Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 7, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Study: At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet- New antimatter method to provide 'a major experimental advantage'
- Massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers
- 15 new planets hint at 'traffic jam' of moons in habitable zone
- Unlocking nature's quantum engineering for efficient solar energy
- Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets
- Giant fossil predator provides insights into the rise of modern marine ecosystem structures
- Simulated mission to Mars says success hinges on routine sleep and behavioral activity
- Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies
- New path to more efficient organic solar cells uncovered at Advanced Light Source
- Engineering alternative fuel with cyanobacteria
- Berlin commuters will use folding EV Hiriko
- Study shows mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation
- The reason we lose at games
- Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity
Space & Earth news
Stunning view from orbit: Dramatic volcanoes at dawn
A stunning view from orbit! Astronaut Chris Hadfield captured this shot of the volcanoes of Kamchatka in Russia. "Volcanoes look dramatic at dawn," Hadfield said via Twitter. "They startled me when I spotted them through the lens."
Grounded Alaska oil rig refloated, no pollution seen
An oil rig which ran aground in Alaska has been refloated and is being towed to a nearby harbor, with no signs of pollution seen, officials said Monday.
Counting the cost of mercury pollution
Cleaning up mercury pollution and reducing prenatal exposure to the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) could save the European Union €10,000 million per year, finds a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health. New estimates suggest that between 1.5 and 2 million children in the EU are born each year with MeHg exposures above the safe limit of 0.58µg/g and 200,000 above the WHO recommended maximum of 2.5µg/g.
Bedrock breakthrough in Antarctica
(Phys.org)—A team of scientists from nine nations, led by Victoria University's Dr Nancy Bertler, have made a huge breakthrough in Antarctica—successfully drilling more than 760m through the ice to the bedrock, on an island in the Ross Sea.
Flying, rolling robot might make a great Titan explorer
Ever since the Huygens probe landed on Titan back in January 2005, sending us our first tantalizing and oh-so-brief glimpses of the moon's murky, pebbly surface, researchers have been dreaming up ways to explore further… after all, what's more intriguing than a world in our own Solar System that's basically a miniature version of an early Earth (even if it's quite a few orders of magnitude chillier?)
Researcher finds life flying high above
For years, scientists have been tracking pollution that travels across the jet stream from Asia and measuring how much of it winds up in Northwest air. Now new work from University of Washington researchers shows it's not just specks of heavy metals or gases that make the long journey here from China or Russia. Some of the world's smallest life-forms, including bacteria and fungi, do as well.
NASA says 2013 will be a year of science on the space station
Right before Christmas, a Russian rocket carrying three astronauts - one American, one Russian and one Canadian - launched from a chilly spaceport in Kazakhstan to begin a five-month mission to the International Space Station.
Captain's log: real space chat for Star Trek crew
Fact and fiction blurred this week when a real-life astronaut boldly went where no man has gone before and conversed from orbit via Twitter with the crew of television's "Star Trek: Enterprise."
Wind shear and dry air bashing Tropical Depression Sonamu
Once a cyclone, now a tropical depression, Sonamu is being battered by moderate wind shear and an intrusion of dry air is it has practically stalled in the South China Sea.
Shocking news about dust grains
(Phys.org)—The ubiquitous clouds of gas and dust found between stars provide the natal material for new stars and planets. These clouds are also dynamic factories that produce many complex molecules thanks to their rich environment of stellar radiation, dense gas, and dust grains. The grains (most of which are silicates, analogous to sand) act as miniature chemical laboratories. Atoms and molecules from the gas condense onto their surfaces and then interact with one another to form even more complex species. Water, a particularly abundant species, tends to form a layer of ice on the grain surfaces.
Research shows isoprene from biofuel plants likely to lead to ozone deaths
(Phys.org)—A trio of researchers from the Lancaster Environment Centre, in the UK has found that planting trees for use as a biofuel source, near populated areas, is likely to increase human deaths due to inhalation of ozone. The team, in their paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, suggests that increased levels of isoprene emitted from such trees, when interacting with other air pollutants can lead to increased levels of ozone in the air which might also lead to lower crop yields.
Venus transit and lunar mirror could help astronomers find worlds around other stars
(Phys.org)—On 6 June 2012 Venus passed directly between the Earth and the Sun, in a so-called transit where the planet appears as a silhouette against the solar disk, something that will not happen again until 5 December 2117. A team of Italian astronomers led by Paolo Molaro of the Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica at the University of Trieste used the opportunity to perform an unusual and challenging experiment, looking at the sunlight reflected off the Moon ('moonlight') to see how it changed during the transit. This technique could help scientists to find planets in orbit around other stars. The team publish their results in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters.
Curiosity rover explores 'Yellowknife Bay'
(Phys.org)—After imaging during the holidays, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity resumed driving Jan. 3 and pulled within arm's reach of a sinuous rock feature called "Snake River."
Major cuts to surging CO2 emissions are needed now, not down the road, study finds
In 2004 a very popular study aimed to address climate change by deploying wedges of different existing energy technologies or approaches. According to the study by Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala, each wedge would avoid one billion tons of carbon (1 GtC) emissions per year after 50 years. The study showed that, at that time, seven wedges could stabilize carbon dioxide emissions relative to what would happen if things remained "business-as-usual."
Simulated mission to Mars says success hinges on routine sleep and behavioral activity
In the first study of its kind, a team of researchers led by faculty at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Baylor College of Medicine, has analyzed data on the impact of prolonged operational confinement on sleep, performance, and mood in astronauts from a groundbreaking international effort to simulate a 520-day space mission to Mars. The findings, published online-first in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed alterations of life-sustaining sleep patterns and neurobehavioral consequences for crew members that must be addressed for successful adaption to prolonged space missions.
Study shows mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation
Though churning smokestacks, cud-chewing cows and gasoline-burning vehicles are contributing constantly to greenhouse gas emissions, there are also many processes that do the reverse, pulling molecules like carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. One of these is chemical weathering, which occurs when rock turns into soil. Carbon dioxide molecules and rain combine to dissolve rock, and the weathering products, including sediment, eventually make their way through waterways to the ocean where some become trapped on the ocean bottom and in coral reefs and seashells.
Detecting dusty clouds and stars in our galaxy in a new way
The center of our Milky Way galaxy is a wondrous place full of huge star clusters, dust clouds, magnetic filaments and a supermassive black hole. But it can be a confusing place, too, posing challenges to astronomers trying to image these exotic features and learn more about where they are located in the galaxy.
Galaxy's gamma-ray flares erupted far from its black hole
(Phys.org)—In 2011, a months-long blast of energy launched by an enormous black hole almost 11 billion years ago swept past Earth. Using a combination of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the world's largest radio telescope, astronomers have zeroed in on the source of this ancient outburst.
Oil sands study shows negative impact on lake systems
(Phys.org)—Fifty years of Athabasca oil sands development has left a legacy of contaminants in lake ecosystems and that contamination reaches further from the development areas than previously recognized, according to new research at Queen's University.
Massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers
(Phys.org)—The surprising discovery of a massive outburst in a neighboring galaxy is giving astronomers a tantalizing look at what likely is a powerful belch by a gorging black hole at the galaxy's center. The scientists were conducting a long-term study of molecules in galaxies, when one of the galaxies showed a dramatic change.
15 new planets hint at 'traffic jam' of moons in habitable zone
Volunteers from the Planethunters.org website, part of the Oxford University-led Zooniverse project, have discovered 15 new planet candidates orbiting in the habitable zones of other stars.
Study: At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet
(Phys.org)—The quest for a twin Earth is heating up. Using NASA's Kepler spacecraft, astronomers are beginning to find Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars. A new analysis of Kepler data shows that about 17 percent of stars have an Earth-sized planet in an orbit closer than Mercury. Since the Milky Way has about 100 billion stars, there are at least 17 billion Earth-sized worlds out there.
Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets
(Phys.org)—Comets trailing wispy tails across the night sky are a beautiful byproduct of our solar system's formation, icy leftovers from 4.6 billion years ago when the planets coalesced from rocky rubble.
Technology news
Google executive chairman arrives in North Korea (Update)
(AP)—Google's chairman wants a first-hand look at North Korea's economy and social media during his private visit Monday to the communist nation, his delegation said, despite misgivings in Washington over the timing of the trip.
Lighting the way in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Recycling, reusing and reducing are all ways in which Europeans are assisting in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is a far cry from the days when we threw everything away without thought. Now we know it is the simple solutions that are making the difference. One example is lighting, which accounts for 14 % of electricity consumption in the EU. As a result, incandescent bulbs are being phased out in Europe and replaced with new energy-efficient and eco-friendly lighting technologies.
The demand for storage devices in a connected world of data
The advent of cloud computing has given rise to trends—such as the consumerization of IT, big data and enterprise mobility—that have created increasingly connected data ecosystems, and this is driving demand for digital storage capacity. The cloud has been regarded as a threat to traditional storage solutions, but that is an incorrect assumption—rising rates of cloud adoption will increase demand for the hard drives and solid state drives that comprise cloud storage, creating more opportunities for storage vendors. The solid state drive (SSD) market has seen a spike in growth, but hard disk drive (HDD) technology is far from dead. As consumers and businesses consider a mixture of high—performance and affordable options, the need to seamlessly transition between these solutions will be even greater.
Cruise control starts runners on right 'note'
A new app based on technology designed at Simon Fraser University is helping runners to more effectively – and enjoyably – reach and maintain their pace or heart rate goals.
WSU researcher working to make intersections safer
A Wayne State University researcher is part of a federally funded effort that could lead to safer intersections on our nation's roadways.
YouTube mistakenly closes Syria watchdog channels
The popular video hosting website YouTube said on Monday it had mistakenly shut down two accounts of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a key source of information in the 21-month Syria conflict.
Lithuanians recycle Christmas trees into biofuel
Having brought joy to Lithuanian families over the holidays, Christmas trees will now warm them through the rest of winter after being converted into biofuel.
Global tech industry uneven as mobile surges
The global tech industry has become a tale of two sectors, with mobile devices surging at the expense of older electronics that are struggling, a forecast showed.
LG raises investments despite uncertain economy
LG Group says it is increasing annual investments to record highs despite the uncertainty in the global economy and slow consumer demand.
Measuring image quality made easier with new computational methods
Researcher Mikko Nuutinen has developed methods for measuring the quality of digital and printed images computationally with algorithms directly from natural images. These unprecedented methods are presented in his doctoral dissertation for the Department of Media Technology.
Progress made in developing systems for disaster mitigation
When disaster strikes, an effective response system will tell emergency workers where to go, and enable them to get there unimpeded. Residents will receive information they need in order to protect themselves. Moreover, if it works the way it's supposed to, the system will inspire public confidence.
Noise protection: Multifunctional and aesthetical
Noise abatement is growing in importance, thus, the demand for better acoustic building components raises. Scientists are developing new solutions: aesthetically good looking and flexibly applicable microperforated sound absorbers.
Smart search engines for news videos
Searching for video recordings regularly pushes search engines to their limit. The truth of the matter is that purely automatic algorithms are not enough; user knowledge has to be harnessed, too. Now, researchers are making automated engines smarter.
Romper suit to protect against sudden infant death
Breathing sensors built into romper suits could help prevent sudden cot deaths in the future. The basis for this is a stretchable printed circuit board that fits to the contours of the body and can be manufactured using routine industrial processes.
Debate erupts in France over blocking online ads (Update)
France's Digital Economy minister said Monday she persuaded a top Internet access provider to stop its controversial policy of blocking online advertisements—a move widely seen as an attack against Google but which has also struck fear among bloggers and online publishers.
More than 40 bln apps downloaded for Apple gadgets
Apple on Monday announced that more than 40 billion "apps" have been downloaded for its beloved gadgets, with the California company paying out billions of dollars to developers.
Seismic fabric coming to the market
In the case of earthquakes, only seconds may remain for a safe escape from buildings. Debris falling down and obstructing the escape routes may even aggravate the situation. A product developed at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) extends the time for saving lives by reinforcing walls and keeping off the debris. An innovative building material manufacturer now has launched the mature innovation on the market.
The Cleantech Cliff: Global venture capital investment plunged 33 percent in 2012
You could call it the cleantech cliff: Global clean-technology venture investment plunged to $6.46 billion in 2012, down 33 percent from the $9.61 billion invested a year ago, according to San Francisco-based research and consulting firm Cleantech Group.
A French nuclear exit?
France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power. In a special issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE four articles explore whether France has the means or desire to unplug from nuclear power.
USPTO to stage two forums for software community
(Phys.org)—Let the conversations begin. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) intends to stage two roundtable discussions with developers on the East and West coasts next month to talk about software patents. The notice appearing in the Federal Register, titled "Request for Comments and Notice of Roundtable Events for Partnership for Enhancement of Quality of Software-Related Patents," invites software developers to express their opinions. The patent office meetings will take place in California and New York. The West Coast roundtable will be held at Stanford University on February 12 and the East Coast event will be held at New York University in New York City on February 27.
Berlin commuters will use folding EV Hiriko
(Phys.org)—Deutsche Bahn, the company that operates the German railway network, will enlist the Hiriko electric vehicle as part of its transport network in Berlin. The Hiriko folding car, targeted for the city's car sharing network, will undergo testing as a "last mile" step in Deutsche Bahn's railway network. This means commuters will use the foldable car to get from station to their final destinations.
Videogames coming to a cloud near you
Videogames are moving further into the Internet cloud with new devices and services unveiled at the big Consumer Electronics Show this week.
Qualcomm promises faster routers with gaming tech
When data traffic snarls in your Wi-Fi router, Qualcomm has an answer for you: a "Killer" traffic cop to sort things out.
US to require electric cars to make noise
A U.S. government safety agency wants electric and hybrid vehicles to make more noise when traveling at low speeds so pedestrians can hear them coming.
Medicine & Health news
Sandy prompts some elderly to seek assisted living
The howling winds and rising waters of Superstorm Sandy may have sparked at least one unintended flood: A race by seniors to find safe housing in assisted-living facilities.
Overweight-only gym fosters supportive atmosphere
(AP)—Downsize Fitness is an exclusive health club, evocative of the nation's trendiest gyms. But there's a strict requirement to join: You must be 50 pounds or more overweight.
More changes in health care needed to fulfill promise of health information technology
Despite wide investments nationally in electronic medical records and related tools, the cost-saving promise of health information technology has not been reached because the systems deployed are neither interconnected nor easy to use, according to a new RAND Corporation analysis.
Large Spanish protest against health privatization
(AP)—Thousands of Spanish medical workers marched through downtown Madrid on Monday to protest against budget cuts and plans to partly privatize their cherished national health service.
High court rejects Medicare challenge
(AP)—The Supreme Court has turned away a challenge from former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and other Social Security recipients who say they have the right to reject Medicare in favor of continuing health coverage from private insurers.
Mozambique doctors strike over pay
Mozambican doctors launched a strike on Monday over pay and working conditions after talks broke down with the government, the country's doctors association said.
Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients
Gastrointestinal bleeds which occur in the hospital, although rare, are a significant source of morbidity and mortality when they occur. Currently, the prophylactic use of acid-suppressive medication in non-critically ill patients in the hospital is not widely recommended. Despite this, these medications continue to be widely utilized for this purpose.
Detrimental effect of obesity on lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease
Researchers from Inserm and the Université Lille/Université Lille Nord de France have recently used a neurodegeneration model of Alzheimer's disease to provide experimental evidence of the relationship between obesity and disorders linked to the tau protein. This research was conducted on mice and is published in the Diabetes Review. It corroborates the theory that metabolic anomalies contribute massively to the development of dementia.
AMSSM issues position statement on sport-related concussions
Athletes with concussions must be held out of practice or play until all symptoms have resolved, to avoid the risk of further injury during the vulnerable period before the brain has recovered. That's among the key recommendations in the new American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) position statement on concussions in sport, which appears in the January issue of Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine.
People with diabetes in Ontario getting fewer government-funded eye exams, study finds
A new study has found that adults with diabetes in Ontario are getting significantly fewer government-funded eye exams than they were a decade ago, a key component of high-quality diabetes care essential to preventing diabetes-related eye complications.
Electronic health records with technical assistance can improve patient care in New York City
The relationship between a physician practice's adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and quality improvements in patient care remains unclear. However, a new study published in the January issue of Health Affairs by Weill Cornell Medical College and the Primary Care Information Project (PCIP) of the New York City Health Department shows evidence that EHR implementation can improve patient care in small physician practices in New York City when combined with sustained high-intensity technical assistance.
Organ donations fall in Germany after scandal
Organ donations have dropped sharply in Germany following a scandal over alleged corruption at several transplant clinics.
Unusual respite from surging health care costs
(AP)—The government says Americans kept health care spending in check for three consecutive years.
Cuba to free doctors from onerous travel rules
(AP)—Cuba is eliminating longstanding restrictions on health care professionals' overseas travel as part of a broader migration reform that takes effect next week, an island doctor told The Associated Press on Monday.
All in the family: A genetic link between epilepsy and migraine
New research reveals a shared genetic susceptibility to epilepsy and migraine. Findings published in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), indicate that having a strong family history of seizure disorders increases the chance of having migraine with aura (MA).
Breastfeeding tips women share intrigue doctors
Breastfeeding can be a difficult time for both mother and baby, so using cabbage leaves and tea bags to ease pain or eating oatmeal to increase milk production are among the folk remedies that women pass along to new mothers seeking help.
Study suggests human genes influence gut microbial composition
New research led by the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and the University of Glasgow, Scotland, has identified a link between a human gene and the composition of human gastrointestinal bacteria. In a study published as a letter to the journal Gut, the team outline new evidence suggesting that the human genome may play a role in determining the makeup of the billions of microbes in the human gastrointestinal tract collectively known as the gut microbiota.
Keep that holiday feeling throughout 2013
Has the return to work got you feeling down in the dumps? Don't worry, advises QUT psychology lecturer Associate Professor Robert Schweitzer, your reaction is perfectly normal.
Study identifies strategies to help minority students in med school
(Medical Xpress)—While minority populations are rising throughout the country, enrollment by minority students in the nation's medical schools has stagnated. Further, some data show that non-white students face a greater likelihood of academic withdrawal or dismissal, or graduate without passing key exams on their first try.
Modern parenting may hinder brain development, researcher claims
(Medical Xpress)—Social practices and cultural beliefs of modern life are preventing healthy brain and emotional development in children, according to an interdisciplinary body of research presented recently at a symposium at the University of Notre Dame.
What is the best way to measure obesity?
(Medical Xpress)—Weight divided by height squared. The simple formula known as body mass index, or BMI, is used every day by doctors, researchers and others to determine who among us is obese, and therefore at risk for a host of health problems.
Chromatin marks the spot in search for disease pathways
In September 2012, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project Consortium, a multi-institution collaboration that included the Broad Institute, capped off nine years of research with a flurry of papers that characterized proteins, enzymes, and other functional elements of the human genome. These elements, which were once dismissed as "junk DNA" because they were not among the protein-coding genes, are now thought to fulfill key functions, often regulating how and when genes are activated.
Seeing below the skin: Advanced tools to diagnose cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Worried about all the time you spent in the sun during your teen years? There's good reason, says Dr. Jane M. Grant-Kels, chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
Specific protein essential for healthy eyes, study finds
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with researchers at the Salk Institute in California, have found for the first time that a specific protein is essential not only for maintaining a healthy retina in the eye, but also may have implications for understanding and possibly treating other conditions in the immune, reproductive, vascular and nervous systems, as well as in various cancers.
Climate change is likely to increase the occurrence of stomach bugs, researchers predict
We can blame all sorts of things on the weather. But a stomach bug? It seems unlikely. Yet, scientists say greater quantities of rainfall and bigger storms will lead to more stomach upsets in parts of Europe. "Increases in precipitation in some countries, due to climate change, will affect waterborne outbreaks of disease," Apostolos Vantarakis of the University of Patros, Greece, tells youris.com.
Expert suggests top four reasons why diets fail
The battle of the bulge is on—any movement on the scale yet? "Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance," says Jessica Bartfield,MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care.
Physical education requirement at 4-year universities at all-time low
Even as policy makers and health experts point to an increased need for exercise, more than half of four-year colleges and universities in the United States have dropped physical education requirements compared to historic levels.
Pollen exposure during pregnancy affects child's risk of early asthma
A woman's exposure to high pollen levels in late pregnancy increases the risk of early asthma in the child, according to a group of researchers at Sweden's Umeå University in a recent study.
Study: Parkinson's disease itself does not increase risk of gambling, shopping addiction
Parkinson's disease itself does not increase the risk of impulse control problems such as compulsive gambling and shopping that have been seen in people taking certain drugs for Parkinson's disease, according to new research published in the January 8, 2013, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Many physicians often fulfill patient requests for brand-name drugs instead of equivalent generics
More than a third of U.S. physicians responding to a national survey indicated they often or sometimes prescribed brand-name drugs when appropriate generic substitutes were available simply because patients requested the brand-name drug. Survey respondents who had marketing relationships with industry were more likely to fulfill such patient requests than were those without those relationships. The report from investigators at the Mongan Institute for Health Policy (MIHP) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) will appear in JAMA Internal Medicine (formerly Archives of Internal Medicine) and has been released online.
HPV-associated cancer incidence rates point to needed efforts to increase HPV vaccination coverage
Despite the decline in cancer death rates in the U.S., there is an increase in incidence rates for cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and more efforts are needed to increase HPV vaccination coverage levels to prevent the occurrence of these cancers in the future according to a study published January 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Costly breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes
Even though Medicare spends over $1 billion per year on breast cancer screenings such as a mammography, there is no evidence that higher spending benefits older women, researchers at Yale School of Medicine found in a study published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Looming malpractice: Waiting for claims resolution takes up more than ten per cent of the average medical career
The average physician can expect to spend nearly 11 per cent of his or her career with a malpractice claim waiting to be resolved. Some specialists will spend nearly a third of their careers with open claims.
Italian immigrants live longer
Although immigrants from Italy and their offspring form one of the largest demographic groups in Switzerland, there are hardly any studies on their state of health and risk of mortality. In a first for Switzerland, Silvan Tarnutzer and Matthias Bopp from the University of Zurich's Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine calculated unbiased mortality risks for people with an Italian migrant background.
Sublingual immunotherapy shows promise as treatment for peanut allergy
Peanuts are one of the most common triggers of severe food-induced allergic reactions, which can be fatal, and the prevalence of peanut allergy is increasing. However, there is currently no clinical treatment available for peanut allergy other than strict dietary elimination and, in cases of accidental ingestion, injections of epinephrine.
Centralization to fewer surgeons results in better survival after esophageal cancer surgery
Patients who undergo surgery for oesophageal cancer have a much greater chance of long term survival if the operation is carried out by a surgeon who has performed this particular operation many times before. This according to a new, large-scale study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In their article, the researchers conclude that oesophageal cancer surgery should be concentrated – or centralised – to fewer surgeons.
US Supreme Court leaves stem cell research alone (Update)
The US Supreme Court declined Monday to enter the emotionally-charged debate over stem cell research, refusing to hear an appeal centered on the issue of federal government funding.
Why do age-related macular degeneration patients have trouble recognizing faces?
Abnormalities of eye movement and fixation may contribute to difficulty in perceiving and recognizing faces among older adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), suggests a study "Abnormal Fixation in Individuals with AMD when Viewing an Image of a Face" appearing in the January issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.
Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington's disease
Scientists have wrestled to understand why Huntington's disease, which is caused by a single gene mutation, can produce such variable symptoms. An authoritative review by a group of leading experts summarizes the progress relating cell loss in the striatum and cerebral cortex to symptom profile in Huntington's disease, suggesting a possible direction for developing targeted therapies. The article is published in the latest issue of the Journal of Huntington's Disease.
Moms may use TV to calm fussy infants, study finds
(HealthDay)—Many babies spend almost three hours in front of the TV each day, a new study finds, especially if their mothers are obese and TV addicts themselves, or if the babies are fussy or active.
How to treat – and not treat – a cold
A sniffle here, a cough there and suddenly a cold has come. What to do? Here's how to treat - and not treat - a cold.
Timely reminders boost childhood immunizations rates
New research from the Children's Outcomes Research Program at Children's Hospital Colorado shows that timely reminders by state or local health departments are more effective at increasing immunization rates among preschool children than those from primary care practices.
Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs
A University of Missouri study found that thoughts of death increased atheists, Christians, Muslims and agnostics conviction in their own world views. For example, contrary to the wartime aphorism that there are no atheists in foxholes, thoughts of death did not cause atheists to express belief in a deity.
Cognitive deficits from concussions still present after two months
The ability to focus and switch tasks readily amid distractions was compromised for up to two months following brain concussions suffered by high school athletes, according to a study at the University of Oregon.
Racial essentialism reduces creative thinking, makes people more closed-minded
New research suggests that racial stereotypes and creativity have more in common than we might think.
Obese moms risk having babies with low vitamin D
(Medical Xpress)—Women who are obese at the start of their pregnancy may be passing on insufficient levels of vitamin D to their babies, according to a new Northwestern Medicine® study.
Study looks at how states decide which child receives early intervention for developmental problems
A new study out by researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, found large differences in the criteria that states use to determine eligibility for Part C early intervention services for infants and toddlers who have developmental delays. A developmental delay is any significant lag in a child's development as compared with typical child development.
Comprehensive public health approach urged to curb gun violence in US
In the wake of the horrific school shootings in Newtown, Conn. in December, three Harvard experts say the best way to curb gun violence in the U.S. is to take a broad public health approach, drawing on proven, evidence-based strategies that have successfully reduced other public health threats like smoking, car crashes, and accidental poisonings.
Black and Hispanic patients less likely to complete substance abuse treatment, study shows
Roughly half of all black and Hispanic patients who enter publicly funded alcohol treatment programs do not complete treatment, compared to 62 percent of white patients, according to a new study from a team of researchers including the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Comparable disparities were also identified for drug treatment program completion rates. The study, published in the latest issue of Health Affairs, shows that completion disparities among racial groups are likely related to differences in socioeconomic status and, in particular, greater unemployment and housing instability for black and Hispanic patients. The researchers suggest that funding for integrated services and increased Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could help to improve access to treatment programs for minorities.
Strange food pairings may signal binge eating
(HealthDay)—Binge eaters commonly prepare foods using a strange mixture of ingredients, such as mashed potatoes and Oreo cookies or chips with lemon, pork rinds, Italian dressing and salt, a new study says.
Shared savings may promote care coordination entity use
(HealthDay)—Use of shared savings could encourage individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid to enroll in state-designed care coordination entities (CCEs), according to a perspective piece published online Jan. 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cancer kills less in US, but prevention lacking
Fewer people are dying from cancer in the United States, but a government report published Monday warned that a lack of preventative measures could stem a steady decline in mortality rates.
Recession drove down doctor visits, study says
(HealthDay)—During the recession from 2007 to 2009, fewer Americans visited doctors or filled prescriptions, according to a new report.
Prevalence of interstitial cystitis/chronic prostatitis ID'd
(HealthDay)—The symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) are widespread among men in the United States, according to research published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
Brain changes found in small study of former NFL players
(HealthDay)—In a small study of former NFL players, about one quarter were found to have "mild cognitive impairment," or problems with thinking and memory, a rate slightly higher than expected in the general population.
Ovarian cancer stem cell study puts targeted therapies within reach
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have identified a key link between stem cell factors that fuel ovarian cancer's growth and patient prognosis. The study, which paves the way for developing novel targeted ovarian cancer therapies, is published online in the current issue of Cell Cycle.
Verbal aggression: You may have picked it up in the womb, says new study
(Medical Xpress)—Research on the communication trait of verbal aggressiveness, which includes behavior like name calling, ridicule, insults, racial epithets and threats, has tended to focus on its social causes.
New pill holds promise for fewer side effects in treating leukemia
(Medical Xpress)—An international team of researchers has developed a new anti-cancer drug that holds promise as a therapy that fights cancer while causing fewer side effects than current medicines. The work done by the group – mainly in the US and Australia – and the results they've achieved are described in an article published by the team in Nature Medicine.
One cell is all you need: Innovative technique can sequence entire genome from single cell
The notion that police can identify a suspect based on the tiniest drop of blood or trace of tissue has long been a staple of TV dramas, but scientists at Harvard have taken the idea a step further. Using just a single human cell, they can reproduce an individual's entire genome.
Can blood pressure drugs reduce the risk of dementia?
People taking the blood pressure drugs called beta blockers may be less likely to have changes in the brain that can be signs of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.
Study: Brief interruptions spawn errors
Short interruptions – such as the few seconds it takes to silence that buzzing smartphone – have a surprisingly large effect on one's ability to accurately complete a task, according to new research led by Michigan State University.
New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice
Researchers have discovered a new compound that restores the health of mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an otherwise dangerous bacterial infection. The new compound targets an enzyme not found in human cells but which is essential to bacterial survival.
Mental health of dads-to-be may influence toddler's behavior
(HealthDay)—Plenty of research has linked a mother's mental health during and after pregnancy with her child's well-being. Now, a new study suggests that an expectant father's psychological distress might influence his toddler's emotional and behavioral development.
Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies
In an approach with the potential to aid therapeutic vaccine development, Whitehead Institute scientists have shown that enzymatically modified antibodies can be used to generate highly targeted, potent responses from cells of the immune system.
Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity
(Medical Xpress)—Working with fruit flies, Johns Hopkins scientists have decoded the activity of protein signals that let certain nerve cells know when and where to branch so that they reach and connect to their correct muscle targets. The proteins' mammalian counterparts are known to have signaling roles in immunity, nervous system and heart development, and tumor progression, suggesting broad implications for human disease research. A report of the research was published online Nov. 21 in the journal Neuron.
Biology news
Rhino horns worth $600,000 seized at Bangkok airport
A Vietnamese man was arrested with rhino horn worth more than half a million dollars in his luggage at Bangkok's main airport, Thai officials said.
Racing to identify species as biodiversity shrinks
A little more than 39 years ago, on December 28, 1973, the Endangered Species Act was enacted to conserve threatened and endangered species and their ecosystems. To honor this anniversary, Daphne Fautin of the National Science Foundation answered questions about biodiversity.
Hong Kong customs in $1 mln endangered species bust
Hong Kong customs officers said Monday they had seized a huge haul of endangered seahorses and crocodile meat being smuggled into the city in a container of exotic foods worth more than $1 million.
Combating USDA's top-ranked invasive insect
First detected in the United States a decade ago, the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is now in at least 39 states, is wreaking havoc in homes and gardens, and is a major economic threat to orchard fruits, garden vegetables and row crops. It's no wonder the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ranks this pest as its top "invasive insect of interest."
Siberian region offers bounty for wolves
A remote Siberian region has placed a bounty on the heads of its wolf population, complaining that thousands of the predators are killing too many reindeer and horses.
Corn could help farmers fight devastating weed
Versatile and responsive to management, corn is grown throughout the world for everything from food to animal feed to fuel. A new use for corn could soon join that list, as researchers in China investigate the crop's ability to induce "suicidal germination" in a devastating parasitic weed.
Tiny fly is big trouble for berry growers
(Phys.org)—A tiny fruit fly, native to Asia, has become big trouble for raspberries, strawberries, cherries and blueberries coast to coast in the U.S. So Cornell researchers are zeroing in on ways to combat the invasive spotted wing drosophila—SWD for short. SWD is poorly understood and highly destructive.
Giant tobacco plants that stay young forever
Tobacco plants bloom when they are just a few months old – and then they die. Now, researchers have located a genetic switch which can keep the plants young for years and which permits unbounded growth. In short, an ideal source of biomass.
Females tagged in wasp mating game
(Phys.org)—The flick of an antenna may be how a male wasp lays claim to his harem, according to new research at Simon Fraser University.
Giant squid filmed in Pacific depths, Japan scientists report
Scientists and broadcasters said Monday they have captured footage of an elusive giant squid roaming the depths of the Pacific Ocean, showing it in its natural habitat for the first time ever.
Protein production: going viral: Architecture of essential human transcription factor revealed
(Phys.org)—A research team of scientists from EMBL Grenoble and the IGBMC in Strasbourg, France, have, for the first time, described in molecular detail the architecture of the central scaffold of TFIID: the human protein complex essential for transcription from DNA to mRNA. The study, published today in Nature, opens new perspectives in the study of transcription and of the structure and mechanism of other large multi-protein assemblies involved in gene regulation.
Dark matter made visible before the final cut
Research findings from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine are shining a light on an important regulatory role performed by the so-called dark matter, or "junk DNA," within each of our genes.
Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives
(Phys.org)—When it comes to solving puzzles, animals in captivity are, well, different animals than their wild brethren.
Engineering alternative fuel with cyanobacteria
(Phys.org)—Sandia National Laboratories Truman Fellow Anne Ruffing has engineered two strains of cyanobacteria to produce free fatty acids, a precursor to liquid fuels, but she has also found that the process cuts the bacteria's production potential.
Researchers learn mechanism of hearing is similar to car battery
(Phys.org)—University of Iowa biologist Daniel Eberl and his colleagues have shown that one of the mechanisms involved in hearing is similar to the battery in your car.
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