Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 21, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Smallest logic circuit fabricated with single-electron transistors- Researchers devise method of sending quantum encryption keys over shared fiber cable
- New structures self-assemble in synchronized dance (w/ video)
- HEARBO robot can tell beeps, notes, and spoken word (w/ Video)
- Dwarf planet Makemake reveals its secrets for the first time
- Researchers uncover a crucial link between protein synthesis and autism spectrum disorders
- Neural interaction in periods of silence
- Gateway enzyme for chemicals from catnip to cancer drug
- One cell does it all: Sensory input to motor output in one worm neuron
- Surprise origin for coronary arteries could speed advances in regenerative medicine
- Brain waves encode rules for behavior
- Scientists define key events early in the process of cellular aging
- US agency dumps BlackBerry, chooses iPhone
- Small bats squeak at higher pitch to focus better, study reports
- Instant facial recognition a two-edged sword
Space & Earth news
Water tensions overflow in ex-Soviet Central Asia
The ex-Soviet states of Central Asia are engaged in an increasingly bitter standoff over water resources, adding another element of instability to the volatile region neighbouring Afghanistan.
ESA, Roscosmos move ahead with plans for ExoMars mission
After NASA was forced to back out of the joint ExoMars mission with the European Space Agency due to budget constraints, it looked like the exciting rover-orbiter mission might not happen. However, ESA went elsewhere looking for help, and has now announced a tentative cooperative arrangement with Russia's space agency where Roscosmos will provide the two launch vehicles for multi-vehicle European-Russian ExoMars missions in 2016 and 2018.
Sunken barge threatens oil spill in Danube, WWF says
Oil from a barge that sank in a bay off the Bulgarian section of the Danube is in danger of leaking into the main river, posing "potentially serious" consequences, environmental group WWF said Wednesday.
Climate change may increase Europe's north-south divide
Rising temperatures could widen the gap between the Europe's rich and poor nations, an EU agency warned Wednesday, as it announced the warmest decade on record in the continent.
'Lord of the Rings' volcano erupts in New Zealand
A New Zealand volcano used as a backdrop to "The Lord of the Rings" films erupted on Wednesday, spewing a column of ash three kilometres (1.9 miles) above the North Island, scientists said.
Mars on, Moon off at Europe space talks
A joint European-Russian plan for an unmanned mission to look for signs of life on Mars cleared a hurdle at a European Space Agency (ESA) budget meeting in Naples on Wednesday, delegates said.
France, Germany compromise on Ariane launcher: minister
France and Germany have overcome differences on building a successor to the Ariane 5 rocket, French Science Minister Genevieve Fioraso said at a European space meeting here Wednesday.
Global warming targets further out of reach, UN says
The gap has widened between countries' pledges for reducing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and what is needed to keep planet warming in check, the UN warned.
Study details natural gas leaks in Boston
(Phys.org)—The City of Boston is riddled with more than 3,000 leaks from its aging natural-gas pipeline system, according to a new study by researchers at Boston University and Duke University. Their findings appear this week in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution.
New 2013 phases of the Moon animation released
(Phys.org)—A new animation highlighting the phases of the Moon has been released by the Scientific Visualization Studio at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Has Curiosity made an 'Earth-shaking' discovery?
The Mars Science Laboratory team has hinted that they might have some big news to share soon. But like good scientists, they are waiting until they verify their results before saying anything definitive. In an interview on NPR today, MSL Principal Investigator John Grotzinger said a recent soil sample test in the SAM instrument (Sample Analysis at Mars) shows something 'earthshaking.'
El Yunque rock, an icon of Puerto Rico, is eroding more slowly than expected, geologists discover
(Phys.org)—El Yunque rock is a majestic, anvil-shaped promontory that has been an icon of the island of Puerto Rico since pre-Columbian times. The barren rock, standing 3,412 feet high, protrudes above primary old growth forest and is enshrouded in clouds, swept constantly by the trade winds and frequently stricken by hurricanes. The rock receives an average of three rain showers a day and more than 14 feet of rain every year. Given Puerto Rico's warm and dynamic tropical climate, El Yunque should be covered with vegetation and eroding rapidly. Yet the rock appears to have escaped this geological fate.
Final North American ALMA antenna delivered
(Phys.org)—After an odyssey of design and construction stretching across more than a decade, North America has delivered the last of the 25, 12-meter-diameter dish antennas that comprise its share of antennas for the international ALMA telescope. This is an important milestone in the construction of an observatory that astronomers are already using to open up a "final frontier" of the spectrum of invisible light to high-resolution exploration.
Planet 'devoured in secret' by its own sun
(Phys.org)—A planet roughly 1.4 times the size of Jupiter is being consumed by its own star behind a shroud thanks to a magnesium veil absorbing all of certain light wavelengths, according to new observations by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).
Misconceived sea defence measures will destroy 'machair,' says coastal zone expert
(Phys.org)—The traditional crofting way of life is under threat in Scotland's Western Isles because of a fundamental misunderstanding of how Atlantic wave action affects their coastlines, a University of Ulster academic has revealed.
Supersonic decelerator project 'on track' for success
(Phys.org)—NASA has completed three key milestones in its development of new atmospheric deceleration technologies to support exploration missions across the solar system.
Curiosity rover preparing for Thanksgiving activities
(Phys.org)—NASA's Mars rover Curiosity completed a touch-and-go inspection of one rock on Sunday, Nov. 18, then pivoted and, on the same day, drove toward a Thanksgiving overlook location.
Europe Space Agency sets 10-bln-euro space budget
Members of European Space Agency (ESA) on Wednesday approved a multi-year budget of 10 billion euros ($12.3 billion), ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain said, hailing this as a "big success."
Scientists say new signs of global warming in Russian Arctic
The Russian Arctic is losing ice cover and being inhabited by species from the south in the latest sign of climate change, according to a group of Russian scientists.
Defying money crunch, Europe sets new goals in space
Europe on Wednesday set its sights on a new rocket and a deeper involvement in the International Space Station (ISS) despite intense constraints on budgets.
Warming to shift heavy rainfall patterns in the UK
(Phys.org)—It appears that it's not just us Brits who are fascinated with the UK weather. A group of researchers from Germany has taken to investigating the potential changes in extreme rainfall patterns across the UK as a result of future global warming and has found that in some regions, the time of year when we see the heaviest rainfall is set to shift.
A 3.45-million-year-old diet
Researchers are providing new information about the 'diet' of microorganisms on the early Earth. By studying 3.45-billion-year-old rocks, the team uncovered clues about ancient microbial metabolism.
Discovery of feedback between sea ice and ocean improves Arctic ice extent forecast
Each winter, wide swaths of the Arctic Ocean freeze to form sheets of sea ice that spread over millions of square miles. This ice acts as a massive sun visor for the Earth, reflecting solar radiation and shielding the planet from excessive warming.
Study: Unexpected microbes fighting harmful greenhouse gas
The environment has a more formidable opponent than carbon dioxide. Another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, is 300 times more potent and also destroys the ozone layer each time it is released into the atmosphere through agricultural practices, sewage treatment and fossil fuel combustion.
Life on Mars? Maybe not: NASA rows back on findings
NASA downplayed Wednesday talk of a major discovery by its Martian rover after remarks by the mission chief raised hopes it may have unearthed evidence life once existed on the Red Planet.
Dwarf planet Makemake reveals its secrets for the first time
Astronomers have used three telescopes at ESO's observatories in Chile to observe the dwarf planet Makemake as it drifted in front of a distant star and blocked its light. The new observations have allowed them to check for the first time whether Makemake is surrounded by an atmosphere. The scientists also measured Makemake's density for the first time. The new results are to be published in the Nov. 22 issue of the journal Nature.
Technology news
Australian 'Dumb Ways to Die' safety clip goes viral
An online video featuring cartoon creatures killing themselves in a variety of ways as part of an Australian transport safety campaign has gone viral, with almost 12 million YouTube views in a week.
Australia 'Click Frenzy' online sale tagged 'Click Fail'
It was supposed to be Australia's first national, online shopping mega-sale but "Click Frenzy" sparked angry reactions Wednesday after its website crashed, with shoppers dubbing it "Click Fail".
Chicago man denied bail before NYC hacking trial
(AP)—A New York judge has refused to grant bail to a Chicago man charged in a conspiracy to hack into corporations and government agencies worldwide.
Technology to help weather bushfires, floods and more
While technology can't prevent catastrophic events, a CSIRO report released in Canberra today reveals how emerging technologies help emergency services better manage natural disasters and minimise their effects on people, infrastructure and the environment.
Review: New 'Hitman' game a well-executed thriller
We always knew Agent 47 had ice in his veins. Apparently, the guy's got a heart, too.
US rejects report of hacking at French presidency
(AP)—The U.S. Embassy in Paris on Wednesday "categorically" denied claims in a French magazine report that the U.S. government was behind a hacking attack against computers in the French president's palace earlier this year.
Low-cost MEMS fabrication technology using a replica molding technique
Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), have developed a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device fabrication technology that uses only printing and injection molding. This has been achieved by integrating the microfabrication technology and the MEMS design evaluation technology of AIST. A lighting device has been fabricated by combining the signal processing technology of Design Tech Co., Ltd. with the developed technology.
Hackers take over Israel minister's Twitter page
An Israeli cabinet minister's Twitter account was hacked Wednesday by a pro-Palestinian outfit which posted messages in his name calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "murdering psychopath".
Deloitte denies HP claim on audit missteps
The audit and consulting firm Deloitte on Wednesday rejected claims by US tech giant Hewlett-Packard that it missed "accounting improprieties" at the British firm Autonomy ahead of a takeover.
Russia briefly bans YouTube 'by mistake'
Web-surfing Russians endured a brief scare Wednesday that the authorities had blocked YouTube after the video-sharing website appeared on a list of banned addresses, in what officials later called a "technical mistake".
HP's Autonomy deal highlights pattern of bad ideas
Hewlett-Packard's $9.7 billion acquisition of Autonomy seemed like a bad idea long before Tuesday's allegations of an accounting scandal made clear it was a deal that should never have happened.
Jury convicts US man in iPad data breach case
A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a man of illegally gaining access to AT&T's servers and stealing more than 120,000 email addresses of iPad users including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and film mogul Harvey Weinstein.
A more sensitive technique for determining user position could lead to improved location-based mobile services
Many mobile-phone applications (apps) use spatial positioning technology to present their user with location-specific information such as directions to nearby amenities. By simultaneously predicting the location of the mobile-user and the data access points, or hotspots, improved accuracy of positioning is now available, thanks to an international research team including Sinno Jialin Pan from the A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research. Software developers expect that such improvements will enable a whole new class of apps that can react to small changes in position.
New 'virtual' tape measure could give online clothes shoppers the perfect fit
A ground-breaking web-based system that takes unprecedentedly detailed measurements of the body could revolutionise online clothes shopping.
Global mobile data traffic doubled in year, Ericsson says
The amount of data used by mobile devices doubled over the past year, boosted by growth in video streaming services, according to a study released on Wednesday by Swedish telecom group Ericsson.
Better protection for forging dies
Hard or tough - very often, the manufacturers of forging dies must make a compromise here. A new technology now makes it possible to combine both characteristics and clearly expand the useful life of forging dies. The scientists will introduce the process at the Euromold trade fair, from Nov. 27 - 30 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Facebook proposes to end voting on privacy issues (Update)
Facebook is proposing to end its practice of letting users vote on changes to its privacy policies, though it will continue to let users comment on proposed updates.
Smartphone shoppers get savvy for holiday deals
Anyone with a smartphone can now be a savvy cybershopper for the holiday season.
Ex-staff challenge Nokia with new Finnish smartphone
A group of ex-Nokia employees who quit over the company's decision to abandon the planned MeeGo operating system in favour of Windows plan to launch their own smartphone next year, their start-up said on Wednesday.
Online US holiday sales seen growing 17 percent
US online holiday sales are already on the rise, and are expected to grow 17 percent from last year to $43.4 billion, a new forecast said Wednesday.
Swiss nuclear reactor shuts down due to defect
A reactor at a Swiss nuclear plant shuts down automatically Wednesday due to a defect, the operator said, stressing that the procedure had been completely safe.
Smartphone shoppers: watch for online tricks
Attention smartphone shoppers: watch for cybercriminals using phony apps or messages in an effort to hijack your device or steal your data.
Amazon.com sellers complain of tied-up payments, account shutdowns
For many small merchants, selling on Amazon.com is an easy way to boost their business in a tough economy - if only they can get paid.
US agency dumps BlackBerry, chooses iPhone
A US government agency has decided to buy iPhones for its employees, dumping its BlackBerry smartphones, citing their unreliability.
Engineers pave the way towards 3D printing of personal electronics
Scientists are developing new materials which could one day allow people to print out custom-designed personal electronics such as games controllers which perfectly fit their hand shape.
Google enters debate on UN Internet control
Google has jumped into the debate over a UN telecom gathering set to review regulations affecting the Internet, claiming it is "the wrong place" to make decisions about the future of the Web.
Instant facial recognition a two-edged sword
By the time Joe Rosenkrantz took his seat in his company's conference room, a video camera had already handled the introductions. An image of Rosenkrantz, taken as he walked toward his chair, instantly popped up on a nearby TV screen.
Smallest logic circuit fabricated with single-electron transistors
(Phys.org)—In order to meet the growing demand for small-scale, low-power computing, researchers have been aggressively downscaling silicon-based computing components. These components include transistors and logic circuits, both of which are used to process data in electronic devices by controlling voltage. However, the smallest type of logic circuit, called a half-adder, has not yet been fabricated on as small a scale as it could be.
Medicine & Health news
Nearly 90 percent of clinical trialists think data should be more easily shared
Nearly nine out of ten clinicians carrying out biomedical research trials believe that trial data should be shared more easily, even though they do express some practical concerns, a study published today on BMJ website reveals.
Philippines closer to tobacco, alcohol tax hike
The Philippines has moved closer to raising tobacco and alcohol taxes, the government said Wednesday after the Senate passed a bill aimed at weaning millions of smokers off the habit.
Bay Area nurses picketing after going on strike
(AP)—Union officials say hundreds of nurses in the San Francisco Bay area are braving rain showers to walk picket lines after going on strike Tuesday.
Grief expert offers tips on holiday survival
Ornaments glistening on a pine tree, carols filling the air, shoppers scurrying through stores and the smell of goodies baking in the oven - it's the holidays. For many this truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Still, for those who have lost a loved one, the empty chair at the table or one less present under the tree can be a painful reminder of the one who is missing.
Bake the bird: Thanksgiving Day is tops for cooking injuries
More than 141 serious fires and hot-oil burns have been reported from the use of turkey fryers over the past decade, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Opioid overdose rates 'impossible' to ignore
(Medical Xpress)—Opioid overdose now kills more people than both AIDS and homicides in America and has surpassed automobile accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in many states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the burgeoning epidemic accounts for approximately 16,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
Tapping into calcium's role in a healthy heart
Australian scientists are getting closer to decoding the way molecules interact to enable regular heart function.
GET-UP! Video game will fight obesity
(Medical Xpress)—Reversing the image of the sedentary game player, a new video game under development by University of California, Davis, researchers will encourage children to strengthen their action-hero characters by logging miles walked and calories burned in the real world.
The most popular TV series among youngsters in Spain recreate violence
Published in the Comunicación journal, a study conducted by the University of Seville analyses violence content in Spanish TV series. It concludes that Telecinco's Sin tetas no hay paraíso is the most violent of the five studied.
CDC and NIH survey provides first report of state-level COPD prevalence
The age-adjusted prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) varies considerably within the United States, from less than 4 percent of the population in Washington and Minnesota to more than 9 percent in Alabama and Kentucky. These state-level rates are among the COPD data available for the first time as part of the newly released 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey.
Computer-navigated total knee replacement
For many years, the use of computer-assisted navigation has been touted as improving the positioning, sizing and alignment of replacement knee joints, resulting in greater durability of joints and overall improvement in patient movement. However, new research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) found no difference in knee function, alignment or durability/survivorship between joints positioned and completed with the help of computer navigation, and those replaced with conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures.
Aspirin resistance ups severity in acute ischemic stroke
(HealthDay)—In patients with acute ischemic stroke, aspirin resistance is associated with increased stroke severity and infarct size, according to research published online Nov. 19 in the Archives of Neurology.
G.Bissau warns AIDS patients without treatment since coup
HIV-positive people in Guinea Bissau have been without access to treatment since the Global Fund to fight AIDS suspended funding over an April military coup, the west African nation's AIDS boss said Wednesday.
3rd person in Calif. dies from mushroom poisoning
(AP)—A third person has died from eating toxic mushrooms at a California senior care facility.
New public gut bacteria study expected to reach around world
Ever wondered who is living in your gut, and what they're doing? The trillions of microbial partners in and on our bodies outnumber our own cells by as many as 10 to 1 and do all sorts of important jobs, from helping digest the food we eat this Thanksgiving to building up our immune systems.
Reckitt to buy vitamin company Schiff for $1.4B
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC said Wednesday that is acquiring vitamin and nutrition supplement maker Schiff Nutrition International Inc. for $1.4 billion, topping an earlier bid by Bayer AG.
Trial results 'do not support the use of general health checks', warn experts
Researchers have found that routine general health checks, which have become common practice in some countries, do not reduce the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease or cancer. They do, however, increase the number of new diagnoses.
Low muscle strength in adolescence linked to increased risk of early death
Low muscle strength in adolescence is strongly associated with a greater risk of early death from several major causes, suggests a large study published on the British Medical Journal website today.
Discovery offers new treatment for epilepsy
New drugs derived from components of a specific diet used by children with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy could offer a new treatment, according to research published today in the journal Neuropharmacology.
MRI shows brain disruption in patients with post-concussion syndrome
MRI shows changes in the brains of people with post-concussion syndrome (PCS), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Researchers hope the results point the way to improved detection and treatment for the disorder.
More help needed to improve smoking cessation services for pregnant women with mental disorders
Pregnant women with mental health disorders are facing too many barriers to help them quit smoking during pregnancy despite their willingness to accept support, finds a new study published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
How defects in a signaling protein sabotage the immune system in multiple, seemingly contradictory ways
The antibody response to immune threats is managed by cells known as B lymphocytes. The differentiation and function of B cells are tightly regulated to ensure a prompt response to confirmed dangers, such as viruses or bacteria, and also to prevent the emergence of harmful autoimmune responses that can damage healthy tissues in the body.
Common mental disorders, unemployment and psychosocial job quality: Is a poor job better than no job at all?
Employment is usually associated with health benefits over unemployment. However, an article published in Psychological Medicine by a group of researchers from Australia and the UK has shown that having a job with poor psychosocial quality can be as bad for mental health as being unemployed.
Scientists identify potential drug target for inflammatory diseases including cancers
A*STAR scientists have identified the enzyme, telomerase, as a cause of chronic inflammation in human cancers. Chronic inflammation is now recognized as a key underlying cause for the development of many human cancers, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. This enzyme, which is known to be responsible for providing cancer cells the endless ability to divide, is now found to also jumpstart and maintain chronic inflammation in cancers.
How dangerous are energy drinks for young people?
(Medical Xpress)—News reports broke this week that since 2003, three Canadian teens have died from drinking energy drinks, and 35 others have suffered series side effects like amnesia and irregular heartbeat. Young people are increasingly turning to energy drinks to fuel study sessions, as well as coming to rely on them in everyday life. But according to a U of T caffeine expert, these kids are playing a dangerous game.
Re-Timer ready to reset sleep
(Medical Xpress)—Today saw the launch of Re-Timer, a wearable green light device invented by Flinders University sleep researchers to reset the body's internal clock.
Bed alarms not proven to prevent patient falls in hospitals, researchers say
(Medical Xpress)—Equipping hospital beds with alarms does not decrease patient falls and related injuries, according to University of Florida researchers and colleagues. The findings, published Nov. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, cast doubt on the merits of the widely touted alarms as a patient safety tool.
Adherence to HIV treatment significantly increases survival, researchers find
(Medical Xpress)—HIV-positive individuals who strictly adhere to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have a significantly lower probability of premature morbidity and mortality as compared to those with suboptimal compliance to HAART, according to a new study from the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE).
Boosting immune responses against leukaemia
(Medical Xpress)—In the first of its kind, a translational study undertaken at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research has revealed that boosting the activity of a rare type of immune cell could be an effective way to vaccinate patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) against their own cancer.
First big dengue fever outbreak in Europe since 1920s, EU reports
Europe is experiencing its first sustained transmission of dengue fever since the 1920s after an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease in Madeira, Portugal that has infected more than 1,300 people, an EU agency said.
Kidney tumors have a mind of their own
New research has found there are several different ways that kidney tumours can achieve the same result – namely, grow.
Drug resistance biomarker could improve cancer treatment
Cancer therapies often have short-lived benefits due to the emergence of genetic mutations that cause drug resistance. A key gene that determines resistance to a range of cancer drugs has been reported in a study published by Cell Press November 21st in the journal Cell. The study reveals a biomarker that can predict responses to cancer drugs and offers a strategy to treat drug-resistant tumors based on their genetic signature.
Daily steps add up for midlife women's health
Moving 6,000 or more steps a day—no matter how—adds up to a healthier life for midlife women. That level of physical activity decreases the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a diabetes precursor and a risk for cardiovascular disease), showed a study published online this month in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.
Pathway identified in human lymphoma points way to new blood cancer treatments
A pathway called the "Unfolded Protein Response," or UPR, a cell's way of responding to unfolded and misfolded proteins, helps tumor cells escape programmed cell death during the development of lymphoma.
Researchers offer simple, inexpensive way to improve healing after massive bone loss
Bones are resilient and heal well after most fractures. But in cases of traumatic injury, in which big pieces of bone are missing, healing is much more difficult, if not impossible. These so-called "large segmental defects" are a major clinical problem, and orthopaedic surgeons struggle to treat them, especially among the military in places like Afghanistan.
US abortions see biggest drop in a decade
U.S. abortions fell 5 percent during the Great Recession in the biggest one-year decrease in at least a decade, according to government figures released Wednesday.
Infant sleep positioners cause death, health officials say
Bolsters used to keep sleeping babies on their backs pose a suffocation hazard, health officials warned Wednesday after a recent death raised the 'sleep positioners' toll to at least 13 US infants.
Routine checkups don't cut cancer, heart deaths, study says
(HealthDay)—Routine checkups don't help reduce a patient's risk of dying from either heart disease or cancer, new Danish research suggests.
Just-approved flu vaccine uses newer production method
(HealthDay)—Flucelvax is the first seasonal flu vaccine to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration using a manufacturing method called cell culture technology, the agency said.
New surgical concept described for nasal tip recontouring
(HealthDay)—A series of cases have demonstrated how maneuvers typically reserved for the open rhinoplasty approach can be combined with minimally invasive endonasal rhinoplasty techniques for effective nasal tip recontouring, according to research published online Nov. 19 in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Successful pregnancy outcomes in women with cystic fibrosis
(HealthDay)—Women with cystic fibrosis (CF) can have successful pregnancies, according to research published online Nov. 12 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
OB/GYNs endorse over-the-counter birth control pills
(HealthDay)—Birth control pills are safe and should be sold over-the-counter without the need for a doctor's exam or prescription, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended Tuesday.
Teen smoking has fallen across most of U.S.
(HealthDay)—A significant decline in cigarette smoking took place among U.S. kids aged 12 to 17 between 2002 and 2010 in 41 states, according to a new federal government report.
Airport security X-rays may damage diabetes devices
(HealthDay)—Full body X-ray scanners and luggage X-rays may damage some insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, both used by many people with diabetes to manage their conditions.
A step forward in regenerating and repairing damaged nerve cells
A team of IRCM researchers, led by Dr. Frédéric Charron, recently uncovered a nerve cell's internal clock, used during embryonic development. The discovery was made in collaboration with Dr. Alyson Fournier's laboratory at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Published today in the prestigious scientific journal Neuron, this breakthrough could lead to the development of new tools to repair and regenerate nerve cells following injuries to the central nervous system.
First patients in US receive non-surgical device of sunken chest syndrome
Surgeons at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) have fitted a patient with a device that might eliminate the need for surgery in some patients with one of the world's most common chest deformities, pectus excavatum, often called sunken chest syndrome.
How does immune globulin therapy work? Now is the time to find out
Immune globulin replacement began decades ago as a treatment for patients who could not make their own protective antibodies, but has proven to have much broader benefits than originally expected. With new uses regularly being discovered for this limited and expensive resource, including as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, now is the time to discover exactly how intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) treatments work, and to engineer a protein that can provide similar benefits, writes Erwin Gelfand, MD, chair of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in the November 22, 2012, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Fetuses yawn in the womb, according to new research
The 4D scans of 15 healthy fetuses, by Durham and Lancaster Universities, also suggest that yawning is a developmental process which could potentially give doctors another index of a fetus' health.
MicroRNA makes triple-negative breast cancer homesick
Epithelial cells are homebodies – they like to attach to things and becoming detached initiates a form of cell suicide known as anoikis (literally "homeless" in Latin). But in order for cancer cells to metastasize they have to leave their homes and to survive while traveling they must resist anoikis – like a third-grader at sleep-away camp. Cancer cells do this by taking a page from the neuron playbook. Neurons are by nature unbound – they grow and link to each other and not to a substrate. Neurons have a protein called TrkB that allows them to survive anoikis; healthy epithelial cells don't have TrkB and so are susceptible to anoikis.
Study finds mammograms lead to unneeded treatment
Mammograms have done surprisingly little to catch deadly breast cancers before they spread, a big U.S. study finds. At the same time, more than a million women have been treated for cancers that never would have threatened their lives, researchers estimate.
Researchers propose a new approach to understanding common psychiactric treatments
(Medical Xpress)—Drugs for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia often require weeks to take full effect. "What takes so long?" has formed one of psychiatry's most stubborn mysteries. Now a fresh look at previous research on quite a different drug—nicotine—is providing answers. The new ideas may point the way toward new generations of psychiatric drugs that work faster and better.
Follow-up study finds lasting benefit from MDMA for people with PTSD
(Medical Xpress)—A research team made up of a group of private practitioners and medical experts has conducted a follow-up study of a trial of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) use in therapy sessions to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In describing their results in their paper published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the team says that 17 of 20 patients who participated in the original study reported positive results long term.
MicroRNAs can convert normal cells into cancer promoters
Unraveling the mechanism that ovarian cancer cells use to change normal cells around them into cells that promote tumor growth has identified several new targets for treatment of this deadly disease.
One cell does it all: Sensory input to motor output in one worm neuron
Caenorhabditis elegans, with just 302 neurons, has long been considered an ideal model system for the study of the nervous system. New research, however, is suggesting that the worms' "simple" nervous system may be much more complex than originally thought. In a new study of worm locomotion, researchers show that a single type of motor neuron harbors an entire sensorimotor loop.
Surprise origin for coronary arteries could speed advances in regenerative medicine
During embryonic development, the all-important coronary arteries arise from cells previously considered incapable of producing them, according to scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The research, carried out in mice and published today in the online edition of the journal Cell, may speed development of regenerative therapies for heart disease.
Brain waves encode rules for behavior
One of the biggest puzzles in neuroscience is how our brains encode thoughts, such as perceptions and memories, at the cellular level. Some evidence suggests that ensembles of neurons represent each unique piece of information, but no one knows just what these ensembles look like, or how they form.
Methylome modifications offer new measure of our 'biological' age
Women live longer than men. Individuals can appear or feel years younger – or older – than their chronological age. Diseases can affect our aging process. When it comes to biology, our clocks clearly tick differently.
Researchers uncover a crucial link between protein synthesis and autism spectrum disorders
Researchers from McGill University and the University of Montreal have identified a crucial link between protein synthesis and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which can bolster new therapeutic avenues. Regulation of protein synthesis, also termed mRNA translation, is the process by which cells manufacture proteins. This mechanism is involved in all aspects of cell and organism function. A new study in mice has found that abnormally high synthesis of a group of neuronal proteins called neuroligins results in symptoms similar to those diagnosed in ASD. The study also reveals that autism-like behaviors can be rectified in adult mice with compounds inhibiting protein synthesis, or with gene-therapy targeting neuroligins. Their results are published in the journal Nature.
Neural interaction in periods of silence
German neurophysiologists have developed a new method to study widespread networks of neurons responsible for our memory.
An antidote for hypersomnia
Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have discovered that dozens of adults with an elevated need for sleep have a substance in their cerebrospinal fluid that acts like a sleeping pill.
Biology news
Glimpses of paradise: Magnificent birds, striking science in Harvard affiliate's National Geographic project
For Tim Laman, mornings in the rain forest started early, before the night was truly done.
Study to boost lamb survival
A QUT and CSIRO researcher aims to find out whether a lack of the appetite hormone ghrelin is responsible for lambs not seeking their first vital feed.
Saving water without hurting peach production
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are helping peach growers make the most of dwindling water supplies in California's San Joaquin Valley.
When conservation goes genomics: Finding needles in a haystack
Studying the genetic variability of endangered species is becoming increasingly necessary for species conservation and monitoring. But, endangered species are difficult to observe and sample, and typically harbour very limited genetic diversity. Until now, the process of finding genetic markers was time consuming and quite expensive. These obstacles make the collection of genetic data from endangered animals a difficult task to fulfill.
Signaling receptor may provide a target for reducing virulence without antibiotics
For decades, microbiologists thought that bacteria act individually, unaware of their multitudinous counterparts involved in causing the same infection. In the past two decades, however, they have discovered that many species of bacteria 'communicate'. In fact, bacteria can signal to each other that their numbers are sufficient to launch a coordinated attack.
Researcher discovers 14 new beetle species
(Phys.org)—Along with being a beautiful tourist destination, Tahiti is also a good place to discover unknown insects.
Architecture of rod sensory cilium disrupted by mutation
Using a new technique called cryo-electron tomography, two research teams at Baylor College of Medicine have created a three-dimensional map that gives a better understanding of how the architecture of the rod sensory cilium (part of one type of photoreceptor in the eye) is changed by genetic mutation and how that affects its ability to transport proteins as part of the light-sensing process.
Stem cells develop best in 3-D
Scientists from The Danish Stem Cell Center (DanStem) at the University of Copenhagen are contributing important knowledge about how stem cells develop best into insulin-producing cells. In the long term this new knowledge can improve diabetes treatment with cell therapy. The results have just been published in the scientific journal Cell Reports.
Eating right key to survival of whales and dolphins
In the marine world, high-energy prey make for high-energy predators. And to survive, such marine predators need to sustain the right kind of high-energy diet. Not just any prey will do, suggests a new study by researchers from the University of British Columbia and University of La Rochelle, in France.
New strain of bird virus sweeps across Britain
A new strain of avian pox is taking its toll on garden birds in Britain, reports new research published this week in PLOS ONE.
Emperor penguins use sea ice to rest between long foraging periods
For the first time, researchers tracking the behavior of emperor penguins near the sea have identified the importance of sea ice for the penguins' feeding habits. The research, published November 21 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Shinichi Watanabe from Fukuyama University, Japan and colleagues, Japan describes emperor penguin foraging behavior through the birds' chick-rearing season.
Parrots imitate individuals when addressing them
Whether living with pirates or in the wild, parrots have exceptional abilities to mimic the sounds they hear. One species, the orange-fronted conure, may have evolved this ability in order to communicate with specific individuals in other flocks, according to research published November 21 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Thorsten Balsby from the University of Aarhus, Denmark and colleagues from the University of Copenhagen.
High-speed video and artificial flowers shed light on mysteries of hummingbird-pollinated flowers
How flowers have evolved particular colours, shapes and scents to attract pollinators has long fascinated ecologists. Now, using artificial flowers and high-speed video, researchers have gained intriguing insights into the intimate relationship between hummingbirds and the flowers they pollinate. The study, published in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology, is the first to measure how much energy hummingbirds use while hovering to feed from flowers of different orientation.
Wormholes from centuries-old art prints reveal the history of the 'worms'
By examining art printed from woodblocks spanning five centuries, Blair Hedges, a professor of biology at Penn State University, has identified the species responsible for making the ever-present wormholes in European printed art since the Renaissance. The hole-makers, two species of wood-boring beetles, are widely distributed today, but the "wormhole record," as Hedges calls it, reveals a different pattern in the past, where the two species met along a zone across central Europe like a battle line of two armies. The research, which is the first of its kind to use printed art as a "trace fossil" to precisely date species and to identify their locations, will be published in the journal Biology Letters on 21 November 2012.
Herbivore defence in ferns
(Phys.org)—Unlike flowering plants, bracken ferns do not release any odour signals to attract the enemies of their attackers for their own benefit.
RNA folding: A little cooperation goes a long way
(Phys.org)—The nucleic acid RNA is an essential part of the critical process by which the cells in our bodies manufacture proteins. But noncoding RNAs also exist whose sequences, while not converted into proteins, play important roles in many biological processes.
Novel archaea found in geothermal microbial mats
(Phys.org)—Our oldest national park may hold answers to questions about the activities of microbial communities that, in turn, may help in developing bioenergy technologies or safely storing carbon dioxide. Detailed analyses of metagenome assemblies have revealed a new archaeal phylum in microbial mats from Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hot springs.
Scientists define key events early in the process of cellular aging
For the first time, scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have defined key events that take place early in the process of cellular aging.
It takes two to tangle: Scientists further unravel telomere biology
Chromosomes - long, linear DNA molecules – are capped at their ends with special DNA structures called telomeres and an assortment of proteins, which together act as a protective sheath. Telomeres are maintained through the interactions between an enzyme, telomerase, and several accessory proteins. Researchers at The Wistar Institute have defined the structure of one of these critical proteins in yeast.
Small bats squeak at higher pitch to focus better, study reports
Small bats have to emit higher-pitched squeaks than their bigger cousins for their sonar navigation systems to work equally well, scientists said Wednesday.
Call that a ball? Dogs learn to associate words with objects differently than humans do
Dogs learning to associate words with objects form these associations in different ways than humans do, according to research published November 21 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Emile van der Zee and colleagues from the University of Lincoln, UK.
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