Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 6, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Physicists extend entanglement in Einstein experiment- Disappearing light: Precision measurement of an atomic transition
- Research team discovers new way to make near perfect light absorber
- Nanostructures triple organic solar cells efficiency
- CyPhy Works takes wraps off long-endurance UAVs (w/ video)
- Flexible silicon solar-cell fabrics may soon become possible
- Neuroscientists prove ultrasound can be tweaked to stimulate different sensations
- His and hers: Male hormones control differences in mammary gland nerve growth
- Drought in the Horn of Africa delays migrating birds
- Gene network illuminates stress, mutation and adaptation responses
- Insect-eating bat outperforms nectar specialist as pollinator of cactus flowers
- Researchers turn harmful greenhouse gas into a tool for making pharmaceuticals
- Deception can be perfected
- Researchers create world's smallest reaction chamber
- Moths wired two ways to take advantage of floral potluck
Space & Earth news
Reality of rising sea levels: Professor urges urban planning at national level
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, how will our urban coastal areas deal with the challenge of rising sea levels? And how do we even begin to think about where to start?
Scientists develop prediction tools to model impact of policies aimed at reducing our ecological footprint
Scientists keep producing increasingly complex modelling tools to evaluate urgently needed mitigating strategies of our carbon footprint. However, it is policy makers who have to decide on measures to curb our CO2 emissions. Therefore the science of carbon emissions needs to be translated into useful information to serve their needs.
Poor countries demand action at UN climate talks (Update)
(AP)—As disputes intensify at the already-bogged down United Nations climate negotiations, the Philippines on Thursday called for urgent action to halt global warming, citing its own experience with a deadly typhoon as a nightmare scenario countries may face more frequently if climate change is left unchecked.
Climate—the hot topic in Doha
ESA joined international delegates in Doha, Qatar, to discuss how satellite observations show our planet's most sensitive areas reacting to climate change – and how this information is useful to the people living there.
EU carbon capture projects lost: MEP
All European projects this year for the capture and storage of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, have fallen through, EU sources said Thursday.
Scientists say NASA's budget inadequate for its goals
NASA suffers from a "mismatch" between its goals and the budget it has been given to achieve them, according to a panel that said the US space agency may need a complete overhaul.
In spite of wet start, Northeast sees second driest November in more than a century
(Phys.org)—Even though Hurricane Sandy helped create wet start to the month for several states, November 2012 went into the record books as the second-driest November since 1895 in the Northeast. With an average of 1.04 inches or precipitation, the region received only 27 percent of its normal level.
Heliophysics nugget: Sungrazing comets as solar probes
(Phys.org)—Heliophysics nuggets are a collection of early science results, new research techniques and instrument updates that further our attempt to understand the sun and the dynamic space weather system that surrounds Earth.
Detecting tunnels using seismic waves not as simple as it sounds
You'd think it would be easy to use seismic waves to find tunnels dug by smugglers of drugs, weapons or people. You'd be wrong.
Arctic becoming warmer, greener region with record losses of summer sea ice and late spring snow
The Arctic region continued to break records in 2012—among them the loss of summer sea ice, spring snow cover, and melting of the Greenland ice sheet. This was true even though air temperatures in the Arctic were unremarkable relative to the last decade, according to a new report released today.
How cold will a winter be in two years? Climate models still struggle with medium- term climate forecasts
How well are the most important climate models able to predict the weather conditions for the coming year or even the next decade? The Potsdam scientists Dr. Dörthe Handorf and Prof. Dr. Klaus Dethloff from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association (AWI) have evaluated 23 climate models and published their results in the current issue of the international scientific journal Tellus A. Their conclusion: there is still a long way to go before reliable regional predictions can be made on seasonal to decadal time scales. None of the models evaluated is able today to forecast the weather-determining patterns of high and low pressure areas such that the probability of a cold winter or a dry summer can be reliably predicted.
Pulverized rocks used to strip CO2 from large emitting plants
Researchers in Quebec are developing a process that would see steel, coal and cement plants as well as oil and gas facilities remove most of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from their emissions through chemical reactions with various types of crushed rocks in the stacks.
Fermi improves its vision for thunderstorm Gamma-ray flashes
(Phys.org)—Thanks to improved data analysis techniques and a new operating mode, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) aboard NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is now 10 times better at catching the brief outbursts of high-energy light mysteriously produced above thunderstorms.
To the moon? Firm hopes to sell $1.5 billion trips (Update)
A team of former NASA executives is launching a private venture to send people to the moon for a price that is definitely out of this world.
NASA compiles Typhoon Bopha's Philippines Rainfall totals from space
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, or TRMM satellite can estimate rainfall rates from its orbit in space, and its data is also used to compile estimated rainfall totals. NASA just released an image showing those rainfall totals over the Philippines, where severe flooding killed several hundred people. Bopha is now a tropical storm in the South China Sea.
US: NKorea launch intended to show missile tech
(AP)—North Korea's plan to fire a satellite into space is really intended to show the world its capability to build missiles, a top U.S. commander said Thursday, as Pyongyang readied the launch of its long-range rocket and the U.S. moved extra ships toward the region.
Apollo's lunar dust data being restored
Forty years after the last Apollo spacecraft launched, the science from those missions continues to shape our view of the moon. In one of the latest developments, readings from the Apollo 14 and 15 dust detectors have been restored by scientists with the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Alaska reclaims missing moon rocks since 1973
(AP)—Alaska's moon rocks from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission are back in the 49th state.
Charitum Montes: A cratered winter wonderland
(Phys.org)—The high-resolution stereo camera on ESA's Mars Express imaged the Charitum Montes region of the Red Planet on 18 June, near to Gale crater and the Argyre basin featured in our October and November image releases.
The Bubble Nebula, observed with the new One Degree Imager Camera
(Phys.org)—Just in time for the holidays, a spectacular image of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) demonstrates the potential of the new camera known as the One Degree Imager, or ODI, that is being commissioned at the WIYN 3.5-meter telescope on Kitt Peak. The Bubble Nebula is a shell of gas and dust carved out by the stellar wind of the massive central star (BD+60 2522), and ionized by the same star's high-energy light. Located in the constellation Cassiopeia, this nebula is about 10 light-years across.
Van Allen Probes reveal new dynamics of radiation belts
(Phys.org)—Just 96 days since their launch, NASA's twin Van Allen Probes have already provided new insights into the structure and behavior of the radiation belts that surround Earth, giving scientists a clearer understanding about the fundamental physical properties of these regions more than half a century after their discovery.
Kicksat: Crowd-funded, DIY spacecraft to float into low-Earth orbit
(Phys.org)—It'll look like hundreds of postage stamps fluttering toward Earth—each an independent satellite transmitting a signal unique to the person who helped send it to space.
Researchers find a common angle and tipping point of branching valley networks
Over the course of decades or even centuries, Earth's landscape can appear relatively static, with mountains and valleys seemingly anchored firmly in place. Viewed over a longer timescale, however—on the order of hundreds of thousands of years—the Earth's topography becomes a rippling, shifting, changing tableau.
Analysis of ancient raindrop pits offers clues about early Earth atmosphere
(Phys.org)—Researchers from NASA's Ames Research Center have presented their findings regarding the study of raindrop imprints left behind in volcanic ash approximately 2.7 billion years ago, at the American Geophysical Union annual meeting in San Francisco. By studying the crater size of the drops left behind, the researchers reported that they have been able to estimate the density of the atmosphere at the time the drops fell.
Hubble sees a galaxy hit a bullseye
(Phys.org)—Bright pink nebulae almost completely encircle a spiral galaxy in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 922. The ring structure and the galaxy's distorted spiral shape result from a smaller galaxy scoring a cosmic bullseye, hitting the centre of NGC 922 some 330 million years ago.
Image of the Carina Nebula marks inauguration of VLT Survey Telescope
(Phys.org)—A spectacular new image of the star-forming Carina Nebula has been captured by the VLT Survey Telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory and released on the occasion of the inauguration of the telescope in Naples today. This picture was taken with the help of Sebastián Piñera, President of Chile, during his visit to the observatory on 5 June 2012.
Warm sea water is melting Antarctic glaciers
The ice sheet in West Antarctica is melting faster than expected. New observations published by oceanographers from the University of Gothenburg and the US may improve our ability to predict future changes in ice sheet mass. The study was recently published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Orbiter spies where rover's cruise stage hit Mars
(Phys.org)—During the 10 minutes before the NASA Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft entered the Martian atmosphere to deliver the rover Curiosity to the surface, the spacecraft shed its cruise stage, which had performed vital functions during the flight from Earth, and then jettisoned two 165-pound (75-kilogram) blocks of tungsten to gain aerodynamic lift.
Little telescope spies gigantic galaxy clusters
(Phys.org)—Our solar system, with its colorful collection of planets, asteroids and comets, is a fleck in the grander cosmos. Hundreds of billions of solar systems are thought to reside in our Milky Way galaxy, which is itself just a drop in a sea of galaxies.
Study: Large, old trees in decline
(Phys.org)—The largest living organisms on the planet, the big, old trees that harbour and sustain countless birds and other wildlife, are dying. A report by three of the world's leading ecologists in today's issue of the journal Science warns of an alarming increase in deathrates among trees 100-300 years old in many of the world's forests, woodlands, savannahs, farming areas and even in cities.
What is creating gullies on Vesta?
(Phys.org)—In a preliminary analysis of images from NASA's Dawn mission, scientists have spotted intriguing gullies that sculpt the walls of geologically young craters on the giant asteroid Vesta. Led by Jennifer Scully, a Dawn team member at the University of California, Los Angeles, these scientists have found narrow channels of two types in images from Dawn's framing camera - some that look like straight chutes and others that carve more sinuous trails and end in lobe-shaped deposits. The mystery, however, is what is creating them?
Technology news
Apple's downward spiral accelerates
Apple shares suffered their worst decline in four years Wednesday as selling momentum gained steam for the longtime tech star and world's largest company by value.
FAA orders Boeing 787 fuel leak inspections
The US Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it was ordering inspections of all Boeing 787 Dreamliners in service worldwide following reports of fuel leaks.
Megaupload boss wins right to sue New Zealand spy agency
Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom won the right Thursday to sue New Zealand's foreign intelligence agency for illegally spying on him ahead of his arrest as part of a US probe into alleged online piracy.
Smartphones to light up Sydney's New Year show
Sydney's world-famous New Year's Eve fireworks will go interactive with a smartphone-powered light show, officials announced Thursday, with ambassador Kylie Minogue calling on the city to embrace.
1 week of MARIA reactor operation=radiopharmaceuticals for 100,000 patients
Polish MARIA research reactor is saving the day in world nuclear medicine in time when the Dutch research reactor in Petten had to be unexpectedly shut down. NCBJ has scheduled some additional irradiation sessions to deliver additional portions of Molybdenum-99 in amount sufficient to perform extra 300,000 medical procedures, and that way to fill an unexpected gap on the nuclear medicine preparation market.
Taiwan's Hon Hai delays opening plant in Indonesia
Taiwanese technology giant Hon Hai Precision has postponed construction of a mobile phone factory in Indonesia which was to have begun by the end of this year, a report said Thursday.
Research takes next generation augmented reality apps 'anywhere'
Augmented reality applications for mobile devices could become smarter and more sophisticated, thanks to two recent grants awarded to UC Santa Barbara computer science professors Matthew Turk and Tobias Höllerer.
Review: 'Need for Speed,' 'Forza' hit the gas
Holiday-season TV ads would have you believe that lots of people get brand-new cars for Christmas. With giant bows on top.
Amazon launches Kindle store in Brazil
(AP)—E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc has launched its online Kindle Store in Latin America's biggest country to reach consumers in Brazil's burgeoning middle class.
Middle East beginning to embrace solar energy
(AP)—Covering nearly 300 football fields in a remote patch of desert, the Shams 1 solar project carries off plenty of symbolic significance for the United Arab Emirates.
Tech titans renew legal battle over smartphones (Update)
(AP)—The epic $1 billion patent fight between the world's top two smartphone makers resumes Thursday in a federal courtroom when Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Corp. again square off over rights to vital technology.
Zynga eyes ante into Nevada gambling scene
Social games pioneer Zynga confirmed Wednesday that it has taken a baby step into real-money gaming in the state that is home to casino-rich Las Vegas.
S. Korea's LG to appeal European fine for price-fixing
LG Electronics vowed on Thursday to appeal against a European Commission fine of nearly 500 million euros ($653 million) for price-fixing, calling the penalty unfair and discriminatory.
Mobile AQI tracks air quality: Instant data for people with respiratory issues
People with respiratory problems can get an instant up-to-date local report on a key air pollutant through a new free mobile phone app created at The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Project aims to design better firefighting boots, gear
The top firefighter injury isn't burns or smoke inhalation, but damage to the muscles and skeleton, such as ankle sprain.
Fuel economy remains at record high, emissions now at record low
Fuel economy of all new vehicles sold in the United States remains at its highest level ever, while emissions are at a record low, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Facebook sets its sights on its next billion users
In just eight years, Facebook signed up more than half the world's Internet population. Now it's going after the rest.
Smartphones growing in importance as holiday shopping tools
Devon Williams doesn't bother reading Best Buy's fliers for discounts this holiday season now that he depends on his smartphone to find those deals for him.
Apple to produce line of Macs in the US next year
(AP)—Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will produce one of its existing lines of Mac computers in the United States next year.
UK student convicted of denial of service attack (Update)
(AP)—A London jury convicted a 22-year-old student and member of the hacking group Anonymous on Thursday of taking part in cyberattacks on several major companies' computer systems.
Hackers said to hit UN telecoms talks in Dubai (Update)
(AP)—Organizers of a U.N. conference on global telecommunications said Thursday that hackers apparently blocked their website and disrupted the talks, a gathering some critics fear could lead to greater controls over the Internet.
Copper, gold and tin for efficient chips
With gold, copper or tin and special galvanizing processes, scientists are improving the function of semi-conductors and making the manufacture of microelectronic systems a child's play. Especially the LED industry could profit from this.
Stirred, not shaken: Bond for future ships, iMacs has ONR roots
A state-of-the-art welding process refined for use in naval shipbuilding by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has crossed over to the world of computing.
Google+ adds members, photo-sharing app
Google said Thursday its online social network had grown to 135 million active users, as it added a photo-sharing app to compete against services like Facebook's Instagram.
Book says 'Big Data' becoming a global nervous system
When Rick Smolan attended a parent-teacher meeting at his kids' New York City school recently, a spirited discussion broke out about why students were being allowed to text and post on social sites during school hours.
A new brand of cybersecurity: hacking the hackers
As head of the FBI's cyber crimes division, Shawn Henry often had to deal with exasperated company executives after his agents informed them that their networks had been hacked and their secrets pilfered.
T-Mobile to get Apple devices soon, iPhone likely (Update)
(AP)—T-Mobile will likely start carrying the iPhone next year after its parent company, Deutsche Telekom, said it has reached a new deal with Apple.
Marvell says 802.11ac 4x4 solution is an industry-first
(Phys.org)—Marvell Technology Group has announced Avastar 88W8864, a wireless local area network system-on-chip. The company says the 88W8864 sets new industry benchmarks for speed and range. The new entry is the industry's first "802.11ac 4x4 solution," for access points and wireless video distribution. With the release of the Marvell 802.11ac 4x4 chip, the company message is that here is a solution that offers a significant increase in Wi-Fi bandwidth capacity and reliability.
Putting gamers on the spot with virtual-reality goggles
Strap on the headset and adjust the goggle to your eyes. Look down and you'll see the floor of a space station. Look up and pipes weave above your head. Turn left or right and the tight walls of a dark corridor flank your sides. An alien bursts through a door. Look at the monster, pull the trigger and mow it down.
CyPhy Works takes wraps off long-endurance UAVs (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—Massachusetts-based CyPhy Works has unveiled two types of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that it has designed for use by military and emergency personnel. Its EASE UAV (short for Extreme Access System for Entry) is designed for tight-squeeze situations. The device is only one foot in diameter and stands 16 inches tall. While, for example, military or emergency personnel stand at a safe distance, this indoor flying UAV can hover, using machine-vision stabilization, into a building while relaying high-definition video footage via integrated cameras to an operator outside. Able to fly into tight spaces, the UAV navigates easily through both doors and windows. It also has a thermal imaging device.
Medicine & Health news
New poll shows US public supports continued investment in Federal Nutrition Assistance Program
A new poll from researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) shows that the U.S. public broadly supports increasing or maintaining spending on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. The majority of Americans, including a majority of SNAP participants, also supported policies to improve the nutritional impact of SNAP by incentivizing the purchase of healthy foods and restricting the purchase of sugary drinks.
Assistive technologies market growing rapidly in US
Assistive technology research and commercialization needs to greatly speed up, said the executive director of Assistive Technology Partners (ATP), because the demand for devices to help people with disabilities and the elderly is poised to explode as the population ages.
Extra support needed for younger dementia sufferers, report finds
(Medical Xpress)—The unique needs of people with younger onset dementia have been addressed for the first time in new research by the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC).
Genetic technology detects CHARGE syndrome in prenatal sample
Brief Report in the December 6, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) focuses on findings from Cynthia Morton, PhD, director of Cytogenetics at Brigham and Women's Hospital and senior study author, and colleagues on a prenatal case study involving a new, balanced translocation (a genetic abnormality caused by chromosomal rearrangements) between chromosomes 6 and 8.
Darfur's yellow fever shows 'no sign of stopping'
A rare outbreak of mosquito-borne yellow fever which has killed 165 people in Sudan's Darfur region in the past three months continues to spread, the UN warned on Thursday.
Mexican paradox: While opinion surveys overestimate abortions 10-fold, abortion mortality clearly decreases
A collaborative study conducted in Mexico by researchers from the West Virginia University-Charleston (US), Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (México), Universidad de Chile and the Institute of Molecular Epidemiology of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (Chile), revealed that opinion surveys used by researchers from the Guttmacher Institute overestimated figures of induced abortion in the Federal District of Mexico (Mexico DF) up to 10-fold. The research recently published in the International Journal of Women's Health highlights that the actual figure of induced abortion in Mexico DF has not surpassed 15,000 per year according to the official registry. "During 2009, the number of induced abortions in Mexico DF was 12,221, which directly contradicts the figure of 122,355 induced abortions estimated by opinion surveys for the same year, resulting in a 1000% overestimation" pointed out Elard Koch, the Chilean epidemiologist leading the ! research.
ERA results: Medical research is Australia's best
Australia's medical and health sciences are leading the country in research quality, according to the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) report.
Complementary and alternative medicine studied in Swedish surgical care
Osteopathy may help reduce chronic pain and stiffness after thoracic surgery. However, electrotherapy is not effective pain treatment in the aftermath of pancreatic surgery. These are the findings of a thesis from Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, that studied complementary and alternative therapies.
As pot goes proper, a history of weed
(AP)—The grass is no greener. But, finally, it's legal—at least somewhere in America. It's been a long, strange trip for marijuana.
Is your house a winter wonderland or a nightmare before Christmas?
Maybe it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around your house, but what seems festive to adults can become lethal to children. Bridget Boyd, MD, pediatrician and Loyola University Health System pediatric safety expert, has tips to make sure your holiday doesn't become a nightmare before Christmas.
Healthpoint, DFB to pay up to $48M in drug case
(AP)—Healthpoint Ltd. and DFB Pharmaceuticals will pay up to $48 million to settle allegations that Healthpoint marketed a prescription skin ointment without approval from federal regulators.
Trade-offs in raising Medicare eligibility age
(AP)—Americans are living longer, and Republicans want to raise the Medicare eligibility age to help reduce the government's huge deficits.
Autistic adults report significant shortcomings in their health care
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have found that adults with autism, who represent about 1 percent of the adult population in the United States, report significantly worse health care experiences than their non-autistic counterparts.
Severe acute kidney injuries rise rapidly nationwide
Severe acute kidney injuries are becoming more common in the United States, rising 10 percent per year and doubling over the last decade, according to a retrospective study at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Study shows that treadmill testing can predict heart disease in women
Although there is a widespread belief among physicians that the exercise treadmill test (ETT) is not reliable in evaluating the heart health of women, UC Davis researchers have found that the test can accurately predict coronary artery disease in women over the age of 65. They also found that two specific electrocardiogram (EKG) indicators of heart stress during an ETT further enhanced its predictive power.
TGen-US Oncology data guides treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients
Genomic sequencing has revealed therapeutic drug targets for difficult-to-treat, metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), according to an unprecedented study by the Translational Genomic Research Institute (TGen) and US Oncology Research.
General thoracic surgeons emerge as leading providers of complex, noncardiac thoracic surgery
While thoracic surgeons are traditionally known as the experts who perform heart surgeries, a UC Davis study has found that general thoracic surgeons, especially those at academic health centers, perform the vast majority of complex noncardiac operations, including surgeries of the esophagus and lungs.
Evidence supports premise: OR distractions up surgical errors
(HealthDay)—Typical operating room distractions and interruptions (ORDIs) potentially increase the likelihood of surgical errors among surgical trainees, according to a study published in the November issue of the Archives of Surgery.
Provider sites give poor info on cosmetic genital surgery
(HealthDay)—The Web sites of providers of female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) offer a limited amount of poor quality clinical information, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in BMJ Open.
For aggressive breast cancer, chemo may work better in the young
(HealthDay)—Younger women with aggressive breast cancers often benefit more than older women when they undergo early, pre-operative chemotherapy, a new study finds.
Chemo may extend survival after breast cancer's return
(HealthDay)—In women with breast cancer that has recurred but remains confined to in or near the breast, post-surgical chemotherapy appears to boost survival, new research shows.
Serious acute kidney injury: More common than ever
Acute kidney injury (AKI), an abrupt or rapid decline in kidney function, is a serious and increasingly prevalent condition that can occur after major infections, major surgery, or exposure to certain medications. The incidence rates of the most serious form of AKI—which requires dialysis—increased rapidly in all patient subgroups in the past decade in the United States, and the number of deaths associated with the condition more than doubled, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Attitudes predict ability to follow post-treatment advice
Women are more likely to follow experts' advice on how to reduce their risk of an important side effect of breast cancer surgery—like lymphedema—if they feel confident in their abilities and know how to manage stress, according to new research from Fox Chase Cancer Center to be presented at the 2012 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Saturday, December 8, 2012.
Agreement boosts access for American Indian vets
(AP)—Native American military veterans will be able to access health care closer to home thanks to an agreement between the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the Indian Health Service.
New drug regimens may slow advanced breast cancer
(HealthDay)—An experimental cancer drug may delay the progression of some advanced breast cancers, while a double dose of an existing cancer drug could help women live longer, according to separate studies reported Wednesday.
10 years of tamoxifen better than 5, study reports
(HealthDay) —Taking the breast cancer drug tamoxifen for a decade, instead of the standard five years, further reduces the long-term chances of recurrence and risk of dying from the disease, new British research suggests.
Widely used sedatives/sleeping pills linked to increased fatal pneumonia risk
Commonly prescribed sleeping pills/sedatives may increase the risk of contracting pneumonia by as much as 50% and increase the risk of dying from it, suggests research published online in the journal Thorax.
Death rate 2 to 4 times as high among childless couples
Despite the popular belief among parents that having children shortens their lives, the reverse seems to be true, particularly for women, indicates a large study of childless couples, treated for infertility, and published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Body mass index may determine which blood pressure treatments work best
According to new research published Online First in the Lancet, body mass index may influence which blood pressure medications work best at reducing the major complications of high blood pressure (strokes, heart attacks, and death). The findings suggest that diuretic drugs seem to be a reasonable choice for obese patients, but significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular events in non-obese individuals. Calcium channel blockers, meanwhile, work equally well in people in all weight groups, including lean individuals.
EPO doping in elite cycling: No evidence of benefit, but high risk of harm
The drug erythropoietin, often called EPO, is banned from sports because it is believed to enhance an athlete's performance and give people who use it an unfair advantage over unenhanced competitors. However a new systemic review of existing research, published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, reveals that there is no scientific evidence that it does enhance performance, but there is evidence that using it in sport could place a user's health and life at risk.
Children born after infertility treatment are more likely to suffer from asthma
Asthma is more common among children born after infertility treatment than among children who have been planned and conceived naturally, according to findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study published online today (Thursday) in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.
New oral drug candidate for African sleeping sickness
A new oral-only treatment for sleeping sickness has entered Phase II/III clinical study in patients with late-stage sleeping sickness in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and soon in Central African Republic (CAR). The study, initiated by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and its partners, will test the efficacy and safety of fexinidazole, with once-daily tablets for ten days.
Is beer good for you? Study finds anti-virus powers
Consuming large quantities of a key ingredient in beer can protect against winter sniffles and even some serious illnesses in small children, a Japanese brewery said citing a scientific study.
FDA: Zofran 32-mg dose pulled from market
(HealthDay)—The 32-mg, single intravenous dose of Zofran (ondansetron), an anti-nausea drug, is being removed from the market due to its potential to cause serious, even fatal, cardiac damage, according to a Drug Safety Communication (DSC) issued Dec. 4 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Flesh-eating fungal infection can follow natural disasters, study finds
(HealthDay)—After a natural disaster, doctors should be on the lookout for outbreaks of a rare but deadly "flesh-eating" fungal infection, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.
FDA pulls one generic form of wellbutrin off the market
(HealthDay)—People taking the antidepressant Wellbutrin now have one less option for a generic version of the drug.
Antiseptic products can be contaminated, study says
(HealthDay)—Antiseptics are meant to keep bacteria and other pathogens from entering the body through breaks in the skin, but sometimes these products can be contaminated with the very organisms they're supposed to guard against, new research shows.
Clinical trial tests rice bran to prevent cancer
A recent University of Colorado Cancer Center review in the journal Advances in Nutrition shows that rice bran offers promising cancer prevention properties. Meanwhile, an ongoing clinical trial is testing the effectiveness of rice bran in preventing the recurrence of colon cancer.
Gene-altered mosquitoes could be used vs. dengue
(AP)—Mosquito control officials in the Florida Keys think genetically modified mosquitoes might help reduce the risk of dengue fever in Key West.
Type 2 diabetes tablet promotes weight loss
(Medical Xpress)—A new drug for type 2 diabetes, involving research at Aston University is being launched as a once-daily tablet for adults with the condition.
It's genetic: Some smokers have biological resistance to anti-tobacco policies
(Medical Xpress)—Despite concerted government efforts to curtail tobacco use, the number of smokers in the United States has remained stable in recent years, rather than declining. The reason: genetics.
Professor works toward a better brainwave monitor
The electrical outputs of the brain contain massive amounts of information that could be a powerful resource if we could fully tap into it. Our brain processes things we see before any conscious recognition of those images comes to bear. While we can already measure electromagnetic activity with EEG and MEG, both of these techniques are limited.
Mild vitamin B12 deficiency associated with accelerated cognitive decline, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Being mildly vitamin B-12 deficient could be an indication that some older adults are at a greater risk for accelerated cognitive decline, an observational study from researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University suggests.
Overestimation of abortion deaths in Mexico hinders maternal mortality reduction efforts
A collaborative study conducted in Mexico by researchers of the University of West Virginia-Charleston (USA), Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (Mexico), Universidad de Chile and the Institute of Molecular Epidemiology of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (Chile), revealed that IPAS-Mexico overestimated rates of maternal and abortion mortality up to 35% over the last two decades. The research, recently published in the International Journal of Women's Health highlights that Mexico shows a 82.7% reduction in maternal mortality between 1957 and 2010, from 216.6 to 37.5 deaths per 100,000 live births; for the period between 1990 and 2010, there was a 30.6% decrease in maternal mortality. "These results directly contradict the figures recently reported by researchers from the IPAS-Mexico, who not only fail to detect a significant progress in maternal health since 1990, but also substantially overestimated maternal mortality rates in Mexico! " said Elard Koch, the Chilean epidemiologist that led the research.
Researchers discover adverse effects of Bisphenol A on calcium channels
(Medical Xpress)—Bisphenol A, a substance found in many synthetic products, is considered to be harmful, particularly, for fetuses and babies. Researchers from the University of Bonn have now shown in experiments on cells from human and mouse tissue that this environmental chemical blocks calcium channels in cell membranes. Similar effects are elicited by drugs used to treat high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. The results are now presented in the journal Molecular Pharmacology.
Court ruling may open door to more drug marketing
A decision by a federal appeals court this week could have a dramatic impact on the marketing of prescription drugs in America, potentially affecting patient care and everything from TV drug advertising to future government prosecutions - prosecutions that have in the past yielded billions of dollars in settlements - doctors and attorneys said Tuesday.
Researchers produce a catalog of the deleterious and disease-causing genetic variants in healthy people
Researchers at Cambridge and Cardiff have found that, on average, a normal healthy person carries approximately 400 potentially damaging DNA variants and two variants known to be associated directly with disease traits. They showed that one in ten people studied is expected to develop a genetic disease as a consequence of carrying these variants.
Immune system kill switch could be target for chemotherapy and infection recovery
Researchers have discovered an immune system 'kill switch' that destroys blood stem cells when the body is under severe stress, such as that induced by chemotherapy and systemic infections.
Bilirubin can prevent damage from cardiovascular disease
Each year, about 610,000 Americans suffer their first heart attack, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart attacks and other symptoms of cardiovascular disease can be caused when blockage occurs in the arteries. In a new study from the University of Missouri, a scientist has discovered a natural defense against arterial blockage: bilirubin.
Study shows that a molecule critical to nerve cells increases drammatically during hypertension
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Dentistry have made an important connection between a molecule critical to nerve cells and high blood pressure. Production of the molecule Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) appears to increase dramatically in blood pressure-sensing nerve cells during hypertension. The study, published online in the Journal of Neuroscience Research, may someday have implications for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, which affects about one in three adults in the United States.
New understanding can lead to srategies for dealing with neurodegenerative diseases
A new understanding of what takes place on the cellular level during the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS and Huntington's diseases, offers promise towards possible new strategies for combating such diseases, say Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers.
New evidence for epigenetic effects of diet on healthy aging
New research in human volunteers has shown that molecular changes to our genes, known as epigenetic marks, are driven mainly by ageing but are also affected by what we eat.
Cocktail boosts immune cells in fighting cancer
Natural killer cells, as part of the body´s immune system, can effectively fight cancer. Unfortunately, they quickly lose their aggressiveness and hence are unable to reject solid tumors. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered a cocktail consisting of three different immune mediators that leaves NK killer cells active over a long period of time. In mice, cocktail-boosted NK cells let tumors shrink. The cocktail -was able to persistently activate human NK cells, too.
Rapid eye movements significantly delayed in people with glaucoma
Rapid eye movements are significantly delayed in patients with glaucoma, even those in the early stages of the disease, research has found.
Aging hepatitis C population escalates demand for liver transplantation
New research reveals that the greatest demand for liver transplantation due to hepatitis C (HCV)-related liver disease occurs among Americans born between 1941 and 1960. Findings in the December issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), suggest that continuing increased demand for transplantation is driven by the development of liver cancer in baby boomers with HCV, but that the demand may decrease as patients born in this time period continue to grow older.
Feeling disgust may enhance our ability to detect impurities
Disgust – it's an emotion we experience when we encounter things that are dirty, impure, or otherwise contaminated. From an evolutionary standpoint, experiencing the intense, visceral sense of revulsion that comes with disgust presumably helps us to avoid contaminants that can make us sick or even kill us. But new research suggests that disgust not only helps us to avoid impurities, it may also make us better able to see them.
Study highlights the danger of cross-contamination of viruses from kitchen knives and graters
Poor hand hygiene is often thought to be the main cause of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Although it is well recognized that utensils used for food preparation can harbor bacteria, a new study by Qing Wang and her colleagues from the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, USA, is the first to find that viruses can just as easily be spread by cross-contamination from utensils such as knives and graters. Their study is published in the Springer journal Food and Environmental Virology.
Olympics: 2012 Games increase English sport participation
This year's Olympics and Paralympics in London has led to record numbers of people in England participating in sport, according to a survey conducted by Sports England after this year's London Games.
Arsenic in drinking water linked to lung disease
New research from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has uncovered likely mechanisms for the link between arsenic in drinking water and increased risk of developing chronic lung disease.
Discovery of pathway leading to depression reveals new drug targets
Scientists have identified the key molecular pathway leading to depression, revealing potential new targets for drug discovery, according to research led by King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry. The study, published today in Neuropsychopharmacology, reveals for the first time that the 'Hedgehog pathway' regulates how stress hormones, usually elevated during depression, reduce the number of brain cells.
Kids' sleep-related breathing problems
Children with sleep-related breathing problems (such as snoring or apnea) frequently have concurrent behavioral sleep problems (such as waking repeatedly)—and vice versa, according to research led by a scientist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. However, children with one type of sleep problem are not routinely evaluated and treated for the other. The findings suggest that pediatricians, respiratory specialists and sleep medicine specialists should work together whenever a sleep problem is suspected. The study was published December 4 in the online edition of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
Insight into DNA reprogramming during egg and sperm cell development
Scientists at the Babraham Institute have gained a new understanding of when and how the DNA in developing egg and sperm cells is 'reset', in preparation for making a new embryo. It is well known that small chemical groups can be added to DNA to alter gene activity, these modifications to the DNA are acquired during development in the womb and throughout adult life and can arise from changes in environment. Most of these modifications are removed in immature egg and sperm cells to 'reset' the DNA and to erase any 'environmental memory', but some remain. Decoding this reprogramming has major implications for our understanding of development and how these modifications can be inherited from one generation to another.
Protein controlling glucose metabolism also a tumor suppressor
A protein known to regulate how cells process glucose also appears to be a tumor suppressor, adding to the potential that therapies directed at cellular metabolism may help suppress tumor growth. In their report in the Dec. 7 issue of Cell, a multi-institutional research team describes finding that cells lacking the enzyme SIRT6, which controls how cells process glucose, quickly become cancerous. They also found evidence that uncontrolled glycolysis, a stage in normal glucose metabolism, may drive tumor formation in the absence of SIRT6 and that suppressing glycolysis can halt tumor formation.
Prenatal tests more informative using microarray technology, researchers find
A new method for detecting abnormalities in unborn children is providing physicians with more information to analyze the results than conventional, microscopic testing, according to two George Washington University researchers.
Study finds link between statins and improved survival in inflammatory breast cancer
Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found statins, the commonly used drug to lower cholesterol, improved progression-free survival in patients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).
Researchers find new genetic pathway behind neurodevelopmental disorders
Researchers at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, have discovered a new genetic process that could one day provide a novel target for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability and autism.
Eating fewer, larger meals may prove healthier for obese women
Media articles and nutritionists alike have perpetuated the idea that for healthy metabolisms individuals should consume small meals multiple times a day. However, new research conducted at the University of Missouri suggests all-day snacking might not be as beneficial as previously thought, especially for obese women.
Fit kids finish first in the classroom
Fit kids aren't only first picked for kickball. New research from Michigan State University shows middle school students in the best physical shape outscore their classmates on standardized tests and take home better report cards.
Tamoxifen trial should prompt breast cancer patients to reconsider treatment options
A groundbreaking clinical trial involving the breast cancer drug tamoxifen should prompt certain breast cancer patients to reconsider their treatment options, according to Loyola University Medical Center breast cancer specialist Dr. Kathy Albain.
Darfur yellow fever outbreak worst in decades
An outbreak of mosquito-borne yellow fever which has killed at least 165 people in Sudan's Darfur region is Africa's worst in decades, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.
Women with higher carotenoid levels have reduced risk of breast cancer
Women with higher circulating carotenoid levels are at a reduced risk of breast cancer according to a study published December 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Unlocking the genetic mysteries behind stillbirth
Stillbirth is a tragedy that occurs in one of every 160 births in the United States. Compounding the sadness for many families, the standard medical test used to examine fetal chromosomes often can't pin down what caused their baby to die in utero. In most cases, the cause of the stillbirth is not immediately known. The traditional way to determine what happened is to examine the baby's chromosomes using a technique called karyotyping. This method leaves much to be desired because, in many cases, it fails to provide any result at all. Today, some 25 to 60 percent of stillbirths are still unexplained.
Different genes behind same adaptation to thin air
Highlanders in Tibet and Ethiopia share a biological adaptation that enables them to thrive in the low oxygen of high altitudes, but the ability to pass on the trait appears to be linked to different genes in the two groups, research from a Case Western Reserve University scientist and colleagues shows.
Vaginal microbicide gel may offer a promising strategy for prevention and protection against HIV transmission
A new study shows that a microbicide gel is highly effective in block infection by the AIDS virus in a non-human primate model. In the paper published December 6 in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens, Dereuddre-Bosquet and colleagues from the European Combined Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Microbicides (CHAARM) Consortium describe the gel's key ingredient, which are small peptides engineered to present a decoy to bind up the virus and prevent it from entering and infecting the cells of the body. Because this is a gel it can be topically applied and could represent a powerful preventative agent against sexual transmission of HIV.
New research investigates how the common 'cat parasite' gets into the brain
A new study demonstrates for the first time how the Toxoplasma gondii parasite enters the brain to influence its host's behavior. This research was led by researchers from the Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University in Sweden publishes today in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens.
Valuable tool for predicting pain genes in people
Scientists in Australia and Austria have described a "network map" of genes involved in pain perception. The work, published in the journal PLOS Genetics should help identify new analgesic drugs.
Research proves low fat diet is key to a slimmer figure
Findings published today in the British Medical Journal show that exchanging fatty foods for lower fat alternatives will help people shift around three-and-a-half pounds - without dieting. People taking part in trials also saw their waist-lines become slimmer, and levels of bad cholesterol decrease.
Health warning on new round of fungal infections
(AP)—Tennessee health officials are once again alerting patients who received tainted steroid shots after finding that some have infections at the injection site that could lead to fungal meningitis.
Combining two genome analysis approaches supports immune system contribution to autism
Researchers using novel approaches and methodologies of identifying genes that contribute to the development of autism have found evidence that disturbances in several immune-system-related pathways contribute to development of autism spectrum disorders. The report published December 4 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE powerfully supports a role for the immune function in autism by integrating analysis of autism-associated DNA sequence variations with that of markers identified in studies of families affected by autism.
Certain mutations give HIV infection an advantage that sticks
(Medical Xpress)—Varieties of HIV that replicate more quickly can cause infected individuals' immune systems to decline faster, new research demonstrates. The results were published by the journal PLOS Pathogens.
Researchers use microRNAs to induce regeneration of heart tissue
(Medical Xpress)—A research team working at Italy's International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology has succeeded in causing heart tissue to regenerate by introducing two microRNAs into damaged mice hearts. The necessary microRNAs were discovered, the team writes in their paper published in the journal Nature, after an exhaustive search.
Researchers claim NIH grant process is 'totally broken'
(Medical Xpress)—John Ioannidis, a researcher at Stanford University has, along with graduate student Joshua Nicholson, published a commentary piece in the journal Nature, taking the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to task for maintaining a system that they say rewards conformity while ignoring innovation.
Researchers ID gene that turns carbs into fat: Discovery could help development of treatment for fatty liver, diabetes
A gene that helps the body convert that big plate of holiday cookies you just polished off into fat could provide a new target for potential treatments for fatty liver disease, diabetes and obesity.
Scientists find regulator linking exercise to bigger, stronger muscles
Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have isolated a previously unknown protein in muscles that spurs their growth and increased power following resistance exercise. They suggest that artificially raising the protein's levels might someday help prevent muscle loss caused by cancer, prolonged inactivity in hospital patients, and aging.
Research on blood vessel proteins holds promise for controlling 'blood-brain barrier'
Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have shed light on the activity of a protein pair found in cells that form the walls of blood vessels in the brain and retina, experiments that could lead to therapeutic control of the blood-brain barrier and of blood vessel growth in the eye.
Scientists identify molecules in the ear that convert sound into brain signals
For scientists who study the genetics of hearing and deafness, finding the exact genetic machinery in the inner ear that responds to sound waves and converts them into electrical impulses, the language of the brain, has been something of a holy grail.
His and hers: Male hormones control differences in mammary gland nerve growth
Johns Hopkins scientists have found a surprising mechanism that gives male sex hormones like testosterone control over the gender-specific absence or presence of mammary gland nerves that sense the amount of milk available in breast milk ducts.
Neuroscientists prove ultrasound can be tweaked to stimulate different sensations
A century after the world's first ultrasonic detection device – invented in response to the sinking of the Titanic – Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have provided the first neurophysiological evidence for something that researchers have long suspected: ultrasound applied to the periphery, such as the fingertips, can stimulate different sensory pathways leading to the brain.
Deception can be perfected
With a little practice, one could learn to tell a lie that may be indistinguishable from the truth.
Scientists discover novel mechanism by which calorie restriction influences longevity
Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have identified a novel mechanism by which a type of low-carb, low-calorie diet—called a "ketogenic diet"—could delay the effects of aging. This fundamental discovery reveals how such a diet could slow the aging process and may one day allow scientists to better treat or prevent age-related diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and many forms of cancer.
Mouse study offers clues to obesity-diabetes link
(HealthDay)—Obesity and type 2 diabetes are clearly intertwined, but researchers say they've found a way to weaken the connection between the two—at least in mice.
Biology news
What happened to Lake Champlain's native trout?
Scientists identify it as Salvelinus namaycush. Other names include mackinaw, lake char, touladi, togue, siscowet, and paperbelly. Lots of people call it, simply, a lake trout. It's a freshwater fish found in many northern lakes in North America.
Big nations block curbs on tuna overfishing
Efforts to curb overfishing of tuna in the Pacific were blocked by big countries that refused to cut their catch at a meeting of tuna-fishing nations in the Asia-Pacific, delegates said Thursday.
Australia's critically endangered animal species
Australia has 96 critically endangered animal species, listed below. Over the coming months, we will be publishing a profile of each of them, looking at the threats to their survival, what's being done to protect them, and what more needs to be done.
A relationship between cancer genes and the reprogramming gene SOX2 discovered
A team of researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), led by Manuel Serrano, from the Tumour Suppression Group, together with scientists from London and Santiago de Compostela, has discovered that the cellular reprogramming gene SOX2, which is involved in several types of cancers, such as lung cancer and pituitary cancer, is directly regulated by the tumor suppressor CDKN1B(p27) gene, which is also associated with these types of cancer.
Quorum sensing: Researchers examine bacteria communication
European researchers at Linköping University in Sweden are showing how bacteria control processes in human cells through a process called quorum sensing. This phenomenon is where bacteria talk to each other via molecules they themselves produce and is an important process during their proliferation. The study, whose results were published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, was made possible thanks to grants from the European Science foundation, TraPPs Euromembrane project, the Swedish Research Council, the King Gustaf V 80-Year Foundation, and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University.
Building better barley
(Phys.org)—As one of the top 10 barley producers in the world, Canada faces a problem of adapting to the new normal of a warmer, drier climate.
Researcher's work helps woodpecker recovery
(Phys.org)—The woods around Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina have, since 1986, featured an ever increasing rat-a-tat-tat sound that has nothing to do with weapons qualification training. The sound marks the 28-year recovery of the red cockaded woodpecker, said by some to be the spotted owl of the southeast because of its status on the endangered species list.
Research reveals migrating Great Lakes salmon carry contaminants upstream
(Phys.org)—Be careful what you eat, says University of Notre Dame stream ecologist Gary Lamberti.
Researchers investigate impacts of climate change on rare tropical plants
Research led by the University of York has found that the impacts of climate change on rare plants in tropical mountains will vary considerably from site to site and from species to species.
At high altitude, carbs are the fuel of choice
Mice living in the high-altitude, oxygen-starved environment of the Andean mountains survive those harsh conditions by fueling their muscles with carbohydrates. The findings, reported online on December 6 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, provide the first compelling evidence of a clear difference in energy metabolism between high- and low-altitude native mammals.
Shark being tracked by GPS off coast of Carolinas captivates online fans
If not for the GPS device, no one would know she's here. A great white shark affectionately dubbed Mary Lee by scientists and adopted by thousands of online fans has been using the waters off North Carolina's coast as a private all-you-can-eat buffet.
Biologists unlocking the secrets of plant defenses, one piece at a time
Researchers examining how the hormone jasmonate works to protect plants and promote their growth have revealed how a transcriptional repressor of the jasmonate signaling pathway makes its way into the nucleus of the plant cell.
Research yields understanding of Darwin's 'abominable mystery'
(Phys.org)—Research by Indiana University paleobotanist David L. Dilcher and colleagues in Europe sheds new light on what Charles Darwin famously called "an abominable mystery": the apparently sudden appearance and rapid spread of flowering plants in the fossil record.
A direct line through the brain to avoid rotten food—a full STOP signal for Drosophila
Consuming putrid food can be lethal as it allows bacterial pathogens to enter the digestive system. To detect signs of decay and thus allowing us and other animals to avoid such food poisoning is one of the main tasks of the sense of smell. Behavioral scientists and neurobiologists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, have now for the first time decoded the neural mechanisms underlying an escape reflex in fruit flies (Drosophila) activated in order to avoid eating and laying eggs in food infected by toxic microorganisms. A super-sensitive and completely dedicated neural line, from olfactory receptor, via sensory neuron and primary brain neurons, is activated as soon as the tiniest amount of geosmin is in the air. Geosmin is a substance released by bacteria and mold fungi toxic to the fly. This stimulus overrides all other food odor signals, irrespective of how attractive they are on their own. Consequently, geosmin is a full STOP signal that p! revents flies from eating and laying eggs in toxic food, similar to when we open the fridge and smell last week's forgotten dinner.
European Romani exodus began 1,500 years ago, DNA evidence shows
Despite their modern-day diversity of language, lifestyle, and religion, Europe's widespread Romani population shares a common, if complex, past. It all began in northwestern India about 1,500 years ago, according to a study reported on December 6th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, that offers the first genome-wide perspective on Romani origins and demographic history.
Insect-eating bat outperforms nectar specialist as pollinator of cactus flowers
(Phys.org)—Of the two bat species known to visit the flowers of the cardon cactus in Baja California, one depends entirely on nectar and is highly specialized to feed from the flowers, which are adapted for pollination by bats. The other is an insect-eating bat best known for its ability to hear the footsteps of large insects and scorpions and capture them on the ground.
Moths wired two ways to take advantage of floral potluck
Moths are able to enjoy a pollinator's buffet of flowers – in spite of being among the insect world's picky eaters – because of two distinct "channels" in their brains, scientists at the University of Washington and University of Arizona have discovered.
Drought in the Horn of Africa delays migrating birds
The catastrophic drought last year in the Horn of Africa affected millions of people but also caused the extremely late arrival into northern Europe of several migratory songbird species, a study from University of Copenhagen published today in Science shows. Details of the migration route was revealed by data collected from small back-packs fitted on birds showing that the delay resulted from an extended stay in the Horn of Africa.
Gene network illuminates stress, mutation and adaptation responses
For much of her professional life, Dr. Susan Rosenberg has studied the puzzling response of bacteria to stress and the mutations that result. In the current issue of the journal Science, she puts together the pieces of that puzzle, describing most of the members of an elaborate gene network that functions in causing mutations during repair of double-stranded breaks in the DNA of stressed cells.
New study sheds light on how Salmonella spreads in the body
Findings of Cambridge scientists, published today in the journal PLoS Pathogens, show a new mechanism used by bacteria to spread in the body with the potential to identify targets to prevent the dissemination of the infection process.
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