Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 3, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Quantum mechanics could make money, credit cards, and tickets immune to fraud- 'Tunneling of the third kind' experiment could search for new physics
- Surprising black-hole discovery changes picture of globular star clusters
- TDK sees hard drive breakthrough in areal density
- Infrared observatory measures expansion of universe
- MIT physicists suggest a means for creating an electron cloaking device
- Tomb of Maya queen K'abel discovered in Guatemala
- Researchers identify dozens of new de novo genetic mutations in schizophrenia
- Drug reverses abnormal brain function in Rett syndrome mice
- Blocking tumor-induced inflammation impacts cancer development
- Ancient mollusc missing link revealed in 3-D
- New mouse model of debilitating lung disease suggests potential treatment regimen
- 50-hour whole genome sequencing provides rapid diagnosis for children with genetic disorders
- Prototype binoculars from NHK show-stop CEATEC crowd
- Two-day test can spot gene diseases in newborns (Update)
Space & Earth news
Bhutan aims to be first 100% organic nation
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, famed for seeking "happiness" for its citizens, is aiming to become the first nation in the world to turn its home-grown food and farmers 100 percent organic.
Buyers may not understand risks in coastal purchases, new study shows
(Phys.org)—Living along a Florida beach sounds like a dream, but it can bring nightmarish worries, including severe weather, erosion and regulations limiting how the land is used.
City of Ottawa sits atop soil, geologic features that amplify seismic waves
Engineers and city planners study surface geology in order to construct buildings that can respond safely to earthquakes. Soft soil amplifies seismic waves, resulting in stronger ground motion than for sites built over bedrock. This study examines the local site response for the city of Ottawa, and the results indicate seismic waves may amplify ground motion greater than expected or referenced in the National Building Code of Canada.
NASA identifies where Tropical Storm Gaemi's power lies
Tropical Storm Gaemi is packing a lot of power around its middle and on one side of the storm, and that was apparent in NASA satellite imagery.
Australia admits neglect of Great Barrier Reef
The Australian government admits the Great Barrier Reef has been neglected for decades after a study showed it has lost more than half its coral cover in the past 27 years.
Space freighter burns up in suicide dive
A giant supply ship burned up over the South Pacific early Wednesday in a self-destruct operation after a six-month mission to the International Space Station, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.
Space station to move to avoid debris
(AP)—The Russian space program's Mission Control Center says it will move the International Space Station into a different orbit to avoid possible collision with a fragment of debris.
Studies find Alberta oil sands development not a major source of long-distance air and water pollution
(Phys.org)—Oil sands development in northern Alberta isn't polluting the nearby Peace-Athabasca Delta via the air and water to the extent many may believe, two recently published University of Waterloo research studies have found.
Blanketing NASA's Webb telescope's science instrument electronics
(Phys.org)—These engineers from Genesis Engineering Solutions are doing what's called "blanket closeout" and it took two days to complete.
NASA radar to study volcanoes in Alaska, Japan
(Phys.org)—A NASA aircraft carrying a unique 3-D aerial radar developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has left California for a 10-day campaign to study active volcanoes in Alaska and Japan.
NASA building a better solid rocket booster for space launch system rocket
(Phys.org)—The largest and most powerful solid rocket booster ever built for flight is being assembled for NASA's Space Launch System at ATK Space Systems in Brigham City, Utah, incorporating new cost-savings measures. The SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads beyond low Earth orbit, and provide an entirely new capability for human exploration.
Year-long missions could be added to space station manifest
Special crews on board the International Space Station will stay in space for year-long missions instead of the usual six-month expeditions, according to a report by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
Antares commercial rocket reaches new Atlantic coast launch pad
At long last, Orbital Sciences Corporation has rolled their new commercially developed Antares medium class rocket to the nation's newest spaceport – the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island,Va – and commenced on pad operations as of Monday, Oct 1.
New 3D map of massive galaxies and black holes offers clues to dark matter, dark energy
(Phys.org)—Astronomers have constructed the largest-ever three-dimensional map of massive galaxies and distant black holes, which will help the investigation of the mysterious "dark matter" and "dark energy" that make up 96 percent of the universe.
Ecologists start new Antarctic season with paper comparing animals' handling of adversity
Montana State University ecologists who are about to return to Antarctica for another season had to adapt to dramatic changes in the sea ice last year.
Deforestation in snowy regions causes more floods
New research suggests that cutting down swaths of forest in snowy regions at least doubles – and potentially quadruples – the number of large floods that occur along the rivers and streams passing through those forests.
Space station in no need to move to avoid debris
(AP)—Russia's Mission Control Center said Wednesday it dropped an earlier plan to move the International Space Station into a different orbit to avoid possible collision with space debris after additional calculations showed that there was no such threat.
NASA sees fifteenth Atlantic tropical depression born
The fifteenth tropical depression of the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season was born on Oct. 3 an NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of it as it came to be.
NASA sees strongest side of Tropical Storm Maliksi
NASA's Aqua satellite took an infrared "picture" of Tropical Storm Maliksi in the western North Pacific Ocean and identified the strongest part of the storm being east of its center.
Nadine bringing tropical storm conditions back to the Azores
NASA satellites continue to gather data from Tropical Storm Nadine on its twenty-second day of life in the eastern Atlantic as it threatens the Azores again. NASA data has shown that wind shear is pushing the bulk of clouds and showers away from Nadine's center of circulation
Curiosity rover checks in on Mars using Foursquare
(Phys.org)—NASA's Curiosity Mars rover checked in on Mars Wednesday using the mobile application Foursquare. This marks the first check-in on another planet. Users on Foursquare can keep up with Curiosity as the rover checks in at key locations and posts photos and tips, all while exploring the Red Planet.
Researchers create "MRI" of the Sun's interior motions
(Phys.org)—A team of scientists has created an "MRI" of the sun's interior plasma motions, shedding light on how it transfers heat from its deep interior to its surface. The result, which appeared in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, upends our understanding of how heat is transported outwards by the sun and challenges existing explanations of the formation of sun spots and magnetic field generation.
The brief but violent life of monogenetic volcanoes
A new study in the journal Geology is shedding light on the brief but violent lives of maar-diatreme volcanoes, which erupt when magma and water meet in an explosive marriage below the surface of the earth.
Methane emissions traced back to Roman times
Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere can be traced back thousands of years in the Greenland ice sheet. Using special analytical methods, researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute, among others, have determined how much methane originates from natural sources and how much is due to human activity. The results go all the way back to Roman times and up to the present, where more than half of the emissions are now man-made. The results are published in the scientific journal Nature.
Surprising black-hole discovery changes picture of globular star clusters
(Phys.org)—An unexpected discovery by astronomers using the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) is forcing scientists to rethink their understanding of the environment in globular star clusters, tight-knit collections containing hundreds of thousands of stars.
Infrared observatory measures expansion of universe
(Phys.org)—Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have announced the most precise measurement yet of the Hubble constant, or the rate at which our universe is stretching apart.
Technology news
India in talks to buy first bullet trains: report
India is in talks to buy its first bullet trains for the nation's creaking and accident-prone network, but the new fleet will run at only a fraction of its top speed, a report said on Wednesday.
Coke, Samsung pull Vietnam site ads
(AP)—Coca-Cola and Samsung have pulled their advertising from a popular Vietnamese website notorious for providing unlicensed downloads of Western and local songs, in a rare victory against online piracy in a country where it has grown unchecked.
Oracle CEO to experiment on his Hawaiian island
(AP)—Oracle CEO Larry Ellison envisions his recently acquired Hawaiian island becoming a "little laboratory" for experimenting with more environmentally sound ways to live.
Media groups, Filipinos protest tough cyber law
(AP)—Media groups and Filipinos stepped up calls Wednesday for repealing a tough new law that targets cybercrime but activists fear will be used to suppress online freedoms in the Southeast Asian nation.
Agreement will lead to commercialization of redox flow batteries
A Washington state firm with a 27,000 square foot manufacturing and design facility in Mukilteo has signed a license agreement with Battelle to further develop and commercialize a type of advanced battery that holds promise for storing large amounts of renewable energy and providing greater stability to the energy grid.
Innovators wanted to design the FANG vehicle
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is calling on innovators with expertise in designing and engineering drivetrain and mobility systems to collaboratively design elements of a new amphibious infantry vehicle, the Fast, Adaptable, Next-Generation Ground Vehicle (FANG). Registration is now open for the FANG Mobility/Drivetrain Challenge, the first of three planned FANG Challenges, which is set to kick off in January 2013. The winning team will be awarded a $1,000,000 cash prize and will have its design built in the iFAB Foundry.
QR code usage up 96 per cent among European smartphone owners
According to a report by comScore, smartphone users across Europe are scanning QR codes more than ever – up 96 per cent in the past two years to 17.4 million users for the three month average period ending July 2012.
New circuit breakers prevent electrical fires
A new fire protection circuit breaker from Siemens prevents electrical fires from developing. The device registers dangerous arcing in an electrical installation and breaks the circuit automatically. Arcing can happen as a consequence of voltage flashovers in electrical circuits, for example, or occur due to a loose contact. In the past, some disturbances threw the breaker but others went unchecked. The new fire protection circuit breaker detects all kinds of arcing, effectively closing that gap. In the USA, arc fault circuit interrupters have been required by law since 2008. With the 5SM6 circuit breaker, Siemens is the first manufacturer to introduce this kind of device onto the European market.
US charges firms with deception on computers (Update)
(AP)—U.S. regulators have charged 14 firms and 17 people with impersonating major companies to trick consumers into thinking their computers were plagued by viruses so they could charge hundreds of dollars to fix the problems.
Does moral decision-making in video games mirror the real world?
Making moral judgments is increasingly a central element of the plots of popular video games. Do players of online video games perceive the content and characters as real and thus make moral judgments to avoid feeling guilty? Or does immoral behavior such as violence and theft make the game any more or less enjoyable? The article "Mirrored Morality: An Exploration of Moral Choice in Video Games" published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Iowa State researchers developing 'BIGDATA' toolbox to help genome researchers
Today's life scientists are producing genomes galore.
New sophisticated control algorithms poised to revolutionize electric battery technology
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed sophisticated estimation algorithms that allow lithium-ion batteries to run more efficiently, potentially reducing their cost by 25 percent and allowing the batteries to charge twice as fast as is currently possible. In one instance, electric batteries could be charged in just 15 minutes.
Virginia Tech to tackle the 'Big Data' challenges of next-generation sequencing with HokieSpeed
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced nearly $15 million in new big data fundamental research projects. These awards aim to develop new tools and methods to extract and use knowledge from collections of large data sets to accelerate progress in science and engineering research.
Smartphones to steer unmanned rotorcraft on the battlefield
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin and Aurora Flight Sciences on Sept. 28 to develop robotic rotorcraft capable of supporting rapid autonomous aerial cargo delivery to the battlefield.
No Doubt settles lawsuit over 'Band Hero' vid game
(AP)—No Doubt has settled its lawsuit against gaming giant Activision over the use of band members' likenesses in the video game "Band Hero," court records state.
Nokia might sell HQ: report
Struggling Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia might sell its headquarters on the outskirts of Helsinki, a senior company official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Lithographic breakthrough with laser spike anneal to create higher fidelity circuit patterns
Researchers sponsored by Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) today announced that they have developed a new laser-based method for ultra-fast anneal of thin photoresist films used to transfer semiconductor patterns onto silicon wafers.
What do internet service providers care about?
A research paper to be published in the World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development suggests that despite the public pronouncements on corporate and social responsibility made by leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the UK, profit and shareholders remains the greatest concern for these organisations.
Pinpointing accuracy: Research helps solidify evidence in court
Do you know what all of your fingerprints look like? Would you be able to tell whether the pattern of ridges and valleys on a fingerprint was made by you or by someone else? If so, you might have what it takes to be a fingerprint examiner.
Prototype boarding gate with built-in explosives detection
Hitachi, in collaboration with The Nippon Signal and the University of Yamanashi, have successfully prototyped a boarding gate with built-in explosives detection equipment as part of efforts to increase safety in public facilities such as airports. The prototype boarding gate efficiently collects minute particles which have affixed themselves to IC cards or portable devices used as boarding passes, and can detect within 1-2 seconds the presence of explosive compounds using internalized equipment. With this method, it is possible to inspect 1,200 passengers per hour. The technology is expected to contribute to the prevention and containment of carry-on explosives as it inspects immediately prior to boarding without disrupting the flow of passengers, and provides increased security without affecting convenience.
3D printing applied to evolutionary relationships and biology
When you think 3D you probably imagine the cinema and popcorn, or that fancy TV you've just blown the kids' university fees on. What you probably don't think – unless you're a particular breed of palaeontologist – is molluscs. And certainly not printing them out in 3D.
Smartphone app will allow instant polling for debate
When President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney square off in their first debate Wednesday (Oct. 3), college students across the country will pilot test a new smartphone application that promises to make live polling possible for the first time on a large scale.
Supercapacitors hailed as potential answer to greener public transportation
(Phys.org)—Imagine a bus that uses electrical storage that costs much less than traditional batteries, can fully charge each time the bus stops, and has enough power to easily get to the next stop. The supercapacitor, once used to power robots and as a backup power source for computer memory, is now being hailed as such an energy source that could be the key to greener public transportation.
Hackers strike against Swedish websites
(AP)—Hackers have struck at least two Swedish government-affiliated websites, shutting down one of them in a denial-of-service attack and leaving links to profane messages on the other.
Warning, automatic braking systems on autos will help save lives, research predicts
The second highest cause of automobile crashes is rear-end collisions – 17 percent. Thousands of people die. The solution? "It is simple," said Clay Gabler, a professor of biomedical engineering at Virginia Tech. "Slow the striking vehicle."
HP CEO's turnaround message flops on Wall Street (Update)
(AP)—Coming off the biggest quarterly loss in Hewlett-Packard's history, CEO Meg Whitman braced investors for even more trouble ahead as she methodically tries to fix a wide range of longstanding problems. Those challenges will be compounded by a feeble economy that Whitman expects to weaken even more during the next year.
US blocks online fraud schemes linked to India
US officials said Wednesday they shut down a series of so-called tech support scams, mostly operating from India, which duped consumers into paying to clean their computers of bogus virus infections.
EA FIFA soccer videogame scores record launch
US videogame titan Electronic Arts on Wednesday announced that "FIFA Soccer 13" scored a sports title launch record by selling more than 4.5 million copies in the five days after its release.
Facebook will charge to 'promote' user posts (Update)
(AP)—Facebook has long declared that it's "free and always will be." And it still is—unless you want more friends to see what you have to say.
US debate battle starts on Internet
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will not wait until the end of their first debate to proclaim themselves the winner or deny each other's claims—their online teams will already have done so.
ROHM demos compact hydrogen fuel cell
(Phys.org)—Japanese electronic parts supplier ROHM has unveiled a compact hydrogen fuel cell, capable of recharging cell phones, tablet computers, etc., at this year's CEATEC—Japan's largest consumer electronics show. The fuel cell is available in two configurations: one that serves as a phone jacket, and one that works as a standalone USB device. While it can be stored for up to twenty years, the cell is good for just one charging session.
T-Mobile, MetroPCS unite to battle larger rivals (Update 2)
T-Mobile and MetroPCS have agreed to combine their struggling cellphone businesses in a deal aimed at letting them compete better with their three larger U.S. rivals.
US charges 11 in Russian military exports ring (Update)
The United States announced criminal charges Wednesday against 11 members of an alleged ring illegally exporting $50 million worth of high-tech military electronics to Russia under the guise of civilian deals.
Home-based assessment tool for dementia screening
(Phys.org)—With baby boomers approaching the age of 65 and new cases of Alzheimer's disease expected to increase by 50 percent by the year 2030, Georgia Tech researchers have created a tool that allows adults to screen themselves for early signs of dementia. The home-based computer software is patterned after the paper-and-pencil Clock Drawing Test, one of health care's most commonly used screening exams for cognitive impairment.
Medicine & Health news
Doctors speak out about unnecessary care as cost put at $800 billion a year
Leading doctors are calling for action to tackle unnecessary care that is estimated to account for up to $800bn in the United States every year.
FDA recommends approval for Second Sight's Argus II retinal prosthesis system in the US
On Friday September 28, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Ophthalmic Devices Advisory Panel unanimously voted 19-0 that the probable benefit of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System outweighs the risks to health, an important step toward the FDA market approval of this product manufactured by Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. In making this determination, the panel spent ten hours carefully reviewing and discussing data submitted from the international clinical trial of this innovative retinal implant that, for the first time ever, partially restores vision to patients who are blind due to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).
LA council votes to repeal pot dispensary ban
(AP)—The Los Angeles City Council reversed course Tuesday and repealed a ban on pot shops that it passed just two months ago to shutter hundreds of medical marijuana storefronts.
Mothers in peril: Urgency, frustration in discussion of maternal mortality
Every 90 seconds, a mother dies in pregnancy or of childbirth complications—a tragic statistic, but one that may drive efforts to improve health care in developing countries, experts gathered at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) said Friday.
Statistical method will analyze important, poorly studied areas of human genome
(Medical Xpress)—Each year, more and more pieces of the human genome puzzle fall into place, but large holes still remain. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison hope to fill in many more pieces with a new $1.1 million grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). The grant will support a School of Medicine and Public Health team of researchers who have created new computational tools to analyze important yet poorly studied areas of the human genome.
Chemical engineer studies breast cancer by building bone, brain and lung tissues
Shelly Peyton, a chemical engineer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, says scientists know that breast cancer will spread to many different types of tissues in the body, and that this migration is the key reason the cancer is deadly. What they don't know is why some forms of the cancer move to the brain, while others seek out bone or lung tissues.
How to eat a balanced diet over a week
Nutritionists at the University of Glasgow have served up a menu showing what a balanced diet over a week looks like.
Research raises possibility of effective, quick and reliable new test for bladder cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Research carried out at the University of Dundee has raised hopes of developing a quicker and more reliable new method of detecting urinary bladder cancer at an earlier stage.
Professors propose ethical intervention strategies to address hoarding
The TV shows make it look dramatic. A hoarder, someone who has accumulated so many piles of junk and possessions he can barely move in his own home, is nearly buried alive. But the problem is no scripted drama. Real people across the country hoard to the extent they can endanger themselves and public health, but there is no standard approach to help these individuals.
Official guidance puts child abuse victims at serious risk of having their evidence contested, credibility questioned
In a new article published in the Scots Law Times, researchers at the University of Abertay Dundee point out that aspects of the newly published guidance on how best to interview victims of child abuse will make it harder for one of society's most vulnerable groups to get justice.
Implementation science links research with real-world practice to improve health
Why do medical research findings often fail to reach the people who could benefit from them most? And why are health programs proven to work in one setting frequently unable to achieve success in other places?
Tracking and treating tuberculosis in developing countries
A patient in rural Uganda is diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), but never begins treatment. In Hanoi, Vietnam, someone with infectious TB might never be diagnosed because the health center where she would go to be tested is too far away.
Researchers find antibiotic exposure may be associated with childhood obesity
(Medical Xpress)—Farmers regularly use low-dose antibiotics to fatten livestock for market. But is it possible that antibiotics, widely administered to infants and young children, are fueling the prevalence of childhood obesity?
Most discontinue mental health services as they transition to adulthood, researchers find
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by researchers at the Silver School of Social Work has found that among 60 young adults with a history of significant mental health difficulties, few used psychiatric services, medications, or other mental health services on a continuous basis as they transitioned to adulthood.
Memory and thought-process training show promise in managing breast cancer symptoms
A new Indiana University study is the first of its kind to show it may be possible to improve memory and thought process speed among breast cancer survivors.
Survey: Clinicians believe EHRs will have positive impact on health care
Survey results released today reveal that an overwhelming majority of clinicians believe that the electronic exchange of health information will have a positive impact on improving the quality of patient care, coordinating care, meeting the demands of new care models, and participating in third-party reporting and incentive programs.
Got dry eyes? Measuring eyelid sensitivity may reflect the causes
A simple test of eyelid sensitivity may help vision professionals in evaluating one of the most common eye-related symptoms: dry eyes. A new study linking increased eyelid sensitivity to decreased function of the eyelid margins is presented in the article – "Lid Margins: Sensitivity, Staining, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Symptoms", appearing in the October issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.
FDA: Farm tied to salmonella outbreak was unclean
(AP)—A federal inspector found two strains of salmonella and unclean conditions at an Indiana cantaloupe farm's fruit-packing plant during visits following a deadly outbreak linked to its melons.
Surgeons investigate whether rural colon cancer patients fare worse than urban patients
Colon cancer patients living in rural areas are less likely to receive an early diagnosis, chemotherapy, or thorough surgical treatment when compared with patients living in urban areas. Rural residents are also more likely to die from their colon cancer than urban patients, according to new research findings from surgeons at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The study was presented earlier today at the American College of Surgeons 2012 Annual Clinical Congress.
Advanced surgical approaches may benefit elderly patients with colorectal, bladder cancers
Advanced surgical techniques such as robotic-assisted operations and minimally invasive surgical procedures may extend survival and improve recovery in octogenarians with bladder and colorectal cancers when compared with patients who undergo conventional open operations according to two new studies presented at the 2012 Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.
CU Cancer Center opens phase I clinical trial of anti-cancer stem cell agent OMP-54F28
The University of Colorado Cancer Center, together with other participating academic medical centers, recently opened a phase I human clinical trial of the drug OMP-54F28 in patients with advanced solid tumor cancers. OMP-54F28, a candidate investigational drug discovered by OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, targets cancer stem cells (CSCs), also known as tumor-initiating cells, which many researchers believe are at the root of tumor occurrence and growth. These CSCs are notoriously resistant to existing chemotherapies and so may survive current treatments to repopulate a tumor, leading to relapse and metastasis.
Bristol-Myers, Sanofi revamp Plavix sales alliance (Update)
(AP)—Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and France's Sanofi SA said Wednesday that they are restructuring their longtime partnership selling popular heart medications, now that their sales are plunging due to widespread competition from generic versions.
Spain tops table for organ-donations: study
Spain provided a record number of donors of bodily organs in 2011 as the number of transplants in Europe rose, the health ministry said Wednesday.
Getting athletes back in the game sooner following shoulder injuries
(Medical Xpress)—Athletics have always been a part of Jade Dismore's life. The 27-year-old native of South Africa grew up playing tennis and swimming; as an adult she became an avid runner and recreational volleyball player. For several years she felt soreness in her shoulder, but assumed it was nothing serious. As she began training for her first triathlon, the pain became increasingly severe. After trying to manage the pain on her own for years, Dismore decided it was time to seek medical attention.
New type of firework causes severe eye injuries, warn doctors
A new type of firework caused severe eye injuries and blindness in children and adults at last year's bonfire night celebrations, warn doctors in a letter to this week's BMJ.
The genetics of HIV-1 resistance
Drug resistance is a major problem when treating infections. This problem is multiplied when the infection, like HIV-1, is chronic. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Retrovirology has examined the genetic footprint that drug resistance causes in HIV and found compensatory polymorphisms that help the resistant virus to survive.
For some women, genes may influence pressure to be thin
Genetics may make some women more vulnerable to the pressure of being thin, a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders has found. From size-zero models to airbrushed film stars, thinness is portrayed as equaling beauty across Western culture, and it's an ideal often cited as a cause of eating disorder symptoms in young women.
Infertility treatments may significantly increase multiple sclerosis activity
Researchers in Argentina report that women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who undergo assisted reproduction technology (ART) infertility treatment are at risk for increased disease activity. Study findings published in Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, suggest reproductive hormones contribute to regulation of immune responses in autoimmune diseases such as MS.
Innovative new defibrillator offers alternative for regulating heart beat
A new ground-breaking technology was recently used at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) where two cardiologists, Dr. David Birnie and Dr. Pablo Nery, implanted a new innovative leadless defibrillator, the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD), to a 18 year-old patient. Under Health Canada's special access program, this was only the third time this new type of ICD had been implanted in Canada.
Surgeons recreate eggs in vitro to treat infertility
Regenerative-medicine researchers have moved a promising step closer to helping infertile, premenopausal women produce enough eggs to become pregnant. Today, surgeons at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC, reported that they were able to stimulate ovarian cell production using an in vitro rat model, and observed as the cells matured into very early-stage eggs that could possibly be fertilized. Results from this novel study were presented at the 2012 American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress.
Allergy rises not down to being too clean, just losing touch with 'old friends'
A new scientific report out today from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) dismantles the myth that the epidemic rise in allergies in recent years has happened because we're living in sterile homes and overdoing hygiene.
Surgeons pilot expandable prosthetic valves for congenital heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—Surgeons at Boston Children's Hospital have successfully implanted a modified version of an expandable prosthetic heart valve in several children with mitral valve disease. Unlike traditional prosthetic valves that have a fixed diameter, the expandable valve can be enlarged as a child grows, thus potentially avoiding the repeat valve replacement surgeries that are commonly required in a growing child. The new paradigm of expandable mitral valve replacement has potential to revolutionize care for infants and children with complex mitral valve disease.
Chloroquine makes comeback to combat malaria
Malaria-drug monitoring over the past 30 years has shown that malaria parasites develop resistance to medicine, and the first signs of resistance to the newest drugs have just been observed. At the same time, resistance monitoring at the University of Copenhagen shows that the previously efficacious drug chloroquine is once again beginning to work against malaria. In time that will ensure cheaper treatment for the world's poor.
Baby bust continues: US births down for 4th year
U.S. births fell for the fourth year in a row, the government reported Wednesday, with experts calling it more proof that the weak economy has continued to dampen enthusiasm for having children.
Treating stubborn depression
At least one in three patients with depression won't respond well to a series of treatments and experts in the field have joined together to outline practical treatments to tackle the issue, in the Medical Journal of Australia Open.
Combination of compulsory helmets plus provided cycleways halve the head-injury rate, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—The combined effect of making helmets compulsory for riders and providing cycleways and other infrastructure has reduced by about half the serious head-injuries associated with cycling in NSW over the past two decades.
Watermelon shown to boost heart health, control weight gain in mice
(Medical Xpress)—Eating an apple a day may keep the doctor away, but eating watermelon may just keep the cardiologist at bay.
Using iPods to assist workers with autism
Jeffrey is a daytime custodian at a fast-food restaurant. And he has autism. On the job, he found it difficult to switch from one task to another or to complete complex tasks. Trying to calm himself, Jeffrey would sometimes spin in place or hum, disturbing customers. At risk of losing his job, he was trained to use an Apple iPod Touch as part of a study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Regulation of junk food advertising has minimal impact
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Liverpool have found that regulations introduced to reduce children's exposure to junk food advertising have not had a significant impact.
Climate change makes metabolism test invalid, scientists find
Scientists from the Department for Health have shown for the first time how climate change is having a major impact on tests to measure metabolism.
Study investigates why minorities underuse services for ADHD
(Medical Xpress)—Minority children are known to utilize treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD—the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood—less than their non-minority peers. The question is what causes this disparity in care.
Study on language and stereotypes suggests ways to reduce prejudice
(Medical Xpress)—Hearing generic language to describe a category of people, such as "boys have short hair," can lead children to endorse a range of other stereotypes about the category, a study by researchers at NYU and Princeton University has found. Their research, which appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), also points to more effective methods to reduce stereotyping and prejudice.
Economic abuse affects maternal mental health and parenting, study finds
(Medical Xpress)— Mothers who experience economic and psychological abuse during the first year of a relationship with their child's father are more likely to become depressed and spank the child in year five, researchers from the Rutgers School of Social Work have found.
New plasma jet gives 'cold' shoulder to 'superbugs'
Scientists at Queen's University Belfast have developed a new technique which has the potential to kill off hospital superbugs like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, C. difficile and MRSA.
Study finds faults in proposed mental disorder diagnosis
A much anticipated addition to the revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5) is questionable according to research findings. The newly revised DSM-5, the first alterations since it was last revised in 1994, includes attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS), a new diagnosis that would identify those impaired by preliminary psychotic symptoms that do not meet the threshold for an existing diagnosis as having a psychotic disorder. In an effort to understand the impact this new diagnosis would have in a real clinical setting, researchers at Butler Hospital, Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital studied how APS applied in an outpatient clinic, and found reasons for concern. The findings are published in the October issue of Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Understanding accents: Effective communication is about more than simply pronunciation
With immigration on the rise, the use of English as a second language is sweeping the world. People who have grown up speaking French, Italian, Mandarin or any other language are now expected to be able to communicate effectively using this new lingua franca. How understandable are they in this second language?
People with schizophrenia more likely to die of heart attack, study finds
The risk of death resulting from heart attack is higher in people with schizophrenia than in the general public, according to scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
Fear of treatment puts stress on women undergoing fertility therapy
Fertility treatment has a strong emotional impact on women who want to have children. A study of European countries with the highest number of assisted reproduction cycles identifies which aspects of reproduction treatment contribute to psychological stress.
Study suggests stem cell transplant survivors at increased risk of developing heart disease
New research appearing online today in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), suggests that long-term survivors of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) are at an increased risk of developing heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol when compared to the general population. These risk factors, combined with exposure to pre-HCT therapy, contribute to a noticeably increased risk of heart disease over time.
Our preferences change to reflect the choices we make, even three years later
You're in a store, trying to choose between similar shirts, one blue and one green. You don't feel strongly about one over the other, but eventually you decide to buy the green one. You leave the store and a market researcher asks you about your purchase and which shirt you prefer. Chances are that you'd say you prefer the green one, the shirt you actually chose. As it turns out, this choice-induced preference isn't limited to shirts. Whether we're choosing between presidential candidates or household objects, research shows that we come to place more value on the options we chose and less value on the options we rejected.
Melanoma up to 2.5 times likelier to strike transplant, lymphoma patients
Melanoma is on the rise nationally, and transplant recipients and lymphoma patients are far likelier than the average person to get that form of skin cancer and to die from it, a Mayo Clinic review has found. That is because their immune systems tend to be significantly depressed, making early detection of melanoma even more important, says co-author Jerry Brewer, M.D., a Mayo dermatologist. The findings are published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Nurse-led intervention deters substance abuse among homeless youth
A new study led by researchers from the UCLA School of Nursing has found that nursing intervention can significantly decrease substance abuse among homeless youth. Published in the current issue of the American Journal on Addictions, the research also revealed that "art messaging" can have a positive effect on drug and alcohol abuse and other risky behaviors among this population.
Novel blood-based protein signature determined for rare, aggressive lung cancer
Researchers have discovered a panel of 13 blood proteins that may be effective biomarkers to detect malignant mesothelioma, according to a study published Oct. 3 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Rachel Ostroff from the company SomaLogic, which developed the new test, and colleagues at other institutions.
New evidence on easing inflammation of brain cells for Alzheimer's disease
New research proves the validity of one of the most promising approaches for combating Alzheimer's disease (AD) with medicines that treat not just some of the symptoms, but actually stop or prevent the disease itself, scientists are reporting. The study, in the journal ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, also identifies a potential new oral drug that the scientists say could lead the way.
Newborn mortality was higher for several years after large-scale closures of urban maternity units
After a series of Philadelphia hospitals started closing their maternity units in 1997, infant mortality rates increased by nearly 50 percent over the next three years. The mortality rates subsequently leveled off to the same rate as before the closures, but pediatric researchers say their results underscore the need for careful oversight and planning by public health agencies in communities experiencing serious reductions in obstetric services.
Simple test may ease management of esophagitis
A simple new test, in which the patient swallows a string, can monitor treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis as effectively as an invasive, expensive and uncomfortable procedure that risks complications, particularly in children.
Group therapy is an effective treatment option for depressed women with Type 2 diabetes
Gender-specific group therapy is effective for treating depressed women with Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine and funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. Evidence suggests that antidepressants may disrupt blood-sugar control and can be associated with increased weight gain; therefore, other treatment options are needed for depression.
State deregulation of open-heart surgery beneficial to patients
(Medical Xpress)—Certificate of Need, a form of state government regulation designed to keep mortality rates and health care costs down, appears to do neither for heart bypass surgery, according to a health economics researcher at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Her findings are reported in an article appearing in today's online edition of the journal Medical Care Research and Review.
Ensuring high-quality dietary supplements with 'quality-by-design'
If applied to the $5-billion-per-year dietary supplement industry, "quality by design" (QbD)—a mindset that helped revolutionize the manufacture of cars and hundreds of other products—could ease concerns about the safety and integrity of the herbal products used by 80 percent of the world's population. That's the conclusion of an article in ACS' Journal of Natural Products.
New study sheds light on cancer-protective properties of milk
Milk consumption has been linked to improved health, with decreased risks of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and colon cancer. A group of scientists in Sweden found that lactoferricin4-14 (Lfcin4-14), a milk protein with known health effects, significantly reduces the growth rate of colon cancer cells over time by prolonging the period of the cell cycle before chromosomes are replicated. In a new study, investigators report that treatment with Lfcin4-14 reduced DNA damage in colon cancer cells exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Their results are published in the October issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.
US says Teva antidepressant is ineffective
(AP)—Teva Pharmaceuticals has stopped shipping its generic version of a popular antidepressant off the market after a U.S. government analysis showed the pill does not work properly.
Rare meningitis cases up to 26 in 5 states, 4 die
(AP)—Health officials say a rare meningitis outbreak has sickened 26 people in five states who received steroid injections for back pain. Four people have died.
Severe anemia linked to poorer heart surgery outcomes
(HealthDay)—Adults undergoing cardiac surgery who have moderate-to-severe preoperative anemia have significantly increased morbidity and mortality compared with non-severely anemic patients, according to research published in the October issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Sitting for hours daily might boost your kidney disease risk: study
(HealthDay)—People who spend a lot of time sitting are at increased risk for kidney disease, according to a new study.
Scientists develop novel technology to identify biomarkers for ulcerative colitis
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have developed a novel technology that can identify, in animal models, potential biomarkers of ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the colon.
New study links tanning beds to non-melanoma skin cancer
Indoor tanning beds can cause non-melanoma skin cancer – and the risk is greater the earlier one starts tanning, according to a new analysis led by UCSF.
Benefits seen in hormone use early in menopause
A new study may reassure some women considering short-term use of hormones to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Starting low-dose treatment early in menopause made women feel better and did not seem to raise heart risks during the four-year study.
Scientists have discovered how mosquitoes develop viral immunity
(Medical Xpress)—Published online in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the team from CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory, in Geelong, have shown Vago, a protein previously identified in fruit flies, is released by infected mosquito cells, providing a warning to other cells to defend against the invading virus.
Purdue-designed molecule one step closer to possible Alzheimer's treatment
(Medical Xpress)—A new molecule designed to treat Alzheimer's disease has significant promise and is potentially the safest to date, according to researchers.
Blocking tumor-induced inflammation impacts cancer development
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report the discovery of microbial–dependent mechanisms through which some cancers mount an inflammatory response that fuels their development and growth.
50-hour whole genome sequencing provides rapid diagnosis for children with genetic disorders
Today investigators at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City reported the first use of whole genome information for diagnosing critically ill infants. As reported in Science Translational Medicine, the team describes STAT-Seq, a whole genome sequencing approach - from blood sample to returning results to a physician - in about 50 hours. Currently, testing even a single gene takes six weeks or more.
New mouse model of debilitating lung disease suggests potential treatment regimen
LAM, short for pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, affects about 1 in 10,000 women of childbearing age and is characterized by proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells in the lung, destruction of lung tissue, and growth of lymphatic vessels. The disease manifests itself in a wide variety of ways, so it is sometimes difficult to diagnose and there is no cure. The disease is caused by inactivation of either of two genes, TSC1 or TSC2, but to date no animal model has been able to replicate the pathologic features those mutations produce in humans.
Mom's high blood pressure in pregnancy could affect child's IQ in old age
New research from the University of Helsinki, Finland, suggests that a mother's high blood pressure during pregnancy may have an effect on her child's thinking skills all the way into old age. The study is published in the October 3, 2012, online issue of Neurology.
Drug reverses abnormal brain function in Rett syndrome mice
A promising study out today in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience showed that in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, researchers were able to reverse abnormalities in brain activity and improve neurological function by treating the animals with an FDA-approved anesthesia drug, ketamine. Rett syndrome is among the most severe autism-related disorders, affecting about one in 10,000 female births per year, with no effective treatments available.
Researchers identify dozens of new de novo genetic mutations in schizophrenia
Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified dozens of new spontaneous genetic mutations that play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia, adding to the growing list of genetic variants that can contribute to the disease. The study, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, was published today in the online edition of the journal Nature Genetics.
New type of drug leads to hope against resistant ovarian cancer
Scientists at USC have discovered a new type of drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer that works in a way that should not only decrease the number of doses that patients need to take, but also may make it effective for patients whose cancer has become drug-resistant.
Mamba venom holds promise for pain relief
Scientists have used the venom of Africa's lethal black mamba to produce a surprising outcome in mice which they hope to replicate in humans—effective pain relief without toxic side effects.
Not getting sleepy? Study explains why hypnosis doesn't work for all
Not everyone is able to be hypnotized, and new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine shows how the brains of such people differ from those who can easily be.
Two-day test can spot gene diseases in newborns (Update)
Too often, newborns die of genetic diseases before doctors even know what is to blame. Now scientists have found a way to decode those babies' DNA in just days instead of weeks, moving gene-mapping closer to routine medical care.
Biology news
New website calls for help from bat detectives
Scientists are asking for the public's help to monitor bats across Europe and track changes in our environment by listening to their weirdly wonderful ultrasonic tweets on a new website.
US lists tiny Puerto Rican frog as endangered
(AP)—A Puerto Rican frog about the size of a peanut received federal protection Wednesday, ending a long battle to list it as an endangered species.
Morocco mission to rescue last of the Atlas lions
Almost a century after a French colonial hunter put a bullet in what came to be viewed as the last Atlas lion living in the wild, a Moroccan zoo is struggling to claw the fabled subspecies back from the brink of extinction.
3Qs: Considering new data on genetically modified corn
An article recently published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology shows the results of a two-year study on the health effects of a corn species produced by the agricultural giant, Monsanto. The corn is genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup, and pervades the U.S. agricultural system. The paper claims that mice fed a diet consisting of 11 percent of the novel corn species were two to three times more likely to develop tumors. As the first article to present evidence that genetically modified organisms can have inherent health effects, some critics have called the research methods into question. Northeastern University news office asked Chris Bosso, a professor in the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, to explain the impact the new data will have on the growing discussion of genetically modified foods.
Sound sensors help scientists prove unique frog not extinct
(Phys.org)—QUT researchers could soon have sound reason to believe Queensland's unique gastric brooding frog still exists in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
The more, the merrier: Mixing plant species for benefits
Researchers believe that the richness of plant species can boost primary production. But studies investigating the mechanisms behind positive plant biomass response to greater plant diversity have been lacking - until now. A team of scientists in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom examined how mixed cropping benefits plants and their neighbours, boosting both their quality and weight. Their findings, presented in the journal PLoS ONE, show how carbon and nitrogen are higher in plant mixtures.
ARS scientists devising new ways to protect avocados
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are coming up with new strategies to combat a beetle threatening the nation's avocado trees.
Key environmental factors influencing manta ray behavior identified
Manta rays are more likely to gather together under either a new or a full moon, according to new research published Oct 3 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Fabrice Jaine and colleagues at the University of Queensland.
Less is more when choosing between groups of assorted items
When making decisions about the value of an assortment of different objects, people approximate an average overall value, which though frequently useful can lead to apparently irrational decision-making. A new study published Oct 3 in PLOS ONE by Jerald Kralik and colleagues at Dartmouth College shows for the first time that non-human primates also make similar 'irrational' choices based on approximation.
Onset of flu season raises concerns about human-to-pet transmission
(Phys.org)—As flu season approaches, people who get sick may not realize they can pass the flu not only to other humans, but possibly to other animals, including pets such as cats, dogs and ferrets.
Balancing fertility and child survival in the developing world
Children in smaller families are only slightly more likely to survive childhood in high mortality environments, according to a new study of mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa seeking to understand why women, even in the highest fertility populations in world, rarely give birth to more than eight children.
Japan snail sheds tail to escape, scientist finds
Snails that can shed their tails to escape much faster-moving predators and then regrow the amputated body section have been discovered living in sub-tropical Japan, a study said Wednesday.
Scientists reveal 177 new species of wasps in Central and South America
(Phys.org)—Yesterday there were just 15, but today there are at least 192 species of South and Central American orthocentrine parasitoid wasps, scientists report in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B today.
Small winners in the mammalian race to evolve
It takes at least 10 times as many generations for a mouse to reach elephantine proportions as for the reverse transition, reveals a vast study of mammalian evolution over the past 70 million years.
Mother of cultivated rice came from China's Pearl River
The mother of all cultivated rice was grown on China's Pearl River, according to a DNA "map" published on Wednesday
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