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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 26, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Research duo suggest early Earth had heat-pipe channels similar to Jupiter's moon Io- Observations reveal critical interplay of interstellar dust, hydrogen
- Lunar orbiters discover source of space weather near Earth
- Mars rover Curiosity finds water in first sample of planet surface
- Brain circuitry that triggers overeating identified
- Spirals of light may lead to better electronics
- Team finds new energy storage capabilities between layers of 2-D materials
- Making ceramics that bend without breaking
- IUPAC votes to change standard atomic weights of 19 elements
- Folic acid deficiency can affect the health of great, great grandchildren
- Made to order at the synapse: Dynamics of protein synthesis at neuron tip
- Second body clock discovered in the speckled sea louse
- Key cellular mechanism in the body's 'battery' can either spur or stop obesity
- Colonizing songbirds lost sense of syntax: Genes underlying song selection may have been lost in transit
- Pan-cancer studies find common patterns shared by different tumor types
Space & Earth news
10 things to know about the IPCC climate panel
Here are 10 things to know about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.N.-sponsored scientific group that will present a landmark report on global warming Friday.
Month-long study by UH targets improved air quality forecasting
University of Houston (UH) professors and students are taking part in an air quality study that will help scientists understand how to better interpret and forecast air quality using satellite data and numerical models.
First long temperature reconstruction for the eastern Mediterranean based on tree rings
For the eastern Mediterranean, an exactly dated time series of almost 900 year length was established, exhibiting the medieval warm period, the little ice age between the 16th and 19th century as well as the transition into the modern warm phase.
NASA views a transitioning Tropical-Storm Pabuk
Typhoon Pabuk weakened and the core of the storm was changing from a warm core tropical system to a cold core low pressure system as it continued paralleling the coast of Japan on Sept. 26. NASA's Aqua satellite provided a visible image of the transforming storm that had lost its eye.
Livestock is major contributor to global warming: UN
Livestock farming makes up 14.5 percent of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, the UN food agency said Thursday, proposing solutions like breeding less-flatulent types of cows.
Understanding clouds as a necessary ingredient in the search for life: The case study of the exoplanet Kepler-7b
An international team, with participation from the University of Bern, has produced the first map of clouds on an exoplanet using the Kepler Space Telescope. Studying the atmospheres of exoplanets is the path towards ultimately identifying life elsewhere in the Universe. Understanding the role of clouds in exoplanet atmospheres is a necessary ingredient in the cosmic hunt for life.
Adversaries, zombies and NIPCC climate pseudoscience
The warm start to Australian spring has been accompanied by a deluge of pseudoscience. Anti-vaccination campaigners andaliens made appearances, but the deluge was primarily climate pseudoscience in the Murdoch Press and talk radio.
Wind 'fights' Leeuwin to provide nutrient rich waters
Researchers investigating the Ningaloo Reef's circulation patterns have discovered that periodic, local wind-driven currents are still strong enough to generate upwelling, providing important nutrients from the seabed to the reef, despite strong suppression from the Leeuwin Current.
UN panel in final push for new climate report
Scientists and governments pored over the summary Thursday of an eagerly awaited UN report expected to emphasise the escalating threat from climate change.
Drone watches over Florida Keys marine sanctuary
Lt. j.g. Kyle Salling stood on the bow of a 24-foot boat in Florida Bay, holding what looked like a large model airplane. With the propellers gently whirling, and the small red and green aviation lights on, Sims launched the 13-pound aircraft like he was throwing a javelin.
Future sea level rises should not restrict new island formation in the Maldives
The continued accumulation of sand within the iconic ring-shaped reefs inside Maldivian atolls could provide a foundation for future island development new research suggests. Islands like the Maldives are considered likely to be the first to feel the effects of climate change induced sea level rise, with future island growth essential to counter the threat of rising sea levels.
Report ponders: How sensitive is climate to CO2?
Scientists are more confident than ever that pumping carbon dioxide into the air by burning fossil fuels is warming the planet. The question is, by how much?
Water for future Mars astronauts? Diversity of Martian soils leaves scientists thirsty for more
Within its first three months on Mars, NASA's Curiosity Rover saw a surprising diversity of soils and sediments along a half-kilometer route that tell a complex story about the gradual desiccation of the Red Planet.
EPA suggests safer flame retardants
(HealthDay)—Safer alternatives to a toxic flame retardant chemical are presented in a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Science benefits from diverse landing area of NASA mars rover
NASA's Curiosity rover is revealing a great deal about Mars, from long-ago processes in its interior to the current interaction between the Martian surface and atmosphere.
HS3 mission identifies area of strong winds, rain in Hurricane Ingrid
One of the instruments that flew aboard one of two unmanned Global Hawk aircraft during NASA's HS3 mission was the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer known as HIRAD. HIRAD identified an area of heavy rains and and likely strong winds in Hurricane Ingrid by measuring surface wind speeds and rain rates using its rectangular antenna to track activity on the ocean's surface.
Methane out, carbon dioxide in?
A University of Virginia engineering professor has proposed a novel approach for keeping waste carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
New space crew joins ISS on Olympic torch mission (Update)
An American and two Russians Thursday boarded the International Space Station after a lightning journey from Earth, on a mission that will see the Olympic torch for the 2014 Sochi Games taken into space for the first time.
'Jake_M': Unusual Mars rock described
The first rock that scientists analyzed on Mars with a pair of chemical instruments aboard the Curiosity rover turned out to be a doozy – a pyramid-shaped volcanic rock called a "mugearite" that is unlike any other Martian igneous rock ever found.
Steroids may persist longer in the environment than expected
Assessing the risk posed to aquatic organisms by the discharge of certain steroids and pharmaceutical products into waterways is often based on a belief that as the compounds degrade, the ecological risks naturally decline.
Martian chemical complicates hunt for life's clues
The quest for evidence of life on Mars could be more difficult than scientists previously thought. A scientific paper published today details the investigation of a chemical in the Martian soil that interferes with the techniques used by the Curiosity rover to test for traces of life. The chemical causes the evidence to burn away during the tests.
Several NASA spacecraft track energy through space
(Phys.org) —Scientists have provided the most comprehensive details yet of the journey energy from the sun takes as it hurtles around Earth's magnetosphere. Understanding the changes energy from the sun undergoes as it travels away and out into space is crucial for scientists to achieve their goal of some day predicting the onset of space weather that creates effects such as the shimmering lights of the aurora or interruptions in radio communications at Earth.
Observations reveal critical interplay of interstellar dust, hydrogen
(Phys.org) —For astrophysicists, the interplay of hydrogen—the most common molecule in the universe—and the vast clouds of dust that fill the voids of interstellar space has been an intractable puzzle of stellar evolution.
Research duo suggest early Earth had heat-pipe channels similar to Jupiter's moon Io
(Phys.org) —Two planetary researches, one from Hampton University and the National Institute of Aerospace, the other from Louisiana State University, have published a paper in the journal Nature suggesting that for a period of time, the Earth was very similar to Jupiter's moon Io—with heat from within being released through what are known as heat-pipes. The new theory by William Moore and Alexander Webb goes against the common consensus that the Earth transitioned directly from a planet with a hot molten liquid layer to one covered by tectonic plates.
Mars rover Curiosity finds water in first sample of planet surface
The first scoop of soil analyzed by the analytical suite in the belly of NASA's Curiosity rover reveals that fine materials on the surface of the planet contain several percent water by weight. The results were published today in Science as one article in a five-paper special section on the Curiosity mission. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Dean of Science Laurie Leshin is the study's lead author.
Lunar orbiters discover source of space weather near Earth
(Phys.org) —Solar storms—powerful eruptions of solar material and magnetic fields into interplanetary space—can cause what is known as "space weather" near Earth, resulting in hazards that range from interference with communications systems and GPS errors to extensive power blackouts and the complete failure of critical satellites.
Technology news
Research Project: Robotic Fabrication in Timber Construction
Researchers at the University of Stuttgart develop a lightweight timber construction system combining robotic prefabrication with computational design and simulation processes, as well as three-dimensional surveying technologies used in engineering geodesy. In collaboration with Kuka, a manufacturer of industrial robot arms, and the timber construction and engineering company MüllerBlaustein, the partners investigate the potentials of robotic prefabrication in timber construction. Their goal is to develop innovative, performative and sustainable construction systems made from wood, which also expand the repertoire of architectural expression in timber construction.
New life for old TV screens
Television sets have changed dramatically in recent years, with the introduction of flat-screen LCD, plasma and LED monitors. These new technologies have virtually eliminated the old-fashioned cathode ray tube (CRT) once such an integral part of the family TV.
UC San Diego, UMD researchers to build 'WIFIRE' cyberinfrastructure
Three research organizations at the University of California, San Diego, have been awarded a multi-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to build an end-to-end cyberinfrastructure to perform real-time data-driven assessment, simulation, prediction, and visualization of wildfire behavior.
UK taxpayers 'ripped off' by rural broadband roll-out
Taxpayers have been "ripped off" by the government's broadband roll-out in rural areas, the head of a powerful spending watchdog said as its damning report was released Thursday.
Ford buys software startup Livio
Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it acquired the startup company Livio in a bid to accelerate its efforts to help drivers safely access content on their smartphone while on the road.
Fairfax says it won't abandon BlackBerry bid
The head of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. said Wednesday he has every intention of completing the acquisition of BlackBerry, despite doubts that the $4.7 billion deal for the troubled smartphone maker will go through.
Panasonic to abandon consumer smartphones
Japanese electronic giant Panasonic said Thursday it will abandon research into new smartphones for retail consumers at home as it struggles to make inroads in a sector dominated by Apple and Samsung.
Recycling concrete from buildings that are no longer needed requires long-term thinking at the building's inception
Urban mining is increasingly being taken seriously by industry because it gives access to materials—such as expensive metals used in electronics—that are buried in waste tips and landfills. However, there is a new kid on the block—literally. Concrete buildings, when demolished, can serve as an excellent source of new building materials. "Instead of transporting aggregates from far away, we can use local buildings as a source for aggregates," says Francesco Di Maio, a researcher in waste separation and recycling technology at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands. He is also the coordinator of the EU-funded project called C2CA.
Oh great, Facebook wants to know you're being sarcastic
You might think social networks couldn't possibly gather more information on you than they already do. That in a world where your every move is tagged, flagged and logged, there is nothing more that could possibly be gleaned from your digital footprints. You'd be wrong.
Battery-powered aircraft e-Genius on cloud nine
The battery-powered electrical research aircraft e-Genius from the Institute for Aircraft Construction (IFB) at the University of Stuttgart was transported by air from the Kornwestheim/Pattonville airfield on the 560 km route to Straußberg at the beginning of September as a warm up for the Green Speed Cup competition. The e-Genius even set an initial world record on the first transit stop to recharge in Dessau: before this no battery-powered aircraft had ever achieved the feat of travelling a distance of 393 km. On the very first competition day of the Green Speed Cup, the e-Genius had to up its game once more with a daily task of 405 km. Yet the IFB pilots also successfully mastered this range and set the range record for battery-powered aircraft for a second time on 6th September 2013.
Next-generation nuclear fuel withstands high-temperature accident conditions
A safer and more efficient nuclear fuel is on the horizon. A team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have reached a new milestone with tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel, showing that this fourth-generation reactor fuel might be even more robust than previously thought.
New photoresist technology for organic semiconductors enabling submicron patterns
FUJIFILM Corporation and imec have developed a new photoresist technology for organic semiconductors that enables the realization of submicron patterns.
EBay to buy payments company Braintree for $800M (Update)
E-commerce giant eBay Inc. reached a deal to buy online and mobile payments technology provider Braintree for $800 million in cash.
eBay: We don't share customer data with NSA (Update)
Online retail giant eBay believes offering each shopper a unique store tailored to their personal tastes and interests is the future of the $10 trillion global commerce market.
Moto X born of new attitudes at Motorola Mobility
Paul Pierce remembers the reaction his team of designers elicited from their engineering colleagues when they proposed a smartphone with a gently curved back that would nestle into a person's hand.
LexisNexis says it had data breach earlier this year
LexisNexis, one of the country's largest collectors of personal information on individuals and businesses, said it is trying to determine whether hackers may have gained access to Social Security numbers, background reports and other details on millions of Americans during a data breach earlier this year.
New fund launched for bitcoin investors
Bitcoin Thursday got a lift with the arrival of a new investment vehicle that lets wealthy and professional investors bet on the virtual currency.
At 15, Google revisits past, eyes future
Google celebrated its 15th birthday Thursday with a trip down memory lane, and an update to the search engine formula which helped spawn the tech giant.
Baseball demos location tech with Apple's iBeacon
As good as GPS is at helping smartphones guide you, the technology isn't very precise and doesn't work reliably indoors.
More Canadians streaming television shows via Netflix
More and more Canadians are tuning into online movie streaming websites such as Netflix, but it has not impacted traditional television viewing as feared, according to a report published Thursday.
Researchers warn of 'hit and run' cyber attackers
Security researchers said Wednesday they uncovered a "cyber mercenary" team which specializes in attacks on targets in Japan and South Korea, and warned of more operations of that nature.
Ship will make its own waves for rig safety (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —A so-called "hotel" ship to accommodate offshore oil rig workers is under construction, which will be engineered in a way to maintain its stability even over rough seas. The new Norwegian ship will make its own waves with internal water tanks. The effort is not only purposed for the comfort of the workers servicing the platforms but for safety. The design will support safe movement from the ship to the platform and precision work while over rough seas. How will this ship make its own waves? The answer is U-shaped water tanks integrated into the ship's hull. The tanks will generate waves in such a way that can stabilize the vessel.
Bringing 'common sense' to text analytics
Bringing "common sense" to artificial intelligence is one of the biggest challenges in computer science: It entails equipping computers with the shared knowledge that humans use to infer meaning, make connections and communicate, among other things.
Diesel or electric? Study offers advice for owners of urban delivery truck fleets
(Phys.org) —For owners of delivery truck fleets who may be trying to decide between electric or diesel vehicles, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are offering some advice: comparisons of the energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and total cost of ownership for the medium-duty vehicles.
Researchers use Facebook data to predict users' age, gender and personality traits
In the age of social media, people's inner lives are increasingly recorded through the language they use online. With this in mind, an interdisciplinary group of University of Pennsylvania researchers is interested in whether a computational analysis of this language can provide as much, or more, insight into their personalities as traditional methods used by psychologists, such as self-reported surveys and questionnaires.
Beautiful brushstrokes drawn from data
(Phys.org) —A good painter uses simple strokes of a brush to bring texture, contrast and depth to a blank canvas. In comparison, computer programs can have difficulty reproducing the complex and varied forms of brushstrokes, and often require painstaking effort to mimic a brief sweep of paint.
Google retools Internet search engine (Update)
Google has quietly retooled the closely guarded formula running its Internet search engine to give better answers to the increasingly complex questions posed by Web surfers.
Medicine & Health news
Booster seats not safer than booster cushions for older children
Over the past few years, belt-positioning booster seats (with backrest) have basically out-competed booster cushions (without backrest) for children between the ages of 4 and 12. However, the larger booster seats are not always safer. In some cases, they may even be less safe.
Afghan doctors remove extra head from baby girl
Surgeons in Afghanistan have carried out a life-saving operation on a baby girl born with an extra head, doctors and relatives said Thursday.
Mental health 'eye test' breakthrough wins top entrepreneurial award
An eye movement test to assist diagnosis of major adult psychiatric disorders has taken a step closer to being commercialised after winning a prestigious national contest recognising Scotland's entrepreneurial innovations.
Landmark report sets priorities to address malnutrition
With nearly two billion people suffering from malnutrition across the planet, scientists and public health experts came together under an unprecedented alliance spearheaded by The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences to create A Global Research Agenda for Nutrition Science to identify the most critical knowledge gaps in the field of nutrition. The report supports the ongoing effort to accelerate global commitment, cooperative work, and funding to uncover and implement scientific and evidence-based solutions to malnutrition.
'Watch' cites concerns with intraprosthetic dislocation of dual-mobility hip implants
JBJS Case Connector, an online case journal published by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, has issued a "Watch" regarding early intraprosthetic dislocation with dual-mobility hip implants. The "Watch" is based on two case reports published in the September 25th issue, in addition to recent cases in the orthopaedic literature pointing to similar problems.
Getting better together: New study looks at shared medical decision making
Shared decision making refers to a set of principles that can be employed by patients and their physicians to explicitly incorporate patient preferences and values into clinical decision making. Past research shows that patients, who have an enhanced knowledge of their medical conditions and treatment alternatives, demonstrate a reduced anxiety when it comes to medical decision making.
Baccalaureate nursing program to transition veterans' healthcare skills to nursing careers
Military medics hone their medical skills in combat, supporting humanitarian operations and serving in hospitals and clinics across the world. Now, bolstered by a $1.25-million federal grant, the University of South Florida will offer veterans and service members the opportunity to earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing through a program that builds upon their military healthcare training and experience.
Texas colleges surveyed on sexual assault resources
While research consistently estimates that one in every four women in higher education will experience rape or attempted rape during their college careers, limited proactive approaches to address the issue are found on Texas college campuses, according to the Crime Victims' Institute at Sam Houston State University.
More kids protected from flu; CDC says keep it up
More children than ever got vaccinated against the flu last year, and health officials are urging families to do even better this time around.
Can traumatic brain injury impair a child's working memory?
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) during childhood can have long-term effects on cognitive and psychosocial functioning, including poor academic achievement. Pediatric TBI can cause significant deficits in working memory, as demonstrated in a study published in Journal of Neurotrauma.
Dengue outbreak kills 23 in Pakistan
An outbreak of dengue fever in northwest Pakistan's Swat valley has killed 23 people in the past month, but health officials said Thursday it was likely to subside as the weather cools in the coming weeks.
Colorectal surgeons develop a novel tool for measuring quality and outcomes
Since the publication in 2000 of a report titled "To Err is Human" by the Institute of Medicine which called for a reduction in preventable medical errors, there has been an increasing demand for making improvements in the quality and measurement of health care outcomes. Although many measures have been developed, they tend to be complex, labor intensive, have an unclear relationship with improved outcomes, and concentrate on processes of care rather than clinical outcomes.
NIH launches first phase of microbiome cloud project
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched the first phase of the Microbiome Cloud Project (MCP), a collaboration with Amazon Web Services that aims to improve access to and analysis of data from the Human Microbiome Project (HMP). Five terabytes of genetic information on the microbes that naturally colonize our bodies—enough information to fill more than 1,000 standard DVDs—are now available as a free public dataset, allowing users to access and analyze the data online. This cloud, or internet-based, storage facilitates analysis by reducing the need for time-consuming downloads.
Bacterial infection's spread occurs beyond health care settings, study finds
(HealthDay)—A new British study raises questions about the transmission of Clostridium difficile, a bacteria that causes life-threatening diarrhea in people who have recently been on antibiotics.
Bad weather linked to train suicides in Japan
The number of suicides on Japanese railways increases after several days of bad weather, according to a study released Thursday, which urged train operators to increase patrols during rainy periods.
As 'Obamacare' enrollment begins, majority unfavorable, poll finds
With enrollment set to begin Oct. 1, a UConn Poll released today finds most Americans disapprove of the landmark legislation formally known as the Affordable Care Act.
Pituitary hormone problems common in soldiers with moderate to severe blast-related brain injuries
A study by Medical Research Council-funded researchers has shown that traumatic brain injuries from explosions can cause hormonal problems. Soldiers who, as a result of their injuries, have problems with their pituitary gland may suffer psychological and metabolic symptoms which impede their recovery. Identifying these sufferers will enable them to receive appropriate hormone replacement therapy. The paper is published in the journal Annals of Neurology.
Malignant brain tumours can be transformed into benign forms
Cells of malignant brain tumours deceive our immune system so effectively that it starts working for them. But who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. Researchers from the Nencki Institute in Warsaw show how to deceive brain tumours and change malignant gliomas into benign forms.
Seeking new methods to treat heroin addiction
"Heroin itself is an inactive substance," explains Jørg Mørland, Norwegian forensic medicine and toxicology researcher. "The substances that heroin forms in the body are mainly what enter the brain and cause the narcotic effects."
Research finds new exercise benefit
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified an important new benefit of exercise: It increases the ability of skeletal muscle cells to remove damaged components and other cellular debris.
Psychological treatments reduce problem gambling
(Medical Xpress)—Early findings from an ongoing major Victorian study indicate that people who have received psychological treatment are spending less time and money gambling.
Discovery opens doors to new ovarian cancer treatments
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have identified a process associated with inflammation in cancer that they believe could lead to expanded treatment options for some types of ovarian tumours.
Why ibuprofen may stop cancers from developing
(Medical Xpress)—Latest research by scientists in our Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology has shown why the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen might stop certain cancers from developing.
Racial differences exist in reports of workplace drug testing
(Medical Xpress)—Drug testing occurs more often in workplaces where racial and ethnic minorities are employed, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine. The study appears online in the Early View of the American Journal on Addictions.
Oldest-old women less happy with husbands
Having a husband in old age doesn't necessarily make a woman happy, research from Flinders University reveals.
Girls who eat peanut butter may improve breast health later in life
(Medical Xpress)—Here's some news worth spreading: Girls who eat more peanut butter could improve their breast health later in life.
New surgical approach may improve cognitive function in patients with brain cancer
A new approach to treating cancer that has spread to the brain is able to preserve and, in some cases, improve cognitive function in patients, while achieving local control of tumor progression. A study led by researchers with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that 98 percent of patients who deferred whole brain radiation therapy and had chemotherapeutic wafers placed around the areas where metastatic tumors in the brain had been surgically removed showed preserved cognitive function in one or more of three domains; 65 percent showed preservation in all areas tested: memory, executive function, and fine motor skills. The study, published online in Cancer, demonstrated improvements in cognitive function, particularly in executive function and memory, which were observed in more than 40 percent of patients. In the fine motor movement category, 50 percent of patients showed improvements.
Poisonous mushrooms pose danger as more people forage for locally grown food, experts say
While walking in the field behind her Lambertville home, Lauren Johnson became enchanted by a bright-orange and yellow mushroom growing on the side of a tree. Johnson, who often forages with her husband, believed her find to be a Chicken of the Woods, an edible variety – but refrained from cooking it until she was certain. "We're very wary," she says, "and always bring mushrooms to experts who can identify them before we eat them."
Researchers identify key brain systems affected by fragile X syndrome
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified several large-scale neural systems in the brain that appear to be impaired by fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited intellectual disability.
New early detection test for prostate cancer: Mi-Prostate Score test improves on PSA for predicting cancer
More than 1 million men will undergo a prostate biopsy this year, but only about one-fifth of those biopsies will result in a cancer diagnosis.
Dim the lights on teen night owls
Dim lights, board games and no bedside electronics: an old-fashioned sleepover? Not exactly. This overnight takes place at the University of California, Berkeley, and involves dozens of undergraduate research assistants, some in white lab coats and goggles, who collect saliva samples to gauge the hormone levels of teenage night owls.
New treatment to beat blushing
Murdoch University researchers have discovered a cheap and effective way to reduce one of the human body's most curious expressions – blushing.
Women in Appalachia have higher rates of late stage breast cancer
Older women living in the poorest areas of Appalachia in the U.S. fail to get regular breast cancer screening and have a higher incidence of later stage breast cancer, reports a new study in Health Services Research.
False alarm on hepatitis virus highlights challenges of pathogen sleuthing
The report by scientists of a new hepatitis virus earlier this year was a false alarm, according to UC San Francisco researchers who correctly identified the virus as a contaminant present in a type of glassware used in many research labs. Their finding, they said, highlights both the promise and peril of today's powerful "next-generation" lab techniques that are used to track down new agents of disease.
Debt linked to mental health problems
New research, led by the University of Southampton, has shown that people in debt are three times more likely to have a mental health problem than those not in debt.
Lithium in the brain: Neutrons show accumulation of antidepressant in brain
Experiments with neutrons at the Technische Universität München show that the antidepressant lithium accumulates more strongly in white matter of the brain than in grey matter. This leads to the conclusion that it works differently from synthetic psychotropic drugs. The tissue samples were examined at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz with the aim of developing a better understanding of the effects this substance has on the human psyche.
Study reveals differences in post-operative complications across race, ethnicity, and sex in older patients
Older black and Hispanic patients have a greater risk than white patients of developing complications following surgery, a difference that can be explained by a patients' gender and pre-existing medical conditions. These findings, which are published today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), indicate that efforts to carefully evaluate risk factors prior to surgery need more attention, particularly for older minority patients.
'Jekyll-and-Hyde' protein offers a new route to cancer drugs
The mood changes of a 'Jekyll-and-Hyde' protein, which sometimes boosts tumour cell growth and at other times suppresses it, have been explained in a new study led by Oxford University researchers.
Scientists identify key regulator controlling formation of blood-forming stem cells
Stem cell scientists have moved one step closer to producing blood-forming stem cells in a Petri dish by identifying a key regulator controlling their formation in the early embryo, shows research published online today in Cell.
Study of 'sister' stem cells uncovers new cancer clue
Scientists have used a brand new technique for examining individual stem cells to uncover dramatic differences in the gene expression levels – which genes are turned 'up' or 'down'– between apparently identical 'sister' pairs.
Bone hormone influences brain development and cognition
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have found that the skeleton, acting through the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin, exerts a powerful influence on prenatal brain development and cognitive functions such as learning, memory, anxiety, and depression in adult mice. Findings from the mouse study could lead to new approaches to the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders. The study was published today in the online edition of Cell.
A genetic map for complex diseases
Although heavily studied, the specific genetic causes of "complex diseases," a category of disorders which includes autism, diabetes and heart disease, are largely unknown due to byzantine genetic and environmental interactions.
Autologous transplantation shows promising results for iPS cell therapy in Parkinson's disease
A research team led by Professor Jun Takahashi and Assistant Professor Asuka Morizane at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University, Japan, has carried out a study to compare the impact of immune response in autologous transplantation (transplantation of cells from the subject's own body) and allogeneic transplantation (transplantation of cells from a different individual of the same species). The researchers used cynomolgus monkeys to carry out transplantation into the brain of neural cells derived from iPS cells. Autologous transplantation was found to produce almost no immune reaction and to result in viable neural cells. By contrast, allogeneic transplantation provoked immune reaction by microglia and lymphocytes.
Newly identified antibodies effectively treat Alzheimer's-like disease in mice
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of particular toxic proteins in the brain that are believed to underlie the cognitive decline in patients. A new study conducted in mice suggests that newly identified antibody treatments can prevent the accumulation of one of these of these toxic components, called tau proteins. The findings, online September 26 in the Cell Press journal Neuron, suggest that these antibodies may provide a basis for a promising therapy for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Aphasia and bilingualism: Using one language to relearn another
In the era of globalization, bilingualism is becoming more and more frequent, and it is considered a plus. However, can this skill turn into a disadvantage, when someone acquires aphasia? More precisely, if a bilingual person suffers brain damage (i.e. stroke, head trauma, dementia) and this results in a language impairment called aphasia, then the two languages can be disrupted, thus increasing the challenge of language rehabilitation. According to Dr. Ana Inés Ansaldo, researcher at the Research Centre of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM), and a professor at the School of Speech Therapy and Audiology at Université de Montréal, research evidence suggests that bilingualism can be a lever—and not an obstacle—to aphasia recovery.
Could obesity help older people with type 2 diabetes?
(HealthDay)—Older obese people with type 2 diabetes appear to have a lower death rate than younger people who have diabetes and weigh less, a new study finds.
HEALTH REFORM: Medicaid expansion will allow more to get more
(HealthDay)—Millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet but they don't qualify for Medicaid, the government-sponsored health program for the poor. Yet they don't make enough money to afford private health insurance.
Common diabetes drugs may carry risk, study suggests
(HealthDay)—Diabetes patients who take drugs called sulfonylureas as an initial therapy have a higher risk of death than those who take the diabetes drug metformin, a new study says.
'Cycling' antibiotics might help combat resistance, study suggests
(HealthDay)—Doctors might be able to overcome antibiotic-resistant bacteria by swapping out the antibiotics used to treat a patient, providing a "one-two" punch that keeps the germs reeling, a new Danish study suggests.
Important wound-healing process discovered
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered an important process by which special immune cells in the skin help heal wounds. They found that these skin-resident immune cells function as "first responders" to skin injuries in part by producing the molecule known as interleukin-17A (IL-17A), which wards off infection and promotes wound healing.
Changing laws, attitudes of police response to drug overdose may lead to better outcomes
A recent study from Rhode Island Hospital has found that a change in the way police respond to drug-related overdose emergencies could contribute to improved outcomes of the victims and to the communities where overdoses occur. The study found that while law enforcement officers often serve as medical first responders, there is a lack of clarity as to what police can do, or should do, at the scene of an overdose. The study is published online in advance of print in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Brazil to test new vaccine against dengue fever
Brazilian scientists will next month begin clinical tests on humans of a new vaccine against dengue fever, a leading Sao Paulo-based biomedical research institute said Thursday.
Study examines health of kidney donors
The short-term risks associated with kidney donation are relatively modest, but because many donors have additional medical conditions, it is important to evaluate their ongoing health. That's the conclusion of a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
Blood thinner dangerous for patients with artificial heart valves, study finds
(HealthDay)—When used by patients with mechanical heart valves, the blood thinner Pradaxa raises the risk of both dangerous clots and bleeding around the heart, a new study says.
Big breakfast may be best for diabetes patients
(HealthDay)—A hearty breakfast that includes protein and fat may actually help people with type 2 diabetes better control both their hunger and their blood sugar levels.
Improved vision from cataract surgery appears to aid survival
(HealthDay)—Surgical correction of visual impairment (VI) due to cataract is associated with significantly better long-term survival in older persons after adjusting for known cataract and mortality risk factors and indicators of general health, according to a study published in the September issue of Ophthalmology.
In prostate cancer prognosis, telomere length may matter
Like the plastic caps at the end of shoelaces, telomeres protect—in their case—the interior-gene containing parts of chromosomes that carry a cell's instructional material. Cancer cells are known to have short telomeres, but just how short they are from cancer cell to cancer cell may be a determining factor in a prostate cancer patient's prognosis, according to a study led by Johns Hopkins scientists.
Quitting smoking easier for social media users
Smoking is a major public health problem, killing approximately 443,000 people every year in the United States. Quitting smoking can have a profound effect on a person's health, but it is also one of the hardest addictions to kick. A recent paper published in the Journal of Communication found that people who engage in health specific social networking sites found it easier to quit smoking.
Study unlocks origin of brown fat cells important in weight maintenance
In ongoing research aimed at battling obesity, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have deciphered how new fat cells are formed in energy-storing fat pads.
Experts confirm that fruit and vegetable consumption reduces risk of mortality
A European study analyzes the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of mortality. As previous research has already suggested, this study concludes that fruit and vegetable consumption reduces all-cause mortality, and especially cardiovascular disease mortality.
Breakthrough discovery links blue-green algae with motor neuron disease
(Medical Xpress)—A recently identified link between a toxic amino acid found in blue-green algae and several motor neuron diseases could help researchers devise a therapy for the fatal conditions.
Language gap between rich and poor kids begins in infancy, study find
(Medical Xpress)—Fifty years of research has revealed the sad truth that the children of lower-income, less-educated parents typically enter school with poorer language skills than their more privileged counterparts. By some measures, 5-year-old children of lower socioeconomic status score more than two years behind on standardized language development tests by the time they enter school.
Folic acid deficiency can affect the health of great, great grandchildren
Folic acid deficiency can cause severe health problems in offspring, including spina bifida, heart defects and placental abnormalities. A study out today reveals that a mutation in a gene necessary for the metabolism of folic acid not only impacts the immediate offspring but can also have detrimental health effects on the next several generations. The new research, which also sheds light on the molecular mechanism of folic acid (also known as folate) during development, was published today in the journal Cell.
Pan-cancer studies find common patterns shared by different tumor types
Cancer encompasses a complex group of diseases traditionally defined by where in the body it originates, as in lung cancer or colon cancer. This framework for studying and treating cancer has made sense for generations, but molecular analysis now shows that cancers of different organs have many shared features, while cancers from the same organ or tissue are often quite distinct.
Mucus might prove useful in treating IBD, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
Imagine mucus—which most people find unpleasant—actually helping your body maintain its equilibrium, prevent inflammation, and reduce food allergy problems.
Brain circuitry that triggers overeating identified
Sixty years ago scientists could electrically stimulate a region of a mouse's brain causing the mouse to eat, whether hungry or not. Now researchers from UNC School of Medicine have pinpointed the precise cellular connections responsible for triggering that behavior. The finding, published September 27 in the journal Science, lends insight into a cause for obesity and could lead to treatments for anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder—the most prevalent eating disorder in the United States.
Biology news
New dwarfism mutation identified in dogs
Professor Hannes Lohi's research group at the University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Research Center has identified a mutation in ITGA10 gene, causing chondrodysplasia in two dog breeds, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog. The research revealed a new chondrodysplasia gene in dogs, and a candidate gene for human chondrodysplasias. The finding has implications on bone biology as well as canine health. A genetic test can now be used to identify mutation carriers in the two affected dog breeds. The study was published on the scientific journal PLOS ONE on 25 September 2013.
European law could be unbearable for Croatia's brown bears
Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July and conservation scientists fear that the EU's rules could cause problems for its brown bear population.
Helping farmers meet the increasing demand for goat's milk
The EU-funded project FLOCK-REPROD ('Hormone-free non-seasonal or seasonal goat reproduction for a sustainable European goat-milk market') is working to develop artificial insemination techniques for goats that require no hormonal treatment.
Swiss customs seize rare frogs in Frenchman's taxi
During a routine check at a border crossing, Swiss customs officers made an unexpected discovery: 35 brightly coloured rare frogs and a gecko hidden in the boot of a taxi.
Can bacteria combat oil spill disasters?
Teams of international scientists have decrypted the effectiveness of two types of bacteria, which could be used in the future to help combat oil spill disasters. According to a report written by scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in the peer-reviewed journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Alcanivorax borkumensis converts hydrocarbons into fatty acids which then form along the cell membrane. New insights on the bacteria Oleispira antarctica are important to understand their adaptation to low temperatures and could help in mitigation strategies for oil spills in polar seas or the deep sea, according to comments made by an international team in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications.
Europe's bison, beavers and bears bounce back
Several European animal and bird species driven to near extinction by humans have made a dramatic comeback in the past 50 years thanks to conservation efforts, a report said Thursday.
Do beetles have maternal instincts?
Hidden in the thick foliage of tropical forests a subfamily of colorful beetles hides the secrets of the earliest stages of social behavior, showing explicit signs of maternal instincts and care. An international team of scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Centro Universitário de Lavras, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, and Université libre de Bruxelles looked into the complex subsocial behaviors present in the extraordinary Chrysomelinae subfamily to discover and describe in detail the different degrees of maternal instincts present within 8 species. The exciting insight into the biology of these species was published in the 4th "Research on Chrysomelidae" special issue of the open access journal Zookeys, alongside 6 other research articles on the family.
Microbes facilitate the persistence and spread of invasive plant species by changing soil chemistry
Invasive species are among the world's greatest threats to native species and biodiversity. Once invasive plants become established, they can alter soil chemistry and shift nutrient cycling in an ecosystem. This can have important impacts not only on plant composition, diversity, and succession within a community, but also in the cycling of critical elements like carbon and nitrogen on a larger, potentially even global, scale. Clearly, both native and exotic plants form intimate relationships with bacteria in the soil that facilitate the extraction and conversion of elements to biologically usable forms. Yet an unanswered question with regard to plant invasions remains: could the changes in soil biogeochemistry be due to an advantage that invasive plants get from interacting with their microbiome?
Research reveals bottom feeding techniques of tagged humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary
New NOAA-led research on tagged humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary reveals a variety of previously unknown feeding techniques along the seafloor. Rather than a single bottom feeding behavior, the whales show three distinct feeding approaches: simple side-rolls, side-roll inversions, and repetitive scooping.
Scientists develop a more effective molecular modeling process
It's difficult and time-consuming to produce accurate computer models of molecules, primarily because traditional modeling methods are limited in their ability to handle alternative molecular shapes and, consequently, are subject to multiple errors.
The spliceosome: Scientists are unraveling the secrets of the mechanism that snips our genes
Certain diseases such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy are linked to genetic mutations that damage the important biological process of rearranging gene sequences in pre-messenger RNA, a procedure called RNA splicing.
Dutch police recruit rodents to rat on criminals
The latest species to join Dutch police is hard at work behind the blacked-out windows of a building in Rotterdam: rats learning to sniff out crime and a new forensic future.
Chemical ecologists translate the language of the sea
If Dr. Dolittle could talk to the animals, it's more likely he was a chemical ecologist than a linguist, says marine scientist Mark Hay of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta—at least when it came to talking to the animals (and plants) of the sea.
Without a trace: Cells keep to one direction by erasing the path
(Phys.org) —Migrating cells, it seems, cover their tracks not for fear of being followed, but to keep moving forward. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have now shown that cells in a zebrafish embryo determine which direction they move in by effectively erasing the path behind them. The findings, published online today in Nature, could have implications not just for development but also for cancer and metastasis.
Urban fish masculinized by hormone-mimicking chemicals
(Phys.org) —It's a man's world for fish in a San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary. Silverside fish collected from an urban beach in Suisun Marsh were more masculinized, but with smaller and less healthy gonads, than were neighboring silversides swimming near a cattle ranch in the marsh, according to a new study led by the University of California, Davis.
How meningitis bacteria 'slip under the radar'
(Phys.org) —Scientists have discovered a natural temperature sensor in a type of bacteria that causes meningitis and blood poisoning. The sensor allows the bacteria to evade the body's immune response, leading to life-threatening infections.
A foundation for future research: Study tests precision of protein 'machine'
Since its discovery, researchers have hailed Cas9—a protein "machine" that can be programmed by a strand of RNA to target specific DNA sequences and to precisely cut, paste, and turn on or turn off genes—as a potential key to unlocking a host of new treatments and therapies for genetic conditions, but only if they fully understand how it works.
Singing mice protect their turf with high-pitched tunes
Two species of tawny brown singing mice that live deep in the mountain cloud forests of Costa Rica and Panama set their boundaries by emitting high-pitched trills, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered.
Colonizing songbirds lost sense of syntax: Genes underlying song selection may have been lost in transit
As one species of European songbird island-hopped to colonize mid-Atlantic archipelagoes over the course of a half million years, their songs lost their sense of syntax.
Made to order at the synapse: Dynamics of protein synthesis at neuron tip
Protein synthesis in the extensions of nerve cells, called dendrites, underlies long-term memory formation in the brain, among other functions. "Thousands of messenger RNAs reside in dendrites, yet the dynamics of how multiple dendrite messenger RNAs translate into their final proteins remain elusive," says James Eberwine, PhD, professor of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-director of the Penn Genome Frontiers Institute.
Second body clock discovered in the speckled sea louse
The diminutive speckled sea louse (Eurydice pulchra) boasts two body clocks, one for night and day and another for the ebb and flow of the tide, according to research published today.
Key cellular mechanism in the body's 'battery' can either spur or stop obesity
Becoming obese or remaining lean can depend on the dynamics of the mitochondria, the body's energy-producing "battery," according to two new studies by Yale School of Medicine researchers featured as the cover story in the Sept. 26 issue of the journal Cell.
A hidden genetic code for better designer genes
Scientists routinely seek to reprogram bacteria to produce proteins for drugs, biofuels and more, but they have struggled to get those bugs to follow orders. But a hidden feature of the genetic code, it turns out, could get bugs with the program. The feature controls how much of the desired protein bacteria produce, a team from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University reported in the September 26 online issue of Science.
Ecological Armageddon in forest fragments
An international team of scientists including the University of Adelaide's Professor Corey Bradshaw has found that species living in rainforest fragments could be far more likely to disappear than was previously assumed.
Biologists confirm role of sperm competition in formation of new species
Female promiscuity—something that occurs in a majority of species, including humans—results in the ejaculates from two or more males overlapping within her reproductive tract. When this happens, sperm compete for fertilization of the female's eggs. In addition, the female has the opportunity to bias fertilization of her eggs in favor of one male's sperm over others.
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