Researchers use COMSOL Multiphysics software for induction heat designs
Learn how Miele, a German manufacturer of domestic and commercial appliances, used Multiphysics simulation to improve their induction stove designs. Read the story on COMSOL's recent blog post: http://goo.gl/5cejT
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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 20, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- The Red Queen was right: We have to run to keep in place- Particle accelerator that can fit on a tabletop opens new chapter for science research
- Ultra high-speed camera ball-tracker at Japan lab uses mirrors (w/ video)
- Physicists develop flexible multicell Zn-MnO2 battery for printed electronics
- Male dark fishing spiders found to die spontaneously after mating
- Does your salad know what time it is? Managing vegetables' 'internal clocks' postharvest could have health benefits
- Study finds that a gene associated with longevity also regulates the body's circadian clock
- Too green to be true? Researchers develop highly effective method for converting CO2 into methanol
- Pluripotent cells from pancreatic cancer cells first human model of cancer's progression
- Pistil leads pollen in life-and-death dance
- Chlamydia promotes gene mutations
- Hubble spots galaxies in close encounter
- Hong Kong skyscrapers appear to fall in real-world illusion
- Light and nanoprobes detect early signs of infection
- Solar splashdown
Space & Earth news
Philippines financial capital bans plastic bags
The Philippines financial capital banned disposable plastic shopping bags and styrofoam food containers on Thursday, as part of escalating efforts across the nation's capital to curb rubbish that exacerbates deadly flooding.
Singapore haze at worst yet, Malaysia schools shut
Singapore urged people to remain indoors because of record air pollution Thursday as a smoky haze wrought by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia worsened dramatically. Nearby Malaysia closed 200 schools and banned open burning in some areas.
Survey finds consensus on shale drilling's biggest risks
Storage and treatment of liquid drilling wastes, air emissions of methane, water withdrawals for drilling, and site construction are among the biggest problems facing shale gas drilling.
From Mars, to volcanoes, ash clouds and chimneystacks: UK spin-out brings space technology to Earth
Technology designed to measure water vapour on Mars is poised for use in a whole host of everyday applications here on Earth from monitoring food production or industrial gas emissions, to surveying volcanic ash clouds and even giving a farmer a health check on their crops.
China astronauts float water blob in kids' lecture
Astronauts struck floating martial arts poses, twirled gyroscopes and manipulated wobbling globes of water during a lecture Thursday from China's orbiting space station that's part of efforts to popularize the space program among young people.
NASA image: Rare clear view of Alaska
(Phys.org) —On most days, relentless rivers of clouds wash over Alaska, obscuring most of the state's 6,640 miles (10,690 kilometers) of coastline and 586,000 square miles (1,518,000 square kilometers) of land. The south coast of Alaska even has the dubious distinction of being the cloudiest region of the United States, with some locations averaging more than 340 cloudy days per year.
The breathing ocean: Reducing the effects of climate change
(Phys.org) —Each year, between the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of old growth forests, humans put about 10 petagrams of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. A petagram is one quadrillion grams. Ten petagrams is equivalent to the mass of Halley's comet, to put it in perspective.
Apocalyptic scenes as smog engulfs Singapore
Fast-food deliveries have been cancelled, the army has suspended field training and even Singapore's top marathon runner has retreated as residents try to protect themselves from the smog that has descended on the city-state.
Ups-and-downs of Indian monsoon rainfall likely to increase under warming
Day-to-day rainfall in India might become much more variable due to climate change—potentially putting millions of poor farmers and the country's agricultural productivity at risk.
May global temperatures third warmest on record
Global temperatures last month tied with 1998 and 2005 as the third warmest for a month of May since record-keeping began in 1880, US scientists said Thursday.
Star Trek creator to become part of space archive
Remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife and the actor who played Scotty will get a final resting place in the "Final Frontier" under plans announced Thursday to launch a space archive.
Cousteau's grandson plans 31-day undersea mission
The grandson of legendary French ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau is planning a 31-day underwater mission in Florida later this year, a statement said Thursday.
Dusty surprise around giant black hole
(Phys.org) —ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer has gathered the most detailed observations ever of the dust around the huge black hole at the centre of an active galaxy. Rather than finding all of the dust in a doughnut-shaped torus around the black hole, astronomers find that much of it is located above and below the torus. These observations show that dust is being pushed away from the black hole as a cool wind—a surprising finding.
Anthropologists argue field must play a vital role in climate change studies
(Phys.org) —Anthropologists can and must play a vital role in climate change studies, a UC Santa Cruz professor and a former UCSC doctoral student argue in an influential scholarly journal. The role of anthropology in the study of climate change has long been overlooked, they write.
Key link found in Cosmic Distance Ladder
(Phys.org) —When observing the bright explosion of a White Dwarf star in our neighbouring galaxy last year, researchers from The Australian National University collected the largest ever data set on what they recognised as one of our best 'standard candles' yet for distance measurements in the Universe.
Astronomers discover pulsations in crystalized, dying star
(Phys.org) —Astronomers from The University of Texas at Austin and colleagues have used the 2.1-meter Otto Struve Telescope at the university's McDonald Observatory to discover pulsations from the crystalized remnant of a burnt-out star. The finding will allow astronomers to see below the star's atmosphere and into its interior, much like earthquakes allow geologists to study compositions below Earth's surface. The findings appear in the current issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Hubble spots galaxies in close encounter
(Phys.org) —The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced this vivid image of a pair of interacting galaxies known as Arp 142. When two galaxies stray too close to each other they begin to interact, causing spectacular changes in both objects. In some cases the two can merge—but in others, they are ripped apart.
How did a third radiation belt appear in the Earth's upper atmosphere?
(Phys.org) —Since the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts in in the Earth's upper atmosphere in 1958, space scientists have believed that these belts consisted of two doughnut-shaped rings of highly charged particles—an inner ring of high-energy electrons and energetic positive ions, and an outer ring of high-energy electrons.
Solar splashdown
(Phys.org) —On June 7, 2011, our Sun erupted, blasting tons of hot plasma into space. Some of that plasma splashed back down onto the Sun's surface, sparking bright flashes of ultraviolet light. This dramatic event may provide new insights into how young stars grow by sucking up nearby gas.
Technology news
Kim Dotcom slams Megaupload 'data massacre'
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom Thursday condemned a Dutch company's decision to delete million of files belonging to users of his defunct website, calling it "the largest data massacre in the history of the Internet".
AP buys stake in live video service Bambuser
The Associated Press said Thursday that it has bought a minority stake in the live video service Bambuser, boosting its ability to acquire and distribute video collected by people who have witnessed news events.
Q&A: Dot-com-era icon Larry Augustin ventures into cloud software
With the possible exception of the Pets.com puppet, nobody embodied the first Internet boom more than Larry Augustin. As the founder of VA Linux, he presided over one of the most eye-popping IPOs of all time-the company's shares soared 700 percent on their first day of trading in 1999. But the company just as quickly came crashing down, as the dot-coms that bought VA's hardware and software services went out of business.
Can Western Australia get smart on energy use?
A Murdoch University researcher has examined the benefits and challenges of adopting Smart Meters in Western Australia as the state's peak energy use continues to rise.
Networked cars make traffic safer and more efficient
Vehicles and infrastructures exchanging information with one another and notifying drivers about dangers and traffic situations make traffic safer and more efficient. This has been proven by one of the biggest field tests ever conducted on 'car-to-x communication', as it is known. Companies, research institutes and public institutions tested the jointly developed simTD system using 500 test drivers in moving traffic.
Twitter exec joining White House tech office
The White House says Twitter executive Nicole Wong is joining the Obama administration as the deputy U.S. chief technology officer.
Jamaica trying to become animation industry hub
Aspiring visual artists hoping to sketch out a promising future flocked on Thursday to an animation industry conference in Jamaica, which aspires to become the next hub of a growing global industry that generated more than $100 billion last year.
Tesla recalls Model S cars over problem weld
Electric sports car maker Tesla announced a recall Wednesday for some of its Model S vehicles over possible weak welds on back seats.
Gamer outrage prompts Xbox One policy changes (Update)
Microsoft handed gamers a victory by backing off plans for new-generation Xbox One consoles to require Internet connections and put restrictions on playing second-hand game disks.
Car quality dinged by tech glitches, survey finds
Car buyers increasingly want high-tech features like voice recognition and navigation. But they're not very forgiving of the car company when those systems fail.
Microsoft mulled buying Nokia unit
Microsoft was in talks to boost its position in the mobile phone market by buying the devices business from Nokia but failed to seal a deal, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
US seizure of journalist records called 'chilling'
The US government's secret seizure of Associated Press phone records had a "chilling effect" on newsgathering by the agency and other news organizations, AP's top executive said Wednesday.
Sony chief says time needed to study proposal
Sony Corp. needs more time to study a key proposal from a U.S. hedge fund to spin off a part of its entertainment unit as a way to propel its fledgling revival, the chief executive told shareholders Thursday.
France threatens Google with privacy fines (Update 3)
France is giving Google three months to be more upfront about the data it collects from users—or be fined. Other European countries aren't far behind.
Taiwan's Hon Hai to hire 3,000 after Mozilla tie-up
Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision said Thursday it aims to hire up to 3,000 new employees to develop devices and software for Mozilla's Firefox operating system as it seeks to diversify from its core manufacturing services.
Technology makes trade secrets a tempting target for theft
Becton, Dickinson and Co.'s announcement that it was about to roll out a new, easy-to-use, disposable pen injector called Vystra hardly caused a stir last October. Although an executive for the Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based medical technology maker said the injector, unveiled at a Las Vegas convention, would introduce "a new level of flexibility for drug manufacturers," the announcement made few ripples outside the industry.
Mobile-payment companies roll out new toys for businesses
Forget ka-ching. It's all tap-tap these days. Restaurants and shop owners fed up with antiquated cash registers and expensive credit card terminals are switching to cheaper devices that plug into smartphones and tablets. And companies such as PayPal, Square Inc. and Groupon Inc. are rushing to meet them, developing sleeker stands to mount tablets running their software or hooking up with existing systems.
Survey shows widespread public opposition to 'killer robots,' support for new ban campaign
(Phys.org) —The results of a new survey by the University of Massachusetts Amherst show that a majority of Americans across the political spectrum oppose the outsourcing of lethal military and defense targeting decisions to machines. The opposition to autonomous weaponry is bipartisan, with the strongest opposition on the far left and far right, and among active and former members of the military.
Protection for whistleblowers: Computer science professor working on system that would allow for secret data transfer
Volker Roth, a professor of computer science at Freie Universität Berlin, is working in a project called AdLeaks to create a system that would make it possible for an individual to submit data over the Internet while remaining unobserved.
Has motorization in the US reached its peak?
(Phys.org) —Fewer light vehicles are on America's roads today than five years ago, thanks possibly to increases in telecommuting and public transportation, says a University of Michigan researcher.
Pirate Bay Swede sentenced for hacking, fraud (Update)
A founder of the popular file-sharing website Pirate Bay who was arrested in Cambodia under an international warrant was convicted in Sweden on Thursday of hacking and fraud and given a two-year prison sentence.
Yahoo! completes Tumblr takeover
Yahoo! said Thursday it has completed a billion-dollar deal taking over the popular blogging platform Tumblr, a move aimed at bringing more youthful users into the company's orbit.
Spain opens privacy case against Google
Spain launched sanction proceedings against Google Inc. on Thursday for suspected serious breaches of data protection laws, acting just hours after France threatened the group with big fines.
Apple says proof of antitrust conspiracy weak
Evidence is lacking of an Apple conspiracy with publishers to raise the price of e-books, Apple's lawyer said in closing remarks Thursday in a federal antitrust trial.
Biofueled Airbus makes air show entrance
An Airbus airliner flew from southern France to the Paris Air Show on Thursday with one fuel tank partially filled with farnesane, a biofuel made from sugar cane as the industry experiments with green technology.
Mongolia confronts smog with launch of first wind farm
Mongolia on Thursday opened its first wind farm, a landmark $122 million project that aims to shift the country's reliance on coal and tackle the pollution choking its capital Ulan Bator.
Rumours intensify of a bid for Nokia
Rumours that struggling Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia may be up for sale have intensified this week, with analysts seeing three potential buyers who could be even more interested if the company undergoes a restructuring.
World cities improving energy efficiency, report says
Some of the world's largest cities are improving their energy efficiency, a report said Thursday, while nations struggle to forge a global response to climate change.
Oracle's fiscal 4Q sales disappoint Wall St. again
Oracle is still having trouble closing enough business software deals to keep Wall Street happy. The quarterly results announced Thursday could escalate investors' fears about Oracle's ability to adapt to the changing demands of its customers. Businesses and government agencies are increasingly buying software through monthly or annual subscriptions that enable employees to access applications on any machine with an Internet connection. This "cloud computing" approach is a shift from Oracle's traditional approach of licensing software that is installed on individual computers kept on the premises of its customers.
CIA faulted for choosing Amazon over IBM on cloud contract
The CIA selected Amazon over IBM to build a cloud computing service for the spy agency even though IBM's proposal carried a lower price tag, according to a government report.
Leading 3-D printer firms to merge in $403M deal (Update)
Stratasys, a leading maker of 3-D printers, is buying another 3-D printer manufacturer, MakerBot, for $403 million in stock.
Seeing the human pulse: Algorithm can accurately gauge heart rate by measuring tiny head movements in video data
Researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed a new algorithm that can accurately measure the heart rates of people depicted in ordinary digital video by analyzing imperceptibly small head movements that accompany the rush of blood caused by the heart's contractions.
Scottish startup looking to turn whisky dregs into biobutanol
(Phys.org) —Scottish-based company Celtic Renewables is looking to use waste materials from the whiskey production process to make biobutanol, which can be used to power engines. The process, called acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE), is based on using the bacteria Clostridium acetobutylicum to break down materials in the waste.
App to protect private data on iOS devices finds almost half of other apps access private data
Almost half of the mobile apps running on Apple's iOS operating system access the unique identifier of the devices where they're downloaded, computer scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found. In addition, more than 13 percent access the devices' location and more than 6 percent the address book. The researchers developed a new app that detects what data the other apps running on an iOS device are trying to access.
Facebook introduces video on Instagram (Update 2)
Facebook is adding video to its popular photo-sharing app Instagram, following in the heels of Twitter's growing video-sharing app, Vine.
Ultra high-speed camera ball-tracker at Japan lab uses mirrors (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —Ishikawa Oku Laboratory at the University of Tokyo may help transform how we can see broadcast sports events, where ball tracking reaches new heights of detail and precision. Namely, they are working on a camera system that tracks moving objects in an unusual way and, according to witnesses, unusually well.
Medicine & Health news
New York's poor get urban farm in bid to fight obesity
New York unveiled a giant vegetable garden Wednesday in the Brooklyn borough's largest public housing development, in a bid to fight a growing obesity epidemic among the poor.
New rule proposes insurance program integrity guidelines
(HealthDay)—A new proposed rule, which provides program integrity guidelines for Affordable Insurance Exchanges, or Health Insurance Marketplaces (Marketplaces), has been released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Aid group urges Spain to scrap 'dangerous' healthcare reform
A medical aid group on Wednesday urged Spain to scrap a "dangerous" austerity reform that has deprived nearly 900,000 foreigners of access to free healthcare, saying it was putting lives at risk.
French firemen test hypnosis to help victims
"Look me straight in the eye. Your mind is emptying, your body is relaxing," says the fireman, using the calming words of hypnosis to help a trauma victim—a technique being pioneered by fire crews in the eastern French region of Alsace.
Researcher finds link between weight status and concerns in female same-sex couples
In their research spanning more than a decade, Rutgers–Camden psychology professor Charlotte Markey and her husband, Patrick Markey of Villanova University, have studied how romantic partners potentially influence one another's health. While their prior research found a link between weight status and concerns in heterosexual couples, they also learned that these weight-related issues had never been examined within the context of female same-sex relationships. "This is troubling, given that lesbian women are at a heightened risk of obesity, as well as a variety of other health risks," says Markey, an associate professor of psychology.
Newly published research explores beliefs about sexual orientation
How to assess what people believe about sexual orientation is the focus of newly published research led by Patrick Grzanka, honors faculty fellow at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University.
'Big data' technology shows promise in breast cancer research
Only eight months into its $100 million, five-year enterprise analytics effort, UPMC and its research partners at the University of Pittsburgh are starting to see the potential of this "big data" technology for accelerating scientific discoveries and the promise of personalized medicine.
Finding and treating the cause of inherited blindness
European scientists have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of inherited retinal diseases.
Empowering children in clinical trials
There is evidence that over 50 percent of medicinal products developed for children have not been tested or authorised for use by this age group. The research project RESPECT ('Relating Expectations and Needs to Participation and Empowerment of Children in Clinical Trials') has sought to change this.
New risk assessment tool to predict stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
A more accurate and reliable stroke prediction model has been developed to help physicians decide whether to start blood-thinning treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation, as described in the current online issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.
African-Americans on Medicaid are far less likely to receive living kidney transplants
African-Americans with Medicaid as their primary insurance were less likely to receive a living kidney transplant (LKT) than patients with private insurance, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Critical seconds saved during brain aneurysm procedure with pre-surgery rehearsal
Surgical Theater's Surgical Rehearsal Platform (SRP) provided neurosurgeons the opportunity to rehearse a complicated cerebral case before entering the operating room, saving the surgical team critical seconds on a time-sensitive procedure.
Goal of identifying nearly all genetic causes of deafness is within reach
At least half of all cases of deafness that develop from birth through infancy in developed countries have a genetic basis, as do many cases of later onset progressive hearing loss. To date, at least 1,000 mutations occurring in 64 genes in the human genome have been linked to hearing loss. Next-generation DNA sequencing technologies are enabling the identification of these deafness-causing genetic variants, as described in a Review article in Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers website.
Review: Composition of care team critical to improved outcomes for nursing home patients
An interdisciplinary team that actively involves a nursing home patient's own physician plus a pharmacist has substantially better odds of improving the quality of nursing home care, according to a new systemic review of studies on long-term-stay patients' care.
Reports of retained guidewires draw attention to 'never events' in anesthesia
Retention of guidewires used to place central venous catheters (CVCs) is a complication that is considered always preventable—but nevertheless still happens, according to a report in the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
High rates of burnout and depression among anesthesia residents
Residents in anesthesiology training programs have high rates of burnout and depression, reports a survey study in the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
Most unscheduled hospital admissions now come through the ER
More than three-quarters (81.8 percent) of unscheduled admissions to the hospital now come through the emergency department, which is a sharp increase from the previous decade when only 64.5 percent of unscheduled admissions came through the ER. A study, published early online this week in the journal Medical Care, re-confirms recent findings by the RAND Corporation highlighting the growing role emergency physicians play in health care beyond the emergency department ("Changes in the Source of Unscheduled Hospitalizations in the United States").
Belgium moves closer to euthanasia for minors
Belgian lawmakers on Thursday moved closer to legalising the euthanasia of minors, so long as they are judged capable of deciding for themselves.
Baby with four legs has corrective surgery in SAfrica
A government spokeswoman says a 2-month-old Namibian boy born with four legs is responding well to treatment after undergoing surgery at a South African hospital.
France ends alert on diuretic drug after scare
France's drug watchdog on Thursday ended a 13-day alert over a diuretic used to control dangerously high blood pressure among the elderly after two persons who took the pills died.
Restoring appropriate movement to immune cells may save seriously burned patients
Advances in emergency medicine and trauma surgery have had a significant impact on survival of patients in the days immediately after major injuries, including burns. Patients who survive the immediate aftermath of their injuries now are at greatest risk from infections – particularly the overwhelming, life-threatening immune reaction known as sepsis – or from inflammation-induced multiorgan failure. Now, a device developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators that measures the movement of key immune cells may help determine which patients are at greatest risk for complications, and a novel treatment that directly addresses the cause of such complications could prevent many associated deaths.
Long-term study reports deep brain stimulation effective for most common hereditary dystonia
In what is believed to be the largest follow-up record of patients with the most common form of hereditary dystonia – a movement disorder that can cause crippling muscle contractions – experts in deep brain stimulation report good success rates and lasting benefits.
Day care may help kids of depressed moms
(HealthDay)—Young children of depressed mothers may develop fewer emotional problems if they spend time in some kind of day care, a new study suggests.
Penicillin skin testing can ID tolerance to beta-lactam agents
(HealthDay)—Penicillin skin testing (PST) can be used to identify whether patients will tolerate β-lactam, with a negative predictive value of 100 percent, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Pre-op MRI predicts outcome of cervical spondylotic myelopathy
(HealthDay)—For patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal changes are predictive of baseline neurologic status and postoperative recovery, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of Spine.
Another study finds colonoscopy can save lives
(HealthDay)—There's more evidence that routine colonoscopy confers life-extending benefits.
Mindfulness can increase wellbeing and reduce stress in school children
Mindfulness – a mental training that develops sustained attention that can change the ways people think, act and feel – could reduce symptoms of stress and depression and promote wellbeing among school children, according to a new study published online by the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Patients with early arthritis consume less alcohol than controls, regardless of type of arthritis
Patients who have early arthritis consume less alcohol than controls, regardless of the type of arthritis, according to a new study published online today in the journal Rheumatology. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) specifically, the inverse association between alcohol and disease was greater in men than it was in women.
Panic over MERS virus fades in Saudi
People in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province have again started greeting friends with the traditional kiss on the cheek, and face masks in public are becoming rarer, as panic subsides over the outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease that hit the country last year.
Adjustable gastric banding more effective when combined with gastrointestinal hormone GLP-1
Pharmacological activation of the receptor for glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in conjunction with adjustable gastric banding (AGB) surgery may improve weight loss outcomes achieved with this procedure when compared to performing AGB alone, say researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and the Helmholtz Center in Munich, Germany.
New research shows metaphors reveal personality
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by Adam K. Fetterman, a recent doctoral graduate in psychology, and Michael D. Robinson, professor of psychology at North Dakota State University, shows that metaphors for the head and the heart have a surprisingly wide scope in capturing people's personalities.
Antibiotics increase eczema risk in children, study reveals
(Medical Xpress)—Use of antibiotics in early life may increase the risk of developing eczema by up to 40 per cent, according to a new study led by King's College London researchers, published today in the British Journal of Dermatology.
'Tug of war' method to measure the copy number limits of all genes in budding yeast
Professor Hisao Moriya and colleagues at Okayama University used their 'tug of war method to measure the copy number limits of all protein-coding genes in yeast—the first time ever for any organisms.
Adolescent obesity influenced by both community, genetics
(Medical Xpress)—Genetic sensitivity and community adversity combine to increase the risk of obesity among adolescents, according to new research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health by University of Georgia researchers Kandauda Wickrama and Catherine Walker O'Neal.
Nutrition experts offer tips on healthy summer eating for kids
(Medical Xpress)—Summer time can often be a free-for-all when it comes to children and their eating habits, said one University of Alabama nutrition expert. There are, however, several things parents can do to help make meal times fun—and nutritious.
Sequencing the MERS coronavirus outbreak in Saudi Arabia
(Medical Xpress)—Using deep sequencing technologies, researchers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, US, Canada and the UK have shown that the novel Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus can spread between people in healthcare settings.
New regulator discovered for information transfer in the brain
The protein mSYD1 has a key function in transmitting information between neurons. This was recently discovered by the research group of Prof Peter Scheiffele at the Biozentrum, University of Basel. The findings of the investigations have been published in the scientific journal Neuron.
Team creates realistic 3-D tumour through tissue engineering using silk scaffolds
A team of NUS researchers from the Departments of Bioengineering and Orthopaedic Surgery has developed a highly realistic three-dimensional (3-D) tumour model. As it replicates the conditions in the body, it is able to track the effectiveness and progress of drug therapy. Their model has the potential to be a more effective method for studying tumours than in-vitro and even in-vivo methods.
Strong public support for school-based immunisation
South Australians believe that a school-based immunisation program is the best way to vaccinate teenagers, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.
Explainer: What is foreign accent syndrome?
In the past few days, a great deal of media attention has been paid to Leanne Rowe, a Tasmanian woman who has lived eight years with a French accent she acquired after a car accident. This phenomenon is known as foreign accent syndrome, a rare disorder that usually arises after brain damage as a result of, for example, stroke or head injury.
Flame retardants make dust bunnies dangerous: Chemicals in dust are as concentrated as in sewage sludge
"If you really look at what's in your dust, particularly for some chemicals, it's just as concentrated—or more—as what you'd find in sewage sludge," says Heather Stapleton, associate professor of environmental chemistry.
54 percent of pregnant women use insecticides that are harmful to the foetus
Pregnancy and infancy are the periods of greatest vulnerability to the use of household insecticides. This is one of the findings of the first study of its kind to be carried out in Spain, which concludes that more than half of expectant mothers routinely use these chemical compounds.
Children from the poorest families are twice as likely to contract malaria than the least poor
The collaborative study, led by Durham University and the London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine, is published today in The Lancet and unusually brings together the health and development communities. Half the world's population is at risk from malaria. A review of studies from different locations across the world with risk factors for the disease showed clearly that in these impoverished communities, the risk of malaria was doubled in the poorest children compared with the least poor.
Researchers identify 'master coordinator' for aortic rupture
Every year, more than 16,000 Americans die as a result of what's known as an "aortic dissection"—a catastrophic rupture of the aorta, the body's largest artery. Once thought to be a simple structural failure, aortic dissection is now understood to be caused by an inflammatory process that weakens the artery's walls.
WHO: Third of women suffer domestic violence (Update)
About a third of women worldwide have been physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner, according to the first major review of violence against women.
Total amount of exercise important, not frequency, research shows
A new study by Queen's University researchers has determined that adults who accumulated 150 minutes of exercise on a few days of the week were not any less healthy than adults who exercised more frequently throughout the week.
Researchers identify key player in the genesis of human intestinal immunity
The trillions of harmful bacteria that populate the human gut represent a continuous threat to our health. Proper intestinal immune function creates a protective barrier between us and the extensive microbial ecosystem in our intestines. Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have identified the structures that serve as the foundation for the development of the human intestinal immune system.
Virus combination effective against deadly brain tumor, Moffitt Cancer Center study shows
A combination of the myxoma virus and the immune suppressant rapamycin can kill glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadliest malignant brain tumor, according to Moffitt Cancer Center research. Peter A. Forsyth, M.D., of Moffitt's Neuro-Oncology Program, says the combination has been shown to infect and kill both brain cancer stem cells and differentiated compartments of glioblastoma multiforme.
Herding cancer cells to their death
An advanced tumor is a complex ecosystem. Though derived from a single cell, it evolves as it grows until it contains several subspecies of cells that vary dramatically in their genetic traits and behaviors. This cellular heterogeneity is what makes advanced tumors so difficult to treat. Publishing their findings in today's online issue of Cancer Cell, an international team of scientists led jointly by Professors Colin Goding from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research who is based at the University of Oxford and José Neptuno Rodriguez-López from the University of Murcia, Spain describe a therapeutic strategy that manipulates a mechanism driving that heterogeneity to treat advanced melanoma. Their preclinical studies show that the strategy, which employs a new drug-like molecule in combination with an existing chemotherapy, is highly specific to melanoma cells and effective against tumors that resist all other therapies.
Scientists discover key signaling pathway that makes young neurons connect
Neuroscientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have filled in a significant gap in the scientific understanding of how neurons mature, pointing to a better understanding of some developmental brain disorders.
Rhode Island Hospital reduces incidence of hospital-associated C. difficile by 70 percent
Rhode Island Hospital has reduced the incidence of hospital-associated Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections by 70 percent and reduced annual associated mortality in patients with hospital-associated C. difficile by 64 percent through successive implementation of five rigorous interventions , as reported in the July 2013 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
'Forrest Gump' mice show too much of a good thing, can be bad
A line of genetically modified mice that Western University scientists call "Forrest Gump" because, like the movie character, they can run far but they aren't smart, is furthering the understanding of a key neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (ACh). Marco Prado and his team at Robarts Research Institute say the mice show what happens when too much of this neurotransmitter becomes available in the brain. Boosting ACh is a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease because it's found in reduced amounts when there's cognitive failure. Prado's research is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Elevated gluten antibodies found in children with autism but no link to celiac disease
Researchers have found elevated antibodies to gluten proteins of wheat in children with autism in comparison to those without autism. The results also indicated an association between the elevated antibodies and the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the affected children. They did not find any connection, however, between the elevated antibodies and celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder known to be triggered by gluten. The results were e-published in the journal PLOS ONE.
High costs of raising a child challenges state's most vulnerable caregivers: grandparents
Raising a child is not cheap. Now try raising one on a fixed income and long past the age one associates with parenthood: 65 years and older.
Researchers discover a new gene involved in obesity
The discovery of an unexpected function for a gene that was associated to another process in the organism might be a solution in search of a problem, a clue to unsuspected connections. That is what has happened with RAP1, a gene that protects telomeres— the ends of chromosomes—after researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) surprisingly discovered its key role in obesity.
International study on fragile newborns challenges current practices
One of the largest clinical trials done in infants with congenital (present at birth) heart diseases, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the increasingly common practice of using the drug clopidogrel (Plavix) to reduce shunt-related blood flow issues is not effective in the dose studied.
Researchers discover how a mutated protein outwits evolution and fuels leukemia
Scientists have discovered the survival secret to a genetic mutation that stokes leukemia cells, solving an evolutionary riddle and paving the way to a highly targeted therapy for leukemia. In a paper published today in Cell, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center describe how a mutated protein, called Fbxw7, behaves differently when expressed in cancer cells versus healthy cells. "Fbxw7 is essential for making blood cells, so the big mystery is why a mutation on a gene so important for survival would persist," says lead author Iannis Aifantis, PhD, chair of pathology at NYU Langone Medical Center and an Early Career Scientist at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "What we've found is that the mutation affects cancerous cells but not healthy cells."
Women fret more over weight gain in college
(HealthDay)—It's true that college students tend to pack on extra pounds, but women are more likely to be troubled by that weight gain than men, according to a new study.
More research on exercise for adolescent scoliosis is needed
(HealthDay)—A recent Cochrane review concluded that there is a lack of high-quality evidence on the efficacy of scoliosis-specific exercise (SSE) in adolescents with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), according to research published in the June 15 issue of Spine.
Practices are not prepared for implementation of ICD-10
(HealthDay)—Physician practices have made little progress in preparing for implementation of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), according to a report published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
CDC releases modified contraception recommendations
(HealthDay)—The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued modified recommendations for health care providers regarding the safe and effective use of contraceptive methods; the report, "U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use 2013," has been published in the June 14 early-release issue of the CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
Emotional challenges of type 1 diabetes in adults discussed
(HealthDay)—Issues related to the impact of type 1 diabetes affect adults and can cause interpersonal challenges in partner relationships, according to a qualitative study published online March 8 in Diabetes Care.
Bacterial DNA may integrate into human genome more readily in tumor tissue
Bacterial DNA may integrate into the human genome more readily in tumors than in normal human tissue, according to a new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute for Genome Sciences. Researchers analyzed genomic sequencing data available from the Human Genome Project, the 1,000 Genomes Project and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). They considered the phenomenon of lateral gene transfer (LGT), the transmission of genetic material between organisms in the absence of sex.
Iron dosing regimens affect dialysis patients' infection risk
While intravenous iron is critical for maintaining the health of many dialysis patients, administering large doses over a short period of time increases patients' risk of developing serious infections, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Smaller doses given for a longer period of time appears to be much safer.
'Windshield' tours promote understanding of the roots of infant mortality
(Medical Xpress)—An improvement in the African-American infant mortality rate in Genesee County, Mich., can be attributed in part to a program that opened the eyes of many in the community to the challenges faced by African-American mothers, according to research led by a faculty member in the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Stress from 9/11 linked to nationwide resurgence in smoking among Americans who had quit
The 9/11 attacks on America appear to have caused about one million former smokers across the country to take up the habit again and maintain it, according to a Weill Cornell Medical College public health study.
MERS virus in Saudi poses hospital threat: study
The deadly MERS coronavirus which has emerged in Saudi Arabia poses a threat to hospitals because it spreads rapidly and carries a high mortality rate, according to a study out Thursday.
New MERS virus spreads easily, deadlier than SARS, researchers show
A mysterious new respiratory virus that originated in the Middle East spreads easily between people and appears more deadly than SARS, doctors reported Wednesday after investigating the biggest outbreak in Saudi Arabia.
Researchers explain how neural stem cells create new and varied neurons
A new study examining the brains of fruit flies reveals a novel stem cell mechanism that may help explain how neurons form in humans. A paper on the study by researchers at the University of Oregon appeared in the online version of the journal Nature in advance of the June 27 publication date.
Animal study shows promising path to prevent epilepsy
Duke Medicine researchers have identified a receptor in the nervous system that may be key to preventing epilepsy following a prolonged period of seizures.
Estrogen a new weapon against urinary tract infection in menopause
(Medical Xpress)—Estrogen stimulates the production of the body's own antibiotic and strengthens the cells in the urinary tract, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet. The results, which are published in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine, show that estrogen supplements may help menopausal women to ward off recurrent urinary tract infections.
Study finds that a gene associated with longevity also regulates the body's circadian clock
Human sleeping and waking patterns are largely governed by an internal circadian clock that corresponds closely with the 24-hour cycle of light and darkness. This circadian clock also controls other body functions, such as metabolism and temperature regulation.
Pluripotent cells from pancreatic cancer cells first human model of cancer's progression
Pancreatic cancer carries a dismal prognosis. According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall five-year relative survival for 2003-2009 was 6 percent.
Study confirms thirdhand smoke causes DNA damage
(Medical Xpress)—A study led by researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has found for the first time that thirdhand smoke—the noxious residue that clings to virtually all surfaces long after the secondhand smoke from a cigarette has cleared out—causes significant genetic damage in human cells.
Available now in 3D: Brain images of previously unattainable quality
A new three-dimensional model of the brain now provides in-depth insights into the human control centre. It allows us to see and understand the structure of the brain on a microscopic level in all three spatial dimensions for the first time. Jülich researchers headed by neuroscientist Prof. Dr. Katrin Amunts and their colleagues from Montreal (Canada) have worked on the freely accessible model for five years and published their findings in Science today.
Hong Kong skyscrapers appear to fall in real-world illusion
No matter how we jump, roll, sit, or lie down, our brain manages to maintain a visual representation of the world that stays upright relative to the pull of gravity. But a new study of rider experiences on the Hong Kong Peak Tram, a popular tourist attraction, shows that specific features of the environment can dominate our perception of verticality, making skyscrapers appear to fall.
Biology news
S.Korean airlines ban shark fin as cargo
South Korea's two largest airlines, Korean Air and Asiana, said Thursday they had both decided to ban shark fin from their cargo flights as part of a growing global campaign against the Asian delicacy.
Could gamification enhance biodiversity decision making tools?
Decision making tools used for policy could benefit from adding features inspired from video games to entice more people to use them. But will they still be credible to policy makers?
Whale detection: New innovative use of SSC's Maritime Surveillance System
SSC's customer Transport Canada has extended the boundaries of the maritime surveillance system MSS 6000 by using it in a new innovative way: Whale spotting!
Researchers determine factors that influence spinach contamination pre-harvest
A team of researchers from Texas and Colorado has identified a variety of factors that influence the likelihood of E. coli contamination of spinach on farms prior to harvest. Their research is published in the July 2013 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
S. Africa rhino toll hits 428 this year
Poachers have slaughtered at least 428 rhinos in South Africa so far this year, more than two a day, official figures showed Thursday, despite high-profile efforts to curb poaching.
Biological fitness trumps other traits in mating game
When a new species emerges following adaptive changes to its local environment, the process of choosing a mate can help protect the new species' genetic identity and increase the likelihood of its survival. But of the many observable traits in a potential mate, which particular traits does a female tend to prefer?
Protected areas provide African birds with stepping stones to survival
The protected area network in Tanzania is playing a vital role in the survival of savannah bird species as they move west in response to climate and environmental changes, according to new research led by the University of York.
How do bees make honey? It's not just bee barf
(Phys.org) —Last weekend, my daughter asked me how bees made honey, and I realized that I didn't know the answer. How do bees make honey? I did some homework, and can now explain it to her – and to you.
Have you had your cereal today?
Cereals are grasses that produce grains, the bulk of our food supply. Carnegie's Plant Biology Department is releasing genome-wide metabolic complements of several cereals including rice, barley, sorghum, and millet. Along with corn, whose metabolic complement was released previously, these species are responsible for producing over 1.5 billion tons of grains annually world-wide. Understanding how these important species harness sunlight to grow and produce seeds will help researchers improve crop yields, combat world hunger, and produce biofuel that could lower fuel costs and perhaps fight climate change.
Invasive snails target of USGS environmental DNA study
(Phys.org) —Researchers at the University of Idaho and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a way to identify New Zealand mudsnail infestations in their earliest stages – using only the small bits of DNA the snails shed in the water.
Cats threaten native mammal survival in our tropical savannas
(Phys.org) —Australia's tropical mammals are in trouble, with a quarter of species suffering serious decline since 1970, and the devastation evident in iconic areas such as Kakadu National Park.
Dracula's children may lead to novel drug design
(Phys.org) —Vampire bat venom could hold the key to new treatments for stroke and high blood pressure.
The sun moth: A beautiful new species Stenoloba solaris from China
Scientist describe a new striking species of moth from China with an engaging wing pattern. The new species Stenoloba solaris has its name inspired by the orange circular patch on its wings that resembles the rising sun. The study was published in the open access journal Zookeys.
Changing ocean temperatures, circulation patterns affecting young Atlantic cod food supply
Changing ocean water temperatures and circulation patterns have profoundly affected key Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf zooplankton species in recent decades, and may be influencing the recovery of Atlantic cod and other fish stocks in the region.
Making a beeline for the nectar
Bumblebees searching for nectar go for signposts on flowers rather than the bull's eye. A new study, by Levente Orbán and Catherine Plowright from the University of Ottawa in Canada, shows that the markings at the center of a flower are not as important as the markings that will direct the bees to the center. The work is published online in Springer's journal, Naturwissenschaften - The Science of Nature.
Bugs provide new insights into relationships between animals and bacteria
Scientists have come closer to untangling a unique and intricate relationship between animals and bacteria, providing potential insights into the complex association between humans and the microbes we rely on for our health.
Study finds climate change to shrink bison, profit
As temperatures go up, bison get smaller. Joseph Craine, research assistant professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University, examined how climate change during the next 50 years will affect grazing animals such as bison and cattle in the Great Plains. The study, "Long-term climate sensitivity of grazer performance: a cross-site study," was recently published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Male dark fishing spiders found to die spontaneously after mating
(Phys.org) —Behavioral biologists at the University of Nebraska have found that male dark fishing spiders become immobile immediately after mating and die a short time later. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes the mating behavior of the spiders and notes that the male dies spontaneously without assistance from the female.
Why jumping genes don't send us into meltdown
A team of researchers, led by academics at The University of Nottingham, has explained why the so-called 'jumping genes' found in most living organisms don't ultimately kill off their hosts, putting an end to a long-standing scientific mystery.
Does your salad know what time it is? Managing vegetables' 'internal clocks' postharvest could have health benefits
Does your salad know what time it is? It may be healthier for you if it does, according to new research from Rice University and the University of California at Davis.
Pistil leads pollen in life-and-death dance
Millions of times on a spring day there is a dramatic biomolecular tango where the flower, rather than adorning a dancer's teeth, is the performer. In this dance, the female pistil leads, the male pollen tubes follow, and at the finish, the tubes explode and die. A new paper in Current Biology describes the genetically prescribed dance steps of the pollen tube and how their expression destines the tube for self-sacrifice, allowing flowering plants to reproduce.
Chlamydia promotes gene mutations
Chlamydia trachomatis is a human pathogen that is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide with more than 90 million new cases of genital infections occurring each year. About 70 percent of women infected with Chlamydia remain asymptomatic and these bacteria can establish chronic infections for months, or even years. Even when it causes no symptoms, Chlamydia can damage a woman's reproductive organs. In addition, standard antibacterial drugs are proving increasingly ineffective in complete eradication, as Chlamydia goes in to persistent mode, leading to asymptomatic chronic infection. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin (MPIIB) now show that Chlamydia infections can cause mutations in the host DNA by overriding the normal mechanisms by which their host prevents unregulated growth of genetically damaged cells that pave the way for the development of cancer.
The Red Queen was right: We have to run to keep in place
Biologists quote Lewis Carroll when arguing that survival is a constant struggle to adapt and evolve. Is that true, or do groups die out because they experience a run of bad luck? Charles Marshall and Tiago Quental of UC Berkeley tested these hypotheses using mammals that arose and died out (or are now dying out) in the past 66 million years, and found that it's not luck but failure to adapt to a deteriorating environment.
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