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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 30, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers discover link between fear, sound perception- The quantum secret to alcohol reactions in space
- Scientists say Russian meteor shockwave went twice around globe
- Genomic atlas of gene switches in plants provides roadmap for crop research
- New understanding of tiny RNA molecules could have far-ranging medical applications
- Liver protein crucial for pregnancy: Mice study provides insight into mechanisms of human reproduction
- Different neuronal groups govern right-left alternation when walking
- Nano and laser technology packed into small device tests antibiotic treatment in minutes
- El Nino unusually active in the late 20th century, study finds
- Diamond catalyst shows promise in breaching age-old barrier
- Divorce early in childhood affects parental relationships in adulthood
- Cambodian jungle graveyard mystifies experts
- Move over Messi, here come the robots
- NASA decommissions its galaxy hunter spacecraft
- Epigenetics study discovers cancer risks double when two carcinogens present at 'safe' levels
Space & Earth news
Mexico City trash-for-food market helps clean city
On a recent rainy Sunday morning in a Mexico City neighborhood, people lined up under their umbrellas with bags of empty milk cartons, plastic bottles and cardboard at their feet.
Indonesia says polluting haze fires greatly reduced
Indonesia said Saturday that fires across giant rainforests which caused Southeast Asia's worst air pollution crisis in years had been greatly reduced and were coming under control.
Singapore's clean image sullied by Indonesian smog
Singapore's clean and green reputation has taken a hit from Indonesian forest fires and its standing as a corporate and expatriate haven could be hurt if the smog becomes an annual scourge, analysts warn.
ASEAN urges Indonesia to ratify haze pact
Southeast Asian nations urged Indonesia Sunday quickly to ratify a treaty aimed at preventing fires in its giant rainforests that regularly inflict choking smog on its neighbours.
NASA tests Mars rover prototype in Chile
NASA scientists said Friday they were testing a prototype of a robot the US space agency hopes to send to Mars in 2020 in Chile's Atacama desert.
Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack dies at 91
Margherita Hack, an astrophysicist who explained her research on the stars in plain language for the public and who championed civil rights in her native Italy, died on Saturday in the Adriatic Sea town of Trieste, where she had headed an astronomical observatory. She was 91.
Calif.'s Sierra a 'living lab' for climate change
In parts of California's Sierra Nevada, marshy meadows are going dry, wildflowers are blooming earlier and glaciers are melting into ice fields.
US Southwest heatwave set to reach world record levels
The southwest of the United States sizzled Saturday as a heat wave baked the region amid predictions that temperatures in some areas could approach all-time record highs.
Space Shuttle Atlantis inspires generations of explorers
With a giant question mark hovering over the future of the U.S. space program, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opened its $100 million Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit Saturday.
Deal nearly in place to launch private space planes from old shuttle runway
A new breed of vacationers - space tourists - could launch from Central Florida as soon as 2015 under an agreement that would put Florida officials in charge of the 3-mile runway at Kennedy Space Center that once was used by space shuttles.
Blistering heat sears Western US
(HealthDay)—Temperatures topping 110 and even 120 degrees Fahrenheit have much of the American West sweltering this weekend, and health officials are warning that people must do what they can to stay cool as the heat wave continues.
NASA decommissions its galaxy hunter spacecraft
(Phys.org) —NASA has turned off its Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) after a decade of operations in which the venerable space telescope used its ultraviolet vision to study hundreds of millions of galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic time.
El Nino unusually active in the late 20th century, study finds
Spawning droughts, floods, and other weather disturbances world-wide, the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts the daily life of millions of people. During El Niño, Atlantic hurricane activity wanes and rainfall in Hawaii decreases while Pacific winter storms shift southward, elevating the risk of floods in California.
Mega-quakes caused volcanoes to sink, research finds
Massive earthquakes can cause distant volcanoes to sink, according to research in Japan and Chile published on Sunday.
Scientists say Russian meteor shockwave went twice around globe
(Phys.org) —Scientists have determined that an asteroid that burned up over Russia in February resulted in a shock wave so powerful that it traveled twice around the globe. They made that determination by means of a system of sensors used to detect evidence of nuclear tests. Researchers studied data from the International Monitoring System network operated by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Its stations monitor ultra-low frequency acoustic waves, or infrasound, from nuclear test explosions. The system can also detect blasts from other sources. According to BBC News, it was the most powerful event ever recorded by the network.
Technology news
Financial crisis cripples Spain medical research
In blue gloves and goggles, Maria Jesus Vicent's team of young researchers busily mix chemicals in their laboratory, where they work at improving medications for cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Grenada to punish offensive online comments
Legislators in Grenada have approved a bill that makes it a crime to offend people through websites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Internet overlords close to opening new online domains
The agency in charge of website addresses passed a major milestone Friday on the path to broadening the world of domain names by the end of this year.
Facebook to keep ads away from sex and violence
Facebook on Monday will tighten its review process to spare advertisers the embarrassment of having their ads pop-up on pages containing porn or violent imagery.
Facebook is pulling ads from racy, violent pages
Facebook is pulling ads from pages that contain violence or sexual content. The social network said that on Monday, it will expand its definition of pages and groups that are too controversial to carry advertisements.
Government probes Honda Odyssey brake problem
U.S. safety regulators are investigating some Honda Odyssey minivans because they can brake without the driver pressing the pedal.
New NSA spying allegations rile European allies (Update)
The Obama administration faced a breakdown in confidence Sunday from key foreign allies who threatened investigations and sanctions against the U.S. over secret surveillance programs that reportedly installed covert listening devices in European Union offices.
Winds of change as Seychelles embraces green power
On two islands surrounded by deep turquoise water, the blades of eight wind turbines spin, providing a rare source of green energy for the port of Victoria, the Seychelles capital.
Technology makes America's Cup a sport for the masses
YouTube, mobile applications, and the tech wizardry of veteran sailor Stan Honey are out to make America's Cup yacht racing as thrilling a spectator sport as Formula One.
Taiwan's TSMC gets orders from Apple
Apple has struck a deal with the world's biggest contract microchip maker in what analysts see as an attempt to reduce its reliance on arch-rival Samsung, a report said.
Medicine & Health news
DNDi and Cipla advance development of pediatric 4-in-1 ARVs to fulfill new WHO guidelines
The World Health Organization's new HIV treatment guidelines, released today at the 2013 International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference, include new antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (ART) recommendations for HIV-infected children, and will mean that more children will be on better treatments. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) applauds the new guidelines and, with Cipla Ltd. and other partners, is expediting the development of urgently needed 4-in-1 ARVs adapted for babies and toddlers with HIV, to be delivered by 2015.
AIDS experts urge Asia to stop discrimination
AIDS experts on Sunday called for a more open debate on the global pandemic in Asia, where they say discrimination still fuels the spread of HIV.
Heed the heat during summer workouts
(HealthDay)—People who exercise or play sports outdoors during the summer need to take steps to avoid heat injury, especially heat stroke, an expert says.
Biomarker predicts risk of breast cancer recurrence after tamoxifen treatment
A biomarker reflecting expression levels of two genes in tumor tissue may be able to predict which women treated for estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer should receive a second estrogen-blocking medication after completing tamoxifen treatment. In their report being published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center investigators describe finding that the HOXB13/IL17BR ratio can indicate which women are at risk for cancer recurrence after tamoxifen and which are most likely to benefit from continuing treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (Femara).
Rapid colorimetric detection technology enables illegal cooking oils with no place to hide
In recent years, illegal cooking oil incident led to the serious food safety risks and the negative social repercussions. Professor HE Yujian and his group from College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences establish two rapid and convenient colorimetric detections of illegal cooking oils based on phase transfer technology. This work could be helpful for the rapid and on-site detection of illegal cooking oil. Their work, entitled "Rapid colorimetric detection of illegal cooking oils based on phase transfer technology", will be published on SCIENCE CHINA Chemistry, 2013（7）.
Muslim hajj pilgrimage in focus amid MERS virus fears
Virologists are casting a worried eye on this year's Islamic hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia as they struggle with the enigmatic, deadly virus known as MERS which is striking hardest in the kingdom.
AIDS scientists at Malaysia meet express hopes for cure
AIDS scientists expressed optimism over their search for a cure for the disease Saturday ahead of a major conference in Kuala Lumpur, with more funding and research breakthroughs boosting their hopes.
Glucosamine negatively affects lumbar discs
(HealthDay)—Glucosamine supplementation, which is often used for low back pain, has a detrimental effect on lumbar disc matrix homeostasis in an animal model of disc degeneration, according to a study published in the May 20 issue of Spine.
Ten million more people advised to take HIV drugs: UN
Nearly 10 million more people infected with the AIDS virus now meet medical standards for receiving HIV drugs, according to revised UN guidelines released on Sunday, which experts say could avert 6.5 million deaths or new infections by 2025.
Low-income patients skip rheumatoid arthritis meds
(HealthDay)—Electronic monitoring shows that ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have low adherence to oral disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and poorer outcomes, according to a study published in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Observing live gene expression in the body
Most of our physiological functions fluctuate throughout the day. They are coordinated by a central clock in the brain and by local oscillators, present in virtually every cell. Many molecular gearwheels of this internal clock have been described by Ueli Schibler, professor at the Faculty of Science of the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland.
Tobacco control policies stop people from smoking and save lives
Tobacco control measures put in place in 41 countries between 2007 and 2010 will prevent some 7.4 million premature deaths by 2050, according to a study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization today.
Dealing with kids' summer dental surprises
(HealthDay)—Children play a lot of sports and other outdoor activities during the summer and are at risk for accidents that can damage their teeth, an expert says.
Fireworks displays spark safety concerns
(HealthDay)—Fireworks add sparkle to Independence Day festivities but they need to be handled with care—and by adults, a prominent group of U.S. surgeons says.
Avoidable health care costs exceed 200 billion in 2012
(HealthDay)—In 2012, avoidable health care costs in the United States exceeded $200 billion, according to a report published by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
Delayed skin closure may reduce surgical infection
(HealthDay)—Delayed primary skin closure may reduce the risk of infection after surgery, but the current studies are not definitive due to poor design, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online June 26 in JAMA Surgery.
Volunteer work cuts risk of hypertension in older adults
(HealthDay)—Older adults who volunteer at least 200 hours over a one-year period and have normal blood pressure are less likely than non-volunteers to develop hypertension four years later, according to research published in the June issue of Psychology & Aging.
Most cancer survivors have good psychological outcomes
(HealthDay)—Certain factors predict anxiety, depression, and comorbid anxiety-depression at one year in adult cancer survivors, according to research published online June 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Lasting symptom relief with class IV laser in epicondylitis
(HealthDay)—Treatment with a dual wavelength 10 W class IV laser correlates with long-term relief of the symptoms associated with chronic epicondylitis, according to a study published in the July issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
Divorce early in childhood affects parental relationships in adulthood
Divorce has a bigger impact on child-parent relationships if it occurs in the first few years of the child's life, according to new research. Those who experience parental divorce early in their childhood tend to have more insecure relationships with their parents as adults than those who experience divorce later, researchers say.
Epigenetics study discovers cancer risks double when two carcinogens present at 'safe' levels
(Medical Xpress)—Science knows that arsenic and estrogen can cause cancer. At certain very low levels, the chemicals offer little to no threats to human health.
New understanding of tiny RNA molecules could have far-ranging medical applications
A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified a family of tiny RNA molecules that work as powerful regulators of the immune response in mammals. Mice who lack these RNA molecules lose their normal infection-fighting ability, whereas mice that overproduce them develop a fatal autoimmune syndrome.
Liver protein crucial for pregnancy: Mice study provides insight into mechanisms of human reproduction
A protein first shown to function in the liver plays a crucial role in pregnancy in mice and has a key role in the human menstrual cycle, according to researchers at the University of Montreal.
Different neuronal groups govern right-left alternation when walking
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified the neuronal circuits in the spinal cord of mice that control the ability to produce the alternating movements of the legs during walking. The study, published in the journal Nature, demonstrates that two genetically-defined groups of nerve cells are in control of limb alternation at different speeds of locomotion, and thus that the animals' gait is disturbed when these cell populations are missing.
Researchers discover link between fear, sound perception
Anyone who's ever heard a Beethoven sonata or a Beatles song knows how powerfully sound can affect our emotions. But it can work the other way as well – our emotions can actually affect how we hear and process sound. When certain types of sounds become associated in our brains with strong emotions, hearing similar sounds can evoke those same feelings, even far removed from their original context. It's a phenomenon commonly seen in combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in whom harrowing memories of the battlefield can be triggered by something as common as the sound of thunder. But the brain mechanisms responsible for creating those troubling associations remain unknown. Now, a pair of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has discovered how fear can actually increase or decrease the ability to discriminate among sounds depending on context, providing new insight into the distorted perceptions of! victims of PTSD.
Biology news
Agency says shark population is stable
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Friday that the northeastern Pacific Ocean population of great white sharks is not in danger of extinction and does not warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act.
With shark fin ban, a slice of Asian culture ends in California
An ancient Asian dining tradition comes to an end in California on Monday, and grocer Emily Gian is none too happy.
Mimicking living cells: Synthesizing ribosomes
Synthetic biology researchers at Northwestern University, working with partners at Harvard Medical School, have for the first time synthesized ribosomes—cell structures responsible for generating all proteins and enzymes in our bodies—from scratch in a test tube.
Survival of the Galapagos sea lion
IMMUNE systems of endangered Galapagos sea lions are in overdrive because of harmful activity by people, reveal scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
Genomic atlas of gene switches in plants provides roadmap for crop research
What allows certain plants to survive freezing and thrive in the Canadian climate, while others are sensitive to the slightest drop in temperature? Those that flourish activate specific genes at just the right time—but the way gene activation is controlled remains poorly understood.
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