Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 8, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Metal surface can repel electric charges- Some Earth bacteria survive and grow at extremely low pressure, may aid Mars research
- Researchers discover wasp larva disinfect their food before eating
- Another tiny miracle: Graphene oxide soaks up radioactive waste
- Pills found in ancient Tuscan wreck resemble modern medicine
- New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice (w/ video)
- Cassini suggests icing on a Titan lake
- Hold the diet soda? Sweetened drinks linked to depression, coffee tied to lower risk
- Cluster mission indicates turbulent eddies may warm the solar wind
- First oral drug for spinal cord injury improves movement in mice
- New biochip technology uses tiny whirlpools to corral microbes
- Warsaw team on Skype can send silent message
- First 'bone' of the Milky Way identified
- Genes and obesity: Fast food isn't only culprit in expanding waistlines—DNA is also to blame
- Simulated Mars mission reveals body's sodium rhythms
Space & Earth news
Mapping the heatwave toll
A study identifying those Australians who are most vulnerable to extreme heat will inform new ways to help communities manage the risks associated with heatwaves.
LEON: The space chip that Europe built
(Phys.org)—Just like home computers, the sophisticated capabilities of today's space missions are made possible by the power of their processor chips. ESA's coming Alphasat telecom satellite, the Proba-V microsatellite, the Earth-monitoring Sentinel family and the BepiColombo mission to Mercury are among the first missions to use an advanced 32-bit microprocessor – engineered and built in Europe.
WEF: Economic, climate crises raise global risks
With rising economic strains on one side and ever more environmental concerns on the other, the world could soon find itself in "the perfect global storm", the World Economic Forum warned in a report on Tuesday.
Slooh space camera to track near-earth asteroid Apophis as it passes by Earth
(Phys.org)—Named after an ancient Egyptian mythological demon, Apophis, a near-Earth asteroid with an estimated diameter of almost three football fields (270m), will make its close approach to Earth this week. Slooh Space Camera will cover its near-approach on Wednesday, January 9th, with several live shows on Slooh.com, free to the public, starting at 4 p.m. PST / 7 p.m. EST / 00:00 UTC (1/10)—International times here: http://goo.gl/ud5UL—accompanied by real-time discussions with Slooh President Patrick Paolucci, Slooh Outreach Coordinator and Engineer Paul Cox, and Documentary Filmmaker Duncan Copp. Viewers can watch live on their PC or iOS/Android mobile device.
Study finds flame retardant pollutants at far-flung locations
Chemicals used as flame retardants are present as environmental pollutants at locations around the globe, including remote sites in Indonesia, Nepal and Tasmania, according to a study by researchers from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Record heat sees Australia map upgrade
Extreme heat in Australia forced the government's weather bureau to upgrade its temperature scale, with new colours on the climate map to reflect new highs forecast next week.
Study of Southern Ocean critical to understanding of climate change
Whether it's the economics of clean energy, the politics of Washington or claims over the severity of the problem itself, the debate over climate change is loud and crowded. One aspect that often goes overlooked is the Southern Ocean ringing Antarctica at the bottom of the globe. But that, says Jorge Sarmiento, is about to change.
Space sailing soon: A one-kilometer-long electric sail tether produced
The electric sail (ESAIL), invented by Dr. Pekka Janhunen at the Finnish Kumpula Space Centre in 2006, produces propulsion power for a spacecraft by utilizing the solar wind. The sail features electrically charged long and thin metal tethers that interact with the solar wind. Using ultrasonic welding, the Electronics Research Laboratory at the University of Helsinki successfully produced a 1 km long ESAIL tether. Four years ago, global experts in ultrasonic welding considered it impossible to weld together such thin wires. The produced tether proves that manufacturing full size ESAIL tethers is possible. The theoretically predicted electric sail force will be measured in space during 2013.
Kepler mission discovers 461 new planet candidates
(Phys.org)—NASA's Kepler mission Monday announced the discovery of 461 new planet candidates. Four of the potential new planets are less than twice the size of Earth and orbit in their sun's "habitable zone," the region in the planetary system where liquid water might exist on the surface of a planet.
US roasts to hottest year on record by landslide (Update)
The United States of America set an off-the-charts heat record in 2012.
Researchers try new approach for simulating supernovas
(Phys.org)—Two University of Texas at Arlington researchers want to bridge the gap between what is known about exploding stars and the remnants left behind thousands of years later. So they're trying something new—using SNSPH, a complex computer code developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
NASA watches a slow-moving Tropical Depression Sonamu
Tropical Depression Sonamu has been consistently slow moving over the last couple of days, and that has not changed. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of the stubborn storm lingering in the South China Sea, and it still contained some strong thunderstorms.
NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Narelle form in Southern Indian Ocean
The eighth tropical cyclone to form during the Southern Indian Ocean cyclone season formed from low pressure System 98S and became Tropical Cyclone Narelle. NASA's TRMM satellite passed over System 98S and saw the hallmark "hot towers" that indicated the storm would soon likely intensify into Tropical Storm Narelle.
Vela Pulsar
(Phys.org)—This movie from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory shows a fast moving jet of particles produced by a rapidly rotating neutron star, and may provide new insight into the nature of some of the densest matter in the universe.
Herschel confirms the origin of cosmic dust
(Phys.org)—The Herschel space observatory has produced an intricate view of the remains of a star that died in a stellar explosion a millennium ago. It has provided further proof that the interstellar dust which lies throughout our Galaxy is created when massive stars reach the end of their lives.
Study finds Jurassic ecosystems were similar to modern: Animals flourish among lush plants
(Phys.org)—CO2 levels in fossil soils from the Late Jurassic confirm that climate, vegetation and animal richness varied across the planet 150 million years ago, suggesting future human changes to global climate will heavily impact plant and animal life.
Curiosity rover makes first use of its brush
(Phys.org)—NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed first-time use of a brush it carries to sweep dust off rocks.
NASA's NuSTAR catches black holes in galaxy web
(Phys.org)—NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, set its X-ray eyes on a spiral galaxy and caught the brilliant glow of two black holes lurking inside.
Researchers use DNA sequencing to learn why some corals are more heat tolerant
(Phys.org)—Researchers working out of the Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University have found that the ability of some corals to withstand higher water temperatures appears to be gene based. In their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group outline how they compared two types of corals commonly found in a reef in American Samoa, and found that those that are more heat resistant tend to express more gene types during normal temperature conditions.
First 'bone' of the Milky Way identified
(Phys.org)—Our Milky Way is a spiral galaxy—a pinwheel-shaped collection of stars, gas and dust. It has a central bar and two major spiral arms that wrap around its disk. Since we view the Milky Way from the inside, its exact structure is difficult to determine.
Cluster mission indicates turbulent eddies may warm the solar wind
(Phys.org)—The sun ejects a continuous flow of electrically charged particles and magnetic fields in the form of the solar wind—and this wind is hotter than it should be. A new study of data obtained by European Space Agency's Cluster spacecraft may help explain the mystery.
Some Earth bacteria survive and grow at extremely low pressure, may aid Mars research
(Phys.org)—University of Florida researchers have discovered for the first time that some Earth bacteria can live under the same low pressure conditions found on Mars.
Cassini suggests icing on a Titan lake
(Phys.org)—It's not exactly icing on a cake, but it could be icing on a lake. A new paper by scientists on NASA's Cassini mission finds that blocks of hydrocarbon ice might decorate the surface of existing lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbon on Saturn's moon Titan. The presence of ice floes might explain some of the mixed readings Cassini has seen in the reflectivity of the surfaces of lakes on Titan.
Technology news
Police grudge behind Japan hacker campaign
A computer hacker who taunted Japanese police for months with a string of vexing cyber riddles launched the campaign as part of a grudge against authorities, media reports said Tuesday.
Google exec gets look at NKoreans using Internet
Students at North Korea's premier university showed Google's executive chairman Tuesday how they look for information online: they Google it.
NREL to help convert methane to liquid diesel
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will help develop microbes that convert methane found in natural gas into liquid diesel fuel, a novel approach that if successful could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower dependence on foreign oil.
New Dish box sends TV shows 'hopping' to iPad
Last year, Dish revealed a new set-top box called Hopper that can send the TV signal "hopping" from room to room, covering all the TVs in the house. This year, it's upgrading the Hopper so that it follows you wherever you go—even outside the house.
Samsung sees record-high 4Q profit
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest technology company by revenue, expects record earnings for the fourth quarter of 2012 as shoppers continued to snap up its smartphones and tablets.
Top tech show to see changing of guard
The inexorable push for mobility in gadgets has reshaped the electronics industry, a shift that reflects a changing of the guard at the world's biggest consumer technology show.
Mobility takes center stage at CES
Qualcomm chief Paul Jacobs was officially crowned the star of the mobile-centric tech industry Monday, offering a glimpse of the power of new devices to transform people's lives.
Tribler Mobile: Share videos, even without the internet
With the advent of smartphones, sharing videos has become increasingly popular. To do it, users are also increasingly dependent on fast and expensive mobile data connections and a limited number of well-known video websites. This is why researchers at TU Delft have joined forces with their counterparts at Swedish University KTH and the French institute INRIA to design a mobile app that makes it possible to share and distribute videos, even without an internet connection: Tribler Mobile.
Research reveals potential for producing liquid fuels using microalgae
(Phys.org)—Due to continuing high demand, depletion of non-renewable resources and increasing concerns about climate change, fossil fuel-derived transportation fuels face constant challenges from both a world market and an environmental perspective. Producing renewable transportation fuel from microalgae attracts much attention because of its potential for fast growth rates, high oil content, ability to grow in unconventional scenarios, and its inherent carbon neutrality.
French group Free lifts block on online ads
French Internet access provider Free has ceased blocking online advertising following a ministerial request, in a case that tests the relative strengths of telecommunications providers and Internet giants such as Google that use the net to generate huge revenue streams.
Computer, electrical engineers working to help biologists cope with big data
Liang Dong held up a clear plastic cube, an inch or so across, just big enough to hold 10 to 20 tiny seeds.
Shareholder responsibility could spur shift to sustainable energy, study reports
Allowing shareholders to be held liable for the damages that companies cause to the environment, people could help transform the world's energy system towards sustainability, according to new research published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A new point of reference for offshore energy development
A new Department of Energy research facility could help bring the U.S. closer to generating power from the winds and waters along America's coasts and help alleviate a major hurdle for offshore wind and ocean power development.
TV-over-Internet service expands despite lawsuits (Update)
The Internet company that challenged cable and satellite TV services by offering inexpensive live television online plans to expand beyond New York City this spring.
AT&T says it sold more than 10M smartphones in 4Q
AT&T says it sold more than 10 million smartphones in the last three months of 2012, topping its previous record of 9.4 million set in the same period a year earlier.
Hollywood offers free movies to boost UltraViolet (Update)
In a bid to jumpstart its fledgling online entertainment system, Hollywood studios are resorting to a time-honored tactic: giving stuff away.
Chinese man guilty of '$100 mn' software piracy
A Chinese man pleaded guilty in a US federal court to pirating software that investigators said was worth more than $100 million, the US said Tuesday.
Wikipedia's 'Goan war' unmasked as elaborate hoax
It went undetected for five years on Wikipedia, but now a seemingly meticulous entry about a 17th century conflict between colonial Portugal and India's Maratha empire has been outed as a hoax.
Warsaw team on Skype can send silent message
(Phys.org)—A professor in Warsaw knows a way in which to communicate privately on Skype by using silence. Wojciech Mazurczyk at the Institute of Telecommunications, Warsaw University of Technology, discovered the packets technique for embedding secret data in phone calls on Skype. Mazurczyk and colleagues Maciej Karaś and Krzysztof Szczypiorski analyzed Skype data traffic and noted that, in a Skype call, between spoken words, Skype sends 70-bit-long data packets instead of the 130-bit ones that carry speech. Mazurczyk and team hid their data in the 70-bit packets during silent periods.
Google to offer public Wi-Fi in NYC neighborhood (Update)
Google said Tuesday it is teaming up with a New York City neighborhood business group to provide the company's first urban Wi-Fi network.
Medicine & Health news
Educational debt of pediatric residents increasing
(HealthDay)—For pediatric residents, educational debt is increasing and has an independent effect on clinical practice goals, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics.
New company applies regenerative medicine to corneal transplantation
Ocular Systems, Inc. (OSI), Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the North Carolina Eye Bank have formed a new company based on a promising new technology aimed at engineering replacement corneas in the lab for transplantation.
Testimony set to begin in pregnancy drug case
(AP)—Testimony is set to begin in a federal lawsuit brought by four sisters who believe their breast cancer was caused by a drug their mother took during pregnancy in the 1950s.
Strategies for coping with extremely hot weather
Exposure to extreme heat can cause illness and even death for some people. But there are several small steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones.
New website to unite cystic fibrosis patients and researchers
People with cystic fibrosis (CF) will be able to access the latest research findings about their condition, volunteer for clinical trials and influence the direction of future scientific studies through a new website being launched later this week.
Most physicians do not meet Medicare quality reporting requirements
A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study shows that fewer than one-in-five healthcare providers meet Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) requirements. Those that meet PQRS thresholds now receive a .5 percent Medicare bonus payment. In 2015, bonuses will be replaced by penalties for providers who do not meet PQRS requirements. As it stands, more than 80 percent of providers nationwide would face these penalties.
Warning to inspect Fisher-Price infant sleepers
(AP)—The government is warning consumers to inspect Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'N Play Sleepers due to risk of exposure to mold for infants who use them.
Poll: Popularity of 'walk-in' retail health clinics growing
(HealthDay)—The popularity of "walk-in" medical clinics located in pharmacies, superstores and workplaces nationwide is increasing rapidly, according to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll.
Indication of considerable added benefit of vemurafenib in advanced melanoma
Vemurafenib has been approved since February 2012 for the treatment of certain groups of adults with advanced melanoma. The drug offers major advantages in terms of survival, but also causes major side effects. Overall, there is an indication of a considerable added benefit. This is the conclusion of a dossier assessment by the IQWiG, Cologne, which was published in June 2012 and for which an English-language extract is now available.
First study of Oregon's Hmong reveals surprising influences on cancer screenings
Cervical cancer rates for Hmong women are among the highest in the nation, yet past research has shown that cervical and breast cancer screening rates for this population are low – in part because of the Hmong's strong patriarchal culture.
Madrid health center directors quit en masse
(AP)—More than 300 directors of some 140 health centers in Madrid resigned from their posts Tuesday to protest plans to partly privatize the region's public health service.
Battle of the sexes: Who wins (or loses) in ACL ruptures?
Female athletes are three times more likely to suffer from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, one of the most common knee injuries, compared to male athletes. The ACL is one of the four main ligaments within the knee that connect the femur (upper leg bone) to the tibia (lower leg bone). Recent research highlights the unique anatomical differences in the female knee that may contribute to higher injury rates, and should be taken into consideration during reconstructive surgery and sports training, according to a review article in the January 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS).
Obesity drops among children enrolled in NY state WIC nutrition program
New York children participating in a federal nutrition program had healthier eating behaviors and lower rates of obesity two years after improvements to the program were undertaken, according to a study published online today in Obesity, the official journal of the Obesity Society.
High salt intake linked to social inequalities
People from low socio-economic positions in Britain eat more salt than the well off, irrespective of where they live, states a paper led by Warwick Medical School published on Tuesday in the BMJ Open journal .
Targeting hepatitis C treatment: The importance of interleukin (IL)-28
A metanalysis published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine has confirmed that polymorphisms (SNP) in the gene coding for interleukin-28 (IL28B) influence natural hepatitis C viral (HCV) clearance and response to pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV). Information about IL28B genotype could be used to provide personalized medicine and target treatment options effectively.
Web-based QoL tool beneficial in juvenile idiopathic arthritis
(HealthDay)—Children with arthritis who use a Web-based application to monitor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have more discussions with their rheumatologist about psychosocial issues, and their physicians are more satisfied with the care provided during consultations, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics.
Inherited retinal disease research may lead to treatment
Inherited retinal disease is a major cause of vision impairment in early life - and a researcher at The University of Western Australia hopes a study in which he was involved will contribute towards the development of a drug-based treatment.
Study finds genetic collagen link to corneal thickness, disease
A major national and international genetic eye disease research project led by Australian researchers has identified a family of genes related to collagen that influence corneal thickness and disease risk. The cornea is the transparent outer covering of the eye.
Healthy BMI levels, physical activity linked to endometrial cancer survival
(Medical Xpress)—Higher body mass index (BMI) and physical inactivity are associated with more than a two-fold increase in risk for mortality among women with endometrial cancer, new research by the Yale School of Public Health has found. The study appears in the current issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Analyzing babies' expressions could help children at risk for developmental disorders
Parents and babies smile, laugh and coo at each other, but scientists still have a lot of questions about how these interactions help infants develop.
Validation for flu prediction
(Medical Xpress)—In 2009, the H1N1 virus slipped into the bloodstreams of more than 40 million people around the world. In just four months, it killed more than 14,000 individuals as it traveled from Mexico to India on its most favored vehicle: humans. As travelers moved about the planet via airplanes and cars, the pathogen followed, creating an epidemic the likes of which had not been seen since the 1970s.
From protein signaling to cancer drug development
(Medical Xpress)—Living organisms depend on proteins for their survival. These large, complex molecules mediate nearly every life function, but when the genes that code for them start to mutate, those functions begin to break down.
Alzheimer's to be diagnosed online
(Medical Xpress)—The early onset of Alzheimer's disease could be detected using a simple online test, according to scientists from the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at The University of Queensland (UQ).
Researchers find minimal state cost from Medicaid expansion in California
(Medical Xpress)—As the California Legislature prepares to consider bills relating to implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and expanding Medicaid, the state has the opportunity to significantly increase health insurance coverage at minimal cost to the state budget, according to a joint study by the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Labor Research and Education and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Tiny tools help advance medical discoveries: Researchers are designing tools to analyze cells at the microscale
To understand the progression of complex diseases such as cancer, scientists have had to tease out the interactions between cells at progressively finer scales—from the behavior of a single tumor cell in the body on down to the activity of that cell's inner machinery.
Vaccine triggers immunity to prevent colon cancer
(Medical Xpress)—A first-of-its-kind vaccine developed by University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) researchers successfully prompted the immune system to respond to early indications of colon cancer in people at high risk for the disease.
Research informs healthy body image for girls
(Medical Xpress)—If you want your daughter to feel better about her body, a Murdoch University researcher says to shift the focus from appearance to function.
Gene testing asthmatic children could lead to better treatment
(Medical Xpress)—Testing asthmatic children for a specific gene could prevent their condition worsening, according to new research by scientists in Dundee and Brighton.
Hoarders lack decision-making capacity, study finds
Compulsive hoarders struggle to throw out their many possessions because their brains lack flexibility, new research suggests.
Scientists examine the neurobiology of decision making
(Medical Xpress)—We know that casting a ballot in the voting booth involves politics, values and personalities. But before you ever push the button for your candidate, your brain has already carried out an election of its own to make that action possible. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that our brain accumulates evidence when faced with a choice and triggers an action once that evidence reaches a tipping point.
Don't let botox go to your head…or should you?
Injecting botox into the arm muscles of stroke survivors, with severe spasticity, changes electrical activity in the brain and may assist with longer-term recovery, according to new research.
US cancer death rates continue to decline, national report finds
A report from the nation's leading cancer organizations shows rates of death in the United States from all cancers for men and women continued to decline between 2000 and 2009. The findings come from the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer.
Brief class on easy-to-miss precancerous polyps ups detection, study shows
Most people know a colonoscopy requires some preparation by the patient. Now, a Mayo Clinic physician suggests an additional step to lower the risk of colorectal cancer: Ask for your doctor's success rate detecting easy-to-miss polyps called adenomas.
Study questions effect of disc replacement on low back pain
(HealthDay)—Although total disc replacement for chronic low back pain due to degenerative disc disease yields statistically significant improvements compared to conventional fusion, the clinical relevance is unclear and conclusions regarding effectiveness are hampered by low quality evidence and short follow-up, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of Spine.
New research may explain why obese people have higher rates of asthma
A new study led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers has found that leptin, a hormone that plays a key role in energy metabolism, fertility, and bone mass, also regulates airway diameter. The findings could explain why obese people are prone to asthma and suggest that body weight–associated asthma may be relieved with medications that inhibit signaling through the parasympathetic nervous system, which mediates leptin function. The study, conducted in mice, was published in the online edition of the journal Cell Metabolism.
Parasitic worms may help treat diseases associated with obesity
(Medical Xpress)—On the list of undesirable medical conditions, a parasitic worm infection surely ranks fairly high. Although modern pharmaceuticals have made them less of a threat in some areas, these organisms are still a major cause of disease and disability throughout much of the developing world.
Post-operative intravenous acetaminophen may help reduce use of morphine in infants
Among infants undergoing major surgery, postoperative use of intermittent intravenous paracetamol (acetaminophen) for the management of pain resulted in a lower cumulative morphine dose over 48 hours, according to a study appearing in the January 9 issue of JAMA.
Teens susceptible to hepatitis B infection despite vaccination as infants
New research reveals that a significant number of adolescents lose their protection from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, despite having received a complete vaccination series as infants. Results in the January 2013 issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, suggest teens with high-risk mothers (those positive for HBeAg) and teens whose immune system fails to remember a previous viral exposure (immunological memory) are behind HBV reinfection.
Postpartum depression prevalent in under-developed countries, could impact baby health and mortality
(Medical Xpress)—Postpartum depression not only affects mothers but it could mean higher health risks for the baby – especially in low-income countries like Ghana where the condition isn't well-recognized, University of Michigan Health System research shows.
Sibling study discovers genetic region linked to control of key blood-clotting protein
In 2006, the lab of Dr. David Ginsburg at the Life Sciences Institute put a call out for siblings attending the University of Michigan to donate blood for a study of blood-clotting disorders.
EU launches public consultation on sweetener aspartame
The EU's food safety agency on Tuesday launched a public consultation on its draft scientific opinion regarding the safety of the artificial sweetener aspartame.
Microaneurysm turnover IDs macular edema development
(HealthDay)—Microaneurysm (MA) turnover independently predicts the development of clinically significant macular edema (CSME) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), according to a study published online Nov. 30 in Diabetes Care.
Pediatric hospital care quality linked to patient population
(HealthDay)—The quality of pediatric hospital care is associated with whether the patients have severe and chronic conditions, not the financial resources of the hospital, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in Pediatrics.
Exposure to traffic-related air pollution linked to autism
(HealthDay)—Exposure to traffic-related air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter less than 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5 and PM10), during gestation and the first year of life is associated with a significantly increased risk of autism, according to research published in the January issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
Ovarian cancer rates declining in breast cancer survivors
(HealthDay)—Primary ovarian cancer incidence is declining in the United States, both among the general population and among breast cancer survivors, according to research published online Jan. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Fetuin-A levels linked to cardiovascular disease risk
(HealthDay)—In elderly individuals without type 2 diabetes, high levels of fetuin-A, a protein that inhibits arterial calcification and insulin action, is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes Care.
Metformin cuts cardio events in high-risk type 2 diabetes
(HealthDay)—Metformin therapy significantly reduces cardiovascular events in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes compared to treatment with glipizide, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Diabetes Care.
Study documents failure rate of antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea
In an examination of the effectiveness of cefixime, the only oral cephalosporin antimicrobial recommended for treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) infections, researchers found a clinical treatment failure rate of nearly 7 percent for patients treated at a clinic in Toronto, according to a preliminary study published in the January 9 issue of JAMA.
Vitamin D supplementation does not reduce knee pain, cartilage loss in patients with osteoarthritis
In a two year randomized trial, patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis who received vitamin D supplementation did not have a significant difference in knee pain or cartilage volume loss compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study appearing in the January 9 issue of JAMA.
Study shows cognitive benefit of lifelong bilingualism
Seniors who have spoken two languages since childhood are faster than single-language speakers at switching from one task to another, according to a study published in the January 9 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. Compared to their monolingual peers, lifelong bilinguals also show different patterns of brain activity when making the switch, the study found.
New marker of drug response may speed pace of lung cancer prevention trials
Testing medicines to prevent lung cancer requires treating many thousands of high-risk individuals and then waiting 5, 10 or 15 years to discover which of them develop cancer and which, if any, experience survival benefit from the treatment. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research proposes a possible waypoint on the way to benefit, which if validated, could dramatically reduce the number of patients needed and time required to test drugs for lung cancer prevention.
Binge drinking serious problem for US women
Binge drinking is an under-recognized problem for US women, nearly 14 million of whom engage in it about three times a month, downing about six drinks each time, says a study released Tuesday.
Keeping cold-weather exercise fresh, not frozen
(HealthDay)—When the mercury hits the freezing mark and the snow starts to fall, routine exercise habits may be among the first things to freeze over. But this year a couple of fitness experts are standing up to Mother Nature by stressing the importance of staying active during the winter months.
FDA staff: J&J diabetes drug may pose heart risk
Federal drug reviewers think Johnson & Johnson's experimental diabetes drug might bring heart risks because it raised cholesterol levels in patient testing.
How much caffeine in that supplement? Hard to tell
(HealthDay)—A new study finds that popular supplement pills and powders found for sale at many military bases, including those that claim to boost energy and control weight, often fail to properly describe their caffeine levels.
Weight counseling decreases despite rise in obesity
While the number of overweight and obese Americans has increased, the amount of weight counseling offered by primary care physicians has decreased—especially for patients with high blood pressure and diabetes—according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
Study says flashing digital billboards are too distracting
Many drivers say the large digital billboards flashing ads every few seconds along Bay Area freeways are just too bright and too distracting. And they may be right.
Genetics discovery to help fight 'black fever'
Scientists—including a geneticist at The University of Western Australia—are a step closer to developing a vaccine against a fatally infectious parasite carried in the bite of sandflies.
Team discovers new gene that affects clearance of hepatitis C virus
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have discovered a gene that interferes with the clearance of hepatitis C virus infection. They also identified an inherited variant within this gene, Interferon Lambda 4 (IFNL4), that predicts how people respond to treatment for hepatitis C infection. The results of this study, by investigators at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH, and their collaborators at NIH and other institutions, were published online in Nature Genetics on Jan. 6, 2013.
Experts warn red wine could mask testosterone levels
(Medical Xpress)—Red wine could give athletes and players a boost in the sports arena by increasing the amount of performance-enhancing hormone testosterone in their bodies, according to researchers from London's Kingston University.
Researchers identify new target for common heart condition
Researchers have found new evidence that metabolic stress can increase the onset of atrial arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. The findings may pave the way for the development of new therapies for the condition which can be expected to affect almost one in four of the UK population at some point in their lifetime.
Simulated Mars mission reveals body's sodium rhythms
Clinical pharmacologist Jens Titze, M.D., knew he had a one-of-a-kind scientific opportunity: the Russians were going to simulate a flight to Mars, and he was invited to study the participating cosmonauts.
Genes and obesity: Fast food isn't only culprit in expanding waistlines—DNA is also to blame
Researchers at UCLA say it's not just what you eat that makes those pants tighter—it's also genetics. In a new study, scientists discovered that body-fat responses to a typical fast-food diet are determined in large part by genetic factors, and they have identified several genes they say may control those responses.
Hold the diet soda? Sweetened drinks linked to depression, coffee tied to lower risk
New research suggests that drinking sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, is associated with an increased risk of depression in adults while drinking coffee was tied to a slightly lower risk. The study was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.
First oral drug for spinal cord injury improves movement in mice
An experimental oral drug given to mice after a spinal cord injury was effective at improving limb movement after the injury, a new study shows.
Two-drug combination may slow deadly thyroid cancer
A combination of the drugs pazopanib and paclitaxel shows promise in slowing anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), according to a Mayo Clinic-led study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The two drugs together resulted in greater anti-cancer activity in ATC than either drug alone, says lead researcher Keith Bible, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic oncologist.
New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice (w/ video)
(Medical Xpress)—Blind mice can see again, after Oxford University researchers transplanted developing cells into their eyes and found they could re-form the entire light-sensitive layer of the retina.
Pills found in ancient Tuscan wreck resemble modern medicine
(Medical Xpress)—A team of Italian researchers studying the contents of a small tin found aboard the wreck of a second century B.C. cargo ship claim its contents are pills meant to cure eye or skin ailments. In their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team says that some of the ingredients found in the pills mirror those still used today to treat such ailments.
Biology news
Fugitive Sea Shepherd founder hands over reins
The fugitive founder of Sea Shepherd has stepped down from key roles at the militant anti-whaling group, passing the Antarctic harpoon chase mantle to a former Australian politician.
Wine feels the effects of a changing climate
The signs of climate change are universally evident, but for French winemakers, already feeling the effects of competition from other countries, the year of volatile weather does not bode well. A lot of rain, a late spring and a summer that never arrived have resulted in earlier harvests. This has contributed to grapes with lower acidity and higher sugar content. In other words, higher alcohol and fruitier resulting in cloying wines - with too much residual sugar and not enough acidity to balance the character of the wine.
Farmers and scientists in rescue of endangered woodlands
Australian farmers and scientists working together have developed a world-first approach to restoring native landscapes on a large scale and measuring their recovery.
Powerful enzymes create ethanol from agricultural harvest waste
The DISCO project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed powerful enzymes, which accelerate plant biomass conversion into sugars and further into products such as bioethanol. The project's results include lignin-tolerant enzymes and enzyme cocktails for processing spruce, straw, corn cob and wheat bran. The commercialisation of these enzymes has now begun in the Netherlands.
Songbird sings in 3D
The question 'How do songbirds sing?' is addressed in a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Biology. High-field magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography have been used to construct stunning high resolution, 3D, images, as well as a data set "morphome" of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) vocal organ, the syrinx.
Bugs reveal the richness of species on Earth
An international team of researchers has carried out a survey of the biological diversity in a tropical rainforest. Their efforts have helped them find the key to one of the existential questions to which people have long sought an answer: how many species exist on Earth?
Expert helps solve 80-year mystery, as team identifies fungus killing Torreya trees
(Phys.org)—An 80-year search for a tree killer has ended, says a University of Florida forest pathologist who helped identify the fungus that virtually wiped out the Florida Torreya and fears it may threaten other species.
Why insect 'tourists' are good for some plants
(Phys.org)—Just as human tourists can be good for the economy, "insect tourists" can be good for a plant. When the hairs of a "sticky plant" trap small insects or "insect tourists," the plant can benefit in ways most people never think about, say researchers in the Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.
Molds are able to reproduce sexually, unlike we thought for 100 years
For over 100 years, it was assumed that the penicillin-producing mould fungus Penicillium chrysogenum only reproduced asexually through spores. An international research team led by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kück and Julia Böhm from the Chair of General and Molecular Botany at the Ruhr-Universität has now shown for the first time that the fungus also has a sexual cycle, i.e. two "genders". Through sexual reproduction of P. chrysogenum, the researchers generated fungal strains with new biotechnologically relevant properties - such as high penicillin production without the contaminating chrysogenin.
Genetic matchmaking saves endangered frogs
What if Noah got it wrong? What if he paired a male and a female animal thinking they were the same species, and then discovered they were not the same and could not produce offspring? As researchers from the Smithsonian's Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project race to save frogs from a devastating disease by breeding them in captivity, a genetic test averts mating mix-ups.
Global warming beneficial to ratsnakes
Speculation about how animals will respond to climate change due to global warming led University of Illinois researcher Patrick Weatherhead and his students to conduct a study of ratsnakes at three different latitudes—Ontario, Illinois, and Texas. His findings suggest that ratsnakes will be able to adapt to the higher temperatures by becoming more active at night.
Stem cell materials could boost research into key diseases
Stem cell manufacturing for drug screening and treatments for diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's could be boosted by a new method of generating stem cells, a study suggests.
Pythons, lionfish and now willow invade Florida's waterways
Foreign invaders such as pythons and lionfish are not the only threats to Florida's natural habitat. The native Carolina Willow is also starting to strangle portions of the St. Johns River.
First Contact: Emperor penguin colony receives first ever human visitors
(Phys.org)—Three team members from Belgium's Princess Elisabeth Antarctica polar research station are the first humans to have ever visited and photographed a newly-discovered 9,000-strong colony of emperor penguins on Antarctica's Princess Ragnhild Coast.
Study details dimmer switch for regulating cell's read of DNA code
(Phys.org)—Epigenetics - the science of how gene activity can be altered without changes in the genetic code - plays a critical role in every aspect of life, from the differentiation of stem cells to the regulation of metabolism and growth of cancer cells.
Cheap and easy technique to snip DNA could revolutionize gene therapy
(Phys.org)—A simple, precise and inexpensive method for cutting DNA to insert genes into human cells could transform genetic medicine, making routine what now are expensive, complicated and rare procedures for replacing defective genes in order to fix genetic disease or even cure AIDS.
Microswimmers hit the wall (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—New research reveals what happens when swimming cells such as spermatozoa and algae hit a solid wall, and has implications for applications in diagnostics and biofuel production.
Researchers discover wasp larva disinfect their food before eating
(Phys.org)—A team of German researchers has discovered that emerald cockroach wasp larva create a disinfecting clear liquid solution in their mouths that they spit out and use to disinfect their food before eating. This is especially important the team notes in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, because the larva live inside the body of a cockroach.
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