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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 14, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- MIT group's shape display steps to new realm in interaction future (w/ Video)- Quantum world record smashed
- Dogs likely originated in Europe more than 18,000 years ago
- Researchers create a low-cost, long-lasting water splitter made of silicon and nickel
- Distant artificial atoms cooperate by sharing light, physicists show
- Researchers find a way to stabilize the magnetic moment of a single holmium atom
- Team grows large graphene crystals that have exceptional electrical properties
- Scientist finds medium sized Kuiper belt object less dense than water
- Accidental discovery dramatically improves electrical conductivity
- Anthrax toxin can lurk for days in cells as a lingering threat
- Google prevails in long-running book digitization case (Update)
- Hubble reveals first scrapbook pictures of Milky Way's formative years
- Biologists ID new cancer weakness
- Research shows the North Atlantic became less salty as it grew
- Virtual toothpick helps technologist 'bake' the perfect thin-film confection
Space & Earth news
NASA hails success of commercial space program
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Wednesday hailed the success of the agency's public-private partnership with American companies to resupply the International Space Station and announced the next phase of contracting with U.S. companies to transport astronauts is set to begin next week.
NRL-developed telescopes await the approaching comet ISON
When Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), a so-called Sungrazing comet, sweeps by the Sun on November 28, 2013, telescopes developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) will be lined up for a spectacular front row view.
UF researcher: Southeast must prepare for wild weather from climate change
People who live in the southeastern United States should begin to prepare for more drastically changing weather conditions—everything from heat waves to poorer air quality – caused by climate change, according to a new book, edited by a University of Florida researcher.
Latest storm updates NASA satellites see Cyclone 03A make landfall in Somalia Tropical Cyclone 03A
In addition to the fierce winds and powerful surge, Haiyan brought copious amounts of rainfall to the central Philippines along with Tropical Storm 30W and another tropical disturbance (90w), which all passed through the the central Philippines within in the past ten days. The combined rainfall from these tropical cyclones is shown in the TRMM-based, near-real time Multi-satellite Precipitation data (TMPA) analysis shown above during the period from November 2-12, 2013 (first image to the right). It shows that most of the island of Leyte had rainfall totals greater than 500mm (~19.7 inches, dark red) with a peak amount of over 685 mm (~27 inches, lighter purple) located over the southeast corner of the island.
Destruction of Brazil's Amazon jumps 28 percent
Brazil's government reported Thursday that annual destruction of its Amazon rainforest jumped by 28 percent after four straight years of declines, an increase activists said was linked to recent loosening of the nation's environmental law meant to protect the jungle.
Expert assessment: Ocean acidification may increase 170 percent this century
In a major new international report, experts conclude that the acidity of the world's ocean may increase by around 170% by the end of the century bringing significant economic losses. People who rely on the ocean's ecosystem services – often in developing countries - are especially vulnerable.
Researchers warn against high emissions from oil palm expansion in Brazil
Expanding millions of hectares of Brazilian land to produce palm oil for food or for renewable, clean-burning biodiesel could result in extremely high emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) unless strict controls are put in place.
Ariane 6 moves to next stage of development
The preliminary requirements for Europe's next-generation Ariane 6 launcher have been agreed and the project is set to move on to the next stage.
Mars rover teams dub sites in memory of Bruce Murray
(Phys.org) —Features on Mars important to the missions of NASA's two active Mars rovers are now called "Murray Ridge" and "Murray Buttes," in honor of influential planetary scientist Bruce Murray (1931-2013).
NASA helps melt secrets of Great Lakes ice
(Phys.org) —Two scientists from NASA and NOAA have developed a new space-based technique for monitoring the ice cover of the Great Lakes that is so accurate it can identify a narrow channel of open water cut through the ice by an icebreaker—even at night.
NASA video illustrates MAVEN mission's investigation of a lost Mars
NASA has prepared a new video to illustrate its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission's investigation of dramatic climate change on Mars.
NASA damage map helps in typhoon disaster response
A new, space-based map generated by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency to assist in disaster response efforts shows the regions in the Philippines hit hardest by Super Typhoon Haiyan. The typhoon tore a wide swath of devastation across the island nation on Nov. 8, 2013.
Southampton researcher helps to track Manhattan-sized iceberg to prevent shipping disruption
A University of Southampton researcher is helping to track an iceberg the size of Manhattan, which has recently broken off the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica and could threaten shipping lanes in the Southern Ocean.
MESSENGER detects comets ISON and Encke, prepares for closer encounters
NASA's Mercury-orbiting MESSENGER spacecraft has captured images of two comets—2P/Encke and C/2012 S1 (ISON)—setting the stage for observations later this month when both comets will be substantially brighter and much closer to Mercury and the Sun.
Separate targets for gross deforestation, reforestation would increase progress toward forest conservation
What exactly does "zero deforestation" mean? In an article published in the journal Science, authors Dr. Sandra Brown, of Winrock International, and Dr. Daniel Zarin, of the Climate and Land Use Alliance, posit that, while the idea seems simple and compelling, ambiguity surrounding global definitions and metrics actually creates risks for forest conservation and accountability.
A six-minute journey to study Comet ISON
In an example of an extremely tight turnaround, a NASA-funded team has spent six months preparing for a mid-November launch to observe Comet ISON during a six-minute sounding rocket flight. The Far-ultraviolet Off Rowland-circle Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy, or FORTIS, was originally designed – and flew for the first time in May 2013—to measure the presence of different atoms in far away galaxies. However, the telescope happens to also be well-tuned to study carbon monoxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and other interesting atoms expected on Come ISON as well, so the team sought funding from NASA to quickly launch it again.
NASA's next 'top model,' the fruit fly
NASA finds the common fruit fly—Drosophila melanogaster—quite an attractive "model," but not in the way you might think. This tiny insect is a biomedical research model that can reveal the basis for health and disease in many animals, including humans, because we share the basic biochemical machinery of life. NASA scientists are studying fruit flies to understand the molecular, genetic, cellular and physiological responses of whole organisms to spaceflight.
Haiyan and Tropical Storm 30W bring heavy rains to the Phillipines
Haiyan, known locally in the Philippines as Yulonda, will go down as a historic storm, making landfall in the central Philippines as perhaps the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall with sustained winds estimated at 195 mph (~315 kph). So far, over 2300 people are confirmed to have been killed by the storm, and the number is likely to climb higher with many still missing and not all areas unaccounted for. Katrina, which devasted the US Gulf coast in 2005, was responsible for 1833 fatalities.
Scientists nearing forecasts of long-lived wildfires
Scientists have developed a new computer modeling technique that offers the promise, for the first time, of producing continually updated daylong predictions of wildfire growth throughout the lifetime of long-lived blazes.
UN tasks imaging satellites for Haiyan relief
The United Nations has activated a constellation of satellites to help relief operations in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines, an official said on Thursday.
Scientists warn of hot, sour, breathless oceans
Greenhouse gases are making the world's oceans hot, sour and breathless, and the way those changes work together is creating a grimmer outlook for global waters, according to a new report Wednesday from 540 international scientists.
Meteorite impact structure reveals mineral deposit hotspots
The world's largest and oldest meteorite impact structure has been discovered through research on the formation of gold deposits in WA's Eastern Goldfields.
Warming since 1950s partly caused by El Nino
(Phys.org) —A natural shift to stronger warm El Niño events in the Pacific Ocean might be responsible for a substantial portion of the global warming recorded during the past 50 years, according to new research at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
Amazon rainforest more able to withstand drought than previously thought
New research suggests that the Amazon rainforest may be more able to cope with dry conditions than previously predicted. Researchers at the University of Exeter and Colorado State University used a computer model to demonstrate that, providing forest conservation measures are in place, the Amazon rainforest may be more able to withstand periods of drought than has been estimated by other climate models.
Hubble views an old and mysterious cluster
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the best ever image of the globular cluster Messier 15, a gathering of very old stars that orbits the centre of the Milky Way. This glittering cluster contains over 100 000 stars, and could also hide a rare type of black hole at its centre.
Surprising image provides new tool for studying galaxy
Astronomers studying gas halos around nearby galaxies were surprised when detailed studies with the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) showed that one of their subjects is not a single galaxy, but rather two, nearly perfectly superimposed on the sky to masquerade as one. The discovery allowed them to use the alignment to learn otherwise-unobtainable facts about the nearer galaxy.
First detailed map of global forest change created
A University of Maryland-led, multi-organizational team has created the first high-resolution global map of forest extent, loss and gain. This resource greatly improves the ability to understand human and naturally-induced forest changes and the local to global implications of these changes on environmental, economic and other natural and societal systems, members of the team say.
Research shows the North Atlantic became less salty as it grew
(Phys.org) —The water in a 35-million-year-old impact crater beneath Chesapeake Bay, an estuary off the Atlantic Coast of North America, is twice as salty as ocean water, according to a study by Ward E. Sanford and his colleagues at the US Geological Survey (USGS). The research, which appears in Nature, shows that the water in the crater is a remnant of seawater from the Early Cretaceous Period. Sanford and his team believe that the North Atlantic's transition from a closed rift basin to an open ocean caused saline levels to decrease.
Hubble reveals first scrapbook pictures of Milky Way's formative years
(Phys.org) —NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed the first visual evidence of how our home galaxy, the Milky Way, assembled itself into the majestic pinwheel of stars we see today.
Scientist finds medium sized Kuiper belt object less dense than water
(Phys.org) —Michael Brown, a planetary scientist with California Institute of Technology, has found a medium sized object in the Kuiper belt (dubbed 2002 UX25) that doesn't appear to conform to theories of how such objects came to exist. In his paper to be published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, Brown notes that the mid-sized object appears to be less dense than it should be if it followed conventional thinking that suggests the larger the objects are in the belt, the more dense they should get.
Technology news
Sprint latest to waive fees to contact Philippines
Sprint is waiving and crediting fees for phone calls and text messages made by its U.S. customers to the Philippines in the wake of a Typhoon Haiyan.
Taiwan's Hon Hai net profit up 1.5% in third quarter
Taiwan tech giant Hon Hai Precision said Thursday net profit rose a better than expected 1.5 percent in the three months to September, although the earnings were weighed by the later release of Apple's latest iPhones.
Leveraging the nanoscale for greener lighting
Making lighting greener is no easy feat, but researchers in Europe are showing the way forward.
Nissan to introduce the 100% electric commercial vehicle 'e-NV200' in Japan
Nissan Motor today announced that the 100% electric commercial vehicle, the "e-NV200," will arrive in the Japanese market during fiscal year 2014, and will eventually be sold worldwide.
Singapore urges regional cooperation against hackers
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called Thursday for stronger Southeast Asian cooperation against cyber threats after his own website was hacked by critics demanding greater Internet freedom.
Estonia to extradite cyber crime suspects to US (Update)
Estonia on Thursday said it would extradite three citizens to the United States over an alleged multi-million dollar cyber scam that targeted such websites as iTunes and Netflix and the US tax service.
Viacom 4Q profit up, helped by 'World War Z' film
Viacom's fourth-quarter net income rose 24 percent, helped by the success of the film "World War Z" and greater advertising revenue.
Microsoft opens new cybercrime center
Microsoft said Thursday it has opened a new cybercrime center, using its resources to combat malware, intellectual property theft, child exploitation and other ills in cyberspace.
Governments mining Google for more personal data (Update)
Google is rebuffing governments more frequently as authorities in the U.S. and other countries get more aggressive about mining the Internet for information about people's online activities.
Bitcoin trading platform defrauds China investors
An online Bitcoin trading platform aimed at Chinese investors has suddenly closed, leaving hundreds with more than 20 million yuan ($3.3 million) in combined losses, a newspaper said on Thursday.
US speeds research on car safety systems (Update)
The U.S. government is speeding up research on safety systems that automatically prevent drivers from operating their cars if they are drunk or aren't buckled properly.
After Nokia, a mobile games boom in Finland
From mobile phones to mobile games. Finland has found there's life after Nokia in a bustling startup scene that's produced hugely popular game apps from "Angry Birds" to "Clash of Clans."
New outdoor drone will aid disaster response monitoring of radiation
University of Bristol researchers have unveiled a large semi-autonomous drone called the ARM system which could be used to provide visual and thermal monitoring of radiation after a release of nuclear material.
UC San Diego shake table, robot win Best of What's New awards
The biggest outdoor shake table in the world and a robot designed to move along utility lines have received Best of What's New awards from Popular Science, the world's largest science and technology magazine. The two projects are featured in the magazine's December issue, now on newsstands.
Apple, Samsung earn all smartphone profits, and more
Apple and Samsung are grabbing virtually all the profits in the red-hot smartphone market while most other makers are losing money, an analyst said Thursday.
Apple insists pays full share of taxes in Italy
US tech giant Apple said Thursday that it fully pays the taxes it owes everywhere, and was confident that a tax evasion probe in Italy would find it in compliance.
Google, KKR to invest $400 mn on solar projects
Internet giant Google and investment firm KKR will invest $400 million in six solar plants in California and Arizona, the companies announced Thursday.
Next generation of biofuels is still years away
The first trickle of fuels made from agricultural waste is finally winding its way into the nation's energy supply, after years of broken promises and hype promoting a next-generation fuel source cleaner than oil.
Machine learning branches out
Much artificial-intelligence research is concerned with finding statistical correlations between variables: What combinations of visible features indicate the presence of a particular object in a digital image? What speech sounds correspond with instances of what words? What medical, genetic, and environmental factors are correlated with what diseases?
New approach advances wireless power transfer for electric vehicles
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new technology and techniques for transmitting power wirelessly from a stationary source to a mobile receiver – moving engineers closer to their goal of creating highway "stations" that can recharge electric vehicles wirelessly as the vehicles drive by.
Virtual toothpick helps technologist 'bake' the perfect thin-film confection
Creating thin films using a rapidly evolving technology that promises to solve some of NASA's thorniest engineering challenges is a lot like baking a cake. That's why Vivek Dwivedi, a technologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., has assembled a special "oven" and a "virtual toothpick" to monitor the progress of his confections.
Google prevails in long-running book digitization case (Update)
A US judge Thursday threw out a long-running challenge to Google's massive book-scanning project in a decision that could transform copyright law in the digital age.
MIT group's shape display steps to new realm in interaction future (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —The Tangible Media Group at MIT Media Lab have been working on a shape-shifting surface called inFORM where, as their video indicates, users interact with digital matter in interesting ways that go far beyond boxed-in interactions with a traditional computer. Outside MIT, observers have described their system not only as a shape display but as a shape-shifting surface; The team at MIT that is behind inFORM explain it as a "Dynamic Shape Display that can render 3D content physically, so users can interact with digital information in a tangible way. inFORM can also interact with the physical world around it, for example moving objects on the table's surface. Remote participants in a video conference can be displayed physically, allowing for a strong sense of presence and the ability to interact physically at a distance."
Medicine & Health news
Women with asthma could face a delay in becoming pregnant
Women with asthma could take longer to conceive, according to new research.
Primary care key to management of patients with HIV infection
The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has updated its HIV care guidelines to reflect the fact that people with HIV are now living normal life spans, and their physicians need to focus on preventive care, including screening for high cholesterol, diabetes and osteoporosis.
National project tracks the spread of UK flu and extends monitoring to schools
Are Northerners really more likely to get flu? Does regular exercise help you to recover faster? And what impact will the new childhood flu vaccinations have on the spread of the virus in schools? These are just some of the questions scientists from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine want to explore as they launch the annual nationwide Flusurvey, collecting data from men, women and children of all ages around the country.
German drug maker Merck ups forecast for 2013
German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Merck KGaA said Thursday it is raising its full-year operating profit forecast thanks to improving sales and positive cost-cutting effects.
French court finds German firm liable in implants scandal (Update)
A French court on Thursday found German safety standards firm TUV liable in a worldwide scare over defective breast implants and ordered the company to compensate distributors and hundreds of victims.
New statistical tools being developed for mining cancer data
Researchers at Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and the University of Texas at Austin are working together to create new statistical tools that can find clues about cancer that are hidden like needles in enormous haystacks of raw data.
One in seven students has dabbled in "smart" drugs
American and European studies prove that students use prescription medication or drugs to enhance their cognitive performance. Researchers from the universities of Zurich and Basel examined whether Swiss students have also experimented with neuroenhancement and which substances they take by conducting a survey of 6,725 students with an average age of 23 at the two universities and ETH Zurich.
Helping first responders heal themselves
Remembrance Day has come and gone for another year, sweeping along with it the usual discussions of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a common debilitating concern among veterans. Luckily for those veterans and first responders, stress- and health-related conditions like PTSD are top of mind all day, every day for Judith Andersen and Konstantinos Papazoglou.
Clinical research to improve surgery outcomes
Research by Victoria PhD student Jennifer Williams could lead to better recovery outcomes for surgery patients.
Supporting patients to manage osteoarthritis in the hand
Joint protection education provided by occupational therapists (OTs) is an effective way of supporting older adults with hand osteoarthritis to manage their condition, and provides an effective treatment in the medium term, new research has shown.
12 foods and ingredients that may help weight management
Satiety, lean protein, low carb and fat burning are four buzzwords that are commonly associated with weight management. In the November issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about 12 foods and ingredients that are tipping the scales towards better health.
Scientists look to crowd-funding and Big Data to fight superbugs
Researchers from the University of Bath and Emory University (USA) are hoping that online crowd-funding can help in efforts to develop a new way to identify and treat toxic superbugs, such as MRSA.
EU red blood cell research project to advance rare anaemia patient care
Anaemia is a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. It affects 1.6 billion people worldwide, with approximately 10 percent of these individuals suffering from a rare form of the disease. Concretely, the lack of haemoglobin in the blood slows down the delivery of oxygen from the respiratory organs to the rest of the body, resulting in less energy to power the functions of the patient's organism. In such scenarios, various symptoms occur including fatigue, weakness and difficulty concentrating. If the anaemia becomes more severe - particularly in rare anaemias - it can become life threatening.
Younger teens more likely to use alcohol if they live near bottle shops
Deakin University researchers have found higher rates of underage drinking among young people who live in areas with a high number of alcohol outlets.
'Disease Science Investigators' take on D.C. epidemic
For the first time, young scientists can help contain a disease outbreak in Washington, D.C.—in a game, that is.
Circumcisions in older boys and related costs skyrocket in Florida, study shows
Circumcisions in Florida boys over the age of 1 have increased dramatically in recent years, doubling costs to the state, a study by University of Florida Health surgical researchers shows.
Where someone drowns determines their chance of survival, according to new research
Two new research studies show that location is the most important factor in determining drowning survival.
High marks for Columbia's new public health curriculum
A fully re-envisioned Master of Public Health program was launched by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in the fall of 2012, ushering in the most sweeping changes in public health education in decades. Detailing the experience leading up to the launch and since, the principal architects of the new curriculum have published two articles in the current online edition of the American Journal of Public Health that together provide insight into the rationale for the changes needed in public health education, the goals and dimensions of the curriculum design, as well as the results of a preliminary survey suggesting that students and faculty are enthusiastic about the result.
Antibiotic resistance is a international issue that better education can address
Antibiotic resistance is an international reality whose solution includes better educating physicians about using bacteria-fighting tools, says an infectious disease physician.
Older adults with severe mental illness challenge healthcare system
Although older adults with serious mental illness didn't have more recorded physical illness and had fewer outpatient visits to primary care physicians, they made more medical emergency department visits and had considerably longer medical hospitalizations than older adults without mental illness according to a study conducted by researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research.
Even football heroes can be laid low by depression
(HealthDay)—Will Heininger was a 295-pound defensive tackle for the University of Michigan at the end of his freshman year when he realized he had a big problem: He was severely depressed.
Health care enrollments fall far short of white house estimates
(HealthDay)—The Obama administration late Wednesday released a report revealing a disappointing number of health plan enrollments through the new federal and state insurance exchanges. Just over 106,000 Americans enrolled in health plans through the new marketplaces from Oct. 1 through Nov. 2, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a news conference.
Global Fund axes suppliers over Cambodia malaria graft
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced Thursday it had suspended contracts with two international suppliers of mosquito nets after uncovering serious financial wrongdoing in Cambodia.
Starting dialysis after—not before—conception may improve birth rates in women with advanced kidney disease
Women with advanced kidney disease who start dialysis during pregnancy have superior live birth rates than those already on dialysis at the time of conception, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings provide valuable information for counseling women with kidney disease who are of child-bearing age.
Prize will expand use of life-saving neonatal device in Africa
A low-cost device that Rice University bioengineering students invented to help premature babies breathe more easily will be rolled out to teaching hospitals in three African nations, thanks to a $400,000 award from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and London-based charity Save the Children. The technology, which is known as "bubble CPAP," earned the top prize in GSK and Save the Children's inaugural Healthcare Innovation Award program.
Pediatric ICU nurse staffing models with more experience and education cut inpatient mortality
Nursing leaders from 38 children's hospitals, led by Patricia Hickey, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN, vice president of critical care and cardiovascular services at Boston Children's Hospital, demonstrated that nursing education and experience significantly impact outcomes for patients who underwent cardiac surgery. The researchers recommend that there be no more than 20 percent of nurses with less than two years of clinical experience in pediatric ICUs to decrease mortality rates. Nurse education preparation at the baccalaureate level or higher also improved mortality rates in these hospitals.
Molecule common in some cancers, rheumatoid arthritis leads to potential therapy for both
A molecule that helps cells stick together is significantly over-produced in two very different diseases—rheumatoid arthritis and a variety of cancers, including breast and brain tumors, concludes a new study. The scientists who made the discovery also found candidate drugs to inhibit the molecule, cadherin-11, one of which is already in a clinical trial.
Rapid testing to diagnose influenza leads to more appropriate care in the ED
When patients in the emergency department (ED) are diagnosed with influenza by means of a rapid test, they get fewer unnecessary antibiotics, are prescribed antiviral medications more frequently, and have fewer additional lab tests compared to patients diagnosed with influenza without testing, according to a new study. Published online in the Journal of the Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Society, the findings suggest that diagnosing influenza with a rapid diagnostic test leads to more appropriate, specific, and efficient care.
Cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes associated with levels of physical activity
The risk of cardiovascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes is directly related to the frequency and duration of physical exercise, according to results of a large follow-up study reported today on World Diabetes Day.1 Notably, those with low levels of physical activity had a 70% greater risk of cardiovascular death than those with higher levels.
Resting pulse rates of UK pre-teens have risen during past 30 years
The resting pulse rate of UK pre-teens may have risen by up to two beats a minute during the past 30 years. But the rise does not seem to be linked to the overall weight gain seen in this age group during this period, reveals research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Kuwait reports second MERS virus case
Kuwait has reported its second case of the deadly MERS coronavirus for a man who just returned from abroad, the health ministry said.
Researcher says for 2-year-olds, touch screens may trump TV
(Medical Xpress)—Smartphones and tablets may be better learning tools for toddlers younger than 2 1/2 years old than "Sesame Street" and other educational TV programs, according to a researcher in the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology.
Putting it off: Why we procrastinate
Everyone procrastinates. I became somewhat distracted by completely irrelevant websites, for instance, while preparing to write this article.
Consistent bed time and wake time can mean healthier weight
(Medical Xpress)—Prior research has shown not getting enough sleep can impact your weight, but new BYU research finds the consistency of your bed time and wake time can also influence body fat.
Literacy depends on nurture, not nature, education professor says
A University at Buffalo education professor has sided with the environment in the timeless "nurture vs. nature" debate after his research found that a child's ability to read depends mostly on where that child is born, rather than on his or her individual qualities.
Are probiotics a promising treatment strategy for depression?
Probiotics are not new, but their status as a nutritional buzzword is. Most folks have now heard and seen the term countless times in commercials and advertisements, as yogurt, dietary supplement, natural food product, and even cosmetic companies promote their probiotic-containing products.
New diabetes research reveals uneven distribution of quality care for young people in Ireland with type-1 diabetes
New research launched today to coincide with World Diabetes Day which takes place tomorrow, 14th November 2013 revealed that good quality care for young people with type-1 diabetes is unevenly distributed throughout Ireland. The research was carried out by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Department of Sociology in University College Cork (UCC) and published this month in BMC Health Services Research journal.
Next-generation genome screening is step toward precision cancer medicine for lung cancer
Precision cancer medicine has taken a strong step forward at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) with the addition of genome screening for lung cancer.
Combination therapy could lead to reduction in prostate cancer recurrence
Prostate cancer patients who receive radiotherapy could soon be treated more effectively, according to research published today in the British Journal of Cancer.
Scientists bring to light mechanism of drug for infections
Scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) have discovered the exact mode of action by plerixafor, a drug commonly prescribed to stimulate immune responses in patients suffering from neutropenia, which causes them to become prone to oral, skin, genital infections and in worst cases, a fatal whole-body infection . A better understanding of the drug's mechanism can improve its usage to more effectively reduce risk of infections in these patients.
New malaria vaccines roadmap targets next generation products by 2030
The world should aim to have vaccines which reduce malaria cases by 75 percent, and are capable of eliminating malaria, licensed by 2030, according to the updated 2013 Malaria Vaccine Technology Roadmap, launched today. This new target comes in addition to the original 2006 Roadmap's goal of having a licensed vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the most deadly form of the disease, for children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa by 2015.
Book, app help teens with autism make friends
Socially challenged teens and young adults, such as those with autism, often have trouble making and keeping friends and can become easy targets for bullying, a situation that challenges their coping skills.
Man dies, toddler critical in new Cambodia bird flu cases
A 29-year-old man has died from bird flu in Cambodia and a toddler is critically ill with the virus after carrying sick and dead poultry from a market, health authorities said Thursday.
Topical treatment for psoriasis targets deeper layers of the skin, improves healing
A novel combination anti-psoriasis therapy has potential for superior and longer-lasting therapeutic effects than current topical treatments by targeting genetic abnormalities in deeper layers of the skin. This research is being presented at the 2013 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition, the world's largest pharmaceutical sciences meeting, in San Antonio, Nov. 10-14.
Low-dose treatment may block malaria transmission
Lower doses of the antimalarial drug primaquine are as effective as higher doses in reducing malaria transmission, according to a study published today in Lancet Infectious Diseases by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine researchers.
Copper intake makes tumors breathe
Copper imbalances have been associated with a number of pathological conditions, including cancer. Publishing in PNAS scientists at EPFL have found that copper in drinking water – given at the maximum levels permitted in public water supplies – accelerated the growth of tumors in mice. On the other hand, reducing copper levels reduced tumor growth. The study strongly suggests that copper is an essential factor for the growth of tumors in humans as well.
New study examines link in college women's use of substances and condoms
A new study from researchers at The Miriam Hospital finds a link between alcohol consumption and reduced condom use among college women. The findings also indicate that women who smoke marijuana with established romantic partners may use condoms less often. The study was recently published online in the Journal of Sex Research.
Research identifies potential new treatment for sepsis
Sepsis is the leading cause of in-hospital death and there is no specific treatment for it. Now, research led by Dr. Qingping Feng of Western University (London, Canada) suggests a protein called recombinant human annexin A5 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of this disease. The paper is published in advance, online in Critical Care Medicine.
Physician argues for mandatory flu vaccinations of health care workers
Should flu vaccines be mandatory for health care workers? That's the question raised this week in the British Medical Journal to two researchers, including Penn Medicine's Amy J. Behrman, MD, in a "Head to Head" piece that argues both sides of the debate.
Protein-rich breakfast helps to curb appetite throughout the morning, scientists find
While Americans generally consume enough protein, they tend to eat a small amount at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch, and the largest amount at dinner. New research presented today at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting in Atlanta shows that eating high protein sausage and egg-based breakfasts curbed hunger throughout the morning, compared with a low-protein breakfast (pancakes and syrup) or skipping breakfast, in 18-55-year-old women.
New genetic cause of warburg micro syndrome identified
A collaborative team of researchers led by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Edinburgh has identified a gene responsible for Warburg Micro syndrome, a rare genetic disease characterized by eye, brain and endocrine abnormalities. Patients with Warburg Micro syndrome are severely physically and mentally challenged, unable to learn how to walk or speak and become blind and paralyzed from an early age.
Nicotine withdrawal traced to very specific group of brain cells
Nicotine withdrawal might take over your body, but it doesn't take over your brain. The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are driven by a very specific group of neurons within a very specific brain region, according to a report in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, on November 14. Although caution is warranted, the researchers say, the findings in mice suggest that therapies directed at this group of neurons might one day help people quit smoking.
Study discovers that senescence also plays a role in embryo development
One of the main mechanisms the body uses to protect itself against cancer is to switch off defective cells by making them senescent; these cells do not die but stop dividing: their life cycle stops. A team of researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) in Madrid and another one from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona have discovered, and are publishing in two articles in the journal Cell, that this switching-off mechanism also takes place in embryos, and not as a response to cell damage but as part the normal process of development. As the embryo grows, and its tissues change shape and function, senescence switches off cells that are no longer necessary. These switched-off cells are later on recognized and eliminated by a special type of cells of the immune system known as macrophages. The occurrence of senescence during embryonic development has important implications for understanding how the body grows and is shaped.
Researchers describe a new function of two molecules involved in metastasis
Researchers from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) lead by Dr. Sandra Peiró have described a new function for two key molecules involved in tumor progression. Transcription factor SNAIL1 and enzyme LOXL2 are essential to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT); meaning the process by which tumor cells are able to move and reach other tissues. The study has been published in the Molecular Cell Journal and places enzyme LOXL2 as a possible therapeutic target to treat cancers such as breast, lung or skin cancer.
New research reveals dengue fever mystery in two US cities both exposed to risk
As dengue fever continues to spread from Key West north into the Florida mainland, it remains a mystery as to why this dangerous mosquito-borne illness is not yet common around Tucson, Arizona—even though outbreaks routinely occur in nearby Mexico and mosquitoes that can carry dengue are now common in the state, according to a new research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Late afternoon and early evening caffeine can disrupt sleep at night
A new study shows that caffeine consumption even six hours before bedtime can have significant, disruptive effects on sleep.
Analysis of alcohol ads in magazines finds current codes, regulations do not protect consumers from risky content
A new report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health calls into question whether existing federal and voluntary standards for alcohol advertisements curtail potentially damaging content and protect public health.
Drug trial for top parasitic killer of the Americas: Mixed results, new evidence to improve therapy
According to results of the first-ever Phase 2 clinical trial in Bolivia, conducted by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), the experimental drug candidate E1224 showed good safety and was effective at clearing the parasite that causes Chagas disease, but had little to no sustained efficacy one year after treatment as a single medication. On the other hand, standard therapy for Chagas, benznidazole, was shown to be effective in the long term but continued to be associated with side effects. The results, presented today at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), highlight the need to investigate alternative dosing regimens and possible combination therapies to improve patient care.
Researchers link lack of sleep in teens to higher risk of illness
Newly released findings from Bradley Hospital published in the Journal of Sleep Research have found that acute illnesses, such as colds, flu, and gastroenteritis were more common among healthy adolescents who got less sleep at night. Additionally, the regularity of teens' sleep schedules was found to impact their health. The study, titled "Sleep patterns are associated with common illness in adolescents," was led by Kathryn Orzech, Ph.D. of the Bradley Hospital Sleep Research Laboratory.
Bleeding symptom leads scientists to intracellular trafficker's role in virus propagation
Rodent-borne pathogens like hantaviruses and arenaviruses are simple, but resourceful, and very successful at propagating. Due to a tiny genome generating a mere four proteins compared to humans' thousands, they rely on human biological machinery to do their replication dirty work, facilitating infection, plus a high mortality rate. Vermont researchers have discovered a mechanism that when targeted, may stop these deadly viruses in their tracks.
Probiotics reduce piglet pathogens
November 17, 2013 – Piglets fed probiotic Enterococcus faecium showed reduced numbers of potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in their intestines, according to a team of German researchers. The research is important, because in 2006 the European Union prohibited the feeding of antibiotics to livestock as growth promoters. Therefore, the research team sought to investigate whether probiotics could substitute for antibiotics, by reducing pathogen populations in the intestines, says first author Carmen Bednorz of Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany. The study was published ahead of print in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Early stages of breast cancer could soon be diagnosed from blood samples
What could someday be the first blood test for the early detection of breast cancer was shown in preliminary studies to successfully identify the presence of breast cancer cells from serum biomarkers, say the Houston Methodist Research Institute scientists who are developing the technology.
Obama orders major change in troubled health plan (Update)
President Barack Obama, bowing to heavy pressure from fellow Democrats and a storm of criticism from Republicans, ordered changes to his health care law on Thursday, allowing the continued sale of insurance plans that have been canceled for Americans in the private marketplace because they failed to meet coverage standards under the overhaul.
BP down with barber-based intervention, specialist follow-up
(HealthDay)—A barber-based intervention—whereby barbers offer blood pressure (BP) checks with haircuts and motivate black male patrons with high BP to seek provider follow-up—is associated with a significant reduction in systolic BP when barbers refer patrons to hypertension specialists rather than primary care providers (PCP), according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Depression risk drops from pre- to post-final period
(HealthDay)—There is a higher risk of depression before and a lower risk after the final menstrual period (FMP), according to a study published online Nov. 13 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Protein interplay in muscle tied to life span
Fruit flies are notoriously short-lived but scientists interested in the biology of aging in all animals have begun to understand why some fruit flies live longer than others. They have documented a direct association between insulin and life span, for example, and have observed a tradeoff between prolific reproduction and longevity. A new study, which may have broad implications across species, ties those findings more closely together by tracing an insulin signaling cascade through to protein quality control in muscle tissue and shortened life span.
New studies may explain fractures in some who take osteoporosis drugs
Research with baboons at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute may help explain why some people who take bone-strengthening drugs like bisphosphonates are at-risk for atypical fractures in the long bones in their legs.
State child restraint laws leave many unprotected, study finds
Child restraint laws across many states have gaps that leave unprotected passengers highly vulnerable to vehicle-crash injuries, a study by New York University has found.
Potential drug target in sight for rare genetic disease
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered the structure of a potential drug target for a rare genetic disease, paving the way for an alternative treatment for the condition.
Understanding a protein's role in familial Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have used genetic engineering of human induced pluripotent stem cells to specifically and precisely parse the roles of a key mutated protein in causing familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), discovering that simple loss-of-function does not contribute to the inherited form of the neurodegenerative disorder.
FDA seeks to improve safety of antiseptic swabs
(HealthDay)—Manufacturers of antiseptic swabs and solutions are being asked to make voluntary labeling and packaging changes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Walking may cut stroke risk in older men
(HealthDay)—Older men may reduce their risk of stroke by taking a daily walk. And that walk doesn't have to be especially brisk, British researchers report.
Many women suffer persistent pain after mastectomy
(HealthDay)—Although breast cancer treatments have dramatically improved outcomes for women with the disease, ongoing pain continues to trouble many survivors long after they undergo a mastectomy, a new study finds.
More US teens try E-cigarettes, hookahs, report says
(HealthDay)—The rapidly growing use of electronic cigarettes, hookahs and other smoking alternatives by middle school and high school students concerns U.S. health officials.
Taiwan scientists report first case of new bird flu virus in humans
Scientists from Taiwan report on the world's first confirmed case of human infection with a wild avian influenza A H6N1 virus in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Study finds toddlers can learn verbs even in non-social contexts
(Medical Xpress)—Language acquisition has traditionally been considered a social, interactive process, however new research from Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College reveals that toddlers are able to acquire the meanings of words even in "socially impoverished contexts" where social or visual information is absent.
Root of birth defects grounded in early embryonic development
(Medical Xpress)—The search for the cause of devastating birth defects has led Yale School of Medicine researchers to a key insight into the biology of embryonic development.
New study reveals a protein that keeps people—and their skeletons—organized
Most people think that their planners or their iPhones keep them organized, when proteins such as liver kinase b1 (Lkb1) actually have a lot more to do with it. New research from postdoctoral fellow Lick Lai in the lab of USC scientist Andy McMahon published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) sheds light on how this important protein keeps people organized on a basic level by promoting orderly skeletal growth and preventing skeletal tumors.
Biologists ID new cancer weakness
About half of all cancer patients have a mutation in a gene called p53, which allows tumors to survive and continue growing even after chemotherapy severely damages their DNA.
FDA approved immune-modulating drug unexpectedly benefits mice with fatal mitochondrial defect
The transplant anti-rejection drug rapamycin showed unexpected benefits in a mouse model of a fatal defect in the energy powerhouses of cells, the mitochondria. Children with the condition, Leigh syndrome, show progressive brain damage, muscle weakness, lack of coordination or muscle control, and weight loss, and usually succumb to respiratory failure.
Researchers home in on roots of Caribbean populations using new DNA analysis method
Those of us who want to learn about our ancestors—who they were, where they came from and how they mingled (or didn't) with others around them—often turn to historical records or elderly family members for answers. But a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine indicates that the answers can also be found within our own genes.
Study identifies genes uniquely expressed by the brain's immune cells
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have used a new sequencing method to identify a group of genes used by the brain's immune cells – called microglia – to sense pathogenic organisms, toxins or damaged cells that require their response. Identifying these genes should lead to better understanding of the role of microglia both in normal brains and in neurodegenerative disorders and may lead to new ways to protect against the damage caused by conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The study, which has been published online in Nature Neuroscience, also finds that the activity of microglia appears to become more protective with aging, as opposed to increasingly toxic, which some previous studies had suggested.
Biology news
New research project to produce salinity tolerant crops
A new research project announced today will identify how bread wheat and barley can tolerate saline soils. The project, being funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation will deliver resources to breeders for novel salinity tolerance traits for incorporation into their breeding programs. Salinity is estimated to affect approximately two thirds of Australian agricultural land.
UNM researchers study spontaneous mutations with implications across biology
Researchers at the University of New Mexico in the Department of Biology are studying the rate and fitness effects of spontaneous mutations, a central area of study in evolution and biology. The research, enabled through a three-year, $750,000 National Science Foundation grant through the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, will provide researchers with a broad and comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary process with implications across the field of biology including the evolution of complex human disease, drug-resistant bacteria and viruses and cancers.
WCS helps release juvenile whale shark from net in Indonesian marine park
It's not every day that fishermen catch the world's largest fish species in their nets, but this is what recently happened in Indonesia's Karimunjawa National Park, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Iowa State veterinary researcher studies new treatments for spinal injuries in dogs
Experimental treatments for spinal cord injuries in dogs conducted at Iowa State University could someday lead to more effective therapies for humans suffering from similar injuries.
"Kissing genes" breakthrough
In a ground-breaking discovery that will have a major impact on our understanding of the function of DNA, our genetic blueprint, a group of scientists from Wits and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are the first to show that when genes interact in three dimensions, or engage in "gene kissing", this has a major impact on how genes are switched on inside the cell.
Beetle bait could help save Alberta pine forests
University of Alberta researchers are closing in on developing an effective bait to get ahead of the destructive spread of mountain pine beetle, which is now killing not only lodgepole pine forests, but also jack pine in Alberta.
Tasmanian devils: Will rare infectious cancer lead to their extinction?
Taz was his name, the Tasmanian devil of Warner Bros. cartoon fame. A scrappy omnivore who ate anything and everything, he spun in a vortex and bit through everything in his path.
Toxin produced by bacteria could serve as a model for next-generation antibiotics
The recent rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious public health threat, and there is a need for new therapeutic strategies to combat these infections. A study published by Cell Press on November 14th in the journal Molecular Cell has revealed a new toxin that inhibits bacterial growth by blocking the DNA replication machinery, which is not targeted by currently available antibiotics. The findings open new therapeutic avenues for developing the next generation of antibiotics.
Scientists identify the world's most irreplaceable protected areas
A new scientific study has identified the protected areas most critical to preventing extinctions of the world's mammals, birds and amphibians. Resulting from an international collaboration, this analysis provides practical advice for improving the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving global biodiversity.
Evolution can select for evolvability, biologists find
Evolution does not operate with a goal in mind; it does not have foresight. But organisms that have a greater capacity to evolve may fare better in rapidly changing environments. This raises the question: does evolution favor characteristics that increase a species' ability to evolve?
Study finds facial coloration in old world monkeys related to environment and social factors
Monkeys have the most colorful faces of all mammals, and new research suggests that's not just a pretty face.
Newly discovered protist suggests evolutionary answers, questions
From Massachusetts to Mississippi, a unicellular protist is hinting at answers about the evolution of multicellularity while raising a whole new set of questions.
How argonaute proteins intervene in the gene regulation process
Bioscientists at Heidelberg University have studied the function of certain proteins, known as Argonaute (Ago) proteins, in the process of gene regulation. They sought to understand why only the Ago2 protein is able to target and directly turn off genes in humans, while the closely related Ago3 protein is not. Using a new investigative method, researchers working with Dr. Dirk Grimm were able to identify for the first time two "motifs" of this protein that, when properly combined with an already known protein domain, give Ago2 its gene-silencing capability. The researchers hope that the results will open up new avenues in basic biological and medical research toward artificially induced gene silencing.
Open wide: Zebrafish fool fast food
Research published in the Royal Society Journal, Interface, has demonstrated that predatory fish sneak up on lightning-fast prey by disguising water disturbances as they approach.
New research reveals Ming the Mollusk actually 100 years older than thought
(Phys.org) —A team of international researchers has, after conducting a new, more thorough study of the clam known as Ming the Mollusk, found it to be 507 years old, making it 102 years older than was originally thought.
Anthrax toxin can lurk for days in cells as a lingering threat
An anthrax infection can be fatal even when the infectious agent is no longer detected. Research carried out at EPFL reveals the way its lethal factor manages to turn invisible to the immune system.
Glowing worms illuminate the roots of behavior
A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and The Rockefeller University in New York has developed a novel system to image brain activity in multiple awake and unconstrained worms. The technology, which makes it possible to study the genetics and neural circuitry associated with animal behavior, can also be used as a high-throughput screening tool for drug development targeting autism, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and other brain disorders.
No peak in sight for evolving bacteria
There's no peak in sight – fitness peak, that is – for the bacteria in Richard Lenski's Michigan State University lab.
Dogs likely originated in Europe more than 18,000 years ago
Wolves likely were domesticated by European hunter–gatherers more than 18,000 years ago and gradually evolved into dogs that became household pets, UCLA life scientists report.
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