Multiphysics simulation papers now available
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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 14, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- 'Metasurfaces' to usher in new optical technologies- Feynman's double-slit experiment brought to life
- Now confident: CERN physicists say new particle is Higgs boson (Update 3)
- X-ray laser breakthrough research shows chemical reaction in real time
- Early birds had four wings, not two, study reports
- Physicists create nanoscale spinning magnetic droplets
- Distant planetary system is a super-sized solar system, astronomers show
- Experts propose new structure for regulation of geoengineering research
- Energy from Earth's interior supports life in global ecosystem
- Cellular bells: Key step in manufacture of red blood cells decoded
- Astrophysicist calls on colleagues to develop better models to explain quasars
- Particles and fields package integrated on upcoming Mars-bound spacecraft
- Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance
- Swiss firm aims for low-cost satellite service
- Researchers show gene controlling coat color in mice mutated nine times, results shed new light on how evolution works
Space & Earth news
Ari Asmi: Air pollution, another factor in global warming
Tiny particles impact our air quality and cause health problems, but European researchers have been discovering how these particles can also influence climate change.
New Zealand drought hurting farmers and economy
(AP)—Dairy farmer John Rose has sent more than 100 of his cows to the slaughterhouse over recent weeks as a severe drought browned pastures in New Zealand's normally verdant North Island.
NASA helps make Guinness world record for largest astronomy lesson at SXSW
(Phys.org) —Looking up through hundreds of colored filters and spectral glasses, 526 people shattered the record for the Largest Astronomy Lesson. Under the Texas night sky, students were instructed on the lawn of the Long Center for the Performing Arts at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin on Sunday, March 10, 2013.
Mars Curiosity lands SXSW interactive award
(Phys.org) —The down-to-Earth persona of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, expressed on Twitter, Facebook, live streaming on Ustream, viral videos and the first Foursquare check-in from another planet, has captured the 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Award for best social media campaign.
Unravelling the secrets of the universe: Researchers develop new cooling technology for optical detectors on spacecraft
In a project commissioned by the European Space Agency, researchers at the University of Twente have developed a novel cooling technique for optical detectors on spacecraft. Using this technology, it is possible to detect extremely weak signals that contain information about the history of the universe.
Warmer climate boosts northern crops but the bad soon outweighs the good
Climate change is creating warmer growing conditions in parts of the Earth's northern regions, a new study has found, but experts warn that drought and heat wil soon cancel out the agricultural benefits.
Large plastic bags in unique experiment to study ocean acidification
To study the effects of ocean acidification, ten huge plastic containers called mesocosms are placed in the Gullmar Fjord in Sweden. The project is unique: mesocosms of this size have never been used for such a long period of time. The experiment is part of a worldwide research project, and includes researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
A better understanding of the impacts of grazing sheep
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist is giving guidance to growers in Montana and the Dakotas on how grazing sheep when fields are left fallow will affect soil quality.
Lack of climate action risks developing world gains, UN says
The rise of developing nations has cut poverty while the combined economies of Brazil, China and India are on a path to overtake wealthy nations, but failure to act on climate change could reverse those gains, a UN report said Thursday.
Canadian commands space station for first time
With the ringing of a ceremonial bell in space to mark a crew change, astronaut Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to assume command of the International Space Station on Wednesday.
Europe, Russia ink deal on double mission to Mars
The European Space Agency (ESA) said it signed a deal on Thursday with its Russian counterpart to launch two unmanned missions to Mars, a quest that was rocked by a US pullout last year.
Climate change affects mountain forests
(Phys.org) —Mountain forests in the Alps react very differently but noticeably to a warmer climate. Even if the target of limiting the Earth's average temperature increase to 2 degrees were met, this would already prove too much of a challenge for some mountain forests. This is the result of computer simulations by researchers at ETH Zurich. For this reason, the scientists are proposing adaptation measures.
The science of clouds: Why they matter, and why there may be fewer of them
(Phys.org) —The climate models that scientists use to understand and project climate change are improving constantly, with better representations of the oceans, ice, land surfaces and other factors in the atmosphere. While there is still some degree of uncertainty in all these components, the largest source of uncertainty in today's climate models are clouds.
How the space shuttle killed an American Halley's Comet mission
NASA missed the chance to visit Halley's Comet in 1986 when the famed sentinel swung close to Earth, as it does every 76 years. Luckily for history, the Europeans flew Giotto past it on this day (March 13) in 1986, and some other nations sent their own probes.
NASA sees Cyclone Tim develop in the Coral Sea
System 96P has been moving through the Coral Sea near northeastern Australia over the last couple of days, and today, March 14, NASA's Aqua satellite captured the storm as it matured into Tropical Storm Tim.
NASA's first laser communication system integrated, ready for launch
(Phys.org) —A new NASA-developed, laser-based space communication system will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fiber optic networks on Earth.
Bad weather postpones return of three astronauts
Bad weather is delaying the return of three astronauts from the International Space Station.
Hot days cooled by growth in grasslands
Our changing use of the land may have been taking the edge off hot days, scientists say.
Astrophysicist calls on colleagues to develop better models to explain quasars
(Phys.org) —Robert Antonucci, professor of astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, suggests in a commentary piece in the journal Nature that he and his colleagues need to develop better models of black-hole systems to help gain more knowledge of quasi-stellar radio sources, known more commonly as quasars. The problem is, he says, after a half century of study, scientists still can't explain how it is that they emit so much energy.
Energy from Earth's interior supports life in global ecosystem
The Earth's oceanic crust covers an enormous expanse, and is mostly buried beneath a thick layer of mud that cuts it off from the surface world. Scientists now document life deep within the oceanic crust that appears to be sustained by energy released from chemical reactions of rocks with water.
Swiss firm aims for low-cost satellite service
A new Swiss-based company said Thursday it would offer low-cost satellite launches which it claims could be a quarter of current market rates.
Particles and fields package integrated on upcoming Mars-bound spacecraft
The six science instruments that comprise the Particles and Fields Package that will characterize the solar wind and ionosphere of Mars have been integrated aboard NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft. The spacecraft is on track for launch later this year.
Experts propose new structure for regulation of geoengineering research
Geoengineering, the use of human technologies to alter the Earth's climate system—such as injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to scatter incoming sunlight back to space—has emerged as a potentially promising way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. But such efforts could present unforeseen new risks. That inherent tension, argue two professors from UCLA and Harvard, has thwarted both scientific advances and the development of an international framework for regulating and guiding geoengineering research.
Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance
Dramatic climate change was previously proposed to be responsible for the disappearance of turtles 71-million-years ago, because they were considered to be "climate-sensitive" animals. Results of this research, however, show that the disappearance of turtles came before the climate cooled and instead closely corresponds to habitat disturbances, which was the disappearance of wetlands.
'Hot spots' ride a merry-go-round on Jupiter
(Phys.org) —In the swirling canopy of Jupiter's atmosphere, cloudless patches are so exceptional that the big ones get the special name "hot spots." Exactly how these clearings form and why they're only found near the planet's equator have long been mysteries. Now, using images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, scientists have found new evidence that hot spots in Jupiter's atmosphere are created by a Rossby wave, a pattern also seen in Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The team found the wave responsible for the hot spots glides up and down through layers of the atmosphere like a carousel horse on a merry-go-round.
Distant planetary system is a super-sized solar system, astronomers show
A team of astronomers, including Quinn Konopacky of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet beyond our Solar System.
Technology news
Smart card maker Gemalto reports record 2012 sales
The world's leading manufacturer of smart cards, Gemalto, posted on Thursday a 25-percent jump in 2012 net profit on record sales, and forecast double-digit growth for this year built on growth in the international mobile telephone and security markets.
On the trail of ski research
This winter, the Norwegian ski manufacturer Madshus unveiled a new pair of trailblazing skis. The innovation comes as the result of highly targeted research and development efforts.
First optical-transmission technology to achieve 100 Gbps using 10 Gbps transmission components
Fujitsu Laboratories today announced the development of the world's first optical-transmission technology that can achieve 100 Gbps transmission speeds using widely available, conventional components intended for 10 Gbps networking.
First-of-its-kind forklift simulator could reduce injuries, deaths
Tactus Technologies has developed a first-of-its-kind virtual reality training program for forklift operators, a product that company officials expect will reduce work-related injuries and deaths.
Monitoring manufacturing processes to optimize energy consumption
Saving energy is becoming ever more important for manufacturing companies. One prerequisite is to capture the machines' energy consumption for each step in the production process. This can be achieved with a monitoring system developed by Fraunhofer FIT that, due to its service-oriented architecture and its ability to use heterogeneous sensors, can easily be integrated in existing facilities. FIT demonstrates this system at HANNOVER MESSE, April 8 – 12, 2013, hall 17 / booth F14, using a production line in the automobile industry as an example.
Project aims to develop environmentally friendly, energy-autonomous wireless microsensors
A team of researchers from the UPNA-Public University of Navarre is leading the ENEIDA project, due to end this year and which aims to tackle the technological changes needed to create more energy-efficient and more environmentally-friendly electronic devices. "The networks of wireless sensors are its main application," points out head researcher Antonio López-Martín,"but the results can be extrapolated to spheres like mobile telephony, WiFi systems, Bluetooth terminals and, in general, to all the cell- or battery-powered devices in which duration is a critical aspect; for example, pacemakers or implantable defibrillators, where battery replacement requires surgery". The results have been published in various scientific journals like the International Journal of Circuit Theory and Applications.
A new method for measuring the flow of traffic a street has to bear by measuring atmospheric noise
Researchers from the University of Granada and the Carlos III University of Madrid have patented a new method to measure the flow of motorized traffic that a specific street carries each day, by measuring solely the levels of atmospheric noise. This pioneer system, unique in the world, is an alternative, or a complement, to other methods currently used to measure traffic flow, such as image counting or magnetic discharge levels.
Maine school laptop contract to be open to others
(AP)—The only state to provide laptop computers to public school students statewide is negotiating a new contract that can be used by other states interested in following suit.
United Tech sees $1b or more in share buybacks
(AP)—The chief financial officer of United Technologies Corp. says the aerospace giant expects to spend at least $1 billion buying back shares this year.
CBS launches app for watching full episodes
CBS Corp. launched an app for iPhones and iPads that allows viewers to watch full episodes of prime-time TV shows like "NCIS," ''Survivor" and "The Good Wife" on the eighth day after their debut on air.
Software glitch delays 660,000 tax refunds
The Internal Revenue Service says 660,000 taxpayers will have their refunds delayed by up to six weeks because of a problem with the software they used to file their tax returns.
China Mobile 2012 profit rises just 2.7 percent
China Mobile Ltd., the world's biggest phone carrier by number of subscribers, said Thursday that profit rose just 2.7 percent last year as it grappled with fierce competition and higher costs.
Novel adaptive management system boosts efficiency of wireless sensor networks that monitor surrounding environments
Electronic engineers in Singapore have developed and successfully tested a management system that increases the efficiency of wireless sensor networks for monitoring machine health. The new system, known as an adaptive classification system (ACS), reduces the power consumption of individual sensors and increases their lifespan, while also decreasing network traffic and data storage requirements.
Smart ship structures: Researchers design multifunctional materials for electromagnetic applications
The U.S. Navy envisions the ship of the future having electromagnetic devices such as antennas integrated directly into the load-carrying structure, and researchers at the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials (CCM) are working to help realize that vision.
Predictive analysis: Genetics and evolution inspire new generation of computational intelligence systems
Large parts of our lives are now being monitored and analysed by computers. Log on to Amazon and intelligent data analysis software can recommend a selection of books you might like to read. Far from being a sinister intrusion into people's privacy, the purpose of these systems is to improve our lives.
New research discovers the emergence of Twitter 'tribes'
A project led by scientists from Royal Holloway University in collaboration with Princeton University, has found evidence of how people form into tribe-like communities on social network sites such as Twitter.
More US than Europeans drivers are on the phone (Update)
Distracted driving is more widespread in the U.S. than in Europe, according to a study released Thursday that surveyed drivers about their cellphone and texting habits.
Google Reader death brings online outcry
Outrage over Google's decision to pull the plug on Reader flooded the Internet on Thursday as lovers of the RSS service for tracking website updates lobbied to keep it alive.
Google tosses Reader as house cleaning continues
Google said it was tossing its Reader service and seven other products under a house cleaning campaign that has closed 70 of the Internet giant's features in the past two years.
Study shows just how fast censorship can occur in social media
(Phys.org) —An analysis of censorship patterns on the Twitter-like Chinese social media service called Weibo gives the clearest picture yet of how the site's operator, Sina Weibo, finds and deletes controversial posts in near real time, despite a daily volume of 100 million messages. The study, which was conducted by an independent researcher and collaborators at Rice University and the University of New Mexico (UNM), is available online and undergoing peer review.
Researchers building stronger, greener concrete with biofuel byproducts
Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete's carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts.
Eye-tracking Umoove parks in closed-beta zone
(Phys.org) —A small company called Umoove, which specializes in eye- and head-tracking technology, will offer software development kits so that developers can grow the Umoove platform for mobile users everywhere. The company this week announced its intentions to release the tool kit soon but has already started signing up people as "closed beta" testers via its web site. Following the gated-access stage, Umoove will open wider to a full public beta launch. Umoove's platform will be open to everyone, the company chief and co-founder, Moti Krispil, said.
Facebook to use Twitter hashtag style
Facebook is preparing to take on Twitter by adopting the messaging service's iconic hashtag symbol, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Medicine & Health news
Shock treatment can kill: Clinical trial shows how 'standard' procedure results in children's deaths
Results from the Fluid Expansion as Supportive Therapy (FEAST) trial in East Africa show that children who are given fluid to treat shock have an increased risk of death due to cardiovascular collapse at 48 hours. These findings in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine challenge the generally held idea that early and rapid reversal of shock by fluid resuscitation translates into longer-term survival benefits.
Computer models predict how patients will respond to HIV drugs
Results of a study published online in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy today (Thursday), demonstrate that computer models can predict how HIV patients whose drug therapy is failing will respond to a new treatment. Crucially for patients in poorer countries, the models do not require the results of expensive drug resistance tests to make their predictions. The study also showed that the models were able to identify alternative drug combinations that were predicted to work in cases where the treatment used in the clinic had failed, suggesting that their use could avoid treatment failure.
Over quarter of S.African schoolgirls HIV positive
As many as 28 percent of South African schoolgirls are HIV positive, according to figures from the country's health minister reported by local media on Thursday.
When rugby and mechanical science collide
The rugby maul can sometimes look like the most unscientific of game techniques, but players are now benefitting from a new technical training aid, designed with help from engineering experts at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
First 'breathing lung' transplant on East Coast using OCS lung
UPMC surgeons have performed a "breathing lung" transplant using a portable machine that provides a constant supply of blood and nutrients to the donor organs, which doctors say has the potential to keep them healthier and viable for longer than ever before.
Screening for breathing problems that affect children with Down syndrome while they sleep
Researchers at the University of Southampton are planning to investigate tests for a breathing disorder that affects babies and children who have Down syndrome while they sleep. They aim to provide the missing evidence so that doctors can introduce affordable and simple routine screening.
How chronic stress accelerates Alzheimer's disease
Why does chronic stress lead to increased risk for dementia? The answer may lie in the elevation of stress steroids that is seen in the brain during stress, Sara K. Bengtsson suggests in the thesis she is defending at Umeå University in Sweden on March 22.
New early warning system for the brain development of babies published
A new research technique, pioneered by Dr. Maria Angela Franceschini, will be published in JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) on March 14th. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a non-invasive optical measurement system to monitor neonatal brain activity via cerebral metabolism and blood flow.
Study identifies multiple genetic factors impacting development of nearsightedness
In the largest ever genome-wide association study on myopia, 23andMe, the leading personal genetics company, identified 20 new genetic associations for myopia, or nearsightedness. The company also replicated two known associations in the study, which was specific to individuals of European ancestry. The study included an analysis of genetic data and survey responses from more than 50,000 23andMe customers and demonstrates that the genetic basis of myopia is complex and affected by multiple genes.
Big improvements in preconception health trends among women of reproductive age reported
A woman's health status before pregnancy is critical for the health and wellbeing of the fetus and mother-to-be. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has set Healthy People 2020 national objectives for women of reproductive age, and young women are making important gains toward achieving some of those health goals, while some trends are less encouraging, as reported in a study published in Journal of Women's Health.
UN says most of world lags on road safety laws
(AP)—The World Health Organization says only 7 percent of the world's population lives in nations where there are adequate road safety laws.
Olive oil makes you feel full
Work groups at Technische Universität München (TUM) under Prof. Peter Schieberle and at the University of Vienna under Prof. Veronika Somoza studied four different edible fats and oils: Lard, butterfat, rapeseed oil and olive oil. Over a period of three months, the study participants ate 500 grams of low-fat yoghurt enriched with one of the four fats or oils every day – as a supplement to their normal diet.
Novel treatment approach for bladder pain using a herpes simplex virus vector reported
Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication, with the risk of dependency and serious adverse reactions. An alternative treatment strategy increases the levels of a naturally occurring painkiller in and around the nerves that deliver pain signals to the bladder. This new therapeutic approach is described in an article in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.
Dynamic new software improves care of aging brain, study shows
Innovative medical records software developed by geriatricians and informaticians from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research will provide more personalized health care for older adult patients, a population at significant risk for mental health decline and disorders.
Blood pressure changes warn of premature death for African Americans with kidney disease
Large fluctuations in blood pressure from day to day are a warning sign for African Americans with kidney disease, indicating that they may face an increased risk of dying prematurely. That is the conclusion of a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings highlight the importance of routine blood pressure monitoring in patients with kidney disease, and they suggest that treatments that address large fluctuations may improve health.
Race, geographic location may affect care of patients with kidney disease
Race and geographic area play important roles in determining whether a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) receives optimal care before developing kidney failure, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that policies aimed at eliminating disparities in kidney care must take these factors into account.
New structural insight into neurodegenerative disease
A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) released their results on the structure and molecular details of the neurodegenerative disease-associated protein Ataxin-1. Mutations in Ataxin-1 cause the neurological disease, Spinocerebella Ataxia Type 1 (SCA1), which is characterized by a loss of muscular coordination and balance (ataxia), as is seen in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases.
Pork found in halal sausages served to London pupils
Traces of pork have been found in a sample of halal chicken sausages served to pupils in central London schools and nurseries, the local council revealed on Thursday.
Radiation for breast cancer can harm hearts, study finds
Women treated with radiation for breast cancer are more likely to develop heart problems later, even with the lower doses used today, new research suggests. The risk comes from any amount of radiation, starts five years after treatment and lasts for decades, doctors in the UK found.
Spine MRIs often show harmless 'defects,' study finds
(HealthDay)—Even though expensive MRIs produce very detailed images for assessing back pain, they may not be very good at evaluating results after treatment, research suggests.
Relatives who witness loved one's CPR fare better, study finds
(HealthDay)—Watching medical personnel perform CPR on loved ones whose hearts have stopped—efforts that typically end in patient death—may bode better for family members' mental health than being absent from the scene.
Lymphoseek approved to help locate lymph nodes
(HealthDay)—The injected imaging drug Lymphoseek (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help surgeons locate the lymph nodes among people with breast cancer or melanoma.
Brain stent offers alternative to shunt for fixing potentially blinding vein narrowing
A team of interventional neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons at Johns Hopkins reports wide success with a new procedure to treat pseudotumor cerebri, a rare but potentially blinding condition marked by excessive pressure inside the skull, caused by a dangerous narrowing of a vein located at the base of the brain.
Series of studies first to examine acupuncture's mechanisms of action
While acupuncture is used widely to treat chronic stress, the mechanism of action leading to reported health benefits are not understood. In a series of studies at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC), researchers are demonstrating how acupuncture can significantly reduce the stress hormone response in an animal model of chronic stress.
Garbled text messages may be the only symptoms of stroke
Difficulty or inability to write a coherent text message, even in patients who have no problem speaking, may become a "vital" tool in diagnosing a type of crippling stroke, according to new research at Henry Ford Hospital.
Sleepwalkers sometimes remember what they've done
Three myths about sleepwalking – sleepwalkers have no memory of their actions, sleepwalkers' behaviour is without motivation, and sleepwalking has no daytime impact – are dispelled in a recent study led by Antonio Zadra of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Sacré-Coeur Hospital. Working from numerous studies over the last 15 years at the hospital's Centre for Advanced Studies in Sleep Medicine at the Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal and a thorough analysis of the literature, Zadra and his colleagues have raised the veil on sleepwalking and clarified the diagnostic criteria for researchers and clinicians.
Rapid hearing loss may be a symptom of rare Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Rapid hearing loss in both ears may be a symptom of the rare but always-fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and should be considered a reason for clinicians to test for the disorder.
The mysterious GRIN3A and the cause of schizophrenia
Since the 1960s, psychiatrists have been hunting for substances made by the body that might accumulate in abnormally high levels to produce the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. In particular, there was a search for chemicals that might be related to the hallucinogens phencyclidine (PCP) or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), which could explain the emergence of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. This "auto-intoxication" hypothesis led investigators on a wild goose chase where substances, including the "Pink Spot" and the "Frohman Factor", were isolated from people with schizophrenia and implicated in their illness, but these findings were later discredited.
Local chemotherapy has a stronger effect on reducing tumor growth
Reducing the growth of a tumor by localized delivery of cancer medication can be achieved by using a combination of ultrasound, temperature-sensitive nanoparticles and MRI. This is shown by Mariska de Smet in her PhD research at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and Philips Research. Her preclinical studies show that this local chemotherapy is more effective in reducing tumor growth than regular chemotherapy. In addition, the amount of medication reaching the tumor can be measured by adding an imaging marker to the chemo. De Smet defends her thesis on Thursday March 14th.
Predicting hotspots for future flu outbreaks
(Medical Xpress)—This year's unusually long and rocky flu season would be nothing compared to the pandemic that could occur if bird flu became highly contagious among humans, which is why UCLA researchers and their colleagues are creating new ways to predict where an outbreak could emerge.
Study finds devices no better than meds in recovery from clot-caused strokes
(Medical Xpress)—When someone has a stroke, time equals brain. The longer a stroke is left untreated, the more brain tissue is lost. Since the only proven treatment—a clot-busting drug—works in less than half of patients, stroke physicians had high hopes for a mechanical device that could travel through the blocked blood vessel to retrieve or break up the clot, restoring blood flow to the brain.
Researchers argue for a 'new paradigm' in the world of healthcare
(Medical Xpress)—Two innovative programs designed to improve the availability of emerging medical technologies that can help patients receive more effective, efficient and personalized health care are advanced in a commentary written by a team of scientists and policy experts, including seven from Arizona State University, and published today in Science Translational Medicine.
Explainer: What are migraines?
If you, or someone close to you suffers from migraine, you'll know it is much more than your average headache – migraine is a debilitating disorder that can even affect your sight and speech.
Surprising rate of women have depression after childbirth, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—A surprisingly high number of women have postpartum depressive symptoms, according to a new, large-scale study by a Northwestern Medicine® researcher.
Study: Probiotics reduce stress-induced intestinal flare-ups
For those with irritable bowel syndrome who wonder if stress aggravates their intestinal disorder, a new University of Michigan Health System study shows it's not all in their head.
Mutations in VCP gene implicated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases
New research, published in Neuron, gives insight into how single mutations in the VCP gene cause a range of neurological conditions including a form of dementia called Inclusion Body Myopathy, Paget's Disease of the Bone and Frontotemporal Dementia (IBMPFD), and the motor neuron disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Smoking linked with worse urothelial cancer prognosis in patients, especially women
Smoking significantly increases individuals' risk of developing serious forms of urothelial carcinoma and a higher likelihood of dying from the disease, particularly for women. That is the conclusion of a recent study published in BJU International. While the biological mechanisms underlying this gender difference are unknown, the findings indicate that clinicians and society in general should focus on smoking prevention and cessation to safeguard against deadly cancers of the bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis, especially in females.
Cord blood effective alternative to matched donor stem cells for kids with rare disorder
Transplants of blood-forming stem cells from umbilical cord blood may be an effective alternative to transplants of matched donor bone marrow stem cells to treat children with a rare, debilitating disease known as Hurler's syndrome (HS), according to results of a study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).
Children of divorced parents more likely to start smoking
Both daughters and sons from divorced families are significantly more likely to initiate smoking in comparison to their peers from intact families, shows a new analysis of 19,000 Americans.
New cancer diagnostic technique debuts
Cancer cells break down sugars and produce the metabolic acid lactate at a much higher rate than normal cells. This phenomenon provides a telltale sign that cancer is present, via diagnostics such as PET scans, and possibly offers an avenue for novel cancer therapies. Now a team of Chilean researchers at The Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECs), with the collaboration of Carnegie's Wolf Frommer, has devised a molecular sensor that can detect levels of lactate in individual cells in real time.
US probes new pancreas risks with diabetes drugs (Update)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into new evidence that suggests a group of recently approved diabetes drugs can increase the risk of pancreatitis and other problems.
Tiny implants signal new way to treat cancer tumors
Cancer patients could be treated more effectively in future with tiny, sensory implants that will monitor tumours in real time and in great detail.
Problems of pathological gambling differ for younger and older gamblers
To successfully treat pathological gambling, you need to intervene at an early stage, according to Susana Jiménez-Murcia from the University Hospital of Bellvitge in Spain and colleagues. Their study shows that a patient's age influences how severe the psychopathology and clinical aspects of pathological gambling are. Their work is published online in Springer's Journal of Gambling Studies.
Teen sexting, the gender gap
A survey of US adolescents reveals a gender gap in attitudes towards sexting and perceived harm.
Pig brain models provide insights into human cognitive development
A mutual curiosity about patterns of growth and development in pig brains has brought two University of Illinois research groups together. Animal scientists Rod Johnson and Ryan Dilger have developed a model of the pig brain that they plan to use to answer important questions about human brain development.
HPV vaccine trends point to failures in patient education, vaccine programs
Completion rates for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series across both genders continue to remain alarmingly low nearly seven years after its introduction, suggesting that better patient education and increased public vaccine financing programs are needed, according to new research from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).
Outside the box: Team uses brain aneurysm treatment to stop irregular heart rhythms
For the first time, a UCLA team has used a technique normally employed in treating brain aneurysms to treat severe, life-threatening irregular heart rhythms in two patients.
People with peanut/tree nut allergies can minimize risk of reactions on airplane flights
Few situations can provoke more anxiety for people with peanut or tree-nut allergies than having an allergic reaction while flying on an airplane and being unable to get help.
College kids who don't drink milk could face serious consequences
College-age kids who don't consume at least three servings of dairy daily are three times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those who do, said a new University of Illinois study.
Geriatric factors can foretell tolerances to chemotherapy
(HealthDay)—For elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were predictive of severe toxicity or unexpected hospitalization after fluorouracil-based chemotherapy with or without irinotecan (IRI), according to research published online March 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
CDC: One in 50 poor, straight urban Americans infected with HIV
(HealthDay)—About one in every 50 heterosexual Americans living in poorer urban neighborhoods is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
Playing action videogames improves visual search
Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that playing shooting or driving videogames, even for a relatively short time, improves the ability to search for a target hidden among irrelevant distractions in complex scenes.
Study shows how vitamin E can help prevent cancer
Researchers have identified an elusive anti-cancer property of vitamin E that has long been presumed to exist, but difficult to find.
Bladder condition may worsen insomnia symptoms in older adults
A new study suggests that the bladder condition nocturia may worsen the already poor sleep of older adults with insomnia.
Know thyself: How mindfulness can improve self-knowledge
paying attention to one's current experience in a non-judgmental way—might help us to learn more about our own personalities, according to a new article published in the March 2013 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
No sons linked to lower contraception use in Nepal
While poverty and under-education continue to dampen contraception use in Nepal, exacerbating the country's efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rates, researchers say another, more surprising factor may be more intractable: Deeply held cultural preferences for sons over daughters.
New drugs may improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease
Three studies released today present possible positive news for people with Parkinson's disease. The studies, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013, report on treatments for blood pressure problems, the wearing-off that can occur when people have taken the main drug for Parkinson's for a long time, and for people early in the disease whose symptoms are not well-controlled by their main drugs.
OB/GYNs told robot hysterectomy not best option
Pricey robotic surgery should not be the first or even second choice for most women who need a hysterectomy, says advice issued Thursday to doctors who help those women decide.
High-fat dairy products linked to poorer breast cancer survival
Patients who consume high-fat dairy products following breast cancer diagnosis increase their chances of dying from the disease years later, according to a study by Kaiser Permanente researchers.
Immune finding aids quest for vaccines to beat tropical infections
Scientists are a step closer to developing vaccines for a range of diseases that affect 200 million people, mainly in tropical south-east Asia, Africa and Central America.
Night shifts may be linked to increased ovarian cancer risk
Working night shifts might increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer, indicates research published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
French patients keep HIV at bay despite stopping drugs
A small French study of 14 HIV patients who have remained healthy for years after stopping drug treatment offers fresh evidence that early medical intervention may lead to a "functional cure" for AIDS, researchers said Thursday.
DNA test shows promise in guiding advanced breast cancer care
(HealthDay)—An experimental blood test could help show whether women with advanced breast cancer are responding to treatment, a preliminary study suggests.
Researchers find NSAIDs help push stem cells into bloodstream prior to transplantation
(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers at Indiana University's School of Medicine has found that giving meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), to people and baboons boosts the number of haematopoietic stem cells that enter the blood stream from bone marrow. This, the team writes in their paper they've had published in the journal Nature, may help cancer patients recover their ability to create new blood cells following chemotherapy.
Sizing up bone growth: A surprising cellular mechanism drives skeletal proportions
(Medical Xpress)—Stroll through the Harvard Museum of Natural History and gaze up at the whale skeleton looming overhead. Look down at the furry foxes curled up inside their glass display cases. Don't forget the bat with shadowy wings spread like a delicate shawl. They are all mammals, but their body proportions are so distinct one can tell them apart just by glancing at their calcified skeletons.
Researchers show that suppressing the brain's 'filter' can improve performance in creative tasks
(Medical Xpress)—The brain's prefrontal cortex is thought to be the seat of cognitive control, working as a kind of filter that keeps irrelevant thoughts, perceptions and memories from interfering with a task at hand.
Transplanted brain cells in monkeys light up personalized therapy
For the first time, scientists have transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin into its brain and watched the cells develop into several types of mature brain cells, according to the authors of a new study in Cell Reports. After six months, the cells looked entirely normal, and were only detectable because they initially were tagged with a fluorescent protein.
Cellular bells: Key step in manufacture of red blood cells decoded
A healthy adult must generate as many as one hundred billion new red blood cells each day, to maintain the numbers circulating in his blood. A team of EPFL researchers has identified a key step in the process by which red blood cells are born. The discovery could not only shed light on the causes of blood disorders such as anaemia, it could also bring closer the medics' dream of being able to manufacture red blood cells in the lab—thus providing a potentially inexhaustible supply of an essential component of blood for transfusion.
Green tea, coffee may help lower stroke risk
Green tea and coffee may help lower your risk of having a stroke, especially when both are a regular part of your diet, according to research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Two-pronged immune cell approach could lead to universal shot against flu
Seasonal epidemics of influenza result in nearly 36,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Current vaccines against the influenza virus elicit an antibody response specific for proteins on the outside of the virus, specifically the hemagglutinin (HA) protein.
Biology news
Scottish sharks to be tracked for a second year
Scientists are to extend a popular basking shark tracking project for another year, it was announced today. For the last seven months the public have been able to follow the progress of eight of the giant sharks online, after they were tagged off the west coast of Scotland in July last year. Two of the sharks have travelled much further than expected, with one reaching the west coast of Portugal and the other the Canary Islands, just off Africa, a distance of more than 3000 km.
Mobile app to expand knowledge of plant species
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will team up to develop an innovative mobile app to help identify plant species in the field. The app also will enable botanical garden and herbarium visitors to delve much more deeply into information about plants on view.
What do American bullfrogs eat when they're away from home? Practically everything
American bullfrogs are native to eastern North America but have been transported by people to many other parts of the globe, and other parts of North America, where they have readily established populations and become an invasive alien menace to native ecosystems. In the largest study of its kind to date, the stomach contents of over 5,000 invasive alien American bullfrogs from 60 lakes and ponds on southern Vancouver Island were examined to identify the native and exotic animals that they had preyed upon. The study was published in the open access journal NeoBiota.
New beautifully colored long-horned beetle from Yunnan, China
The beetle family Cerambycidae, also known as long-horned beetles or longicorns, is characterized by emblematic extremely long antennae, which are usually longer than the total body length of the animal. The family is rather rich in diversity with more than 20 000 species known, distributed worldwide. Some representatives of these bizarre-shaped beetles, are also known as serious pests with their wood-feeding larvae causing extensive damage to living trees or untreated lumber. The beetles from this family are mainly associated with leaf litter habitats, where the specimens in this study were also collected.
Brazil: Tons of dead fish removed from Rio lake
Rio de Janeiro's environmental authorities say the amount of dead fish removed from a lake where the Olympic regatta will be held in 2016 stands at more than 60 tons.
Study of dragonfly prey detection wins PNAS Cozzarelli Prize
Paloma T. Gonzalez-Bellido, a postdoctoral scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and her colleagues have been awarded a 2012 Cozzarelli Prize by the editorial board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Monarch butterflies drop ominously in Mexico (Update)
The number of Monarch butterflies making it to their winter refuge in Mexico dropped 59 percent this year, falling to the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began 20 years ago, scientists reported Wednesday.
Making fuel from bacteria: Genetically-modified cyanobacteria could be more efficient than ethanol
In the search for the fuels of tomorrow, Swedish researchers are finding inspiration in the sea. Not in offshore oil wells, but in the water where blue-green algae thrive.
Opponents fail to overturn shark-protection deal
Japan, China and other nations that support shark fishing lost a bid to overturn a landmark deal that offers global trade protection for several species of the ocean's oldest predator.
Important find shows how gene regulators select different partners to form different organs
Scientists at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have discovered that key gene regulators work in pairs to trigger stem cells to differentiate into specific cell types. Furthermore, they showed that selective partnering of the regulators result in uniquely specified developmental outcomes.
A magpie's guide to avoiding cuckoo parasitism
Some birds use a different breeding strategy to others to avoid cuckoos infiltrating their nests, say scientists.
Social bees mark dangerous flowers with chemical signals
Scientists already knew that some social bee species warn their conspecifics when detecting the presence of a predator near their hive, which in turn causes an attack response to the possible predator. Researchers at the University of Tours (France) in collaboration with the Experimental Station of Arid Zones of Almeria (Spain) have now demonstrated that they also use chemical signals to mark those flowers where they have previously been attacked.
Studies find wild bees and insects essential to food security
Wild pollinators – primarily wild bees, flies, and other insects – are at least as important, and often more efficient, at pollinating agricultural crops than domestic honey bee colonies, according to two new studies published in Science and the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.
Hovering is a bother for bees: Fast flight is more stable
Bumblebees are much more unstable when they hover than when they fly fast, according to new research published this month in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.
Scientists map genome that causes Dutch Elm Disease
Researchers from the University of Toronto and SickKids Research Institute announced today that they have successfully mapped the genes in the fungus that causes Dutch Elm Disease.
Study questions the role of kinship in mass strandings of pilot whales
Pilot whales that have died in mass strandings in New Zealand and Australia included many unrelated individuals at each event, a new study concludes, challenging a popular assumption that whales follow each other onto the beach and to almost certain death because of familial ties.
Fungus uses copper detoxification as crafty defense mechanism
(Phys.org) —A potentially lethal fungal infection appears to gain virulence by being able to anticipate and disarm a hostile immune attack in the lungs, according to findings by researchers at Duke Medicine.
Predictability: The brass ring for synthetic biology
(Phys.org) —Predictability is often used synonymously with "boring," as in that story or that outcome was soooo predictable. For practitioners of synthetic biology seeking to engineer valuable new microbes, however, predictability is the brass ring that must be captured. Researchers with the multi-institutional partnership known as BIOFAB have become the first to grab at least a portion of this ring by unveiling a package of public domain DNA sequences and statistical models that greatly increase the reliability and precision by which biological systems can be engineered.
Knowing how brown fat cells develop may help fight obesity
Brown fat is a hot topic, pardon the pun. Brown fats cells, as opposed to white fat cells, make heat for the body, and are thought to have evolved to help mammals cope with the cold. But, their role in generating warmth might also be applied to coping with obesity and diabetes.
Researchers divide enzyme to conquer genetic puzzle
Rice University researchers have found a way to divide and modify enzymes to create what amounts to a genetic logic gate.
Researchers show gene controlling coat color in mice mutated nine times, results shed new light on how evolution works
For deer mice living in the Nebraska Sandhills, color can literally be the difference between life and death.
DNA study clarifies relationship between polar bears and brown bears
At the end of the last ice age, a population of polar bears was stranded by the receding ice on a few islands in southeastern Alaska. Male brown bears swam across to the islands from the Alaskan mainland and mated with female polar bears, eventually transforming the polar bear population into brown bears.
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