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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 16, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Chemists produce star-shaped macromolecule that grabs large anions- Noble gases hitch a ride on hydrous minerals
- Namiki Lab air hockey robot can play with strategy (w/ Video)
- Divers begin Lake Michigan search for Griffin ship
- US surveillance flap shines light on Web 'anonymizers'
- French group pitches solar screen solution to stretch phone life
- The flare star WX UMa becomes 15 times brighter in less than three minutes
- Advances in genetic sequencing diagnose Paralympic hopeful's rare condition
- Mapping translation sites in the human genome
- 'Chase and run' cell movement mechanism explains process of metastasis
- Global cooling as significant as global warming, research shows
- Russian tycoon wants to move mind to machine
- Solar-powered plane lands near Washington (Update)
- Memory-boosting chemical identified in mice
- James Webb Telescope's last backbone component completed
Space & Earth news
UN climate talks marred by decision-making spat
U.N. climate talks have hit a stumbling block that some delegates say poses a serious challenge to their already slow-moving attempt to craft a global response to climate change.
Mixed-bag climate conference closes in Bonn
Talks towards a worldwide climate pact wrapped up Friday with delegates claiming progress, even though a procedural bust-up with Russia blocked important work.
Climate talk shifts from curbing CO2 to adapting
Efforts to curb global warming have quietly shifted as greenhouse gases inexorably rise. The conversation is no longer solely about how to save the planet by cutting carbon emissions. It's becoming more about how to save ourselves from the warming planet's wild weather.
Indonesia smoke haze shrouds Malaysian cities
Malaysia was Sunday shrouded with haze from forest fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra causing "unhealthy" levels of pollution in six areas.
How does world's oldest water taste? 'Terrible.'
Nearly 1.5 miles beneath Earth's surface in Canada, scientists have found pockets of water that have been isolated from the outside world for more than 1 billion years.
Environmentalists warn of Nicaragua canal disaster
A proposed Nicaraguan waterway rivaling the Panama Canal would cause an environmental disaster threatening drinking water supplies and fragile ecosystems, conservationists said.
Moderate 6.5 earthquake strikes off Nicaragua, USGS reports
A moderate 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Nicaragua on Saturday and rattled nearby cities, but scientists said it was unlikely to have generated a major tsunami.
Beyond NYC: Other places adapting to climate, too
From Bangkok to Miami, cities and coastal areas across the globe are already building or planning defenses to protect millions of people and key infrastructure from more powerful storm surges and other effects of global warming.
Russia fetes 50th anniversary of first woman in space
Russia celebrated Sunday the 50th anniversary of the maiden flight of the first woman in space—a Soviet national hero who went by the call name "Seagull" and captured the imaginations of girls around the world.
The flare star WX UMa becomes 15 times brighter in less than three minutes
Astrophysicists at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and the Byurakan Observatory (Armenia) have detected a star of low luminosity which within a matter of moments gave off a flare so strong that it became almost 15 times brighter. The star in question is the flare star WX UMa.
James Webb Telescope's last backbone component completed
(Phys.org) —Assembly of the backbone of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the primary mirror backplane support structure, is a step closer to completion with the recent addition of the backplane support frame, a fixture that will be used to connect all the pieces of the telescope together.
Europe's space truck docks with ISS
A robot freighter bearing 6.6 tonnes of cargo docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.
Global cooling as significant as global warming, research shows
A "cold snap" 116 million years ago triggered a similar marine ecosystem crisis to those witnessed in the past as a result of global warming, according to research published today in Nature Geoscience.
Noble gases hitch a ride on hydrous minerals
The noble gases get their collective moniker from their tendency toward snobbishness. The six elements in the family, which includes helium and neon, don't normally bond with other elements and they don't dissolve into minerals the way other gases do. But now, geochemists from Brown University have found a mineral structure with which the nobles deign to fraternize.
Technology news
NY's Bloomberg and SF mayor announce tech summits
(AP)—New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his San Francisco counterpart, Ed Lee, say they are sponsoring a pair of technology summits to be held in each of their cities in the next year.
Philippine president 'phone numbers' posted online
A Philippine hacker has posted online what he claimed to be the president's personal mobile telephone numbers, with Benigno Aquino's spokesman denouncing the act as "cyber vandalism".
For solar pilot, human endurance is the sky's limit
Pilot Andre Borschberg oversaw the construction of a solar plane that can fly through the night, but these days the entrepreneur is more concerned with the limits of man than of technology.
Dangers and delights of digital diplomacy
Amid the explosion of social media and new networking tools, governments and businesses are grappling with balancing their security needs against their wish to join the online conversations.
Google begins launching Internet-beaming balloons (Update)
Google is launching Internet-beaming antennas into the stratosphere aboard giant, jellyfish-shaped balloons with the lofty goal of getting the entire planet online. Eighteen months in the works, the top-secret project was announced Saturday in New Zealand, where up to 50 volunteer households are already beginning to receive the Internet briefly on their home computers via translucent helium balloons that sail by on the wind 12 miles above Earth.
Winners and losers at this week's E3
Since the first battles over "Pong" machines in local arcades four decades ago, video gamers have loved good competition. And this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo—the industry's largest annual gathering—presented more thrilling showdowns than ever. Microsoft vs. Sony. Mobile vs. console games. "Titanfall" vs. "Destiny." So who won E3?
Snowden's life surrounded by spycraft (Update)
In the suburbs edged by woods midway between Baltimore and Washington, residents long joked that the government spy shop next door was so ultra-secretive its initials stood for "No Such Agency." But when Edward Snowden grew up here, the National Security Agency's looming presence was both a very visible and accepted part of everyday life.
Paris Air Show peek: Wide-body battle and drones (Update)
The Paris Air Show, which opens for business on Monday, brings hundreds of aircraft to the skies around the French capital, the usual tense competition between aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, and a slew of innovations large and small. Here's what to look for over the show:
Current, former officials back secret surveillance
Current and former top U.S. officials on Sunday defended the government's collection of phone and Internet data following new revelations about the secret surveillance programs, saying the operations were essential in disrupting terrorist plots and did not infringe on Americans' civil liberties.
German spy service plans 'more online surveillance'
Germany's foreign intelligence service plans a major expansion of Internet surveillance despite deep unease over revelations of US online spying, Der Spiegel news weekly reported on Sunday.
China paper hits out at US surveillance programme
China's official army newspaper on Sunday branded the United States Internet surveillance programme exposed by former spy Edward Snowden as "frightening", and accused the US of being a "habitual offender" when it comes to network monitoring.
Google launches Internet-beaming balloons
Wrinkled and skinny at first, the translucent, jellyfish-shaped balloons that Google released this week from a frozen field in the heart of New Zealand's South Island hardened into shiny pumpkins as they rose into the blue winter skies above Lake Tekapo, passing the first big test of a lofty goal to get the entire planet online. It was the culmination of 18 months' work on what Google calls Project Loon, in recognition of how wacky the idea may sound. Developed in the secretive X lab that came up with a driverless car and web-surfing eyeglasses, the flimsy helium-filled inflatables beam the Internet down to earth as they sail past on the wind.
Web giants get broader surveillance revelations
Facebook and Microsoft Corp. representatives said Friday night that after negotiations with national security officials their companies have been given permission to make new but still very limited revelations about government orders to turn over user data.
Secret to Prism program: Even bigger data seizure
In the months and early years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, FBI agents began showing up at Microsoft Corp. more frequently than before, armed with court orders demanding information on customers.
Solar-powered plane lands near Washington (Update)
A solar-powered plane nearing the close of a cross-continental journey landed at Dulles International Airport outside the nation's capital early Sunday, only one short leg to New York remaining on a voyage that opened in May.
Russian tycoon wants to move mind to machine
Can the City That Never Sleeps become the City That Never Dies? A Russian multimillionaire thinks so.
US surveillance flap shines light on Web 'anonymizers'
News of a massive surveillance effort led by the secretive National Security Agency has sent Web users scrambling to find new ways to avoid tracking.
French group pitches solar screen solution to stretch phone life
(Phys.org) —You can always find some new story about the hunt for alternative power sources that involve ways to harness solar power. The SunPartner Group may not have found the single magic bullet that can get us to walk away from batteries, chargers and wall outlets for good, but they are getting various manufacturers to show interest in their idea. SunPartner is a small company in Aix-en-Provence, France, They propose a low-cost transparent panel that can use solar power to charge phones and other mobile devices. The panel is undergoing tests with a number of manufacturers.
Medicine & Health news
Why are there so many youth baseball-throwing injuries?
After three years of research, a multicenter, national research study led by Beaumont orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Joseph Guettler, M.D., may have some answers as to why youth baseball pitching injuries continue to rise despite the implementation of nationally recommended pitching limits. In fact, serious pitching injuries requiring surgery have skyrocketed with one estimate reporting serious throwing injuries are occurring 16 times more often today than just 30 years ago.
Company recalls weight loss supplements
A South Florida company is voluntarily recalling weight loss supplements called "JaDera" and "Xiyouji Qingzhi."
Haiti paper says authorities note human flu in DR
(AP)—A Haitian newspaper reported Saturday that a government official acknowledged authorities erred when they said the neighboring Dominican Republic had an outbreak of avian flu.
Healthy and less healthy 'Kid's menu' meals similar in price
(HealthDay)—Healthy and less healthy meals on children's menus in full-service restaurants are similarly priced, in contrast to the higher price of healthy food at the grocery store, according to a study published online June 6 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
New treatments outperforming placebo becoming less common
(HealthDay)—The efficacy of new medical treatments compared with placebo has sharply declined over the last few decades, suggesting that comparative effectiveness studies are needed, according to a study published in the June issue of Health Affairs.
EHR improves coordination of care in hematuria work-up
(HealthDay)—Care coordination, enhanced using an electronic health record system, can reduce the number of health care visits needed for the work-up of hematuria, according to a study published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology.
Stepdads must steer through tricky waters
(HealthDay)—Although the role of father is often clear-cut, stepdads must navigate the fine line between parent and friend with the children of their wives.
Pets battling cancer can join clinical trials too
(HealthDay)—If you hear that a friend's beloved family member has joined a clinical trial for cancer treatment, don't assume the patient is human.
Early, severe flu season caused big rise in child deaths: CDC
(HealthDay)—This past flu season started earlier, peaked earlier and led to more adult hospitalizations and child deaths than most flu seasons, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
Marked variability seen in total knee arthroplasty indications
(HealthDay)—There is considerable variability associated with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) recommendations, according to a report published in the May issue of Pain Medicine News.
Many smoke exposed in home/Car despite smoke-free rules
(HealthDay)—Many U.S. adults report voluntary smoke-free rules for private settings, such as homes and vehicles, but millions of people are still exposed to secondhand smoke in these environments, according to research published online May 16 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
Diet rich in unsaturated fat may up insulin sensitivity
(HealthDay)—A diet rich in unsaturated fat may increase insulin sensitivity in individuals who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the May issue of Diabetes Care.
Stress test, brain scans pinpoint two distinct forms of Gulf War illness
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center say their new work suggests that Gulf War illness may have two distinct forms depending on which brain regions have atrophied. Their study of Gulf War veterans, published online today in PLOS ONE, may help explain why clinicians have consistently encountered veterans with different symptoms and complaints.
Medications to prevent clots not reaching some patients
Researchers at Johns Hopkins report that hospitalized patients do not receive more than one in 10 doses of doctor-ordered blood thinners prescribed to prevent potentially lethal or disabling blood clots, a decision they say may be fueled by misguided concern by patients and their caregivers.
Sugar overload can damage heart, research shows
Too much sugar can set people down a pathway to heart failure, according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
Osteoporosis drug stops growth of breast cancer cells, even in resistant tumors
A drug approved in Europe to treat osteoporosis has now been shown to stop the growth of breast cancer cells, even in cancers that have become resistant to current targeted therapies, according to a Duke Cancer Institute study.
One case of rare brain disease confirmed in B.C.
One case of a rare, degenerative brain disease has been confirmed in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, and a health official says two other cases are now suspected.
Australia cracks down on synthetic drugs
Australia imposed an interim ban on 19 synthetic cannabis and cocaine-like drugs on Sunday as part of a crackdown on the psychoactive substances which mimic the highs of their illegal counterparts.
Obese male mice father offspring with higher levels of body fat
Male mice who were fed a high-fat diet and became obese were more likely to father offspring who also had higher levels of body fat, a new Ohio University study finds.
Memory-boosting chemical identified in mice
Memory improved in mice injected with a small, drug-like molecule discovered by UCSF San Francisco researchers studying how cells respond to biological stress.
Researchers design variant of main painkiller receptor
Opioids, such as morphine, are still the most effective class of painkillers, but they come with unwanted side effects and can also be addictive and deadly at high doses. Designing new pain-killing drugs of this type involves testing them on their corresponding receptors, but access to meaningful quantities of these receptors that can work in experimental conditions has always been a limiting factor.
Advances in genetic sequencing diagnose Paralympic hopeful's rare condition
National Paracycling Champion Tom Staniford has an extremely rare condition which, until now, has puzzled his doctors. He is unable to store fat under his skin – yet has type 2 diabetes – and suffered hearing loss as a child. Now, thanks to advances in genome sequencing, an international research team led by the University of Exeter Medical School has identified Tom's condition and pinpointed the single genetic mutation that causes it.
Latest coronavirus research reveals important differences between new virus and SARS
New research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases provides the first complete viral load profile— a comprehensive clinical description of where and how much of the virus circulates through the body— of a patient infected with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
Biology news
Teaching complete evolutionary stories increases learning
Many students have difficulty understanding and explaining how evolution operates. In search of better ways to teach the subject, researchers at Michigan State University developed complete evolutionary case studies spanning the gamut from the molecular changes underlying an evolving characteristic to their genetic consequences and effects in populations.
Further restrictions proposed on using chimpanzees for research
The federal government moved Tuesday to further protect chimpanzees, proposing to change the animals' endangered status and increase oversight of their use in research.
US says rogue wheat was 'isolated' incident
US agriculture officials said Friday the discovery of genetically engineered wheat in an Oregon field appears to be an isolated incident.
'Chase and run' cell movement mechanism explains process of metastasis
A mechanism that cells use to group together and move around the body – called 'chase and run' - has been described for the first time by scientists at UCL.
Mapping translation sites in the human genome
Because of their central importance to biology, proteins have been the focus of intense research, particularly the manner in which they are produced from genetically coded templates—a process commonly known as translation. While the general mechanism of translation has been understood for some time, protein synthesis can initiate by more than one mechanism. One of the least well understood mechanisms is known as cap-independent translation.
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