednesday asked the government to halt permits for Viagra to be mass produced for the domestic market, fearing it could lead to the anti-impotence drug becoming available over the counter.
Study looks at risk factors for HIV in US Navy and Marines during 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
Same-sex partners and inconsistent condom use were among the major risk factors for HIV infection among U.S. Navy and Marines personnel during the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) era, reports a study in the October 1 issue of JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
A birth control pill for men? When?
When will men have their own birth control pill? Scientists have been predicting the debut of a male pill within 5 years for the last 30 years. The factors accounting for that delay—and new optimism that a male pill will emerge within a decade—are the topic of a story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Son's real-life drama leads comedy queen to medical role
(HealthDay)—Actress Julie Bowen, awarded her second Emmy Sunday for her role in the hit TV comedy "Modern Family," starts a more serious role today: raising awareness about life-threatening childhood allergies.
Clinton, others announce contraception deal
(AP)—Prices for long-acting contraception will be halved for 27 million women in the developing world through a new partnership, former President Bill Clinton and other world leaders announced Wednesday.
Inner city infants have different patterns of viral respiratory illness than infants in the suburbs
Children living in low-income urban areas appear especially prone to developing asthma, possibly related to infections they acquire early in life. In a new study in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, available online, researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison investigated viral respiratory illnesses and their possible role in the development of asthma in urban versus suburban babies. The differences in viral illness patterns they found provide insights that could help guide the development of new asthma treatments in children.
Future health risks for obese children may be greater than previously thought
Being obese as a child or adolescent may have a larger effect on future health than previously thought, suggests a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Should celebrities get involved in public health campaigns?
In this week's BMJ, two experts debate whether celebrity involvement in public health campaigns can deliver long term benefits.
Medical screening for older drivers is misguided, argues senior doctor
Medical screening of older drivers is misguided and typifies a "worrying lack of due diligence" by the medical profession, warns a senior doctor in BMJ today.
Doctors' 'gut feeling' should not be ignored, study suggests
Doctors who experience a gut feeling about serious illness when treating a child in primary care should take action upon this feeling and not ignore it, a study published today in BMJ suggests.
Watch-and-wait OK in low-tumor burden follicular lymphoma
(HealthDay)—An initial watch-and-wait strategy does not have a detrimental effect on the freedom from treatment failure (FFTF) or overall survival rate in selected patients with low-tumor burden follicular lymphoma compared with patients initially treated with rituximab-containing regimens, according to research published online Sept. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
BMI, though national standard, just one piece of the weight-loss puzzle
At the center of a recently released study is an abbreviation that has been around since the 1800s, but many people have no idea what it means, or whether or not it matters.
Changing the prescription for addicts
A call for change is afoot in the difficult and often heartbreaking world of addiction treatment.
Five isolated in Danish hospital for SARS-like symptoms
Five people have been isolated in a hospital in Denmark with symptoms of a new viral respiratory illness from the same family as the deadly SARS virus, the hospital said on Wednesday.
Study reveals young women with the BRCA mutation feel different and misunderstood
(Medical Xpress)—A study authored by Rebekah Hamilton, RN, PhD, associate dean of the Rush University College of Nursing, found that young women with a BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation felt different and misunderstood.
States that support access to health information can decrease colon cancer deaths
Despite medical advances in colon cancer screening and treatment, people with a lower socioeconomic status remain at a higher risk of dying from colon cancer. A new study in The Milbank Quarterly finds that states and communities that focus on increasing the adoption of innovative health care practices along with providing greater access to public health information can reduce these deaths.
Helicopter parenting backfires, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—If your mom or dad has ever contacted one of your professors, intervened to settle a dispute with your roommates, or hunted for jobs on your behalf, they might be helicopter parents.
Bayer 'disappointed' after losing India patent fight
Pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG on Wednesday said it was "disappointed" with an Indian ruling that allows a local firm to produce a cheaper copy of its patented drug Nexavar for liver and lung cancer.
Soaring mouth cancer rates highlight need for greater dentists' awareness
(Medical Xpress)—Rising rates of mouth cancer mean that it's more important than ever that dentists and members of the dental team can promote prevention, detect warning signs and refer patients appropriately.
Smoking bans in bars help drinkers drink less too, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Bans on smoking in bars and restaurants not only reduce tobacco-related illnesses but may also reduce alcohol abuse, a study by Yale School of Medicine researchers shows.
Jump-starting cheaper cancer vaccines
Dendritic cells (DCs)—workhorses of the immune system—derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may provide an economical way of generating off-the-shelf therapeutic vaccines against cancers, according to research led by Jieming Zeng and Shu Wang from the A*STAR Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore.
Severe hunger increases breast cancer risk in war survivors
Jewish women who were severely exposed to hunger during World War Two were five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who were mildly exposed, according to research in the October issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.
Robotic surgery through the mouth safe for removing tumors of the voice box, study shows
(Medical Xpress)—Robotic surgery though the mouth is a safe and effective way to remove tumors of the throat and voice box, according to a study by head and neck cancer surgeons at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
Smoking relapse prevention a healthy step for mothers, babies
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, concerned that women who quit smoking during their pregnancies often resume smoking after they deliver their baby, tested self-help interventions designed to prevent postpartum smoking relapse.
Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice
The combination of two neuroprotective therapies, voluntary physical exercise, and the daily intake of melatonin has been shown to have a synergistic effect against brain deterioration in rodents with three different mutations of Alzheimer's disease.
Inappropriate activation of an immune signaling pathway during infection leaves the body vulnerable to sepsis
The inflammatory response is a double-edged sword—it enables the body to mount a vigorous defense against infection, but can also inflict serious physiological damage if allowed to rampage uncontrolled. Patients experience the worst of both worlds when an infection gives way to sepsis. They undergo an initial strong inflammatory response that subsequently gives way to immunosuppression, wherein immune cells no longer respond to toxic molecules produced by bacteria.
Lung imaging research gets its second wind
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provides a quantitative basis for predicting the pulmonary airflow patterns that carry inhaled materials inside the body. This is not only potentially useful for establishing safer exposure limits to airborne pollutants but also for improving targeted drug delivery in patients with pulmonary disease. One prerequisite is that simulated predictions be thoroughly tested in a living organism, where respiratory airflows depend not only on airway shape and curvature but also on local lung mechanics and associated differences between health and disease.
Reported Dutch euthanasia cases rise
(AP)—The number of doctor-assisted suicide cases reported in the Netherlands grew by 559 between the years of 2010 and 2011, a commission says.
Antibiotics could replace surgery for appendicitis
Although the standard approach to acute appendicitis is to remove the appendix, a study at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, reveals that treatment with antibiotics can be just as effective in many cases.
Patients in Denmark not suffering from new virus: hospital
Five people in isolation in a Danish hospital are suffering from a typical influenza strain and not a new SARS-like respiratory illness as feared, the Odense University Hospital said Wednesday.
Geometry plays a role in GPCR transmembrane signaling
A recent study in The Journal of General Physiology characterizes the movement of rhodopsin, a GPCR and member of a large family of transmembrane receptors responsible for many cellular responses and involved in many human diseases.
New insights into functionality of cystic fibrosis protein
CFTR is an important protein that, when mutated, causes the life-threatening genetic disease cystic fibrosis. A study in The Journal of General Physiology (JGP) details how an accidental discovery has provided new understanding about CFTR functionality.
Study sheds light on pain pill abuse
A study by a team of University of Kentucky researchers has shed new light on the potential habit-forming properties of the popular pain medication tramadol, in research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The paper is slated to appear in an upcoming edition of the academic journal Psychopharmacology.
Researchers develop blood test that accurately detects early stages of lung, breast cancer in humans
Researchers at Kansas State University have developed a simple blood test that can accurately detect the beginning stages of cancer.
Women twice as likely to suffer infection with kidney stones and other urinary blockages
While more men than women develop kidney stones and other obstructions in the urinary tract, women are more than twice as likely to suffer infections related to the condition, according to a new study led by Henry Ford Hospital researchers.
Exposure to snot-nosed kids ups severity of cold infections
Exposure to school-age children raises the odds that a person with lung disease who catches a cold will actually suffer symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat and cough, according to a study just published in the Journal of Clinical Virology.
Researchers determine how inflammatory cells function, setting stage for future remedies
A research team led by investigators at New York University and NYU School of Medicine has determined how cells that cause inflammatory ailments, such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, differentiate from stem cells and ultimately affect the clinical outcome of these diseases.
Drugs similar in efficacy for neuropathic pain in diabetes
(HealthDay)—In the treatment of patients with chronic diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP), there are no significant differences in pain-relief efficacy between amitriptyline, duloxetine, and pregabalin; however, pregabalin improves sleep continuity and duloxetine improves daytime functioning, according to research published online Sept. 18 in Diabetes Care.
Risk of post-cesarean infection up for overweight, obese
(HealthDay)—About 10 percent of U.K. women who undergo cesarean section develop a surgical site infection, with the odds significantly increased for overweight or obese women, according to a study published in the October issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The new skinny on leptin
(Medical Xpress)—Leptin—commonly dubbed the "fat hormone"—does more than tell the brain when to eat. A new study by researchers at The University of Akron and Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) shows that leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss. This discovery, made in zebrafish treated to produce low leptin, could ultimately help doctors better understand sensory loss in humans.
'I'm bored!'—Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind
(Medical Xpress)—You're waiting in the reception area of your doctor's office. The magazines are uninteresting. The pictures on the wall are dull. The second hand on the wall clock moves so excruciatingly slowly that you're sure it must be broken. You feel depleted and irritated about being stuck in this seemingly endless moment. You want to be engaged by something—anything—when a thought, so familiar from childhood, comes to mind: "I'm bored!"
Cannabis withdrawal symptoms might have clinical importance
Cannabis users have a greater chance of relapse to cannabis use when they experience certain withdrawal symptoms, according to research published Sep. 26 in the open access journal PLOS ONE led by David Allsop of the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) at the University of New South Wales.
Viewing gender-specific objects influences perception of gender identity
Spending too much time looking at high heels may influence how a viewer perceives the gender of an androgynous face, according to new research published Sep. 26 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Amir Homayoun Javadi of Technische Universität, Dresden and his colleagues. The study sheds new light on how the objects surrounding us may influence our perceptions of gender.
Bizarre tumor case may lead to custom cancer care
It's a medical nightmare: a 24-year-old man endures 350 surgeries since childhood to remove growths that keep coming back in his throat and have spread to his lungs, threatening his life. Now doctors have found a way to help him by way of a scientific coup that holds promise for millions of cancer patients.
Patient safety improves when leaders walk the safety talk
(Medical Xpress)—When nurses feel safe admitting to their supervisors that they've made a mistake regarding a patient, they are more likely to report the error, which ultimately leads to a stronger commitment to safe practices and a reduction in the error rate, according to an international team of researchers. In addition, when nurse leaders safety actions mirror their spoken words—when they practice what they preach—unit nurses do not feel caught between adhering to safety protocols and speaking up about mistakes against protocols.
Retweeted health messages may not be what the patient ordered
(Medical Xpress)—People are more likely to trust health messages tweeted by doctors who have a lot of followers, but not the messages they retweet, according to researchers.
Quitting driving: Families key but docs have role
(AP)—Families may have to watch for dents in the car and plead with an older driver to give up the keys—but there is new evidence that doctors could have more of an influence on one of the most wrenching decisions facing a rapidly aging population.
New drug candidate in diabetes research breakthrough
CSL Limited has developed a new drug candidate that is able to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and reverse its progression in animal models of the disease.
Why some mothers (wrongly) let kids try alcohol
(HealthDay)—Many parents wrongly believe that allowing young children to taste alcohol may discourage them from drinking when they're teens, a new study finds.
Study shows that the distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception
(Medical Xpress)—As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." For people in certain professions—acting, modeling, and even politics—this phrase rings particularly true. Previous studies have examined how our social judgments of pictures of people are influenced by factors such as whether the person is smiling or frowning, but until now one factor has never been investigated: the distance between the photographer and the subject. According to a new study by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), this turns out to make a difference—close-up photo subjects, the study found, are judged to look less trustworthy, less competent, and less attractive.
Scientists find that competition between two brain regions influences the ability to make healthy choices
(Medical Xpress)—Almost everyone knows the feeling: you see a delicious piece of chocolate cake on the table, but as you grab your fork, you think twice. The cake is too fattening and unhealthy, you tell yourself. Maybe you should skip dessert.
Scientists have way to control sugars that lead to diabetes, obesity
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists can now turn on or off the enzymes responsible for processing starchy foods into sugars in the human digestive system, a finding they believe will allow them to better control those processes in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Study pinpoints epigenetic function of common cancer-causing protein—it's not what science thought
(Medical Xpress)—Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is diagnosed in about 700,000 people in the United States every year. Commonly contributing to SCC is a protein called DNp63a – it goes abnormally high and the ability of a patient's body to kill cancer cells goes abnormally low. In many cases of SCC, it's just that simple. And science thought the function of DNp63a was simple, as well: the tumor suppressor gene p53 is responsible for recognizing and killing cancer cells, and in SCC, it's usually inactivated. It looked like high DNp63a repressed p53, made SCC.
How watching Pixar revealed the dark side of gloss
(Medical Xpress)—A eureka moment while watching a movie for the umpteenth time with his children has led a University of Sydney researcher to achieve a new insight into visual perception, which could benefit traditional artists and graphic designers.
Study explores how brain disruption may foster schizophrenia
(Medical Xpress)—A team led by Yale researchers has used pharmacological neuroimaging and computational modeling to examine large-scale functional organization in the human brain. Their novel approach has yielded important insights about how disruption of a specific molecular signaling mechanism within neural systems may contribute to symptoms of schizophrenia. The results are reported online ahead of print in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Learning requires rhythmical activity of neurons
The hippocampus represents an important brain structure for learning. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich discovered how it filters electrical neuronal signals through an input and output control, thus regulating learning and memory processes. Accordingly, effective signal transmission needs so-called theta-frequency impulses of the cerebral cortex. With a frequency of three to eight hertz, these impulses generate waves of electrical activity that propagate through the hippocampus. Impulses of a different frequency evoke no transmission, or only a much weaker one. Moreover, signal transmission in other areas of the brain through long-term potentiation (LTP), which is essential for learning, occurs only when the activity waves take place for a certain while. The scientists even have an explanation for why we are mentally more productive after drinking a cup of coffee or in an acute stress situation: in their experiments, caffeine and the stress ho! rmone corticosterone boosted the activity flow.
Researchers uncover biochemical events needed to maintain erection
For two decades, scientists have known the biochemical factors that trigger penile erection, but not what's needed to maintain one. Now an article by Johns Hopkins researchers, scheduled to be published this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), uncovers the biochemical chain of events involved in that process. The information, they say, may lead to new therapies to help men who have erectile dysfunction.
Researchers define two categories of multiple sclerosis patients
There are approximately 400,000 people in the United States with multiple sclerosis. Worldwide, the number jumps to more than 2.1 million people. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to treating the millions with multiple sclerosis, what if doctors could categorize patients to create more personalized treatments? A new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) may one day make this idea a reality in the fight against the debilitating autoimmune disease.
Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus
A new study published online in the journal Nature suggests it might be possible to develop vaccines to prevent premature birth and other pregnancy complications. If so, such vaccines would be the first intended to stimulate the subset of regulatory CD4 T cells that suppress the immune response.
New study shows gut bacteria could cause type 2 diabetes
Studying gut bacteria can reveal a range of human illness. Now, new research shows that the composition of a person's intestinal bacteria could play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes. These results, from a joint European and Chinese research team, have just been published in the journal Nature.
Research breakthrough opens door to new strategy for battling HIV
(Medical Xpress)—New research showing how the HIV virus targets "veterans" or memory T-cells could change how drugs are used to stop the virus, according to new research by George Mason University.
Scientists identify molecular process in fat cells that influences stress and longevity
As part of their ongoing research investigating the biology of aging, the greatest risk factor for type 2 diabetes and other serious diseases, scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified a new factor—microRNA processing in fat tissue—which plays a major role in aging and stress resistance. This finding may lead to the development of treatments that increase stress resistance and longevity and improve metabolism. The findings appear in the September 5 online edition of Cell Metabolism.
Dioxin causes disease and reproductive problems across generations
Since the 1960s, when the defoliant Agent Orange was widely used in Vietnam, military, industry and environmental groups have debated the toxicity of its main ingredient, the chemical dioxin, and how it should be regulated.
Men on the mind: Study finds male DNA in women's brains
Male DNA is commonly found in the brains of women, most likely derived from prior pregnancy with a male fetus, according to first-of-its-kind research conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. While the medical implications of male DNA and male cells in the brain are unknown, studies of other kinds of microchimerism – the harboring of genetic material and cells that were exchanged between fetus and mother during pregnancy – have linked the phenomenon to autoimmune diseases and cancer, sometimes for better and other times for worse.
Researchers make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging
An international team of scientists have identified for the first time a key factor responsible for declining muscle repair during ageing, and discovered how to halt the process in mice with a common drug. Although an early study, the findings provide clues as to how muscles lose mass with age, which can result in weakness that affects mobility and may cause falls.
Biology news
Japan eyes at least 10 years whaling with ship refit
Japan's Fisheries Agency said Wednesday it plans to refit the factory ship used every year on its Antarctic whaling expeditions, in the hope of getting at least another decade's service.
Russia suspends Monsanto corn imports
Russia has temporarily suspended importing genetically-modified corn made by the US biotech giant Monsanto after a controversial study linked it to cancer in rats.
Influx of alien pests, diseases are attacking New England's trees at a rising rate
New England's moist, tree-friendly climate ensures that the region's forests will endure, but a parade of introduced pests and diseases also ensure that the region's 33 million acres of trees will continue to change as species rise to replace those affected, experts said.
Airing the gene technology issue online
According to polls, the average European consumer regards gene technology, particularly for food production, as controversial. To help alleviate consumer concern, a European project has set up a website specifically to increase information communication on safety evaluation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The dual significance of bacterial protein secretion
Secretion of bacterial proteins is an essential biological process with biotechnological and biomedical impact on human health. European scientists studied a universal and widely conserved bacterial secretory pathway towards its utilisation in biotechnology and medicine.
Dwindling space for Africa's great apes
Over the last 30 years, great ape numbers have plummeted across Africa, due to increasing rates of commercial hunting, habitat destruction, and disease. A continent-wide, data-based overview of their habitats is now possible, as the results of surveys from over 60 sites have been combined through the IUCN/SSC A.P.E.S. (Ape Populations, Environments and Surveys) database (http://apes.eva.mpg.de). This information is crucial to inform global policy and donor decisions, and to predict and mitigate current and emerging threats. These threats include habitat destruction, large-scale infrastructure developments, resource exploitation projects, intensifying hunting pressure and impacts of climate change.
Biology and management of the green stink bug
The green stink bug is one of the most damaging native stink bug species in the United States. Stink bugs feeding on cotton, soybeans, tomatoes, peaches, and other crops can result in cosmetic damage as well as reduced quality and yield.
Arctic reindeer cool with snow, but not rain, study says
Arctic reindeer have no problems with snowstorms but are badly affected by rain, a finding that has implications for assessing how climate change affects wildlife, a study on Wednesday says.
Paper describes new method to understand sources of noise in gene-expression
(Phys.org)—Abhyudai Singh, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Delaware, describes a new method to understand sources of "noise" in gene-expression that create variability in protein levels in a paper published in Molecular Systems Biology, a publication of Nature, on Aug. 28.
New African cassava resists devastating viruses
Plant scientists at ETH Zurich have developed a new African cassava preferred by consumers and farmers that is resistant to the two major virus diseases in Africa. Now they want to test the resistant cassava in Africa.
Ethanol from plants may become cheaper, thanks to insights into fungus metabolism
Efficient industrial fermentation of the plant sugar called xylose is critical to the cost-effective production of biofuels and other chemicals. However, most microorganisms cannot ferment xylose; and industrial microbiologists have yet to expose the secrets behind the extraordinary success of the current microbial champion of xylose fermentation, the fungus Scheffersomyces stipitis.
Slave rebellion widespread in ants
Ants that are held as slaves in nests of other ant species damage their oppressors through acts of sabotage.
Preserving large females could prevent overfishing of Atlantic cod
Cod are among Sweden's most common and most popular edible fish and have been fished hard for many years. One consequence is the risk of serious changes in cod stocks, reveals research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Backpack-toting birds help researchers reveal migratory divide, conservation hotspots
By outfitting two British Columbia subspecies of Swainson's thrushes with penny-sized, state-of-the-art geolocators, University of British Columbia researchers have been able to map their wildly divergent migration routes and pinpoint conservation hotspots.
Compelling evidence that brain parts evolve independently
An evolutionary biologist at the University of Manchester, working with scientists in the US, has found compelling evidence that parts of the brain can evolve independently from each other. It's hoped the findings will significantly advance our understanding of the brain.
Researchers discover what vampire squids eat: It's not what you think (Update)
(Phys.org)—About 100 years ago, marine biologists hauled the first vampire squid up from the depths of the sea. Since that time, perhaps a dozen scientific papers have been published on this mysterious animal, but no one has been able to figure out exactly what it eats. A new paper by MBARI Postdoctoral Fellow Henk-Jan Hoving and Senior Scientist Bruce Robison shows for the first time that, unlike its relatives the octopuses and squids, which eat live prey, the vampire squid uses two thread-like filaments to capture bits of organic debris that sink down from the ocean surface into the deep sea.
Images of 300 million-year-old insects revealed
(Phys.org)—Writing in the journal PLoS One, the scientists have used a high resolution form of CT scanning to reconstruct two 305-million year old juvenile insects. Without the pioneering approach to imaging, these tiny insects – which are three-dimensional holes in a rock – would have been impossible to study.
How is a Kindle like a cuttlefish
(Phys.org)—Over millions of years, biological organisms – from the chameleon and cuttlefish to the octopus and squid – have developed color-changing abilities for adaptive concealment (e.g., camouflage) and communication signaling (e.g., warning or mating cues).
Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA
(Phys.org)—DNA extracted from the skins of koalas displayed in European and North American museums shows that a retrovirus has been a problem for the animals for much longer than was thought, according to Alfred Roca, an assistant professor of animal sciences at the University of Illinois, and Alex Greenwood of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (LZW) in Berlin.
Touch-sensitive tentacles catapult prey into carnivorous plant traps
Swift predators are common in the animal world but are rare in the plant kingdom. New research shows that Drosera glanduligera, a small sundew from southern Australia, deploys one of the fastest and most spectacular trapping mechanisms known among carnivorous plants.
Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities
(Phys.org)—A small African mammal with an unusual ability to regrow damaged tissues could inspire new research in regenerative medicine, a University of Florida study finds.
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