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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 27, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Neuroscientists discover new 'mini-neural computer' in the brain- New material for quantum computing discovered out of the blue
- 11 new genetic susceptibility factors for Alzheimer's disease discovered
- Enzyme restores function with diabetic kidney disease
- Giant mirrors bring winter sun to Norwegian village
- How to foresee US heat waves
- Novel mutations define two types of bone tumor
- Study identifies mechanisms and potential biomarkers of tumor cell dormancy
- Rare childhood disease may hold clues to treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
- Cell nucleus protein in brown fat cells governs daily control of body temperature
- Monkey that purrs like a cat is among new species discovered in Amazon rainforest
- Google presumed builder of floating data center
- Lightbeam from Mozilla shines light on online tracking
- NSA website down, spy agency investigating: US official
- Scientists dig for fossils in LA a century later
Space & Earth news
What do we know—and not know—about fracking?
Fracking is in the headlines a lot these days, and everyone has an opinion about it. But how much do we really know for certain about the oil and gas extraction technique and its health effects? And how do we find out the truth among all the shouted opinions? To help cut through the static, several scientists have put together a multidisciplinary session on fracking and health at the meeting of The Geological Society of America (GSA) in Denver on Sunday.
Radioactive waste: Where to put it?
As the U.S. makes new plans for disposing of spent nuclear fuel and other high-level radioactive waste deep underground, geologists are key to identifying safe burial sites and techniques. Scientists at The Geological Society of America (GSA) meeting in Denver will describe the potential of shale formations; challenges of deep borehole disposal; and their progress in building a computer model to help improve understanding of the geologic processes that are important for safe disposal of high-level waste.
'Stunt' at Philippine heritage site draws ire
Philippine conservationists hit out Sunday at a wakeskating "stunt" that took place at an ancient mountain rice terrace, accusing sponsors of exploiting the UNESCO World Heritage site.
How to manage nature's runaway freight trains
Last month's torrential rains and flooding in Colorado made headlines, but there's another, far more common and growing weather-related threat western states are facing in the wake of longer and worsening fire seasons: flash floods and debris flows. These runaway freight trains made of rock, mud, and water can barrel down mountain channels with little or no warning and take out roads, homes, and anything else in their path.
Sandy's lessons include: Put parks, not houses, on the beach
Just days before Hurricane Sandy hit the New York and New Jersey coastline on 29 October 2012, scientists from the City University of New York's (CUNY) College of Staten Island had produced the most detailed model to date of the region's potential for damage from big storms. So naturally, the morning after the floods receded from Staten Island, CUNY geology professor Alan I. Benimoff was out mapping the high-water marks in the flooded neighborhoods. There he discovered that his team's pre-Sandy model had been right on the money.
How to foresee US heat waves
Scientists have fingerprinted a distinctive atmospheric wave pattern high above the Northern Hemisphere that can foreshadow the emergence of summertime heat waves in the United States more than two weeks in advance.
Technology news
Kirshbaum to leave Amazon publishing unit
Larry Kirshbaum, a high-profile publishing executive who helped Amazon grow its book publishing business in New York, is leaving the company on Jan. 17.
Brazil seeks UN move vs. electronic surveillance
Brazil said Friday it is working with other countries to draft a U.N. General Assembly resolution that would guarantee people's privacy in electronic communications. That follows a series of reports of alleged U.S. eavesdropping on foreign leaders and others that has surprised and angered allies.
UN experts call for more US transparency on drones
Two U.N. human rights investigators called for more transparency from the United States and other countries about their drone strikes program, saying their secrecy is the biggest obstacle to determining the impact pact on civilian casualties.
NY US Attorney says $28M in bitcoins seized
The United States Attorney in New York says about $28 million worth of bitcoins have been seized from a man charged with operating a notorious online drug marketplace known as Silk Road.
Net giants opposed to Brazil datebase creation
Web giant Google and other Internet companies say they oppose creating Brazil-based databases of local customer information, proposed by a Brazilian government determined to crack down on espionage.
Vettel says Formula E 'not the future'
Formula One dominator Sebastian Vettel gave short shrift Saturday to the new, electric Formula E series, saying it would be far too quiet and was "not the future".
Indonesian capital tweets to beat traffic chaos
Fed up with spending hours stuck in the gridlocked Indonesian capital Jakarta, hundreds of thousands of social media-savvy commuters are tweeting to beat the traffic.
NYSE holds 'successful' test for Twitter IPO
The New York Stock Exchange said its test run of Twitter's initial public offering on Saturday was a success, as the exchange tries to avoid the technical problems that marred Facebook's debut last year.
iPad art gains recognition in new Hockney exhibit
Happily hunched over his iPad, Britain's most celebrated living artist David Hockney is pioneering in the art world again, turning his index finger into a paintbrush that he uses to swipe across a touch screen to create vibrant landscapes, colorful forests and richly layered scenes.
NSA website down, spy agency investigating: US official
The National Security Agency's website went down Friday and the US spy service known for hacking into computer networks said it was investigating the outage, a spokesperson said.
Lightbeam from Mozilla shines light on online tracking
(Phys.org) —Marketing professionals often tell the public that tracking Website visitors has its positive side. After all, businesses offering services can transform the data they collect to produce more relevant ads and promotional content for users. They can get a better grip on customer tastes. Retailers can keep up with user preferences so that customers can get what they want. All the same, one cannot take away that uncomfortable human response that someone from behind a curtain, which is not see-through, is watching you. The concept of tracking and being tracked is one that raises concerns for more than just a few.
Google presumed builder of floating data center
An enormous floating barge has emerged in the San Francisco Bay, which tech-savvy sleuths suspect is a massive data center being constructed by Google, the CNET blog reported.
Giant mirrors bring winter sun to Norwegian village
Residents of a remote village nestled in a steep-sided valley in southern Norway are about to enjoy winter sunlight for the first time ever thanks to giant mirrors.
Medicine & Health news
Only 11 percent of children involved in bike accidents wear a helmet
Despite a California bike helmet mandate, only 11 percent of Los Angeles County children treated for bike-related injuries were wearing a helmet, according to an abstract presented Oct. 26 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando. Specifically, children older than age 12, and low-income and minority children were less likely to wear a bike helmet.
Itch maintains regulatory T cell stability
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) function to suppress immune responses of other cells, and their dysfunction has been associated with development of immune disorders. Recent studies suggest that Tregs maintain plasticity even after differentiation, and can be influenced to change their regulatory profile.
Researchers track lethal prostate cancer to determine clonal origin
Prostate cancer has variable manifestations, ranging from relatively benign localized tumors to widespread life-threatening metastases. The origin of most prostate cancer metastases can be traced back to the primary tumor; therefore, understanding the mutations in the primary tumor that promote cancer spread is of great interest.
Ionizing radiation exposure promotes fusion oncogene formation
The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exposed hundreds of thousands of individuals to high levels of ionizing radiation. In the years immediately following the disaster, there was a sharp increase in the number of papillary thyroid cancers (PTC) in patients that were children at the time of the explosion.
National Robotics Initiative grant to create smarter surgical robots
Providing surgical robots with a new kind of machine intelligence that significantly extends their capabilities and makes them much easier and more intuitive for surgeons to operate is the goal of a major new grant announced as part of the National Robotics Initiative.
Roma Maria's blond hair, pale skin explained by albino gene
Doctors claimed on Saturday that the blond hair and fair skin of Greece's mystery girl Maria and several other children of her Bulgarian Roma parents, is explained by the genetic condition of albinism.
After a concussion, students may need gradual transition back to academics
A concussion should not only take a student athlete off the playing field – it may also require a break from the classroom, according to a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Prevalence of household gun ownership linked to child gun shot wounds
There are approximately 7,500 child hospitalizations and 500 in-hospital deaths each year due to injuries sustained from guns. In an abstract presented Oct. 27 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, researchers also identified a link between the percentage of homes with guns and the prevalence of child gunshot injuries.
Young people report worse fibromyalgia than older patients, study shows
It may seem counterintuitive, but young and middle-aged fibromyalgia patients report worse symptoms and poorer quality of life than older patients, a Mayo Clinic study shows. Fibromyalgia most often strikes women. It is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain with fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. The research, one of several Mayo studies being presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, suggests the disorder plays out differently among different age groups.
Administration: Personal info for health care only
The Obama administration is stressing that information provided while signing up for coverage under the new health care law will not be used to enforce immigration law.
Sebelius to face tough questioning on health law
Republicans said Sunday they intend to press Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the Obama administration's troubled launch of healthcare.gov, the online portal to buy health insurance, the linchpin of the president's signature legislative achievement.
How bacteria with a sweet tooth may keep us healthy
Some gut bacterial strains are specifically adapted to use sugars in our gut lining to aid colonisation, potentially giving them a major influence over our gut health.
Pediatric musculoskeletal MRSA infections on the rise
Pediatric musculoskeletal Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infections have been evolving over the past decade, with more children diagnosed with the more virulent, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) today than 10 years ago. The result is longer hospitals stays, more surgeries and other related complications, according to an abstract presented Saturday, Oct. 26, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.
Disabled Frenchman says Everest jump 'message of hope'
A multiple sclerosis sufferer hoping to become the first disabled person to skydive over Mount Everest says he wants his feat of daring to send "a message of hope" to others with the disease.
Saturday is national prescription drug take-back day
(HealthDay)—Do you have any expired or unused prescription medicines cluttering up your medicine cabinet? You can get rid of them safely and quickly at sites across the United States during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday.
Peer intervention program reduces patient complaints
(HealthDay)—A physician peer intervention program is effective in improving unsafe and dissatisfying physician behaviors identified through patient complaints, according to a study published in the October issue of the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
Most negative online posts aren't defamation
(HealthDay)—Few negative online posts about doctors reach the level of defamation, according to an article published Oct. 10 in Medical Economics.
Social media can professionally benefit pediatric clinicians
(HealthDay)—There are increasing opportunities for social media to enhance the personal and professional lives of pediatric clinicians, but professionalism online needs to be modeled and taught, according to an article published online Oct. 21 in Pediatrics.
Chronic condition prevention urged for better life quality
(HealthDay)—For older adults, multiple chronic conditions are associated with worse health in terms of activities of daily living and health-related quality of life, according to a study published Sept. 26 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Smoking cessation ups survival for patients undergoing PCI
(HealthDay)—Smoking cessation is associated with improved survival for patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The Journal of Cardiology.
Coexisting pain tied to worse knee replacement outcomes
(HealthDay)—Musculoskeletal pain in the low back, hips, and the nonoperatively treated knee before total knee replacement is associated with poorer physical function at six months after surgery, according to a study published in the Oct. 16 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Stroke prevention surgery less effective than meds, lifestyle change
The final results of a stroke prevention study in patients with narrowed brain arteries confirm earlier findings: Medication plus lifestyle changes are safer and more effective at preventing stroke than a surgical technique called stenting.
Another month of fixes for US health care website
The Obama administration has set a rough timetable of the end of November for completing a long list of fixes to the new, trouble-plagued government website for uninsured Americans to get health insurance coverage, the linchpin of the president's signature legislative achievement.
Rainbow research reveals young children with asthma visit emergency department most often
New research from a University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (UH Rainbow) study found that children ages 1 to 3 years accounted for one-fifth of all emergency department (ED) visits caused by complications from asthma, representing the highest proportion of visits among asthma patients under age 21. In addition, 55 percent of all ED visits due to asthma occurred in boys, and fall months – September, October and November – had a relatively high proportion of visits compared to other times of the year. The research was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference in Orlando.
Supermagnets present ongoing child health risks
The continued sale and availability of powerful, neodymium magnets—typically 10 to 20 times stronger than traditional magnets— are causing an increase in pediatric ingestion-related injuries, according to an abstract presented Sunday, Oct. 27, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.
Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease: Studies shed light on dangerous connection
People with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions are at higher risk of heart disease. Who is in the most danger, why and how best to prevent and detect cardiovascular complications are important questions for physicians and researchers. Mayo Clinic studies presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting shed new light on this connection, in part by revealing factors that seem to put some rheumatoid arthritis patients in greater jeopardy of heart problems: early menopause, more severe rheumatoid arthritis and immunity to a common virus, cytomegalovirus, among others.
Encouraging a healthy weight for a healthy heart
A healthy weight is the key to a healthy heart, and yet an estimated 1 out of 3 children is either overweight or obese in the U.S. During a special symposium Oct. 27 at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, pediatricians discussed obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, public health policy, and how physicians can partner with families to improve children's weight.
Experts debunk myths about how cancer spreads
Experts from the Houston Methodist Cancer Center address some of the common misconceptions about how cancer spreads.
Disabled Frenchman makes record jump over Everest
A French multiple sclerosis sufferer Sunday became the first disabled person to skydive over Mount Everest, successfully completing his landing before being taken to hospital as a precaution.
Enzyme restores function with diabetic kidney disease
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say that, while a prevailing theory suggests elevated cellular levels of glucose ultimately result in diabetic kidney disease, the truth may, in fact, be quite the opposite. The findings could fundamentally change understanding of how diabetes-related diseases develop – and how they might be better treated.
Study identifies mechanisms and potential biomarkers of tumor cell dormancy
Oncologists have long puzzled over the fact that after cancer treatment, single cancer cells that are dispersed throughout the body – so-called disseminated tumor cells – are quick to grow and form secondary tumors called metastases in certain organs, while in other organs they metastasize more slowly, sometimes decades later. Such is the case with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, which remain dormant when lodged in bone marrow but rapidly form tumors when they make their way into the lungs.
Cell nucleus protein in brown fat cells governs daily control of body temperature
For nearly 300 years, investigators have known that body temperature follows a circadian, or 24-hour, rhythm, with a peak during the day and a low at night. The benefit of this control during evolution may have been to allow conservation of energy while sleeping because keeping body temperature above the surrounding temperature requires heat production from metabolic processes inside the body. But, it is also critical to be able to adapt to changes in ambient temperature, regardless of the time of day.
Novel mutations define two types of bone tumor
Scientists have made a rare discovery that allows them to attribute two types of tumour almost entirely to specific mutations that lie in two related genes.
Rare childhood disease may hold clues to treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
Scientists at Rutgers University studying the cause of a rare childhood disease that leaves children unable to walk by adolescence say new findings may provide clues to understanding more common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and developing better tools to treat them.
Neuroscientists discover new 'mini-neural computer' in the brain
Dendrites, the branch-like projections of neurons, were once thought to be passive wiring in the brain. But now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown that these dendrites do more than relay information from one neuron to the next. They actively process information, multiplying the brain's computing power.
11 new genetic susceptibility factors for Alzheimer's disease discovered
The largest international study ever conducted on Alzheimer's disease (AD), the I-GAP (International Genomics Alzheimer's Project) consortium has identified 11 new regions of the genome involved in the onset of this neurodegenerative disease. This study gives an overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease, opening up to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of AD. These results detailed currently in Nature Genetics, could not have been obtained without this unique worldwide collaborative effort.
Biology news
Monkey that purrs like a cat is among new species discovered in Amazon rainforest
At least 441 new species of animals and plants have been discovered over a four year period in the vast, underexplored rainforest of the Amazon, including a monkey that purrs like a cat.
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