Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 7, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Study shows cultural flow may be slower than genetic divergence- Engineer designs self-powered nanoscale devices that never need new batteries
- 'Zombie' replica cells may outperform live ones as catalysts and conductors
- Placental mammal diversity exploded after age of dinosaurs
- Spitzer and Hubble discover strobe-like flashes in suspected binary protostar
- Most precise dates yet suggest comet or asteroid impact was last straw for dinosaurs
- Unique nanostructure produces novel 'plasmonic halos'
- For drug makers, new 3-D control opens wealth of options
- Translation error tracked in the brain of dementia patients
- New report illuminates stress change during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake
- Near impact: Asteroid to narrowly miss Earth (Update)
- Unique collaboration shows that hurdles in basic science can be solved outside the academy
- Deep roots of catastrophe: Partly molten, Florida-sized blob forms atop Earth's core
- Excess protein linked to development of Parkinson's disease
- Hacker 'botnet' hijacked online searches
Space & Earth news
China plans stricter fuel standards after smog
China has announced stricter motor fuel standards in a bid to reduce harmful emissions after smog blanketed much of the country last month—but the measures will not come fully into force for almost five years.
Lessons from Black Saturday: Improving predictions of extreme fires
University of Melbourne researchers have used the devastating 2009 Black Saturday bushfires to improve the PHOENIX Rapidfire fire behaviour model to better assist fire fighting efforts in the current fire season.
Major GPS III flight software milestone completed
The Lockheed Martin team developing the U.S. Air Force's next generation Global Position System III satellites has completed a key flight software milestone validating the software's ability to provide reliable and effective command and control for the GPS III satellites planned for launch into orbit.
New smart phone app lets public report rain, hail, sleet and snow to NOAA
It's now easier than ever to be a part of NOAA's weather research. The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma, has launched a free app for users to anonymously report precipitation from their Apple or Android mobile device.
Waste dump at the end of the world
On their mission to the moon in 1969 the Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin created arguably the most famous footprints ever. Since the time the astronauts of the Apollo 11 Mission stepped onto the surface of our satellite their footprints remain almost unchanged. And as no breath of wind will ever be able to blow them away they will be visible forever.
Poll: Americans back climate change regulation, not taxes
Now that President Obama has put climate change back on the table in his second inaugural address, a new national poll finds growing public support for regulating greenhouse gas emissions and requiring utilities to switch to lower-carbon fuel sources.
Eruption risk perception disconnected from detected threat
The perceived risk of having a volcanic eruption needs to match the actual risk, detected through combined technologies including remote sensing of volcanic gasses, before dire consequences can be prevented.
Tornadoes in Australia? They're more common than you think
There is a long-standing myth that Australia doesn't get tornadoes. This simply isn't true. Just ask residents of Burnett Heads and Bargara, on Queensland's southeast coast, or the Melburnians who were affected by tornadoes on Christmas Day, 2011.
Pacific locked in 'La Nada' limbo
(Phys.org)—Sea-surface height data from NASA's Jason-2 satellite show that the equatorial Pacific Ocean is still locked in what some call a neutral, or 'La Nada' state. This condition follows two years of strong, cool-water La Nina events.
Mercury's false moon: The Mercury/Mars planetary conjunction this weekend
The history of astronomy is littered with astronomical objects in the solar system that have fallen to the wayside. These include fleeting sightings of Venusian moons, inter-mercurial planets, and even secondary moons of the Earth.
Sun produces two CMEs
In the evening of Feb. 5, 2013, the sun erupted with two coronal mass ejections or CMEs that may glance near-Earth space. Experimental NASA research models, based on observations from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and ESA/NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, show that the first CME began at 7 p.m. EST and left the sun at speeds of around 750 miles per second. The second CME began at 10:36 p.m. EST and left the sun at speeds of around 350 miles per second. Historically, CMEs of this speed and direction have been benign.
Deep roots of catastrophe: Partly molten, Florida-sized blob forms atop Earth's core
A University of Utah seismologist analyzed seismic waves that bombarded Earth's core, and believes he got a look at the earliest roots of Earth's most cataclysmic kind of volcanic eruption. But don't worry. He says it won't happen for perhaps 200 million years.
Volcano location could be greenhouse-icehouse key
(Phys.org)—A new Rice University-led study finds the real estate mantra "location, location, location" may also explain one of Earth's enduring climate mysteries. The study suggests that Earth's repeated flip-flopping between greenhouse and icehouse states over the past 500 million years may have been driven by the episodic flare-up of volcanoes at key locations where enormous amounts of carbon dioxide are poised for release into the atmosphere.
Drought does long-term damage to rainforest
Recent droughts in the Amazon rainforest have effects that persist long after the rains have returned, a new study has shown.
Warming 'seesaw' turns extra sunlight into global greenhouse
(Phys.org)—Earth's most recent shift to a warm climate began with intense summer sun in the Northern Hemisphere, the first pressure on a seesaw that tossed powerful forces between the planet's poles until greenhouse gases accelerated temperature change on a global scale.
Models move from brain to rain
(Phys.org)—One of climate scientists' key ambitions is to predict future climate change more accurately. They create incredibly detailed computer models, but even these cannot calculate all the infinite detail of the real climate.
Team finds how the world's saltiest pond gets its salt
Antarctica's Don Juan Pond might be the unlikeliest body of water on Earth. Situated in the frigid McMurdo Dry Valleys, only the pond's high salt content—by far the highest of any body of water on the planet—keeps it from freezing into oblivion.
NASA scientists build first-ever wide-field X-ray imager
(Phys.org)—Three NASA scientists teamed up to develop and demonstrate NASA's first wide-field-of-view soft X-ray camera for studying "charge exchange," a poorly understood phenomenon that occurs when the solar wind collides with Earth's exosphere and neutral gas in interplanetary space.
New report illuminates stress change during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake
The 11 March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake (Mw9.0) produced the largest slip ever recorded in an earthquake, over 50 meters. Such huge fault movement on the shallow portion of the megathrust boundary came as a surprise to seismologists because this portion of the subduction zone was not thought to be accumulating stress prior to the earthquake.
Near impact: Asteroid to narrowly miss Earth (Update)
Hold on to your hats: an asteroid will zoom within spitting distance of Earth next week, in what NASA said Thursday is the closest flyby ever predicted for an object this large.
Preparatory drill test performed on Mars
(Phys.org)—The drill on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used both percussion and rotation to bore about 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) into a rock on Mars and generate cuttings for evaluation in advance of the rover's first sample-collection drilling.
Most precise dates yet suggest comet or asteroid impact was last straw for dinosaurs
While many assume that a comet or asteroid impact killed off the dinosaurs, the actual dates of the impact and extinction are imprecise enough that some have questioned the connection. UC Berkeley and Berkeley Geochronology Center scientists have now dated the extinction with unprecedented precision and concluded that the impact and extinction where synchronous. While global climate change probably brought dinosaurs and other creatures to the brink, the impact likely was the final blow.
Spitzer and Hubble discover strobe-like flashes in suspected binary protostar
(Phys.org)—Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light.
Technology news
Social media rules Italy's austerity elections
Italy's election candidates have swapped street rallies for Obama-style social media campaigns, sparking feisty online debates among sceptical and irreverent younger voters.
Fujitsu plunges into huge loss, eyes job cuts
Japan's Fujitsu said Thursday it lost almost $1.0 billion in the nine months to December and was looking into slashing 5,000 jobs worldwide as it struggles to compete with cheaper overseas competition.
Vodafone revenue falls amid tougher competition
Telecommunications company Vodafone says its revenue dropped 2 percent in the third quarter due to tougher competition, a weak economy, and regulatory changes at home and abroad.
New tool helps towns assess resources needed for bioenergy plant
For B.C. communities considering investing in a bioenergy heating system, it can be expensive and time-consuming to weigh the pros and cons.
Sprint posts big 4Q loss, revenue rises
Sprint Nextel, the country's third largest wireless carrier, says it lost $1.3 billion in its fourth quarter, about the same as a year ago, as it revamped its network for a comeback versus bigger competitors.
New guide will allow electric utilities to develop Green Button web tools
A new guide for Web developers recently released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will make it easier for electric utilities and vendors to give customers convenient, electronic access to their energy usage data with tools and applications developed as part of the new "Green Button" initiative.
New reports define strategic vision, propose R&D priorities for future cyber-physical systems
If designed and built efficiently, flexibly and securely, next-generation cyber-physical systems (CPS) now sprouting from interconnections that join the digital and engineered physical worlds will deliver extraordinary capabilities and tremendous benefits on scales ranging from individuals to organizations and from industries to national and global economies.
Review: 'Dead Space 3' a less scary, solid shooter
Isaac Clarke has grown over the first two "Dead Space" games from a troubled systems engineer into a full-fledged action hero, so it would be naive to think that the series would not morph alongside its protagonist.
Lithuania to turn Google Street View on tax cheats
Lithuanian tax authorities said Thursday they would use the Baltic state's recently launched Google Street View platform to track tax cheats by identifying the real value of property holdings.
Christie again vetoes NJ's Internet gambling law
(AP)—Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed a bill that would have made New Jersey the third state to legalize gambling over the Internet, but he says he will support such a law if it were put on a 10-year trial period.
Bangladesh forms tribunal to try cyber criminals
Bangladesh has formed a fast-track court to try cyber criminals after a spike in crimes involving mobile phones and social networking sites such as Facebook, an official said Thursday.
Cybercrime goes unreported in Greece
Cybercrime attacks are going unreported in Greece with companies either unaware of incidents or trying to sweep them under the carpet, experts told a security conference on Thursday.
Software engineer's tool makes for quicker tests
A UT Arlington software engineer is refining a computer testing tool that reduces the amount of time and expense companies must spend to determine whether a new program works.
Sony April-December loss shrinks 75%
Japanese electronics giant Sony said on Thursday that its net loss from April to December shrank 75 percent on-year and added that it remains on track to achieve its forecast of a full-year profit.
Yahoo! in online ad alliance with Google
Yahoo! on Wednesday announced an advertising alliance with Google, the company that dethroned the pioneering Internet firm in the world of Internet search.
Google boosts mobile ad campaigns
Google began letting businesses target mobile ads based on how close smartphone users might be to shops or what they might be craving at certain times of day.
Alcatel-Lucent boss leaving as losses mount
Alcatel-Lucent CEO Ben Verwaayen is leaving the loss-making French-U.S. telecommunications gear maker after a failed four-year bid to turn the business around.
N. Korean nuclear test could be tricky to detect
North Korea has vowed to carry out a third nuclear test, but scientists and concerned foreign governments may have a tough time verifying the actions of the reclusive state.
'GPS' for indoor use
Have you ever lost your way in a large office building or on a university campus? Normal GPS systems are of little assistance in these cases. A new smartphone app shows you the internal layout of a building and helps you to find your way.
Scientists use 3-D printing to track big fish
CSIRO scientists are using 3D printing to build a new generation of hi-tech fish tags made of titanium. The aim is to use the tags to track big fish such as marlin, tuna, swordfish, trevally and sharks for longer periods.
Research could ensure that crowd work becomes a career option, not a dead end
Crowdsourcing is an effective way to mobilize people to accomplish tasks on a global scale, but some researchers fear that crowd work for pay could easily become the high-tech equivalent of a sweat shop. Trivial work for rock bottom pay isn't inevitable, however, and they've outlined a research agenda to make crowd work both intellectually and monetarily rewarding.
Smart satnav drives around the blue highway blues
Endlessly frustrated by congested roads, computer scientists at California State University, in Fullerton have developed a satellite navigation system, GeoTNavi, which hooks into historical traffic data and current vehicle movements to find the shortest commute and avoid the traffic jams.
Researchers building foundation for heat-tolerant electronics
Case Western Reserve University is leading an international investigation of a finicky alternative to silicon-based electronics and its use in high temperatures or under radiation that would render traditional components useless.
Greenlight sues Apple, with eye on cash pile
US hedge fund Greenlight Capital Thursday filed suit against Apple as it boosted pressure on the tech giant to unleash to shareholders the value of its huge capital stockpile.
EU maps out new cyber-security plan
The European Commission on Thursday launched a new cyber-security plan, aimed at safeguarding vital information systems and bolstering the bloc's defences against a growing criminal threat.
NY Times making more from readers than advertising
The New York Times Company said Thursday that its income from readers and subscribers overtook that of advertising for the first time in 2012, as the media group reported a boost in profits.
Hyperlocal news website EveryBlock calls it quits
EveryBlock, a hyperlocal website built on the promise of drawing customers with neighborhood-based news, wrote its own obituary on Thursday.
LinkedIn's 4Q results soar past Street views (Update)
Online professional-networking service LinkedIn's fourth-quarter performance added another line to its sterling resume as a public company.
US magazine readership stable amid digital shift
US magazines managed to hold circulation nearly steady in the second half of 2012 as more readers turned to digital editions, an industry report showed Thursday.
Analysis: Facebook's Graph Search takes different tack
Looking for a reason to spend more time on Facebook? CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his crew of social-software gurus are convinced their new Graph Search function is just what you need.
Fujifilm breaks record with thermoelectric material
(Phys.org)—Photographic film maker Fujifilm has been busy this year at the Nanotech 2013 conference being held in Tokyo. First came news of bendable/roll up speakers. Now the company is showing off a new thermoelectric material it's developed that is so sensitive it can covert a difference in temperature of just 1°C to several kilowatts of electricity.
Hacker 'botnet' hijacked online searches
Software titan Microsoft and computer security giant Symantec said Thursday that they smashed a hacker-infected computer network that was hijacking Internet searches.
Engineer designs self-powered nanoscale devices that never need new batteries
(Phys.org)—It's relatively simple to build a device capable of detecting wireless signals if you don't mind making one that consumes lots of power. It's not so easy to design energy-efficient devices that function as well as the components they replace, or to do it at the nano scale.
Medicine & Health news
NM abortion complaint highlights privacy concerns
(AP)—The New Mexico Medical Board is set to rule today on whether to discipline one of the few doctors in this country that openly performs late-term abortions.
NZ researchers create online injured cyclist-door crash map
A searchable online map showing where in New Zealand cyclists have been injured as a result of car doors opening has been created by University of Otago injury prevention researchers.
Indian women dumped in field after sterilisations
Scores of women were dumped unconscious in a field after a mass sterilisation in eastern India because there was no room in hospital for them to recuperate, medical officials said Thursday.
Finding malaria's weak spot
A ground-breaking imaging system to track malarial infection of blood cells in real time has been created by a collaboration catalysed by the University's Physics of Medicine Initiative.After over a decade of research into malaria, biologists Dr Teresa Tiffert and Dr Virgilio Lew at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience found their efforts to observe a key stage of the infection cycle severely hindered by the limits of available technology. An innovative collaboration with physicist Dr Pietro Cicuta at the Cavendish Laboratory and bio-imaging specialist Professor Clemens Kaminski in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology is now yielding new insights into this devastating disease.
Australian crime commission reveals illicit substance abuse in sport
The use of banned performance enhancing substances and illicit drugs is widespread in Australian sport and sometimes supported by coaches and scientists, according to a new report released by the Australian Crime Commission today.
Surgical procedure appears to improve outcomes after bleeding stroke
A minimally invasive procedure to remove blood clots in brain tissue after hemorrhagic stroke appears safe and may also reduce long-term disability, according to late-breaking research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.
Child protection system failing up to 1.5 million UK children, children's charity warns
Nine out of ten teachers, police officers and social workers are regularly coming into contact with children they suspect are suffering from neglect yet as many as 40 per cent feel powerless to intervene, according to a major report by the University of Stirling for children's charity Action for Children.
Research team explains important step in the activation of T-cells in the immune system
A team, headed by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schamel from the Institute of Biology III of the University of Freiburg and Prof. Dr. Balbino Alarcón from the Center for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa of the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, has succeeded in explaining an important step in the activation of the so-called T-cells in the immune system. In humans and mice, T-cells are responsible for deciding whether a defense reaction should be activated to combat foreign substances. Scientists want to prevent the receptor of the T-cells (TCR) from mistakenly also identifying the body's own tissue as a foreign substance to be fended off, because this can lead to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. In order to do so, it is first necessary to elucidate the individual steps of TCR activation. Alarcón and Schamel published their findings on the exposure of the proline-rich region, an amino acid sequence in the TCR, in the current issue of the Journal of Immunology. The ! American Association of Immunologists selected this publication as a highlight of the issue.
A privacy risk in your DNA: New policies are needed to safeguard participants' identity in genetic studies
The growing ease of DNA sequencing has led to enormous advancements in the scientific field. Through extensive networked databases, researchers can access genetic information to gain valuable knowledge about causative and preventative factors for disease, and identify new targets for future treatments. But the wider availability of such information also has a significant downside—the risk of revealing personal information.
Information Technology improves patient care and increases privacy, informatics expert says
The federal government invested more than $25 billion in health information technology (IT) as a result of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act; yet, little is known about how IT applications improve patient safety and protect their privacy. Now, a University of Missouri nursing informatics expert suggests that sophisticated IT leads to more robust and integrated communication strategies among clinical staff, which allows staff to more efficiently coordinate care and better protect patient privacy.
Infant, child stroke survivors prone to seizures, epilepsy
About one-third of American infants and children who suffer bleeding into brain tissue, may later have seizures and as many as 13 percent will develop epilepsy within two years, according to new research reported at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.
Subcortical damage is 'primary cause' of neurological deficits after 'awake craniotomy'
Injury to the subcortical structures of the inner brain is a major contributor to worsening neurological abnormalities after "awake craniotomy" for brain tumors, reports a study in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
No increase in brain aneurysm rupture risk during pregnancy and delivery
For women with aneurysms involving the brain blood vessels, pregnancy and delivery don't appear to increase the risk of aneurysm rupture, reports a paper in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
One hospital night OK for robotic partial nephrectomy
(HealthDay)—Regardless of surgical complexity, most patients undergoing robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) can be discharged in one day, according to a study published in the February issue of Urology.
Fruits and vegetables may help protect the kidneys
Adding fruits and vegetables to the diet may help protect the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with too much acid build-up, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
Frequent dialysis poses risks for kidney disease patients
Compared with standard dialysis, frequent dialysis can cause complications related to repeated access to the blood, requiring patients to undergo more repair procedures to the site through which blood is removed and returned, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study provides important information for physicians and patients as they weigh different dialysis options.
Specific warning signs of complications in colorectal surgical patients released
Colorectal surgical patients are often discharged from the hospital with vague guidance on how to recognize complications, but researchers at the Michael DeBakey Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, aim to change that scenario. A health services research team convened a panel of surgical experts to develop a list of postoperative complication signs that should prompt colorectal surgical patients to call their surgeons or go to an emergency room. The study on the development of this early patient-centered warning system appears in the February 2013 issue of Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
UK: Lasagna products 60 percent horsemeat (Update)
(AP)—Some beef lasagna products recalled from British stores contained more than 60 percent horsemeat, U.K. food safety authorities said Thursday. It was the latest revelation in a growing scandal surrounding the use of horsemeat and the mislabeling of meat products in Europe.
One in 20 cases of pre-eclampsia may be linked to air pollutant
One in every 20 cases of the serious condition of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, may be linked to increased levels of the air pollutant ozone during the first three months, suggests a large study published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Drop in alcohol-related deaths by nearly a third follows minimum alcohol price increase of 10 percent
A new study made available online today in Addiction shows that, between 2002 and 2009, the percentage of deaths caused by alcohol in British Columbia, Canada dropped more than expected when minimum alcohol price was increased, while alcohol-related deaths increased when more private alcohol stores were opened. The paper has significant implications for international alcohol policy.
Acute toxoplasmosis impairs memory and concentration
Acute toxoplasmosis, an infectious disease carried by cats, may be a much more severe illness than previously understood.
Road safety in megacities: Bikers, pedestrians beware
(Medical Xpress)—Rapid growth of large cities throughout the world is having enormous impact on traffic safety in urban areas, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Surgery improves for nerve compression disorder
(Medical Xpress)—Two new studies from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest ways to improve surgical treatment for a debilitating condition caused by compressed nerves in the neck and shoulder.
Eat to dream: Study shows dietary nutrients associated with certain sleep patterns
(Medical Xpress)—"You are what you eat," the saying goes, but is what you eat playing a role in how much you sleep? Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is a critical determinant of health and well-being. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its consequences, sleep researchers have begun to explore the factors that predispose individuals to weight gain and ultimately obesity. Now, a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows for the first time that certain nutrients may play an underlying role in short and long sleep duration and that people who report eating a large variety of foods – an indicator of an overall healthy diet – had the healthiest sleep patterns. The new research is published online, ahead-of-print in the journal Appetite.
Shingles vaccination is a must, says microbiologist
Terry D. Connell, PhD, knows a lot about the immune system: he's a University at Buffalo professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences who conducts research on new vaccines for diseases, such as tuberculosis.
College students who drink to reduce anxiety may face special dangers
(Medical Xpress)—A study conducted in the University at Buffalo Department of Psychology has found that college students who drink to cope with anxiety may experience more negative alcohol-related consequences than peers who drink for other reasons.
Natural products could be as effective as synthetic drugs, although the odds are low
In a first-ever comprehensive study of 124 natural product combinations, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Tsinghua University, led by Professor Chen Yu Zong from the Department of Pharmacy at the NUS Faculty of Science, found that certain combinations of natural products can be as effective as man-made drugs in acting against specific disease processes. However, the chances of finding the effective combination of natural products could be as low as below 3 per cent.
How chronic pain disrupts short term memory
A group of Portuguese researchers from IBMC and FMUP at the University of Porto has found the reason why patients with chronic pain often suffer from impaired short –term memory. The study, to be published in the Journal of Neuroscience, shows how persistent pain disrupts the flow of information between two brain regions crucial to retain temporary memories.
Some stroke patients whose life support is withdrawn may have achieved a less-than-ideal
More than a third of patients who suffer a major bleeding in the brain and have their life support withdrawn might have eventually regained an acceptable level of functioning if life support had been sustained, suggests a new study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.
Clot-retrieval devices failed to improve stroke-related disability
A stroke survivor's chances of living independently after 90 days are not improved by the use of devices inserted into the artery to dissolve or remove a stroke-causing clot shortly after the onset of symptoms, according to a randomized controlled trial involving 656 patients.
Study uncovers key to antidepressant response
Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature. In addition, the researchers say, these experiments raise the possibility of predicting individual people's response to depression therapy, and fine-tuning treatment accordingly. Reports on separate aspects of the research were published in December on the Molecular Psychiatry website, and will also appear in the Feb. 7 issue of Cell Stem Cell.
Southern diet could raise your risk of stroke
Eating Southern-style foods may be linked to a higher risk of stroke, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.
Researchers show that eye vergence influences visual attention
The journal PLOS ONE has recently published a study which provides new data around attention and visual perception. The article "A role of eye vergence in covert attention" was authored by researchers from the Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (IR3C) the University of Barcelona.
Spanish researchers cure type 1 diabetes in dogs
Researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), led by Fàtima Bosch, have shown for the first time that it is possible to cure diabetes in large animals with a single session of gene therapy. As published this week in Diabetes, the principal journal for research on the disease, after a single gene therapy session, the dogs recover their health and no longer show symptoms of the disease. In some cases, monitoring continued for over four years, with no recurrence of symptoms.
Veterans with mild traumatic brain injury have brain abnormalities
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), including concussion, is one of the most common types of neurological disorder, affecting approximately 1.3 million Americans annually. It has received more attention recently because of its frequency and impact among two groups of patients: professional athletes, especially football players; and soldiers returning from mid-east conflicts with blast-related TBI. An estimated 10 to 20 percent of the more than 2 million U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan have experienced TBI.
Compound developed by scientists protects heart cells during and after attack
Using two different compounds they developed, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have been able to show in animal models that inhibiting a specific enzyme protects heart cells and surrounding tissue against serious damage from heart attacks. The compounds also protect against additional injury from restored blood flow after an attack, a process known as reperfusion.
Permanent stress can cause type 2 diabetes in men
Men who reported permanent stress have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than men who reported no stress. This is the finding of a 35-year prospective follow-up study of 7,500 men in Gothenburg, by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
New technology may help doctors monitor concussions, aging, and neurological function
Doctors routinely track their patients' hand-eye coordination to monitor any neuromuscular deficits, particularly as patients age or when they are injured—but the tests they have been using to track this kind of information may be subjective and qualitative.
Rivaroxaban found noninferior to enoxaparin in acutely ill
(HealthDay)—In acutely ill hospitalized patients, standard-duration rivaroxaban has similar efficacy as enoxaparin in reducing the risk of venous thromboembolism, while extended-duration rivaroxaban has superior efficacy, according to a study published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Pertactin-negative Bordetella pertussis identified in U.S.
(HealthDay)—Pertactin-negative variants of Bordetella pertussis have been identified in the United States; and children who receive diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis (DTwP) priming have lower reported rates of pertussis, according to correspondence published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
For restaurants, healthier menus may mean healthier bottom line
(HealthDay)—A leaner menu may lead to a fatter wallet for those invested in the restaurant industry, research suggests.
'Clot-buster' drug may still be best stroke treatment
(HealthDay)—The standard medical care for patients having an ischemic stroke is to give powerful "clot-busting" drugs as soon as possible after the start of the stroke.
Flu shot may not work as well for seniors
(HealthDay)—Seniors seem to get a weaker boost to their immune system following a flu shot than young people do, a small study shows.
In the brain, broken down 'motors' cause anxiety
When motors break down, getting where you want to go becomes a struggle. Problems arise in much the same way for critical brain receptors when the molecular motors they depend on fail to operate. Now, researchers reporting in Cell Reports on February 7, have shown these broken motors induce stress and anxiety in mice. The discovery may point the way to new kinds of drugs to treat anxiety and other disorders.
Treatment with clot-busting drug yields better results after stroke than supportive therapy alone
In an update to previous research, Johns Hopkins neurologists say minimally invasive delivery of the drug tPA directly into potentially lethal blood clots in the brain helped more patients function independently a year after suffering an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a deadly and debilitating form of stroke. Rates of functional recovery with the active tPA treatment far surpassed those achieved with standard "supportive" therapy that essentially gives clots a chance to shrink on their own.
Reassuring evidence: Anticancer drug does not accelerate tumor growth after treatment ends
Studies in animals have raised concerns that tumors may grow faster after the anticancer drug sunitinib is discontinued. But oncologists and physicists who collaborated to analyze data from the largest study of patients with kidney cancer convincingly demonstrate that such tumor acceleration does not occur in humans. The findings, publishing online on February 7th in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, suggest that sunitinib does not cause lingering risks for patients after their treatment ends.
Researchers identify potential target for age-related cognitive decline
Cognitive decline in old age is linked to decreasing production of new neurons. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have discovered in mice that significantly more neurons are generated in the brains of older animals if a signaling molecule called Dickkopf-1 is turned off. In tests for spatial orientation and memory, mice in advanced adult age whose Dickkopf gene had been silenced reached an equal mental performance as young animals.
Almost eight percent of US stroke survivors may have suicidal thoughts
Nearly one in 12 American stroke survivors may have contemplated suicide or wished themselves dead, according to a study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.
Long-term side-effects of targeted therapies in pediatric cancer patients
A University of Colorado Cancer Center review published this week in the journal Lancet Oncology describes possible long-term side-effects of new, targeted therapies in pediatric cancer patients: what we don't know may hurt us.
Risk factors ID'd for cervical spinal surgery complications
(HealthDay)—Risk factors have been identified for medical complications following cervical spine surgery, with cardiac and pulmonary complications correlating with death within two years, according to research published in the Feb. 1 issue of Spine.
Doctors' perceptions of psoriasis therapies vary
(HealthDay)—Doctors who treat patients with psoriasis show wide variation in their beliefs about the safety and effectiveness of psoriasis treatments, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
For female nurses, working nights tied to increased BMI
(HealthDay)—Female nurses working night or mixed shifts have higher body mass index (BMI) scores compared with nurses who work regular daytime schedules, according to a study published in the February issue of Applied Nursing Research.
Albumin improves bacterial peritonitis outcomes
(HealthDay)—For patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), albumin infusion is associated with reduced renal impairment and decreased mortality, according to research published in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Baseline factors impact lifestyle intervention success
(HealthDay)—Certain baseline characteristics better predict successful weight loss with the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention, according to a study published in the January issue of Diabetes Care.
HIV exploits a human cytokine in semen to promote its own transmission
A new report suggests that the concentration of one human cytokine, interleukin 7 (IL-7), in the semen of HIV-1-infected men may be a key determinant of the efficiency of HIV-1 transmission to an uninfected female partner. In their study published February 7 in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens, a research group from the Eunice Kennedy-Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) led by Leonid Margolis report that the increased IL-7 concentration in semen facilitates HIV transmission to cervical tissue ex vivo.
Study identifies liver gene that regulates cholesterol and fat blood levels
Researchers have identified a microRNA liver gene, miR-27b, which regulates lipid (cholesterol or fat) levels in the blood. This regulator gene controls multiple genes involved in dyslipidemia—abnormal blood cholesterol levels that can contribute to heart disease. Study details published in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), describe a new in silico approach to identify the significance of microRNAs in regulating disease-related gene pathways.
Breast-feeding still less common for black babies, CDC says
(HealthDay)—While more black mothers are breast-feeding their babies, they're still far less likely to do so than Hispanic or white women, according to a new U.S. study.
Colon cancer exhibits a corresponding epigenetic pattern in mice and humans
Tumourigenesis is driven by genetic alterations and by changes in the epigenome, for instance by the addition of methyl groups to cytosine bases in the DNA. A deeper understanding of the interaction between the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms is critical for the selection of tumour biomarkers and for the future development of therapies. Human tumour specimens and cell lines however contain a plethora of genetic and epigenetic changes, which complicate data analysis. In contrast, certain mouse tumour models contain only a single genetic mutation and allow the analysis of nascent tumours. Scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have now discovered a recurring pattern of more than 13,000 epigenetic alterations in young tumours of the mouse. This genome-wide pattern was found to be partly conserved in human colon carcinoma, and may therefor facilitate the identification of novel clinical colon cancer biomarkers for early detection.
Stress at work very unlikely to cause cancer, research says
Work-related stress is not linked to the development of colorectal, lung, breast or prostate cancers, a study published today in BMJ suggests.
Experimental gene therapy treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy offers hope for youngster
Jacob Rutt is a bright 11-year-old who likes to draw detailed maps in his spare time. But the budding geographer has a hard time with physical skills most children take for granted—running and climbing trees are beyond him, and even walking can be difficult. He was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy known as Duchenne when he was two years old.
Certain contraceptive may pose risk of Type 2 diabetes for obese women
A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) indicates that healthy, obese, reproductive-age women who use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) containing the hormone progestin have a slightly increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes when compared to those who use non-hormonal contraception.
Triple-negative breast cancer subtypes identified using microRNA
A new, large-scale study of triple-negative breast cancer shows that small molecules called microRNA can be used to define four subtypes of this aggressive malignancy.
'Light' sodas may hike diabetes risk: study (Update)
Artificially sweetened sodas have been linked to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes for women than sodas sweetened with ordinary sugar, a French study unveiled on Thursday found.
Zinc helps against infection by tapping brakes in immune response
New research suggests that zinc helps control infections by gently tapping the brakes on the immune response in a way that prevents out-of-control inflammation that can be damaging and even deadly.
Cells forged from human skin show promise in treating multiple sclerosis, myelin disorders
A study out today in the journal Cell Stem Cell shows that human brain cells created by reprogramming skin cells are highly effective in treating myelin disorders, a family of diseases that includes multiple sclerosis and rare childhood disorders called pediatric leukodystrophies.
Immune systems of healthy adults 'remember' germs to which they've never been exposed
It's established dogma that the immune system develops a "memory" of a microbial pathogen, with a correspondingly enhanced readiness to combat that microbe, only upon exposure to it—or to its components though a vaccine. But a discovery by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers casts doubt on that dogma.
For drug makers, new 3-D control opens wealth of options
A team of scientists anchored at Yale University has demonstrated a new, highly versatile approach for quickly assembling drug-like compounds, establishing a broad new route to drug discovery and medical treatment. They report their results in the journal Science on Feb 8.
Translation error tracked in the brain of dementia patients
In certain dementias silent areas of the genetic code are translated into highly unusual proteins by mistake. An international team of scientists including researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Munich and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat present this finding in the online edition of Science.
Excess protein linked to development of Parkinson's disease
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say overexpression of a protein called alpha-synuclein appears to disrupt vital recycling processes in neurons, starting with the terminal extensions of neurons and working its way back to the cells' center, with the potential consequence of progressive degeneration and eventual cell death.
Scientists find key to growth of 'bad' bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have long puzzled over why "bad" bacteria such as E. coli can thrive in the guts of those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causing serious diarrhea. Now UC Davis researchers have discovered the answer—one that may be the first step toward finding new and better treatments for IBD.
Biology news
France reshuffles pack in bid to end wolf wrangle
Can you teach a wolf not to eat sheep? The idea is being floated in France, where the return of the wolf has got farmers and environmentalists at each other's throats.
Calif. great white sharks get protections for now
The most feared predator in the ocean received new protections today when a California commission decided the great white shark should be studied as a potential endangered species.
Escapes primarily caused by equipment failure
Equipment failure or operational error are behind three out of four farmed salmon escapes. Two out of three escapes are due to holes in sea cage nets.
Farmers markets driving tomato research
The emergence of farmers markets in the Lower Rio Grande Valley has led to new research that shows planting dates affect the productivity of organic tomatoes, according to an expert at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.
Tapping into the rubber plant genome
A group of international scientists have sequenced the draft genome sequence of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, the major commercial source of natural rubber. The manuscript describing the draft genome is published in BMC Genomics.
Scientists develop Atlantic fish DNA database with possible conservation and seafood fraud implications
Dal's Paul Bentzen and colleagues have developed a publically available DNA database to identify all fish commonly encountered in the ocean off Atlantic Canada. This database could impact ocean conservation, species tracking and seafood fraud.
Spanish breakthrough allows electroporation of cell cultures for less than one Euro
Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia have developed a technique that improves and cuts the cost of a technique called electroporation, which involves opening pores in cell membranes using an electric field to introduce substances like drugs and DNA. Current methods are aggressive and expensive whereas the new system manages to apply low voltage electroporation with a small printed circuit board, which costs less than a Euro per unit and does not damage cells.
Indonesian fishing communities find balance between biodiversity and development
Fishing communities living on the islands of Indonesia's Karimunjawa National Park have found an important balance, improving their social well-being while reducing their reliance on marine biodiversity, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Western Australia.
Too small and numerous to count: Better ways to estimate the diversity of unseen life on and in our bodies
(Phys.org)—Ecologists often rely on the twin standards of the variety and numbers of species to describe a given region's diversity. But scaling down the size also scales up the numbers: On and in our bodies is a community with ten times as many microbes as there are cells of a human host, which makes counting species and comparing diversity an intractable problem.
Spread of sexually transmitted disease in ladybirds
A study at the University of Liverpool into the spread of sexually transmitted infection in ladybirds has shown that disease risk to large populations cannot be predicted without a full understanding of the disease dynamics at small geographical scale.
How a fall in duck hunting is shooting a financial hole into conservation efforts
The annual duck hunting season in the United States is traditionally big business, but while bird numbers are rising faster than they have for decades, the number of hunters continues to fall. Far from being good news for ducks a new study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin shows how the loss of revenue from 'duck stamps' could result in millions of lost dollars for vital conservation work.
Key protein revealed as trigger for stem cell development
A natural trigger that enables stem cells to become any cell-type in the body has been discovered by scientists.
The amazing amphibians and reptiles of the Philippine island Luzon
A recent study of the amphibians and reptiles of Sierra Madre Mountain Range, northeastern Luzon, reveals a preliminary enumeration of more than 100 species that contribute to the unique biodiversity of the region. At present, the Luzon region's herpetological range stands at more than 150 species. Out of these, a total of 49 amphibian species have been documented, 44 of which are native and a remarkable 32 endemic. In the world of reptiles, Luzon can boast with 106 native species, 76 of which are unique to this region.
Protein paves the way for correct stem cell differentiation
A single embryonic stem cell can develop into more than 200 specialized cell types that make up our body. This maturation process is called differentiation and is tightly regulated. If the regulation is lost, specialized cells cannot develop correctly during development. In adulthood, the specialized cells may forget their identity and develop into cancer cells. Research from BRIC, University of Copenhagen, has identified a crucial role of the molecule Fbxl10 in differentiation of embryonic stem cells and suggests the molecule as a new potential target for cancer therapy.
Birds migrate using magnetic map
Migrating birds use magnetic particles within their body to create a 'map' with which to navigate using the earth's magnetic field, according to new research published today in Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
Research sheds new light on wolves' impact on Yellowstone ecosystems
(Phys.org)—New research by Colorado State University finds that the removal of wolves from Yellowstone National Park caused complex changes in ecological processes that cannot be simply reversed by wolf reintroduction alone. The research findings are presented in a new paper, "Stream hydrology limits recovery of riparian ecosystems after wolf reintroduction," which is published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences and concludes that the effects of apex predator removal are unpredictable and are not symmetrical with the effects of predator reintroduction.
CT scans help answer question of how fish lungs evolved
(Phys.org)—One of the great problems of evolution is to understand how the major features of organisms have changed over great swaths of time. How did limbs evolve from fins? How did bird feathers arise from scales?
Study says salmon may use magnetic field as navigational aid
The mystery of how salmon navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to locate their river of origin before journeying upstream to spawn has intrigued biologists for decades, and now a new study may offer a clue to the fishes' homing strategy.
For ant pupae, status means being heard
caught between larva and adulthood—status is all about being heard. The findings, reported online on February 7 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, add to evidence that ants can communicate abstract information through sound in addition to chemical cues.
Genes allow bacteria to mess with mercury, study finds
By identifying two genes required for transforming inorganic into organic mercury, which is far more toxic, scientists today have taken a significant step toward protecting human health.
Sugar influences the onset of flowering, study finds
(Phys.org)—A plant can reproduce successfully only if it flowers at the appropriate time. Therefore, a complex network of photoreceptors and other proteins has evolved to monitor environmental conditions such as light and temperature. It has long been thought that plants must also ensure that they have sufficient resources for the energy intensive process of building flowers. As scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen now report, the sugar molecule trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) takes on a key role in monitoring energy reserves in thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana, thereby controlling flowering time in relation to energy reserves.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://phys.org/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment