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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 1, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers glimpse the inside of a photonic crystal- New free font available to help those with dyslexia
- UC Davis team's piano system animates hands to do-re-mi (w/ video)
- A curious cold layer in the atmosphere of Venus
- Brain mapping shows auto experts recognize cars like people recognize faces
- Scientists connect baboon personalities to social success, health benefits
- Misconduct, not error, accounts for most scientific paper retractions, new study finds
- Cedar tree rings archive Amazon rainfall data
- New insights on control of pituitary hormone outside of brain has implications for breast cancer
- The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral in the last 27 years
- Quasar gas clouds: Gone, with the wind
- Scientists find homolog of mammalian neocortex in bird brain
- Potential new class of drugs protects nerve cells in models of Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Study: Tolerance for ambiguity explains adolescents' penchant for risky behaviors
- Breakthrough in understanding lung cancer vulnerabilities points the way to new targeted therapy
Space & Earth news
Tropical rain may have formed Utah's Great Salt Lake
(Phys.org)—Between 20,000 and 14,000 years ago, the deserts in the American Southwest were covered with enormous lakes. How all that water got there has long puzzled Earth scientists, but new work by a group of scientists that includes a Stanford climate researcher could provide an answer.
Yearlong MAGIC climate study launches
(Phys.org)—A Horizon Lines container ship outfitted with meteorological and atmospheric instruments installed by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) scientists from Argonne National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory will begin taking data today for a yearlong mission aimed at improving the representation of clouds in climate models. The study, a collaborative effort between DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program Climate Research Facility and Horizon Lines, marks the first official marine deployment of the second ARM Mobile Facility, AMF2, and is likely the most elaborate climate study ever mounted aboard a commercial vessel.
Officials mull seismic tests near US nuclear plant
(AP)—Plans to use an array of powerful air cannons in an undersea seismic study near a Central California nuclear power plant have federal and state officials juggling concerns over marine life with public safety.
Studying clam shells for clues to the Atlantic's climate history
(Phys.org)—Two Iowa State University graduate students are just back from the Gulf of Maine with another big catch of clam shells.
Studies in microgravity raising treatment potential
(Phys.org)—Yeast. It's a good thing. It makes bread rise, turns grape juice into wine, and is essential in the production of beer. And in our bodies, yeast—specifically the yeast Candida albicans—helps us maintain a healthy personal ecosystem. However, when our immune systems are stressed, Candida albicans can grow out of control. When that happens, the yeast becomes so plentiful that infections can result in the mouth, throat, intestines, and genitourinary tract.
Metop-B delivers first data from polar orbit
(Phys.org)—Four of the instruments on the Metop-B weather satellite (AMSU-A, ASCAT, MHS, GRAS) have been activated this week and are delivering data. This demonstrates that Metop-B, launched on 17 September, is performing well and is on its way towards replacing the ageing Metop-A as prime operational satellite in polar orbit, after the six-month commissioning phase. The Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) are innovative European instruments. ASCAT delivers information on near-surface wind speed and direction over the global oceans and soil moisture over land, while the MHS delivers information on atmospheric humidity in all weather conditions.
NOAA's GOES-13 weather satellite currently has an acting back-up
(Phys.org)—NOAA's GOES-13 weather satellite has been temporarily substituted with the back-up GOES satellite as engineers work to fix the satellite's issues.
55 million light years from the Sun: Hubble portrays a dusty spiral galaxy
(Phys.org)—The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has provided us with another outstanding image of a nearby galaxy. This week, we highlight the galaxy NGC 4183, seen here with a beautiful backdrop of distant galaxies and nearby stars. Located about 55 million light-years from the sun and spanning about eighty thousand light-years, NGC 4183 is a little smaller than the Milky Way. This galaxy, which belongs to the Ursa Major Group, lies in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs).
Reading a history book of the sea: The chemical memory of seawater
Water does not forget, says Prof. Boris Koch, a chemist at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association. Irrespective of what happens in the sea: whether the sun shines, algae bloom or a school of dolphins swims through a marine area – everything and everyone leaves biomolecular tracks. With the help of a combination of new techniques, Boris Koch and colleagues can now identify and retrace some of these. In a special volume of the open access journal Biogeosciences, these scientists report on how these analyses work and which events in the sea have so far been uncovered by researchers.
The pros and cons of trading water: A case study in Australia
Water is a commodity, and water rights can be freely traded in an open market. Proponents of the free market approach argue that it leads to the most efficient allocation of water resources, as it would for any other commodity. However, unlike some commodities, water is critical for human life, for many human activities, and for environmental resources. When such an essential commodity becomes scarce, as frequently happens in Australia, a land prone to sudden and dramatic droughts, severe problems can occur quickly. In Australia's Murray Darling Basin, the country's largest agricultural region, the government had historically controlled the distribution of water rights. However, under these controls, a selected few controlled a large share of the water. To resolve this problem of overallocation, a free market approach was put in place in the early 1990s.
Skydiver aims to break sound barrier in free fall
His blood could boil. His lungs could overinflate. The vessels in his brain could burst. His eyes could hemorrhage. And, yes, he could break his neck while jumping from a mind-boggling altitude of 23 miles (37 kilometers).
NASA observes another tropical depression birth in northwestern Pacific
The twenty-first tropical depression of the northwestern Pacific Ocean was born as a NASA satellite flew overhead on Oct. 1, capturing its "baby picture" in infrared light.
NASA sees Nadine weaken to a tropical storm again
NASA satellites continue to watch the long-lived Nadine in the eastern Atlantic. Today, Oct. 1, NASA satellite data revealed that Nadine has weakened from a hurricane and is now a tropical storm.
Tropical Storm Maliksi forms, Iwo To on guard
The western North Pacific is in full swing, tropically speaking and NASA observed the birth of Tropical Storm Maliksi on Sept. 30. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of the storm when it was a depression and revealed a large area of powerful thunderstorms around its center that hinted at its strengthening.
NASA spacecraft records 'Earthsong'
Nobody ever said anything about singing, though. A NASA spacecraft has just beamed back a beautiful song sung by our own planet.
Saturn's moon Titan shows surprising seasonal changes
(Phys.org)—Detailed observations of Saturn's moon Titan have now spanned 30 years, covering an entire solar orbit for this distant world. Dr Athena Coustenis from the Paris-Meudon Observatory in France has analysed data gathered over this time and has found that the changing seasons of Titan affect it more than previously thought. Dr Coustenis presented these results at the European Planetary Science Congress in Madrid on Friday 28th September.
Venus transit movie created from 5000 images, 6 hours of observation
(Phys.org)—New movies of the transit of Venus on 6 June 2012, viewed from two different locations on Earth, clearly show the parallax effects that have made Venus transits so important historically. The results were presented at the European Planetary Science Congress in Madrid, Spain.
The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral in the last 27 years
The Great Barrier Reef has lost half its coral cover in the last 27 years. The loss was due to storm damage (48%), crown of thorns starfish (42%), and bleaching (10%) according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today by researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville.
Cedar tree rings archive Amazon rainfall data
University of Leeds-led research has used tree rings from eight cedar trees in Bolivia to unlock a 100-year history of rainfall across the Amazon basin, which contains the world's largest river system.
Restricting nuclear power has little effect on the cost of climate policies, study says
By applying a global energy-economy computer simulation that fully captures the competition between alternative power supply technologies, a team of scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the University of Dayton, Ohio, analyzed trade-offs between nuclear and climate policies. Strong greenhouse-gas emissions reduction to mitigate global warming shows to have much larger impact on economics than nuclear policy, according to the study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Quasar gas clouds: Gone, with the wind
(Phys.org)—The case of the missing quasar gas clouds has been solved by a worldwide team of astronomers, and the answer is blowin' in the wind.
A curious cold layer in the atmosphere of Venus
(Phys.org)—Venus Express has spied a surprisingly cold region high in the planet's atmosphere that may be frigid enough for carbon dioxide to freeze out as ice or snow.
Technology news
Facebook won't remove murder page: Australia police
Australian police on Monday said social media site Facebook had refused to take down a page containing offensive material about the man accused of murdering Irish woman Jill Meagher.
Taiwan minister draws ire on iPhone posting
(AP)—Galaxy S3, iPhone 5 or HTC One? That's a tough question for Taiwan's Cabinet ministers.
Yahoo! CEO Mayer delivers first baby
Yahoo! chief executive Marissa Mayer has had a baby boy, her husband announced in a tweet Monday.
Malaysia news portal wins right to start newspaper
A Malaysian court Monday overturned a government ban on plans by an online news portal to publish a newspaper, in what the site's lawyer called a "landmark case".
Russia pushes Facebook to open research center
(AP)—Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg was in Moscow on Monday, where officials were pressing him to expand the company's operations in Russia.
Fisker looking to form alliances to share costs
(AP)—Electric car maker Fisker Automotive is talking with other car companies about sharing parts and technology.
Sony-Olympus alliance aims for high-tech surgery
(AP)—Sony's new alliance with scandal-tarnished Olympus will focus on producing endoscopes and other surgical tools packed with the Japanese electronic maker's three-dimensional imaging and super-clear "4K" display technologies.
Strict anti-piracy laws come into force in Japan
Controversial laws punishing Internet users who download pirated files with fines or jail terms came into force in Japan on Monday.
Home-grown electricity
Buildings may soon be able to generate their own electricity from roofs, walls, windows – even benchtops – that come with in-built solar power capabilities.
Japan's Softbank to buy rival eAccess for $2.3 bn
Japanese mobile phone operator Softbank is to acquire one of its smaller rivals, fourth-ranked eAccess Ltd, for $2.3 billion, the companies said Monday.
Zuckerberg in Moscow to boost Facebook's Russia presence
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was Monday in Moscow on a visit the government believes should stimulate innovation in Russia and the social network hopes will boost its position in the Russian market.
Hybrid delivery vans show nearly 20 percent higher fuel economy, study says
(Phys.org)—The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a performance evaluation report that showed significant fuel economy benefits of hybrid electric delivery vans compared to similar conventional vans.
Solar cells made from black silicon
Solar cells convert three-quarters of the energy contained in the Sun's spectrum into electricity – yet the infrared spectrum is entirely lost in standard solar cells. In contrast, black silicon solar cells are specifically designed to absorb this part of the Sun's spectrum – and researchers have recently succeeded in doubling their overall efficiency.
Wireless too slow? Try a 'multi-gigabit communication module'
Digital cameras and camcorders deliver high resolution film sequences that are several gigabytes in size. These can take several minutes to transfer wirelessly to your home computer via Bluetooth. Now there is a speedy alternative: the "multi-gigabit communication module" is six times faster than a USB cable.
Using less gas and oil to get where you're going
A quick pit-stop at the gas station is enough to put a good dent in your wallet. New technology is set to lower the high cost of filling up your car, by enabling combustion engines to consume two to three percent less gas and signifi cantly less oil, while eliminating a step in engine production.
From downcycling to recycling: Using lighting to separate cement particles from stone
Every year several millions of tons of building rubble are produced. An efficient way of recycling concrete – the building material of the 20th and 21st century – does not yet exist. Researchers are working on new recycling methods, and with the aid of lightning bolts, they can break down the mixture of cement and aggregate into its components.
Nokia in map deal with Oracle
(AP)—Nokia says it will make its maps and location services available to customers of Oracle Corp. with a built-in link created by the U.S software maker.
Computerized osteoporosis detection
A computerized approach to examining patient bone X-rays for diagnosis of osteoporosis could side-step the subjectivity associated with visual examination, according to a new research paper in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology published in October.
Russia's Yandex launches web browser to rival Google
Russia's dominant search engine Yandex on Monday launched its own Internet browser in the continuing face-off with its American rival Google for supremacy in the growing Russian market.
Swedish police link Internet attacks to WikiLeaks founder Assange's case
Internet attacks blocked access to several popular Swedish websites for part of Monday, local police said, linking the outage to the controversy surrounding WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
'MindMeld' app anticipates people's needs
A voice calls application called MindMeld to be available this month promises to know what iPad users want before they do.
Hackers shifting to 'destruction': US cyber chief
Hackers are stepping up the intensity of their attacks, moving from "disruption" to "destruction" of key computer systems, the top US cyber-defense official said Monday.
One-fourth of Americans victims of data breach
Twenty-six percent of Americans have been told their personal information such as password or credit card number may have been exposed by a data breach, a survey showed Monday.
Facebook tailoring ad services for businesses
Facebook's chief operating officer was in New York on Monday working to bolster investor confidence with assurances that the social network was intent on making money.
Researchers unveil new technique to detect bots in casual online games
(Phys.org)—Casual online games, such as FarmVille and Fantastic Contraption, have thousands of enthusiastic followers – but the use of automated "bots" to give some players an advantage is short-changing the companies behind the games. Now researchers from NC State have developed a new technique to help companies identify these bots, and take action against them.
A glimpse at the future? A smartphone in your glasses
(Phys.org)—No need to turn to your smartphone to check the time, look at your agenda or the weather forecast, read a text message or map a route in an unfamiliar city. All this information, and much more, will soon be displayed on the lenses of "augmented" glasses via a mini-projector placed on the frames - and on the condition that you're also wearing a specially designed pair of contact lenses.
White House says it thwarted cyberattack (Update 2)
(AP)—The White House is acknowledging an attempt to infiltrate its computer system, but says it thwarted the effort
'Green Brain' project to create an autonomous flying robot with a honey bee brain
Scientists at the Universities of Sheffield and Sussex are embarking on an ambitious project to produce the first accurate computer models of a honey bee brain in a bid to advance our understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how animals think.
Internet 'ecosystem' is 3.7% of US economy: study
The advertising-supported Internet "ecosystem" generated $530 billion last year and supported 5.1 million jobs in the United States, an industry study said Monday.
Mobile devices reshaping the news industry: study
Half of American adults own a smartphone or tablet computer, and most of them use these devices to access news, a study released Monday showed.
Google races past Microsoft to number two tech firm
Google soared past Microsoft in terms of market value Monday to become the second-richest firm in the tech world behind Apple.
UC Davis team's piano system animates hands to do-re-mi (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—Researchers from the University of California, Davis, have built an algorithm designed to create a computer-generated animation of piano-playing, showing finger placement and wrist motions. The novel part of all this is that the team's system takes an audio file and creates a piano-playing cartoon to match it, using sound to animate the piano-playing performance. The software can automatically generate a 3-D animation of piano-playing hands based entirely on the music input. Each chord in a piece translates into a finger position and hand motion. They have worked out an algorithm that carefully takes the position of every finger into account, even when that finger is not involved in the next chord.
Medicine & Health news
Provincial stroke strategy improves care for rural residents in Nova Scotia
Stroke patients in rural Nova Scotia receive better treatment and are less likely to end up in long-term care facilities than they were before the province's stroke strategy was rolled out in 2008, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Screening for post-stroke depression inadequate and inconsistent, study finds
Physicians are prescribing anti-depressants for stroke patients without first giving them a proper diagnosis, they are over-treating some patients, and overlooking others, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Mayo Clinic physicians ID reasons for high cost of cancer drugs, prescribe solutions
A virtual monopoly held by some drug manufacturers in part because of the way treatment protocols work is among the reasons cancer drugs cost so much in the United States, according to a commentary by two Mayo Clinic physicians in the October issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Value-based pricing is one potential solution, they write.
Many emergency programs get failing grade when it comes to stroke training
Medical residents training to work in the emergency department need more formal stroke training, says a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress, noting that, as the first point of contact in stroke care, they see nearly 100 per cent of stroke patients taken to hospital.
Home-based stroke therapy improves outcomes, eliminates wait times, saves money
Home delivery of stroke rehabilitation improves care, eliminates waiting lists for treatment and saves hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in hospital costs, according to a quality improvement project presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
New findings highlight the challenges of managing blood clotting in cancer patients
New findings that highlight the challenges of managing thromboembolic events in patients being treated for cancer were released at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.
Should aspirin be used to prevent cancer?
Aspirin, the everyday drug taken by countless people around the world to ward off pain and reduce their risk of developing heart disease, may have a new trick up its sleeve –-preventing cancer.
Phase III data in treatment of renal cell carcinoma reported
New results from phase III trials exploring treatment options for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma were released at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.
New findings on optimal duration of trastuzumab therapy for women with HER2+ early breast cancer
New studies that advance understanding of the optimal duration of therapy with the targeted cancer drug trastuzumab were released today at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.
Saudi take steps to thwart epidemic at hajj: report
Saudi Arabia has taken measures to deal with any epidemic that may break out during the annual hajj pilgrimage, a minister said in remarks published Monday, stressing that the spread of a mystery illness from the same family as the deadly SARS virus was "limited."
DR Congo Ebola toll rises to 36
An outbreak of Ebola fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have killed up to 36 people, out of 81 suspected cases, according to a new death toll released by the health ministry on Monday.
Preoperative needle breast biopsies can lead to improved treatment outcomes
Chicago: Women suspected of having breast cancer now have more reasons to be diagnosed with a needle biopsy instead of a traditional open surgical biopsy. Besides avoiding the risks and discomfort of an open surgical procedure, needle biopsies can also lead to improved treatment outcomes according to findings from a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
New discovery to improve success rates of IVF
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the University of Otago, Christchurch, are collaborating with clinicians at Fertility Associates in Christchurch to develop a test to significantly improve the success rate for in vitro fertilisations implantations.
Dutch abortion ship heads for Morocco
A Dutch "abortion boat" has set sail for Morocco, its first trip to a Muslim country, to provide abortions to women who are exposed to grave health risks if treated domestically, its organiser said on Monday.
Putting a 'HEX' on muscle regeneration
A complex genetic regulatory network mediates the regeneration of adult skeletal muscles. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn report that HEXIM1, a protein that regulates gene transcription, is important for skeletal muscle regeneration in mice.
Surgeons develop framework to assess long-term impact of facial transplant operations
Facial transplant operations are often portrayed as dramatic before-and-after stories but new research shows that the procedures' real long-term impact may sometimes be underreported, explained researchers from The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD. An analysis of patient outcomes data found that a recently developed standard scoring system called "the FACES score"—which measures a patient's ability to return to a normal life—has not been fully utilized for some patients who have already undergone facial transplants, accord-ing to reconstructive surgeons who presented study results at the 2012 American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress.
Radiology is front and center in health care reform
While it's leveling off, a decade of increased use of sophisticated, expensive, imaging studies has put radiologists and their specialty front and center in health care reform, says the chair of an academic radiology department.
PET predicts early response to treatment for head and neck cancer patients
Determining the optimal treatment course and predicting outcomes may get easier in the future for patients with head and neck sqaumous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) with the use of an investigational imaging agent. Research published in the October issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine shows that positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 3'-deoxy-3'F-18-fluorothymidine (18-F-FLT) during treatment and early follow-up has the potential to predict therapeutic responses and identify patients needing close follow-up to detect persistent or recurring disease.
Peanut butter recall includes major retailers
(AP)—A New Mexico company has expanded its recall of peanut butter and almond butter to include cashew butters, tahini and blanched and roasted peanut products.
MRI images transplanted islet cells with help of positively charged nanoparticles
In a study to investigate the detection by MRI of six kinds of positively-charged magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles designed to help monitor transplanted islet cells, a team of Japanese researchers found that the charged nanoparticles they developed transduced into cells and could be visualized by MRI while three kinds of commercially available nanoparticles used for controls could not. The study is published in a recent special issue of Cell Medicine [3(1)], now freely available on-line.
Biological markers increase clinical trial success rate of new breast cancer drugs
Using biological markers—genetic characteristics that are associated with some patients with breast cancer—can increase the success rate of clinical trials for breast cancer drugs by almost 50 per cent, says new research from the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Overnight dementia 'camp' allows caregivers rest
(AP)—At night, when most people their age are going to sleep, a group of elderly people with dementia are just getting started, dancing and shaking tambourines and maracas in a raucous version of "La Bamba."
Saudis say virus does not pose threat to pilgrims
(AP)—Saudi Arabia's health minister says a new respiratory virus related to SARS that has infected two people does not pose a threat to the more than 1 million Muslims set to embark on the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the kingdom.
Use of EHR associated with improvements in outcomes for patients with diabetes
Use of electronic health records was associated with improved drug-treatment intensification, monitoring, and risk-factor control among patients with diabetes, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study.
Hidden stroke impairment leaves thousands suffering in silence
Most people are completely unaware of one of stroke's most common, debilitating but invisible impairments, according to the first awareness survey of its kind in Canada released today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Rehabilitation robots uncover stroke disabilities and improve care
When it comes to stroke rehabilitation, it takes a dedicated team to help a person regain as much independence as possible: physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, recreation therapists, caregivers and others. Now, a University of Calgary research team has added a robot to help identify and customize post-stroke therapy.
Breast cancer recurrence defined by hormone receptor status
Human epidermal growth factor (HER2) positive breast cancers are often treated with the same therapy regardless of hormone receptor status. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research shows that women whose HER2 positive cancer was also hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor (HR) negative had an increased risk of early death, and that their cancer was less likely to recur in bone than those whose cancer retained hormone sensitivity.
Noninvasive measurement enables use of IFP as potential biomarker for tumor aggressiveness
Researchers validated a method of noninvasive imaging that provides valuable information about interstitial fluid pressure of solid tumors and may aid in the identification of aggressive tumors, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
'Cafeteria diet' hastens stroke risk
The fat- and sugar-rich Western diet leads to a lifetime of health problems, dramatically increasing the risk of stroke or death at a younger age, according to a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Smoking, heavy drinking linked to earlier onset of pancreatic cancer
Those who smoke and drink heavily may develop pancreatic cancer at an earlier age than those who don't, according to a study led by a University of Michigan Health System gastroenterologist.
Exercise improves memory, thinking after stroke, study finds
Just six months of exercise can improve memory, language, thinking and judgment problems by almost 50 per cent, says a study presented today at the Canadian Stroke Congress.
Serious child abuse injuries creep up, study shows
A new Yale School of Medicine study shows that cases of serious physical abuse in children, such as head injuries, burns, and fractures, increased slightly by about 5% in the last 12 years. This is in sharp contrast to data from child protective services agencies, which show a 55% decrease in physical abuse cases from 1997 to 2009.
Evidence-based guidelines enable optimal treatment of common low-back pain (Update)
While scientific evidence suggests that less is typically more when it comes to diagnosing and treating low-back pain in the U.S., the number of expensive imaging exams and surgeries done on patients continues to rise, researchers say.
End your child's allergy suffering within three years
When children suffer from dust mite induced allergies and asthma, finding relief can seem impossible. While there isn't a complete cure for childhood respiratory allergies, researchers have found that long term control of allergic asthma can occur after only three years of allergy shots.
Patient-led advocacy has changed how US government funds medical research
Patient-led advocacy has created a shift in the way the U.S. government has prioritized funding for medical research, and significantly changed the way policymakers think about who benefits the most from these dollars, a University of Michigan School of Public Health fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research Program found.
The genetics of white finger disease
Vibration-induced white finger disease (VWF) is caused by continued use of vibrating hand held machinery (high frequency vibration >50 Hz), and affects tens of thousands of people. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Clinical Epigenetics finds that people with a genetic polymorphism (A2191G) in sirtuin1 (SIRT1), a protein involved in the regulation of endothelial NOS (eNOS), are more likely to suffer from vibration-induced white finger disease.
Children underrepresented in drug studies, researchers say
The number of clinical trials enrolling children is far lower than for adults, and the scope of research is also narrower, according to an analysis of public-access data conducted by researchers at Duke University.
First large scale trial of whole-genome cancer testing for clinical decision-making reported
For the first time, researchers have conducted a large trial in which they tested the entire genome of individual breast cancers to help personalize treatment. They released their findings at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Vienna.
UN urges protection for elderly as world grays (Update)
(AP)—The fast aging of Japanese society is evident as soon as one lands at Tokyo's Narita airport and sees who is doing the cleaning. Young people tend to take such menial jobs in other countries, but here they are often held by workers obviously in the second half-century of their lives.
Backers aim to widen ban on gay conversion therapy (Update)
(AP)—Gay rights advocates are making plans to get other states to join California in banning psychotherapy aimed at making gay teenagers straight, even as opponents prepared Monday to sue to overturn the first law in the nation to take aim at the practice.
Unproven knee operations still performed
(Medical Xpress)—Despite evidence that arthroscopic surgery is ineffective in treating osteoarthritis of the knee, the procedure is still routinely being performed in Victoria, according to a new study.
Alcohol and energy drinks: a bad mix
(Medical Xpress)—Mixing energy drinks with alcohol (AEDs) as party beverages is a growing trend among young Australians, who are putting their health at risk by consuming amounts beyond what is deemed safe, according to new research.
Public health messages can influence infectious disease stigmas
Crafting public health messages about a disease may create stigmas that influence how likely people are to endorse certain interventions, such as isolating infected persons, forcing treatment on them and mapping their location, according to a Penn State researcher. Rachel Smith, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and investigator with the University's Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, used a hypothetical disease—a virus carried by rodents—to develop 16 different health alerts describing the virus and those who were infected. The alerts, based on an existing alert developed by the Centers for Disease Control, indicated whether or not infected people were labeled by the disease. The alerts also indicated the disease was transmissible or not transmissible between humans; had visible symptoms (open sores on arms and a wet, loud cough) or no visible symptoms; and was fatal, painful, and caused paranoid delusions, or was mild and easy to cure.
Genetically engineering immune systems to fight melanoma: Clinical trial launched
Loyola University Medical Center has launched the first clinical trial in the Midwest of an experimental melanoma treatment that genetically engineers a patient's immune system to fight the deadly cancer.
Study to examine methods to reduce damage of radiotherapy to normal tissue
About half of all people with cancer receive a course of radiotherapy, a form of treatment in which X-rays are used to shrink or destroy the tumour. With the benefit of advanced systems, it is now possible to aim radiation beams at tumours more effectively than ever before, allowing increasing doses of radiotherapy with increased cancer cure rates, and also reducing side effects.
New tool measures emergency department interventions to reduce patient drinking
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have developed and validated a new tool, the first of its kind, to measure how well emergency department physicians administer a brief intervention aimed at curtailing harmful drinking by patients.
Artificial cornea gives hope when transplants won't work
Blindness is often caused by corneal diseases. The established treatment is a corneal transplant, but in many cases this is not possible and donor corneas are often hard to come by. In the future, an artificial cornea could make up for this deficiency and save the vision of those affected.
Researchers show Myc protein is cancer's 'volume control'
(Medical Xpress)—A protein called Myc, commonly found at high levels inside cancer cells, fuels the disease by allowing cells to override their in-built self-destruct mechanisms, according to two new studies by US scientists.
Researchers identify a Dance Dance Revolution in kids' physical activity
A study published in Pediatrics this morning by researchers at the University of Montreal offers positive news for Wii-loving teenagers and their parents: games such as Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can bring them closer to recommended physical activity levels. The study is the first of its kind. "Teenage exergamers – people who play video games that require physical activity – are most likely females who are stressed about their weight. On average, they play two 50 minute sessions per week," said study author Jennifer O'Loughlin of the university's Department of Social and Preventative Medicine. "As less than 15% of children and adolescents currently participate regularly in physical activity, we are pleased to report that exergaming can add to regular physical activity to attain physical activity guidelines" Current guidelines recommend that youth engage in 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity most days of the week.
Evolutionary analysis improves ability to predict the spread of flu
With flu season around the corner, getting a seasonal vaccine might be one of the best ways to prevent people from getting sick. These vaccines only work, however, if their developers have accurately predicted which strains of the virus are likely to be active in the coming season because vaccines must be developed in advance of the upcoming flu season. Recently, a team of scientists from Germany and the United Kingdom have improved the prediction methods used to determine which strains of the flu virus to include in the current season's vaccine. The research describing this advance is published in the October 2012 issue of Genetics.
Overweight teens get mental health boost from even small amounts of exercise
Being obese at any age is commonly associated with a litany of health issues, ranging from diabetes and chronic fatigue to heart complications. Overweight adolescents are also at an increased risk of body dissatisfaction, social alienation and low self esteem, which is why Dr. Gary Goldfield, registered psychologist, clinical researcher at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, set out to discover how exercise might impact these factors in teens, as reported today in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
Physiological role of a novel hormone FNDC5/irisin revealed in humans
A research team led by Dr. Christos Mantzoros, MD, PhD, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, has published new findings elucidating the molecular and clinical role of FNDC5/irisin in humans.
National study finds reduced glaucoma risk in patients who take statins
People who take statins to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease are less likely to be diagnosed with the most common form of glaucoma, according to a nationwide study of more than 300,000 patients. A University of Michigan School of Medicine research team, directed by Joshua Stein, MD, MS, found that the risk for glaucoma was reduced by eight percent in patients who took statins continuously for two years, compared with patients who did not take statins. The study, the largest to date on the topic, is published in the October issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Sugar-free approach to treating Kaposi sarcoma
A sugar-loving protein drives the growth of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) tumors, according to a study published on October 1st in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Interfering with these sugary interactions inhibited growth of Kaposi sarcomas in mice, hinting at the potential for new treatment strategies in humans.
Moderate alcohol consumption may increase risk of atrial fibrillation in people with heart disease
Moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of atrial fibrillation in older people with heart disease or advanced diabetes, found a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Poor sleep in adolescents may increase risk of heart disease
Adolescents who sleep poorly may be at risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
A form of small pox virus shows potential for treating triple-negative breast cancer
Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City have shown that a new vaccinia virus, acting as both an oncolytic and anti-angiogenic agent, can enter and kill triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Study findings presented today at the 2012 Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons could lead to a more targeted therapy against this deadly form of breast cancer.
Researchers halt autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis in mice
Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have developed a gene-based therapy to stop the rodent equivalent of the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis by specifically targeting the destructive immune response the disorder triggers in the body.
Babies' non-verbal communication skills can help predict outcomes in children at high risk of developing autism
Approximately 19 percent of children with a sibling diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will develop Autism due to shared genetic and environmental vulnerabilities, according to previous studies. For that reason, University of Miami (UM) psychologists are developing ways to predict the occurrence of ASD in high-risk children, early in life, in hopes that early intervention will lead to better outcomes in the future. Their findings are published in the journal Infancy.
Macrophage accumulation of triglycerides yields insights into atherosclerosis
A research report appearing in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology helps explain how specific immune cells, called macrophages, accumulate triglycerides to support their function. Because a characteristic finding in atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fat in macrophages in the arterial wall, understanding how macrophages accumulate triglycerides may lead to new approaches toward slowing or stopping the development of atherosclerosis.
How sexual power can be disempowering
Gender roles and norms play a key role in sexual behavior between men and women. It is often assumed that men should dominate women sexually. This assumption may lead to loss of both power and the ability to control sexual behavior among women and men, as well as lead to increased sexual risk-taking, such as not using a female condom. The new study, by Dr. Lisa Rosenthal from Yale University in the US, and her colleagues, is published online in Springer's journal Sex Roles.
Study questions association between common heartburn drugs and risk of pneumonia
Previous studies that have associated the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) – which include popular anti-heartburn medications like Prilosec and Nexium – with an increased incidence of pneumonia may not have found a true cause-and-effect relationship. A study that has been released online by the Journal of General Internal Medicine outlines a strategy for determining when the results of such observational studies may have been distorted by unmeasured factors and then finds that may be the case with the association between PPIs and pneumonia risk.
Tobacco contains highly toxic compounds not regulated by law
Researchers from the University of Alicante (Spain) have analysed ten brands of cigarettes and found that the concentrations of certain harmful and carcinogenic substances vary significantly from one brand to another. Until now legislation has not covered these compounds and only establishes limits for nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Scientists have also developed catalysts to reduce the harmful products in tobacco.
Camels give President Obama's Alzheimer's plan a lift
President Obama's national plan to fight Alzheimer's disease just got a lift thanks to a team of international researchers whose recent discovery may lead to enhanced imaging of and improved drug delivery to the brain. A research report appearing in The FASEB Journal, describes an entirely new class of antibody discovered in camelids (camels, dromedaries, llamas, and alpacas) that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, diffuse into brain tissue, and reach specific targets. Having such antibodies, which are naturally available, may be part of a "game changer" in the outcomes for people with brain diseases that are poorly diagnosed and treated, at best, using today's tools.
Therapeutic time window important factor for cord blood cell transplantation after stoke
A research team from Germany has found that optimal benefit and functional improvement for ischemic stroke results when human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB MNCs) are transplanted into rat stroke models within 72 hours of the stroke. Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:6), now freely available on-line.
Study affirms safety of HPV4 vaccine for adolescents and young women in routine clinical care
A study of almost 200,000 young females who received the quadrivalent human papilloma virus (HPV4) vaccine found that immunization was associated only with same-day syncope (fainting) and skin infections in the two weeks after vaccination. These findings support the general safety of routine vaccination with HPV4 in a clinical care setting to prevent cervical and other genital and reproductive cancers.
Low birth weight may increase risk for cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and diabetes
Being underweight at birth may have consequences above and beyond the known short-term effects says a research report published in the October 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal. The report shows that rats with a low birth weight have an increased long-term risk for developing cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. What's more, older females are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure before and during pregnancy, which in turn, may restrict growth in the womb, putting offspring at risk for being born at a low birth weight.
Psychiatric disorders may persist in some young people after detention
A study of juveniles detained in Chicago suggests that more than 45 percent of males and nearly 30 percent of females had one or more psychiatric disorders with associated impairment five years after detention, according to a report published in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Study suggests high use of medicare skilled nursing benefit at end of life
Almost one-third of older adults received care in a skilled nursing facility in the last six months of life under the Medicare posthospitalization benefit, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.
Zinc deficiency mechanism linked to aging, multiple diseases
(Medical Xpress)—A new study has outlined for the first time a biological mechanism by which zinc deficiency can develop with age, leading to a decline of the immune system and increased inflammation associated with many health problems, including cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease and diabetes.
Smartphone technology acceptable for telemedicine
A new Mayo Clinic study confirms the use of smartphones medical images to evaluate stroke patients in remote locations through telemedicine. The study, the first to test the effectiveness of smartphone teleradiology applications in a real-world telestroke network, was recently published in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers harness the immune system to improve stem cell transplant outcomes
A novel therapy in the early stages of development at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center shows promise in providing lasting protection against the progression of multiple myeloma following a stem cell transplant by making the cancer cells easier targets for the immune system.
Severely obese are fastest growing group of overweight Americans, study finds
The proportion of Americans who are severely obese—those people 100 pounds or more overweight—continues to increase rapidly and much faster than those with moderate obesity, but the rate of growth has slowed, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Omega-3 supplements may slow a biological effect of aging, study says
(Medical Xpress)—Taking enough omega-3 fatty acid supplements to change the balance of oils in the diet could slow a key biological process linked to aging, new research suggests.
No relief for relief workers: Humanitarian aid work raises risk of depression and anxiety
Humanitarian workers are at significant risk for mental health problems, both in the field and after returning home. The good news is that there are steps that they and their employers can take to mitigate this risk.
Popular antidepressant might prevent heart failure
A medication usually used to help treat depression and anxiety disorders has the potential to help prevent heart failure, according to researchers at the University of Michigan.
Fluoxetine increases aggressive behavior, affects brain development among adolescent hamsters
Fluoxetine was the first drug approved by the FDA for major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents, and to this date, it remains one of only two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) registered for treatment of MDD in children and adolescents, despite reports that indicate this class of drugs is associated with side effects, such as agitation, hostility and aggression.
Hundreds sickened in Dutch-US salmonella outbreak
Hundreds of consumers in the Netherlands and the United States have been sickened by salmonella after eating smoked salmon produced at a Dutch fish factory, health authorities said Monday.
Obesity resulting from high-fat, high-sugar foods may impair brain, fuel overeating
"Betcha can't eat just one!" For obese people trying to lose weight, the Lays potato chip advertising slogan hits a bit too close to home as it describes the daily battle to resist high calorie foods.
Patients feel more control of their health when doctors share notes
Patients with access to notes written by their doctors feel more in control of their care and report a better understanding of their medical issues, improved recall of their care plan and being more likely to take their medications as prescribed, a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-led study has found.
Study finds snakes in the wild harbor deadly mosquito-borne EEEV virus through hibernation
Snakes in the wild serve as hosts for the deadly mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalomyelitis Virus (EEEV), possibly acting as a "bridge" to the next season, according to researchers studying endemic areas in the Tuskegee National Forest in Alabama. This sets the stage for mosquitoes feeding on the infected snakes – primarily in the early spring – to become virus carriers. Scientists have been puzzled as to how the virus survived a harsh winter. With this new link established in the transmission cycle, a viable strategy to counter the virus may be at hand. The findings were published today online in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and will be published in the December print issue.
New insights on control of pituitary hormone outside of brain has implications for breast cancer
The hormone prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and then travels via the bloodstream to cells throughout the body, where it exerts multiple reproductive and metabolic effects, most notably on the breast where it is the master regulator of lactation. In recent years researchers have found that prolactin is also produced by some tissues outside the brain, however little is known about the functions of extra-pituitary prolactin or how its production is regulated in these tissues.
How memory load leaves us 'blind' to new visual information
(Medical Xpress)—Trying to keep an image we've just seen in memory can leave us blind to things we are 'looking' at, according to the results of a new study supported by the Wellcome Trust.
Specific regions of the hippocampus connected to discrete steps of task mastery, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, neurobiologists from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have been linking synapse formation in the hippocampus to distinct learning steps. They show how different regions of the hippocampus have specific and sequential functions in the mastery of a complex task.
Duplex-sequencing method could lead to better cancer detection and treatment
(Medical Xpress)—During an ice climbing trip to the Canadian Rockies last Christmas, two young researchers from the UW, Michael Schmitt and Jesse Salk, talked about a simple but powerful idea to get better results when looking at cancer cells. If they could reduce the error rate in DNA sequencing, then researchers could better pinpoint which cells are mutating. This improvement could lead to early diagnosis of cancer and a better treatment plan once researchers knew which cells were resistant to chemotherapy.
Study: Tolerance for ambiguity explains adolescents' penchant for risky behaviors
It is widely believed that adolescents engage in risky behaviors because of an innate tolerance for risks, but a study by researchers at New York University, Yale's School of Medicine, and Fordham University has found this is not the case.
Potential new class of drugs protects nerve cells in models of Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, have identified a new class of small molecules that block nerve cell death in animal models of Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These small molecules could be a starting point for developing drugs that might help treat patients with these diseases.
Eliminating visual clutter helps people with mild cognitive impairment
(Medical Xpress)—A new study from Georgia Tech and the University of Toronto suggests that memory impairments for people diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's disease may be due, in part, to problems in determining the differences between similar objects. The findings also support growing research indicating that a part of the brain once believed to support memory exclusively – the medial temporal lobe - also plays a role in object perception. The results are published in the October edition of Hippocampus.
Breakthrough in understanding lung cancer vulnerabilities points the way to new targeted therapy
More effective treatments for one of the deadliest forms of cancer are one step closer thanks to groundbreaking research from an international collaborative study.
Stem cells improve visual function in blind mice
An experimental treatment for blindness, developed from a patient's skin cells, improved the vision of blind mice in a study conducted by Columbia ophthalmologists and stem cell researchers.
New free font available to help those with dyslexia
(Medical Xpress)—A new font tailored for people afflicted with dyslexia is now available for use on mobile devices, thanks to a design by Abelardo Gonzalez, a mobile app designer from New Hampshire. Gonzalez, in collaboration with educators, has selected a font that many people with dyslexia find easier to read. Even better, the new font is free and has already been made available for some word processors and ebook readers. The font, called OpenDyslexic, has also been added to the font choices used by Instapaper—a program that allows users to copy a web page and save it to their hard drive.
Brain mapping shows auto experts recognize cars like people recognize faces
When people – and monkeys – look at faces, a special part of their brain that is about the size of a blueberry "lights up." Now, the most detailed brain-mapping study of the area yet conducted has confirmed that it isn't limited to processing faces, as some experts have maintained, but instead serves as a general center of expertise for visual recognition. Neuroscientists previously established that this region, which is called the fusiform face area (FFA) and is located in the temporal lobe, is responsible for a particularly effective form of visual recognition. But there has been an ongoing debate about whether this area is hard-wired to recognize faces because of their importance to us or if it is a more general mechanism that allows us to rapidly recognize objects that we work with extensively.
Biology news
TALENs technology allows site-specific gene mutation and editing in living organisms
(Phys.org)—Iowa State University researchers are helping to advance new techniques that allow scientists to site-specifically mutate and edit the genes of living organisms.
Symbiotic survival of rare birds and rain forests: Researcher involves local residents in Ecuadorian study
On the coast of Ecuador, along the Pacific Ocean, on the western side of the Andes Mountains, lies the Choco rain forest. Here, Jordan Karubian, his students and local residents, whom he's enlisted as "environmental ambassadors," study an endangered species of bird—the long-wattled umbrellabird.
Genetic activity in the entire genome of multicellular fungi analysed at a stroke
With a combination of microscopic laser scissors and modern sequencing methods, biologists at the Ruhr-Universität have analyzed the activity of genes in the entire genome of certain fungi in one fell swoop. Especially with organisms in the millimetre size range, it is a particular challenge because little cell material is available. The scientists of the RUB Department of General and Molecular Botany took advantage of the method to investigate the development of small multicellular fungi.
Trapping weevils and saving monarchs
Ensuring the monarch butterfly's survival by saving its milkweed habitat could result from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) studies initially intended to improve detection of boll weevils with pheromone traps.
Meeting pigs' phosphorous requirements with fermented soybean meal
(Phys.org)—Fermented soybean meal (FSBM), considered a promising substitute for fish meal in weanling pig diets because of its protein content, lower cost, and lack of anti-nutritional factors, may have an additional advantage. University of Illinois researchers recently found that pigs digest the phosphorous in FSBM better than the phosphorus in conventional soybean meal.
New technologies advance livestock genomics for agricultural and biomedical uses
(Phys.org)—New genome editing technologies developed at the University of Minnesota for use on livestock will allow scientists to learn more about human diseases.
Scientists find homolog of mammalian neocortex in bird brain
A seemingly unique part of the human and mammalian brain is the neocortex, a layered structure on the outer surface of the organ where most higher-order processing is thought to occur. But new research at the University of Chicago has found the cells similar to those of the mammalian neocortex in the brains of birds, sitting in a vastly different anatomical structure.
Nothing to sneeze at: Scientists find cheating ragweed behaves better with its kin
Cheating. Conflict. Competition. It may sound like a soap opera but this is the complex life of the despised ragweed plant.
Sea cucumbers and sea urchins could hold the key to looking young
Sea cucumbers and sea urchins are able to change the elasticity of collagen within their bodies, and could hold the key to maintaining a youthful appearance, according to scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.
Scientists connect baboon personalities to social success, health benefits
Whether human or baboon, it helps to have friends. For both species, studies have shown that robust social networks lead to better health and longer lives. Now, a team of University of Pennsylvania researchers has helped show that baboon personality plays a role in these outcomes, and, like people, some baboons' personalities are better suited to making and keeping friends than others.
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