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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 17, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Hot electrons do the impossible in catalytic chemistry- Exploding star missing from formation of solar system
- How to get fossil fuels from ice cream and soap
- Nanofibers clean sulfur from fuel
- Assessing the effects of cell phone radiation on brain tissue
- Mind-controlled hand offers hope for the paralysed
- Flexing fingers for micro-robotics: Scientists create a powerful, microscale actuator
- Electron spin transport demonstrated for first time in an organic device
- New immune therapy treats brain tumors in mice
- How white dwarfs mimic black holes
- Researchers find new form of cell division
- To revert breast cancer cells, give them the squeeze
- Perceived stress may predict future risk of coronary heart disease
- Human role in climate change now virtually certain, leaked IPCC report says
- CMS, ATLAS experiments report Higgs-like particle close to the 7 sigma level
Space & Earth news
Image: Data from Venus
On Dec. 14, 1962, NASA's Mariner 2 spacecraft sailed close to the shrouded planet Venus, marking the first time any spacecraft had ever successfully made a close-up study of another planet. It flew by Venus as planned at a range of 34,762 km (21,600 miles), scanning the planet's atmosphere and surface for 42 minutes.
Texas Tech hurricane research team wraps up one season, prepares for next
(Phys.org)—It's the off-season for researchers at the Texas Tech University Wind Science and Engineering Research Center (WiSE). The team is now busy installing upgrades to its arsenal of StickNet probes, and reflecting on an historic Atlantic hurricane season.
ESA's powerful new tracking station ready for service
(Phys.org)—A new satellite tracking station at Malargüe, Argentina, will be formally inaugurated on Tuesday, completing the trio of deep-space stations and confirming ESA as one of the world's most technologically advanced space organisations.
Mini-obervatory now streaming data from Arctic waters
(Phys.org)—After a year and a half in development with the Government of Nunavut and the community of Cambridge Bay, a new mini-observatory is now streaming continuous data from the Arctic seafloor.
New online tool estimates carbon and energy impact of trees
A tree is more than just a landscape design feature. Planting trees on your property can lower energy costs and increase carbon storage, reducing your carbon footprint. A new online tool developed by the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)'s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and EcoLayers can help residential property owners estimate these tangible benefits.
Twin NASA spacecraft to plunge into lunar mountain
NASA's latest moon mission is about to meet its end.
Soyuz put in place for mission to space station
A Soyuz spacecraft atop a towering rocket was placed into launch position Monday at Russia's manned-space facility in the freezing, windswept steppes of Kazakhstan ahead of a five-month mission for three astronauts to the International Space Station.
Commercial space travel carries implications for health
(Phys.org)—Just a half-century after the first human ventured into space, commercial space travel—or "space tourism"—is quickly becoming a reality. A new UCSF study looks at the health implications of flying into outer space and suggests establishing health screening standards for private citizens who want to blast off.
Asteroid Toutatis slowly tumbles by earth
(Phys.org)—Scientists working with NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., have generated a series of radar data images of a three-mile-long (4.8-kilometer) asteroid that made its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 12, 2012.
Sometimes size does matter: 25 years with the largest wind tunnel in the world
(Phys.org)—California's Silicon Valley has become known for its ability to make things almost infinitely tiny. Unbeknownst to many, it is also home to a few huge structures, including the largest wind tunnel in the world.
Investigating ocean currents using uranium-236 from the 1960s
Stephan Winkler, isotope researcher at the University of Vienna, has identified the bomb-pulse of uranium-236 in corals from the Caribbean Sea for the first time. 236U was distributed world-wide in the period of atmospheric nuclear testing in the 1960s. Readily dissolved in seawater it is an ideal tool for investigating ocean currents.
New study predicts extreme climate in Eastern US
From extreme drought to super storms, many wonder what the future holds for the climate of the eastern United States. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, does away with the guessing.
Curiosity inspects 'shaler' outcrop on descent to Yellowknife Bay drill target—2D/3D
NASA's Curiosity rover is on the final steps of her descent into a geologist's paradise at an area called 'Yellowknife Bay'.
Farm soil determines environmental fate of phosphorous
Just 20 years ago, the soils of the Amazon basin were thought unsuitable for large-scale agriculture, but then industrial agriculture—and the ability to fertilize on a massive scale—came to the Amazon. What were once the poorest soils in the world now produce crops at a rate that rivals that of global breadbaskets. Soils no longer seem to be the driver—or the limiter—of agricultural productivity. But a new Brown University-led study of three soybean growing regions, including Brazil, finds that soils have taken on a new role: mediating the environmental consequences of modern farming.
First satellite detection of volcanogenic carbon monoxide
Measuring and tracking the gases that vent from an erupting volcano is a project wrought with potential dangers and difficulties. On the ground measurements place researchers in harm's way, as do airborne sampling surveys. These approaches may also suffer from issues around accurately representing the spatial and temporal shifts in gas emissions rates. As such, satellite-based remote sensing techniques are becoming a favorite way to assess the dispersion and concentrations of various volcanic gases. Devising a functional remote sensing scheme, however, depends on identifying a satellite sensor that can reliably identify the chemical species in question and pick the volcanic emissions out from the background concentrations. Such efforts have so far been successful for only a few volcanic gases: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide.
Following Phragmites home: Satellite data helps map the spread of an invasive reed
Phragmites australis, an invasive species of plant called common reed, grows rapidly into dense stands of tall plants that pose an extreme threat to Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Early treatment is the key to controlling Phragmites.
NASA sees dangerous category 4 Cyclone Evan lashing Fiji
Cyclone Evan is one of the strongest cyclones to affect Fiji in almost two decades, and NASA satellites are analyzing the storm and providing data on rainfall, cloud height, temperature data and more to forecasters.
A need to look again: TRMM satellite observations of Tropical Cyclone Evan
The radar on NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite had observed Tropical Cyclone Evan four times as of Sunday, Dec. 16, and two of those overflights merit a closer examination.
N. Korea satellite appears dead: scientist
A satellite launched with fanfare last week by a defiant North Korea appears to be dead as no signal can be detected, a US-based astrophysicist who monitors spaceflights said Monday.
Arctic town eyes future as Europe's gateway to space
Sweden's small Arctic town of Kiruna has a surprisingly international airport with regular flights to London and Tokyo, but it has even bigger plans: to offer commercial space flights.
Image: Hubble's 'smoky' shells
(Phys.org)—Located in a relatively vacant region of space about 4,200 light-years away and difficult to see using an amateur telescope, the lonesome planetary nebula NGC 7354 is often overlooked. However, thanks to this image captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope we are able to see this brilliant ball of "smoky" light in spectacular detail.
Scientists use fossils to discover the ancient equator
(Phys.org)—Researchers at Western University have discovered where the equator was "precisely located" 450 million years ago, which is an important breakthrough for paleontologists and planetary scientists, as well as private and public mineral resource companies. The findings have been published in the journal Geology and were highlighted in today's Editor's Choice section of Science. Jisuo Jin and Phil McCausland from Western's Department of Earth Sciences led an international research team that successfully traced a 6,000-kilometre stretch of fossils which proved the Ordovician equator ran through Northern Greenland, Manitoba (Canada), Utah and Nevada. The Ordovician geologic period, the second oldest of six of the Paleozoic Era, began 488.3 million years ago, following the Cambrian period, and ended 443.7 million years ago.
Corn in a changing climate: Adaptive ability of crops can reduce damages from warming weather
The past year has not been kind to corn. Though it has long been the nation's largest crop, the one-two punch of historic drought and record-high temperatures in July and August combined to damage U.S. corn crops, which fell by as much as 13 percent. Previous studies have suggested that weather-related damage is linked to climate change, and have warned that losses like those of the past year could become the norm by 2030. But the effects of weather and climate can differ because the latter can be adapted to more readily.
Environmental threat map highlights Great Lakes restoration challenges
A comprehensive map three years in the making is telling the story of humans' impact on the Great Lakes, identifying how "environmental stressors" stretching from Minnesota to Ontario are shaping the future of an ecosystem that contains 20 percent of the world's fresh water.
Human role in climate change now virtually certain, leaked IPCC report says
A leaked draft report by the world's top climate scientists has found that is virtually certain that humans are causing climate change but parts of it have been wildly misinterpreted by climate change deniers, experts said.
How white dwarfs mimic black holes
(Phys.org)—A remarkable observation by astronomers from the University of Southampton has been published in one of the world's foremost astrophysics research journals.
Plumes across the Pacific deliver thousands of microbial species to West Coast
Microorganisms—99 percent more kinds than had been reported in findings published just four months ago – are leaping the biggest gap on the planet. Hitching rides in the upper troposphere, they're making their way from Asia across the Pacific Ocean and landing in North America. For the first time researchers have been able to gather enough biomass in the form of DNA to apply molecular methods to samples from two large dust plumes originating in Asia in the spring of 2011. The scientists detected more than 2,100 unique species compared to only 18 found in the very same plumes using traditional methods of culturing, results they published in July.
Twin NASA spacecraft deliberately crash into moon
A pair of NASA spacecraft tumbled out of orbit around the moon and crashed back-to-back into the surface on Monday, ending a mission that peered into the lunar interior.
Exploding star missing from formation of solar system
(Phys.org)—A new study published by University of Chicago researchers challenges the notion that the force of an exploding star prompted the formation of the solar system.
Technology news
KPN shares fall after 4G deal prompts dividend cut
Shares in Dutch telecommunications company Royal KPN NV are falling sharply Monday over fears the company has once again paid too much in a 4G mobile auction.
Engineering solutions to real-world problems
A BlueVision Web Scraper that populates a database that tracks and evaluates press coverage. A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle that will race in next year's Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition. A small cell tower, called the IntraCell, that extends the range of cell service or provides service to areas without coverage.
A layer of cool, healthy air
Stratum ventilation systems have been touted as a much more energy efficient system for cooling buildings such as school rooms and offices in hotter climes based on the provisions of the recent ANSI/ASHRAE 55-2010. They may also reduce the risk of the spread of airborne diseases according to a study to be published early next year in the journal World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development.
Hulu revenue up to $695M; 3 million subscribers
(AP)—Online video service Hulu says revenue this year will grow about 65 percent to $695 million.
Hollywood hacker honed his skills for years
A Florida man is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for hacking into email accounts belonging to Christina Aguilera, Mila Kunis and Scarlett Johansson.
Nation needs marketing campaign to reduce vehicle fuel use, says new paper
(Phys.org)—A new paper from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy proposes a national marketing campaign to better inform consumers about measures that they can take to decrease fuel use, particularly during a rapid increase in fuel prices. A relatively modest publicity campaign could create substantial savings for consumers, the authors said.
Recreate the concert in the living room
Hear music of concert hall quality at any place in the room from a stereo recording. The device created by EPFL spin-off Illusonic creates an "acoustic space."
New big data survey shows potential for business
For the first time ever, a total 1.8 zettabytes of data were generated worldwide last year – and according to forecasts, the volume will continue to double every two years. So, one key question we can ask today is: How can we utilize these mountains of data better? A survey by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS is now shedding light on the topic of "big data". It reveals opportunities and challenges for business. To give companies some orientation concerning big data technologies and applications, the researchers develop an experimentation platform which will be shown at CeBIT fair 2013.
Elliott offers to buy Compuware for $2.35B (Update)
(AP)—Compuware shares jumped 17 percent Monday, after one of its largest shareholders offered to buy the software development company for about $2.35 billion in a bid to turn it around.
Sprint raises offer to buy Clearwire for $2.2B
Sprint, the third-largest U.S. cellphone company, said Monday that it will buy out the portion of wireless network operator Clearwire that it doesn't already own after raising its offer price to $2.2 billion.
Team announced major breakthrough in indoor positioning research
Cell phones are getting ever smarter today, savvy enough to tell you where to go and what to buy in shopping centers or department stores. Although still in nascent stages, indoor positioning and navigation using mobile phones will be arriving anytime soon.
Hollywood hacker sentenced to 10 years in prison
A federal judge on Monday sentenced a man who hacked into the personal online accounts of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and other women to 10 years in prison.
Morgan Stanley fined $5 mn over Facebook IPO
Morgan Stanley agreed Monday to pay a $5 million fine to settle charges that it improperly handled crucial information on Facebook's earnings ahead of the company's disastrous IPO.
Instagram to share data with Facebook
Smartphone photo sharing service Instagram on Monday refined its privacy policy to clear the way for sharing data with Facebook, which bought the company earlier this year.
US eyes Google antitrust settlement
US regulators are likely to conclude a lengthy antitrust probe of Google's dominance of Internet searches with a voluntary settlement, news reports said Monday.
Most US publications have mobile presence
Almost all major US newspapers and magazines have a mobile Web presence, and most of those without one will create one in the coming months, an industry survey showed Monday.
Nielsen taps Twitter for TV show buzz
Nielsen on Monday announced a deal to tap into Twitter to gauge how much online buzz is being generated by television shows instead of simply focusing on numbers of viewers for programs.
Computers write the books, to INSEAD prof's credit
(Phys.org)—English majors might warm to the question of what they want to be when they graduate. Author? OK. Writer? Fine. Master Compiler? Hmm. "Master Compiler" is not a familiar career path to English majors, but it might describe the unique work of INSEAD professor Philip M. Parker. He has a patented system for algorithmically compiling data into book form. He has brought the automatically generated books into the mainstream with Amazon listing over 100,000 books attributed to Parker, and over 700,000 works listed for his company, ICON Group International. According to reports, a separate entity, EdgeMaven Media, in addition, provides applications for businesses to create their own computer made content. The organizations pay for this service to compile data for their reports.
Explained: Graphs
When most people hear the word "graph," an image springs to mind: a pair of perpendicular lines overlaid with a line, a curve, or bars of different heights.
New research could offer better cell reception at lower cost
(Phys.org)—Have you ever been in the middle of an important phone call when suddenly the line goes dead for no apparent reason? Dropped cell phone calls are irritating and far too common. Researchers at Arizona State University are using advanced materials to help us stay connected – literally.
PhD student creates AI machine that can write video games
(Phys.org)—Micheal Cook, a PhD researcher in the Computational Creativity Group at Imperial College in Britain, along with colleagues, has released a video game that was written in part by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) "machine." The video game, called "A Puzzling Present" is the latest co-developed by an AI machine named Angelina.
IBM reveals five innovations that will change our lives within five years
Today IBM unveiled the seventh annual "IBM 5 in 5" (#ibm5in5) – a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and interact during the next five years.
Canadian says he unraveled WWII pigeon code
(Phys.org)—British intelligence officials were baffled last month by a secret World War II message which a man had discovered on the leg of a dead pigeon when renovating his chimney in Surrey, England. He had found pigeon parts including a leg to which was attached a paper of character-string code, in the form of 27 handwritten blocks. Now they are being told by a Canadian researcher that they can stop scratching their heads. He said he has figured out most of it. What he was unable to crack was possibly parts deliberately planted to dupe the German enemies if they got hold of the note.
Medicine & Health news
Impact of caring for adult child with disability studied
(Medical Xpress)—Caring for an adult child with developmental disabilities or mental illness increased by 38 percent the chances that an aging parent would develop disabilities of their own, according to findings of a new study led by Dr. Subharati Ghosh, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
Counting Christmas calories? No need to panic!
At this time of year newspaper articles will warn of over-indulgence on Christmas day. Experts from the University of Birmingham School of Sport and Exercise Sciences say there is too much focus on the calories consumed during just this one day of the year.
ASU bioengineer makes key contribution to cancer treatment research
Michael Caplan shares authorship of a paper on cancer treatment research published this week in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
Philippines OKs divisive contraceptives bill
Philippine legislators passed a landmark bill Monday that would provide government funding for contraceptives and sexuality classes in schools despite strong opposition by the dominant Roman Catholic Church and its followers, some of whom threatened to ask the Supreme Court to block the legislation.
Thousands in Spain protest health privatization
(AP)—Several thousand Spanish public health workers and other people marched from four main hospitals in Madrid to converge on a main square in the capital Sunday, protesting the regional government's plans to restructure and part-privatize the sector.
Surviving sepsis with LECT2
Failure to launch an adequate immune response may be at the root of septic shock, according to a study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine on December 17th.
Harnessing the ID in glioma
Gliomas are the most common form of brain tumor. They are highly aggressive and effective treatments are not currently available. The tumors contain glioma initiating cells (GICs), a population that is highly similar to neural stem cells. GICs drive tumor progression and must stay in a particular extracellular niche in order to maintain their cancer-promoting, stem cell-like characteristics.
New guidelines can improve treatment for severe heart attack patients
New streamlined guidelines will help healthcare providers better treat patients with the most severe type of heart attacks, according to an American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology statement.
Resident fatigue, stress trigger motor vehicle incidents, poll finds
(Medical Xpress)—It appears that long, arduous hours in the hospital are causing more than stress and fatigue among doctors-in-training—they're crashing, or nearly crashing, their cars after work, according to new Mayo Clinic research. Nearly half of the roughly 300 Mayo Clinic residents polled during the course of their residencies reported nearly getting into a motor vehicle crash during their training, and about 11 percent were actually involved in a traffic accident.
CNIO researchers develop new databases for understanding the human genome
Scientists from the Structural Computational Biology Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), led by Alfonso Valencia, together with French and American researchers, have published recently two articles in the journal Nucleic Acid Research (NAR) that introduce two new databases for studying the human genome.
ACP urges Congress to 'create solution to endless cycle of medical physician payment cuts'
The American College of Physicians (ACP) today urged Congress to pass legislation that will "create a permanent solution to the endless cycle of Medicare physician payment cuts." Three-page letters were sent to U.S. House and Senate leaders emphasizing that "there is no plausible route to entitlement reform that does not include full repeal of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula."
People with HIV hospitalized less often since combination antiretroviral drug therapy introduced
People with HIV are being hospitalized in Ontario significantly less often than they were 15 years ago when combination antiretroviral drug therapy (cART) was introduced, new research has found.
Worries about dementia: How hospitalization affects the elderly
Older people often worry about dementia and while some risks are known, for example alcoholism or stroke, the effects of illness are less clear. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care looks at illness requiring hospitalization and treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) and finds that infection or severe sepsis, neurological dysfunction, such as delirium, or acute dialysis are all independently associated with an increased risk of a subsequent diagnosis of dementia.
Flaw in Alzheimer's drug trial test
New research led by Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry suggests that the cognitive test used in Alzheimer's drug trials is flawed.
Snack attack: Eating unhealthy snack foods may affect cancer risk in patients with Lynch syndrome
A new analysis has found that loading up on snack foods may increase cancer risk in individuals with an inborn susceptibility to colorectal and other cancers. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that an eating pattern low in snack foods could help these individuals—who have a condition called Lynch syndrome—lower their risk.
Why are kids in asthma hotspots in NYC more likely to visit the ER? Exercise may be a factor
Asthmatic children in New York City neighborhoods with high rates of asthma make many more visits to the emergency room (ER) than those who live in other parts of the city. While socioeconomic factors such as lack of adequate preventive care are part of the equation (high-asthma neighborhoods tend to be lower income), new research points to a possible biological basis for the disparity. Asthmatic children living in asthma hotspots were twice as likely to experience a common symptom known as exercise-induced wheeze than were those in neighborhoods with lower asthma rates.
UCSF child-trauma expert offers advice on how to talk to kids
(Medical Xpress)—Following the tragic shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut, UCSF child-trauma expert Patricia Van Horn, JD, PhD, says parents should be honest with their children about what happened.
Tips to help kids cope following tragic news events
(Medical Xpress)—The mass-shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn., raises many questions: How do you talk to your children about such a horrendous event? Is there an age that's too early to have this discussion?
Brain imaging identifies bipolar risk
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the Black Dog Institute and University of NSW have used brain imaging technology to show that young people with a known genetic risk of bipolar but no clinical signs of the condition have clear and quantifiable differences in brain activity when compared to controls.
Malaria progress falters, WHO goals unrealistic
(AP)—The fight against malaria is slowing down amid a dramatic drop in efforts to reverse the epidemic, even as health officials insist they will try to meet their idealistic target of virtually eliminating deaths from the parasitic illness by the end of 2015.
Rationing soft drink sizes: A good public health move
New York City's limit of a maximum 16-ounce size of sugar-sweetened drinks for sale in eating establishments is a positive public health move and should be replicated in Canada, argues an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Physicians should not prescribe ADD drugs to healthy people
Physicians in Canada should consider refusing to prescribe cognitive enhancement medications—also used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD)—to healthy patients, states an analysis article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Lack of evidence for benefits and possibility of harm, limited health care resources and professional integrity of physicians are reasons why this use is not acceptable.
Hair care issues contribute to exercise barriers for African-American women
Hair care and maintenance issues are primary factors that deter African-American women from exercising, a major health concern for a group that has the highest rates of overweight or obesity in the country.
Rare, lethal childhood disease tracked to failure to degrade nerve cells' filaments
For the first time, a defective protein that plays a specific role in degrading intermediate filaments (IF), one of three classes of filaments that form the structure of nerve cells, has been discovered by an international team of researchers.
Changes in progenitor cell population in breast may be overlooked factor in breast cancer
The DNA mutations that accumulate over time as women age are not the sole contributor to the higher frequency of breast cancer in women over 50, Mark LaBarge, PhD, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) reported on Dec. 17 in a presentation at the American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Neurons die in Alzheimer's because of faulty cell cycle control before plaques and tangles appear
The two infamous proteins, amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau, that characterize advanced Alzheimer's disease (AD), start healthy neurons on the road to cell death long before the appearance of the deadly plaques and tangles by working together to reactivate the supposedly blocked cell cycle in brain cells, according to research presented on Dec. 17 at the American Society for Cell Biology's Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Alzheimer's-plagued Colombia region is focus of drug trial
The unusually high incidence of early-onset Alzheimer's disease in this isolated cattle town has thrust it to the forefront of global efforts to find a cure for the debilitating malady.
Cold and flu myths and facts
Nobody wants the common cold as a guest, but the upper respiratory infection keeps knocking at the door, never more frequently than during the winter holiday season.
Secondhand smoke affects most apartment residents
Nearly 29 million Americans who say they don't smoke in their apartments may still be exposed to secondhand smoke that wafts in from elsewhere in the building, federal researchers report Friday.
Cases of whooping cough in US highest in decades
Pertussis is at its highest level nationally in a half-century. But cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, often decline in late fall into early winter.
Despite success, demand low for hand transplants
A year after a young amputee left the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with transplanted hands and forearms, the lead surgeon calls her progress "nothing less than spectacular."
PR+ cells add prognostic value in luminal A breast cancer
(HealthDay)—Semiquantitative immunohistochemical expression of progesterone receptor-positive tumor cells improves prediction of survival within luminal A breast cancers, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Keep tots' milk to two cups a day, study says
(HealthDay)—Drinking two cups of milk a day gives toddlers adequate amounts of vitamin D without lowering their iron levels, according to new research.
Banning vaccine preservative would hurt kids in poor nations, experts say
(HealthDay)—A United Nations proposal to ban the vaccine preservative thimerosal—which contains a form of mercury—should not go through, says a leading group of U.S. pediatricians.
Making sense out of the senseless: Psychologist discusses the mental health of mass killers
Understanding the mindset of mass murderers, especially in the wake of last week's Newtown, Conn., tragedy in which 20 children lost their lives, can seem nearly impossible.
Study unravels biological pathway that controls the leakiness of blood vessels
(Medical Xpress)—A research team led by scientists at Mayo Clinic in Florida have decoded the entire pathway that regulates leakiness of blood vessels—a condition that promotes a wide number of disorders, such as heart disease, cancer growth and spread, inflammation and respiratory distress.
Telestroke networks can be cost-effective for hospitals, good for patients
Telestroke networks that enable the remote and rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke can improve the bottom line of patients and hospitals, researchers report.
Food insecurity predicts mental health problems in adolescents
A study published in the December 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that adolescents who experienced food insecurity in the past year have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than adolescents whose families have reliable access to food.
A genetic defect in sex cells may predispose to childhood leukemia
Researchers at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center and the University of Montreal have found a possible heredity mechanism that predisposes children to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common type of blood cancer in children. According to their findings published in Genome Research, the presence of a genetic defect in the egg or sperm from which children having ALL arise may be a prerequisite for the disease to develop. A significant number of children with ALL are thought to inherit a rare PRDM9 gene variant responsible for the abnormal sex cells–a gene variant that puts their own children at risk of having ALL-predisposed offspring.
Study estimates prevalence of pediatric caustic ingestion injuries
The annual economic burden of pediatric caustic ingestion injuries was estimated at nearly $23 million with an estimated prevalence of injuries requiring hospitalization for 807 children in 2009, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, a JAMA Network publication.
Radio waves to kidneys lower persistent high blood pressure
Directing short bursts of radio waves at nerves surrounding the kidneys lowered blood pressure for at least six months and up to one year among patients with hypertension that persists regardless of taking multiple medications to control it, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation.
Inpatient bariatric procedures for adolescents appear to have plateaued since 2003
Inpatient bariatric procedures among adolescents appear to have plateaued since 2003 to about 1,000 procedures annually, and the preferred type of operation has changed to minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures from open procedures, according to a study published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.
Study examines risk reduction and screening for ovarian cancer among women following BRCA testing
Following BRCA testing, many women who are non-BRCA carriers undergo risk-reducing procedures and additional ovarian cancer screenings, despite limited data to determine the effectiveness of these interventions among the general population, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.
Improving the development of new cancer models using an advanced biomedical imaging method
Scientists at the University of Arizona Cancer Center and the Moffitt Cancer Center, led by Dr. Robert Gillies, have demonstrated that an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method can non-invasively evaluate the cellular proliferation of tumor models of breast cancer. This quantitative imaging method evaluates the diffusion of water in tumor tissue, which correlates with the growth rates of the tumor models. The results, which appear in the November 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, can contribute to the development of new tumor models for cancer research.
Mental health lags behind global health and lifespan improvements
A leading international expert on autism at the University of Leicester has been involved in contributing to a major new study of global health.
Study unmasks regulator of healthy life span
A new series of studies in mouse models by Mayo Clinic researchers uncovered that the aging process is characterized by high rates of whole-chromosome losses and gains in various organs, including heart, muscle, kidney and eye, and demonstrate that reducing these rates slows age-related tissue deterioration and promotes a healthier life span. The findings appear in today's online issue of Nature Cell Biology.
PRT versus IMRT toxicity in Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer
There is no difference between proton radiotherapy (PRT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) when comparing the toxicity among Medicare beneficiary patients with prostate cancer at 12 months post-treatment according to a study published December 14 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers discover new molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have identified a molecule linked to more aggressive forms of breast cancer – a discovery that could point the way to potential cures.
What soccer can teach health researchers
(Edmonton) Make no mistake, Alex Clark and Lionel Messi were not separated at birth.
Who likes bling? The answer relates to social status
(Medical Xpress)—A desire for expensive, high-status goods is related to feelings of social status - which helps explain why minorities are attracted to bling, a new study suggests.
Speaking skills crucial for hearing impaired children in the classroom
Current special education laws are geared towards integrating special-needs children into the general classroom environment from a young age, starting as early as preschool. Prof. Tova Most of Tel Aviv University's Jaime and Joan Constantiner School of Education and the Department of Communications Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions says that these laws present a unique set of challenges for children with hearing loss, and that a sense of isolation may inhibit a successful education.
Combo-snacks of cheese and vegetables cut kids calories
Want your children to be healthier snackers? A new Cornell study finds that serving children combined snacks of vegetables and cheese led them to eat 72 percent fewer calories—and be just as satisfied as those who were served only potato chips.
Study offers insights into role of muscle weakness in Down syndrome
It is well known that people with Down syndrome (DS) suffer from marked muscle weakness. Even the simple tasks of independent living, such as getting out of a chair or climbing a flight of stairs, can become major obstacles. This can reduce the quality of life for those with DS and lead to a loss of independence. Now, a new study sheds light on some of the suspected causes of muscle weakness.
Chances seen rising for chikungunya outbreaks in NYC, Atlanta, Miami
Global travel and climate warming could be creating the right conditions for outbreaks of a new virus in this country, according to a new Cornell University computer model.
Researchers identify role for protein linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have taken another step toward better understanding the metabolic functions of obesity and its connection to type 2 diabetes.
Chronic worriers at higher risk for PTSD
People who worry constantly are at greater risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to new Michigan State University research published in the journal Psychological Medicine.
Can instilling racial pride in black teens lead to better educational outcomes?
African American adolescents tend to have more success in school if their parents instill in them a sense of racial pride, reducing their vulnerability to the effects of racial discrimination from teachers and peers.
Team to study drug-resistant malaria in Myanmar
University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have launched groundbreaking research into the spread of potentially deadly drug-resistant malaria in the developing Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar, also known as Burma. The scientists, working as part of a large international team coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), have identified several promising genetic markers that could be used to develop tests to identify and track the spread of the newest type of drug-resistant malaria in Southeast Asia, including Myanmar. The scientists describe these new candidate markers in an article published online Dec. 17 in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Additionally, two new National Institutes of Health awards to the University of Maryland School of Medicine are some of the first U.S. federal funds to support the study of malaria in Myanmar. Myanmar, long an isolated sovereign state, ended military rule last year and is gradu! ally opening its doors to the rest of the world. In November, President Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country.
Canada getting out of medical marijuana business
Canada's Conservative government will soon stop producing and distributing medical marijuana, leaving it up to the private sector in a policy change that angered critics on Monday.
Study uncovers mechanism used by BRCA1 to suppress tumors
A new study by Georgetown University Medical Center researchers reveals how a well-known tumor suppressor gene may be functioning to stop cancer cell growth.
Greed, not generosity, more likely to be 'paid forward'
Paying it forward - a popular expression for extending generosity to others after someone has been generous to you - is a heartwarming concept, but it is less common than repaying greed with greed, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Rice opens new window on Parkinson's disease
(Medical Xpress)—Rice University scientists have discovered a new way to look inside living cells and see the insoluble fibrillar deposits associated with Parkinson's disease.
Scientists developing quick way to ID people exposed to ionizing radiation
(Medical Xpress)—There's a reason emergency personnel train for the aftermath of a dirty bomb or an explosion at a nuclear power plant. They'll be faced with a deluge of urgent tasks, such as identifying who's been irradiated, who has an injury-induced infection, and who's suffering from both.
Scientists discover gene linked to breast and ovarian cancer
(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers led by the Institute of Cancer Research, London, have found that rare mutations in a gene called PPM1D are linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The mutations are not inherited, and the discovery potentially reveals a new mechanism of cancer development.
To revert breast cancer cells, give them the squeeze
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have put the squeeze—literally—on malignant mammary cells to guide them back into a normal growth pattern.
Genetic manipulation of urate alters neurodegeneration in mouse model of Parkinson's disease
A study by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers adds further support to the possibility that increasing levels of the antioxidant urate may protect against Parkinson's disease. In their report published in PNAS Early Edition, the investigators report that mice with a genetic mutation increasing urate levels were protected against the kind of neurodegeneration that underlies Parkinson's disease, while the damage was worse in animals with abnormally low urate.
Autoimmune disease—retraining white blood cells
Symptoms of an autoimmune disease disappeared after a team of scientists retrained the white blood cells. This method is extremely promising for treating diseases such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Perceived stress may predict future risk of coronary heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—Are you stressed? Results of a new meta-analysis of six studies involving nearly 120,000 people indicate that the answer to that question may help predict one's risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) or death from CHD. The study, led by Columbia University Medical Center researchers, was published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
Hybrid tunnel may help guide severed nerves back to health
Building a tunnel made up of both hard and soft materials to guide the reconnection of severed nerve endings may be the first step toward helping patients who have suffered extensive nerve trauma regain feeling and movement, according to a team of biomedical engineers.
Mind-controlled hand offers hope for the paralysed
Pentagon-backed scientists on Monday announced they had created a robot hand that was the most advanced brain-controlled prosthetic limb ever made.
New immune therapy treats brain tumors in mice
Using an artificial protein that stimulates the body's natural immune system to fight cancer, a research team at Duke Medicine has engineered a lethal weapon that kills brain tumors in mice while sparing other tissue. If it can be shown to work in humans, it would overcome a major obstacle that has hampered the effectiveness of immune-based therapies.
Assessing the effects of cell phone radiation on brain tissue
Researchers have found a novel, non-invasive technique for measuring brain hot spots caused by electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones, according to a study published today.
Biology news
Bird poo study to help Great Bustards thrive
Move over Gillan McKeith – scientists at the University of Bath are studying the droppings of Great Bustards to help understand their diet and nutrition with the aim of boosting their survival in a conservation project to reintroduce the birds to the UK.
Pest specialists find spotted wing drosophila problematic in state
University of Maine Cooperative Extension pest management specialists tracking the invasion of the crop-damaging spotted wing drosophila fruit fly in Maine report that trapping results and surveys indicate that the pest has already become established and problematic in most of the state.
New cell-based system can screen drug candidates for cardiac toxicity long before they leave lab
A new stem cell-derived system for screening experimental drugs for cardiotoxicity could identify dangerous side effects early in the development process, thereby potentially saving time, lives and money, according to Evan F. Cromwell, PhD, of Molecular Devices, LLC, Sunnyvale, CA, in a presentation at the American Society for Cell Biology's Annual Meeting, Dec 17 in San Francisco.
Boreal bird species of conservation concern affected by climate change
A protected area network should ensure the maintenance of biodiversity, but climate is changing rapidly, thereby creating further demand for the protected area network to be efficient in preserving biota. Due to climate change species ranges are expected to move polewards, which poses challenges to the protected area network.
'Mind the gap!' How well does Natura 2000 cover species of European interest?
The designation of Natura 2000 sites has been based on species and habitats listed in the Annexes of the Habitats and Birds Directive. The effectiveness of the selection process and the resulting Natura 2000 network has often been questioned as each country made its designations largely independently and in most cases without considering the theories of optimal reserve site selection.
Arming US troops with insect-protective gear
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) have joined forces to create effective barriers and gear that help shield deployed soldiers from disease-causing insects.
Re-engineered optogenetic switches allow direct measurement of complex cellular systems
A Harvard University chemical biology lab has re-engineered optogenetic switches, photosensitive proteins called rhodopsins inserted into mammalian cells to control electrical firing, so that the switches run backward, firing off bursts of fluorescent light that reveal newly detailed patterns of electrical activity in neural networks, beating cardiac cells and developing embryos, according to a Dec. 17 presentation at the American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Immune cells use tethered slings to avoid being swept away
Neutrophils, critical components of the immune system's response to bacteria and other pathogens, throw out tube-like tethers that act as anchor points, controlling their speed as they roll along the walls of blood vessels during extremely fast blood flow en route to an infection site, according to research presented on Dec. 17 at the American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Fitting 'smart' mobile phone with magnifying optics creates 'real' cell phone
By fitting a "smart" mobile phone with magnifying optics, bioengineers at the University of California, Berkeley created a real "cell" phone, a diagnostic-quality microscope that can be used by clinics in developing countries and inside—and outside—American biology classrooms, according to Eva M. Schmid, PhD, who described the development of CellScope at the American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec. 17, in San Francisco.
Damaged coral colonies can take years to recover their reproductive prowess
Coral colonies that suffered tissue damage in The Bahamas were still producing low numbers of eggs four years after the injuries occurred, according to new research by University at Buffalo scientists. Tiny sperm-producing factories called spermaries were also in short supply.
Reproduction and life span are intertwined
The gonad is well known to be important for reproduction but also affects animal life span. Removal of germ cells – the sperm and egg producing cells – increases longevity of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms were a mystery. Now scientists at the Cologne-based Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, have discovered that germ cell removal flips a "molecular switch" that extends the life span by using components of a "developmental clock".
Achilles' heel of pathogenic bacteria discovered
Multidrug-resistant bacteria remain a major concern for hospitals and nursing homes worldwide. Propagation of bacterial resistance is alarming and makes the search for new antimicrobials increasingly urgent. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen have now identified a potential new target to fight bacteria: the factor EF-P. EF-P plays a crucial role in the production of proteins that are essential for the virulence of EHEC or salmonellae. The researchers' findings suggest that drugs blocking EF-P would impair the fitness of pathogenic bacteria and might lead to a new generation of specific antibiotics that allow to combat infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens.
New menhaden study will help identify balance between fishing and preserving Bay forage fish
Millions of tiny Atlantic menhaden swim in the Chesapeake Bay and are the favorite menu item of prized rockfish. They are also the heart of a major fish oil industry on the East Coast. However, their numbers have been declining.
Dust-plumes power intercontinental microbial migrations
Along with pollutants from Asia, transpacific dust plumes deliver vast quantities of microbes to North America, according to a manuscript published online ahead of print in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Researchers uncover two reprogramming stages in the development of gametes
(Phys.org)—A research team from the University of California has identified two reprogramming events that occur during the development of oocytes and sperm leading to the formation of gametes in humans. In studying aborted human fetuses, the researchers, as they describe in their paper published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, found they were able to isolate oocytes and sperm and then to follow their development into gametes.
Researchers find new form of cell division
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center have discovered a new form of cell division in human cells.
Whole-genome sequence of the fruit fly Drosophila mauritiana
In the twentieth century the sequencing of an entire genome of a higher (eukaryotic) organism was a truly exceptional event – by the end of the year 2000, only four such sequences were available. Since then, technological advances have put whole-genome sequencing within the reach of many more groups and new sequences have appeared at regular intervals. Viola Nolte in the group of Christian Schlötterer at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has just published the first whole-genome sequence of a eukaryote to be determined at this university. The results are published in the current issue of the journal Genome Research and reveal intriguing details about the evolution of the species.
Scientists decode three bacterial strains common to grapevines and sugarcane
Scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology have published the whole genome sequence of bacteria associated with Jamaican sugarcane and Riesling grapevines in the September and November issues of the Journal of Bacteriology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology.
Plant sniffs out danger to prepare defenses against pesky insect
A plant may start to prime its defenses as soon as it gets a whiff of a male fly searching for a mate, according to Penn State entomologists. Once tall goldenrod plants smell a sex attractant emitted by true fruit fly males, they appear to prepare chemical defenses that make them less appealing to female flies that could damage the plants by depositing eggs on them, the researchers said.
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