Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 13, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- The road also taken: Alternative and hidden pathways in biological electron transfer- Choreographing light: New algorithm controls light patterns called 'caustics', organizes them into coherent images
- Study shows people capable of reading and solving math equations subconsciously
- Speeding algorithms by shrinking data
- Scientists use quasars to probe dark energy over 10 billion years in the past
- Confining supersymmetry: LHCb presents evidence of rare B decay
- Study sheds light on genetic 'clock' in embryonic cells
- How do cells tell time? Scientists develop single-cell imaging to watch the cell clock
- Human eye gives researchers visionary design for new, more natural lens technology
- Computer memory could increase fivefold from advances in self-assembling polymers
- Camel DNA shows secrets of hump-backed survivor
- First large-scale study quantitatively demonstrates how video stream quality causes changes in viewer behavior
- It pays to cooperate
- Microsoft releases IE 10 browser for Windows 7
- A newly identified separate star cluster in front of the Orion Nebula Cluster
Space & Earth news
Trouble at Brazil mega-dam stops construction for now
Work on Brazil's controversial $13 billion Belo Monte mega-dam ground to a halt Monday after protesters torched buildings at three dam construction sites over the weekend, the developer said.
Superstorm Sandy shows climate change isn't science fiction, top UN official says
Helen Clark, the administrator of the United Nations Development Program, visited Stanford to set the stage for international climate talks taking place in Doha, Qatar, later this month.
Asia's mega-cities 'more vulnerable to disasters'
Asia's cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters as they struggle with poor planning, population explosions and climate change, the Asian Development Bank warned on Tuesday.
Toxic nickel 'found in Finnish lake'
Toxic levels of nickel have been found in a Finnish lake after waste water began to leak from a nearby mine, the government's environmetal agency said on Tuesday.
S.Korea urges Russia to send rocket parts swiftly
South Korea has urged Russia to send rocket parts as soon as possible so it can go ahead with an already-delayed satellite launch this month, an official said Tuesday.
Clouds may ruin trip for eclipse fans in Australia
Tens of thousands of tourists, scientists and amateur astronomers who traveled from around the world to see a total solar eclipse in northern Australia may be getting shortchanged by the weather.
Deadly Nepal flood due to 'small rockslide'
Flash flooding which swept away an entire village in Nepal originated with a minor rockslide, scientists said Tuesday, warning that the disaster could be repeated.
New global CO2 emissions record in 2011
Global carbon dioxide missions hit a new record last year at 34 billion tonnes, with China still topping the list of greenhouse gas producers, a German-based private institute said Tuesday.
Prepare for a total solar eclipse
(Phys.org)—Tomorrow's total solar eclipse will only be visible in its entirety to ground-based observers watching from northern Australia, but ESA's Sun-watching Proba-2 satellite will have a ringside seat from its orbit around Earth. During a total solar eclipse the Moon moves in front of the Sun as seen from Earth, their separation and alignment such that the Moon appears large enough to temporarily block out the Sun's light.
Sleeping for science: What can we learn?
(Phys.org)—Why are 12 volunteers about to spend 21 days in bed, lying with their heads tilted below the horizontal? Their experience will help to understand and address changes in astronauts' bodies in space as well as in bedridden people on Earth.
The total solar eclipse down under: How to watch it from anywhere in the world
Scientists and interested skywatchers have been flocking to Cairns, Australia to witness one of the most spellbinding astronomical sights: a total solar eclipse. The November 13/14 total solar eclipse will only be visible in its entirety to ground-based observers watching from northern Australia, but several webcasts will be available so that people around the world can watch as well. At about 22:11:48 UT on November 13 (it will be the morning of Nov. 14th in Australia) the Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun, and totality will only last about 2 minutes, with the Sun having risen just 14 degrees above the eastern horizon. The total time of the event, from first contact to fourth contact (the end of a solar eclipse when the disk of the Moon completely passes from the disk of the Sun) will be about 3 hours.
Swirling vortex and mini moons: Spectacular views of the little things around Saturn
With wild storms and a vast ring system, nothing seems small around Saturn. But as NASA's Cassini spacecraft loops high over Saturn's poles, scientists are taking time to explore the little things including a swirling vortex, the miniature moon Mimas, and another tiny ovoid moon named Methone.
Curiosity rover update: Sniffing Mars' atmosphere
What has Curiosity been up to lately? The rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments makes up more than half the science payload on board MSL, and it is now searching for compounds of the element carbon—including the enticing methane that has been observed in Mars' atmosphere from telescopes and instruments on Earth. These are the elements that are associated with life, and SAM is trying to determine if methane can be detected from the surface, as well. So far, the rover has not found "definitive evidence" beyond data uncertainty of methane in Mars' thin atmosphere. But that doesn't close the door on the subject. It is still early in the mission, and the methane on Mars has been cyclical in nature.
Sandy's surge affected more than 1.4 million in 11 states
This map depicts the coastal areas likely to have been inundated by the storm surge resulting from Hurricane Sandy in relationship to residential population. It is based on a model used by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to predict the effects of hurricanes and other coastal storms on low-lying coastal regions.
Study shows summer climate change, mostly warming
Analysis of 90 years of observational data has revealed that summer climates in regions across the globe are changing—mostly, but not always, warming —according to a new study led by a scientist from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences headquartered at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Plants and soils could exacerbate climate change as global climate warms
Scientists from the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and University of California, Berkeley have demonstrated that plants and soils could release large amounts of carbon dioxide as global climate warms. This finding contrasts with the expectation that plants and soils will absorb carbon dioxide and is important because that additional carbon release from land surface could be a potent positive feedback that exacerbates climate warming.
Warming temperatures will change Greenland's face
(Phys.org)—Global climate models abound. What is harder to pin down, however, is how a warmer global temperature might affect any specific region on Earth.
Sun emit a mid-level flare
(Phys.org)—On Nov. 13, 2012, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 9:04 p.m. EST.
Sky-gazers in awe of total eclipse (Update)
Sky-gazers in northern Australia donned protective glasses as the clouds parted Wednesday to allow them to witness one of nature's greatest phenomena—a total eclipse of the sun.
Clouds could explain how Snowball Earth thawed out
Glaciation events during the Neoproterozoic (524-to-1,000 million years ago) and Paleoproterozoic (1,600-to-2,500 million years ago) periods - events that spawned ice ages that persisted for millions of years at a time - may have seen glacier ice encircle the planet in a frosty planetary configuration known as a Snowball Earth.
Astronomer point the way for exoplanet search
(Phys.org)—Though the search for planets around other stars, or exoplanets, is showing researchers that planets are abundant in our galaxy, it helps a great deal to have directions when searching for as-of-yet undiscovered exoplanets.
Researchers analyze future snowpack decline from California to the Himalayas
(Phys.org)—Snowpack, an essential source of drinking water and agricultural irrigation for billions of people, could shrink significantly within the next 30 years, according to a study led by Stanford climate change researcher Noah Diffenbaugh.
Long-lived Mars Odyssey orbiter resumes work with fresh equipment
(Phys.org)—The NASA Mars Odyssey orbiter has resumed duty after switching to a set of redundant equipment, including a main computer, that had not be used since before the spacecraft's 2001 launch.
Hinode to support ground-based eclipse observations
(Phys.org)—On Nov. 13, 2012, certain parts of Earth will experience a total solar eclipse, which, like all eclipses, will only be visible when you are aligned in a straight line with the moon and the sun. In this case the eclipse will only be seen from a narrow corridor in the southern hemisphere that is mostly over the ocean but also cuts across the northern tip of Australia. The JAXA/NASA Hinode mission will experience a partial eclipse of the sun near the same time as the observers in Australia. Hinode will coordinate its observations with those from the ground, before, during, and after the eclipse to produce a combined, scientifically interesting dataset.
Roots of deadly 2010 India flood identified; Findings could improve warnings
(Phys.org)—On the night of Aug. 5, 2010, as residents slept, water began rushing through Leh, an Indian town in a high desert valley in the Himalayas.
A newly identified separate star cluster in front of the Orion Nebula Cluster
(Phys.org)—Using images from the 340 Mpx MegaCam camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) from the summit of Mauna Kea, astronomers identified the massive cluster of young stars NGC 1980 to be a clearly separate entity from the main cluster of the most studied star formation region in the Galaxy. A technique relying on the combination of optical, infrared, and mid-infrared data ensures astronomers are sampling only stars located in the foreground of the Orion nebula. This technique also led them to the discovery of a nearby small star cluster, baptized L1641W.
Scientists use quasars to probe dark energy over 10 billion years in the past
BOSS, the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, is mapping a huge volume of space to measure the role of dark energy in the evolution of the universe. BOSS is the largest program of the third Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) and has just announced the first major result of a new mapping technique, based on the spectra of over 48,000 quasars with redshifts up to 3.5, meaning that light left these active galaxies up to 11.5 billion years in the past.
Technology news
At Mao-style conclave, China embraces Twitter age
(AP)—During China's last party congress, the cadres in charge of the world's most populous nation didn't know a hashtag from a hyperlink. But five years on, there's a new message from Beijing: The political transition will be microblogged.
'Call of Duty' blockbuster returns with 'Black Ops 2'
The blockbuster video game franchise "Call of Duty" returns on Tuesday with a futuristic new instalment in which shadowy activists use social networks to threaten the United States.
At a breaking point? Social media auto-overshare to meet its demise in 2013, says privacy law expert
Everyone knows someone who overshares on social media, from constant updates about daily minutiae to an automatically generated stream of songs listened to, articles read, games played and other matters blast-broadcast through various applications.
Amazon gets $252 mn tax bill from France
France has demanded $252 million in back taxes from Amazon, it emerged on Tuesday, increasing the pressure on the online retailer over its controversial corporate structure in Europe.
Image restoration technology capable of making A3-sized PDFs using A4 scanner
Fujitsu Laboratories Limited today announced the development of image restoration technology that can generate PDFs from multi-page A3 documents fed as a batch into an A4 scanner.
Review: Choices lift latest 'Call of Duty'
You've always had to play the good soldier in "Call of Duty" games: The only path to the end was to follow orders, from defending a key position to killing off certain enemies.
Greek hospitals, university hit in student server shutdown
Several Greek hospitals and one of the country's main universities have suffered an Internet blackout after students shut down a central server to thwart board elections, an official said on Tuesday.
China 'needs 4,960 planes by 2031'
China will need 4,960 commercial planes over the next 20 years, representing a value of $563 billion, the official Xinhua news agency said Tuesday, as air travel demand is expected to increase.
US, Mexico ink deal to curb stolen mobile phone use
US and Mexican officials signed a bilateral agreement on Tuesday aimed at blocking the cross-border use of stolen mobile telephones.
RIM to release new BlackBerry's soon after Jan. 30
(AP)—A senior executive at Research In Motion says its much-delayed BlackBerry 10 smartphones will be released "not too long" after an official launch event on Jan. 30.
Kodak reaches deal to borrow $793M
(AP)—Kodak says it has reached an agreement to borrow $793 million, an important step in letting it leave bankruptcy protection in the first half of next year.
Microsoft says Windows head Sinofsky leaving
Microsoft Corp. said Monday that Steven Sinofsky, the president of its Windows and Windows Live operations, is leaving the company.
Taiwan bourse investigates HTC share surge
Taiwan Stock Exchange said Tuesday it was investigating a sudden surge in the share price of leading smartphone maker HTC before it had announced a patent settlement with US technology giant Apple.
Small businesses get personal with social media
Small business owners usually have their hands full just handling day-to-day operations. But Jeff Cooper can find time to send an email wishing a client good luck on his daughter's wedding.
Finding undetonated bombs on the sea floor
(Phys.org)—CSIRO has developed a sensor to detect undetonated explosives on the sea floor. It is based on technology used to find mineral deposits underground.
Games may help train analysts to overcome bias
Game-playing may help intelligence analysts with the serious business of identifying biases that can cloud decision-making and problem-solving during life or death situations, according to researchers.
Berlin startup scene gets nod from Google (Update)
Berlin's budding Internet entrepreneurs received the closest thing to an industry endorsement Tuesday, with a €1 million ($1.3 million) investment from Google Inc. for a new 'hub' where startups can work, play and meet investors.
Official requests up for Web data: Google
Google said Tuesday the number of government requests to hand over data from users or to take down Web content rose in the first six months of 2012, extending a trend of recent years.
Department of Energy's ESnet rolls out world's fastest science network
As scientific research becomes increasingly data-intensive and globally collaborative, the ability to quickly and reliably share enormous data sets is critical to challenges as diverse as finding cleaner energy technologies, understanding climate change and investigating the nature of our universe.
Africa is world's fastest growing mobile market, study says
The number of Africa's mobile subscriptions will reach 761 million this year, making the continent once again the fastest growing market in the world, a research group has claimed.
Zynga reboots management as CFO heads to Facebook
Struggling social games pioneer Zynga on Tuesday announced a shake-up of its management team as its chief financial officer left to take a job at Facebook.
Cisco's 1Q earnings rise 18 percent (Update)
(AP)—Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of computer networking gear, said Tuesday that U.S. companies are starting to spend again, helping Cisco find more solid footing after some shaky months early this year.
Online TEDTalks hit billion-view milestone
Videos stemming from TED, the gathering of the brilliant, famous and influential, passed the billion-view milestone on Tuesday.
First large-scale study quantitatively demonstrates how video stream quality causes changes in viewer behavior
It may seem like common sense that the quality of online video streaming affects how willing viewers are to watch videos at a website. But until computer science researcher Ramesh Sitaraman at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and collaborators at Akamai developed a way to rigorously study the question, no one had been able to scientifically test the assumption.
Microsoft releases IE 10 browser for Windows 7
The latest version of Microsoft's Web browser is now available to the vast audience connecting to the Internet on personal computers running on the Windows 7 operating system.
Increasing efficiency of wireless networks
(Phys.org)—Two professors at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering have developed a new method that doubles the efficiency of wireless networks and could have a large impact on the mobile Internet and wireless industries.
Speeding algorithms by shrinking data
In computer science, the buzzword of the day is "big data." The proliferation of cheap, Internet-connected sensors—such as the GPS receivers, accelerometers and cameras in smartphones—has meant an explosion of information whose potential uses have barely begun to be explored. In large part, that's because processing all that data can be prohibitively time-consuming.
Medicine & Health news
Awareness could eliminate inequalities in cancer diagnoses
There are substantial inequalities in the stage at which cancer patients receive their diagnosis – a critical factor for cancer survival – a new study by the University of Cambridge reveals. The researchers found that age, sex and income as well as the type of cancer influenced the risk of a patient being diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. Eliminating these inequalities would help improve the chances of a cure for up to 5,600 patients with seven common cancers each year. The research was published today in the Annals of Oncology.
Stereoscopic mammography could reduce recall rate
A new three-dimensional (3-D) digital mammography technique has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy of breast cancer screening, according to a study published in Radiology.
US preterm birth rate shows 5-year improvement
The U.S. preterm birth rate dropped for the fifth consecutive year in 2011 to 11.7 percent, the lowest in a decade, giving thousands more babies a healthy start in life and saving billions in health and social costs.
New health-economic model shows benefits of boosting dietary calcium intake
European researchers have published a study which analyses the health economics of increased dairy foods and related reduction in risk of osteoporotic fractures in the population aged over 50.
Millions to get yellow fever shots in outbreak-hit Darfur
More than two million people in Sudan's Darfur region will be vaccinated against a rare yellow fever outbreak suspected of killing 107 people since late September, health officials said on Tuesday.
Artificial liver to replace animal testing, potential to accelerate development of new drugs
Scientists at Heriot-Watt University are working towards creating the world's first artificial human livers for drug testing to drastically cut the number of live animals used and get life-saving medicines into the clinic faster.
Kiwis missing out on free prescription medicines entitlement
Many New Zealanders are not getting free prescriptions when they should and these people are likely to include our most vulnerable, new findings from an ongoing University of Otago and Victoria University study into equity in prescription medicine use suggest.
Home visiting programme can dramatically reduce child abuse in the longer term, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Latest research from the University of Otago, Christchurch (UOC) shows the Early Start home visiting programme halved rates of physical abuse against children and lowered non-accidental hospital visits by a third over a sustained period.
LGBTQ youth more likely to be truant or to consider or commit suicide
(Medical Xpress)—Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and those questioning their sexuality are at significantly greater risk of truancy and of considering and attempting suicide than their heterosexual classmates – even when bullying isn't involved, according to a new study of more than 11,000 middle and high school students.
Uranium exposure linked to high lupus rates in community living near a former refinery
High rates of systemic lupus erythematosus have been linked to living in proximity to a former uranium ore processing facility in Ohio, according to new research findings presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
German court hears first lawsuit in breast implant scandal (Update)
A German court on Tuesday began hearing the country's first lawsuit over a health scandal surrounding French-made breast implants found to leak silicone into women's bodies.
Osteoporosis risk factors after the menopause
A preliminary study of 127 post-menopausal women on hormone replacement therapy in Portugal suggests that there are several risk factors associated with osteoporosis and bone fracture these include age, low bone mineral density, a sedentary lifestyle, coffee consumption and ovariectomy. Details are reported later this month in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics.
Open access initiative reveals drug hits for deadly neglected tropical diseases
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announce today the identification of three chemical series targeting the treatment of deadly neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), through DNDi's screening of MMV's open access Malaria Box. The resulting DNDi screening data are among the first data generated on the Malaria Box to be released into the public domain, exemplifying the potential of openly sharing drug development data for neglected patients.
A sip of resveratrol and a full p53: Ingredients for a successful cell death
Researchers at the Universidade Federal in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil have found that introduction of a normal copy of the p53 gene in p53-defective cancer cell lines makes these cells sensitive to the anti-tumor proprieties of resveratrol, the naturally occurring dietary compound found in red wine.
Advocacy for planned home birth not in patients' best interest
Advocates of planned home birth have emphasized its benefits for patient safety, patient satisfaction, cost effectiveness, and respect for women's rights. A clinical opinion paper published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology critically evaluates each of these claims in its effort to identify professionally appropriate responses of obstetricians and other concerned physicians to planned home birth.
Second most common infection in the US proving harder to treat with current antibiotics
Certain types of bacteria responsible for causing urinary tract infections (UTIs), the second-most-common infection in the United States, are becoming more difficult to treat with current antibiotics, according to new research from Extending the Cure (ETC), a project of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy. ETC released the research via its online ResistanceMap, an online tool created to track changes in antibiotic drug use and resistance. This year, ResistanceMap features analysis using ETC's Drug Resistance Index, a way for non-experts to track changes in antibiotic effectiveness.
Should hyperbaric oxygen therapy be used to treat combat-related mild traumatic brain injury?
The average incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among service members deployed in Middle East conflict zones has increased 117% in recent years, mainly due to proximity to explosive blasts. Therapeutic exposure to a high oxygen environment was hoped to minimize the concussion symptoms resulting from mild TBI, but hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment may not offer significant advantages, according to an article in Journal of Neurotrauma.
Juvenile justice reforms should incorporate science of adolescent development
Legal responses to juvenile offending should be grounded in scientific knowledge about adolescent development and tailored to an individual offender's needs and social environment, says a new report from the National Research Council. Accountability practices should not be carried over from criminal courts to juvenile courts; in particular, confinement should be used only in rare circumstances such as when a youth poses a high risk of harming others.
Study finds certain subgroups of black women have lower uptake of HPV vaccination
A new Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) study has found that improving Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in black women may require culturally sensitive approaches that address ethnic-specific barriers. The findings are published online in the November/December issue of the journal, Women's Health Issues.
Western media coverage of female genital surgeries in Africa called 'hyperbolic' and 'one sided'
Despite widespread condemnation of female genital surgeries as a form of mutilation and a violation of human rights, an international advisory group argues that the practice is poorly understood and unfairly characterized. In a public policy statement in the Hastings Center Report, the Public Policy Advisory Network on Female Genital Surgeries in Africa, a group that includes doctors, anthropologists, legal scholars, and feminists, argues that media coverage of the practice is hyperbolic and one sided, "painting the now familiar portrait of African female genital surgeries as savage, horrifying, harmful, misogynist, abusive, and socially unjust."
Farm injury risks increase with age
Older North American farmers work fewer hours than their younger peers but spend more time operating heavy machinery and equipment—raising their risk of serious injury, according to new research from the University of Alberta.
Study demonstrates that earlier end of life care discussions are linked to less aggressive care in final days of life
A large population- and health systems-based prospective study reports earlier discussions about end of life (EOL) care preferences are strongly associated with less aggressive care in the last days of life and increased use of hospice care for patients with advanced cancer. The study, published November 13 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides the first-of-its –kind scientific evidence that timing of EOL care discussions affects decisions about EOL care.
Targeting downstream proteins in cancer-causing pathway shows promise in cell, animal model
The cancer-causing form of the gene Myc alters the metabolism of mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse, making it dependent on the amino acid glutamine for survival. In fact, 40 percent of all "hard-to-treat" cancers have a mutation in the Myc gene.
Can the addition of radiolabeled treatments improve outcomes in advanced metastatic disease?
Radiolabeled agents are powerful tools for targeting and killing cancer cells and may help improve outcomes and lengthen survival times of patients with advanced disease that has spread beyond the initial tumor site. Effective therapy for metastatic cancer requires a combination of treatments, and the benefits of adding radionuclide therapy are explored in three studies published in Journal of Clinical Investigation.
The '$5 doctor' practices medicine from bygone era
(AP)—Patients line up early outside his office just off the town square, waiting quietly for the doctor to arrive, as he has done for nearly 60 years.
Experts report one of two remaining types of polio virus may be eliminated in Pakistan
Polio cases worldwide reached historic lows in 2012, and for the first time there were no new outbreaks beyond countries already harboring the disease, leaving researchers confident that a massive and re-energized international campaign to eradicate polio is on a path to success, according to presentations today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Better ways to monitor quality of care for newborns
In this week's PLOS Medicine, Sabine Gabrysch from the University of Heidelberg, Germany and colleagues draw upon a literature review, expert survey, and consensus method to recommend new signal functions to monitor and track facilities' provision of routine and emergency newborn care.
First-of-its-kind program improves outcomes for seniors admitted for trauma
A first-of-its-kind program at St. Michael's Hospital lowers risk of delirium in elderly patients admitted for trauma and decreases the likelihood they will be discharged to a long-term care facility.
WHO: 107 dead from yellow fever in Darfur, Sudan
(AP)—A yellow fever outbreak in Sudan's Darfur region has killed 107 people in the last six weeks, the World Health Organization reported Tuesday, warning that the disease could spread all over the country.
Communication dilemmas ID'd within Alzheimer's care
(HealthDay)—For nurses and care assistants, specific communication dilemmas surround the provision of social support to families of patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in the Journal of Applied Communication Research.
New studies shed light on what it cost to vaccinate girls against HPV in low income countries
Two studies published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine examined the cost of delivering the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to primary school girls in Tanzania. Both studies found that the cost of HPV vaccine delivery to adolescent girls may be substantially higher compared with the cost of delivering a new vaccine to an infant where the delivery schedule matches the existing infant immunization schedule.
Pictures effective in warning against cigarette smoking, study shows
Health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packages that use pictures to show the health consequences of smoking are effective in reaching adult smokers, according to the results of a new study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Although previous studies have demonstrated that HWLs with pictorial imagery are more effective than HWLs with only text in increasing knowledge about smoking dangers and promoting the benefits of quitting, this new research shows which kind of pictures appears to work best among adult smokers in the U.S., including smokers from disadvantaged groups where smoking rates are highest.
ACR: Strontium ranelate cuts progression of knee OA
(HealthDay)—The osteoporosis therapeutic strontium ranelate (SrRan) reduces radiographic and radiological progression of knee osteoarthritis, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, held from Nov. 10 to 14 in Washington, D.C.
Link ID'd for introduction of fish, childhood wheeze
(HealthDay)—The introduction of fish between the ages of 6 and 12 months, but not consumption afterward, correlates with a reduction in the risk of wheezing in children at age 48 months, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in Pediatrics.
Increased risk of carotid artery wall thickening in COPD
(HealthDay)—For older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the likelihood of carotid artery thickening is increased and vulnerable lipid core plaques are more frequent than in controls with normal lung function, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Antiviral therapy may cut recurrence of hepatitis B-linked liver cancer
(HealthDay)—People with liver cancer tied to infection with the hepatitis B virus who got antiviral therapy after cancer surgery had a lower risk of tumor recurrence than those who did not get it, according to a new study.
Problems at second US firm tied to meningitis outbreak
US federal health inspectors said Monday they have uncovered serious problems at a second Massachusetts pharmacy run by some of the same people whose tainted drugs caused a deadly meningitis outbreak.
A leap forward in the quest to develop an artificial pancreas
A diabetes specialist and Artificial Intelligence expert have collaborated to test the prototype of an artificial pancreas. Should a planned clinical study and clinical trial support the excellent 'simulated' results obtained so far, this breakthrough could one day change the lives of millions of people.
Community treatment of psych patients tied to less mortality
(HealthDay)—For patients with psychiatric disorders, community treatment orders correlate with a reduction in mortality, according to research published online Nov. 12 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Steroid shots for sciatica: Benefits only brief, analysis finds
(HealthDay)—Spinal steroid injections—the type involved in the current fungal meningitis outbreak in the United States—provide only short-term relief for sciatica-related leg and back pain, according to a new analysis.
Probiotics show potential to minimize C. difficile
(Medical Xpress)—New cases of C. difficile-associated diarrhea among hospitalized patients taking antibiotics can be reduced by two-thirds with the use of probiotics, according to new research published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Ancient foot massage technique may ease cancer symptoms
(Medical Xpress)—A study led by a Michigan State University researcher offers the strongest evidence yet that reflexology – a type of specialized foot massage practiced since the age of pharaohs – can help cancer patients manage their symptoms and perform daily tasks.
Fostering independence and life skills: For children with developmental disabilities, parenting style matters
(Medical Xpress)—Positive parenting can be particularly effective in helping young children with developmental disabilities become more independent and cooperative, a Brigham Young University study found.
Babies born to stressed mothers more likely to be bullied at school, longitudinal study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Children whose mothers were overly stressed during pregnancy are more likely to become victims of bullying at school.
Alzheimer gene may boost young brains but contributes to 'burnout' in later years
(Medical Xpress)—A gene that confers a higher risk for dementia in old age could also promote better-than-average memory and verbal skills in youth, according to a new University of Sussex-led study.
In a noisy environment, lip-reading can help us to better understand the person we are speaking to
(Medical Xpress)—In a noisy environment, lip-reading can aid understanding of a conversation. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences who have been investigating this phenomenon are now able to show that the greater the activity in a particular region of the temporal lobe was, the more able participants were to match words with mouth movements. Visual and auditory information are combined in the so-called superior temporal sulcus (STS).
Pig tissue scaffolding allows hearts to be rebuilt post-implant
(Medical Xpress)—Using tissue from pigs, scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have created a "scaffold" that preserves the infrastructure of natural blood vessels and supports human stem cells. The result a rebuilt heart that could be used as a post-heart attack implant.
Ultra-small drainage device may replace eye drop medications for some glaucoma patients
A tiny medical device no larger than an eyelash may significantly reduce eye pressure in glaucoma patients and allow some to stop using eye-drop medications, according to year-one clinical trial results for the device. Results of the HYDRUS I clinical trial, which indicate successful control of eye pressure in all study participants, will be presented today at the 116th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, jointly conducted this year with the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.
Compensation in the brain could lead to new treatment
New evidence indicates that Parkinson's disease is preceded by a period during which healthy regions of the brain take over the functions of damaged ones. Neurologist Bart van Nuenen performed a unique study involving people who are clinically still healthy and free from disease manifestations, but who have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease later in life due to their genetic predisposition. Van Nuenen will defend his PhD thesis based on this study on 22 November.
Longevity gene makes Hydra immortal and humans grow older
Why do we get older? When do we die and why? Is there a life without ageing? For centuries, science has been fascinated by these questions. Now researchers from Kiel (Germany) have examined why the polyp Hydra is immortal – and unexpectedly discovered a link to ageing in humans. The study carried out by Kiel University together with the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Scientists discover how stomach cancer spreads
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that the production of a protein that prevents the growth and spread of cancerous cells is impaired in patients with gastric cancer.
Sperm length variation is not a good sign for fertility
(Medical Xpress)—A new study published online in the journal Human Reproduction finds that the greater the inconsistency in the length of sperm, particularly in the tail (flagellum), the lower the concentration of sperm that can swim well. The finding offers fertility clinicians a potential new marker for fertility trouble that might trace back to how a patient's sperm are being made.
Doubling down against diabetes: Turbo-charged gut hormones
A collaboration between scientists in Munich, Germany and Bloomington, USA may have overcome one of the major challenges drug makers have struggled with for years: Delivering powerful nuclear hormones to specific tissues, while keeping them away from others.
New study examines how health affects happiness
(Medical Xpress)—A new study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that the degree to which a disease disrupts daily functioning is associated with reduced happiness.
Childhood abuse leads to poor adult health
The psychological scars of childhood abuse can last well into adulthood. New research from Concordia University shows the harm can have longterm negative physical effects, as well as emotional ones.
Autism treatment is more than skin deep
Metal-binding agents rubbed into the skin, prescribed by some alternative practitioners for the treatment of autism, are not absorbed and therefore are unlikely to be effective at helping the body excrete excess mercury. The study by Jennifer Cohen and Michelle Ruha from Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in the US, and their colleagues, provides evidence against the use of these treatments in children with autism. Their work is published online in Springer's Journal of Medical Toxicology.
Effects of alcohol on lymphoma, leukemia, and other types of hematological cancers
Many observational epidemiologic studies have found an inverse association between alcohol consumption and hematological cancers (such as lymphoma and leukemia). This study, based on the Million Women's Study in the UK, is large enough to permit an evaluation of associations with various types of such cancers. Further, it takes into account newer coding systems for morphology so that diseases associated with the lymphatic system can be separated from those of the myeloid system.
G proteins regulate remodelling of blood vessels
Blood vessels are extremely dynamic: depending on the external conditions, they can adapt their permeability for nutrients, their contractility, and even their shape. Unlike cardiac muscle cells, for example, the smooth muscle cells in blood vessels demonstrate a high degree of plasticity, so they can specialise or multiply as required, even repairing damage to the vessel wall. This vascular remodelling is evidently precisely regulated. Disruptions are extremely significant in conditions such as atherosclerosis or high blood pressure. At the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim, scientists conducting research on genetically modified mice have discovered how external signals regulate vascular remodelling at cell level. This has created an entirely new understanding of regulation, which could pave the way for new approaches in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases.
'Coca-Cola' model for delivering malaria meds is a success, researcher says
(Medical Xpress)—A controversial program that uses the private market to provide affordable malaria treatments to people in Africa has dramatically increased access to care and should be continued, according to a policy article by scholars including Ramanan Laxminarayan of Princeton University in the Nov. 2 issue of the journal Science.
Fast food menus still pack a lot of calories, study finds
With grilled chicken, salads and oatmeal now on fast food menus, you might think fast food has become healthier. And indeed, there has been greater attention in the media and legislatively, paid to the healthfulness of fast food. But a close look at the industry has found that calorie counts have changed little, while the number of food items has doubled.
Migraines associated with higher incidence of brain lesions among women; effect on health uncertain
After nearly 10 years of follow-up of study participants who experienced migraines and who had brain lesions indentified via magnetic resonance imaging, women with migraines had a higher prevalence and greater increase of deep white matter hyperintensities (brain lesions) than women without migraines, although the number, frequency, and severity of migraines were not associated with lesion progression, according to a study appearing in the November 14 issue of JAMA. Also, increase in deep white matter hyperintensity volume was not significantly associated with poorer cognitive performance at follow-up.
Study finds high exposure to food-borne toxins
In a sobering study published in the journal Environmental Health, researchers at UC Davis and UCLA measured food-borne toxin exposure in children and adults by pinpointing foods with high levels of toxic compounds and determining how much of these foods were consumed. The researchers found that family members in the study, and preschool children in particular, are at high risk for exposure to arsenic, dieldrin, DDE (a DDT metabolite), dioxins and acrylamide. These compounds have been linked to cancer, developmental disabilities, birth defects and other conditions. However, the study also points to dietary modifications that could mitigate risk.
For brain tumors, origins matter
(Medical Xpress)—Since stem cells and progenitor cells are regulated by different growth factors, brain tumors arising from these cells might respond differently to different therapies. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute found that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) induces stem cell growth, but inhibits neuronal progenitor growth. bFGF also blocks the growth of tumors that originate from progenitors. This study suggests bFGF-like molecules might be used to treat medulloblastoma—but only tumors with the appropriate origins.
Research strengthens link between obesity and dental health in homeless children
Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as children living below the poverty level age, according to nurse researchers from the Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron.
Being neurotic, and conscientious, a good combo for health
Under certain circumstances neuroticism can be good for your health, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study showing that some self-described neurotics also tended to have the lowest levels of Interleukin 6 (IL-6), a biomarker for inflammation and chronic disease.
Vitamin D may prevent clogged arteries in diabetics
People with diabetes often develop clogged arteries that cause heart disease, and new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that low vitamin D levels are to blame.
Novel electrotherapy greatly reduces the energy needed to shock a heart back into rhythm
Implantable defibrillators currently on the market apply between 600 and 900 volts to the heart, almost 10 times the voltage from an electric outlet, says Ajit H. Janardhan, MD, PhD, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow at the Washington University's School of Medicine.
Fantasy-reality confusion a primary cause of childhood nighttime fears
(Medical Xpress)—From monsters under the bed to bogeymen in the closet, most children experience nighttime fears at some point in their development. And while most grow out of them without any professional intervention, others contend with persistent and extended periods of these fears, with a risk of developing anxiety problems later in life.
The road to language learning is iconic
Languages are highly complex systems and yet most children seem to acquire language easily, even in the absence of formal instruction. New research on young children's use of British Sign Language (BSL) sheds light on one of the mechanisms - iconicity - that may endow children with this amazing ability.
Life-saving role of heart attack centers confirmed in new study
Recent studies questioning the role of specialist heart attack centres produced misleading results because doctors tend to send the sickest patients to have the best care, according to new research.
Genetic variation may modify associations between low vitamin D levels and adverse health outcomes
Findings from a study suggest that certain variations in vitamin D metabolism genes may modify the association of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations with health outcomes such as hip fracture, heart attack, cancer, and death, according to a study appearing in the November 14 issue of JAMA.
Meditation may reduce death, heart attack and stroke in heart patients
African Americans with heart disease who practiced Transcendental Meditation regularly were 48 percent less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from all causes compared with African Americans who attended a health education class over more than five years, according to new research published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Scientists report injectable formulation of malaria parasites achieve controlled infection
In a breakthrough that could accelerate malaria vaccine and drug development, scientists announced today that, for the first time ever, human volunteers were infected with malaria via a simple injection of cryopreserved sterile parasites that were harvested from the salivary glands of infected mosquitoes in compliance with regulatory standards. The parasites had been frozen in a vial for more than two years.
Stem cell finding could advance immunotherapy for lung cancer
A University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Institute lung cancer research team reports that lung cancer stem cells can be isolated—and then grown—in a preclinical model, offering a new avenue for investigating immunotherapy treatment options that specifically target stem cells.
Teenagers' brains affected by preterm birth
New research at the University of Adelaide has demonstrated that teenagers born prematurely may suffer brain development problems that directly affect their memory and learning abilities.
A smoker's license: Too radical for tobacco control?
In an innovative move to help reduce the damaging health effects of tobacco, the radical proposal of introducing a ''smoker's license'' is debated by two experts in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Early changes in liver function could detect life-threatening infection
Early changes in liver function detected by novel techniques can identify severe infection (sepsis) hours after onset and so could have important implications for the treatment of patients who are critically ill, according to a groundbreaking study by European researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Common enzyme deficiency may hinder plans to eradicate malaria
In malaria-endemic countries, 350 million people are predicted to be deficient in an enzyme that means they can suffer severe complications from taking primaquine, a key drug for treating relapsing malaria, according to a study funded by the Wellcome Trust and published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Massage therapy may enhance immunity in preterm infants
(HealthDay)—For stable, preterm infants, daily massage therapy (MT) is positively associated with higher natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and weight gain, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in Pediatrics.
Can playing soccer lead to brain damage?
(HealthDay)—Soccer is an extremely popular team sport, and one of the few that doesn't require any protective head gear. But, a small study of professional soccer players from Germany suggests that even in players without evidence of a serious head injury, playing soccer may cause changes to certain areas of the brain.
Neuroscientists suggest perception of harmonicity, not beating underlies perception of dissonance
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the University of Montreal and New York University suggest in a paper they've had published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that the perception of harmonicity in humans is more to blame for a dislike of dissonance in musical tones than is beating.
Do your neuroses make you more prone to 'contagious' itching?
(Medical Xpress)—Have you ever experienced the feelings of itchiness while watching someone else scratch? Scientists University of Sussex and the University of Hull have found the part of the brain responsible for 'contagious' itching – and discovered why some people are more prone to it than others.
Study reveals 'silencing' newborn neurons leads to impaired memory
(Medical Xpress)—Newly generated, or newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus are critical for memory retrieval, according to a study led by Stony Brook University researchers to be published in the November 11 advanced online edition of Nature Neuroscience. The functional role of newborn neurons in the brain is controversial, but in "Optical controlling reveals time-dependent roles for adult-born dentate granule cells," the researchers detail that by 'silencing' newborn neurons, memory retrieval was impaired. The findings support the idea that the generation of new neurons in the brain may be crucial to normal learning and memory processes.
In a world of chronic pain, individual treatment possible, research shows
An investigation into the molecular causes of a debilitating condition known as "Man on Fire Syndrome" has led Yale researchers to develop a strategy that may lead to personalized pain therapy and predict which chronic pain patients will respond to treatment.
Hormone combination effective and safe for treating obesity in mice
Scientists at Indiana University and international collaborators have found a way to link two hormones into a single molecule, producing a more effective therapy with fewer side effects for potential use as treatment for obesity and related medical conditions.
Glutamate neurotransmission system may be involved with depression risk
Researchers using a new approach to identifying genes associated with depression have found that variants in a group of genes involved in transmission of signals by the neurotransmitter glutamate appear to increase the risk of depression. The report published in the journal Translational Psychiatry suggests that drugs targeting the glutamate system may help improve the limited success of treatment with current antidepressant drugs.
Hormone affects distance men keep from unknown women they find attractive
Men in committed relationships choose to keep a greater distance between themselves and an unknown woman they find attractive when given the hormone oxytocin, according to new research in the November 14 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest oxytocin may help promote fidelity within monogamous relationships.
Study shows people capable of reading and solving math equations subconsciously
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Hebrew University in Jerusalem have found that contrary to popular thinking, people are capable of reading sentences and solving math problems without consciously thinking about them. The team describes their experiments and results in testing such abilities in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Biology news
Baiting mosquitoes with knowledge and proven insecticides
While one team of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists is testing the effectiveness of pesticides against mosquitoes, another group is learning how repellents work.
Orangutan's chemotherapy treatment for cancer ends
(AP)—The medical team for an 8-year-old orangutan with cancer in Miami says she no longer needs to undergo chemotherapy.
Native street trees can boost birds' survival
As native birds continue to lose their homes due to the spread of the Australia's cities, scientists are urging city planners and householders to help save them by planting more Australian trees.
Viable and fertile fruit flies in the absence of histone H3.3
Histones—proteins that package DNA—affect cell function differently than previously assumed: the cell doesn't need the histone H3.3 to read genes. Molecular biologists from the University of Zurich demonstrate that fruit flies can develop and reproduce in the absence of this histone. Additionally, cell division works without a histone modification previously deemed crucial.
New type of bacterial protection found within cells
UC Irvine biologists have discovered that fats within cells store a class of proteins with potent antibacterial activity, revealing a previously unknown type of immune system response that targets and kills bacterial infections.
Sugar ants 'know when they're lost'
(Phys.org)—Australian sugar ants know their surroundings so well that putting them in a different place can immediately trigger a 'lost' reaction, new research shows.
Naive fish easy targets for spear fishers
(Phys.org)—Big fish that have grown up in marine reserves do not seem to know enough to avoid fishers armed with spear guns waiting outside the reserve.
Study sheds light on genetic 'clock' in embryonic cells
As they develop, vertebrate embryos form vertebrae in a sequential, time-controlled way. Scientists have determined previously that this process of body segmentation is controlled by a kind of "clock," regulated by the oscillating activity of certain genes within embryonic cells. But questions remain about how precisely this timing system works.
How do cells tell time? Scientists develop single-cell imaging to watch the cell clock
(Phys.org)—A new way to visualize single-cell activity in living zebrafish embryos has allowed scientists to clarify how cells line up in the right place at the right time to receive signals about the next phase of their life.
Camel DNA shows secrets of hump-backed survivor
Scientists in China said on Tuesday they had sequenced the DNA of the wild bactrian camel, a threatened species with an extraordinary ability to survive in extreme conditions.
It pays to cooperate
Many species exhibit cooperative survival strategies—for example, sharing food or alerting other individuals when a predator is nearby. However, there are almost always freeloaders in the population who will take advantage of cooperators. This can be seen even among microbes such as yeast, where "cheaters" consume food produced by their neighbors without contributing any of their own.
Injectable sponge delivers drugs, cells, and structure
Bioengineers at Harvard have developed a gel-based sponge that can be molded to any shape, loaded with drugs or stem cells, compressed to a fraction of its size, and delivered via injection. Once inside the body, it pops back to its original shape and gradually releases its cargo, before safely degrading.
Gut bacteria often similar in humans and chimps, study finds
(HealthDay)—Humans and chimpanzees have much in common, biologically speaking, and that may now include certain communities—or ecosystems—of gut bacteria, a new study finds.
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