Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 19, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- It's elemental: Accurate analysis of Earth's core with molecular dynamics simulation- Genomes of limpet, leech and worm put spotlight on lophotrochozoans
- Simplest cotton genome offers clues for fiber improvements
- Physicists achieve elusive 'evaporative cooling' of molecules
- Link between inflammatory process and progression of Alzheimer's disease
- Tau Ceti: Sun-like star only twelve light years away may have a habitable planet
- Stars reveal the secrets of looking young
- New dynamic dual-core optical fiber enhances data routes on information superhighway
- Brake on nerve cell activity after seizures discovered: Gene expression initiates protective electrical response
- Researchers debunk the IQ myth
- Study reveals how the brain categorizes thousands of objects and actions
- New study shows how mitochondrial disease may be prevented
- Legged Squad Support System (LS3): DARPA's four-legged robot with voice recognition (video)
- New study sheds light on dinosaur size
- Multi-tasking whales sing while feeding, not just breeding
Space & Earth news
The Herschel Space Observatory needs you
(Phys.org)—An astronomer from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is leading a global study to help find holes in dust clouds.
Impact of climate change on California's electricity infrastructure could be costly
(Phys.org)—If you think it's been unusually hot lately, just wait—by the end of the century, temperatures in California are expected to rise significantly. What that means for human health, agriculture, water supply and a range of other spheres is being studied by experts, but what it will mean for our electricity system had not been examined until now, in an analysis by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) researchers.
Report finds climate change already having major effects on ecosystems, species
(Phys.org)—Plant and animal species are shifting their geographic ranges and the timing of their life events – such as flowering, laying eggs or migrating – at faster rates than researchers documented just a few years ago, according to a technical report on biodiversity and ecosystems used as scientific input for the 2013 Third National Climate Assessment.
Variable congestion charges may yield more stable air quality and improved health
Higher congestion charges in the morning and in the spring would even out the negative health effects caused by air pollution from cars in large cities.
NASA's next-generation communications satellite arrives at Kennedy
(Phys.org)—NASA's newest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, known as TDRS-K, arrived Tuesday at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for a Jan. 29 launch. TDRS-K arrived aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 from the Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems assembly facility in El Segundo, Calif.
One of the largest astronomical images ever made
Looking for a stunning new desktop image to wrap up the year? Try this: it's an amazing panorama of the Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant located 1,500 light-years away in the constellation (you guessed it) Cygnus. The full-size image, acquired with the wide-field Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak, Arizona, is a staggering 600 millionpixels in size—over 1.68 gigabytes—making it one of the largest astronomical images ever made!
Geo-engineering against climate change: Seeding the oceans with iron may not address carbon emissions
Numerous geo-engineering schemes have been suggested as possible ways to reduce levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and so reduce the risk of global warming and climate change. One such technology involves dispersing large quantities of iron salts in the oceans to fertilize otherwise barren parts of the sea and trigger the growth of algal blooms and other photosynthesizing marine life. Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide as its feedstock and when the algae die they will sink to the bottom of the sea taking the locked in carbon with them.
When the ice melts, the Earth spews fire: Researchers discover a link between climate and volcanic eruptions
It has long been known that volcanic activity can cause short-term variations in climate. Now, researchers at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (Germany), together with colleagues from Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) have found evidence that the reverse process also occurs: Climate affects volcanic activity. Their study is now online in the international journal Geology.
Ecuador volcano blasts more hot rock from crater
(AP)—The Tungurahua volcano in central Ecuador keeps spewing gas, ash and red-hot rock, forcing hundreds to evacuate from their homes.
Time series of infrared NASA images show Cyclone Evan's decline
Cyclone Evan is now far south of Fiji and wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures have been taking their toll on the storm and weakening it. Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite has shown a quick decline in the storm's structure over one day.
NASA satellite finds an unusually tall storm-cell in Cyclone Evan
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite found an unusually tall towering thunderstorm in Cyclone Evan.
Operation IceBridge data brings new twist to sea ice forecasting
Shrinking Arctic sea ice grabbed the world's attention again earlier this year with a new record low minimum. Growing economic activity in the Arctic, such as fishing, mineral exploration and shipping, is emphasizing the need for accurate predictions of how much of the Arctic will be covered by sea ice. Every June, an international research group known as the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) publishes a summary of the expected September Arctic sea ice minimum known as the Sea Ice Outlook. The initial reports and monthly updates aim to give the scientific community and public the best available information on sea ice.
From farm to table, mealworms may be the next best food
Food enthusiasts interested in sustainable farm practices may soon have a new meat alternative: insects. Beetle larvae (called mealworms) farms produce more edible protein than traditional farms for chicken, pork, beef or milk, for the same amount of land used, according to research published December 19 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Dennis Oonincx and colleagues from the University of Wageningen, Netherlands.
Shot away from its companion, giant star makes waves
(Phys.org)—Like a ship plowing through still waters, the giant star Zeta Ophiuchi is speeding through space, making waves in the dust ahead. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured a dramatic, infrared portrait of these glowing waves, also known as a bow shock.
From Cassini for the holidays: A splendor seldom seen
(Phys.org)—Just in time for the holidays, NASA's Cassini spacecraft, in orbit around Saturn for more than eight years now, has delivered another glorious, backlit view of the planet Saturn and its rings.
The solar wind is swirly
(Phys.org)—Using ESA's Cluster quartet of satellites as a space plasma microscope, scientists have zoomed in on the solar wind to reveal the finest detail yet, finding tiny turbulent swirls that could play a big role in heating it.
Rocket with three onboard heads for space station (Update)
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying an American, a Russian and a Canadian headed Wednesday for the International Space Station, where they will spend four months carrying out dozens of experiments.
Astronomers identify the stellar patrons of the Milky Way bar
(Phys.org)—Forget the restaurant at the end of the Universe—astronomers now have the clearest understanding yet of the bar at the center of the Milky Way.
Tau Ceti: Sun-like star only twelve light years away may have a habitable planet
(Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers has discovered that Tau Ceti, one of the closest and most Sun-like stars, may host five planets, including one in the star's habitable zone ('Goldilocks Zone').
Stars reveal the secrets of looking young
Some people are in great shape at the age of 90, while others are decrepit before they're 50. We know that how fast people age is only loosely linked to how old they actually are—and may have more to do with their lifestyle. A new study using both the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals that the same is true of star clusters.
It's elemental: Accurate analysis of Earth's core with molecular dynamics simulation
(Phys.org)—Accurately determining the relative percentages of the elements comprising the Earth's core and mantle which formed early – that is, within 30 Ma (megaannum, or million years) after the solar system itself formed – are extremely difficult for a range of reason, not the least of which is that direct measurement-is impossible. In particular, elements lighter than iron are of great interest due to their potential role in the Earth's so-called core density deficit. Moreover, carbon, among the light element candidates, also affects how siderophile and chalcophile (literally, iron-loving and sulfur-loving, respectively) elements partition between metal and silicate – which in turn has an impact on how these elements are distributed in the core and mantle. Previously, core carbon estimates varied by a factor as high as 20, resulting not only from assumptions and methodology, but also, significantly, because the carbon metal–silicate partition coefficient unkn! own. Recently, however, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing and the University of California, Davis, used two-phase first-principles molecular dynamics – an accurate atomistic simulation method combining a quantum mechanical description of electrons with a classical description of atomic nuclei – to accurately derive the partition coefficient of carbon and other light elements between liquid iron and silicate melt.
Technology news
Penguin joins settlement in US e-books lawsuit
Penguin Group has agreed to join three other publishers in a settlement of a US government lawsuit alleging an e-book price-fixing conspiracy with Apple, officials said Tuesday.
Instagram says users' photos won't appear in ads
Instagram says it will revise a planned update to its service agreement after confusion about its intent led to widespread user complaints.
Novel ways of substituting critical raw materials
How to be more resourceful is a dilemma facing us all as we strive to reduce, reuse, recycle and substitute. Now an EU project is focusing on the latter with the substitution of critical raw materials.
Countries use innovation to deal with climate change
While we hear of the effect climate change is having around the world, it is refreshing to hear of innovative ways that EU countries are helping to reduce the damage. In a pan-European contest organised by the European Commission, more than 70 organisations from across Europe have taken part in a campaign called 'A world you like. With a climate you like', which aims to find the best and most original idea for combating climate change. The campaign showcases existing cost-efficient solutions for achieving the EU's objective of an 80-95 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Abrupt end for Martha Stewart CEO
(AP)—The CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is stepping down after less than a year at the job.
Sirius XM Radio promotes Meyer to interim CEO (Update)
(AP)—Satellite radio company Sirius XM Radio has named one of its executives, James Meyer, as its interim CEO while it looks for a replacement for Mel Karmazin.
Zuckerberg donates $500 mn to charity
With Christmas just days away, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced a donation of about a half-billion dollars worth of his company's stock to charity in Silicon Valley.
Videogame maker THQ files for bankruptcy
The US videogame company behind popular titles "Saints Row" and "Red Faction" said on Wednesday it had filed for bankruptcy while wrangling to sell its assets to "a stalking horse bidder."
UK sets out social media prosecution guidelines
(AP)—British government prosecutors have set out new guidelines to make it harder to bring legal cases against people who send offensive messages on Twitter and Facebook.
Smartphone makers post wins on separate continents
Apple and Samsung, the world's top two smartphone makers, each scored a significant victory on different continents that will allow both to keep selling their products without legal interference this holiday season.
AU Optronics executive guilty in LCD price-fixing case
A US jury on Tuesday found a former senior manager at Taiwan-based AU Optronics Corp. guilty of taking part in a global scheme to rig prices of liquid crystal display screens.
Perfecting sound quality in-ear
An audio pioneer who has worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bon Jovi and Pink Floyd, Stephen Ambrose is on a quest to perfect sound quality. His most recent innovation is a modification for ear buds, hearing aids and other in-ear devices that alleviates pressure and its subsequent "listener fatigue"—the discomfort and even pain some people experience with devices that seal the ear canal.
Data storage: Nanoscale memory device uses freely moving mechanical shuttle to improve performance
A loose and rattling part in your cell phone is generally a cause for concern. Like most other electronic devices, your phone works by moving electrons through fixed circuit pathways. If electrons are not sufficiently contained within these pathways, the efficiency and speed of a device decrease. However, as the miniature components inside electronic devices shrink with each generation, electrons become harder to contain. Now, a research team led by Vincent Pott at the A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore, has designed a memory device using a loose and moving part that actually enhances performance.
Quake risk at Japan atomic recycling plant: experts
Japan's only reprocessing plant for spent nuclear fuel could sit on an active seismic fault vulnerable to a massive earthquake, experts warned Wednesday.
Intelligent control for performance: Reducing drag, saving fuel
(Phys.org)—NASA Dryden's versatile F/A-18 Full Scale Advanced Systems Testbed (FAST) aircraft recently completed a series of flights that explored reducing fuel consumption during cruise flight conditions by making small modifications to existing control laws and mechanisms in the aircraft's flight control computer.
Artificial intelligence helps sort used batteries
Research at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden has resulted in a new type of machine that sorts used batteries by means of artificial intelligence (AI). One machine is now being used in the UK, sorting one-third of the country's recycled batteries.
Paper waste used to make bricks
Researchers at the University of Jaen (Spain) have mixed waste from the paper industry with ceramic material used in the construction industry. The result is a brick that has low thermal conductivity meaning it acts as a good insulator. However, its mechanical resistance still requires improvement.
Engineers working to prevent heat buildup within 3D integrated circuits
In the effort to pile more power atop silicon chips, engineers have developed the equivalent of mini-skyscrapers in three-dimensional integrated circuits and encountered a new challenge: how to manage the heat created within the tiny devices.
Google launches 'scan and match' music service
Google is turning on a "scan and match" service for Google Music users to store copies of their songs online, offering for free what Apple charges $25 a year for.
Facebook puts mobile ads test on hold
Facebook said Wednesday it is halting a test of placing ads in "apps" that synch to the leading social network, renewing questions on how it will boost revenues from members using smartphones or tablets.
Video of eagle attacking toddler sparks online buzz
A video of a golden eagle swooping down in Montreal and briefly snatching a toddler off the ground sparked online buzz, but turned out on Wednesday to be a hoax that some said harms wildlife.
Internet ad revenue rises 18 pct to $9.3B in 3Q
(AP)—Internet advertising hit a new high in the third quarter as marketers continued to shift money from print and broadcasting.
US toughens online privacy rules for children
US regulators unveiled new rules Wednesday aimed at strengthening online privacy protection for children, to reflect the growing use of mobile apps and social networks.
Minteye offers no-type CAPTCHA as a security twist
(Phys.org)—Minteye is offering a no-type option to annoying CAPTCHA tests where users' first tries turn into third and fourth tries to get the blurry, blotched letters and digits correct for entry. The company Minteye, made up of "engineers, designers and entrepreneurs," has come up with a solution that is targeted both at advertisers and web site owners, called SLIDING CAPTCHA, with the idea being "slide to fit." Minteye's flavor of a CAPTCHA appears as a twisted, wavy, deformed, image with a small slider below the image.
Security researchers find vulnerability in Cisco VoIP phones
(Phys.org)—Ang Cui a fifth year PhD student at Columbia University, has given a demonstration at this year's Amphion Forum in San Francisco, showing a security vulnerability he and colleagues have discovered in Cisco VoIP phones. The vulnerability, he said, allows an intruder to place an electronic device into an on-premise VoIP phone that can be controlled by a nearby smartphone – allowing the "Off Hook Switch" to be manipulated in such as way as to effectively turn the phone into a two-way walkie-talkie. He noted also that once a single phone had been breached all others on the same network could be breached as well though the single device.
Kodak to receive $525M from patent sale (Update)
Eastman Kodak is selling its digital imaging patents for about $525 million, money the struggling photo pioneer says will help it emerge from bankruptcy protection in the first half of next year.
Fuel cell park in Connecticut is on board for 2013
(Phys.org)—North America's biggest fuel cell power plant is coming to Connecticut, and construction is to begin immediately. Dominion Resources, an energy company based in Virginia, and FuelCell Energy, a Connecticut manufacturer of fuel cell power plants, have announced the fuel cell project. The facility is to go into operation next year. Dominion Resources has agreed to buy the fuel cell site in the city of Bridgeport, with the first plant installation starting up in the summer of 2013. The remaining plants will be installed in stages. Dominion will oversee the development and owns the facility. FuelCell Energy is to build, operate, and maintain the installations. The power-generating project is to feed the local grid in Bridgeport.
Medicine & Health news
Celiac 'epidemics' link to infections early in life
Celiac disease affects about one percent of the population but occasional 'epidemics' have been noticed along with a seasonal variation in number of cases diagnosed. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Pediatrics indicates that repeated infections early in life increases the risk for celiac disease.
HIV patients in care lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV infection
Among HIV patients receiving well-organized care with free access to antiretroviral therapy, those who smoke lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV, according to a Danish study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. The findings highlight the importance of smoking cessation efforts in the long-term, integrated care of patients infected with HIV.
Heavy price: Medicare overpaying for back braces
A new report says Medicare has been paying more than $900 for a standard-type back brace you can find on the Internet for $250 or less.
Nepal sends in the clowns to help young patients
He may not be much of a doctor but the children's faces light up when Dush The Clown shuffles onto their ward in his floppy shoes and red nose to prescribe his unique brand of medical care.
Treating tobacco addiction a 'duty,' argue text editors
Researchers from the University of Alberta are helping Canadian smokers butt out with a new textbook designed to give health professionals the right tools to treat tobacco addiction.
Some rural hospitals to choose between merging services and closure, professor warns
(Medical Xpress)—For the 32nd consecutive year, The University of Alabama's Office of Media Relations offers predictions from faculty experts for the coming year.
Medical examiner seeks genetic clues to shooter
(AP)—Connecticut's chief medical examiner says he's seeking genetic clues to help explain why a shooter killed 20 children and six adults in a Newtown elementary school.
Researcher defines five-step approach to designing for children with autism
If designers want to develop effective products for children with autism, they first need to immerse themselves in the group they are targeting. This is the claim made by Helma van Rijn, who will be awarded her PhD for her thesis on this subject at TU Delft on Tuesday 18 September.
Health care providers can learn to communicate better with patients
Medical students, doctors and nurses can be taught to use a more holistic, patient-centered approach during medical consultations, focusing on the person and not just their medical complaint, finds a new review in The Cochrane Library. Furthermore, short term training (less than 10 hours) was as effective as longer-term training.
The road to systems medicine
A large European consortium has joined forces in the Coordinating Action Systems Medicine – CASyM, supported by the FP7- Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, to develop a road map outlining an integrative strategy for the implementation of systems medicine across Europe. This consortium combines extensive experience from its twenty-two partners, including research, higher education and health care organizations, SMEs and pharmaceutical companies, funding bodies as well as research clusters and project management agencies from France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
US shooting revives debate over videogame violence
The massacre of 26 people, mostly young children, at a US school has revived the perennial debate about the impact of violent videogames on the warped minds of gunmen behind such tragedies.
Germany's Merck suffers setback with cancer drug
German pharmaceutical company Merck KgaA says a late stage trial of a new lung cancer drug has failed to meet expectations.
The role of the innate immune cells in the development of type 1 diabetes
Julien Diana and Yannick Simoni of the "Immune Mechanisms in Type 1 Diabetes," Inserm/Université Paris Descartes, directed by Agnès Lehuen, have just published the results of their work on type 1 diabetes in the Nature Medicine journal.
School shootings: What we know and what we can do
Since the early 1970s school shootings at American elementary, secondary and higher education institutions have been a painful reality for American society. After each incident – like the recent attack in Newtown, CT – there is voluminous dialogue about what can be done to prevent the next, such tragedy. But can anything realistically be done to prevent these horrific crimes? A new article¹ by Dr. Daniel J. Flannery at Case Western Reserve University, and colleagues, scheduled to appear in the January issue of Springer's Current Psychiatry Reports, attempts to parse out what we have learned from past events, and what we can do about stopping the next attack.
Alzheimer's patients with non-spousal caregivers are less likely to participate in clinical trials
People with Alzheimer's disease are less likely to participate in a clinical trial if they have non-spouse caregivers, according to a study by a team of researchers including the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The new study, published in the December 19th, 2012, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, demonstrates that additional recruitment and retention strategies may be required to increase enrollment of AD patients with caregivers other than spouses.
FDA chief renews push for specialty pharmacy rules
(AP)—The head of the Food and Drug Administration renewed her push for new rules to help police pharmacies like the one that triggered a deadly meningitis outbreak, even as members of Congress expressed little interest in cooperating with the agency.
Texas governor asks cancer agency to halt grants
(AP)—Texas Gov. Rick Perry has asked the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to stop giving grants until concerns about the beleaguered agency are resolved.
European trial confirms commonly prescribed antibiotic ineffective for treating cough
The antibiotic amoxicillin, that doctors typically prescribe for common lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) such as cough and bronchitis, is no more effective at relieving symptoms than the use of no medication, even in older patients. The findings from the largest randomised placebo controlled trial of antibiotics for acute uncomplicated LRTI to date are published Online First in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Robotic-assisted radical bladder surgery potentially benefits bladder cancer patients
About 30 percent of the more than 70,000 bladder cancer cases expected in 2012 are muscle invasive. In such cases, radical cystectomy is the preferred treatment. In a pilot trial, a team of investigators assessed the efficacy of open radical cystectomy (ORC) vs. robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC). While there were no significant differences in treatment outcomes, RARC resulted in decreased estimated blood loss and shorter hospital stay compared to ORC. The results are published in the February 2013 issue of The Journal of Urology.
Scientist uncovers how airway cells regenerate after chlorine gas injury
Scarring of the airways can lead to long-term breathing problems for some people exposed to high levels of chlorine gas from events such as an industrial accident, chemical spill following a train derailment or terroristic chemical warfare. Household mishaps from mixing bleach with acidic cleaning products also can cause release of chlorine gas; if this occurs in a poorly ventilated space, chlorine levels could be high enough to cause lung injury.
Polygenic risk score helpful for women with familial breast CA
(HealthDay)—For women affected by familial breast cancer, a polygenic risk score based on 22 genomic variants can identify women at high-risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Many states say 'no' to health insurance exchanges
(HealthDay)—Half of the states in the nation have rebuffed a key provision of the Obama administration's health reform law: the creation of state-based health insurance exchanges, according to data compiled by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Working toward stronger bones with exercise
If you're going to fall and break something, you should at least have a good story to tell.
9/11 cancer study won't settle debate over risks
The most comprehensive study of potential World Trade Center-related cancers raises more questions than it answers and won't end a debate over whether the attacks were really a cause.
For power and status, dominance and skill trump likability
Finding the next Barack Obama or Warren Buffett might be as simple as looking at who attracts the most eyes in a crowd, a new University of British Columbia study finds.
Study links personality changes to changes in social well-being
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers report that changes in social well-being are closely tied to one's personality, with positive changes in one corresponding to similar changes in the other. Their study reveals potential new mechanisms that can help individuals thrive as they age.
EU crackdown on tobacco stops short of plain packets (Update)
With menthol cigarettes to be banned and cigarette packs sold with repulsive images of rotting lungs, the European Union released new anti-tobacco proposals Wednesday, the first in over a decade.
Study finds ways to prevent muscle loss, obesity and diabetes
A research study from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has yielded important breakthroughs on how the body loses muscle, paving the way for new treatments for aging, obesity and diabetes.
Better approach to treating deadly melanoma identified by scientists
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers funded by Cancer Research UK have been looking at why new drugs called "MEK inhibitors", which are currently being tested in clinical trials, aren't as effective at killing cancer cells as they should be.
The end of a dogma: Bipolar cells generate action potentials
To make information transmission to the brain reliable, the retina first has to "digitize" the image. Until now, it was widely believed that this step takes place in the retinal ganglion cells, the output neurons of the retina. Scientists in the lab of Thomas Euler at the University of Tübingen, the Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and the Bernstein Center Tübingen were now able to show that already bipolar cells can generate "digital" signals. At least three types of mouse BC showed clear evidence of fast and stereotypic action potentials, so called "spikes". These results show that the retina is by no means as well understood as is commonly believed.
Researchers see successful results against human leishmaniasis with a more efficient and economic vaccine
A research coordinated by the UAB has succeeded in testing a vaccine against leishmaniasis. The vaccine was tested with the best animal model existing, the golden hamster, and can be produced at low costs by using insect larvae. The research, published in the latest edition of PLoS ONE, is an important step towards the fight against a disease which causes the death of 70,000 people each year in developing countries and of countless dogs, which also suffer from this disease and are its natural reservoir.
Ability to chart the molecular progress of diabetes brings personalized medicine closer to realization
Researchers in Singapore have succeeded in tracking, for the first time, the molecular changes caused by type 2 diabetes that affect how the body handles glucose production in the liver. In a series of experiments in mice, the researchers introduced a form of the compound pyruvate that incorporated specially treated carbon nuclei. This allowed the researchers to follow the processing of the compound using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). In this way, the team, led by Phillip Lee of the Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, showed that the enzyme pyruvate carboxylase plays a key role in the development of diabetes.
Computer simulations of blood flow through mechanical heart valves could pave the way for more individualized prosthetic
Every year, over 300,000 heart valve replacement operations are performed worldwide. Diseased valves are often replaced with mechanical heart valves (MHVs), which cannot yet be designed to suit each patient's specific needs. Complications such as blood clots can occur, which can require patients to take blood-thinning medication.
Men's cancer risk to climb to one in two as research drives up survival
A man's lifetime risk of developing cancer is set to reach one in two by 2027 according to new Cancer Research UK figures released today (Wednesday).
ACT: New treatment option to address binge drinking behaviour
As the Christmas-New Year party season nears its peak, psychology researchers from the University of Adelaide have completed the first study of its kind into a potential treatment for binge drinking behaviour among young people.
Not all holiday spice is nice, says toxicologist: Cinnamon, nutmeg and marshmallows abused for cheap thrills
(Medical Xpress)—Watch your kitchen cupboards this season as thrill seekers look to common holiday baking ingredients for a rise – cinnamon, nutmeg and even marshmallows are the primary ingredients in an increasingly popular and high-risk game of "chicken."
Spotting ovarian cancer, before it's too late
(Medical Xpress)—At just 28 percent, the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer is much lower than in other cancer cases. And, the disease can easily go unnoticed, making it difficult to find effective treatments. "There are very few symptoms associated with ovarian cancer," says Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Paul Campagnola. "When it gets detected, it's usually too late."
Teens' views on dangers of pot fall to 20-year low
A new federal study says that teenagers' perception of the dangers of marijuana has fallen to the lowest level in more than 20 years.
For psychiatric patients, cancer is often spotted too late
(HealthDay)—People with psychiatric disorders have a 30 percent higher death rate from cancer, even though they are no more likely to develop the disease than others. And the underlying reason may be relatively simple: Their cancer is frequently discovered late, often after it has spread, a new Australian study finds.
Two distinct high-risk diabetes populations ID'd in children
(HealthDay)—Children with high-risk A1C (hrA1C) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) define different populations, with differentially increased risk markers, according to research published online Nov. 27 in Diabetes Care.
Gene therapy cocktail shows promise in long-term clinical trial for rare fatal brain disorder
Results of a clinical trial that began in 2001 show that a gene therapy cocktail conveyed into the brain by a molecular special delivery vehicle may help extend the lives of children with Canavan disease, a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder.
Badger sleeping habits could help target TB control
Sleeping away from the family home is linked to health risks for badgers, new research by the University of Exeter and the Food and Environment Research Agency has revealed.
Cholesterol helps regulate key signaling proteins in the cell
Cholesterol plays a key role in regulating proteins involved in cell signaling and may be important to many other cell processes, an international team of researchers has found.
Malpractice study: Surgical 'never events' occur at least 4,000 times per year
After a cautious and rigorous analysis of national malpractice claims, Johns Hopkins patient safety researchers estimate that a surgeon in the United States leaves a foreign object such as a sponge or a towel inside a patient's body after an operation 39 times a week, performs the wrong procedure on a patient 20 times a week and operates on the wrong body site 20 times a week.
Researchers describe a key mechanism in muscle regeneration
Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have described a new selective target in muscle regeneration. This is the association of alpha-enolase protein and plasmin. The finding could be used to develop new treatments to regenerate muscular injuries or dystrophies. The study has been published in PLOS ONE journal.
Healthy lifestyle during menopause may decrease breast cancer risk later on
Obese, postmenopausal women are at greater risk for developing breast cancer and their cancers tend to be more aggressive than those in lean counterparts. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the December issue of the journal Cancer Research shows how this risk might be prevented.
Experiencing discrimination increases risk-taking, anger, and vigilance
Experiencing rejection not only affects how we think and feel—over the long-term it can also influence our physical and mental health. New research suggests that when rejection comes in the form of discrimination, people respond with a pattern of thoughts, behaviors, and physiological responses that may contribute to overall health disparities.
Men with fibromyalgia often go undiagnosed, Mayo Clinic study suggests
Fibromyalgia is a complex illness to diagnose and to treat. There is not yet a diagnostic test to establish that someone has it, there is no cure and many fibromyalgia symptoms—pain, fatigue, problems sleeping and memory and mood issues—can overlap with or get mistaken for other conditions. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that many people who have fibromyalgia, especially men, are going undiagnosed. The findings appear in the online edition of the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
Auto-immune disease: The viral route is confirmed
Why would our immune system turn against our own cells? This is the question that the combined Inserm/CNRS/ Pierre and Marie Curie University/Association Institut de Myologie have strived to answer in their "Therapies for diseases of striated muscle", concentrating in particular on the auto-immune disease known as myasthenia gravis. Through the project known as FIGHT-MG (Fight Myasthenia Gravis), financed by the European Commission and coordinated by Inserm, Sonia Berrih-Aknin and Rozen Le Panse have contributed proof of the concept that a molecule imitating a virus may trigger an inappropriate immune response, causing muscular function to deteriorate. These results have been published in Annals of Neurology, accessible on line.
High-throughput sequencing shows potentially hundreds of gene mutations related to autism
Genomic technology has revolutionized gene discovery and disease understanding in autism, according to an article published in the December 20 issue of the journal Neuron.
Protein creates paths for growing nerve cells
Working with mice, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that a particular protein helps nerve cells extend themselves along the spinal cord during mammalian development. Their results shed light on the subset of muscular dystrophies that result from mutations in the gene that holds the code for the protein, called dystroglycan, and also show how the nerve and muscle failings of the degenerative diseases are related.
Regular marijuana use by teens continues to be a concern
Continued high use of marijuana by the nation's eighth, 10th and 12th graders combined with a drop in perceptions of its potential harms was revealed in this year's Monitoring the Future survey, an annual survey of eighth, 10th, and 12th-graders conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. The survey was carried out in classrooms around the country earlier this year, under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
New research discovery provides therapeutic target for ALS
Research led by Dr. Udai Pandey, Assistant Professor of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that the ability of a protein made by a gene called FUS to bind to RNA is essential to the development of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This discovery identifies a possible therapeutic target for the fatal neurological disease. The research will be available online in the Advanced Access section of the journal Human Molecular Genetics website, posted by December 21, 2012. It will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal.
Why our backs can't read braille: Scientists map sensory nerves in mouse skin
Johns Hopkins scientists have created stunning images of the branching patterns of individual sensory nerve cells. Their report, published online in the journal eLife on Dec. 18, details the arrangement of these branches in skin from the backs of mice. The branching patterns define ten distinct groups that, the researchers say, likely correspond to differences in what the nerves do and could hold clues for pain management and other areas of neurological study.
New treatment may relieve chronic shortness of breath
People experiencing chronic shortness of breath may soon have a new way to help alleviate their discomfort, according to a Penn State College of Medicine pulmonology researcher.
Impaired melatonin secretion may play a role in premenstrual syndrome
A new study by Douglas Mental Health University Institute researchers shows altered body rhythms of the hormone melatonin in Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) women with insomnia. This finding may help explain some of the sleep disruptions experienced by women with PMDD, also known as premenstrual syndrome. PMDD is a mood disorder which appears in the week preceding menses, and affects about 3-8% of women. PMDD sufferers can experience depression, tension, and irritability of sufficient intensity to interfere with daily activities and relationships. Disturbed sleep is also a common symptom of the disorder, with up to 70% of patients frequently reporting either poor sleep quality with increased awakenings or excessive sleepiness during the symptomatic phase.
Successful solo rock/pop stars twice as likely to die early as those in a band
Successful solo rock/pop stars are around twice as likely to die early as those in equally famous bands, indicates research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Denosumab does not delay nonvertebral fracture healing
(HealthDay)—Denosumab does not appear to delay fracture healing or contribute to other complications when used to treat postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, according to research published in the Dec. 5 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Heart health worst in the South, best in Northeast
(HealthDay)—Residents of several Southern states are among the most likely to have poor heart health in the United States, a new study finds.
States lagging in emergency preparedness, report shows
(HealthDay)—While significant progress has been made in the past 10 years, many states still fall short in their preparedness for public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorist attacks, according to a new report.
Small changes in eating prompts weight loss
Making small easy changes to our eating habits on a consistent basis - 25 days or more per month - can lead to sustainable weight loss, according to research by Professor Brian Wansink in Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab. The challenge is to figure out which changes work for specific individuals and how to stick with changes long enough to make them second nature.
MicroRNAs present exciting opportunities for cancer therapy and diagnosis
As many as 50 percent of all human protein-coding genes are regulated by microRNA (miRNA) molecules. While some miRNAs impact onset and progression of cancer, others can actually suppress the development of malignant tumors and are useful in cancer therapy. They can also serve as potential biomarkers for early cancer detection. In a new issue of Cancer Biomarkers, investigators report on non-coding miRNAs as appealing biomarkers for malignancy.
Delusions of gender: Men's insecurities may lead to sexist views of women
He loves her, he loves her not.
China researchers link obesity to bacteria
Chinese researchers have identified a bacteria which may cause obesity, according to a new paper suggesting diets that alter the presence of microbes in humans could combat the condition.
Blood groups act as protection against infection
(Medical Xpress)—Humans may have acquired enzymes that make blood groups from bacteria to hinder the spread of viruses in the population, suggests a study led by scientists at the University of Bath.
Paper examines the illusion of the scintillating grid
(Medical Xpress)—The fascinating but deeply weird illusion of the scintillating grid, where the grid appears to sparkle, has been shown to be more sparkly when you view it with both eyes rather than one eye.
How the mind can map negative spaces around the body
(Medical Xpress)—The brain's perception of space can determine whether a part of a body which occupies that space is either healthy or "neglected".
Brake on nerve cell activity after seizures discovered: Gene expression initiates protective electrical response
Given that epilepsy impacts more than 2 million Americans, there is a pressing need for new therapies to prevent this disabling neurological disorder. New findings from the neuroscience laboratory of Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, published Dec. 20 in the high-impact scientific journal, Neuron, may provide hope.
Researchers debunk the IQ myth
After conducting the largest online intelligence study on record, a Western University-led research team has concluded that the notion of measuring one's intelligence quotient or IQ by a singular, standardized test is highly misleading.
Study reveals how the brain categorizes thousands of objects and actions
Humans perceive numerous categories of objects and actions, but where are these categories represented spatially in the brain?
Transplanted neural stem cells treat ALS in mouse model
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is untreatable and fatal. Nerve cells in the spinal cord die, eventually taking away a person's ability to move or even breathe. A consortium of ALS researchers at multiple institutions, including Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, tested transplanted neural stem cells as a treatment for the disease. In 11 independent studies, they found that transplanting neural stem cells into the spinal cord of a mouse model of ALS slows disease onset and progression. This treatment also improves host motor function and significantly prolongs survival. The transplanted neural stem cells did not benefit ALS mice by replacing deteriorating nerve cells. Instead, neural stem cells help by producing factors that preserve the health and function of the host's remaining nerve cells. They also reduce inflammation and suppress the num! ber of disease-causing cells in the host's spinal cord.
New study shows how mitochondrial disease may be prevented
A joint team of scientists from The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Laboratory and Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has developed a technique that may prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial diseases in children. The study is published online today in Nature.
Helping the nose know: Researcher answers 100-year-old question about how olfactory feedback mechanism works
More than a century after it was first identified, Harvard scientists are shedding new light on a little-understood neural feedback mechanism that may play a key role in how the olfactory system works in the brain.
Link between inflammatory process and progression of Alzheimer's disease
An international team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the University of Bonn and the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research in Germany have shown that a well-known immune and inflammatory process plays an important role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. This process, which results in the mature production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) and is involved in the body's defense against infection, has also been established as a clinical target for rheumatoid arthritis. The finding, published in Nature, points to the possibility that drugs that disrupt the production of IL-1B, such as those for rheumatoid arthritis, may also prove beneficial for patients with Alzheimer's.
Biology news
Project puts drought-tolerant crops in the spotlight
Water is the most important component of a plant's growth, but researchers have discovered that some plants can survive with less. Researchers in Europe are now working on developing crops that can tolerate droughts, specifically for bioenergy and bioproducts. The WATBIO ('Development of improved perennial non-food biomass and bioproduct crops for water stressed environments') project is funded under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 9 million.
Stillbirth and neonatal death in piglets
Changes in the breeding of pigs over the last 20 years has led to the size of litters increasing by on average two piglets.
South Africa rhino poaching toll jumps to 633
At least 633 rhinos have been killed in South Africa this year, a record toll as demand for their horns continues to surge on the black market in Asia, the government said Wednesday.
A new, super-nutritious puffed rice for breakfast cereals and snacks
A new process for blowing up grains of rice produces a super-nutritious form of puffed rice, with three times more protein and a rich endowment of other nutrients that make it ideal for breakfast cereals, snack foods and nutrient bars for school lunch programs, scientists are reporting. Their study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Endangered whale washes up on Fla. beach
(AP)—One of the most endangered whales in the world has washed up dead on a beach in northeast Florida.
Though manatee population has grown, low diversity still a risk
(Phys.org)—A new research study gauging the outlook for the Florida manatee shows that it's a case of great news and not-so-great news.
Geographic complexity explains patterns of spread of white-nose syndrome in bats, study finds
(Phys.org)—The spread of white-nose syndrome, an emerging fungal disease in bats, may be determined by habitat and climate, scientists at the University of Georgia have found.
Cell biology: Flushing out fats
The Wip1 protein is important for survival, but mutations that inactivate it carry some surprising features. "A lack of Wip1 results in an excessive immune reaction to infectious organisms, in some cases killing the host," explains Dmitry Bulavin of the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore. He also notes, however, that mice lacking Wip1 are considerably less prone to certain cancers. Now, research from Bulavin and his co-workers has revealed that Wip1-deficient animals also exhibit improved fat metabolism and cardiovascular health.
New peatland bacteria feed on greenhouse gas and excess fertilizer, study finds
Researchers from Radboud University Nijmegen and B-WARE Research Centre have discovered new methane-consuming bacteria in the soil beneath the Brunssummerheide peatland reserve in Limburg, the Netherlands. Although the bacteria may be the result of environmental pollution, they are now consuming the harmful greenhouse gas. Applied and Environmental Microbiology has published the results in its December issue.
The limits of the productive capacity of ecosystems
In a letter to Science published last week, Karl-Heinz Erb from the Institute of Social Ecology Vienna and a number of co-authors discuss how the measurement of biomass production and consumption can be used to gain a better understanding of the limits of the productive capacity of ecosystems.
Study looks at gray seal impact on beach water quality
(Phys.org)—Scientists from the newly created Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium (NASRC) are using data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) to investigate whether seals may impact beach water quality along Outer Cape Cod.
Fast-acting enzymes with two fingers: Protein structurally and dynamically explained
Researchers at the RUB and from the MPI Dortmund have uncovered the mechanism that switches off the cell transport regulating proteins. They were able to resolve in detail how the central switch protein Rab is down-regulated with two "protein fingers" by its interaction partners. The structural and dynamic data is reported by the researchers led by Prof. Dr. Klaus Gerwert (Chair of Biophysics, RUB) and Prof. Dr. Roger S. Goody (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany) in the Online Early Edition of the journal PNAS.
Are bacteria making you hungry?
Over the last half decade, it has become increasingly clear that the normal gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria play a variety of very important roles in the biology of human and animals. Now Vic Norris of the University of Rouen, France, and coauthors propose yet another role for GI bacteria: that they exert some control over their hosts' appetites. Their review was published online ahead of print in the Journal of Bacteriology.
Study of leaping toads reveals muscle-protecting mechanism (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—Most people are impressed by how a toad jumps. UC Irvine biologist Emanuel Azizi is more impressed by how one lands.
Pigs in southern China infected with avian flu
Researchers report for the first time the seroprevalence of three strains of avian influenza viruses in pigs in southern China, but not the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Their research, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, has implications for efforts to protect the public health from pandemics.
Study reveals that animals contribute to seagrass dispersal
Look out the window and you're likely to see the dispersal of seeds—dandelion tufts in the wind, a squirrel burying an acorn, a robin flying off with a dogwood fruit. You might even have a burr "velcroed" to your sock.
Lizard tails detach at a biological 'dotted line'
Like sheets of paper marked with perforated lines, gecko tails have unique structural marks that help them sever their tails to make a quick getaway. Though voluntarily shedding a body part in this manner is a well-known phenomenon, research published December 19 in the open access journal PLOS ONE reveals aspects of the process that may have applications for structural engineers making similar, quickly detachable structures.
Venezuelan pitcher plant uses wettable hairs to make insects slip into its deadly traps
An insect-trapping pitcher plant in Venezuela uses its downward pointing hairs to create a 'water slide' on which insects slip to their death, new research reveals. The research was published today, 19 December, in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Birdsong bluster may dupe strange females, but it won't fool partners
(Phys.org)—Male birds use their song to dupe females they have just met by pretending they are in excellent physical condition. Just as some men try to cast themselves in a better light when they approach would-be dates, so male birds in poor condition seek to portray that they are fitter than they really are. But males do not even try to deceive their long-term partners, who are able to establish the true condition of the male by their song.
Research predicts growth, survival of 'superorganism' ant colonies
(Phys.org)—Smaller ant colonies tend to live faster, die younger and burn up more energy than their larger counterparts, as do the individual ants that make up those colonies, according to new research that views the colonies as "superorganisms" in which social insects function much like the cells of a body.
Possible new species of spider found that builds fake spider decoys
(Phys.org)—While traveling with a group of researchers in the Amazon rain forest this past September, biologist Phil Torres came upon a type of spider he'd never seen before. Upon closer inspection, it turned out the spider wasn't a spider at all, but a decoy created by a real spider. He documents the find in a blog post for Rainforest Expeditions.
Do palm trees hold the key to immortality?
For centuries, humans have been exploring, researching, and, in some cases, discovering how to stave off life-threatening diseases, increase life spans, and obtain immortality. Biologists, doctors, spiritual gurus, and even explorers have pursued these quests—one of the most well-known examples being the legendary search by Ponce de León for the "Fountain of Youth." Yet the key to longevity may not lie in a miraculous essence of water, but rather in the structure and function of cells within a plant—and not a special, mysterious, rare plant, but one that we may think of as being quite commonplace, even ordinary: the palm.
Not without my microbes
After metamorphosis European forest cockchafers benefit from the same bacterial symbionts housed during their larval stage.
Fine hands, fists of fury: Our hands evolved for punching, not just dexterity
(Phys.org)—Men whacked punching bags for a University of Utah study that suggests human hands evolved not only for the manual dexterity needed to use tools, play a violin or paint a work of art, but so men could make fists and fight.
Multi-tasking whales sing while feeding, not just breeding
Humpback whales are famed for their songs, most often heard in breeding season when males are competing to mate with females. In recent years, however, reports of whale songs occurring outside traditional breeding grounds have become more common. A new study may help explain why.
Simplest cotton genome offers clues for fiber improvements
An international consortium of researchers published a high-quality draft assembly of the simplest cotton genome in the Dec. 20, 2012 issue of Nature. In the study, researchers traced the evolution of cotton and fiber development over millions of years. Additionally, bioenergy researchers hope to learn more about cellulose biosynthesis from the genome as each cotton strand is made of several cellulose coils, a target biomass for next-generation biofuels.
Genomes of limpet, leech and worm put spotlight on lophotrochozoans
A new report in the journal Nature unveils three of the first genomes from a vast, understudied swath of the animal kingdom that includes as many as one-quarter of Earth's marine species. By publishing the genomes of a leech, an ocean-dwelling worm and a kind of sea snail creature called a limpet, scientists from Rice University, the University of California-Berkeley and the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI) have more than doubled the number of genomes from a diverse group of animals called lophotrochozoans (pronounced: LOH-foh-troh-coh-zoh-uhns).
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