Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 18, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Mars soil sample delivered for analysis inside rover- Chemists develop new technique for nanostructure assembly
- 'Time-capsule' Japanese lake sediment will improve radiocarbon dating
- Integrated optical vortices on a chip (w/ Video)
- Scientists unveil 3-D structure of 'molecular machine' that initiates DNA transcription after 3 decades of searching
- Tropical collapse caused by lethal heat: Extreme temperatures blamed for 'dead zone'
- First-of-its-kind self-assembled nanoparticle for targeted and triggered thermo-chemotherapy
- Lipid droplets play an unexpected role in embryo development
- From the twitching whiskers of babes: Naptime behavior shapes the brain
- Google threatens to drop links to French media
- Germs in space: Preventing infection on long flights
- Google delivers 3Q letdown early, stock plummets (Update)
- No antibodies, no problem: Researchers identify how mosquito immune system attacks specific infections
- Caltech modeling feat sheds light on protein channel's function
- Study shows elevated risk of blood clots in women taking birth control containing drospirenone
Space & Earth news
Food vs. fuel: Is there surplus land for bioenergy?
An interdisciplinary team of 11 scientists from seven European countries and the USA have discussed the concept to utilize so called surplus land for the production of feedstock for bioenergy. They identified environmental, economic and social constraints but also options for efficient use of surplus land for bioenergy. The study provides a scientific background in support of a reassessment of land available for bioenergy feedstock production. Their findings were published in the open access journal BioRisk.
California, other states prepare for earthquakes (Update)
(AP)—Millions of Americans got ready and rumbled in the "Great Shakeout" earthquake drill.
Protection needed for critical East Antarctic marine habitats
An alliance of 30 global environment organisations today launched a report calling for greater protection for the East Antarctic marine environment, on the eve of an international meeting where the future conservation of this region will be decided.
World 'not on track' for temperature target: UN
Governments are "not on track" to achieve a target of keeping the average global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the UN climate chief said Thursday.
Orionid meteor shower peaks Oct. 20-21, 2012
As it does each year, early fall brings crisper air, turning leaves, and the Orionid meteor shower. This year's best viewing will be in the several hours around midnight October 20 and before dawn on October 21, according to the editors of StarDate magazine.
Canada Green leader warns against fertilizing seas
Canada's lone Green Party member of parliament, Elizabeth May, on Thursday decried the so-called "ocean fertilization" of the Pacific with what she claimed was Ottawa's tacit approval.
BP: Sealed ocean well isn't source of Gulf sheen
(AP)—BP PLC says a sheen on the Gulf of Mexico appears to have come from oil seeping out of a piece of discarded equipment used to contain its massive 2010 oil spill and not from its sealed well.
Brazil president makes final changes to forestry law
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has vetoed nine articles of a new forestry code approved by Congress that environmentalists said would lead to further deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.
Low-boom supersonic aircraft model points to fast future
(Phys.org)—If human beings are ever to fly faster than the speed of sound from one side of the country to another, we first have to figure out how to reduce the level of sonic boom generated by supersonic flight.
Space Launch System providing engine 'brains' with an upgrade
(Phys.org)—America's next heavy-lift rocket needs a strong and reliable engine to launch humans beyond low Earth orbit. That's why engineers with NASA's Space Launch System program, managed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will use the proven RS-25, the space shuttle's main engine during its 30-year history, to power the massive rocket's core stage. The RS-25, which was designed and developed with NASA by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne of Canoga Park, Calif., is a crucial part to the core stage design, but a few enhancements are planned.
Ensemble work, rather than single-model methodology, might have greater impact for environmental research
(Phys.org)—An international group of researchers, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists Dr. L. Ruby Leung and Dr. Yun Qian, constructed a systematic examination of regional-scale climate models and their projections for North America. Using a multi-model ensemble approach, they compared physical climate process models on a regional scale to precipitation and temperature observational data. The controlled baseline data showed that working together, the ensemble results mostly outperformed any single model. The work was featured in the cover story of the October issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
Satellite images reveal that clouds affect the particles surrounding them
(Phys.org)—Call them cloud wannabes. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that when the sky is described as partly cloudy, particles near those clouds swell larger with water vapor. The larger particles then reflect and scatter more sunlight energy, like cloud hopefuls. Scientists gleaned these cloud effect secrets from satellite data to find an increase of about 25 percent in the particles' reflectivity.
NASA's GPM observatory completes first dry run
(Phys.org)—NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory satellite went through its first complete comprehensive performance test (CPT), beginning on Oct. 4, 2012 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The testing ran twenty-four hours, seven days a week and lasted ten days as the entire spacecraft was put through its paces.
Could a hurricane ever strike Southern California?
(Phys.org)—There's an old adage (with several variations) that California has four seasons: earthquake, fire, flood and drought. While Californians happily cede the title of Hurricane Capital of America to U.S. East and Gulf coasters, every once in a while, Mother Nature sends a reminder to Southern Californians that they are not completely immune to the whims of tropical cyclones. Typically, this takes the form of rainfall from the remnants of a tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific, as happened recently when the remnants of Hurricane John brought rain and thunderstorms to parts of Southern California. But could a hurricane ever make landfall in Southern California?
Monitoring Io's insane volcanic activity from the comfort of Earth
Watching active volcanic eruptions should definitely be done from a distance, but a group of California researchers has figured out how to do it from the comfort of home. Using an ingenious combination of Earth-based telescopic surveys and archival data, they have gathered nearly 40 distinct snapshots of effusive volcanic eruptions and high temperature outbursts on Jupiter's tiny moon, Io, showing details as small as 100 km (60 miles) on the moon's surface.
Stunning meteor showers light up California sky (Update)
Streaking fireballs lighting up California skies and stunning stargazers are part of a major meteor shower, and the show is just getting started, professional observers said.
Scientists find ozone causes forests to use more water, reducing availability in the Southeast
U.S. Forest Service and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) scientists have found that rising levels of ozone, a greenhouse gas, may amplify the impacts of higher temperatures and reduce streamflow from forests to rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Such effects could potentially reduce water supplies available to support forest ecosystems and people in the southeastern United States.
NOAA: Warm winter in West, but East? Who knows
Federal meteorologists are forecasting a milder and drier winter for much of the western United States, but say they are stumped about what will happen in the East.
Russia hints plans to quit Kyoto Protocol
Russia on Thursday hinted that it may refuse to sign up to a new round of targeted carbon cuts that could see the Kyoto environmental protection treaty extended beyond its end of 2012 expiry date.
Dinosaur-era acoustics: Global warming may give oceans the 'sound' of the Cretaceous
Global temperatures directly affect the acidity of the ocean, which in turn changes the acoustical properties of sea water. New research suggests that global warming may give Earth's oceans the same hi-fi sound qualities they had more than 100 million years ago, during the Age of the Dinosaurs.
NASA's TRMM satellite sees very heavy rains in fading Tropical Storm Prapiroon
Heavy rainfall returned to Typhoon Prapiroon for a brief time on Oct. 18 when NASA's TRMM satellite passed overhead. Prapiroon is battling strong wind shear and is expected to transition into an extra-tropical storm in the next day.
NASA catches last image of Rafael as a hurricane, now merged with front
Hurricane Rafael is no longer a tropical cyclone. The storm merged with a cold front on Oct. 18, but not before NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of the storm when it was in its last day as a hurricane.
NASA sees strong wind shear adversely affect Tropical Storm Maria
Tropical Storm Maria is moving away from Japan and strong wind shear is pushing its rainfall east of the storm's center, according to NASA satellite imagery.
Skydiver's feat could influence spacesuit design
Now that the dust has settled in the New Mexico desert where supersonic skydiver "Fearless Felix" Baumgartner landed safely on his feet, researchers are exhilarated over the possibility his feat could someday help save the lives of pilots and space travelers in a disaster.
Jupiter: Turmoil from below, battering from above
(Phys.org)—Jupiter, the mythical god of sky and thunder, would certainly be pleased at all the changes afoot at his namesake planet. As the planet gets peppered continually with small space rocks, wide belts of the atmosphere are changing color, hotspots are vanishing and reappearing, and clouds are gathering over one part of Jupiter, while dissipating over another. The results were presented today by Glenn Orton, a senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting in Reno, Nev.
Germs in space: Preventing infection on long flights
(Phys.org)—On a long spaceflight unique conditions including microgravity could give microbes the upper hand, but not if astronauts and their spacecrafts are properly prepared. In a new paper, infectious disease expert Dr. Leonard Mermel brings together a broad base of research to come up with specific recommendations for keeping astronauts safe in deep space.
Poetry in motion: Rare polar ring galaxy captured in new image
(Phys.org)—Brian Svoboda of the University of Arizona, who recently studied the chemical and temperature environment of NGC 660, believes that unique morphology arises from a previous interaction with a gas-rich galaxy. The geometry of NGC 660—an enormous edge-on polar ring (some 40,000 light-years across)—contains more gas (and associated star formation) than its host, which strongly suggests a violent formation.
World's largest subwoofer: Earthquakes 'pump' ground to produce infrasound
Earthquakes sway buildings, buckle terrain, and rumble – both audibly and in infrasound, frequencies below the threshold of human hearing. New computer modeling by a team of researchers indicates that most of the low-frequency infrasound comes from an unexpected source: the actual "pumping" of the Earth's surface. The researchers confirmed their models by studying data from an actual earthquake.
'Time-capsule' Japanese lake sediment will improve radiocarbon dating
A new series of radiocarbon measurements from Japan's Lake Suigetsu will give scientists a more accurate benchmark for dating materials, especially for older objects, according to a research team that included Oxford University's Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.
Tropical collapse caused by lethal heat: Extreme temperatures blamed for 'dead zone'
Scientists have discovered why the 'broken world' following the worst extinction of all time lasted so long – it was simply too hot to survive.
Mars soil sample delivered for analysis inside rover
(Phys.org)—NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has ingested its first solid sample into an analytical instrument inside the rover, a capability at the core of the two-year mission.
Technology news
Newsweek ending print edition, job cuts expected
(AP)—Newsweek plans to end its print publication after 80 years and will shift to an online-only format starting in early 2013. Job cuts are expected.
Nuclear power plants located in tsunami risk zones
On March 11 2011, the world watched in awe at the sheer destructive power of the tsunami that struck Japan. The tsunami followed an earthquake off the east coast of Japan, which reached 9.0 on the Richter scale - the largest quake ever to hit Japan. The ensuing tsunami swept across cities and farmland in the northern part of the country, killing as many as 20,000 people. In the wake of the tsunami, however, another disaster emerged, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which has been referred to by some as the largest nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.
Cyber experts engage on DARPA's Plan X
When the team behind DARPA's Plan X mapped out where it wanted to go with research in the development of cyber capabilities and platforms, it knew the DARPA approach to problem solving included soliciting input from the leading experts in the field. On October 15 and 16, DARPA outlined its plans for Plan X to a packed house of potential developers and performers and solicited their feedback.
Review: Clever 'XCOM' is chess with plasma rifles
Video-game aliens have gotten bigger, uglier and meaner over the years. Think of the Covenant warriors in "Halo" or the Locust Horde in "Gears of War": huge, dumb, slobbering brutes who can soak up plenty of bullets before they pounce on you and crush your skull.
Canada regulator rejects Bell's bid for Astral
(AP)—Canada's broadcast regulator rejected BCE Inc.'s bid to buy Astral Media Inc. for US$3.40 billion on Thursday, saying the deal would have resulted in an unprecedented level of consolidation in the country's media landscape.
Sony redo of PlayStation Store links games, movies
(AP)—Sony Corp. is revamping its PlayStation Store as it prepares a common storefront across devices from its game console to its Web-connected TVs, Blu-ray players and phones.
Nokia losses pile up as sales plunge (Update 3)
(AP)—Nokia Corp. reported Thursday that its third quarter net loss widened further to €969 million ($1.27 billion) with a 19 percent plunge in revenue, as it struggles against the dominance of Samsung and the iPhone in the tough smartphone market.
Twitter shuts out German neo-Nazi group's account
(AP)—Twitter has for the first time blocked an account using a new tool that allows it to bar content in individual countries, shutting out a banned German neo-Nazi group at the behest of local authorities.
Verizon 3Q profit rises, bolstered by wireless
(AP)—Verizon's third-quarter net income climbed 15 percent, driven by the strength of its wireless business.
Japan police chief climbs down over cyber arrests
Japan's most senior policeman began an embarrassing climbdown Thursday after his officers arrested four people over cyber threats issued when their computers were apparently hacked.
Commercializing hearing technology: From people to pipelines
Imagine sitting at your granddaughter's wedding at a table filled with family yet, despite your hearing aids, all you hear is an undifferentiated roar.
Sprint seeks majority control of Clearwire (Update)
(AP)—Flush with the promise of cash from a Japanese investor, Sprint Nextel Corp. on Thursday said that it wants to buy out the founder of Clearwire Corp. to gain majority control of the wireless network operator.
US debate fury echoes across social media
As Barack Obama and Mitt Romney traded barbs in their cantankerous second presidential debate even harsher volleys were being hurled online.
Britain seeking 'Xbox generation' spies (Update)
Britain launched a new spy recruitment drive on Thursday aimed at "Xbox generation" youngsters without a university education but with social media and computer game skills to counter the threat of cyber attack.
Yelp to alert consumers on fake reviews
(AP)—Yelp says it will alert users if it suspects that a business has tried to buy fake, misleading reviews on its site.
AOL wants to organize your email clutter with Alto (Update)
(AP)—The Internet icon that bought email to the masses with its classic "You've got mail" slogan now wants to help people organize the flood of messages in their Gmail, Yahoo mail and other accounts.
GM to hire 3,000 workers from Hewlett-Packard (Update)
General Motors will hire 3,000 workers from Hewlett-Packard, part of a push to bring most of its computer technology in-house.
Equity firm Carlyle completes deal for Getty Images
A private investment group Thursday completed its deal to take over the photography agency Getty Images for $3.3 billion.
Solar power is contagious, study finds
People are more likely to install a solar panel on their home if their neighbors have one, according to a Yale and New York University study in the journal Marketing Science.
Hybrid vehicle battery creator Ovshinsky, 89, dies
(AP)—Stan Ovshinsky, the self-taught inventor who developed the nickel-metal hydride battery used in the hybrid vehicle industry, has died at his home in suburban Detroit after a fight with cancer. He was 89.
AMD to cut nearly 1,800 jobs or 15 pct of workers
Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. says it will cut nearly 1,800 jobs, about 15 percent of its workforce, by the end of the year in order to reduce spending in the face of dwindling sales.
Going out of print, Newsweek ends an era
There was a time when the newsweeklies set the agenda for the nation's conversation—when Time and Newsweek would digest the events of the week and Americans would wait by their mailboxes to see what was on the covers.
Microsoft Q3 earnings down ahead of Win 8 launch
US computing giant Microsoft posted Thursday lower earnings and revenues for its fiscal first quarter, citing the slowdown in the personal computer market.
Analysts, PC industry cool on Windows 8
While Microsoft is touting next week's launch of Windows 8 as the savior of the computer industry, PC makers and analysts are increasingly skeptical that the new operating system will lure consumers away from tablets and smartphones.
Australian race crew in faster-than-a-bullet bid (Update)
An Australian race crew hoping to beat their British rivals to a new supersonic land-speed record of over 1,000mph launched their bid Thursday, unveiling the first parts of their rocket-powered car.
Downloads and data management: Upgrading the Internet for the mobile age
(Phys.org)—Some strands of the World Wide Web are getting a little tattered. When it comes to delivering data to users, the Web still works brilliantly. But for other functions such as allowing users to move between wireless networks or companies to shift traffic among servers, engineers are forced to implement increasingly cumbersome tweaks.
Apple loses UK appeal against Samsung 'cool' ruling
Apple lost a British court appeal on Thursday against a ruling that Samsung's Galaxy tablet is not "cool" enough to be confused with the iPad.
Google threatens to drop links to French media
Google has threatened to exclude French media sites from its search results if France implements a proposed law forcing search engines to pay for content, according to a letter obtained by AFP.
Google delivers 3Q letdown early, stock plummets (Update)
As far as unpleasant surprises go, Google hit Wall Street with a double whammy Thursday.
Medicine & Health news
Women with RA report lower sexual function
(HealthDay)—Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has negative effects on sexual function in women, with depressive symptoms and disease severity linked to the degree of sexual dysfunction, according to a study published in the October issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Uruguay takes historic step on abortion
(AP)—Uruguay's Senate legalized first-trimester abortions for all women Wednesday in a groundbreaking measure that came with so many strings attached it left neither side in the bitter debate completely satisfied.
AAP renews commitment to preventing gun injuries in children
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is renewing its call to reduce the destructive effects of guns in the lives of children and adolescents, including counseling parents about safe gun storage as well as supporting legislation to prevent firearm injuries and deaths.
Canadian beef recall plant to be taken over
(AP)—A subsidiary of a Brazilian-based company is taking over management of XL Foods, the Alberta plant at the heart of one of the largest beef recalls in Canada's history.
AMP reports on possibilities, challenges, and applications of next-generation sequencing
Bethesda, MD, October 18, 2012 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) published the report of the Whole Genome Analysis (WGA) Working Group of the AMP Clinical Practice Committee in the November 2012 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics (JMD).
Protests as Ireland's 1st abortion clinic opens (Update 2)
(AP)—The first abortion clinic on the island of Ireland opened Thursday in Belfast, sparking protests by conservatives from both the Catholic and Protestant sides of Northern Ireland.
Russian govt OKs anti-smoking bill
(AP)—Russia's government has OKed a bill that would ban smoking in public and tobacco ads.
The effects of turmeric therapy on cerebral malaria studied
A Centenary researcher is off to New Delhi to study the impact on cerebral malaria of the major ingredient of turmeric, curcumin.
Referring cancer patients to more experienced, successful hospitals for surgery could save lives
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Rice University report that referring cancer patients to hospitals with better track records for surgery could save lives and not raise the cost to patients. The study was reported online today in the journal Forum for Health Economics and Policy.
Illegal drug users more likely to use new synthetic drugs and pharmaceuticals
(Medical Xpress)—Methamphetamine users' use of synthetic cannabis products (such as Kronic) increased from ten per cent in 2010 to 41 per cent in 2011 an annual report on illegal drug use shows. Many of these synthetic cannabis products have subsequently been banned; they have contributed to an increase in new synthetic drug use, often in the form of 'legal highs', over the past three years.
The narrative of cancer: Medical historian discusses evolution of treatments
A society's narrative of cancer often evolves based on the technologies of its time—a truism the medical historian Siddhartha Mukherjee detailed to Pulitzer Prize–winning effect in his book, "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer."
First man who lived six months without heart mourned by Czechs
Czechs on Thursday mourned the death of Jakub Halik, a 38-year-old fireman, who became the first human ever to have survived six months without a heart on artificial life support, but succumbed to liver and kidney failure.
Cancer groups to improve disclosures on pink wares
(AP)—New York's attorney general says the nation's two largest breast cancer charities have adopted his guidelines for fuller disclosure by those selling pink products and services in their names.
Researchers develop technology that predicts metastasis in breast cancer
Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) have collaborated on the development of a diagnostic tool that identifies the metastatic ability of breast cancer cells. The analysis is based on the characterization of the lipid component of the cells, which is indicative of malignancy. This has allowed the researchers to develop a classifier to discriminate cells capable of inducing metastasis. The results of the study have been published in the online version of the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Africa faces spike in older people living with HIV
Sub-Saharan Africa is likely to see a more than 200 percent increase in the number of older people living with HIV in the next 30 years, thanks to improvements in lifesaving treatment, experts said Thursday.
Collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD
Students with autism have the best chances of success in school through an individualized education model that involves teachers, service providers and parents, according to a new book co-authored by John McGrew, Ph.D., and a psychology professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
Three dead in Dutch salmonella outbreak
Three elderly people have died and the number of those sickened by salmonella after eating infected smoked salmon has risen to 950, Dutch health officials said Thursday.
DRCongo, Uganda Muslims banned from Mecca over Ebola epidemic
Saudi Arabia has banned Muslims from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda from making the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca this year because of cholera and Ebola epidemics in the region, a Congolese religious leader said Thursday.
High levels of hormones during pregnancy associated with higher risk for HR-negative breast cancer
Increased concentrations of the pregnancy hormones estradiol and progesterone were associated with an increased risk for hormone receptor-negative breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, according to the results of a nested case-control study presented at the 11th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held here Oct. 16-19, 2012.
Team support for cessation in the workplace helped motivate cigarette smokers to quit
When smoking co-workers in the same team are placed on a cessation program, providing financial incentives to the team collectively in return for success of the smokers in the cessation program helped the smokers to quit smoking and remain abstinent for 12 months, according to data presented at the 11th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 16-19, 2012.
Living in ethnically homogenous area boosts health of minority seniors
An African-American or Mexican-American senior living in a community where many neighbors share their background is less likely to have cancer or heart disease than their counterpart in a more mixed neighborhood.
Study shows breastfeeding reduced risk for ER/PR-negative breast cancer
Breast-feeding reduces the risk for estrogen receptor-negative and progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer, according to a study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Researchers examined the association between reproductive risk factors—such as the number of children a woman delivers, breast-feeding and oral contraceptive use – and found an increased risk for estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor- (ER/PR) negative breast cancer in women who do not breast-feed. The results also indicated that having three or more children without breast-feeding was associated with an increased risk for ER/PR-negative breast cancer. ER/PR-negative breast cancer often affects younger women and has a poor prognosis.
Life expectancy shoots up to 60 in SAfrica: study
Life expectancy in AIDS-hit South Africa has shot up by six years to 60 over the past few years, thanks to life prolonging anti-retroviral (ARVs) treatment, a demographer said Thursday.
Post-bleed hydrocephalus risk up in low-income preemies
(HealthDay)—Preterm neonates born to low-income parents have a disproportionately high risk of developing posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) that requires multiple surgeries and extensive follow-up, according to research published online Sept. 28 in Pediatric Neurosurgery.
Researchers make strides toward creating tissue-engineered kidneys
With a worldwide shortage of kidneys for patients who need kidney transplants, researchers are diligently working to find ways to engineer new kidney tissue from a patient's own cells or another source. They've come a step closer to realizing that goal with a breakthrough described in an upcoming Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) study. The advance could lead to more options for individuals with kidney failure, as well as better tools for understanding kidney diseases and how to treat them.
Damage to blood vessel lining may account for kidney failure patients' heart risks
Individuals with kidney failure often develop heart problems, but it's not clear why. A study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) provides evidence that their kidneys' inability to excrete waste products in the urine, which leads to build-up of these products in the blood, may damage the sugary lining of blood vessels and lead to heart troubles.
New target for treating diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure
Researchers have discovered a new therapeutic target for diabetic nephropathy, the leading cause of kidney failure. The findings, appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), could help protect the kidney health of individuals with diabetes.
Study succeeds in cutting inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by pediatricians
A study involving one of the nation's largest networks of pediatric practices was able to nearly halve the inappropriate use of antibiotics through quarterly monitoring and feedback of the physicians' prescribing patterns. The research, which is being presented at IDWeek, is one of the first to look at an antimicrobial stewardship intervention in the outpatient setting.
Over three-quarters of people with depression report discrimination
An international team of researchers, led by Professor Graham Thornicroft at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, used detailed questionnaires to ask 1082 people being treated for depression in 35 different countries about their experiences of discrimination.
Gastric band surgery has big impact on heart disease and stroke risk factors
Bariatric surgery—restrictive gastric banding and other types of gastric bypass—can radically reduce risk factors for heart disease and stroke, and within a short period of time, indicates an analysis of the available evidence, published online in Heart.
Men bearing brunt of worsening mental health in England since start of 2008 recession
Men have borne the brunt of worsening mental health across the population of England since the start of the economic downturn in 2008, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Women whose first pregnancy was ectopic have fewer children
Women whose first pregnancy is ectopic are likely to have fewer children in the following 20-30 years than women whose first pregnancy ends in a delivery, miscarriage or abortion, according to results from a study of nearly 3,000 women in Denmark. In addition, these women have a five-fold increased risk of a subsequent ectopic pregnancy.
Landmarks ID'd to orient humerus in elbow arthroplasty
(HealthDay)—The posterior humeral cortical line (PCL) is better than the transepicondylar axis (TEA) as a reference point and reproducible landmark for orienting the humerus during elbow arthroplasty, but both measures are error prone due to normal variation in rotational orientation, according to a study published in the Oct. 3 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Surgery may spur rise in heart deaths after cancer diagnosis: study
(HealthDay)—New research suggests that surgical procedures, not stress, may lead to the spike in heart-related deaths known to occur in the weeks after a cancer diagnosis.
Antioxidants in tea, fruit, veggies might fight prostate cancer: study
(HealthDay)—Prostate cancer patients who, before their diagnosis, routinely consumed hefty helpings of the flavonoid compounds found in plant-based foods and drinks may be at lower risk for the most aggressive form of the disease, new research suggests.
Brain scans suggest downside to skipping breakfast
(HealthDay)—People who skip breakfast may end up eating more and making less healthy food choices throughout the day, according to a new study. Eating breakfast, on the other hand, helps people avoid overeating and cravings for high-calorie foods.
Docs: Heart device might be breakthrough for muscular dystrophy
(HealthDay)—A man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who received a device to help his heart's left ventricle pump blood throughout his body could represent a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease, according to his doctors.
US meningitis deaths climb to 19 as outbreak widens
At least 19 people have died in a widening fungal meningitis outbreak linked to a contaminated steroid, US health officials said Wednesday.
Guides help cancer patients navigate health system, complete therapy
(Medical Xpress)—They're called patient navigators, but some might call them hurdle jumpers, task masters, or simply strong shoulders to lean on. People who first learn they might have cancer often need someone to guide them through the health system to ensure they receive tests and treatments from appropriate providers at the right time. Now, researchers have been able to confirm patient navigators play a valuable role in helping patients complete their treatment.
Social rejection can boost creativity, researchers find
(Medical Xpress)—Social misfits, rejoice. You might be more like Steve Jobs, Lady Gaga and Albert Einstein than you realize, if rejection boosts your creativity, reports a new Cornell study.
Poor kids twice as likely to suffer from arthritis, hypertension in adulthood
(Medical Xpress)—The tentacles of childhood poverty reach even further than previously thought, a new Cornell study finds.
3Qs: Many questions remain in meningitis outbreak
In recent weeks, an outbreak of fungal meningitis has infected more than 200 people and killed 15. The infection was traced back to a steroidal injection prepared at a compounding pharmacy based in Framingham, Mass., and on Tuesday criminal investigators from the Food and Drug Administration were reportedly at the facility as part of the ongoing investigation. Northeastern University news office asked Jack Reynolds, dean of the School of Pharmacy, to explain the symptoms of the rare disease and to address the future regulation of compounding pharmacies.
Study evaluates treating mothers with ADHD to improve outcomes in kids
(Medical Xpress)—University of Illinois at Chicago researchers are conducting a study to determine if treating mothers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—either with medication or parent training—will help children at risk for ADHD.
Some MS patients experience 'natural' improvements in disability
(Medical Xpress)—Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients sometimes experience "natural" improvements in disability at least over the short term, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.
Study shows progesterone fails to prevent preterm birth in high risk group
(Medical Xpress)—A formulation of the hormone progesterone, shown to be effective in women at risk for another preterm birth because they had a prior preterm birth, was not found to be effective in preventing preterm birth for women in their first pregnancy who have a short cervix, according to a National Institutes of Health network study.
Education about risk factors for both cancer and CVD led to increased fruit consumption in targeted population
Disease education about overlapping behavioral risk factors for both cancer and cardiovascular disease led to small changes in dietary behavior among a community-based sample of African-American adults, according to data presented at the 11th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held here Oct. 16-19, 2012.
Gaming before bed negatively impacts teens' sleep, research finds
(Medical Xpress)—Teenagers should steer clear of prolonged video gaming if they want a good night's sleep, new research from Flinders University shows.
A new approach to deadly influenza outbreaks in nursing homes
(Medical Xpress)—In developed countries people over 65 years old are the most likely to die from an influenza outbreak and people in nursing homes, where the virus is difficult to control, are especially vulnerable.
Hospital mortality rates unreliable, research finds
(Medical Xpress)—A brand new study by the University of Birmingham suggests that the system used by the Government to inform key decisions about the performance of NHS hospitals is inadequate.
Scientists identify mutation that causes skin hyperproliferation
Scientists have identified a mutation in a gene that causes patches of very thick skin to appear on the palms and soles of affected people. This skin disorder is related, albeit in a much milder form, to that of the Indonesian 'Tree Man', Dede Koswara. These thick rough skin patches on hands and feet steadily increase in number as a person ages and often coalesce to form larger lesions. In severe cases, these lesions can be painful and debilitating.
3L tubular bandaging significantly improves healing of chronic wounds, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—A characteristically inflamed, weeping sore that fails to heal, heals slowly or tends to recur is known as a chronic wound, a common debilitating and painful medical condition which requires specialist care.
Rising opiate and heroin abuse among young adults a public health epidemic
(Medical Xpress)—Prescription pain killers – a leading cause of youth addiction and easily accessible in the family medicine cabinet – have caused an alarming rise in heroin abuse in New Jersey and throughout the nation because heroin is a cheaper high and easy to get.
Antibiotic shows promise in treating extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis
When tested in patients hospitalized with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) unresponsive to previous treatment, linezolid, an antibiotic used to treat severe bacterial infections, proved largely effective when added to the patients' ongoing TB treatment regimen. Also, few patients developed resistance to the drug. These promising findings were tempered, however, by the fact that 82 percent of the patients who received linezolid experienced significant adverse events that may have been related to the drug. Findings from the study appear in the October 18th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Non-infected babies born to HIV mothers have reduced immunity to measles
Non-infected babies born to HIV positive mothers should be vaccinated early against measles, to avoid them acquiring the virus or passing it on to others.
Researchers elucidate transport pathway of immune system substances
To transport substances from the site of their production to their destination, the body needs a sophisticated transport and sorting system. Various receptors in and on the cells recognize certain molecules, pack them and ensure that they are transported to the right place. One of these receptors is Sortilin. It is present in the cells of the nervous system, the liver, and the immune system. Studies by Stefanie Herda and Dr. Armin Rehm (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, MDC, Berlin-Buch and Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin) and the immunologist Dr. Uta Höpken (MDC) have now shown that the receptor Sortilin plays an important role in the function of the immune system.
Genes and immune system shaped by childhood poverty, stress
(Medical Xpress)—A University of British Columbia and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT) study has revealed that childhood poverty, stress as an adult, and demographics such as age, sex and ethnicity, all leave an imprint on a person's genes. And, that this imprint could play a role in our immune response.
Scientists harness immune system to prevent lymphoma relapse
UK scientists hope that lymphoma patients could benefit from a new drug that triggers the cancer-fighting properties of the body's own immune system, after highly promising early laboratory results.
Norovirus outbreaks in nursing homes associated with increase in hospitalizations, risk of death
In a study that included more than 300 Medicare-certified nursing homes, rates of hospitalization and death were substantially increased during outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis vs. non-outbreak periods, according to a study appearing in the October 24/31 issue of JAMA. The study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the ID (infectious disease) Week meeting.
Blood hormone levels can predict long-term breast cancer risk
Blood hormone tests can predict a woman's risk for developing postmenopausal breast cancer for up to 20 years, according to a study led by Xuehong Zhang, MD, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Department of Medicine.
Mechanisms of action for green tea extract in breast cancer prevention identified
An oral green tea extract, Polyphenon E, appears to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor, both of which promote tumor cell growth, migration and invasion.
Stroke patients benefit from carmaker's efficiency
A process developed to increase efficiency and productivity in Japanese car factories has helped improve stroke treatment at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, report researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Child's home address helps predict risk of readmission to hospital
Simply knowing a child's home address and some socioeconomic data can serve as a vital sign – helping hospitals predict which children admitted for asthma treatment are at greater risk for re-hospitalization or additional emergency room visits, according to new research in the American Journal of Public Health.
Hospital uses 'lean' manufacturing techniques to speed stroke care
A hospital stroke team used auto industry "lean" manufacturing principles to accelerate treatment times, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.
Study shows effectiveness of ultraviolet light in hospital infection control
Research being presented at IDWeek 2012 shows that a specific spectrum of ultraviolet light killed certain drug-resistant bacteria on the door handles, bedside tables and other surfaces of hospital rooms, suggesting a possible future weapon in the battle to reduce hospital-associated infections.
Exercise stimulates adiponectin, raises HDL levels
(HealthDay)—Intensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss (ILI) significantly improves high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, which is partially mediated by stimulation of adiponectin production, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in the Journal of Lipid Research.
Colorful detergent 'pods' a danger for children: CDC
(HealthDay)—Those bite-sized, brightly colored packets of concentrated liquid laundry detergent need to be kept out of the reach of small children, who often mistake them for candy, U.S. health officials warn.
Nationwide study examines common heart procedures
(HealthDay)—Risk factors for heart disease—such as being overweight, having high cholesterol levels and smoking—are common in patients who undergo angioplasty and stent procedures to open blocked coronary arteries, a large new study finds.
Can allergies thwart fatal colon cancer?
(HealthDay)—A new study suggests that people who suffer from both hay fever and asthma may be less likely to die from colon cancer.
Accidents claim lives of 12,000 U.S. kids each year, CDC reports
(HealthDay)—About 12,000 children die from unintended, accidental injuries each year, most of them preventable, according to a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some with Alzheimer's better off staying on antipsychotics, study reports
(HealthDay)—People with Alzheimer's disease who take the antipsychotic drug risperidone (Risperdal) to help curb their agitation and aggression may see a return of these troublesome symptoms if they stop taking the medication, a new study suggests.
US : Fungus in tainted steroids and patients match (Update 2)
(AP)—The fungus found in tainted steroid shots matches the one blamed in the national meningitis outbreak that has killed 20 people, federal health officials said Thursday.
Bicycle infrastructure can reduce risk of cycling injuries by half
Certain types of routes carry much lower risk of injury for cyclists, according to a new University of British Columbia study on the eve of Vancouver's Bike to Work Week.
What we know and don't know about fungal meningitis outbreak
In a new perspective piece being published Online First tonight in Annals of Internal Medicine, a physician recalls lessons learned from treating patients affected by the 2002 outbreak of Exophiala (Wangiella) dermatitidis meningitis or arthritis related to contaminated, injectable coticosteroids prepared from a compounding pharmacy.
Breast cancer and periods: Link more important in specific cancers
(Medical Xpress)—The younger a woman starts her periods, and the later she finishes, the more at risk she is from developing breast cancer. Now a new study led by Oxford researchers shows that these factors are particularly relevant for specific types of breast cancer.
The brain's circuit diagram: New method facilitates the mapping of connections between neurons
(Medical Xpress)—The human brain accomplishes its remarkable feats through the interplay of an unimaginable number of neurons that are interconnected in complex networks. A team of scientists has now developed a method for decoding neural circuit diagrams. Using measurements of total neuronal activity, they can determine the probability that two neurons are connected with each other.
Researchers use stem cells to show connection between neural cell disruption and Parkinson's disease
(Medical Xpress)—A diverse team of biologists has shown using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that a gene mutation that causes malformations in the structure of the nuclear envelope of neural cells, is associated with Parkinson's disease. In their paper published in the journal Nature, they describe how they found iPSC cells taken from Parkinson's patients over time demonstrated the same cell disruption found in neural cells taken from other deceased patient's with the disease. They also found that by introducing a compound known to disrupt the gene mutation, that they could reverse the cell malformation.
New drug to target and destroy tumor cells developed
A new drug created at the University of Minnesota may hold the answer to defeating pancreatic cancer, according to results published today in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine.
Decreased gene activity is likely involved in childhood risk for anxiety and depression
Decreased activity of a group of genes may explain why in young children the "fear center" of the anxious brain can't learn to distinguish real threats from the imaginary, according to a new University of Wisconsin study.
From the twitching whiskers of babes: Naptime behavior shapes the brain
The whiskers of newborn rats twitch as they sleep, and that could open the door to new understandings about the intimate connections between brain and body. The discovery reinforces the notion that such involuntary movements are a vital contributor to the development of sensorimotor systems, say researchers who report their findings along with video of those whisker twitches on October 18 in Current Biology.
Study shows elevated risk of blood clots in women taking birth control containing drospirenone
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration-funded study led by the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research found an increased risk of arterial thrombotic events (ATE) and venous thromboembolic events (VTE)—commonly referred to as blockage of arteries and blood clots, respectively—associated with drospirenone-containing birth control pills compared to four low-dose estrogen combined hormonal contraceptives.
Biology news
Genetically Modfied Organisms (GMO) need to be assessed through systematic networks
In Europe there are many concerns about adverse environmental effects of genetically modified (GM) crops, and the opinions on the outcomes of environmental risk assessments (ERA) differ largely. GM crop safety testing and studies on the standardisation of impact assessments of releases are insufficiently developed. Therefore a framework was published in the open access journal BioRisk, which aims at improving the European regulatory/legal system.
Scientists building crowdsourced encyclopedia to further Puget Sound recovery
Representatives of the Encyclopedia of Earth and the Encyclopedia of Life will be on the University of Washington campus Wednesday, Oct. 24, for the public launch of an encyclopedia unique to Puget Sound.
Ministers near deal for new environment funds
More than 80 environment ministers gathered in India on Thursday inched towards a global deal to increase the amount of cash set aside to protect the natural environment, delegates told AFP.
Conservation scientists look beyond greenbelts to connect wildlife sanctuaries
We live in a human-dominated world. For many of our fellow creatures, this means a fragmented world, as human conduits to friends, family, and resources sever corridors that link the natural world. Our expanding web of highways, cities, and intensive agriculture traps many animals and plants in islands and cul-de-sacs of habitat, held back by barriers of geography or architecture from reaching mates, food, and wider resources.
Secrets of the museum: Historical insect collections reveal several bee species in decline
(Phys.org)—Countless drawers containing hundreds of thousands of bee specimens lie in insect museums and private collections across North America, some dating back to the 1800's. These historical collections are a treasure trove of information for assessing the conservation status of species, according to a new study published in Biodiversity and Conservation.
Brainy not always best for birds
Humans don't have a monopoly on being smart: many other animals, including birds, can solve problems and even make and use tools.
Scientists build a clearer picture of the spread of bovine tuberculosis
Each year thousands of cattle are slaughtered to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis. New research reveals that testing misses many animals harbouring the disease and shows that large herds are particularly vulnerable to rapid transmission.
The hidden burden of bovine Tuberculosis
Up to 21% of herds clearing restrictions for bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in Great Britain may be harbouring infection, according to a study published in PLOS Computational Biology this week. A cross-disciplinary group of experts in the Disease Dynamics Unit, University of Cambridge and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency has used mathematical models to provide the first empirical estimates of the efficiency of cattle-based controls for bovine tuberculosis (bTB). These models were developed to help policy-makers understand and control bTB as part of a project funded by Defra.
500 scientists create top 10 list of plant-damaging fungi
Almost 500 international experts have worked together to develop a ranking system of the ten most important phytopathogenic fungi on a scientific and economic level. The rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe oryzae) sits at the top of the list.
'Super rats' develop genetic immunity to standard poisons
A University of Huddersfield scientist has alerted the UK to the mounting problem of destructive "super rats" immune to conventional poison. His research has created nationwide interest, especially in the West of England, where it might be that as many as 75 per cent of rats are the resistant type.
Cell mechanism findings could one day be used to engineer organs
(Phys.org)—Biologists have teamed up with mechanical engineers from the The University of Texas at Dallas to conduct cell research that provides information that may one day be used to engineer organs.
Anthrax can grow and reproduce in soil, researchers find
(Phys.org)—Anthrax has the unexpected ability to grow and reproduce while lurking in soil – increasing the deadly bacteria's chances to infect cattle and other mammals, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered.
How flick knife thumbs help Japan's rare fighting frogs
Combat-ready spikes which shoot from fingers sounds like the weaponry of a comic book hero, but a Japanese scientist has found exactly this in a rare breed of frog. The discovery, which is published in the Journal of Zoology, reveals how the Otton frog uses spikes which protrude from a false thumb for both combat and mating.
Lipid droplets play an unexpected role in embryo development
New research at the University of Rochester reveals a new role for lipid roles, as well as a fundamental shift in the concept of histone balance.
Viruses act like 'self-packing suitcases'
Researchers at the University of Leeds have identified a crucial stage in the lifecycle of simple viruses like polio and the common cold that could open a new front in the war on viral disease.
Treating vascular disorders with a cell-based strategy
A research team at Weill Cornell Medical College has discovered a way to utilize diagnostic prenatal amniocentesis cells, reprogramming them into abundant and stable endothelial cells capable of regenerating damaged blood vessels and repairing injured organs.
No antibodies, no problem: Researchers identify how mosquito immune system attacks specific infections
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have determined a new mechanism by which the mosquitoes' immune system can respond with specificity to infections with various pathogens, including the parasite that causes malaria in humans, using one single gene. Unlike humans and other animals, insects do not make antibodies to target specific infections. According to the Johns Hopkins researchers, mosquitoes use a mechanism known as alternative splicing to arrange different combinations of binding domains, encoded by the same AgDscam gene, into protein repertoires that are specific for different invading pathogens. The researchers' findings were published October 18 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe and could lead to new ways to prevent the spread of a variety of mosquito born illnesses.
Caltech modeling feat sheds light on protein channel's function
Chemists at the California Institute of Technology have managed, for the first time, to simulate the biological function of a channel called the Sec translocon, which allows specific proteins to pass through membranes. The feat required bridging timescales from the realm of nanoseconds all the way up to full minutes, exceeding the scope of earlier simulation efforts by more than six orders of magnitude. The result is a detailed molecular understanding of how the translocon works.
Scientists unveil 3-D structure of 'molecular machine' that initiates DNA transcription after 3 decades of searching
An team of Rutgers University scientists led by Richard H. Ebright and Eddy Arnold has determined the three-dimensional structure of the transcription initiation complex, the key intermediate in the process by which cells read out genetic information in DNA.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://phys.org/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment