Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 18, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Ultra-flexible battery's performance rises to meet demands of wearable electronics- Researchers grow graphene on silver
- Engineers make world's smallest FM radio transmitter
- SlipChip counts molecules with chemistry and a cell phone
- Evidence found for granite on Mars
- Scientists generate "mini-kidney" structures from human stem cells
- Tiny lasers light up future electronics
- 3D Builder is free 3D printing app for Windows 8.1
- Promiscuous mouse moms bear sexier sons
- Chaotic physics in ferroelectrics hints at brain-like computing
- Scientists invent self-healing battery electrode
- A superconductor-surrogate earns its stripes
- Microbiologists reveal unexpected properties of methane-producing microbe
- New models predict where E. coli strains will thrive
- Pressure cooking to improve electric car batteries
Space & Earth news
Thousands in Naples protest mafia pollution
Thousands protested Saturday in Naples over illegal waste dumps blamed on the mafia that generate toxic fumes, an AFP photographer said.
Ban says Philippines typhoon a 'warning' on climate change
UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Saturday a super typhoon that killed thousands in the Philippines was an example of climate change and should serve as a warning to mankind.
Thousands rally in Australia for climate action
Thousands of people on Sunday rallied across Australia calling for stronger action on climate change, days after new conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott moved to abolish a carbon tax.
UN climate chief says coal sector must 'change dramatically'
The UN's climate chief urged the coal industry on Monday to "change rapidly and dramatically" at a contentious coal summit on the sidelines of global climate talks.
Deforestation rates in Brazil surge, after years of progress to slow forest loss
The annual deforestation rate in Brazil rose 28 per cent, marking a reversal after several years of declining deforestation rates, according to data from the Brazilian Spatial Institute for August 2012-July2013.
Mid Atlantic rocket launch set for Tuesday night
Much of the U.S. East Coast is expected to get a view of a mid-Atlantic rocket launch Tuesday night, when the Air Force and NASA will try to put 29 tiny satellites into orbit, including a smartphone and a satellite built by students.
Global warming in the Canadian Arctic
Ph.D. student Karita Negandhi and professor Isabelle Laurion from INRS'Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre, in collaboration with other Canadian, U.S., and French researchers, have been studying methane emissions produced by thawing permafrost in the Canadian Arctic. These emissions are greatly underestimated in current climate models. Their findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, illustrate the importance of taking into account greenhouse gases emitted by small thaw ponds, as they could have a significant impact on climate.
Spain to appeal for damages over Prestige oil spill
Spain will appeal for damages over the Prestige tanker disaster which choked its northwest coast in oil, the government said Monday, after a court acquitted all defendants of causing the spill.
Cost from disasters quadrupled in 30 years: World Bank
The bill from natural and weather disasters is nearly $200 billion (150 billion euros) a year, four times higher than in the 1980s, the World Bank said on Monday.
Tornadoes, damaging storms sweep across Midwest
(AP)—Dozens of tornadoes and intense thunderstorms swept across the U.S. Midwest on Sunday, causing extensive damage in several central Illinois communities, killing at least three people and prompting officials at Chicago's Soldier Field to evacuate the stands and delay the Bears pro football game.
Two Indonesian volcanoes erupt, flights disrupted
Two volcanoes erupted in Indonesia on Monday, with one forcing flights to be rerouted and stopping thousands of people who had already been evacuated from returning home.
NASA begins first Antarctic airborne campaign from McMurdo Station
NASA's Operation IceBridge has begun its 2013 Antarctic field campaign with the arrival of the agency's aircraft and scientists at the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
Two comets to fly by Mercury
What are the odds? On Nov. 18th and 19th not one but two comets will fly by the planet Mercury.
NASA Hubble sees sparring antennae galaxies
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has snapped the best ever image of the Antennae Galaxies. Hubble has released images of these stunning galaxies twice before, once using observations from its Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) in 1997, and again in 2006 from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Each of Hubble's images of the Antennae Galaxies has been better than the last, due to upgrades made during the famous servicing missions, the last of which took place in 2009.
NASA technologists embrace laser instrument challenge
In 2007, the National Research Council threw down a challenge: Design a space-based laser altimeter that could measure the height of Earth's surface everywhere to within a mere 10 centimeters—all at 5-meter resolution. To this day, some believe it can't be done.
Salinization of groundwater resources in Texas is a growing concern
(Phys.org) —Degrading potable groundwater quality is a growing concern in Texas, as about 15 percent of all domestic wells in the state are at risk due to high salinity, according to a recent Texas A&M AgriLife Research study.
Rainforest carbon recovers faster than biodiversity
When tropical forests are cleared, they can take a century or more to re-absorb the carbon they once held, according to a new study. But their biodiversity is even slower to recover, and some species may never return.
Amber provides new insights into the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere
An international team of researchers led by Ralf Tappert, University of Innsbruck, reconstructed the composition of the Earth's atmosphere of the last 220 million years by analyzing modern and fossil plant resins. The results suggest that atmospheric oxygen was considerably lower in the Earth's geological past than previously assumed. This new study questions some of the current theories about the evolution of climate and life, including the causes for the gigantism of dinosaurs.
Respiratory disorder in the ocean: Team demonstrates the influence of eddies on the oxygen sustenance
For more than four months, from Nov. 2012 to March 2013, Kiel ocean scientists investigated on the German research vessel METEOR the oxygen-poor upwelling regions in the tropical Pacific off Peru. First results of the project carried out in the context of the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 754 "Climate-biogeochemistry interactions in the tropical ocean" show how eddies in the ocean influence the oxygen and nutrient distribution in the oxygen-poor regions.
NASA counts down to launch of Mars orbiter
NASA on Monday began the countdown to the launch of a new Mars spacecraft on a mission to study how the air on the Red Planet has changed over time.
MicroObservatory catches comet ISON
Hopes are high for Comet ISON, which has the potential to become the most spectacular comet seen in years. ISON is speeding through the inner solar system at about 120,000 miles per hour, on its way to a close approach to the Sun on November 28th. Assuming it survives its close encounter, it could become easily visible to the unaided eye in dawn skies.
UNH scientists document, quantify deep-space radiation hazards
Scientists from the University of New Hampshire and colleagues have published comprehensive findings on space-based radiation as measured by a UNH-led detector aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The data provide critical information on the radiation hazards that will be faced by astronauts on extended missions to deep space such as those to Mars.
NASA's newest Mars flyer will explore atmosphere
(AP)—NASA hopes its newest Mars spacecraft lives up to its know-it-all name.
Oxygen, phosphorous and early life on Earth
Two billion years ago the Earth system was recovering from perhaps the single-most profound modification of its surface environments: the oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans. This led to a series of major changes in global biogeochemical cycles, as a team around Aivo Lepland of the Norwegian Geological Survey NGU reports in the latest online edition of "Nature Geoscience".
Paths out of uncertainty: Increasing extreme confidence
Long-term and average changes are in the focus of the discussion on climate change: globally, as the different scientific climate models all predict, it will be warmer on Earth at the end of the century. For decision-makers and people affected by climate change, however, information on the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heat and cold extremes, heavy rainfall or dry spells are at least as important as indications of average values. Moreover, for them projections about the next ten, twenty, thirty or forty years are usually more relevant than the long-term view to the end of the century. The problem: for the short and medium term, the models yield extremely different results.
Volcano discovered smoldering under a kilometer of ice in West Antarctica
It wasn't what they were looking for but that only made the discovery all the more exciting.
Satellites to probe Earth's strange shield
Europe next week will launch a trio of hi-tech satellites to explore something that may seem utterly mundane: Earth's magnetic field.
NASA launching robotic explorer to Mars
NASA's newest Martian explorer is on its launch pad in Florida, ready to soar.
Glassy coating keeps viruses happy in harsh environments
What's a virus to do when it finds itself in an inhospitable environment such as hot water? Coating itself in glass seems to not only provide protection, but may also make it easier to jump to a more favorable location to spread.
Image: Exploring the third dimension of Cassiopeia A
(Phys.org) —One of the most famous objects in the sky - the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant - will be on display like never before, thanks to NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and a new project from the Smithsonian Institution. A new three-dimensional (3D) viewer, being unveiled this week, will allow users to interact with many one-of-a-kind objects from the Smithsonian as part of a large-scale effort to digitize many of the Institutions objects and artifacts.
Astrophysicists tackle the Sun and one of physics' biggest unsolved problems
Daniel Wolf Savin and Michael Hahn have been fascinated by the universe since they were boys. For Savin, a senior research scientist in the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, discovering Albert Einstein at age 12 spurred the desire to "learn everything about the universe." Years later, Hahn, an associate research scientist who grew up 40 miles from Savin's home town in Connecticut, started gazing at the stars as a teenager; he eventually became president of the astronomy club at his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon.
Cause of El Nino abnormality found
(Phys.org) —Unusual El Niños, like those that led to the extraordinary super El Niño years of 1982 and 1997, will occur twice as often under even modest global warming scenarios.
Making the first stars
(Phys.org) —The first stars in the Universe are believed to have formed only a few hundred million years after the big bang, about 13.7 billion years ago. They heated and ionized the pristine intergalactic medium, and their supernova explosions enriched the primordial gas with the first heavy elements (the Universe was born with only hydrogen and a dash of helium). These stars thus altered in a fundamental way the chemical and thermal state of the gas from which the first galaxies then formed, in turn triggering the first self-sustaining cycle of star formation, feedback, and chemical enrichment. Understanding the formation and properties of the first stars is thus an important step towards a comprehensive picture of structure formation in the early Universe.
Researchers predict Cyclone Haiyan likely to release huge amount of carbon
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers from several institutions working in the United States has published a paper in the journal Environmental Research Letters, outlining the atmospheric carbon impact caused by hurricanes and cyclones. Prior research suggests, they note, that the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere due to Cyclone Haiyan is likely to be huge.
Underwater 'tree rings': Calcite crusts of arctic algae record 650 years of sea ice change
Almost 650 years of annual change in sea-ice cover can been seen in the calcite crust growth layers of seafloor algae, says a new study from the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).
Study reveals how farmers could mitigate nitrous oxide emissions
Farmers may be able to help reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) by incorporating copper into crop fertilisation processes – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Simple scaling theory used to better predict gas production in barnett shale wells
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a simple scaling theory to estimate gas production from hydraulically fractured wells in the Barnett Shale. The method is intended to help the energy industry accurately identify low- and high-producing horizontal wells, as well as accurately predict how long it will take for gas reserves to deplete in the wells.
NASA launches robotic explorer to Mars
NASA's newest robotic explorer, Maven, rocketed toward Mars on Monday on a quest to unravel the ancient mystery of the red planet's radical climate change.
Evidence found for granite on Mars
Researchers now have stronger evidence of granite on Mars and a new theory for how the granite – an igneous rock common on Earth—could have formed there, according to a new study. The findings suggest a much more geologically complex Mars than previously believed.
Microbiologists reveal unexpected properties of methane-producing microbe
For 40 years, scientists thought they understood how certain bacteria work together to anaerobically digest biomass to produce methane gas, important in bioenergy and the major source of greenhouse gas. But now microbiologists in Derek Lovley's lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst show for the first time that one of the most abundant methane-producing microorganisms on earth makes direct electrical connections with another species to produce the gas in a completely unexpected way.
Technology news
Pioneering advanced fibre technologies for next-generation internet
Researchers at EU project MODE-GAP ('Multi-mode capacity enhancement with PBG fibre') are working to boost the internet's capacity by developing and testing advanced fibre technologies.
Storage heaters as buffers for wind power
As reported in the latest issue of Pictures of the Future, Siemens and RWE are planning to use storage heaters to make surplus solar and wind power more usable. In the RWE Wind Heating project, the two companies have worked together with tekmar Regelsysteme GmbH to equip the storage heating systems in two neighborhoods with smart control devices. The storage heaters were programmed to charge their heat stores whenever there was too much sunshine or the wind was blowing. The test phase begun in 2011 has shown that the concept is very effective.
Power supply systems for deep sea factories
Siemens is developing power technology for deep sea factories. These self-sufficient oil and gas extraction facilities should one day exploit raw material deposits on the seafloor. Located thousands of meters under water, the factories must operate reliably for several decades. However, there is still no empirical data about the high water pressure's long-term effects on transformers and other network components. As reported in "Pictures of the Future", Siemens is testing components for deep sea facilities in a special pressure chamber in Trondheim, Norway. Beginning in 2020, the Norwegian energy company Statoil plans to build oil and gas extraction facilities deep under water.
Improved ranking test for supercomputers to be released by Sandia
Sandia National Laboratories researcher Mike Heroux has helped craft a new benchmark that more accurately measures the power of modern supercomputers for scientific and engineering applications. Heroux collaborated with the creator of the widely used LINPACK benchmark, Jack Dongarra, and his colleagues at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Bringing humanity's treasures to a worldwide audience
University of Kentucky computer scientist Brent Seales wants to use 21st century technology to preserve the treasured relics of humanity and make them accessible to a wider audience of scholars.
VW tops global Research and Development ranking, but EU companies put in mixed performance
For the first time since 2004, an EU company – the German carmaker Volkswagen – is the world's largest private sector R&D investor. Volkswagen tops the European Commission's 2013 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard with an investment of €9.5bn in 2012. Overall, EU-based firms (527 companies) stepped up R&D investment by 6.3%, just above the average of the 2000 firms in the Scoreboard (+6.2%). However, like last year they lagged behind their US counterparts (+8.2%). EU companies also showed a mixed performance depending on the sector, with strong R&D growth in some but stagnation or decline elsewhere. EU Scoreboard companies surveyed expect to increase their R&D investments by 2.6 % on average per year for the period 2013-2015, a fall in expectations over the previous year.
Blue Gene active storage boosts I/O performance at JSC
The ever growing complexity of various simulation tasks not only require a continuous increase of computing power but also the capability of managing large amounts of data. Realisation of an active storage architecture and integration of non-volatile memory into Blue Gene/Q enables data intensive applications to exploit the performance of this highly scalable high-performance computing system by IBM. The BGAS system is the result of a close collaboration between Forschungszentrum Jülich and IBM in the framework of the Exascale Innovation Centre. It is attached to the supercomputer JUQUEEN installed at Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC). This Blue Gene/Q system is currently the most powerful system in Europe.
Latest federal Internet gambling bill proposes tax
If Congress makes no progress on a national framework for online gambling this session, it won't be for a lack of legislation.
France's Pleyel piano maker plays final note
(AP)—Gone are its glory days, when Chopin composed concertos on its pianos. France's Pleyel piano maker is shutting its doors, unable to keep up with cheaper and more agile competition.
Thousands of trucks block French roads in ecotax demo
Thousands of trucks blocked motorways across France on Saturday in protest at the government's controversial plans for an tax on heavy vehicles, causing hours of delays.
Online gambling gains momentum in US
Internet gambling is on a roll in the US market after years lurking in the shadows.
Google blocks child porn from 100,000 searches
Google boss Eric Schmidt said Monday that the tech giant had developed new technology that makes it harder to find child sexual abuse images on the web.
French plans for more wind farms fans controversy
Plans to dot France with wind farms are facing fierce opposition from critics worried they will blight a landscape that has helped make the country the world's top tourist destination.
High-tech measurements for high-frequency antennas
A team of researchers at PML's Antenna Metrology Lab in Boulder, CO has devised a first-of-its-kind system – combining a precision 3-meter industrial robot arm with a metrology-grade laser tracker and other apparatus – that can measure a probe antenna's position to within 50 micrometers while it is moving.
Converting natural gas to liquid transportation fuels via biological organisms
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories will use their expertise in protein expression, enzyme engineering and high-throughput assays as part of a multiproject, $34 million effort by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) aimed at developing advanced biocatalyst technologies that can convert natural gas to liquid fuel for transportation.
Crunching the numbers to see how complex systems can be optimized
When consumers look at cars at an auto dealership, they have speed on their minds—and not necessarily the sort measured by 0-to-60 acceleration. Rather, they want to buy cars quickly: Evidence shows that people tend to purchase something that's available on the lot, rather than waiting for an order to arrive from another site, even though an auto is a major purchase.
Supreme Court rejects plea to look at NSA program
The Supreme Court is refusing to intervene in the controversy surrounding the National Security Agency, rejecting a call from a privacy group to stop NSA from collecting the telephone records of millions of Verizon customers in the United States.
DIY and save: A scientist's guide to making your own lab equipment
Joshua Pearce is not one for understatement. "This is the beginning of a true revolution in the sciences," says the author of "Open-Source Lab." For cash-strapped researchers, he could be right.
Modeling of internal friction adds new wrinkle to realistic simulation of cloth behavior
Most people try to keep clothing wrinkle free, but computer graphic artists, striving for realism in computer simulations, take pains to be sure clothing wrinkles, folds and stretches naturally. A new computer modeling technique developed by Disney researchers and academic collaborators addresses this problem.
Five arrested in $45 mn 'cyber heist'
Five people were arrested Monday following a global "cyber heist" in which hackers stole $45 million by overriding the cash withdrawal limits of prepaid debit cards, US officials said.
Google to pay $17M to settle Safari privacy case (Update)
Google is paying $17 million to 37 states and the District of Columbia to make amends for the Internet search leader's snooping on millions of people using Safari Web browsers in 2011 and 2012.
Brazil firm on demand for domestic web data storage
Brazil on Monday stood firm on its demand that tech giants such as Google and Facebook store local customer data in this country to ensure greater privacy .
3D printing 'will change the world'
From replacement kidneys to guns, cars, prosthetics and works of art, 3D printing is predicted to transform our lives in the coming decades as dramatically as the Internet did before it.
Norway warms to electric cars
Following the example of their crown prince, thousands of Norwegians have switched to electric cars, taking advantage of strong and somewhat controversial government incentives.
An unconventional car: No engine, no transmission, no differential
This car has no engine, no transmission and no differential. It weighs half as much as a conventional car. Each of its four wheels has its own built-in electric battery-powered motor, meaning the car has the ability to make sharp turns and change direction very quickly.
Samsung applies for patent on wraparound phone display
(Phys.org) —Samsung has applied for a US patent on a new type of wraparound display for a smartphone. According to diagrams in the patent, the wraparound would be more like single bends on either side of the main screen that take up part of the side of the phone. The result is a beveled look, where the bevel can display images and respond to touches just like the main screen.
Study reveals potential breakthrough in hearing technology
Computer engineers and hearing scientists at The Ohio State University have made a potential breakthrough in solving a 50-year-old problem in hearing technology: how to help the hearing-impaired understand speech in the midst of background noise.
New algorithms improve animations featuring fog, smoke and underwater scenes
A team led by Disney Research, Zürich has developed a method to more efficiently render animated scenes that involve fog, smoke or other substances that affect the travel of light, significantly reducing the time necessary to produce high-quality images or animations without grain or noise.
Yahoo vows to encrypt all its users' personal data (Update)
Yahoo is expanding its efforts to protect its users' online activities from prying eyes by encrypting all the communications and other information flowing into the Internet company's data centers around the world.
Hyundai to market hydrogen vehicle next year
For years, the joke in the auto industry was that a mass-produced car that runs on hydrogen was always a decade away.
3D Builder is free 3D printing app for Windows 8.1
Microsoft continues to beat the drum as a technology company out to inspire and support 3D printing. After announcing earlier this year that it would be supporting 3D printing in Windows 8.1, Microsoft earlier this week took another step up when it announced the launch of its 3D Builder.
Medicine & Health news
Seeking lung donors after at-home death
The pair of lungs sits inside a clear dome, gently inflating as doctors measure how well they'll breathe if implanted into a patient who desperately needs them.
One minute of CPR video training could save lives
Just one minute of CPR video training for bystanders in a shopping mall could save lives in emergencies, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Health care woes help Republicans in 2014 election
(AP)—Republicans are seeing the troubled launch of President Barack Obama's signature health care overhaul as a chance to win more seats in the 2014 election, when control of Congress will be at stake.
British medics could face jail for patient neglect
British doctors and nurses who neglect their patients could be jailed under government proposals announced Saturday, in the wake of a scandal at a hospital where hundreds died after receiving appalling care.
Robots let doctors 'beam' into remote hospitals
(AP)—The doctor isn't in, but he can still see you now.
New ISHLT nomenclature and diagnostic criteria: Antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplantation
Antibody-mediated rejection of the transplanted heart is a recognized clinical complication and a major limitation to survival of patients who have undergone heart transplantation. Experts have now developed a new working formulation for the pathologic diagnosis, grading, and reporting of cardiac antibody-mediated rejection. Their consensus statement is published in the December issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.
Early statin therapy helps kids with inherited high cholesterol
Children with inherited high levels of cholesterol who receive cholesterol-lowering statins in their early years have a lower risk of coronary heart disease than their affected parents, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Hybrid heart valve is strong, durable in early tests
A hybrid heart valve created from thin and highly elastic mesh embedded within layers of human cells was strong and durable in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Texting heart medication reminders improved patient adherence
Getting reminder texts helped patients take their heart medicines (anti-platelet and cholesterol-lowering drugs) more regularly, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Turkey launches polio vaccination at Syria border
Turkey on Monday announced a mass vaccination campaign against an outbreak of polio in areas near neighbouring Syria.
Princeton U. to give students meningitis B vaccine
Princeton University officials decided Monday to make available a meningitis vaccine that hasn't been approved in the U.S. to stop the spread of the sometimes deadly disease on campus.
Elite female athletes' health risk
Young female athletes representing South Australia in aesthetics sports such as gymnastics are putting their health at risk due to calcium and iron deficiencies, a Flinders University study has found.
5 Questions: Beverly Mitchell on advances in cancer care
In the past few years, there have been dramatic advances in the use of genomic analysis, molecular biology, imaging technologies and data management to make cancer treatment less toxic and better tailored to individual patients.
Researchers investigate nut allergy mechanisms
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists teamed with university collaborators to validate the ability of a database of allergenic proteins to predict when an individual will react to two or more different types of nuts, a condition called "cross-reactivity."
Fear of stigma stops people from seeking problem gambling help
While gambling is an accepted past-time in our community, having a problem with your gambling is not. There is also significant public stigma connected to seeking help for gambling problems – so much so, that it may stop people from seeking the help they need.
Sore throat: Is it strep or something else?
It's a common complaint, "Mom, my throat hurts." The quandary for many parents is why does it hurt? Is it a virus or something more? For some infections, like strep throat, that question can be difficult to determine without help.
Antibiotics – friend and foe?
European Antibiotic Awareness Day is marked on the 18th November every year. This year in Norway, a seminar for health care providers about antibiotic use and resistance will be held, as well as several local events around the country for both doctors and the public.
Study finds no difference in survival when lowering cardiac arrest patients' temperature to 33°C vs. 36°C
Lowering cardiac arrest patients' body temperatures to 33°C (91.4°F) instead of 36°C (96.8°F) did not improve survival or neurological/cognitive function in a late-breaking clinical trial presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Treating high blood pressure right after stroke made no difference in recovery
Lowering high blood pressure in the very acute initial period after a stroke made no difference in patient recovery in a late-breaking clinical trial presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Indonesian woman dies of bird flu, health ministry reports
An Indonesian woman living near the capital Jakarta has died of bird flu, the health ministry said, the latest death from H5N1 in the country hardest hit by the virus.
Re-thinking cancer treatment
A new treatment approach for tackling cancer of the food pipe (oesophagus) has been developed by researchers at Cardiff and Velindre NHS Trust.
The skinny on fat and cholesterol
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration proposed banning transfat—partially hydrogenated oil—from restaurants and grocery shelves because it raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol, contributing to heart disease. This week, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released groundbreaking new guidelines on cholesterol treatment that could double the number of patients taking cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.
Vismodegib in basal cell carcinoma: Added benefit not proven
The drug vismodegib (trade name: Erivedge) is approved for the treatment of patients with two forms of basal cell carcinoma (BCC): symptomatic metastatic BCC and locally advanced BCC inappropriate for surgery or radiotherapy.
Medication adherence after hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome
Patients better adhered to their medication regimens in the year following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) when they were part of a program that included personalized attention from a pharmacist compared with usual care, according to a study by P. Michael Ho, M.D., Ph.D., of the Denver VA Medical Center, and colleagues.
Study validates new anti-cancer therapy based on cell division
Aurora-A is a protein involved in the cell division process that is highly expressed or synthesised in a large number of human cancers, especially in those associated with a bad prognosis. Several pharmaceutical companies have recently developed these protein inhibitors, although the therapeutic and physiological effects that blocking Aurora-A might have on adult tissues are still unknown.
Therapy using stem cells, bone marrow cells, appears safe for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy
Alan W. Heldman, M.D., of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and colleagues conducted a study to examine the safety of transendocardial stem cell injection (TESI) with autologous mesenchymal stem cells and bone marrow mononuclear cells in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Pre-op exam, nerve monitor provides valuable thyroid outcomes information
Intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) monitoring has gained popularity with approximately 53 percent of general surgeons and 65 percent of otolaryngologists using intraoperative nerve monitoring in select or all cases. The importance of laryngeal exam prior to thyroid surgery has also been increasingly recognized, but the relationship between surgical outcomes and these two parameters has not been studied.
Greater density of coronary artery calcium associated with lower risk of CHD, CVD
Michael H. Criqui, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues determined the independent associations of coronary artery calcium (CAC) volume and CAC density with cardiovascular disease events. An increasing body of evidence suggests that greater calcium density in plaques (measured by computed tomography) is associated with decreased CVD risk.
Type of cell therapy does not improve walking ability for patients with peripheral artery disease
Joseph Poole, M.D., Ph.D., of the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, and colleagues studied whether therapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), an agent that functions as a white blood cell growth factor, would improve walking performance in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (a form of vascular disease in which there is partial or total blockage of an artery, usually one leading to a leg or arm).
Depression in pregnancy: New study shows preferences for therapy over medication
Women with depression in the perinatal period experience a high degree of conflict in deciding whether and how to treat their depression, but strongly prefer treatments other than antidepressant medications, reports a study in the November Journal of Psychiatric Practice.
Without sufficient support, community health centers will drop one million patients
A new report by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) examines the impact of federal and state policy decisions on community health centers (CHCs) and their ability to continue providing primary care to the nation's poorest residents. The report, "How Medicaid Expansions and Future Community Health Center Funding Will Shape Capacity to Meet the Nation's Primary Care Needs," estimates that under a worst-case scenario, the nation's health centers would be forced to contract, leaving an estimated 1 million low-income people without access to health care services by the year 2020.
Preventing antibiotic resistance in hospital textiles
New research explores strategies to develop new technologies for fighting antibacterial resistance.
Rapid detection of superbugs
A new lab test that detects antibiotic resistance genes quickly could help doctors choose the right drugs to knock out superbugs.
Bird flu claims 163rd fatality in Indonesia
A 31-year-old Indonesian woman has died of bird flu, bringing the death toll to 163 in the country hardest-hit by the virus, the Health Ministry said Monday.
Newly developed antidote successfully reversed anti-clotting medication dabigatran
For the first time, an antidote developed specifically for dabigatran successfully reversed the effects of the anti-clotting medication in healthy volunteers, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Atrial fibrillation hospitalizations, costs soar in United States
U.S. hospitalizations and costs of care for atrial fibrillation nearly doubled from 1998 to 2010, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Small vessel changes in eye, kidney provide clues to risky heart rhythm
People with damage in the small blood vessels of the retina and kidneys are at increased risk to develop the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Among patients with recent ACS, use of enzyme inhibitor does not reduce risk of cardiovascular event
Stephen J. Nicholls, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, and colleagues determined the effects of varespladib, a drug that inhibits the enzyme secretory phospholipase A2 on cardiovascular risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS; such as heart attack or unstable angina).
Bone marrow mononuclear stem cells show no new gains in heart function, says TIME study
New data reported by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN) at the 2013 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in Dallas showed that the use of bone marrow mononuclear stem cells (BMCs) did not improve heart function significantly more at one year than at six months. While there was measurable decrease in the size of scar tissue at six and 12 months, stem cells administered as a part of the TIME (Transplantation In Myocardial Infarction Evaluation) study did not improve overall heart functionality. The results were presented by Jay Traverse, MD of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation on Monday, Nov. 18.
A happy patient is well connected to a doctor
A new trend in American health care is the patient-centered medical home. The approach revolves around a team of medical and health professionals who, working together, treat an individual, led by a primary-care physician who orchestrates the whole effort. The goal is the team knows everything about the patient, no matter how disparate the symptoms—from the earache last night to the long history of high cholesterol—and works together to treat the individual in a holistic way.
Study questions hypothermia treatment for cardiac arrest
Therapeutic hypothermia – cooling the body and brain down to 33°C – is the method used worldwide to treat cardiac arrest, even though a lower body temperature may raise the risk of side-effects. However, keeping the temperature steady at 36°C is just as effective, a study led by Lund University researchers has found.
Are prisoners with military mettle more likely to toe the line or cross it?
The military lifestyle can be one of extremes: the orderliness of regimen and obedience juxtaposed with the chaos of danger and violence.
Scientists report human dietary supplement cures lab animals infected with human intestinal parasite
Laboratory animals fed a modified version of a common human dietary supplement were completely cured of intestinal worms that belong to a family of parasites that currently infect 1.5 billion people, or almost one quarter of the world's population, according to new research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Are lab tests overused: Large-scale analysis finds inappropriate lab testing throughout medicine
Laboratory testing is health care's single highest volume activity, with over 5 billion tests performed each year in the U.S.
Study shows being an elite male athlete protects against type 2 diabetes in later life
A study of almost 400 former elite male athletes shows that former status as an elite athlete reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life by 28%. The research appears in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and is by Dr Merja Laine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.
Residents of most polluted US cities have increased risk of dry eye syndrome
Residents of major cities with high levels of air pollution have an increased risk of dry eye syndrome, according to a study presented at the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in New Orleans. Study subjects in and around Chicago and New York City were found to be three to four times more likely to be diagnosed with dry eye syndrome compared to less urban areas with relatively little air pollution. As a result of this study, researchers suggest that environmental manipulations should be considered as part of the overall control and management of patients with dry eye syndrome.
New device offers hope to people blinded due to incurable eye disorders
Research presented at the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology shows promising data about a device that helps people who have lost their vision due to a blinding genetic disease to recognize common objects. In the study, the researchers found when the objects' outlines had been enhanced, there was increased recognition. The device, called the Argus II, is the first FDA-approved retinal implant for adults with retinitis pigmentosa.
Rate of aortic valve replacement for elderly patients has increased; outcomes improved
Jose Augusto Barreto-Filho, M.D., Ph.D., of the Federal University of Sergipe and the Clinica e Hospital Sao Lucas, Sergipe, Brazil, and colleagues assessed procedure rates and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) among 82,755,924 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 1999 and 2011.
Study examines effectiveness, safety of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in US
Michael J. Mack, M.D., of the Baylor Health Care System, Plano, Texas, and colleagues describe the experience in the U.S. with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), including patient selection, procedural details, and in-hospital and 30-day outcomes following TAVR, a less invasive procedure than open heart-valve surgery for replacing the aortic valve in the heart.
Study compares outcomes of device for chest compressions vs manual CPR
Sten Rubertsson, M.D., Ph.D., of Uppsala University, Sweden and colleagues assessed whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in which chest compressions are delivered with a mechanical device would result in superior 4-hour survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared to CPR with manual chest compression.
Effect of reducing blood pressure with medications immediately following ischemic stroke
Jiang He, M.D., Ph.D., of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, and colleagues examined whether moderate lowering of blood pressure within the first 48 hours after the onset of an acute ischemic stroke would reduce death and major disability at 14 days or hospital discharge.
Effect of lowering of body temperature for adults with cardiac arrest prior to hospital arrival
Francis Kim, M.D., of Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, and colleagues evaluated whether early prehospital cooling (lowering body temperature) improved survival to hospital discharge and neurological outcome in cardiac arrest patients with or without ventricular fibrillation (VF).
As ban on printed 3-D guns ends, extension sought
(AP)—As the technology to print 3-D firearms advances, a federal law that banned the undetectable guns is about to expire.
Smartphone apps to help smokers quit come up short
Many of the 11 million smokers in the U.S. have downloaded smartphone apps created to help them quit smoking. But since most of these apps don't include practices proven to help smokers quit, they may not be getting the help they need, reports a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
'Virtual reality hands' may help stroke survivors recover hand function
"Virtual reality hands"—controlled by stroke survivors' thoughts—could help them recover use of their hands and arms, according to a small study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Body mass index may predict heart disease risk for type-2 diabetic patients new study finds
Researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health, have discovered a simple way to further predict a diabetic patient's risk for heart disease: by measuring their body mass index or BMI.
Physical fitness improves survival, prevents some heart attacks
A new study highlights the importance of exercise and physical fitness among people with stable coronary artery disease. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Henry Ford Hospital found that higher levels of physical fitness lower the risk of having heart attacks and increase survival in those with coronary artery disease, whether or not they have had a procedure to open up their blocked arteries.
Environmental toxins linked to heart defects
Children's congenital heart defects may be associated with their mothers' exposure to specific mixtures of environmental toxins during pregnancy, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Heart disease no. 1 cause of pregnancy-related deaths in California (w/ Video)
Heart disease is the leading cause of women's pregnancy-related deaths in California—but nearly one-third could be prevented, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Childhood cancer treatment takes toll on hearts of survivors
Cancer treatment takes a toll on the hearts of child survivors, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
With board games, it's how children count that counts
Teachers and parents like to use board games to teach skills that range from fair play to counting. When it comes to improving early number skills, a new report by Boston College and Carnegie Mellon University researchers finds that how children count is what really counts.
Human error most common cause of birth asphyxia
Findings from a 15-year study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, a journal of the Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology, indicate that human error is the most common cause of infant asphyxiation at birth. Inadequate fetal monitoring, lack of clinical skills, and failure to obtain senior medical staff assistance are most often cited in Norwegian compensation claims following birth asphyxia.
Influence of pro-smoking media messages lasts 7 days, study finds
Exposure to a single pro-smoking media message increases college-aged students' risk of using tobacco for seven days, providing new clues about the influence of media on smoking, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Caesarean delivery doesn't lower risk of cerebral palsy
(Medical Xpress)—Caesarean deliveries do not prevent children from developing cerebral palsy, despite long-held medical and community beliefs about the causes of cerebral palsy, according to new research led by the University of Adelaide.
Is it possible to have Internet addiction?
Is there really such a disorder as "Internet addiction"? In my estimation, the short, honest answer is, "We don't know enough to say for sure." Part of the problem is the ambiguity in—and disagreement over—the terms "addicted" and "addiction." An even more serious problem is sorting out the role of "the Internet" (and other electronic media) from the role of underlying emotional problems or psychiatric disorders that may better explain the so-called addictive behavior.
Marking ten years of surgical robots (in a theatre near you)
A spider-like robot moves over an anaesthetised patient, deftly making controlled incisions with flexible arms while a surgeon sitting a couple of metres away peers through a console offering highly-magnified, high definition, three-dimensional vision of internal organs and the operating field.
Genetic signature identified for RSV, the leading cause of infant hospitalizations worldwide
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists have identified the genetic signature of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the leading cause of infant hospitalizations around the world. The work is a key step toward a better understanding of the immune response to RSV, which will aid the development of a vaccine and a tool that could allow physicians to determine the severity of the infection when symptoms first develop. The study, from a team at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, was published this week in PLOS Medicine.
Study explains why drug may help more cancer patients
(Medical Xpress)—Recently some intriguing data has suggested that breast cancer patients whose tumors appear insensitive to a class of drugs known as anti-HER2 medications (the drug trastuzumab, marketed as Herceptin, is a well-known example) may somehow still benefit from treatment with the medication.
Surprising role of gene regulator protein in development of skin tumors
Findings by scientists from the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna reveal a surprising role for histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) – a member of a family of chromatin modifying proteins – in the development of skin tumors. The results from Christian Seiser and his team also emphasize that care must be taken when using HDAC inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs.
Untreated HIV carriers transmit resistant viruses
Around one in every ten newly infected HIV carriers in Switzerland has viruses that are resistant to at least one of the three classes of drugs used to treat AIDS. Contrary to previously held assumptions, resistant viruses are primarily transmitted by people who are not yet receiving treatment, according to the reports in "Clinical Infectious Diseases" from the researchers headed by Roger Kouyos and Huldrych Günthard at Zurich University Hospital.
Pursuit of scalable, on-demand blood for transfusions could yield novel means of therapeutics delivery
Red blood cells are the most transfused blood product in battlefield trauma care. Unfortunately, they are sometimes in limited supply in a battlefield environment. DARPA created its Blood Pharming program to potentially relieve this shortage by developing an automated culture and packaging system that would yield a fresh supply of transfusable red blood cells from readily available cell sources. If the program is successful, it will eliminate the existing drawbacks of laboratory grown red blood cells, including cost, production efficiency and scalability, compared to those grown inside the human body. Pharmed blood could also offer additional benefits. These potential benefits include eliminating the risk of infections from donors, on-demand availability, avoiding the detrimental effects of storing donated blood, and circumventing the issue of matching blood types between donor and recipient.
A protein complex for the long haul
A multiprotein complex called TREX plays a key role in expression of the genetic information. Moreover, as a new study demonstrates – the longer the gene, the greater the need for TREX function.
A new way to find out if back problems need surgery
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers from Perth and Germany have discovered that a technique commonly used in surgery on the brain is an excellent tool for determining if, and to which extent, surgery is needed for patients with lower back problems.
Sodium nitrite before artery-opening procedures didn't limit heart muscle damage
Giving heart attack patients sodium nitrite just before performing a procedure to open blocked arteries doesn't significantly reduce heart muscle damage, according to a late-breaking clinical trial presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Study: New heart valve repair option provides hope for high-risk patients
A minimally invasive procedure is the first effective treatment for patients who are at high risk for standard open-heart surgery for a leaking heart valve, a study led by a team of University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers has found.
The gene machine
Scientists have discovered that the human body contains more than 25,000 genes, but what they do remains mostly a mystery. "We don't know the function of the vast majority of genes," says Nevan Krogan, PhD, director of the UC San Francisco branch of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences.
The fabric of disease
If biology is destiny, then the slightest change in a gene's DNA can become an agent of destiny. About 99.9 percent of the DNA "letters," or chemical bases, that make up genes are identical in everyone. But the remaining sliver of variability can change a life.
Big data, tailored care
What looks like an old-school phone book is gripped by UCSF neuroscientist Pierre-Antoine Gourraud, PhD, MPH. But he soon sets the record straight: the thick packet he is holding is actually the medical file of a single patient with multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex, chronic, and incurable disease that can ravage the nervous system over decades.
Digging deeper into cancer
What a pathologist looks for in a Pap test sample, but hopes not to find, are oddly shaped cells with abnormally large nuclei. The same is true for prostate and lung cancer biopsies. In fact, most cancer cells display distorted structures.
It's all about networking
Which would you choose if you were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer? You could receive a standard chemo regimen, followed three months later by an MRI scan to determine the treatment's success. Or, instead, a genomic analysis of your biopsied breast tissue could help determine a drug regimen tailored to your own genetic makeup.
Silent killer strikes at peak hour
It's official - air pollution causes cancer and a QUT researcher is calling on Australian policymakers to do more to save lives.
Long-term oral contraceptive users are twice as likely to have serious eye disease
Research presented today, at the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in New Orleans, has found that women who have taken oral contraceptives for three or more years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness which affects nearly 60 million worldwide. The researchers caution gynecologists and ophthalmologists to be aware of the fact that oral contraceptives might play a role in glaucomatous diseases, and inform patients to have their eyes screened for glaucoma if they also have other risk factors.
Discovery paves way for personalized cancer treatment
A prostate cancer researcher at the University of Alberta and his team have discovered how to improve currently available cancer drugs so the medication could be personalized for individual patients.
NIH survey identifies barriers to effective patient-provider dialogue about COPD
Lack of communication between patients and health care providers about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major barrier to diagnosis of this disease, according to the results of a Web-based survey released today by the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. More Americans, particularly smokers, are talking to their doctor or health care provider about the symptoms of COPD, which is an encouraging sign that awareness efforts are taking hold. Patients and providers, though, can still do more.
Scientists fingerprint single cancer cells to map cancer's family tree
A new method to take the DNA fingerprint of individual cancer cells is uncovering the true extent of cancer's genetic diversity, new research reveals.
Manipulation of protein could help stop spread of cancer cells
Understanding how and why cancer cells move away from their original location is important to find ways to stop the spread of the disease. New findings, published in the Nature journal Oncogene, reveal how a protein, called 'PRH', is normally able to prevent cells from unnecessary migration. It is likely that this protein is less effective in cancer cells allowing the cells to venture away.
More than skin deep: New layer to the body's fight against infection
The layers of skin that form the first line of defence in the body's fight against infection have revealed a unanticipated secret.
Novel study charts aggressive prostate cancer
Many patients diagnosed with prostate cancer have indolent, slow-growing forms of the disease that are not life-threatening. However, more than 30,000 American men will die from aggressive prostate cancer this year alone. This sharp contrast between low-risk and aggressive disease presents a challenge for many researchers and physicians as they diagnose patients and also determine the prognosis of the men with the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer.
Would an 'anti-ketamine' also treat depression?
Thirteen years ago, an article in this journal first reported that the anesthetic medication, ketamine, showed evidence of producing rapid antidepressant effects in depressed patients who had not responded to prior treatments. Ketamine works by blocking one of the targets for the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor.
Boredom research has now become more interesting
Being bored has just become a little more nuanced, with the addition of a fifth type of boredom by which to describe this emotion. The finding has been published in Springer's journal Motivation and Emotion. In cooperation with colleagues at the University of Munich, the University of Ulm, McGill University in Montreal, and the City University of New York, educational research by Dr. Thomas Goetz of the University of Konstanz and the Thurgau University of Teacher Education provides insight into how boredom is experienced in everyday life. The study is among the first to quantifiably investigate different types of boredom.
Most teen mental health problems go untreated
More than half of adolescents with psychiatric disorders receive no treatment of any sort, says a new study by E. Jane Costello, a Duke University professor of psychology and epidemiology and associate director of the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy. When treatment does occur, the providers are rarely mental health specialists, says the study, which was based on a survey of more than 10,000 American teenagers.
Blood growth factor boosts effect of exercise in peripheral artery disease
A blood cell growth factor can boost the effects of exercise in improving mobility for patients with peripheral artery disease, a clinical study has shown.
New research finds link between red cell distribution width levels and depression in heart patients
Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute have discovered a link between elevated red cell distribution width levels and depression in patients being treated for heart disease. This new discovery can help physicians provide earlier diagnosis and treatment for possible depression in heart patients.
New treatment more effective at reducing blood clots in brain-injured patients, surgeons find
Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that a new protocol that uses preventive blood-thinning medication in the treatment of patients with traumatic brain injuries reduces the risk of patients developing life-threatening blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding inside the brain.
Teens who drink alone more likely to develop alcohol problems as young adults
Most teenagers who drink alcohol do so with their friends in social settings, but a new study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh reveals that a significant number of adolescents consume alcohol while they are alone.
Control malaria by segmenting sleeping arrangements, study says
Better malaria control might come from segregating household sleeping arrangements, according to a new study co-authored by a University of Guelph professor.
Consumers order a less unhealthy meal when the menu has nutritional labeling
An evaluation team led by the Drexel University School of Public Health has published a new study demonstrating that customers of full-service restaurants use nutritional labeling on menus to make healthier food choices.
Bitter melon extract may have potential to fight head and neck cancer
Extract taken from an Asian vegetable may have therapeutic qualities to treat head and neck cancer, a Saint Louis University researcher has found.
People new to power more likely to be vengeful
New research has shown that people who are not accustomed to holding power are more likely to be vengeful when placed in charge. Experienced power-holders, on the other hand, were found to be more tolerant of perceived wrongdoing.
Largest study widens rice, arsenic link in Bangladesh
An unprecedented probe into high levels of arsenic in Bangladesh's groundwater strengthens suspicions that eating rice boosts exposure to the poison, scientists said on Monday.
Faster surgery may be better for hip fractures, study says
The speed of surgery after a hip fracture may have a significant impact on outcomes for older patients, and faster may be better, say researchers at McMaster University.
Program helps at-risk family members of patients with heart disease improve their own heart health
Family members of patients with heart disease adopted healthier lifestyles and decreased their risk of a cardiovascular event after participating in a program to improve heart health, according to a clinical trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Rural and southern regions lack annual training in CPR
Annual rates of CPR training in the United States are low and vary widely across the country, but the communities most in need of training are the least likely to be trained, according to a new study from the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Higher than normal levels of Vitamin B12 may indicate cancer risk
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin [Cbl]) is essential for maintaining healthy bodily function but higher than normal levels (reference range 200-600 pmol/L) may indicate that a patient is at risk of developing certain cancers, according to a study published November 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Previous studies had suggested an association between high Cbl levels and specific cancers.
'Sensational' barrels in the brain
A new study from scientists at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, gives an insight into how the circuitry for high resolution signal processing is wired in the brain.
Preterm birth risk increases for pregnant women exposed to phthalates
The odds of preterm delivery appear to increase for pregnant women exposed to phthalates, chemicals people are exposed to through contaminated food and water and in a variety of products including lotions, perfumes and deodorants, according to a study published by JAMA Pediatrics.
Drinking more milk as a teenager does not lower risk of hip fracture later
Drinking more milk as a teenager apparently does not lower the risk of hip fracture as an older adult and instead appears to increase that risk for men, according to a study published by JAMA Pediatrics.
Beta-blockers before surgery appear associated with lower risk of heart-related events
Giving beta-blocker medication to patients with heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery appears to be associated with a lower risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) 30 days after surgery in patients with heart failure (HF) or a recent myocardial infarction (MI, heart attack), according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Two new studies on the use of breast MRI
The overall use of breast magnetic resonance imaging has increased, with the procedure most commonly used for diagnostic evaluations and screenings, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
New study shows spironolactone reduces heart failure hospitalizations, but not mortality
A late-breaking clinical trial, known as the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial, to be presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions, November 18, 2013, demonstrates that spironolactone did not reduce the primary outcome of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, nor surviving a cardiac arrest in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (pump function). However, spironolactone did reduce the major burden faced by these patients—the risk of repeated hospitalizations for heart failure.
Two drugs do not improve kidney function in acute heart failure patients
Two drugs tested in a larger trial did not improve kidney function in acute heart failure patients, contrary to results of smaller studies. The results were presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013 in Dallas and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Previous smaller studies showed that low-dose dopamine or low-dose nesiritide could improve kidney function and reduce fluid overload that is often present in hospitalized acute heart failure patients by increasing urine production.
New hope for victims of traumatic brain injury
Every year, nearly two million people in the United States suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI), the leading cause of brain damage and permanent disabilities that include motor dysfunction, psychological disorders, and memory loss. Current rehabilitation programs help patients but often achieve limited success.
Better outcomes reported from high-volume providers of complex endoscopic procedure
Patients who seek treatment from physicians who more frequently perform a high-risk endoscopic procedure are less likely to be admitted to the hospital or require a repeat procedure. Unfortunately, 90 percent of physicians performing these procedures do very few of them.
Texting your way to weight loss
If the idea of keeping a food and exercise diary keeps you from joining a weight-loss program, there may be a better way.
Mutations of immune system found in breast cancers
Mutations in the genes that defend the body against cancer-related viruses and other infections may play a larger role in breast cancer than previously thought, according to a study at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Obesity found to be major risk factor in developing basal-like breast cancer
Women who are obese face an increased risk of developing an aggressive sub-type of breast cancer known as 'basal-like', according to research conducted at the University of North Carolina.
Experts defend new heart attack prevention advice
Heart experts who wrote new guidelines for preventing heart attacks and strokes are defending a formula that some doctors say overestimates risk for certain groups.
Transfusions during hospital transport may help trauma patients survive
(HealthDay)—Giving blood transfusions to severely injured patients while they're on the way to the hospital could save their lives, at least in the short term, new research suggests.
Bedroom TV, video games linked to less sleep in boys with autism
(HealthDay)—Exposure to television and video games could play a role in the sleep problems of children with autism, new research suggests.
New study paints grim health picture for obese teens
(HealthDay)—Severely obese teens are at increased risk for a host of serious health problems as adults, including asthma, kidney disease and sleep disorders, according to a new study.
Breast milk with solid foods might stave off allergies
(HealthDay)—Giving babies solid food while still breast-feeding, and waiting until 17 weeks to do so, might protect the infants from food allergies, British researchers say.
Program helps heart patients stick with meds after leaving hospital
(HealthDay)—People who are hospitalized for a heart attack or angina are more likely to take their medication properly once they leave the hospital if they receive personal attention from a pharmacist, new research indicates.
Global efforts needed to curb antibiotic resistance
(HealthDay)—Global efforts are needed to curb antibiotic resistance, according to a report published online Nov. 16 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat fish oil diet showed changes in their cancer tissue
Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict cancer recurrence, than men who ate a typical Western diet, UCLA researchers found.
Review finds statin use not linked to a decline in cognitive function
Based on the largest comprehensive systematic review to date, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania concluded that available evidence does not support an association between statins and memory loss or dementia. The new study, a collaborative effort between faculty in Penn Medicine's Preventive Cardiovascular Program, the Penn Memory Center, and the Penn Center for Evidence-Based Practice, will be published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Adult survivors of childhood cancer at risk of becoming frail at an early age
Young adults who survived childhood cancer are more likely than their peers to be frail, according to a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital study, which reported the condition is more common among female survivors than women decades older. The research appears in the November 18 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
In pandemic, parents who get reminders more likely to get kids vaccinated
A new University of Michigan study found that the state immunization registry – the public health database that tracks vaccinations– can be an effective tool to encourage influenza vaccinations during a pandemic.
Staying on medication may not translate to avoiding readmission
A targeted effort to help high-risk heart failure patients stay on their medications did improve adherence to drug regimens, but had surprisingly little effect lowering hospital readmission rates, according to a study at Duke Medicine.
Stress reduction through meditation may aid in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease
It's well known that the brains of meditators change, but it's not entirely clear what those changes mean or how the changes might benefit the meditator. A new pilot study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests that the brain changes associated with meditation and stress reduction may play an important role in slowing the progression of age-related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
National study finds renal stenting does not improve outcomes for renal artery stenosis patients
According to the findings from a national research trial, people who suffer from a narrowing of the arteries that lead to the kidneys, or renal artery stenosis, do not experience better outcomes when renal stenting is used. Instead, a comprehensive regimen of drug and medical therapies works just as well. The national study, which was led by Rhode Island Hospital researchers Lance Dworkin, M.D., and Timothy Murphy, M.D., in collaboration with multiple investigators worldwide, is published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). They will also present the results at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association on November 18.
Study finds similar outcomes for repair or replacement of damaged heart valves
New research presented today at the 2013 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvaniafound no difference in outcomes at one-year between two recommended surgical options for treating ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) – repair of the leaky valve or its replacement with an artificial valve.
Stents may not help treat clogged kidney arteries
New research raises serious questions about a very common medical procedure—placing a stent to prop open a narrowed kidney artery.
CPR for 38 minutes or longer improves chance to survive cardiac arrest (w/ Video)
Performing CPR for 38 minutes or longer can improve a patient's chance of surviving cardiac arrest, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.
Method to estimate LDL-C may provide more accurate risk classification
Seth S. Martin, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, and colleagues developed a method for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels that is more accurate than the standard measure.
Weight reduction decreases atrial fibrillation and symptom severity
Hany S. Abed, B.Pharm., M.B.B.S., of the University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia and colleagues evaluated the effect of a structured weight reduction program on atrial fibrillation symptoms.
Researchers identify main genes responsible for asthma attacks in children
An international team spearheaded by researchers from the University of Copenhagen has identified the genes that put some children at particularly high risk of serious asthma attacks, including one not previously suspected of being implicated in the disease. In the long term, these new findings are expected to help improve treatment options for the disease, which represents a high cost for families and society alike.
Drug shows early promise in treating seizures
A study out today in the journal Nature Medicine suggests a potential new treatment for the seizures that often plague children with genetic metabolic disorders and individuals undergoing liver failure. The discovery hinges on a new understanding of the complex molecular chain reaction that occurs when the brain is exposed to too much ammonia.
Mitochondrial mystery: Investigating cells' power packs fuels understanding of rare, and common, diseases
(Medical Xpress)—Mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells, would have been good models for the "Got Milk?" campaign; they have an insatiable thirst for calcium.
Body's natural defence carries early warning system for recurring cancers
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the University of Leeds have found that the immune system's behaviour can act as an early warning alarm that detects cancer recurrence, and this could offer a chance for pre-emptive treatment.
Researchers capture structure of key part of deadly Nipah virus
What began as a summer internship project designed for an undergraduate student evolved into a one-year study of one of the deadliest, but little known viruses. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have now solved the structure of a key protein in the Nipah virus, which could pave the way for the development of a much-needed antiviral drug.
Gene plays major role in suppressing cancer
Adelaide researchers have found that a specific gene plays an important role in suppressing lymphoma, a type of blood cell cancer.
Reading the pancreas through the eye: Researchers describe innovative way to study body glucose regulation
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have found an innovative way to study glucose regulation in the body: by transferring the vital insulin-producing cells from the pancreas to the eye, the latter can serve as a kind of window through which health reports can be obtained from the former. The results, which are expected to have a significant impact on diabetes research, are published in scientific journal PNAS.
Biology news
Australian endangered species: Lord Howe long-eared bat
Some threatened species are familiar and well-known; others are obscure. The Lord Howe Long-eared Bat may be the epitome of obscure. Were it not for the fluke discovery of a singe tiny but distinctive skull (less than 3cm in length) in Gooseberry Cave on Lord Howe Island in 1972, we wouldn't know that this species ever existed.
Studies confirm breadfruit's ability to repel insects
Breadfruit, used as a folk remedy in Pacific regions to control insects, is an effective mosquito repellent, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have found.
Formby's red squirrel population recovering
A study by the University of Liverpool has found that the red squirrel population along the Sefton coastline seems to be recovering from a serious outbreak of squirrelpox in 2008.
Rare pheasant snapped in Sumatra
Following on from the three-day camera trapping workshop which produced images of the unusual golden form of collared mongoose the Fauna & Flora International (FFI) Aceh team have made another scoop – this time the rarely seen Hoogerwerf's pheasant, Lophura hoogerwerfi.
Florida won't repeat public python hunt next year
Florida won't be repeating a public hunt meant to reduce the population of invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
Avoiding poisons: A matter of bitter taste
In most animals, taste has evolved to avoid all things bitter—-a key to survival—- to avoid eating something that could be poisonous via taste receptors, known as Tas2r, that quickly spring into action and elicit the bitter sensation.
Ancient, modern DNA tell story of first humans in the Americas
University of Illinois anthropology professor Ripan Malhi looks to DNA to tell the story of how ancient humans first came to the Americas and what happened to them once they were here.
Albany scientists produce sheep vaccine first
A world-first vaccine more than 25 years in the making is being developed in Albany and could be available in commercial quantities by the end of next year.
Turning problems into solutions: Land management as a key to countering butterfly declines
Currently, butterfly populations in many countries decline at alarming rates. Many of these populations are closely associated with the agricultural landscape. Changes in farming practises and land use can therefore have far-reaching consequences for the success and persistence of the butterfly fauna. A research team from Sweden and Germany have now reviewed effects of land management on butterfly diversity using historical and current surveys during the last 100 years.
Researchers develop new approach to identify possible ecological effects of releasing genetically engineered insects
University of Minnesota researchers have developed a new approach for identifying potential environmental effects of deliberate releases of genetically engineered (GE) insects.
Biologists find an evolutionary Facebook for monkeys and apes
Why do the faces of some primates contain so many different colors—black, blue, red, orange and white—that are mixed in all kinds of combinations and often striking patterns while other primate faces are quite plain?
Protein coding 'junk genes' may be linked to cancer
By using a new analysis method, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) in Sweden have found close to one hundred novel human gene regions that code for proteins. A number of these regions are so-called pseudogenes, which may be linked to cancer. The expectation is now that this recently developed protein analysis method, published in the scientific journal Nature Methods, will open up a whole new field of research.
Bacteria use lethal cytotoxins to evade antibiotic treatment
In spite of the fact that the first antibiotics were discovered almost a century ago, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, encephalitis and meningitis are still serious diseases for humans in the twenty-first century. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are more than 8 million new cases of tuberculosis per year on a global scale, and that more than 300,000 of these are due to multidrug-resistant strains that are not only difficult to treat, but are also emerging rapidly in regions such as Eastern Europe.
New models predict where E. coli strains will thrive
Bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego have used the genomic sequences of 55 E. coli strains to reconstruct the metabolic repertoire for each strain. Surprisingly, these reconstructions do an excellent job of predicting the kind of environment where each strain will thrive, the researchers found.
Bacteria recycle broken DNA
Bacteria recycle broken DNA that bacteria can take up small as well as large pieces of old DNA from this scrapheap and include it in their own genome. This discovery may have major consequences – both in connection with resistance to antibiotics in hospitals and in our perception of the evolution of life itself.
New study explains why men's noses are bigger than women's
Human noses come in all shapes and sizes. But one feature seems to hold true: Men's noses are bigger than women's.
Scientists generate "mini-kidney" structures from human stem cells
(Phys.org) —Diseases affecting the kidneys represent a major and unsolved health issue worldwide. The kidneys rarely recover function once they are damaged by disease, highlighting the urgent need for better knowledge of kidney development and physiology.
Promiscuous mouse moms bear sexier sons
University of Utah biologists found that when mother mice compete socially for mates in a promiscuous environment, their sons play hard and die young: They attract more females by making more urinary pheromones, but smelling sexier shortens their lives.
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