Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 4, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Scientists observe competing quantum effects on the kinetic energy of protons in water- Surprisingly simple scheme for self-assembling robots
- The machinery of mitosis: Kinetechores, centrioles and chromosome pumps
- Research paper publishing sting reveals lax standards of many open-access journals
- Flawed diamonds: Gems for new technology
- Laying down a discerning membrane
- Field study suggests sponges creating food for coral reef organisms
- Researchers find hormone vasopressin involved in jet lag
- ALMA discovers large 'hot' cocoon around a small baby star
- Researchers uncover metabolic enzymes with 'widespread roles' in opium poppy
- Stem cells engineered to become targeted drug factories
- Mechanism of the sodium-potassium pump revealed
- Designing new sources of extreme ultraviolet light for making integrated circuits with next generation lithography
- A better device to detect ultraviolet light
- Nano-dissection identifies genes involved in kidney disease
Space & Earth news
Ocean health in 'downward spiral'
The health of the ocean is spiralling downwards far more rapidly than previously thought, according to a new review of marine science.
A remote Swiss valley models global climate
(Phys.org) —EPFL scientists have developed a new statistical model of extreme rainfall in the Swiss Val Ferret region, which can be used across the globe.
Earth from space: Ice in motion
Clouds blur our view of the snow below in parts of this image acquired over the southern tip of Greenland by the Landsat-8 satellite on 30 May.
Russian cosmonaut wins wages case vs space agency (Update)
A Moscow regional court on Friday upheld a lawsuit filed by a prominent cosmonaut against the Russian space training center complaining about wages.
Arctic sea ice avoids last year's record low
This September, sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean fell to the sixth lowest extent in the satellite record, which began in 1979. All of the seven lowest extents have occurred in the last seven years, since 2007. Satellite data analyzed by NSIDC scientists showed that the sea ice cover reached its lowest extent on September 13. Sea ice extent averaged for the month of September was also the sixth lowest in the satellite record.
Deal reached on curbing airlines' CO2 emissions
The UN aviation body has reached a deal on curbing the airline industry's rising carbon emissions, sources close to the negotiations said Friday.
NASA's moon landing remembered today as a promise of a 'future which never happened'
NASA's footage of the first moon landing promised a future of sci-fi heroism that never came to pass, according to a new study.
Spain sees 'limited risk' of big quake linked to gas
Spain's government said Friday there is a limited risk of a big earthquake shaking the eastern coast after a string of small tremors linked to a vast offshore gas storage plant.
Climate puzzle over origins of life on Earth
The mystery of why life on Earth evolved when it did has deepened with the publication of a new study in the latest edition of the journal Science.
Field study suggests sponges creating food for coral reef organisms
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers from the Netherlands has found that material sloughed off by sponges is eaten by organisms that live on or near coral reefs. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes experiments they conducted in their lab, then in the field to find out if sponges contribute to the survival of coral reef organisms by providing them with something to eat.
ALMA discovers large 'hot' cocoon around a small baby star
International research team, led by researcher at the University of Electro-Communication observed an infrared dark cloud G34.43+00.24 MM3 with ALMA and discovered a baby star surrounded by a large hot cloud. This hot cloud is about ten times larger than those found around typical solar-mass baby stars. Hot molecular clouds around new-born stars are called "Hot Cores" and have temperature of – 160 degrees Celsius, 100 degrees hotter than normal molecular clouds. The large size of the hot core discovered by ALMA shows that much more energy is emitted from the central baby star than typical solar-mass young stars. This may be due to the higher mass infall rate, or multiplicity of the central baby star. This result indicates a large diversity in the star formation process.
Technology news
Twitter marked by rapid rise since launch
Twitter, which Thursday revealed its plans to go public, came to life on March 21, 2006 when co-founder Jack Dorsey's account (@jack) automatically sent out the first tweet, which read: "just setting up my twttr."
NSF awards $12 million to SDSC to deploy 'Comet' supercomputer
The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, has been awarded a $12-million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to deploy Comet, a new petascale supercomputer designed to transform advanced scientific computing by expanding access and capacity among traditional as well as non-traditional research domains. Comet will be capable of an overall peak performance of nearly two petaflops, or two quadrillion operations per second.
Samsung reports record-high profit for 3Q
Operating profit at Samsung Electronics hit another record high in the July-September quarter, likely driven by robust sales of its cheaper mid-range smartphones in developing countries.
Instagram to start showing advertisements
Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing app owned by Facebook Inc., says it will start showing "occasional" photo and video advertisements in the coming months.
As Twitter goes public, a look at other tech IPOs
Twitter, which on Thursday disclosed its plans to go public, is the latest US technology company to test the waters on Wall Street.
Ballmer gets less than 'A' grade in compensation
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was awarded 79 percent of his target bonus for the year through June as the software giant cited falling profits for its Windows division and sluggish sales of the Surface tablet.
13 members of Anonymous indicted on US hacking charges
Thirteen alleged members of the loosely organized hacker collective known as Anonymous were indicted Thursday in connection with a series of online attacks on US companies and trade groups.
Nanodevices for a 'More than Moore' world
Moore's Law - which holds that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit, and hence its processing power, doubles every 18 months - has been the guiding principal of chip design for almost half a century. But with physical limitations to further transistor scaling being reached, Moore's Law may have met its match. We are entering a 'More than Moore' world in which EU-funded researchers are playing an important role.
Japan nuclear regulator berates Fukushima operator
Japan's atomic watchdog summoned the boss of Fukushima operator TEPCO on Friday for a public dressing-down over sloppy standards at the crippled nuclear plant, as yet another problem with radiation-polluted water emerged.
Bringing sustainable electricity to rural African communities
The University of Southampton is leading an international project to provide sustainable electricity supplies to rural communities in Africa.
NJ to start Internet gambling Nov. 26
Internet gambling will begin in New Jersey on Nov. 26, after a five-day trial period to make sure things work properly.
In IPO, Twitter seeks to be 'anti-Facebook'
Twitter's $1 billion stock offering suggests a cautious Wall Street debut by the popular messaging platform, careful to avoid the mistakes made by its larger counterpart Facebook last year, say analysts.
Prosecutors want Silk Road mastermind to remain jailed
Prosecutors on Friday told a federal judge that the mastermind of the nefarious online bazaar Silk Road is too dangerous to be freed on bail.
EU plans stiff duties on biodiesel
The EU plans to impose stiff taxes on Argentinian and Indonesian biodiesel imports for alleged trade dumping, industry players said on Friday.
Twitter's Evan Williams may be worth $1B after IPO (Update)
The personal fortune of Twitter co-founder Evan Williams probably will take up 10 characters once the online communications company goes public.
Apple files promised appeal in book-collusion case
Apple is fighting a legal order requiring the company to modify its digital book contracts and submit to oversight by a court-appointed antitrust monitor.
Twitter unseals IPO papers, hopes to raise $1B
Twitter has unsealed the documents for its planned initial public offering of stock and says it hopes to raise up to $1 billion in one of the year's most eagerly awaited stock market debuts.
Hackers steal data from 2.9mn Adobe customers
Software titan Adobe Systems warned that hackers stole credit card numbers and other information relating to nearly three million customers.
Tesla fire shows electrics face safety challenges
When debris on a Seattle-area freeway pierced the battery of a $70,000-plus Tesla Model S and touched off a raging fire, it raised new safety concerns for electric-vehicle owners.
Bulk phone data reveals 'startling insights,' Princeton professor tells US Senate
Seemingly minor bits of information collected by the National Security Agency, such as the phone numbers that citizens dial, can reveal far more personal information than is commonly believed, Princeton University Professor Edward Felten told a U.S. Senate committee in Washington, D.C.
Medicine & Health news
Cancer survivors in rural areas forgo health care because of cost
Older cancer survivors living in rural areas were more likely to forgo medical and dental care because of financial concerns compared with older cancer survivors living in urban areas, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Elucidation of mechanism underlying acquisition of specificity for ATP
The mechanism underlying the acquisition of specificity for ATP has been elucidated by researchers in a new report published in Scientific Reports on September 11th, 2013.
Creative app for dementia careworkers
Dementia is an ageing-related condition affecting mental acuity and memory. Incidence doubles in a population for every five years over the age of 65 years, so that almost one fifth of those living to 85 can expect to have the condition and a third of those over the age of 95 will likely be affected. As the population ages through better nutrition and healthcare, we can expect absolute numbers of people with dementia to continue to rise.
Motor neurone disease association opens Manchester-based global DNA bank
A specialist DNA Bank, based at The University of Manchester, is now open to the worldwide research community, supporting more crucial discoveries about motor neurone disease (MND), a devastating terminal illness.
Hospitalized HIV patients benefit from seeing infectious diseases specialists
When patients with HIV are hospitalized for other conditions, such as a heart problem, surgery or complications of diabetes, mistakes are often made involving their complicated anti-retroviral therapy (ART) regimens. But those errors are more than twice as likely to be corrected when patients are seen by an infectious diseases (ID) physician, suggests a Cleveland Clinic study being presented at IDWeek 2013 today.
Patient portal market earned 279.8 million in 2012
(HealthDay)—The total U.S. patient portal market for hospitals and physicians earned $279.8 million in 2012, and this is expected to increase in the coming years, mainly due to stage 2 meaningful use requirements, according to a report published by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
Why do doctors abuse prescription drugs? 'Self-medication' is key reason
Doctors who abuse prescription drugs often do so for "self-medication"—whether for physical or emotional pain or stress relief, reports a study in the October Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
High Medicare spending on prostate cancer screenings, but little benefit for older men
Prostate cancer screening has little benefit for men aged 75 and older, yet over three years, the Medicare fee-for-service program spent $447 million annually on PSA-based screenings—one-third of which was for men in the over 75 age group, according to study by researchers at the Yale Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy, and Effectiveness Research (COPPER) Center.
Study links moderate activity to lower breast cancer risk
A large new American Cancer Society study adds to increasing evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Researchers say moderate recreational activity was associated with a 14 percent lower risk and high physical activity with a 25 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who were active at the lowest level. The study appears early online in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.
Flawed sting operation singles out open access journals
In a sting operation, John Bohannon, a correspondent of Science, claims to have exposed dodgy open access journals. His argument seems to be that, because of their business model, some journals are biased towards accepting scientific articles, regardless of their quality. Sadly, Bohannon's operation adds little to what we already know.
FDA withdraws arsenic-based animal drug approvals following study
(Medical Xpress)—At the request of two drug companies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will withdraw approvals for three of four arsenic-based drugs currently approved for use in food animal production. A fourth arsenic-based drug used to make turkeys and chickens grow faster, among other purposes, will remain on the market.
The future in your genes
Would be parents are opting for cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening tests to assess the chances of having a baby suffering with CF, a life-shortening genetic disorder with no cure.
Non-verbal aspects play an important part in performance appraisal interviews
The course of a performance appraisal interview depends on many other aspects besides words, notes a recent study.
In life and baseball, people love 'The Naturals'
(Medical Xpress)—As baseball playoffs begin this week, Yale psychologists have a prediction: Your favorite player is likely to be a natural talent rather than someone who worked hard for success. And it definitely won't be somebody who took performance-enhancing drugs.
Researchers find triathletes feel less pain than the rest of us
Triathletes participate in a grueling endurance sport, swimming, bicycling, and running long distances without rest. In training and competitions, they regularly push their bodies beyond the limits most of us can endure. But while there is no doubt that triathletes are tough, very little is known about what gives them their exceptional abilities.
Those briefly ostracized recover more quickly if they previously were given focused attention training, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—When people are briefly ostracized, they feel distress that may linger for some time, however, they recover more quickly from the experience if they are better prepared mentally to focus on something else, shows a new study from Purdue University and the University of Lille, France.
New study shows cognitive behaviour therapy effective in treating older Australians with anxiety and depression
(Medical Xpress)—New research from Macquarie University has revealed that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can be effective in treating comorbid depression and anxiety in older Australians, with improvements continuing three months later.
New Saudi cases lift MERS infections to 136, WHO reports
The global number of infections with the deadly MERS virus has risen to 136, after hard-hit Saudi Arabia confirmed six new cases, the World Health Organization said Friday.
Helping young athletes avoid injury
(Medical Xpress)—Getting young children involved in sports and other recreational activities is a great way to keep them healthy, happy, and fit. But being active also increases a child's chances of getting hurt. Each year, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under receive medical treatment for sports-related injuries, according to Safe Kids USA, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing injuries to children.
Older sperm donors reduce pregnancy success
The increasing amount of sperm donors over the age of 45 years appears to be adversely affecting the clinical pregnancy success rates of women undergoing donor insemination (DI).
A protein in neurons in the nose controls the sensitivity of mice to smells in their environment
Information about odorant molecules in the environment helps animals to find food, select mates and avoid predators. Yoshihiro Yoshihara and colleagues from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute have now identified a protein called Goofy within sensory neurons in the noses of mice that helps to sharpen their sense of smell.
Inhibiting formation of a branched sugar molecule could lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating condition that involves the degeneration of myelin—the fatty tissue that insulates nerve fibers and helps them to conduct impulses. This process, called demyelination, can lead to deficits in sensation, movement and thought processes, depending on exactly which nerve fibers are affected. Replacing lost myelin is a promising approach for treating multiple sclerosis and related diseases, but the mechanisms underlying demyelination and remyelination remain poorly understood.
Parents play a role in teen eating disorders, study finds
The ways parents or caregivers interact with children around mealtimes can have unintended consequences, according to a new report in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study found that teenagers' negative attitudes toward eating—or eating psychopathology—may result from their perceptions of their parents' attitudes about food.
Researcher finds method to improve morphine's effect on managing pain
A method to prevent the body from developing tolerance to morphine, a powerful and commonly used pain medication, has been discovered by a Georgia State University researcher.
Sparing the body, breast cancer treatment via nipple injection
On October 4, JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, will publish a new technique for breast cancer treatment and prevention—injection of therapeutics via the nipple. The procedure, demonstrated on mice, offers direct access to the most common origin of breast cancer, the milk ducts, and could be used to offer cancer therapy that spares healthy regions of the body.
Norovirus vaccine reduces symptoms of illness by more than half, early research shows
An investigational vaccine appears generally well tolerated and effective against the most common strain of norovirus, reducing the main symptoms of the gastrointestinal (GI) infection, vomiting and/or diarrhea, by 52 percent, suggests research being presented at IDWeek 2013.
Researcher finds a new role for the benefits of oxygen
In a study published in published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, a Dartmouth researcher found that dying heart cells are kept alive with spikes of oxygen.
Dietary intervention reduces stomach problems for diabetes patients
Many diabetes patients suffer from symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. A doctoral thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy shows that a diet consisting of foods that fall apart easily, for example boiled potatoes and fish gratin, can help alleviate the condition.
India launches indigenous vaccine for Japanese encephalitis
India on Friday launched an indigenous vaccine against Japanese encephalitis as part of a national programme to fight the virus.
Cultural differences shed light on non-completion of HPV vaccination in girls in low-income families
Although they are at higher risk for cervical cancer, girls from low-income families are less likely to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that prevents it, and the reasons they are not fully vaccinated differ depending on whether their parents are English-speaking or Spanish-speaking, suggests research being presented at IDWeek 2013.
Junk food makers target kids with free online games, study says
(HealthDay)—Free online games promoting food products tend to emphasize high-fat or sugary products, according to researchers who looked at 143 websites marketing foods to children through the interactive games, known as "advergames."
Ethics of the commercialization of plastic surgery considered
(HealthDay)—Despite the increasing commercialization of plastic surgery, surgeons have a responsibility to provide individualized treatment to each patient, according to a study published in the September issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
VTE occurs in 13 percent of head, neck cancer surgery cases
(HealthDay)—Venous thromboembolism (VTE) rates in a prospective cohort of head and neck cancer surgical patients are higher than previously reported in retrospective studies, according to research published online Sept. 26 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
High-dose rhBMP linked to increased incidence of cancer
(HealthDay)—Patients receiving high-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) as part of spine surgery have an increased risk of cancer and may be at risk for major complications, according to two studies published in the Sept. 4 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
New York campaigns to boost girls' self-esteem
In a city plastered with images of stick-thin models, New York is waging a new campaign to boost self-esteem among girls as young as seven.
Researchers discover new therapeutic agents that may benefit leukemia patients
An Indiana University cancer researcher and his colleagues have discovered new therapeutic targets and drugs that may someday benefit people with certain types of leukemia or blood cancer.
Study shows how program improves sun protection practices among children of melanoma survivors
Children of melanoma survivors were more likely to wear hats and re-apply sunscreen after receiving a multi-media informational program designed specifically for them. These new findings were included in research published in the journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention – a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research.
FDA OKs drug to treat hot flashes in menopausal women
(HealthDay)—Pfizer Inc. says it has gained U.S. approval for a drug designed to treat menopause-related hot flashes and potentially prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have a uterus.
Researchers find potential link between gum disease and Alzheimer's
(Medical Xpress)—Oral bacteria from poor dental hygiene have been linked to brain tissue degeneration, according to new evidence from an international team of researchers, including one at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
Get the picture? New high-res images show brain activity like never before
(Medical Xpress)—In the middle of the human brain there is a tiny structure shaped like an elongated donut that plays a crucial role in managing how the body functions. Measuring just 10 millimeters in length and six millimeters in diameter, the hollow structure is involved in a complex array of behavioral, cognitive, and affective phenomena, such as the fight or flight response, pain regulation, and even sexual activity, according to Northeastern senior research scientist Ajay Satpute.
Researchers find hormone vasopressin involved in jet lag
(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers from several research centers in Japan has together found what appears to be a connection between the hormone vasopressin and jet-lag. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes experiments they conducted with test mice that indicate that repressing neural connections that respond to vasopressin reduced the time it took for them to readjust their circadian clock.
Well-connected hemispheres of Einstein's brain may have sparked brilliance
(Medical Xpress)—The left and right hemispheres of Albert Einstein's brain were unusually well connected to each other and may have contributed to his brilliance, according to a new study conducted in part by Florida State University evolutionary anthropologist Dean Falk.
Stem cells engineered to become targeted drug factories
(Medical Xpress)—A group of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers and collaborators at MIT and MGH have found a way to use stem cells as drug delivery vehicles.
Researchers discover biomarker, potential targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer
University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have discovered a biomarker, known as phosphatidylserine (PS), for pancreatic cancer that could be effectively targeted, creating a potential therapy for a condition that has a small survival rate.
Nano-dissection identifies genes involved in kidney disease
Understanding how genes act in specific tissues is critical to our ability to combat many human diseases, from heart disease to kidney failure to cancer. Yet isolating individual cell types for study is impossible for most human tissues.
Biology news
With turkeys gone wild, Maine expands hunting
Once nearly wiped out of existence, turkeys are running wild.
Asian rhino conference hailed as major step forward
Environmentalists on Friday hailed measures including tough anti-poaching initiatives to help boost the dwindling population of Asian rhinos agreed at an international conference in Indonesia.
Scientist urges us to 'embrace new invaders'
A University of York scientist claims that invasive species such as Himalayan balsam and rhododendron should be welcomed to Britain rather than reviled. At least, they should not be hated simply because they are alien, he says.
The Himalayas' amazing biodiversity
Kamal Bawa's journey to understand and protect the biodiversity of the towering Himalayas began half a century ago, when he was young and traveling into the fabled mountain range's eastern foothills.
Tom22, the bouncer of the mitochondrion
Mitochondria burn sugar and supply the cell with energy. They were long thought to be structures that are relatively independent of the cell. However, Carolin Gerbeth, a PhD student from the trinational research training group "Membrane Proteins and Biological Membranes," has now identified no less than three signalling paths the cell uses to influence processes in the mitochondrion. In baker's yeast, she and her colleagues at the University of Freiburg found three enzymes that regulate the transport of proteins into the mitochondria. The team published its findings in the journal Cell Metabolism. "Our work lays an important foundation for investigating signalling pathways like these in humans and determining what role they play in the development of illnesses. In tumour cells the mitochondrial energy metabolism is dysregulated, and it is possible that this reprogramming is conveyed over these newly discovered signalling paths," explains project head Prof. Dr.. Chris Meisi! nger, Cluster of Excellence BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies and Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Freiburg.
A microbe's fountain of youth
The yeast S.pombe is one of the best-studied microbes in the world. First isolated from East African millet beer over a century ago, it's been used as a model organism in molecular and cell biology for the past sixty years. And yet scientists have now just uncovered what may be its most striking feature—that under favorable conditions, it doesn't grow old.
Scientists discover noise pollution effects on shellfish
(Phys.org) —Man-made noise in the oceans may have significant damaging effects on shellfish populations, according to a new international study published today.
Mechanism of the sodium-potassium pump revealed
Researchers from Aarhus University have collaborated with a Japanese group of researchers to establish the structure of a crucial enzyme—the so-called sodium-potassium pump—which forms part of every cell in the human body. The result, which was recently published in Nature, may pave the way for a better understanding of neurological diseases.
The machinery of mitosis: Kinetechores, centrioles and chromosome pumps
(Phys.org) —At the cellular level, the mitotic spindle apparatus is arguably the most complicated piece of machinery in existence. Its basic function is to isolate and separate the chromosomes during cell division. A group of researchers at the University of North Carolina have been piecing together a model of the spindle and associated proteins which provides a way to visualize in detail exactly what might be going on. The group chose to simulate budding yeast cells because their entire spindle is comprised of only around 40 microtubules (MTs), compared to 100 times that amount in mammalian cells. Over the years the group has contributed to an emerging mechanical picture of the spindle wherein the MTs provide the compression elements, pericentric chromatin the elastic tension elements, and a proteinaceous kinetochore bridges the two polymers together. Their most recent paper, published in Current Biology, provides a new and detailed 3d map of the kinetochore region of t! he chromosome, and seeks to provides answers to the origins of the seemingly mysterious force that organizes the dividing cell.
This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
http://phys.org/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment