Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 15, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- All together now: Novel mechanism directs both dendritic and axonal growth in the same neuron- Local icosahedral order in metallic glasses
- Calculating art: Meet e-David, the painting machine (w/ Video)
- A new form of carbon: Grossly warped 'nanographene'
- Some volcanoes 'scream' at ever-higher pitches until they blow their tops
- Key step in molecular 'dance' that duplicates DNA deciphered
- Boldly illuminating biology's 'dark matter'
- Sexual reproduction only second choice for powdery mildew
- Fear factor: Missing brain enzyme leads to abnormal levels of fear in mice
- Hubble finds new Neptune moon
- Imaging electron pairing in a simple magnetic superconductor
- Scientists solve a 14,000-year-old ocean mystery
- Human-powered helicopter wins Sikorsky prize
- Scientists identify neural origins of hot flashes in menopausal women
- Microsoft slashes price of Surface tablet
Space & Earth news
Australia to scrap carbon tax for trading scheme
Key greenhouse gas emitter Australia on Sunday announced it will scrap its carbon tax in favour of an emissions trading scheme that puts a limit on pollution from 2014, a year earlier than planned.
Hollande vows no shale gas exploration while he is president
President Francois Hollande said on Sunday that France would maintain its ban on the exploration for shale gas throughout his five-year term.
Haze-hit nations say ASEAN meet unlikely to clear the air
Five Southeast Asian nations meet later on Monday to discuss the hazardous smog that blights the region every year but the affected countries hold little hope of a permanent solution.
Secured navigation arrives to UK
Vital public service providers, such as the UK's emergency services and key government departments, will soon have access to a more reliable system of satellite navigation, thanks to the greater level of resilience offered by Galileo's Public Regulated Service (PRS).
Countries mull Antarctic marine sanctuary plans
Countries that regulate fishing in the Antarctic are meeting in an effort to break an impasse over proposals to create marine sanctuaries off the continent's coast.
Space traffic may be cause of increase in polar mesospheric clouds
A recent increase in polar mesospheric clouds could be due to a recent increase in space traffic, a new study suggests. Polar mesospheric clouds are diffuse collections of water ice crystals in the mesosphere near the poles at altitudes of about 80 kilometers (50 miles). The number and brightness of polar mesospheric ice clouds is expected to decrease when the incoming flux of solar ultraviolet radiation increases. Increases in solar radiation both heat and dry out the atmosphere slightly, leading to a decrease in ice cloud formation.
Satellite views Chantal's remnants over Bahamas
NOAA's GOES-13 satellite spotted the remnant clouds and showers from former Tropical Storm Chantal lingering over the Bahamas on July 12. Chantal's chances for regeneration are diminishing because of upper-level winds.
NASA sees Soulik's eye reopen on Taiwan approach
Typhoon Soulik's eyewall appears to have rebuilt as evidenced in NASA satellite imagery. Soulik is approaching Taiwan and is forecast to make landfall in southeastern China over the weekend of July 13 and 14.
Radioactivity found in Swiss lake near nuclear plant
Scientists have discovered a radioactive substance in sediment under a Swiss lake used for drinking water and situated near a nuclear plant, the Le Matin Dimanche weekly reported Sunday.
What will Voyager 1 discover at the bow of the solar system?
As the Voyager 1 spacecraft approaches the very edges of our solar system, space scientists await to see if it will discover the solar system's 'bow shock'; a theorized pile up of gas, dust, and cosmic rays, which accumulate as the solar system moves though interstellar space.
Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser gets wings and tail, starts ground testing
Sierra Nevada Corporation's winged Dream Chaser engineering test article is moving forward with a series of ground tests at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California that will soon lead to dramatic aerial flight tests throughout 2013.
LADEE lunar probe unveiled at NASA's wallops launch site in Virginia
NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Observatory has arrived at the launch site on the Eastern Shore of Virginia at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island and is now in the midst of weeks of performance testing to ensure it is ready for liftoff in early September.
Amateur astronomer discovers comet C/2013 N4 (Borisov) during a star party
Ukrainian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered a brand new comet on July 8 near the bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga. The comet was confirmed and officially christened C/2013 N4 (Borisov) on July 13. At the time of discovery, Borisov was attending the Russian-Ukrainian "Southern Night" star party in Crimea, Ukraine. He nabbed the comet – his first – using an 8-inch (20-cm) f/1.5 wide field telescope of his own design equipped with a CCD camera.
Free market is best way to combat climate change, study suggests
The best way to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change is through the use of market forces, according to a new study.
Hurricanes could increase over western Europe as climate warms
Damaging hurricanes are familiar along the North American east coast but are relatively rare in western Europe. That could change as Earth's climate warms over the next century, according to a new study. Western European coastal areas do occasionally experience hurricane force storms in the current climate, but these occur mainly in winter and are formed not as tropical cyclones but by the midlatitude atmospheric baroclinic instability, which is driven by the north-south atmospheric temperature gradient.
NASA caught Soulik's visible eye before making deadly landfall
Typhoon Soulik still maintained an eye just before making landfall in southeastern China on July 13, and NASA's Terra satellite captured the eye in an image. Soulik's heavy rainfall in southern China is responsible for hundreds missing or dead.
GOES-R improvements to provide stunning, continuous full-disk imagery
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's next generation of GOES satellites, beginning with GOES-R, will have the ability to take full-disk images of Earth at five-minute intervals.
Continuous satellite monitoring of ice sheets needed to better predict sea-level rise
The length of the satellite record for the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets is currently too short to tell if the recently reported speed-up of ice loss will be sustained in the future or if it results from natural processes, according to a new study led by Dr. Bert Wouters from the University of Bristol.
Habitat loss doubles coastal flood impact, study says
Removing mangroves, marshes, reefs, forests, dunes and other natural defences doubles the risk for life and property from coastal floods, a US climate study said on Sunday.
Spiral Galaxy NGC 3627
(Phys.org) —The spiral galaxy NGC 3627 is located about 30 million light years from Earth. This composite image includes X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue), infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope (red), and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope (yellow). The inset shows the central region, which contains a bright X-ray source that is likely powered by material falling onto a supermassive black hole.
The zero gravity coffee cup
High above our planet in the realm of satellites and space stations, the familiar rules of Earth do not apply. The midday sky is as black as night. There is no up and no down. Dropped objects do not fall, and hot air does not rise.
British engineers report successful test of space penetrator
(Phys.org) —British engineers have told reporters that a test of their space penetrator has been conducted and all signs suggest it was a complete success. The space penetrator is a bullet shaped projectile with electronics inside. Its purpose is to hard-land on another planet or moon, penetrating the surface by up to ten feet, then radio back sensor information.
Distorted GPS signals reveal hurricane wind speeds
By pinpointing locations on Earth from space, GPS systems have long shown drivers the shortest route home and guided airline pilots across oceans. Now, by figuring out how messed up GPS satellite signals get when bouncing around in a storm, researchers have found a way to do something completely different with GPS: measure and map the wind speeds of hurricanes.
Scientists outline long-term sea-level rise in response to warming of planet
A new study estimates that global sea levels will rise about 2.3 meters, or more than seven feet, over the next several thousand years for every degree (Celsius) the planet warms.
The heart of space weather observed in action
Two NASA spacecraft have provided the most comprehensive movie ever of a mysterious process at the heart of all explosions on the sun: magnetic reconnection. Magnetic reconnection happens when magnetic field lines come together, break apart and then exchange partners, snapping into new positions and releasing a jolt of magnetic energy. This process lies at the heart of giant explosions on the sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can fling radiation and particles across the solar system.
Scientists solve a 14,000-year-old ocean mystery
At the end of the last Ice Age, as the world began to warm, a swath of the North Pacific Ocean came to life. During a brief pulse of biological productivity 14,000 years ago, this stretch of the sea teemed with phytoplankton, amoeba-like foraminifera and other tiny creatures, who thrived in large numbers until the productivity ended—as mysteriously as it began—just a few hundred years later.
Some volcanoes 'scream' at ever-higher pitches until they blow their tops
It is not unusual for swarms of small earthquakes to precede a volcanic eruption. They can reach a point of such rapid succession that they create a signal called harmonic tremor that resembles sound made by various types of musical instruments, though at frequencies much lower than humans can hear.
Hubble finds new Neptune moon
(Phys.org) —NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a new moon orbiting the distant blue-green planet Neptune, the 14th known to be circling the giant planet.
Technology news
Founder of US-based Bose audio firm dies at 83
Acoustics pioneer Amar Bose, founder and chairman of the audio technology company Bose Corp., known for the rich sound of its small tabletop radios and its noise-canceling headphones popular among frequent fliers, has died at age 83.
Proposed solar array offers a bright energy future
Here comes the sun: Cornell hopes to expand its renewable energy portfolio as it benefits from the NY-Sun Initiative, a series of large-scale, solar energy projects expected to add about 67 megawatts of solar electricity to the state.
Team of aspiring engineers shines at robotic vehicle competition
Current and future Arizona State University engineering students teamed up for a winning performance earlier this summer in an international robotics contest.
Communications surveillance in Australia
Hot on the heels of data analyst whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations about the existence of the PRISM electronic surveillance program operated by the United States' National Security Agency since 2007, we've heard some more about communications surveillance – this time with an Australian connection.
EU bids to fix French-German Daimler auto row
EU experts meet on Wednesday to tackle a French-German row over a delay by auto giant Daimler in using a new air conditioning coolant deemed more environment-friendly, officials said Monday.
Young job seekers, check your privacy settings
Social media websites can be a boon for employers scoping out job applicants, and that's bad news for certain groups of young people, according to a new Northwestern University study.
AT&T to buy carrier Leap Wireless (Update)
AT&T announced plans Friday to buy mobile carrier Leap Wireless in a deal worth at least $4 billion, giving the telecom giant more spectrum and the Cricket prepaid phone franchise.
Dolby helps 'Pacific Rim' thrill ears as well as eyes
Dolby sound specialists have given director Guillermo del Toro a way to put movie goers into the thick of battles between giant robots and fearsome monsters in "Pacific Rim."
Wind of austerity chills Spanish turbine industry
Wearing face masks and wielding sanders, two workers smooth the surface of a massive fan for a wind turbine at the Gamesa factory in Aoiz, a town in Navarre, northern Spain.
Icahn backs sweeter Dell counterproposal
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is proposing that Dell shareholders get a chance to own a bigger stake in the struggling computer maker in hopes of thwarting an attempt by the company's founder to buy it for $24.4 billion and take it private.
Twitter gives France data in anti-Semitic posts
Twitter has given French authorities information that can help identify the authors of a series of racist and anti-Semitic tweets that carried French hashtags, and the social media site also has agreed to work with a Jewish student group that sued for the data on other ways to fight hate speech.
US lawmakers shuffle the deck on online gambling
Online gambling is back before Congress, and some are betting it will move forward this time.
Merkel urges stronger Europe, global data rules
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Sunday for tougher European and global rules on data protection amid fallout from recent revelations about U.S. surveillance programs.
Nigerian startup has a job to do—many of them
When university student Ayodeji Adewunmi faced daunting hurdles in starting his own business in Nigeria, he turned to an unlikely source of inspiration: the country's huge youth unemployment problem.
Robotic toy car drives engineering students' business venture
A robotic toy car first developed as a class project is now the basis of a business startup by a group of Arizona State University engineering students.
SDSU graduate student generates electricity from windows
Windows may one day generate electricity to heat and cool buildings, thanks to research done at the South Dakota State University Center for Advanced Photovoltaics.
Using big data to design policies to improve airline customers' experiences
Many people find air travel frustrating. Flight delays, missed connections, full flights, long security lines and add-on fees are just a few reasons why air travel can be so frustrating.
S.Korea enforces smartphone app to curb military leaks
South Korea's defence ministry said on Monday it has ordered its staff to install a smartphone application that restricts key functions like the camera in an attempt to prevent military leaks.
A fatigue detection device to help keep your eyes on the road
An EPFL student has developed a video analysis algorithm able to estimate the level of a driver's fatigue based on the degree of eyelid closure. PSA Peugeot Citroën, a project partner, has built a prototype in order to test it in real driving conditions.
Who are you? NIST biometric publication provides two new ways to tell quickly
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a new publication that broadens agency security options for Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards. Biometric Data Specifications for Personal Identity Verification (Special Publication 800-76-2) adds iris images as biometric identifiers and on-card fingerprint comparison as options for the cards.
Apple to probe Chinese claim of iPhone death
Apple said Monday it would investigate claims that an iPhone electrocuted a Chinese woman who was making a call while charging the device.
The smallest puzzle in the world
Three pieces of less than 1 mm in size each may be put together to the probably smallest puzzle in the world. For production, researchers used LIGA2.X, a new process to manufacture microstructured casting molds at KIT's ANKA synchrotron source. Inexpensive series production is combined with highest precision on the microscale to produce e.g. components in watches, engines, or medical products. Now, large series of smallest parts can be injection-molded with highest accuracy.
Cyberwar is reality world must fight: UN official
The international community must wake up to the reality of cyberwar and strive to find ways to stem it, the head of the UN's telecommunications agency said Monday.
HP names three new board members amid turnaround push
Hewlett-Packard Co. has named three new members to its board, including former executives from McDonald's and Microsoft, as it forges ahead with its turnaround push.
Yahoo accepting requests for inactive email IDs
Yahoo is allowing people to place claims on inactive email addresses that are being given a second life.
Magnetic CEO, Alibaba jackpot rejuvenate Yahoo
Not much had been going right for Yahoo until it lured Marissa Mayer away from Google to become its CEO last summer. The move is shaping up as the best thing to happen to Yahoo since 2005 when it invested $1 billion in what was then a little-known Internet company in China, Alibaba.
Delft professor puts kites high on list for renewable energy
(Phys.org) —The word "kite" at the Delft University of Technology hardly means summertime fun and recreation. Rather, scientists see "kite" as an important airborne wind technology, with advantages lacking in wind turbines. The university's kite team are encouraged by recent tests in a field near the aerospace engineering department at the university. That is where Roland Schmehl, associate professor, who has a background in computational fluid dynamics, continues to explore kite power. In terms of project scope, such kite trials are dwarfed by impressive wind turbines, but that is just the point. Schmehl believes that conventional turbines only scratch the layer of what can be available in wind as an energy resource, if kite power investigations lead to larger-scale developments. A kite can fly higher and may harness steady winds beyond the limit of conventional turbines.
Solving DNA puzzles is overwhelming computer systems, researchers warn
(Phys.org) —Imagine millions of jigsaw puzzle pieces scattered across a football field, with too few people and too little time available to assemble the picture.
Human-powered helicopter wins Sikorsky prize
A Canadian-built helicopter that is powered by a human riding a bicycle has become the first winner of a decades-old $250,000 engineering prize, the US awarder said Friday.
Medicine & Health news
Getting enough ZZZs may play a part in concussion testing
Athletes who didn't get enough sleep the night before undergoing baseline concussion testing didn't perform as well as expected, say researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
Type of helmet, may not lower concussion risk
40,000 high school football kids get a concussion every year, but contrary to equipment manufacturers' claims, the specific brand of helmet and helmet age were not associated with lower risk of concussion, say researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
Saudi urges elderly to avoid hajj over virus fears
Saudi Arabia Saturday urged elderly and chronically ill Muslims not to perform the hajj pilgrimage, to curb the spread of the MERS coronavirus which has killed 38 in the kingdom.
Baseball players enjoy successful long-term results after elbow surgery
Baseball players undergoing ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery are able to return to the same or higher level of competition for an extended period of time, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
Texas Republicans pass new abortion limits
(AP)—Republicans in the Texas Legislature passed an omnibus abortion bill that is one of the most restrictive in the U.S., but Democrats have vowed to fight in the courts and at the ballot box as they used the measure to rally their supporters.
Target: New ways to battle disease
For decades, developing medicine to treat disease was a lengthy and often discouraging process: create a drug, test on a lab animal, hold a human clinical trial, and hope to calibrate an effective dose to kill the disease without devastating the patient.
This is not a test: In caring for airplane crash victims, training and teamwork prevailed
"Did you know there's been a plane crash at San Francisco airport?" It was a little past 11:30 a.m. on July 6 when Eric A. Weiss, MD, the medical director of the joint office of emergency management for Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, first learned of the crash landing of Asiana Flight 214. A television in the emergency department waiting room had reported the news, which made its way to the director of pediatric emergency medicine, Bernard Dannenberg, MD, and then to Weiss, both of whom, fortuitously, were working that day.
Just a few drops of blood can save a baby's life: Celebrating 50 years of newborn screening
Every day, the hopes and dreams of hundreds of new parents pass through the capable hands of approximately 20 people they will probably never meet on the fourth floor of a UW-Madison campus building they will probably never visit.
Medicaid patients at higher risk of complications after spine surgery
Among patients undergoing spinal surgery, Medicaid beneficiaries are at higher risk of experiencing any type of complication, compared to privately insured patients, reports a study in the July 15 issue of of Spine.
Can supplementing vitamin D reduce infections in patients from neurosurgical ICU?
Vitamin D influences many other physiological processes, including muscle function, cardiovascular homeostasis, nerve function, and immune response. Furthermore, accumulated evidence suggests that vitamin D also mediates the immune system response to infection. Infections are very common in patients from neurosurgical intensive care unit.
Rat hippocampal neurons: An executor of neuroinflammation
Recent findings suggest that Toll-like receptor 4 expressed in the central nervous system, especially in glial cells, plays a vital role in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative conditions. Traditional theory suggests that neurons are injured by inflammatory factors released from glial cells, and that neurons are the victims of neuroinflammation. However, it has recently been suggested that Toll-like receptor 4 is expressed by cerebral cortical neurons.
An embolic agent in the rete mirabile induces ischemic stroke in miniature pigs
Rodents are frequently used as animal models for ischemic stroke studies induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion.
Neurotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs
Chemotherapy is one of the primary treatments for cancer. However, one of the most disturbing findings of recent studies of cancer survivors is the apparent prevalence of chemotherapy-associated adverse neurological effects, including vascular complications, seizures, mood disorders, cognitive dysfunctions, and peripheral neuropathies.
African leaders urge more health funding
African leaders called for increased funding Monday to contain HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as a continental health summit opened in Nigeria's capital.
An 'obesity-risk' allele alters hunger-stimulating hormone production
Individuals carrying the "obesity-risk" allele of the fat mass and obesity associated gene, FTO, are prone to obesity and obesity related eating behaviors such as increased food consumption, preference for high fat foods and lack of satiation after eating. How this particular gene regulates obesity prone behaviors is not fully understood.
Surgical patients' mortality rates drop at ACS NSQIP hospitals in California
A new study evaluating surgical outcomes at California hospitals enrolled in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) found surgical patients at ACS NSQIP hospitals had significantly reduced mortality rates compared with non-ACS NSQIP hospitals. These findings were presented Sunday, July 14, 2013 at the ACS NSQIP National Conference, taking place July 13-16 in San Diego, Calif.
Researcher works to increase hearing-aid use among adults with hearing impairments
Nearly half of individuals who are prescribed hearing aids do not wear the devices, previous research has shown. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has received a fellowship that will help her continue her work to increase hearing-aid use among adults with hearing impairments.
Jamaica adopts smoking ban in public places
People caught lighting up in bars, restaurants and other enclosed public spaces now face hefty penalties in Jamaica.
Pfizer: Five more countries OK arthritis pill Xeljanz
Several more countries have approved Pfizer Inc.'s new rheumatoid arthritis medicine, a twice-a-day pill seen as likely to be a big moneymaker for the company.
CMS proposes new rule for outpatient payment policies
(HealthDay)—A new rule proposes updating Medicare payment policies and rates for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services, according to a report issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Undiagnosed pre-diabetes highly prevalent in early Alzheimer's disease study
When Georgetown University neurologist R. Scott Turner, MD, PhD, began enrolling people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease into a nationwide study last year, he expected to find only a handful of participants with undiagnosed glucose intolerance, as all the patients were already under a doctor's care and those with known diabetes were excluded. But Turner says he was "shocked" by how many study participants were found to have pre-diabetes—a finding that is triggering important questions.
Research finds racial, ethnic disparities in health care among older male cancer survivors
Older African-American and Hispanic men who have survived cancer are less likely than their white counterparts to see a specialist or receive basic preventive care, such as vaccinations, according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Knee cartilage repair technique shows improvement in patient outcomes and regeneration
A natural tissue graft can spur regeneration of cartilage and improve symptoms in patients who have cartilage damage in their knee, according to a study by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery. The new research, the first case-series evaluation of De Novo NT Natural Tissue Graft, will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), to be held July 11-14, in Chicago.
Study reveals promise of "human computing power" via crowdsourcing to speed medical research
"Human computing power" harnessed from ordinary citizens across the world has the potential to accelerate the pace of health care research of all kinds, a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, writes in a new review published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. In fact, they suggest, crowdsourcing – a research method that allows investigators to engage thousands of people to provide either data or data analysis, usually via online communications – could even improve the quality of research while reducing the costs.
Lack of fish in diet linked to anxiety in pregnancy
Women who do not eat fish during pregnancy are more likely to experience high levels of anxiety at that time. Researchers from Children of the 90s at the University of Bristol and the Federal University of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, have found a link between the types of diet eaten, particularly whether this includes fish, and anxiety in pregnancy. They suggest that eating fish during pregnancy could help reduce stress levels.
Car seat insert enhances safety for infants
Research into an infant car safety seat insert has highlighted the importance of not leaving infants to sleep in their car safety seat.
UAlberta research informs US guidelines on gestational diabetes
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta are providing their expertise to the U.S. government to help guide recommendations on gestational diabetes screening.
Federal report shows drop in proportion of children in US population
(Medical Xpress)—The number of children living in the United States declined slightly, as did the percentage of the U.S. population who are children, according to the federal government's annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation's children and youth. The percentage of children living in the United States who are Asian, non-Hispanic increased, as did the percentage of children who are of two or more races, and the percentage of children who are Hispanic. The percentages of children who are white, non-Hispanic, and black, non-Hispanic declined.
Affordable Care Act could cause people to leave their jobs
As a consequence of the Affordable Care Act, between 500,000 and 900,000 Americans may choose to stop working. That possibility is predicted in a new analysis of an analogous situation in reverse: the abrupt end of Tennessee's Medicaid expansion in 2005. That year, Tennessee dropped 170,000 of its citizens from Medicaid. It was the largest Medicaid disenrollment in the history of the program.
Technology needs tailoring to the user
Growing numbers of elderly people in Norway are being offered by the welfare services to use tablet computers for controlling functions in their home. But many find an iPad too difficult to understand.
Breast cancer leading cause of alcohol-attributable death in New Zealand women
(Medical Xpress)—Alcohol is responsible for more than one-in-twenty deaths of New Zealanders aged under 80, new University of Otago research suggests. Although most harm to young people's health from drinking is through injury, alcohol also contributes to chronic diseases, and breast cancer is the leading cause of death from alcohol in both Māori and non-Māori women overall.
Unraveling complex genetic interplay for MS risks
A WA-cohort of patients has been used to study the risk modifying role of specific genes suspected to contribute to one's predisposition to multiple sclerosis (MS).
Most popular ovarian cancer cell lines do not resemble ovarian cancer
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center recently discovered that the most frequently used cancer cell lines in ovarian cancer research are not suitable models of ovarian cancer. Their findings are the result of a detailed review of genomic data that recently became publicly available. Their methods, published in this week's Nature Communications, could provide a usable framework for other researchers to better assess cell lines' validity for future use in this and in other types of cancer research.
Psychologist explains how summer vacation travel can affect your mental health
Vacations are supposed to be restful, but as we head into the peak season, a Loyola University Medical Center psychologist cautions that vacation travel also can pose risks to your mental and physical health.
Genetic testing kits get closer look in Loyola study
(Medical Xpress)—Several companies sell genetic testing directly to consumers, but little research has been done on how consumers experience such tests. The tests have raised questions about the validity and accuracy of the information provided to consumers – especially without the involvement of a qualified health-care professional.
High stress linked to poor health among Indigenous kids
High stress among Indigenous children in urban areas is linked to poorer physical health and more parental concern about behavioural issues, a new study has found.
Chill out: disturbed sleep plays havoc with your mood and mind
A poll by Lifeline released earlier this week shows almost two-thirds of Australians reported sleep loss because of stress relating to work or their finances. The findings went largely unremarked, even though a chronic lack of sleep has serious public health implications.
A guide to exercise during pregnancy
In the past, pregnant women were discouraged from exercise. Pregnancy was seen as a time to put your feet up and take it easy. But this historical view of pregnancy was very much based on cultural and social biases rather than scientific evidence.
Two new Alzheimer's drugs show promise in early studies
(HealthDay)—Researchers say two new drugs for Alzheimer's disease have shown promise in early experiments and will likely progress to the next round of clinical trials.
Later retirement may help prevent dementia, study says (Update)
New research boosts the "use it or lose it" theory about brainpower and staying mentally sharp. People who delay retirement have less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, a study of nearly half a million people in France found.
Novel misoprostol insert reduces labor time, need for oxytocin
(HealthDay)—Use of a 200-microgram misoprostol vaginal insert significantly reduces the time to vaginal delivery and the need for oxytocin, in women with an unfavorable cervix, compared to those using a dinoprostone vaginal insert, according to a study published online July 8 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Very preterm babies show bonding difficulties despite parental sensitivity
A new study suggests that some very preterm babies have trouble bonding with their care-givers due to neurological impairments and not to the way their parents interact with them.
Surprise finding reveals how adaptive our immune systems can be
(Medical Xpress)—Studies of patients with immunodeficiencies involving single gene mutations can reveal a great deal about our immune systems, especially when actual symptoms do not accord with clinical expectations.
Black-legged ticks linked to encephalitis in New York state
The number of tick-borne illnesses reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on the rise. Lyme disease leads the pack, with some 35,000 cases reported annually. In the Northeast, the black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) that spread Lyme disease also infect people with other maladies, among them anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and – as a new paper in the journal Parasites and Vectors reports – Powassan encephalitis.
Women who suffered severe sexual trauma as kids benefit most from intervention
A UCLA-led study of HIV-positive women who were sexually abused as children has found that the more severe their past trauma, the greater their improvement in an intervention program designed to ease their psychological suffering.
Prior flu exposure dictates your future immunity, allowing for new, rationally developed regiments
A team of scientists, led by researchers at The Wistar Institute, has determined that it might be possible to stimulate the immune system against multiple strains of influenza virus by sequentially vaccinating individuals with distinct influenza strains isolated over the last century.
Scientists generate largest data set of cancer-related genetic variations
Scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have generated a data set of cancer-specific genetic variations and are making these data available to the research community, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Study reveals new dietary risk factors for colorectal cancer
Fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits, crisps and desserts have all been identified as risk factors for bowel cancer, according to new research.
Drug shows dramatic reduction in seizures in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex
A drug originally developed to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs has now been shown to dramatically reduce seizures in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) – a genetic disease characterized by benign tumors on multiple organ systems. TSC is estimated to affect more than a million individuals throughout the world.
Path of plaque buildup in brain shows promise as early biomarker for Alzheimer's disease
The trajectory of amyloid plaque buildup—clumps of abnormal proteins in the brain linked to Alzheimer's disease—may serve as a more powerful biomarker for early detection of cognitive decline rather than using the total amount to gauge risk, researchers from Penn Medicine's Department of Radiology suggest in a new study published online July 15 in Neurobiology of Aging.
Cancer researchers discover how BRCA1 mutation starts breast, ovarian cancers
Scientists led by Drs. Mona Gauthier and Tak Mak at The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have solved a key piece in the puzzle of how BRCA1 gene mutations specifically predispose women to breast and ovarian cancers.
Brain discovery could help schizophrenics
The discovery of brain impairment in mice may eventually lead to better therapies for people with schizophrenia and major depression.
Physical punishment in childhood tied to health woes as adults
(HealthDay)—Children whose parents use "harsh" physical punishment such as slapping or shoving may end up in relatively poorer physical health as adults, a new study suggests.
Kids mimic parents' TV viewing habits
(HealthDay)—If you want your kids to spend less time parked in front of a television, you need to set the example.
Diabetes drug may protect the brain
(HealthDay)—The diabetes drug metformin may do more than help control blood sugar levels: New research suggests it may also reduce the risk of dementia.
Current blood transfusion practice in trauma centers feasible but wastes scarce plasma
Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital are asking questions about the practice of automatically transfusing large amounts of blood and blood products to trauma patients with major bleeding.
An end-of-life 'conversation guide' for physicians to speak with patients
How does a doctor tackle the delicate issue of end-of-life care planning with a patient?
Understanding the role of IKACh in cardiac function
Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown role for the acetylcholine-activated inward-rectifying potassium current (IKACh) in cardiac pacemaker activity and heart rate regulation, according to a study in The Journal of General Physiology.
Elevated blood pressure increasing among children, adolescents
The risk of elevated blood pressure among children and adolescents rose 27 percent during a thirteen-year period, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension.
Chinese people may be at higher risk for stroke than Caucasians
A new study suggests that Chinese people may be at higher risk for stroke than Caucasians. The research is published in the July 16, 2013, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Electronic health records slow the rise of healthcare costs
Use of electronic health records can reduce the costs of outpatient care by roughly 3 percent, compared to relying on traditional paper records.
Extend HPV jab to young gay men, say sexual health experts
The vaccination programme against HPV infection began in 2008 in the UK, but only among girls, on the grounds that this would curb the spread of the infection to boys as well.
One-year mortality remains high in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis
Prosthetic valve endocarditis (inflammation and infection involving the heart valves and lining of the heart chambers) remains associated with a high one-year mortality rate and early valve replacement does not appear to be associated with lower mortality compared with medical therapy according to a study by Tahaniyat Lalani, M.D., M.H.S., of the Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia, and colleagues.
Lunar cycle affects cardiac patients undergoing acute aortic dissection, study shows
If you need cardiac surgery in the future, aortic dissection in particular, reach for the moon. Or at least try to schedule your surgery around its cycle. According to a study at Rhode Island Hospital, acute aortic dissection (AAD) repair performed in the waning full moon appears to reduce the odds of death, and a full moon was associated with shorter length of stay (LOS). The study is published online in advance of print in the journal Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
Clinical trials for cancer, one patient at a time
Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers are developing a new approach to cancer clinical trials, in which therapies are designed and tested one patient at a time. The patient's tumor is "reverse engineered" to determine its unique genetic characteristics and to identify existing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs that may target them.
CSI-style DNA fingerprinting tracks down cause of cancer spread
(Medical Xpress)—The University of Colorado Cancer Center along with Yale University and the Denver Crime Lab report in the journal PLOS ONE the first proof of cancer's ability to fuse with blood cells in a way that gives cancer the ability to travel, allowing previously stationary cancer cells to enter the bloodstream and seed sites of metastasis around the body. The work used DNA fingerprinting of a bone marrow transplant patient with cancer, along with DNA fingerprinting of the patient's bone marrow donor, to show that subsequent metastatic cancer cells in the patient's body carried parts of both genomes, fused together into a hybrid cancer cell.
Common autism supplement affects endocrine system
Plant-based diets are healthy. Plants are high in flavonoids. So flavonoids are healthy. At least that's the reasoning of many manufacturers of flavonoid-based nutritional supplements. But a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published this week in the journal Hormones & Cancer shows that may not be the case. Flavonoids tested in the study affected the endocrine system in ways that in one case promoted cancer and in another repressed it.
Music decreases perceived pain for kids in pediatric ER
Newly published findings by medical researchers at the University of Alberta provide more evidence that music decreases children's perceived sense of pain.
AMI up with stress-induced hyperglycemia after hip fx
(HealthDay)—For patients after hip fracture, stress-induced hyperglycemia is associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published online July 11 in Diabetes Care.
New treatments show promise against drug-resistant gonorrhea
(HealthDay)—Two new promising treatments for gonorrhea may help fight the growth of drug-resistant strains of the sexually transmitted bacteria, according to a new U.S. government study.
Index CRC tumor site impacts increased CA risk for survivors
(HealthDay)—The location of index colorectal cancer (CRC) affects the incidence of second cancer after CRC, according to a study published online July 15 in Cancer.
Pain control in children with cerebral palsy: Treat the cause, not the symptoms
Researchers at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital have found that more than 25 percent of children with cerebral palsy seen by physicians have moderate to severe chronic pain, limiting their activity. Findings indicate that pediatricians should be aware of chronic pain in this group and try to identify and treat its underlying causes.
FDA approves first brain wave test for ADHD
US regulators on Monday approved the first brain wave test for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, saying it may improve the accuracy of diagnoses by medical experts.
Scientists discover kill-switch controls immune-suppressing cells
Scientists have uncovered the mechanism that controls whether cells that are able to suppress immune responses live or die.
Antiviral enzyme contributes to several forms of cancer
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered that a human antiviral enzyme causes DNA mutations that lead to several forms of cancer.
DNA abnormalities may contribute to cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes
A type of genetic abnormality linked to cancer is more common in people with type 2 diabetes than the rest of the population, a new study has found.
Researchers find that proteins involved in immunity potentially cause cancer
A set of proteins involved in the body's natural defenses produces a large number of mutations in human DNA, according to a study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The findings suggest that these naturally produced mutations are just as powerful as known cancer-causing agents in producing tumors.
Drug candidate leads to improved endurance
An international group of scientists has shown that a drug candidate designed by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) significantly increases exercise endurance in animal models.
Early spatial reasoning predicts later creativity and innovation, especially in STEM fields
Exceptional spatial ability at age 13 predicts creative and scholarly achievements over 30 years later, according to results from a new longitudinal study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Responsive brain stimulation could improve life for Parkinson's sufferers
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers in Oxford have demonstrated a significant improvement in the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease with deep brain stimulation.
Foraging for thought – new insights into our working memory
(Medical Xpress)—We take it for granted that our thoughts are in constant turnover. Metaphors like "stream of consciousness" and "train of thought" imply steady, continuous motion. But is there a mechanism inside our heads that drives this? Is there something compelling our attention to move on to new ideas instead of dwelling in the same spot forever?
Scientists identify neural origins of hot flashes in menopausal women
A new study from neuroscientists at the Wayne State University School of Medicine provides the first novel insights into the neural origins of hot flashes in menopausal women in years. The study may inform and eventually lead to new treatments for those who experience the sudden but temporary episodes of body warmth, flushing and sweating.
In children with fever, researchers distinguish bacterial from viral infections
In children with fever but no other symptoms of illness, it is difficult to know whether a child has a viral infection that will resolve on its own or a potentially serious bacterial infection that requires antibiotics.
Team generates long-lasting blood vessels from reprogrammed human cells
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have used vascular precursor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate, in an animal model, functional blood vessels that lasted as long as nine months. In their report being published in PNAS Early Edition, the investigators describe using iPSCs – reprogrammed adult cells that have many of the characteristics of embryonic stem cells – from both healthy adults and from individuals with type 1 diabetes to generate blood vessels on the outer surface of the brain or under the skin of mice.
Chemical compound shows promise as alternative to opioid pain relievers
A drug targeting a protein complex containing two different types of opioid receptors may be an effective alternative to morphine and other opioid pain medications, without any of the side effects or risk of dependence, according to research led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The findings are published in July in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Fear factor: Missing brain enzyme leads to abnormal levels of fear in mice
A little bit of learned fear is a good thing, keeping us from making risky, stupid decisions or falling over and over again into the same trap. But new research from neuroscientists and molecular biologists at USC shows that a missing brain protein may be the culprit in cases of severe over-worry, where the fear perseveres even when there's nothing of which to be afraid.
All together now: Novel mechanism directs both dendritic and axonal growth in the same neuron
(Medical Xpress)—Although the brain-as-computer metaphor is flawed in several ways, dendrites and axons may be considered respectively as a neuron's input and output compartments – and determining how they differentiate during neuronal development is critical in understanding neural circuit assembly as well as in correcting and preventing defective and damaged neurons. Recently, scientists at the University of Michigan demonstrated that a single molecular pathway in Drosophila (fruit flies) controls both dendritic and axonal growth, doing so by focusing on dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) – a key molecule in this pathway. While DLK is a key regulator of axon growth and regeneration, the new study demonstrates for the first time its role in dendritic growth. The researchers conclude that their findings may lead to a method for promoting axon regeneration without affecting dendritic growth, and suggest that their results provide a new perspective for understanding neur! onal compartmentalization and morphology.
Biology news
Thieves steal exotic reptiles from Australian zoo
Thieves stole a horde of exotic reptiles from an Australian zoo, including a baby alligator, leaving their keepers fearing they could be destined for the black market.
Researchers discover new retroviruses in polar bear 'Knut' and panda 'Bao Bao'
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are viruses that at some point in the past inserted themselves into the nuclear genome of a host's germ cell. Once integrated in a germ cell the virus would be passed on from one generation to the next and the endogenous retroviral genome would therefore be inherited to new species that evolve from the original host. 'ERV sequences and fragments make up about eight per cent of the human genome,' explains Professor Jens Mayer from the Department of Human Genetics at Saarland University. Endogenous retroviruses are found not only in humans, but also in other mammals such as horses, cattle, apes, koalas and, as has now been shown, in polar bears and giant pandas.
Researchers develop E. coli test for food processing facilities
Medical, agriculture and computer science researchers from the University of Alberta have teamed up to develop a test that will make Canadians feel safer about the meat they put on their tables. The testing device, which is the size of a large shoe box, can detect pathogenic E. coli while meat is still at food processing facilities. The test is more sensitive at picking up E. coli strains, faster at pinpointing results, and less expensive than other tests that are currently used.
In US, struggle against snakehead ends on plates
The snakehead is an invasive species of fish from Asia that is threatening the delicate ecosystem of the Potomac River that flows through Washington into the Atlantic Ocean.
Protecting our pollinators
Bees, so crucial to our food supply, are dying off at alarming rates. CALS researchers are taking a close look at everything from the microbes in their hives to the landscapes they live in to identify in what conditions bees thrive.
Aquaculture industry may benefit from water mold genome study
(Phys.org) —An Oregon State University scientist and partners borrowed some technology from the Human Genome Project to more clearly identify the genes used by a type of water mold that attacks fish and causes millions of dollars in losses to the aquaculture industry each year.
Revolutionising the Fungarium - a genomic treasure trove?
A DNA sequencing breakthrough has used samples from Kew's Fungarium to show that genetic information can be accessed from even very old samples, holding out the promise of significant discoveries which may have profound impacts on all our lives.
Ancient crop could help safeguard world's wheat
(Phys.org) —Using a crop popular in the Bronze Age but almost unknown today, University of Sydney scientists have helped pave the way to creating wheat resistant to the fungal disease stem rust.
How cranberries impact infection-causing bacteria
Consuming cranberry products has been anecdotally associated with prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs) for over 100 years. But is this popular belief a myth, or scientific fact?
Nesting Gulf loggerheads face offshore risks
Threatened loggerhead sea turtles in the northern Gulf of Mexico can travel distances up to several hundred miles and visit offshore habitats between nesting events in a single season, taking them through waters impacted by oil and fishing industries.
Drought response identified in potential biofuel plant
Drought resistance is the key to large-scale production of Jatropha, a potential biofuel plant—and an international group of scientists has identified the first step toward engineering a hardier variety.
Stem cell clues uncovered
Proper tissue function and regeneration is supported by stem cells, which reside in so-called niches. New work from Carnegie's Yixian Zheng and Haiyang Chen identifies an important component for regulating stem cell niches, with impacts on tissue building and function. The results could have implications for disease research. It is published by Cell Stem Cell.
Phytoplankton use turbulence for travel to social gatherings
Tiny ocean plants, or phytoplankton, were long thought to be passive drifters in the sea—unable to defy even the weakest currents, or travel by their own volition. In recent decades, research has shown that many species of these unicellular microorganisms can swim, and do so to optimize light exposure, avoid predators or move closer to others of their kind.
Simulated metabolic networks show exaptations far outnumber adaptations
(Phys.org) —A pair of researchers from the University of Zurich in Switzerland has found that pre-adaptive traits, (which they call exaptations) appear to be far more common than adaptive traits. In their paper published in the journal Nature, Aditya Barve and Andreas Wagner describe how they created simulated metabolic networks to show that exaptations are far more common than has been thought.
In bonobos, attractive females are more likely to win conflicts against males
Female social dominance over males is rare among mammal species. Bonobos, one of our closest living relatives, are known for females holding relatively high social statuses when compared to males; though this is puzzling as the males are often bigger and stronger than the females. Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have now analyzed the dominance relations between male and female wild bonobos and took particular interest in the high social status ranking of some females. The result: It is not female alliances that help females win conflicts. The context of the conflict does not seem to be relevant for its outcome either. Instead, the attractiveness of females plays an important role. If females display sexually attractive attributes, including sexual swellings, they win conflicts with males more easily, with the males behaving in a less aggressive way.
Share robotic frogs help turn a boring mating call into a serenade (w/ Video)
With the help of a robotic frog, biologists at The University of Texas at Austin and Salisbury University have discovered that two wrong mating calls can make a right for female tungara frogs.
Study visualizes mRNA transport in test tube
(Phys.org) —Much of biomedical science – both mystifying and awe-inspiring to the lay public – depends on an unwavering focus on things that can't be easily seen, like the inner-workings of cells, in order to determine how and why disease develops. New research authored by Thomas Sladewski, a University of Vermont graduate student working in the laboratory of Kathleen Trybus, Ph.D., and colleagues, provides a rare "picture" of the activity taking place at the single molecular level: visual evidence of the mechanisms involved when a cell transports mRNA (or messenger RNA) to where a protein is needed to perform a cellular function.
Sexual reproduction only second choice for powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is one of the most dreaded plant diseases: The parasitic fungus afflicts crops such as wheat and barley and is responsible for large harvest shortfalls every year. Beat Keller and Thomas Wicker, both plant biologists from the University of Zurich, and their team have been analyzing the genetic material of wheat mildew varieties from Switzerland, England and Israel while the team headed by Paul Schulze-Lefert at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne studies the genetic material of barley mildew.
Boldly illuminating biology's 'dark matter'
Is space really the final frontier, or are the greatest mysteries closer to home? In cosmology, dark matter is said to account for the majority of mass in the universe, however its presence is inferred by indirect effects rather than detected through telescopes. The biological equivalent is "microbial dark matter," that pervasive yet practically invisible infrastructure of life on the planet, which can have profound influences on the most significant environmental processes from plant growth and health, to nutrient cycles in terrestrial and marine environments, the global carbon cycle, and possibly even climate processes. By employing next generation DNA sequencing of genomes isolated from single cells, great strides are being made in the monumental task of systematically bringing to light and filling in uncharted branches in the bacterial and archaeal tree of life. In an international collaboration led by the Joint Genome Institute (JGI), the most recent findings from exp! loring microbial dark matter were published online July 14, 2013 in the journal Nature.
Key step in molecular 'dance' that duplicates DNA deciphered
Building on earlier work exploring the complex choreography by which intricate cellular proteins interact with and copy DNA prior to cell division, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators have captured a key step-molecular images showing how the enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix gets drawn to and wrapped around its target. Details of the research, published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, enhance understanding of an essential biological process and may suggest ways for stopping cell division when it goes awry.
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