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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 10, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Synergistic effect discovered in layered quantum dot solar cells- New polymer film harvests energy from water vapor, could power nanoelectronic devices
- A rock is a clock: Physicists use matter to measure time
- Artificial molecular machine could hold key to more efficient manufacturing (w/ video)
- Chips that can steer light
- Researchers find blocking Internet pirating sites is not effective
- New nanotube fibers have unmatched combination of strength, conductivity, flexibility (w/ video)
- Model for brain signaling flawed, new study finds
- Breakthrough iron-based superconductors set new performance records
- In evolution, fossils reveal, 'Court Jester' gets last laugh
- Lack of guidelines create ethical dilemmas in social network-based research
- Team finds mechanism of one of the most powerful tumor-suppressor proteins, Chd5
- Researchers find causality in the eye of the beholder
- Chaotic 'spin vortices' could lead to new computer memories
- Amazon.com ramps up challenge to iTunes music store
Space & Earth news
Leading the battle to protect the Amazon
England's wettest year on record. Severe heat waves in Russia. Droughts in the US. The past year has been characterised by extreme weather across the world. Protecting the Amazon rainforest – one of the largest carbon reservoirs on our planet – is critical to helping regulate global climate patterns. Its destruction releases the stored carbon into the atmosphere as 'greenhouse gas', which contributes to climate change.
Thai government ordered to clean up polluted creek
(AP)—A Thai court on Thursday ordered the government to clean up a lead-polluted creek and pay nearly $4 million in compensation to local villagers as part of a legal battle that lasted almost a decade.
UN: Developing countries face higher risks from mercury
Communities in developing countries are facing increased health and environmental risks linked to mercury exposure, the United Nations Environment Programme said Thursday.
Spacetime: A smoother brew than we knew
Spacetime may be less like foamy quantum beer and more like smooth Einsteinian whiskey, according to research led by physicist Robert Nemiroff of Michigan Technological University being presented today at the 221st American Astronomical Society meeting in Long Beach, Calif.
Japan to survey Pacific seabed for rare earths
Japan will launch a survey of its Pacific seabed, an official said, hoping to find rare earth deposits large enough to supply its high-tech industries and reduce its dependence on China.
NASA chases climate change clues into the stratosphere
Starting this month, NASA will send a remotely piloted research aircraft as high as 65,000 feet over the tropical Pacific Ocean to probe unexplored regions of the upper atmosphere for answers to how a warming climate is changing Earth.
What craters on the Moon teach us about Earth
Some questions about our own planet are best answered by looking someplace else entirely… in the case of impact craters and when, how and how often they were formed, that someplace can be found shining down on us nearly every night: our own companion in space, the Moon.
Lower nitrogen losses with perennial biofuel crops
Perennial biofuel crops such as miscanthus, whose high yields have led them to be considered an eventual alternative to corn in producing ethanol, are now shown to have another beneficial characteristic–the ability to reduce the escape of nitrogen in the environment. In a 4-year University of Illinois study that compared miscanthus, switchgrass, and mixed prairie species to typical corn-corn-soybean rotations, each of the perennial crops were highly efficient at reducing nitrogen losses, with miscanthus having the greatest yield.
Half of all food thrown away, report claims
Up to half of all the food produced in the world—two billion tonnes of it—is thrown away, according to a report published on Thursday.
The three transits of Venus 2012
Many people around the world were thrilled to see a transit of Venus in June (June 5 in the United States and June 6 in Asia, on the other side of the International Dateline), the dark silhouette of Venus passing in front of the Sun. Jay Pasachoff of Williams College (Williamstown, MA) and the California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA) and Glenn Schneider (Steward Observatory, University of Arizona) organized extensive observations of the transit. With support from the Committee for Research and Exploration of the National Geographic Society, they observed the six-hours of the transit from the 10,000-foot mountaintop of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii.
NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Narelle approaching Western Australia coast
NASA's Aqua satellite looked at Cyclone Narelle in visible and infrared light to understand the behavior of the storm. NASA's MODIS and AIRS instruments provided those data, respectively, and they showed that Narelle is gaining strength as it approaches the northern coast of Western Australia.
NASA's robotic refueling demo set to jumpstart expanded capabilities in space
In mid-January, NASA will take the next step in advancing robotic satellite-servicing technologies as it tests the Robotic Refueling Mission, or RRM aboard the International Space Station. The investigation may one day substantially impact the many satellites that deliver products Americans rely upon daily, such as weather reports, cell phones and television news.
NASA prepares for launch of next Earth observation satellite
NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is scheduled to launch Feb. 11 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. A joint NASA and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mission, LDCM will add to the longest continuous data record of Earth's surface as viewed from space.
Canadian astronaut appeals for peace from space
Reflecting on a recent photo he snapped from outer space of war-torn Syria, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield appealed for peace from his perch in the sky, saying Thursday: "We're all in this together."
Life on Mars? Dutch company to offer one-way trips to the Red Planet
In 1990's "Total Recall," Arnold Schwarzenegger had a simple directive to himself: "Get your ass to Mars." Now a nonprofit Dutch company is promising to help real-world tourists do just that.
Whew! Big asteroid no longer threat to Earth
U.S. astronomers say a big asteroid is no longer even a remote threat to smash into Earth in about 20 years.
What dust may have to do with Earth's rapidly warming poles
(Phys.org)—As earth's climate warms, scientists have tried to understand why the poles are heating up two to three times faster than the rest of the planet. Airborne dust, it turns out, may play a key role.
NASA researchers studying advanced nuclear rocket technologies
(Phys.org)—Advanced propulsion researchers at NASA are a step closer to solving the challenge of safely sending human explorers to Mars and other solar system destinations.
A jumble of exotic stars: New vista snap of star cluster 47 Tucanae
(Phys.org)—Globular clusters are vast, spherical clouds of old stars bound together by gravity. They are found circling the cores of galaxies, as satellites orbit the Earth. These star clumps contain very little dust and gas—it is thought that most of it has been either blown from the cluster by winds and explosions from the stars within, or stripped away by interstellar gas interacting with the cluster. Any remaining material coalesced to form stars billions of years ago.
Astrobiology research: Life possible on extrasolar moons
(Phys.org)—In their search for habitable worlds, astronomers have started to consider exomoons, or those likely orbiting planets outside the solar system. In a new study, a pair of researchers has found that exomoons are just as likely to support life as exoplanets.
Astronomers find massive supply of fresh gas around modern galaxies
(Phys.org)—Galaxies have a voracious appetite for fuel—in this case fresh gas, but astronomers have had difficulty finding the pristine gas that should be falling onto galaxies. Now scientists have provided direct empirical evidence for these gas flows using new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. Their observations using Hubble's two ultraviolet spectrographs, the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, show large quantities of cool gas with very low quantities of heavy elements in the gaseous cocoons surrounding modern galaxies. The lack of heavy elements indicates this gas in the "circumgalactic medium" of the galaxies has not been strongly processed through stars. Their work, "The Bimodal Metallicity Distribution of the Cool Circumgalactic Medium at z
A cloudy mystery: Puzzling cloud near galaxy's center may hold clues to how stars are born
It's the mystery of the curiously dense cloud. And astronomers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are on the case.
GALEX reveals the largest-known spiral galaxy
(Phys.org)—The spectacular barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872 has ranked among the biggest stellar systems for decades. Now a team of astronomers from the United States, Chile and Brazil has crowned it the largest-known spiral, based on archival data from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission, which has since been loaned to the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Oxygen to the core
(Phys.org)—An international collaboration including researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has discovered that the Earth's core formed under more oxidizing condition's than previously proposed.
In evolution, fossils reveal, 'Court Jester' gets last laugh
(Phys.org)—The dominant factors in the rise and fall of the diversity of life on Earth has been a point of debate for scientists nearly as long as they have studied the processes of evolution.
Technology news
Giant Chinese complex raises eyebrows in Mexico
Construction of the second biggest retail complex for Chinese products outside China will begin in Mexico next month despite environmental and business concerns, a project leader said Wednesday.
US schoolgirl loses ID locator chip battle (Update)
A federal judge has dismissed a Texas girl's objection to locator chips in student ID badges at a public high school in a case that raises concerns about the erosion of privacy and civil liberties.
Chinese police probe kickbacks by Foxconn managers
(AP)—Hon Hai Precision, a leading maker of iPhones and other high-tech gadgets, has said it is working with Chinese police probing allegations that its employees solicited kickbacks from suppliers.
High-voltage vacuum power switch for smart power grids: First successful power switch using diamond semiconductor
As part of problem solving-oriented basic research sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), a group consisting of researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) succeeded in fabricating a vacuum-based high withstand-voltage power switch utilizing the features of a diamond semiconductor and demonstrating its operation.
Research paper sheds new light on container terminal management
The research results of a PolyU team have shed new light on buyer-supplier relationship (BSR) in container terminal operations. The findings, highlighting supplier commitment in BSR, were released through the International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics (IJSTL).
Keeping to your New Year's resolutions with PiFace
After a festive period of excess, a January diet is one of the most common New Year resolutions for many people.
New microvibration excitation device currently being tested at European Space Agency space test centre
NPL scientists recently developed a new microvibration excitation device, which is currently under test at the European Space Agency (ESA) space test centre at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Holland.
DrivingStyles, save fuel by driving better
The Group of Computer Networks-DISCA of the Universitat Politècnica de València has developed a mobile phone application called DrivingStyles that characterizes our driving style. The system detects bad habits and helps promote better driving behaviour.
Brazil hacker posts alleged data of ex- president
A hacker has posted what appears to be private information of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the Internet to protest a major corruption scandal which he says "will end in nothing."
General Motors to open tech center in US
General Motors says a new information technology center in suburban Atlanta—the third of four planned by the largest U.S. automaker—will open in March and create 1,000 white-collar jobs as part of its new focus on producing software and other applications in-house.
UC Santa Barbara researcher to receive Academy Award for technical achievement
Only minutes into the 2011 summer sci-fi blockbuster Super 8, there is a massive train crash –– a thunderous, fiery, and frighteningly realistic scene described by one writer as the film's "most intense and spectacular sequence."
Iran blamed for cyber onslaught on US banks
US financial institutions are being pounded with high-powered cyber attacks that some suspect are being orchestrated by Iran as payback for political sanctions.
'Sensorless sensing' technology enables accurate correction of temperature effects on LED performance
When comparing LEDs to incandescent light bulbs, there is a noticeable difference in light quality: LED lamps when dimmed are perceived to be "colder" than incandescents. At CES 2013 this week, NXP Semiconductors is demonstrating a groundbreaking solution that allows LED lamps to closely mimic the traditional incandescent light bulb, to produce a warmer, cozier white light as they are dimmed. Featuring "sensorless sensing" technology, developed and patented by NXP, this solution also has the advantage of driving down LED system costs by eliminating external temperature sensors, reducing the size of the heat sinks required for LED system cooling, and significantly improving reliability.
Airborne pods seek to trace nuclear bomb's origins: Modular units crossing 'Valley of Death' for Air Force use
(Phys.org)—If a nuclear device were to unexpectedly detonate anywhere on Earth, the ensuing effort to find out who made the weapon probably would be led by aircraft rapidly collecting airborne radioactive particles for analysis.
Taiwan's Hon Hai 2012 sales up 16 percent
Taiwan tech giant Hon Hai Precision, which makes gadgets for Apple, said Thursday sales in 2012 rose 16 percent year-on-year.
How an objective audiometric test can become even more reliable
Not only can the human ear detect sounds, it can also generate them. If the ear hears the two upper tones of a major triad, it produces the fundamental of the chord which can then be measured. This phenomenon, called "otoacoustic emission" (OAE), is used by otologists for objective audiometric tests, e.g. in newborns. Investigations at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) have shown that an OAE audiometric test becomes even more reliable if the two sounds are transmitted to the ear not via a loudspeaker, but by bone conduction.
First gas-powered passenger ferry handed over in Finland
Finnish cruise company Viking Line took possession Thursday of the world's first large passenger ferry powered by liquefied natural gas, calling it an "environmental pioneer in the cruise industry."
Nokia share soars after better-than-expected numbers
Shares in beleaguered Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia soared on Thursday after it published partial fourth quarter earnings that were better than expected.
YouTube, German music industry fail to reach deal
The German music industry has broken off talks with Google Inc.'s YouTube service after failing to agree on licensing fees for its members' work.
EU to force Google to change listing of search results
Google will have to change the way it presents search results or face anti-trust charges for favouring its own services, the EU's competition chief told the Financial Times.
Wintermute voice assistant makes intro at CES
(Phys.org)—Nuance, the Burlington, Massachusetts-based company known for its speech technology, is talking up its Project codenamed Wintermute, and is demonstrating the project's cross-platform, cloud-based virtual assistant. Nuance said it is presenting its cross-device persona project Wintermute at Nuance's exhibit at the Consumer Electronics Show, to demonstrate "how mobile personal assistants follow you from one device the next, remembering what you like, what you've been doing, and where you've been. Listening to the game in your car? Your TV will know when you ask to simply "put on the game" just which one you mean."
Students develop low-cost water filtering system for African nation
(Phys.org)—In an effort to bring fresh water to rural Kenyans, School of International Affairs (SIA) students Kory Hansen and Jin Ju Kim participated in Penn State's Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE) program to develop a ceramic water filtration system for parts of the sub Saharan African nation.
Lack of guidelines create ethical dilemmas in social network-based research
With millions of adolescent users, social network sites (SNSs) are a rich data source for academic research studies. But ethical guidelines governing how researchers should obtain and use this data is seriously lacking, says Tufts University's R. Benjamin Shapiro, Ph.D., the McDonnell Family Professor in Engineering Education at Tufts University's School of Engineering, in an article published in the January 11 edition of Science.
Amazon.com ramps up challenge to iTunes music store
Amazon.com on Thursday launched a service that gives compact disk buyers instant copies of music in the Internet "cloud" in a major challenge to Apple's iTunes shop.
IBM tops as tech titans scramble for US patents
The number of US patents issued last year hit a record high, with IBM leading ranks of technology titans scrambling for ownership of intellectual property, says a report released Thursday.
Carmakers let app developers drive innovation
Googling the nearest gas station, sending email from your smartphone, or booking a table at a restaurant: Those are all things you shouldn't do while driving. But so many drivers have grown accustomed to their on-the-go tasks that automakers are increasingly trying to make those things easier to pull off with both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.
Researchers find blocking Internet pirating sites is not effective
(Phys.org)—Researchers at Boston's Northeastern University have conducted a study on the effectiveness of anti-piracy measures taken by content providers to deter the illegal sharing of files on the Internet. Their research shows that tactics such as blocking sites by seizing domains names does little to curb the sharing of protected files. They suggest that providers instead focus on blocking the income stream such sites generate.
Medicine & Health news
ISHLT issues new guidelines for care of mechanical circulatory support device patients
Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is a rapidly growing technology used to treat advanced heart failure. Thousands of patients worldwide have now undergone implantation of long- term MCS devices (MCSDs) that can enable them to return home and resume a normal lifestyle. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) convened an international panel of experts in all aspects of MCS care, which has developed practice guidelines to provide a common framework for the care and treatment of MCS patients. The Executive Summary of these guidelines is published in the February issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.
Indonesia to add photo warnings to cigarette packs (Update)
(AP)—Indonesia has issued regulations that will require cigarette packets to bear graphic photographic warnings, a long-delayed measure in a country with one of the highest rates of smoking in the world.
The rising threat of antibiotic resistance
A major European and global health issue is resistance to or inappropriate use of antibiotics. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimates that each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) results in 25 000 deaths and related costs of over EUR 1.5 billion in healthcare expenses and productivity losses. Over the last four years, there has been a significant increasing trend of combined resistance to multiple antibiotics in both Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli in more than one-third of the EU/EEA countries. In addition, in several Member States, between 25 % and up to more than 60 % of Klebsiella pneumoniae from bloodstream infections show combined resistance to multiple antibiotics.
Albertans getting more active, but still room to move
More Albertans may be benefiting from physical activity, but there's still plenty of room for people to get moving, according to a new survey.
Research uncovers new protein to treat damaged bones
Korean researchers believe that the 'DJ-1 protein' can be used to promote the formation of new bone tissue in patients suffering from osteoporosis by improving communication between bone making cells (osteoblasts) and blood vessel (endothelial) cells. The research was published in Nature Communications.
Is there a period of increased vulnerability for repeat traumatic brain injury?
Repeat traumatic brain injury affects a subgroup of the 3.5 million people who suffer head trauma each year. Even a mild repeat TBI that occurs when the brain is still recovering from an initial injury can result in poorer outcomes, especially in children and young adults. A metabolic marker that could serve as the basis for new mild TBI vulnerability guidelines is described in an article in Journal of Neurotrauma.
Beginning in the womb: Lifestyle of mother shapes disposition for child's subsequent weight
A disposition to be overweight is shaped even before birth. This has been proven by scientists of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in an international study, which has appeared in the professional journal Plos One. The study reveals children with a birth weight of more than 4,000 grams are twice as much at risk of becoming overweight in later life than those with normal birth weight.
Decline in available liver transplants expected
A new study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Health Resources and Services Administration, and published in the January 2013 issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), found that the non-use of donor livers climbed through 2010 due to a worsening of donor liver quality, primarily from donation following cardiac death. Diabetes, donor age, and body mass index (BMI) were also linked to a decrease in use of organs.
Sweden ends forced sterilisation of sex change patients
Sweden will no longer require sex change patients to be sterilised after a law banning the practice entered into force on Thursday.
Flu season came early but too soon to say it's bad
The flu season arrived early in the U.S. this year, but health officials and experts say it's too early to say this will be a bad one.
ASCO issues recommendations to improve cancer survivor care
(HealthDay)—The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has presented recommendations for promoting high-quality cancer survivorship care in a report published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Drug fails to help kidney transplant recipients
A drug that protects the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease does not seem to provide the same benefit to kidney transplant recipients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
3-D biomimetic scaffolds support regeneration of complex tissues from stem cells
Stem cells can be grown on biocompatible scaffolds to form complex tissues such as bone, cartilage, and muscle for repair and regeneration of damaged or diseased tissue. However, to function properly, the cells must often grow in a specific pattern or alignment. An innovative method for creating a stretched polymer scaffold that can support complex tissue architectures is described in an article in Tissue Engineering, Part C, Methods.
Poll: Most of Ireland favors wider abortion access
(AP)—Most people in Ireland want lawmakers to give women wider access to abortion, a poll revealed Thursday as senior clerics testified before a parliamentary committee investigating Ireland's ban on the practice.
Drug companies forge partnerships with top schools
(AP)—Pharmaceutical companies that can no longer rely on lucrative patents to drive profits are increasingly teaming up with academia in search of the next big drug discovery.
Study finds poorer outcomes for obese patients treated for lumbar disc herniation
While obese patients are more likely to have surgical treatment for lumbar disc herniation – a slipped or ruptured disc – than nonobese patients, obesity increases operative time, blood loss and length of hospital stay, according to new research published in the January 2013 Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS). Overall, obese patients had poorer outcomes with surgical and nonsurgical treatments for lumbar disc herniation than nonobese patients.
Inclusion of CTC as HEDIS screening modality could increase colorectal cancer screening compliance
Availability of CT colonography (CTC), commonly known as virtual colonoscopy, is increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates across military medical facilities. Inclusion of CTC as a Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS)-compliant colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test can potentially raise overall screening rates, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
NFL's Seau had brain trauma at time of suicide, report finds
(HealthDay)—When former National Football League star linebacker Junior Seau killed himself last year, he had a catastrophic brain disorder probably brought on by repeated hits to the head, the U.S. National Institutes of Health has concluded.
US panel backs novel diabetes pill from J&J (Update)
A panel of U.S. health experts ruled Thursday that an experimental diabetes drug from Johnson & Johnson is safe and effective, though lingering safety questions must be tracked over the long term.
Spin and bias in published studies of breast cancer trials
Spin and bias exist in a high proportion of published studies of the outcomes and adverse side-effects of phase III clinical trials of breast cancer treatments, according to new research published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology today.
Flu tightens its grip on U.S.
(HealthDay)—The 2013 flu season is living up to its advance billing as one of the worst in years.
Study identifies infants at highest risk of death from pertussis
A study released today from the upcoming issue of the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS) found that taking early and repeated white blood cell counts (WBC) is critical in determining whether infants have pertussis and which of those children are at highest risk of death from the disease.
Study examines qualities of good and bad mentoring relationships
What makes a good mentor? Previous studies have shown the professional benefits of cultivating a strong mentoring relationship, but a recent study co-led by UCSF researchers delved further to analyze the attributes that make a successful mentor-mentee pairing.
New report on complementary therapies for arthritis reveals lack of scientific evidence
(Medical Xpress)—A new report written by a senior lecturer from the University of Aberdeen into the effectiveness of the complementary therapies that are commonly used for treating arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions has found there is a lack of scientific evidence to support their use.
New research method to identify brain tumors could enhance neurosurgery
(Medical Xpress)—The use of a new brain tumor-targeting contrast agent that differentiates between normal and cancer cells in conjunction with a high-powered microscopy system could potentially lead to a method of more precise neurosurgery for brain tumors, according to research paper published as a cover story in the December issue of Translational Oncology. Developed by researchers in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at Stony Brook University, the contrast agent adheres to a molecular marker of medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, and can be seen by the optical microscope system, also developed by the research team.
Being bored at work can make us more creative, study finds
Most of us think of being bored at work as a negative experience, but a new study suggests it can have positive results including an increase in creativity because it gives us time to daydream.
Trends presented from two years of haiti cholera epidemic
(HealthDay)—During the first two years of the cholera epidemic in Haiti, the cumulative attack rate was 6.1 percent, with a consistent downward trend seen in cumulative case fatality rates, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
FDA: Draft guidance issued on abuse-deterrent opioids
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a draft guidance document to assist the pharmaceutical industry in developing new formulations of opioid drugs with abuse-deterrent properties.
New insights into HIV vaccine will improve drug development
Four years ago, a potential HIV vaccine showed promise against the virus that causes AIDS, but it fell short of providing the broad protection necessary to stem the spread of disease.
Potential stem cell therapy for diabetes: Study looks at differentiation of hESCs in endocrine cell progression
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes results when beta cells in the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. One approach to treating diabetes is to stimulate regeneration of new beta cells.
Study points to a safer, better test for chromosomal defects in the fetus
A noninvasive, sequencing-based approach for detecting chromosomal abnormalities in the developing fetus is safer and more informative in some cases than traditional methods, according to a study published by Cell Press January 10th in The American Journal of Human Genetics. This method, which analyzes fetal DNA in the mother's blood, could provide women with a cost-effective way to find out whether their unborn baby will have major developmental problems without risking a miscarriage.
Energy drinks do not make youngsters smarter, study finds
Drinking one energy drink has no effect whatsoever on the cognitive performance of secondary school pupils. This is the conclusion reached by University of Twente psychologist Pascal Wilhelm (department of Instructional Technology) and three co-researchers after a study of 103 pupils at a secondary school in the Dutch province of Overijssel. The results of the study will be published in the journal Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie. One particularly unusual aspect of the study is that three of the four researchers were still at school themselves at the time of the study.
Limiting polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in pregnancy may influence body fat of children, researchers find
(Medical Xpress)—Southampton researchers have demonstrated that mothers who have higher levels of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are found in cooking oils and nuts, during pregnancy have fatter children.
Marriage linked to better survival in middle age
Could marriage, and associated companionship, be one key to a longer life? According to new research, not having a permanent partner, or spouse, during midlife is linked to a higher risk of premature death during those midlife years. The work, by Dr. Ilene Siegler and colleagues from Duke University Medical Center in the US, is published online in Springer's journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Declining access to electroconvulsive therapy: A clinical choice or an economic one?
Horrific images from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest notwithstanding, modern electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains one of the safest and most effective antidepressant treatments, particularly for patients who do not tolerate antidepressant medications or depression symptoms that have failed to respond to antidepressant medications.
Neurologists describe most feared and devastating strokes
Among the most feared and devastating strokes are ones caused by blockages in the brain's critical basilar artery system. When not fatal, basilar artery strokes can cause devastating deficits, including head-to-toe paralysis called "locked-in syndrome."
Surgeons may use hand gestures to manipulate MRI images in OR
Doctors may soon be using a system in the operating room that recognizes hand gestures as commands to tell a computer to browse and display medical images of the patient during a surgery.
FDA requires lower doses for sleep medications (Update)
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it is asking manufacturers of sleep medications containing zolpidem—including Ambien—to lower the recommended doses and to provide more safety information to patients.
Helping patients navigate new cancer drugs
As cancer treatment in pill form transforms how care is delivered, a new Michigan State University study underscores the challenges patients face in administering their own chemotherapy outside the supervised environment of a cancer clinic.
Rate of non-medical use of RX pain meds 4.6 percent
(HealthDay)—The rate of non-medical use of prescription pain relievers in the past year among individuals aged 12 years and older is estimated at 4.6 percent nationally, with considerable variation between states, according to a study published online Jan. 8 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
SPIRIT 2013 clinical trial protocol guidelines issued
(HealthDay)—A panel of experts, including trial investigators, trial coordinators, and representatives from ethics and regulatory agencies, has developed the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) 2013 guidelines for the minimum content of a clinical trial, according to a statement published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
High unawareness of distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy
(HealthDay)—A high percentage of older adults with diabetes and prediabetes are unaware of having clinical distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN), according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care.
Genetic CRC risk likely mediated by differential adenoma risk
(HealthDay)—Much of the genetic risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the general population is mediated by differential adenoma risk, according to research published in the January issue of Gastroenterology.
Lumbar extensor training improves chronic back pain
(HealthDay)—An exercise regimen can improve functional status for men with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) without improving low back muscular morphology, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
Hospital stays shorter for prostatectomy, cystectomy
(HealthDay)—There were reductions in hospital stays for patients undergoing prostatectomy and cystectomy in 2004 to 2005, compared to those undergoing the procedures in 1992 to 1993, according to research published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
Steps you can take to protect yourself from the flu
(HealthDay)—With the United States in the throes of one of the worst flu outbreaks in years, health-care experts say there are ways you can fight back and protect yourself from the virus.
Prescription painkillers trail only marijuana in abuse rates, report shows
(HealthDay)—Prescription painkillers are second only to marijuana when it comes to drug abuse, a new government report claims.
Fans of reality beauty shows twice as likely to tan, study says
(HealthDay)—People who tune in to reality beauty shows on television are much more likely to use tanning lamps and to tan outdoors than those who don't watch such shows, a new study finds.
U.S. efforts to boost number of primary care doctors have failed
(HealthDay)—Amid signs of a growing shortage of primary care physicians in the United States, a new study shows that the majority of newly minted doctors continues to gravitate toward training positions in high-income specialties in urban hospitals.
Saliva gland test for Parkinson's shows promise
Described as a "big step forward" for research and treatment of Parkinson's disease, new research from Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Banner Sun Health Research Institute suggests that testing a portion of a person's saliva gland may be a way to diagnose the disease. The study was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in San Diego in March.
Scientists engineer the Schmallenberg virus genome to understand how to reduce disease caused by the virus
Researchers from the MRC Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow in Scotland have developed methods to synthesize and change the genome of Schmallenberg virus (SBV). SBV is a recently discovered pathogen of livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats. The researchers have laid bare important ways by which this virus causes disease. The full report about the study publishes on January 10 in the Open Access journal, PLOS Pathogens.
Epigenomic abnormalities predict patient survival in non-Hodgkins lymphoma
Think of the epigenome like a giant musical mixing board, turning up or down the expression of various genes. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the journal PLOS Genetics shows that in cancer, not only can genes themselves go bad, but abnormal changes in the epigenetic mixing board can unfortunately change the expression of these genes. Researchers hope to play the role of sound engineers, controlling these harmful epigenomic changes to turn down cancer itself or perhaps sensitize cancers to existing drugs.
Immunotherapy reduces allergic patients' sensitivity to peanuts
Of all foods, peanuts are the most frequent cause of life-threatening and fatal allergic reactions. New research at National Jewish Health provides additional support for a strategy to reduce the severity of reactions to peanut— repeatedly consuming small amounts of the very food that causes those reactions in the first place, a practice called immunotherapy.
Surgical technique spots cancer invasion with fluorescence
One of the greatest challenges faced by cancer surgeons is to know exactly which tissue to remove, or not, while the patient is under anesthesia. A team of surgeons and scientists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new technique that will allow surgeons to identify during surgery which lymph nodes are cancerous so that healthy tissue can be saved. The findings will be published in the January 15 print edition of Cancer Research.
Scientists uncover potential drug target to block cell death in Parkinson's disease
Oxidative stress is a primary villain in a host of diseases that range from cancer and heart failure to Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Now, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that blocking the interaction of a critical enzyme may counteract the destruction of neurons associated with these neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting a potential new target for drug development.
Study deflates notion that pear-shaped bodies more healthy than apples
People who are "apple-shaped"—with fat more concentrated around the abdomen—have long been considered more at risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes than those who are "pear-shaped" and carry weight more in the buttocks, hips and thighs.
Blood disorder cases tied to prescription painkiller abuse
(HealthDay)—Tennessee health officials report cases of a rare blood-clotting problem among people who injected the painkiller Opana ER (extended release) after crushing pills meant to be taken by mouth.
Foods identified as 'whole grain' not always healthy
Current standards for classifying foods as "whole grain" are inconsistent and, in some cases, misleading, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. One of the most widely used industry standards, the Whole Grain Stamp, actually identified grain products that were higher in both sugars and calories than products without the Stamp. The researchers urge adoption of a consistent, evidence-based standard for labeling whole grain foods to help consumers and organizations make healthy choices. This is the first study to empirically evaluate the healthfulness of whole grain foods based on five commonly used industry and government definitions.
Haiti can quell cholera without vaccinating most people, researchers estimate
Cholera could be contained in Haiti by vaccinating less than half the population, University of Florida researchers suggest in a paper to be published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports.
Nutritional supplement may help prevent Alzheimer's, research suggests
(Medical Xpress)—A nutritional supplement available over-the-counter may offer protection from Alzheimer's disease, a study by the University of Virginia and Northwestern University suggests.
New research refutes claim iPSCs are prone to immune response
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers in Japan have injected induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from mice back into genetically identical mice and report that doing so caused no immune reaction. This contradicts the results of an earlier study that showed using the technique could lead to an immune response that destroyed the injected cells. In this new research, the team, as they report in their paper published in the journal Nature, injected iPSCs into a mouse embryo, then transplanted tissue from the grown mice into genetically identical mice, with no apparent immunity response.
Researchers find causality in the eye of the beholder
We rely on our visual system more heavily than previously thought in determining the causality of events. A team of researchers has shown that, in making judgments about causality, we don't always need to use cognitive reasoning. In some cases, our visual brain—the brain areas that process what the eyes sense—can make these judgments rapidly and automatically.
Team finds mechanism of one of the most powerful tumor-suppressor proteins, Chd5
A team of cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has solved the mystery of how one of the most powerful of the body's natural tumor-suppressing proteins, called Chd5, exerts its beneficial effects.
Regulating single protein prompts fibroblasts to become neurons
Repression of a single protein in ordinary fibroblasts is sufficient to directly convert the cells – abundantly found in connective tissues – into functional neurons. The findings, which could have far-reaching implications for the development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, will be published online in advance of the January 17 issue of the journal Cell.
Study shows that human hearts generate new cells after birth
Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have found, for the first time that young humans (infants, children and adolescents) are capable of generating new heart muscle cells. These findings refute the long-held belief that the human heart grows after birth exclusively by enlargement of existing cells, and raise the possibility that scientists could stimulate production of new cells to repair injured hearts.
Rhythms in the brain help give a sense of location, study shows
Research at the University of Edinburgh tracked electrical signals in the part of the brain linked to spatial awareness.
Stem cells found to heal damaged artery in lab study
Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute have for the first time demonstrated that baboon embryonic stem cells can be programmed to completely restore a severely damaged artery. These early results show promise for eventually developing stem cell therapies to restore human tissues or organs damaged by age or disease.
Model for brain signaling flawed, new study finds
A new study out today in the journal Science turns two decades of understanding about how brain cells communicate on its head. The study demonstrates that the tripartite synapse – a model long accepted by the scientific community and one in which multiple cells collaborate to move signals in the central nervous system – does not exist in the adult brain.
Biology news
Indian park battles poachers targeting rhino horn
(AP)—Out of the early morning mists and tall grass of northeast India emerges a massive creature with a dinosaur-like face, having survived millions of years despite a curse—literally on its head. As elephant-borne riders approach, the formidable hulk sniffs the air for danger, then resumes its breakfast.
Researchers work to develop heat tolerant crops
With heatwaves predicted to increase in intensity and duration, the importance of heat tolerant crops is becoming increasingly urgent.
Naturalliance is calling upon crowdsourcing solutions to create maps for mapping out the riches of nature
Following the 2006 ban on sturgeon fishing, the Romanian town of Sfantu Gheorghe, located at the mouth of the Danube river, turned to other income source to replace its fishing based economy. Thus, local children undertook to map out a plant called sea buckthorn, as a first step in forecasting its potential harvest value. Sea buckthorn is a coastal bush which produces yellow berries, typically used in food, beverages and traditional medicine. To achieve their goal, the children used mapping and GPS facilities made available from a crowdsourcing-based biodiversity monitoring initiative called Naturalliance.
Zambia bans lion, leopard hunting
Zambia's tourism minister on Thursday announced a ban on hunting lions and leopards, saying the feline numbers are decreasing too quickly.
Record number of rhinos poached in S.Africa in 2012
Poachers slaughtered a record 668 rhinos in South Africa last year as demand for their horns continued to surge on the black market in Asia, the government said Thursday.
Breeding season under way for Galapagos tortoises
Breeding season is under way for the endangered tortoises of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, whose mating and nesting habits are carefully watched by wildlife specialists hoping to save them from extinction.
Bacteria pitted against fungi to protect wheat and barley
(Phys.org)—Soil-dwelling bacteria that depend on wheat and barley roots for their "room and board" could soon prove themselves helpful to the plants in return. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Pullman, Wash., are investigating the bacteria's potential to biologically control root-rot fungi that cause crop yield losses of 10 to 30 percent annually in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and elsewhere.
Research revisiting the safety of GM weevil-resistant peas in mice contradicts previous risk assessment findings
(Phys.org)—Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have conducted feeding trials with mice to investigate the allergenicity of genetically modified (GM) weevil-resistant peas. Development of the peas was discontinued in 2005 when a risk assessment conducted by the CSIRO and Australian National University showed negative reactions in mice to the peas (Prescott et al 2005).
Locals say shifting sea ice frees trapped whales (Update)
About a dozen killer whales trapped under sea ice appeared to be free after the ice shifted, village officials in Canada's remote north said Thursday, while residents who feared they would get stuck elsewhere hired a plane to track them down.
What's killing Minnesota moose? Researchers launch new effort to find out
Moose have been falling over and dying across Northeastern Minnesota at a disturbing rate in recent years, and researchers still don't know why.
Home aquarium species a potential threat to California waters
(Phys.org)—Well-intentioned children and aquarium hobbyists seeking to "free" their pet fish down a toilet bowl or into a local waterway may inadvertently be contributing to the threat of invasive species downstream, according to a new report from the University of California, Davis.
Study quantifies the size of holes antibacterials create in cell walls to kill bacteria
Researchers recently created a biophysical model of the response of a Gram-positive bacterium to the formation of a hole in its cell wall, then used experimental measurements to validate the theory, which predicted that a hole in the bacteria cell wall larger than 15 to 24 nanometers in diameter would cause the cell to lyse, or burst.
Solving puzzles without a picture: New algorithm assembles chromosomes from next generation sequencing data
One of the most difficult problems in the field of genomics is assembling relatively short "reads" of DNA into complete chromosomes. In a new paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences an interdisciplinary group of genome and computer scientists has solved this problem, creating an algorithm that can rapidly create "virtual chromosomes" with no prior information about how the genome is organized.
Banded mongooses structure monosyllabic sounds in a similar way to humans
Animals are more eloquent than previously assumed. Even the monosyllabic call of the banded mongoose is structured and thus comparable with the vowel and consonant system of human speech. Behavioral biologists from the University of Zurich have thus become the first to demonstrate that animals communicate with even smaller sound units than syllables.
A snapshot of pupfish evolution in action
Chris Martin has bred more than 3,000 hybrid fish in his time as a graduate student in evolution and ecology at UC Davis, a pursuit that has helped him create one of the most comprehensive snapshots of natural selection in the wild and demonstrated a key prediction in evolutionary biology.
Virus caught in the act of infecting a cell (w/ video)
The detailed changes in the structure of a virus as it infects an E. coli bacterium have been observed for the first time, report researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) Medical School this week in Science Express.
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