Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 8, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- 'Peanut' particles could be used to build micro-scale factories- Research gives new insight into how antidepressants work in the brain
- Robotic advances promise artificial legs that emulate healthy limbs
- Xbox, can you hear me now? One requires repetition (Update)
- Researchers discover bacteria thrive in zero-gravity low nutrient environment
- Solid Concepts 3D prints world's first metal gun (w/ Video)
- Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots
- Next-generation semiconductors synthesis
- Stars born in filaments tend to outweigh stars formed in the field
- New therapeutic target identified for ALS and frontotemporal degeneration
- Snap to attention: Polymers that react and move to light
- Hubble catches stellar explosions in NGC 6984
- Novel LEDs pave the way to cheaper displays
- Unique sighting of lava solves mystery
- Study links earthquake faults to slow-moving depths
Space & Earth news
Bristol research trio to experience 'life on Mars'
The future of space exploration will be placed in the hands of three engineers and scientists from the University of Bristol when they embark on a special expedition to experience life on Mars.
Image: Arcing towards orbit
In this two-minute exposure, the Soyuz TMA-11M rocket heads from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan towards orbit with Expedition 38 Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA and Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency onboard.
Image: The coldest city
This week's image was captured over the Sakha Republic in eastern Russia.
Coal-addicted Poland gears for key UN climate talks
The UN climate talks opening in Warsaw next week will not be without a touch of irony.
NBC wins space race, will televise Branson flight
NBC has won the television space race.
NASA sees former Tropical Depression 30W entering Indian Ocean
Now a remnant low pressure area, former Tropical Depression 30W may get new another life in another ocean. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of the storm that showed strong circulation and persistent developing thunderstorms around its center.
EU bids to revive carbon market on eve of Warsaw climate meet
EU governments closed ranks Friday in a bid to resuscitate their moribund carbon emissions market meant to combat global warming, just three days ahead of crunch UN climate talks in Warsaw.
NASA's TRMM satellite sees Super-typhoon Haiyan strike Philippines
Super-typhoon Haiyan, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the U.S. Saffir-Simpson scale, struck the central Philippines municipality of Guiuan at the southern tip of the province of Eastern Samar early Friday morning at 20:45 UTC (4:45 am local time). NASA's TRMM satellite captured visible, microwave and infrared data on the storm.
Hurricane? Cyclone? Typhoon? Here's the difference
A powerful typhoon hit the Philippines on Friday and moved out to the South China Sea:
NASA TV to air Russian spacewalk featuring the Olympic torch
Two Russian cosmonauts will carry the Olympic torch when they venture outside the International Space Station Saturday, Nov. 9, for a six-hour spacewalk to perform maintenance work on the orbiting laboratory.
What astrobiology teaches us about living well on Earth
When a Mars rover leaves a trail of tracks in the Martian dunes, is it a tragic imprint of human intrusion on a pristine alien landscape billions of years old, or the first hopeful sign of intelligent life arriving on a long-dead planet? Such an extraterrestrial scenario could help humans consider the moral consequences of shaping environments on Earth.
3 Questions: Richard Binzel on the discovery of three large, near-Earth asteroids
Last week, scientists in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences helped characterize three large, near-Earth asteroids, two of which measure about 12 miles in diameter—the largest asteroids to have been discovered in 23 years. The smallest of the three asteroids measures little more than a mile across, but it may pass within 3.4 million miles of Earth, making it a "potentially hazardous asteroid."
Image: Supernova SNR B0049-73.6
The details of how massive stars explode remains one of the biggest questions in astrophysics.
Researchers improve simulations of deep moist convection to accurately predict effects of climate change
Simulations of deep moist convection need to be run at grid resolutions finer than 2 kilometers to accurately predict the effects of climate change.
NASA sees Super-Typhoon Haiyan maintain strength crossing Philippines
Super-Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the eastern Philippines as the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, and today, Nov. 8, is exiting the country and moving into the South China Sea. NASA's Aqua satellite captured visible and infrared data of Hiayan after it made landfall near Leyete, identifying the extent of its power.
European science satellite to break up late Sunday (Update)
Fragments from a science satellite are likely to crash to Earth late Sunday or early Monday after the one-tonne probe breaks up at the end of its mission, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Friday.
Sun unleashes another X-class flare
The sun emitted its sixth significant flare since Oct. 23, 2013, peaking at 11:26 p.m. EST on Nov. 7, 2013. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however—when intense enough—they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.
Solar activity playing a minimal role in global warming, research suggests
Changes in solar activity have contributed no more than 10 per cent to global warming in the twentieth century, a new study has found.
Indian Mars mission on track, makes first engine burns
India's Mars spacecraft has completed the first of a series of engine firings designed to free it from Earth's gravitational pull and propel it towards the Red Planet, scientists said Friday.
New type of black-hole quasar discovered
(Phys.org) —Like our Milky Way, every known large galaxy has at its center a supermassive black hole, some of which are surrounded by a super-bright disk of hot gas called a quasar—but now a research team that includes Penn State astronomers has discovered a surprising new class of quasars in distant galaxies that even the most current theories had not predicted.
'Tiger stripes' underneath Antarctic glaciers slow the flow
(Phys.org) —Narrow stripes of dirt and rock beneath massive Antarctic glaciers create friction zones that slow the flow of ice toward the sea, researchers at Princeton University and the British Antarctic Survey have found. Understanding how these high-friction regions form and subside could help researchers understand how the flow of these glaciers responds to a warming climate.
Study links earthquake faults to slow-moving depths
(Phys.org) —Most earthquakes erupt suddenly from faults near Earth's surface, and the big ones can topple cities. But miles below, rocks heated to the consistency of wax moving over thousands to millions of years may be the driving force behind some of these events. In a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience, scientists link rapid-fire destruction on the surface to the hyper-slow flow of rocks in Earth's lower crust. The study also shows that the weight of overlying mountains causes these deep rocks to strain at a rate that determines the frequency of large earthquakes on overlying faults; the scientists say that this relationship follows simple mathematical laws that were known from lab experiments.
NASA's Orion sees flawless fairing separation in second test
(Phys.org) —The three massive panels protecting a test version of NASA's Orion multipurpose crew vehicle successfully fell away from the spacecraft Wednesday in a test of a system that will protect Orion during its first trip to space next year.
Unique sighting of lava solves mystery
(Phys.org) —Scientists have made the first ever observations of how a rare type of lava continues moving almost a year after a volcanic eruption.
Stars born in filaments tend to outweigh stars formed in the field
The mass distribution of stars is called the initial mass function, or IMF for short, and it characterizes the properties not only of our Milky Way, but of all the other galaxies we observe as well. But is the IMF constant? Does it vary from galaxy to galaxy? Does it vary within our galaxy? After decades of studying we still are not sure how the environment affects the process of star formation, aside from the fact that the IMF seems peculiarly constant within the Milky Way.
Hubble catches stellar explosions in NGC 6984
Supernovae are intensely bright objects. They are formed when a star reaches the end of its life with a dramatic explosion, expelling most of its material out into space.
Technology news
Priceline promotes Huston to CEO; 3Q profit grows
(AP)—Priceline Group is promoting one of its executives to CEO, taking over from Jeffery Boyd.
Websites of Singapore president, PM hacked
The websites of Singapore's president and prime minister have been hacked after PM vowed to crack down on activist group Anonymous, which is demanding greater Internet freedom in the city-state, officials confirmed on Friday.
Building eco-friendly straw homes - panel by panel
The EU project EUROCELL ('EU market development of ModCell: a prefabricated eco-building system utilising renewable materials') is paving the way to using straw bale as a building material, employing a method pioneered at the University of Bath in the UK.
New framework for 3D tele-immersive social networking
It's Friday night, you're exhausted after a long week in the office. You're not going to leave the house so you could either watch TV or spend a few hours catching up on your social networks. But how about doing both? Thanks to the EU REVERIE (Real and Virtual Engagement in Realistic Immersive Environments) project, you will soon be able to immerse yourself into a 3D online environment which lets you interact with friends and share common experiences together, in real time.
A Reconfigurable Antenna Array (RAA) integrated with RF Switches
The recent rapid development of wireless communication systems has created a strong need for the development of new antenna structures. The research described in this project introduces the concept of reconfigurable antennas with switching beam control, operable at 5.8 GHz.
Multilayer varistors: Ultra-flat and compact varistors for ESD protection
TDK Corporation presents a new series of EPCOS multilayer varistors of the CeraDiode family, which includes the most compact, flattest and most rugged varistor for the ESD protection of mobile equipment. It has a footprint of only 0.47 mm x 0.47 mm at an extremely low profile of 0.1 mm in LGA packaging. These new SMD protection components are available in EIA case sizes of 0402, 0201 and even smaller. This enables the production of varistors that are thus about 80 percent smaller than their predecessors and simultaneously offer extremely reliable ESD protection.
EMC components: World's smallest common-mode choke for automotive Ethernet
TDK Corporation presents a new series of common-mode chokes for automotive Ethernet that features the world's best common-mode noise suppression. Measuring in with a footprint of 4.5 mm x 3.2 mm and an insertion height of just 2.8 mm, the miniaturized ACT45L series is the world's smallest common-mode choke for automotive Ethernet and fulfills the standard's stiffest requirements. Mass production of the new common-mode choke starts in November 2013.
The social science of cyberattacks
Thwarting cyberattacks could be as much a task for social scientists as it is for computer engineers.
Open-source through the lens of a microscope
A low-cost professional microscope based on open-source technologies has been developed by a group of engineers at the University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering.
NXP TFA9895 enhances mobile audio sound quality with multi-band speaker boost
Will your next mobile phone have built-in stereo speakers? As handset makers focus increasingly on audio quality, consumers can look forward to phones and other mobile devices that achieve higher sound quality than ever before, without relying on headphones and accessories. With over 20 million first-generation speaker driver ICs shipped in the first 12 months, NXP Semiconductors is now introducing the TFA9895 – its second-generation speaker boost solution – which further improves the sound quality of handsets and tablets via a new multi-band compression feature which enhances the way music and voice sound, even at louder speaker volumes.
Report: Google's Calif. barge to hoist sails
Google's four-story barge under construction in the heart of the San Francisco Bay plans to include a dozen or so massive sails when completed.
Dazzling Twitter debut sends stock soaring 73 pct
Shares of Twitter went on sale to the public for the first time Thursday, instantly leaping more than 70 percent above their offering price in a dazzling debut that exceeded even Wall Street's lofty hopes.
Australian claims huge bitcoin robbery
An Australian man claimed Friday to be the victim of a massive bitcoin robbery, saying hackers had stolen more than one million dollars of the digital currency from his website.
Is social media creating a digitally dependent culture?
Unless you've taken a time machine back to the dark ages, you're well aware that social media is everywhere. The question many ask is whether social media has invented a digital culture or simply removed the red tape to a bevy of information.
Locking down the cloud
A software re-encryption system could allow users to pay for and run applications "in the cloud" without revealing their identity to the cloud host. The same approach would also allow the software providers to lock out malicious users.
Twitter is Wall Street hit but challenges lie ahead
Twitter made a spectacular Wall Street debut Thursday but analysts warned of challenges ahead for the popular messaging service vying to become the next fixture for global Internet users.
As Twitter flies, fears mount on bubble (Update)
Twitter's high-flying Wall Street debut drew attention to the growing power of social media, but it has also raised concerns about a potential bubble in the sector.
Airline industry swooping in to prevent cyberattacks
Worried that computer hackers attacking banks and media companies could easily shift targets, the airline industry is taking preemptive steps to ensure it doesn't become the next victim.
US political campaigns may be able to accept Bitcoins
Candidates running for US federal office may be allowed to accept Bitcoin donations but not spend the digital currency, according to a proposal by regulators.
Stiff resistance to state technology taxes
As the nation moves from a tangible goods-based economy to a service-based economy, a few states are trying to keep revenues robust by taxing technological services such as software upgrades and cloud computing. But a backlash from the high-tech industry has quashed most efforts.
Smartphone banking opens door to ill-doers
Matt Certo jumped at the chance to use his smartphone for banking as soon as his bank offered the service a few years back.
NSA spying could prove costly to Internet businesses, experts say
The continuing revelations about National Security Agency spying on sensitive data kept by Silicon Valley companies are feeding fears that Internet companies in this country could suffer billions of dollars in lost business.
Twitter falls 7% after opening day bonanza
Twitter shares retreated Friday a day after a sizzling debut on Wall Street, as some of the frenzy about the popular messaging service faded.
GE researchers experiment with 3D painting to build up and repair parts (w/ Video)
A potential "fountain of youth" for metal, General Electric researchers announced the use of a process called "cold spray," in which metal powders are sprayed at high velocities to build a part or add material to repair an existing part. Cold spray is part of GE's expanded additive manufacturing toolkit.
Qatari fund invests in BlackBerry
A Qatari sovereign wealth fund was among a small group of investors who recently contributed $1 billion to Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry, US securities filings showed Friday.
Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots
A new device capable of pumping human waste into the "engine room" of a self-sustaining robot has been created by a group of researchers from Bristol.
Solid Concepts 3D prints world's first metal gun (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —3D printing company Solid Concepts has announced that it has 3D printed the world's first metal gun—other guns printed using 3D printers have been made of plastic. Representatives for Solid Concepts say they created the gun to demonstrate how strong and accurate products made using 3D printing technology can be.
Medicine & Health news
The great disappearing act: Bone marrow receiver cured of allergy
Not only can bone marrow transplants be life-saving for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia, they may also cure peanut allergies. According to research presented during the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, a 10-year-old boy no longer had a peanut allergy after undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
State of residency can increase children's risk of hay fever
If you think your child's stuffy nose is due to an autumn cold, you might want to consider allergies, especially if you live in the southern region of the United States. A study being presented this week at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) found hay fever is more prevalent in children living in the southeastern and southern states.
Reducing 2.1 million emergency room visits, one count at a time
Asthma is the most common chronic illness and is responsible for 2.1 million emergency room visits annually. But according to a study being presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), these costly visits can be reduced by 55 percent when inhalers contain a simple dose counter.
Oral allergy syndrome and high blood pressure medications can create lethal cocktail
Oral allergy syndrome sufferers that take high blood pressure medications may experience extreme facial swelling and difficulty breathing the next time they bite into a juicy apple. When patients with oral allergy syndrome take angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for hypertension and congestive heart failure, they are at an increased risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, according to new research.
Holiday health: Asthma with a side of allergies
People with asthma traveling to pet friendly homes for the holidays may want to pack allergy medication along with their inhaler. A study being presented this week at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting reveals the number of people with asthma that are also allergic to cats has more than doubled over an 18 year period.
Obama apologizes to Americans losing coverage
President Barack Obama, who promised his health care overhaul would allow Americans to keep their health insurance plans, has apologized to the at least 3.5 million people who are losing their coverage because their plans have been determined as substandard under the new law.
Dubai dishes out gold awards to weight losers (Update)
Dubai municipality has dished out 2.8 million dirhams ($762,942) worth of gold in prizes to contestants in a weight-loss challenge, an initiative by the Gulf emirate to fight obesity.
New targeted therapy to treat facial lesions
Research conducted by Roy G. Geronemus, M.D. and Yoon-Soo Cindy Bae-Harboe, M.D., was selected as Editor's Choice for the November 2013 issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM).
Maternity study seeks views of disabled and abused women
Recent research suggests that approximately 10% of women giving birth in the UK each year have some degree of disability, and nearly half of these women will experience domestic abuse during their pregnancy.
An app to help ex-drug and alcohol abusers
Ex-drug and alcohol abusers who have completed their treatment need a simple support system and daily motivation. Now they are getting both – in a handy pocket format.
Tribunals needed for assisted suicide in the UK
A new tribunal-style system to provide sympathetic and speedy consideration for each and every terminally-ill patient who wishes to end their lives is needed according to Claudia Carr, from the University of Hertfordshire's School of Law. The proposed system is being presented in a paper at the 1st Global Conference on Suicide, Self-Harm and Assisted Dying being held in Athens this week.
Innovative biobank will enhance research capacity for biomedical investigators
In biomedical research, access to human tissues is of central importance in studying a disease or condition, and ultimately in developing drugs and looking for cures. For this reason, the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) is rolling out an innovative project to develop an extensive Research Registry and Specimen Bank, called a biobank, for UK researchers.
Syria polio: 20mln Mideast children to get vaccine
Emergency plans are under way to vaccinate more than 20 million children in the Middle East after polio resurfaced in war-torn Syria, the United Nations said on Friday.
Vitamin D supplements may improve kidney transplant recipients' health
Adequate vitamin D levels are important for maintaining kidney transplant recipients' health, according to a study that will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2013 November 5-10 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
Battle against resistant bacteria takes huge leap forward
In the past it could take several hours for doctors to find out which antibiotic a patient should be treated with for a particular infection. Using a new technique developed in close collaboration of Aarhus University with the Danish biotech research company Unisensor A/S, Aalborg University, Odense University Hospital and Aarhus University Hospital this period has been more than halved. The significantly shorter response time can help prevent the development of resistant bacteria, shorten the course of a disease and may even save lives.
Ion channel inhibition limits injury-induced loss of kidney filtration
The kidney is responsible for retaining essential proteins and removing waste products from the blood stream. Injury to the kidney results in loss of kidney filter function, which if not treated promptly, can induce kidney failure.
Researchers identify a histone demethylase associated with non-small cell lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. Current therapies that target cellular kinases have been effective for some patients: however, many individuals with NSCLS do not respond. Recent studies of other cancers indicate that the global changes in DNA methylation patterns may drive tumor formation.
NIH launches trial of investigational genital herpes vaccine
Researchers have launched an early-stage clinical trial of an investigational vaccine designed to prevent genital herpes disease. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the Phase I trial, which is being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Republicans re-ignite abortion fight in US Senate
Republicans revived the divisive issue of abortion Thursday in the US Senate, introducing a bill that would ban the procedure after the 20th week of pregnancy.
US now requiring equal mental health coverage (Update)
A new Obama administration rule requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance abuse no differently than they do for physical illnesses.
Study finds high clot risk for women admitted to hospital during pregnancy
Admission to hospital during pregnancy for reasons other than delivery carries a substantially increased risk of serious blood clots (known as venous thromboembolism or VTE), finds a study published in BMJ today.
Women have greater shortness of breath than men when exercising
The reason women find it harder to breathe than men during exercise is due to greater electrical activation of their breathing muscles, shows a new study published today [8 November] in the journal Experimental Physiology.
You can have a food allergy, and eat it too
Have food allergies? If you answered yes, you know the best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction is to totally avoid the offending food. But according to a presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), you may no longer have to avoid the food entirely.
Depression therapy effective for poor, minority moms
Faced with the dual demands of motherhood and poverty, as many as one fourth of low-income minority mothers struggle with major depression. But the stigma associated with mental illness coupled with limited access to quality treatment prevent the majority of these struggling women from receiving help.
Allergic to gummy bears? Be cautious getting the flu shot
Do marshmallows make your tongue swell? Gummy bears make you itchy? If you've answered yes and are allergic to gelatin, you will want to take some precautions when getting the flu shot. While the vaccine is recommended for those six months of age and older, a case report being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting notes that individuals with a gelatin allergy can have a mild to severe reaction from the shot.
Allergy shots during pregnancy may decrease allergies in children
Expecting mothers who suffer from allergies may want to consider another vaccination in addition to the flu shot and Tdap. A study being presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) found pregnant women who receive allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, during pregnancy may decrease their baby's chance of developing allergies.
Allergy and asthma risk is in the genes and how the environment interacts with them
Are men healthier than women when it comes to allergies and asthma? Is one sex genetically at higher risk for chronic allergic illness? There are many differences between men and women. And when it comes down to health, one gender seems to be more prone to allergies and asthma.
10 percent of US adults physically limited by arthritis, CDC reports
(HealthDay)—More than 50 million Americans have arthritis, and almost half of them can't perform normal daily activities because of the disease, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
Parental stress, domestic violence may affect kids' development, study says
(HealthDay)—New research suggests that children who are exposed to domestic violence and depressed or anxious parents are more likely to lag in developing language, motor and social skills.
Telemedicine represents enhanced care model
(HealthDay)—Telemedicine may represent an effective care model but there are associated concerns, specifically relating to reimbursement and legal issues, according to an article published Oct. 25 in Medical Economics.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy prevalent in youth with T2DM
(HealthDay)—The prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is 25.7 percent among youth with type 2 diabetes, and is significantly higher than that seen among youth with type 1 diabetes, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in Diabetes Care.
Group training improves parenting skills, child behavior
(HealthDay)—Group training delivered to parents of toddlers in pediatric office settings improves parenting skills and reduces child disruptive behaviors, according to research published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Rickets making a comeback in the UK, doctors say
Rickets, the childhood disease that once caused an epidemic of bowed legs and curved spines during the Victorian era, is making a shocking comeback in 21st-century Britain.
Study shows TWEAK-Fn14 is drug target for cancer
(Medical Xpress)—A cellular pathway interaction known as TWEAK-Fn14, often associated with repair of acute injuries, also is a viable target for drug therapy that could prevent the spread of cancer, especially brain cancer, according to a study led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
Neuroscientist not napping on idea of explaining sleep
Don't nod off on this one. A Western neuroscientist is exploring the possibility sleep isn't so much about rest from a busy day as it is about memory consolidation – or, more simply, the process needed to form lasting memories.
Study explores bipolar in postpartum period
Researchers have long connected mood disorders and pregnancy. But a study coming out of Western is boiling down some of the specifics, suggesting women who suffered from depression prior to pregnancy should be monitored for manic symptoms, characteristic of bipolar disorder, in the postpartum period.
Women's pelvic pain often goes underreported, untreated
(Medical Xpress)—Although many women experience pelvic pain in their late teens and early 20s, a new University of Florida Health study indicates that only a small fraction of these women report their symptoms to their doctors and seek treatment, leaving some health problems unresolved.
Rise in falls and fractures among elderly after Superstorm Sandy
Everyone knows Superstorm Sandy left many New Jersey homes and businesses battered and bruised.
Never too young to talk about death?
Talking to children about death is a difficult and delicate task, but it is sometimes also necessary. While many adults shy away from discussing the loss of a friend or relative with children, some health professionals argue that we should be more proactive. Here, Hannah Newton, a social historian and research associate at St John's College, Cambridge, explains why this is one area where the past may offer valuable lessons for our own time.
Does your left brain know what your right brain is thinking?
Are you a left brain or a right brain person? I've never met a person who doesn't know what I mean by this question. The idea that creative people use the right side of their brain more than logical people (the left-brained) is an extremely strong meme.
Hearing through sight
Cochlear implants allow adults who have become profoundly deaf to recover the ability to understand speech. However, recovery differs between individuals. Activating the visual regions of the brain has proved essential to the satisfactory recovery of hearing, according to a new study by the Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CERCO, CNRS/Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), carried out in close collaboration with the ENT department at Hôpital Purpan in Toulouse. The more the area of the brain responsible for vision is activated immediately after implantation, the better the individual's speech understanding performance six months later. There is therefore a synergy between sight and hearing, resulting in a gradual improvement in the decoding of speech. These findings, which have just been published in Brain, illustrate the crucial role of brain plasticity. And they may make it possible to develop diagnostic tools for specific rehabilitation.
Gut hormone test predicts individual efficacy of gastric bypass
The sensitivity of the GLP-1 hormone, which is secreted by the gastrointestinal tract, can predict the metabolic efficacy of a gastric bypass. The use of a GLP1 challenge could thus function as a novel predictive biomarker for personalized treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. These findings were reported by scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA in the current issue of the journal Diabetes.
Race a bigger health care barrier than insurance status
Race appears to be a larger factor in disparities in health care use than whether or not a person has health insurance, finds a new study in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. Blacks, Hispanics, and especially Asians are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to access health care even if they have health insurance. However, having health insurance does increase the use of the health care system in minority populations.
Mapping mechanisms to medications
By charting shifts in gene expression, researchers can gain deeper insights into drug mechanisms and side effects.
Biomarkers to finetune depression treatment
The use of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in psychiatry may have the potential to improve treatment efficacy and aid in the diagnosis of major depression, a review has found.
Research provides new insights into bone biology
Bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside long bones, produces new blood cells and helps the lymphatic system work properly. But it may also turn out to be a progressively hostile microenvironment that induces vascular dysfunction and ossification, or hardening, of blood vessels.
How UTIs in women may damage kidneys
A scientist from the Institute of Translational Medicine has been awarded a £190,000 Fellowship by Kidney Research UK to investigate how the E.coli bacteria which cause Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) move to the kidneys where they can cause considerable damage.
The stressed out brain
Clinical studies of adolescents suffering from depression have shown an interesting connection between early life stress and the immune system. "Those who have experienced childhood trauma and adversity tend to have higher levels of inflammation biomarkers in their blood," explained Heather Brenhouse, an assistant professor of psychology at Northeastern University.
Q&A: What are trans fats?
You may not even know you are eating them, but trans fats will eventually be a thing of the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is phasing them out, calling them a threat to public health. Some questions and answers about the dangerous fats:
In animal study, 'cold turkey' withdrawal from drugs triggers mental decline
Can quitting drugs without treatment trigger a decline in mental health? That appears to be the case in an animal model of morphine addiction. Georgetown University Medical Center researchers say their observations suggest that managing morphine withdrawal could promote a healthier mental state in people.
Drug may guard against periodontitis, and related chronic diseases
A drug currently used to treat intestinal worms could protect people from periodontitis, an advanced gum disease, which untreated can erode the structures—including bone—that hold the teeth in the jaw. The research was published ahead of print in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
New test for patients with sore throats cuts antibiotic use by nearly a third
A new 'clinical score' test for patients with sore throats could reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed and result in patients feeling better more quickly, research in the British Medical Journal shows.
Study shows veterans psychologically impacted by Boston Marathon Bombing
According to a new study, many Boston-area military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced flashbacks, unwanted memories and other psychological effects as a result of the Boston Marathon Bombing in April 2013. The study raises awareness of the effects that tragic events such as terror attacks and mass shootings have not only those directly affected but also on those with PTSD and other preexisting psychological conditions. The researchers urge healthcare systems to be prepared in the future to treat individuals who were either directly or indirectly affected by such tragedies.
Mother's immunosuppressive medications not likely to put fetus at risk
Women with chronic autoimmune diseases who take immunosuppressive medications during their first trimester of pregnancy are not putting their babies at significantly increased risk of adverse outcomes, according to a Vanderbilt study released online by the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Scientists uncover potential drug target to nip cancer in the bud
Scientists at A*STAR have discovered an enzyme, Wip1 phosphatase, as a potential target to weed out the progression of cancer. Although studies in the past have revealed that this enzyme plays a critical role in regulating the budding of tumours, scientists have for the first time unearthed a mechanism for its mode of action.
Dialysis for the elderly: New evidence to guide shared decision-making
New research from Mayo Clinic finds that half of elderly patients who start dialysis after age 75 will die within one year. The findings are being presented this week at the American Society of Nephrology's Kidney Week 2013 in Atlanta.
Gut reaction: Scientists study factors influencing intestinal microbes
Study results from Texas A&M University and University of North Carolina School of Medicine scientists on the effect of diet complexity and estrogen hormone receptors on intestinal microbiota has been published in the September issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Scientists decipher how the immune system induces liver damage during hepatitis
Viral infections are the primary cause of liver inflammation or hepatitis, affecting hundreds of millions of people all over the world, and they represent a public health problem worldwide. The acute condition can cause irreversible damage to the liver, and if not cured can become chronic, leading to serious diseases such as cirrhosis or cancer.
What happens when a child with autism refuses most foods?
(HealthDay)—The life-threatening health problems that a 9-year-old boy with autism faced recently shed light on an issue that is rarely discussed.
Poor diet may spur inflammation-related health problems
(HealthDay)—People with diets that promote inflammation—such as those high in sugar and saturated fats—are at increased risk for early death from all causes, including gastrointestinal tract cancers, a new study suggests.
Non-celiac wheat sensitivity may be an allergy
(HealthDay)—Non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) may be a non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy, according to a review published online Nov. 5 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Most patients satisfied with telephonic health coaching
(HealthDay)—Most individuals who participate in telephonic health coaching are satisfied and report that health coaching helped them achieve their weight-related goal, according to a study published Oct. 31 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Primary care physician signing bonuses becoming the norm
(HealthDay)—Signing bonuses for primary care physicians are becoming ubiquitous in a competitive hiring landscape, according to an article published Oct. 25 in Medical Economics.
FDA seeks faster warning updates for generic drugs
The Food and Drug Administration is seeking a rule change to allow generic drugmakers to quickly update their warning labels with new safety information for doctors and patients.
Repurposed drug may be first targeted treatment for serious kidney disease
A drug approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis may also turn out to be the first targeted therapy for one of the most common forms of kidney disease, a condition that almost inevitably leads to kidney failure. A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers is reporting that treatment with abatacept (Orencia) appeared to halt the course of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in five patients, preventing four from losing transplanted kidneys and achieving disease remission in the fifth. The report is being issued online in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with a presentation at the American Society for Nephrology annual meeting.
Steaming broccoli preserves potential power to fight cancer, study finds
(HealthDay)—The way you prepare broccoli and related vegetables can alter their potentially cancer-fighting powers, new research shows.
Generic aciphex approved to treat chronic heartburn
(HealthDay)—The first generic versions of the anti-GERD drug Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people aged 12 and older, the agency said Friday.
New study decodes brain's process for decision making
(Medical Xpress)—When faced with a choice, the brain retrieves specific traces of memories, rather than a generalized overview of past experiences, from its mental Rolodex, according to new brain-imaging research from The University of Texas at Austin.
Research gives new insight into how antidepressants work in the brain
(Medical Xpress)—Research from Oregon Health & Science University's Vollum Institute, published in the current issue of Nature, is giving scientists a never-before-seen view of how nerve cells communicate with each other. That new view can give scientists a better understanding of how antidepressants work in the human brain—and could lead to the development of better antidepressants with few or no side effects.
Robotic advances promise artificial legs that emulate healthy limbs
Recent advances in robotics technology make it possible to create prosthetics that can duplicate the natural movement of human legs. This capability promises to dramatically improve the mobility of lower-limb amputees, allowing them to negotiate stairs and slopes and uneven ground, significantly reducing their risk of falling as well as reducing stress on the rest of their bodies.
New therapeutic target identified for ALS and frontotemporal degeneration
A team of scientists led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have identified a novel therapeutic approach for the most frequent genetic cause of ALS, a disorder of the regions of the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement, and frontal temporal degeneration, the second most frequent dementia.
Biology news
High bat mortality from wind turbines
A new estimate of bat deaths caused by wind turbines concludes that more than 600,000 of the mammals likely died this way in 2012 in the contiguous United States. The estimate, published in an article in BioScience, used sophisticated statistical techniques to infer the probable number of bat deaths at wind energy facilities from the number of dead bats found at 21 locations, correcting for the installed power capacity of the facilities.
New populations of Indochina's rarest deer discovered in Cambodia
A joint team from the Royal University of Phnom Penh's Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) have found three previously unknown populations of the Endangered hog deer in Cambodia.
DNA software for international detective work
Interpol is going to use software based on research by Radboud University Nijmegen and marketed by spin-off company SMART Research BV. The program, called Bonaparte, is able to identify people from their relatives' DNA.
Researchers gather for stem cell retreat
Scientists from across the state are gathering for a retreat at the Health Center today to present their latest findings in the field of stem cell research. Among those making presentations include researchers from UConn, Yale, Wesleyan, The Jackson Laboratory, and Pfizer pharmaceuticals.
Defending food crops: Whitefly experimentation to prevent contamination of agriculture
On November 8th, JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, will introduce a new technique to aid in the development of defenses against diseases threatening food crops worldwide. The method, published under the title Transmitting Plant Viruses Using Whiteflies, is applicable to such at-risk crops as tomatoes and common bean plants. The whitefly method provides a means of interfering with the plant-contamination process as well as the cultivation of plants that are altogether resistant to infection.
Volunteers join scientists in finding out who gets rid of cow dung
With more than a billion cows around the world, an immense amount of dung is produced each day. Most of these droppings will evidently disappear, as the world is still green rather than brown. Now a team of scientists have joined forces with local volunteers to find out who decomposes the most of it in Finland, Northern Europe.
Tracking young salmon's first moves in the ocean
Basic ocean conditions such as current directions and water temperature play a huge role in determining the behavior of young migrating salmon as they move from rivers and hit ocean waters for the first time, according to new research. The findings inform restoration policies and practices focused on boosting endangered salmon species in the Pacific Northwest.
Always ask a vet before giving painkillers to pets, expert says
(HealthDay)—When people feel pain, they often reach for common medicines such as aspirin or Motrin. These types of drugs, known as NSAIDs, also are used to treat arthritis pain in dogs and to manage pain after surgery in dogs and cats.
Study documents effects of road noises on migratory birds
(Phys.org) —A first-of-its-kind study by Boise State University researchers shows that the negative effects of roads on wildlife are largely because of traffic noise.
As crop indicators, weeds spread in warmer world
(Phys.org) —Weeds, those unwanted, unloved and annoying invasive plants that farmers and gardeners hate amid their plantings, are expanding to northern latitudes, thanks to rising temperatures.
Why do fruit flies live so long?
Queen's University professor Adam Chippindale (Biology) and PhD candidate Christopher Kimber appear to have revealed an anomaly in the evolutionary theory of aging.
Everyone agreed: cane toads would be a winner for Australia
When cane toads were released in Australia in 1935, they were the latest innovation in pest control, backed by a level of consensus support that a scientist could only dream of. So what went wrong?
Winter wonderland? Mountain hares feel more comfortable away from winter tourists
The mountain hare is rarely seen in the wild. It lives in the higher regions of the Alps and is famous for its beautiful white winter coat. Now, however, climate change and winter tourism are threatening the mountain hare's natural habitat. Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) have confirmed for the first time that mountain hares suffer more stress in areas that are visited by large numbers of tourists than their conspecifics in quieter areas. Stressed hares expend more energy, and that can be life-threatening in the cold Alpine winter. The results of this research are published in the prestigious Journal of Applied Ecology.
A new scorpion species from ancient Lycia
Scientists discover and describe a new species of scorpion, Euscorpius lycius, coming from the area of ancient Lycia, nowadays the regions of the Muğla and Antalya Provinces in Southwestern Turkey. With the new discovery, the scorpions from this genus found in the country go up to a total of five known species. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Dolphin virus outbreak in Atlantic is deadliest ever
The deadliest known outbreak of a measles-like virus in bottlenose dolphins has killed a record number of the animals along the US Atlantic coast since July, officials said Friday.
Researchers uncover origins of cattle farming in China
An international team of researchers, co-led by scientists at the University of York and Yunnan Normal University, has produced the first multi-disciplinary evidence for management of cattle populations in northern China, around the same time cattle domestication took place in the Near East, over 10,000 years ago.
Edited RNA + invasive DNA add individuality
The story of why we are all so different goes well beyond the endless mixing and matching of DNA through breeding. A new study in the journal Nature Communications, for instance, reports a new molecular mechanism of individual variation found in fruit flies that uses components operating in a wide variety of species, including humans.
Green isoprene closer to reality
(Phys.org) —With an eye toward maximizing isoprene production in bacteria, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Washington State University sought to understand isoprene regulation in Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium typically found in soil that naturally produces more isoprene than other microbes. Potentially, industrial quantities of isoprene, a volatile liquid currently derived from oil used for aviation fuel and industrial applications, could be derived from bacteria. Like plant and animal cells, bacteria produce isoprene in small amounts to serve important signaling and structural roles. The researchers' result was a new, transcriptomics-based model that accurately predicts how much isoprene B. subtilis will produce when stressed or nourished.
Researchers discover bacteria thrive in zero-gravity low nutrient environment
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in New York, working with Lockheed-Martin Ames Research Center has found that one strain of a common type of bacteria thrives aboard space vehicles, even when faced with minimal nutrients. In their paper published in BMC Microbiology, the researchers describe an experiment they conducted aboard NASA Shuttle Atlantis that showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a very common type of bacteria, grows more dense cultures when in space than it does on Earth when available nutrients are restricted.
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