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More and more engineers and scientists are using multiphysics to accurately model their products and processes. Watch this short video to learn more on how you can benefit from taking the multiphysics approach for your designs: http://goo.gl/A06jMB
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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 6, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- First study results of Russian Chelyabinsk meteor published- An artificial blood substitute from Transylvania
- Brain-machine interface lets monkeys control two virtual arms (w/ Video)
- Newly discovered predatory dinosaur 'king of gore' reveals the origins of T. rex
- New study identifies signs of autism in the first months of life
- X-rays reveal inner structure of the Earth's ancient magma ocean
- RNA controls splicing during gene expression, further evidence of 'RNA world' origin in modern life
- Breakthrough in retinal implants expected to restore sight to the blind
- Role of natural aerosols in climate uncertainties underestimated
- Discovery of HIV 'invisibility cloak' reveals new treatment opportunities
- Three-dimensional carbon goes metallic
- Study uncovers new explanation for infection susceptibility in newborns
- Cornell researchers teach Bitcoin attack lesson in selfish mining
- Team unveils carbon nanotube jungles to better detect molecules
- Floods didn't provide nitrogen 'fix' for earliest crops in frigid North
Space & Earth news
Image: Soyuz rocket ready to launch new station crew
The Soyuz TMA-11M rocket, adorned with the logo of the Sochi Olympic Organizing Committee and other related artwork, is seen in this long exposure photograph, as the service structure arms are raised into position at the launch pad on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Image: Elephant Trunk Nebula
When radiation and winds from massive young stars impact clouds of cool gas, they can trigger new generations of stars to form.
Los Angeles fetes 100 years of aqueduct
Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti Tuesday joined descendants of the engineers who brought water to the then-sleepy Californian town, marking the 100th anniversary of the transformative project.
Climate tracking experiment celebrates 10 years
Scientists, industry and government representatives gathered at the University of Toronto recently for the 10-year anniversary of the successful Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment known as ACE.
Maintaining strength in ocean science requires greater collaboration, coordination, and integration
A new expert panel report, by the Council of Canadian Academies, on ocean science capacity in Canada has found that, with no single organization responsible for managing ocean research in Canada, scientists face challenges in coordinating activities and pooling resources.
NASA sees heavy rain around Super-Typhoon Haiyan's eye
Super Typhoon Haiyan continues moving toward the Philippines, and when NASA's TRMM satellite passed overhead, it was very close to the island of Palau and packing heavy rainfall. Haiyan is now equivalent to a Category 5 Hurricane.
Warsaw climate meet must measure rich lands' emissions
Brazil said Wednesday that next week's Warsaw climate change meeting should set itself the task of measuring the damage done by rich countries' greenhouse gas emissions.
Brown/MIT team chosen for new NASA institute
NASA has tapped a team of Brown and MIT researchers to be part of its new Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). The team will help to develop scientific goals and exploration strategies for the Moon, near-Earth asteroids, and the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos.
UN: CO2 pollution levels at annual record high
World carbon dioxide pollution levels in the atmosphere are accelerating and reached a record high in 2012, the U.N. weather agency said Wednesday.
SOFIA set to begin cycle two astronomy observations
NASA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the SOFIA Science Center, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) have announced the selection of 51 investigations to study the universe using the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). SOFIA, a joint program between NASA and the DLR, is set to begin its second full cycle of science flights from February through December 2014.
A dark and dusty avalanche on Mars
Mars may be geologically inactive but that doesn't mean there's nothing happening there—seasonal changes on the Red Planet can have some very dramatic effects on the landscape, as this recent image from the HiRISE camera shows!
Smart water meters stop money going down the drain
A project by Griffith University's Smart Water Research Facility has discovered that using 'smart' water meters to identify leaks in and around the home can result in significant savings.
Burn ATV-4, burn
(Phys.org) —ESA's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle,Albert Einstein,burnt up on 2 November at 12:04 GMT over an uninhabited area of the Pacific Ocean. It left the International Space Station a week earlier with 1.6 tonnes of waste after spending five months attached to the orbital outpost.
Burning biomass pellets instead of wood or plants in China could lower mercury emissions
For millions of homes, plants, wood and other types of "biomass" serve as an essential source of fuel, especially in developing countries, but their mercury content has raised flags among environmentalists and researchers. Scientists are now reporting that among dozens of sources of biomass, processed pellets burned under realistic conditions in China emit relatively low levels of the potentially harmful substance. The report was published in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
NASA sees Tropical Depression 30W stretching out, fading
Tropical Storm 30W weakened into a tropical depression again on Nov. 6 and wind shear stretched out the storm. The storm's elongation was evident in infrared NASA satellite imagery.
Russia to take Olympic torch into space
Three new crew members blast off Thursday for the International Space Station (ISS) on a Russian rocket, taking with them the precious cargo of an Olympic torch for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Drilling for hydrocarbons can impact aquatic life
The degradation of drilling sumps associated with hydrocarbon extraction can negatively affect aquatic ecosystems, according to new research published November 6th in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Joshua Thienpont and colleagues at Queen's University and other institutions.
NASA pursues new geodesy application for emerging atom-optics technology
NASA technologists working to advance a pioneering technology that promises to detect tiny perturbations in the curvature of space-time now want to apply the same technique to map variations in Earth's gravity field.
Sun sends out a significant solar flare
The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 5:12 p.m. EST on Nov. 5, 2013. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however—when intense enough—they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.
Carbon storage recovers faster than plant biodiversity in re-growing tropical forests
A new study of re-growing tropical forests has concluded that plant biodiversity takes longer to recover than carbon storage following major disturbances such as clearance for farming.
Japan's robot astronaut awaiting 'compatriot' spaceman
The world's first robot astronaut is pining for a conversation partner as he waits for Japanese spaceman Koichi Wakata aboard the International Space Station.
Clean Air Act has led to improved water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
A new study shows that the reduction of pollution emissions from power plants in the mid-Atlantic is making an impact on the quality of the water that ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. The study by scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science confirms that as the amount of emissions of nitrogen oxide from coal-fired power plants declined in response to the Clean Air Act, the amount of nitrogen pollution found in the waterways of forested areas in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia fell as well.
Role of natural aerosols in climate uncertainties underestimated
Natural aerosols, such as emissions from volcanoes or plants, may contribute more uncertainty than previously thought to estimates of how the climate might respond to greenhouse gas emissions.
X-rays reveal inner structure of the Earth's ancient magma ocean
Using the world's most brilliant X-ray source, scientists have for the first time peered into molten magma at conditions of the deep Earth mantle. The analysis at DESY's light source PETRA III revealed that molten basalt changes its structure when exposed to pressure of up to 60 gigapascals (GPa), corresponding to a depth of about 1400 kilometres below the surface. At such extreme conditions, the magma changes into a stiffer and denser form, the team around first author Chrystèle Sanloup from the University of Edinburgh reports in the scientific journal Nature.
From one collapsing star, two black holes form and fuse
(Phys.org) —Black holes—massive objects in space with gravitational forces so strong that not even light can escape them—come in a variety of sizes. On the smaller end of the scale are the stellar-mass black holes that are formed during the deaths of stars. At the larger end are supermassive black holes, which contain up to one billion times the mass of our sun. Over billions of years, small black holes can slowly grow into the supermassive variety by taking on mass from their surroundings and also by merging with other black holes. But this slow process can't explain the problem of supermassive black holes existing in the early universe—such black holes would have formed less than one billion years after the Big Bang.
Unique SOS signal from pulled-apart star points to medium-sized black hole
(Phys.org) —An international team of astronomers, including Texas Tech University's Tom Maccarone, believes they have observed a rare cosmic accident in which a small star is pulled apart by a medium-sized black hole.
Floods didn't provide nitrogen 'fix' for earliest crops in frigid North
Floods didn't make floodplains fertile during the dawn of human agriculture in the Earth's far north because the waters were virtually devoid of nitrogen, unlike other areas of the globe scientists have studied.
First study results of Russian Chelyabinsk meteor published
The meteor that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia in February 2013 was "a wake-up call," according to a University of California, Davis scientist who participated in analyzing the event. The work is published November 7, 2013 in the journal Science by an international team of researchers.
Technology news
Updating building energy codes: How much can your state save?
How much in energy and cost savings would your state realize if it updated its commercial building energy codes? You can find out in a new on-line publication* from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The state-by-state reports were the product of a new building energy efficiency analysis tool developed by NIST.
Belgium probes hacking of premier's office (Update)
Belgian authorities said Wednesday they are investigating the origin of espionage software that was left in Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo's office to secretly monitor his activities.
Enhancing security in Apple devices
A*STAR's Institute for Infocomm Research has helped to fix three security weaknesses in Apple's iOS mobile operating system.
Building towards 'nearly zero energy' cities
An ambitious four-year project is to develop and demonstrate replicable strategies for designing, constructing and managing large scale district renovation projects for achieving nearly zero energy cities. The results will open the way for new refurbishments that bring the EU closer to its 2020 goal of ensuring that all new buildings consume very little energy.
Drivers "hooked" to mobile phones more likely to sneakily text
Young drivers dependent on their mobile phones think staying connected to their friends is more important than safe driving and obeying the road rules, a new QUT study has found.
'Call of Duty' videogame sales top $1 bn in first day
Sales of the latest edition in the "Call of Duty" video game franchise topped $1 billion in the first day, the publisher said Wednesday.
French court orders Google to block Max Mosley orgy pictures
A French court on Wednesday ordered Google to prevent its search engine from providing links to images of a sadomasochist orgy involving former Formula One boss Max Mosley.
Singapore vows to hunt down Anonymous hackers
Singapore will "spare no effort" to hunt down hackers from activist group Anonymous who last week threatened to wage a cyber war against the government, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Wednesday.
A sight for sore eyes: New accuracy for 60mm mortars
The handheld mortar has long been a staple for the U.S. Marine Corps, and yesterday the weapon got a major boost as combat instructors at Marine Corps Base Quantico successfully conducted a live-fire demonstration of a new mortar sight, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
User burnout could threaten Twitter's prosperity
They loved it. Now they hate it. A growing number of celebrities, athletes and self-promoters are burnt out and signing off of Twitter. Many have gotten overwhelmed.
Guyana and Suriname lose Internet, overseas calls
The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Co. says damage to an undersea fiber-optic cable has caused a phone and Internet outage that affected much of the country along with neighboring Suriname.
CBS 3Q profit grows, matches Wall St. expectations
Broadcaster CBS Corp. grew earnings 26 percent in the third quarter, benefiting from higher ad revenue, sales of reruns of shows like "NCIS: Los Angeles" and pay-per-view boxing.
Samsung vows to boost dividend at rare analyst meeting
Samsung Electronics promised better shareholder returns, dismissed fears over smartphone market saturation and signalled a more aggressive acquisitions policy Wednesday at a rare analysts' briefing to boost its flagging stock price.
IBM says will 'aggressively' contest India tax demand
The local unit of US technology services giant IBM said Wednesday it will "aggressively defend itself" through legal means against an Indian tax demand for a reported $865 million.
What is near-field communication (and how secure is it)?
Coles and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia declared last month their intention to make use of near-field communication (NFC) technology, allowing users to transfer their personal and other banking details from a smartphone to a point of sales register by simply holding their device near a reader.
Biometrics must respond to human aging
The accuracy and reliability of systems which identify individuals from biometric characteristics, such as facial image, fingerprints or handwriting, could be significantly compromised if we do not take account of the effects of human aging.
Volume of nuclear waste could be reduced by 90 percent, says new research
The researchers, from the University of Sheffield's Faculty of Engineering, have shown that mixing plutonium-contaminated waste with blast furnace slag and turning it into glass reduces its volume by 85-95 per cent. It also effectively locks in the radioactive plutonium, creating a stable end product.
For young baseball players, light bats don't hit too fast
The use of non-wood bats in youth baseball has spurred decades of controversy about whether they propel the ball too fast, in part because of their higher bat-to-ball energy transfer—the "trampoline effect." A study at Brown University finds that in some cases non-wood bats do not hit the ball any faster. In the hands of young teen players, for example, lighter non-wood bats hit the ball at wood-like speeds.
EPFL's campus has the world's first solar window
EPFL's new convention center is being equipped with an impressive glass façade composed of dye solar cells. The first architectural integration of this technology is a new step in Romande Energie and EPFL's partnership to develop a large-scale solar park and conduct research and development projects.
Teens fret over online privacy, theft: US study
American teenagers are growing increasingly worried about online privacy and the possibility of identity theft, a study released Wednesday showed.
Amazon to team with independent booksellers on Kindles
Amazon announced plans Wednesday to work with independent booksellers and other retailers on sales of its Kindle tablets, offering the merchants a share of e-book revenues.
Blockbuster to close last of video rental stores
Blockbuster will close the last 300 of its own US video rental stores by January, its parent firm said Wednesday, after consumers shifted en masse to streaming services like Netflix.
Critics blast Google's European antitrust offer
Google's latest offer to settle a European investigation into the alleged abuse of its dominant positions in online search and advertising leaked out Wednesday, with one competitor calling it "a new form of abuse."
Twitter IPO looks imminent, at higher price
Twitter was on the verge of revealing the price of its stock offering Wednesday, giving the popular messaging platform a value of around $15 billion, media reports said.
Georgia Tech warns of threats to cloud data storage, mobile devices in latest 'emerging cyber threat'
As more businesses find their way into the cloud, few engage in security measures beyond those provided by the associated cloud storage firm, a new report from Georgia Tech notes. Even fewer seek heightened data protection because of concerns that usability and access to remote data would be significantly reduced.
Google ends mystery: barge to be 'interactive space'
Google ended nearly two weeks of speculation about an enormous floating barge in San Francisco Bay, saying it would be "an interactive space" for learning about technology.
US media consumption to rise to 15.5 hours a day—per person—by 2015
A new study by a researcher at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, says that by 2015, the sum of media asked for and delivered to consumers on mobile devices and to their homes would take more than 15 hours a day to see or hear. That volume is equal to 6.9 million-million gigabytes of information, or a daily consumption of nine DVDs worth of data per person per day.
Tesla falls most in two years on battery shortage
U.S. electric car maker Tesla Motors has a battery problem. It doesn't have enough of them.
The end of traffic jams? Dutch test new system
Researchers in the Netherlands will next year test a GPS navigation system aimed at preventing the international curse of motorway traffic jams by telling drivers which lane to move to.
Toyota unveils FV2 3-wheeled color-changing concept car ahead of Tokyo Motor Show
(Phys.org) —The Tokyo Motor Show taking place later this month promises to be a peak into the future—automakers will be showing off autonomous vehicles and other concepts that suggest that carmakers believe the wave of the future is to let the vehicle do more of the driving. But, there are other ideas as well, two of which are coming from Toyota: one is a fuel cell vehicle, the other a three-wheeler steering wheel-less vehicle that reads moods and is ridden, rather than driven.
Smart foam takes aim at concussions by measuring helmet impact
Concussions in college and professional football are under the microscope more than ever these days, but they don't seem to be slowing down in frequency.
LA to issue RFP for citywide free broadband access program
(Phys.org) —Last month, Steve Reneke, IT Agency GM for the city of Los Angeles, offered a proposal to the city council outlining a plan to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for installing underground fiber to every home, business and government facility inside the city limits, along with free Internet access. This past week, the city council approved the plan. That means that construction could begin as early as next year with new users coming online not long after. What's most surprising about the RFP, perhaps, is that it calls for the winning vendor to pay for it all.
Georgia Tech develops inkjet-based circuits at fraction of time and cost
(Phys.org) —Researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Tokyo and Microsoft Research have developed a novel method to rapidly and cheaply make electrical circuits by printing them with commodity inkjet printers and off-the-shelf materials. For about $300 in equipment costs, anyone can produce working electrical circuits in the 60 seconds it takes to print them.
SmartLight more than a bright idea, it's a revolution in interior lighting ready to shine, according to researchers
A pair of University of Cincinnati researchers has seen the light – a bright, powerful light – and it just might change the future of how building interiors are brightened.
Cornell researchers teach Bitcoin attack lesson in selfish mining
(Phys.org) —Bitcoin is a digital currency that has, well, gained currency, as a medium of exchange. Now two computer science researchers from Cornell find that this extensive ecosystem can be undermined and they outline how in a paper that they have posted on arXiv.
Medicine & Health news
New analysis challenges assumptions about bisexual men and HIV transmission
The number of HIV positive men who have sex with both men and women is likely no higher than the number of HIV positive heterosexual men, according to a U.S.-based analysis by University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health researchers. The finding challenges a popular assumption that bisexual men are responsible for significant HIV transmission to their female partners.
Doctors say Venezuela's health care in collapse
Evelina Gonzalez was supposed to undergo cancer surgery in July following chemotherapy but wound up shuttling from hospital to hospital in search of an available operating table. On the crest of her left breast, a mocha-colored tumor doubled in size and now bulges through her white spandex tank top.
Obama stumbles over lack of health care candor
To panic on the left and delight on the right, President Barack Obama is battling to stop his second term being consumed by his misfiring greatest achievement.
A boost for medical imaging
The A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics and nanoX Imaging Ltd join forces to develop a new medical X-ray imaging detector.
American Heart Association comments on sugar-sweetened beverage taxes to address obesity
The American Heart Association issued the following comments on a recent article published by the British Medical Journal focusing on a study of the impact of sugar sweetened drink taxes:
Addiction: From genes to drugs
She is a daughter, sister, wife and friend. She had a relatively normal childhood. Her teenage years yielded experimentation – alcohol with her pals, marijuana once or twice.
One in three older people experience age discrimination
New research from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) reveals 33 per cent of all older people experience perceived age discrimination, with less wealthy older men being at highest risk.
Chemist working to help healing process
The human body in all its complexity, sometimes is a little overzealous in making repairs. These repairs can, in some instances, lead to more problems.
Long term results of EORTC trial for patients with resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer
Long term results of the randomized phase III EORTC intergroup trial 40983 were recently reported in The Lancet Oncology. The observed 4.1% difference in overall survival at five years for patients with initially resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer was not significant for perioperative chemotherapy with FOLFOX4 (folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) compared with surgery alone. Earlier results of this same trial had shown that perioperative chemotherapy with FOLFOX4 increases progression-free survival (the primary endpoint) compared with surgery alone for these patients. Overall survival was a secondary endpoint, and the trial was not initially powered to compare overall survival in the two groups. Consequently, the authors conclude that perioperative chemotherapy with FOLFOX4 should remain the reference treatment for this population of patients.
Genetic aberration paves the way for new treatment of cancer disease
(University of Copenhagen) Researchers from Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, have characterized a genetic aberration on a group of colorectal cancer patients. The discovery gives hope for a new and efficient treatment of colorectal cancer, which is a frequent and often fatal disease. The research was recently published in Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology.
NYU's Movshon winner of 'Golden Brain' award for research on the neuroscience of vision
New York University Professor J. Anthony Movshon has been named the recipient of Minerva Foundation's 2013 Golden Brain Award "for his foundational contributions to the field of visual neuroscience," the Berkeley, Calif.-based organization said in announcing the honor.
Prognostic value of baseline HRQOL for survival for 11 types of cancer pointed out by EORTC study
Results of an EORTC study published in Cancer point out the prognostic value of baseline recorded health-related quality of life for survival for eleven types of cancer: brain, breast, colorectal, esophageal, head and neck, lung, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and testicular cancer. For each cancer site, at least one health-related quality of life parameter provided additional prognostic information over and above the clinical and sociodemographic variables.
Mechanism that induces migration of tumor cells in liver cancer discovered
Researchers from the Biological clues of the invasive and metastatic phenotype group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) led by Isabel Fabregat have discovered the relationship between the TGFb signalling pathways and CXCR4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . The cytokine TGFb is dependent of CXCR4 to induce tumor cell migratory ability.
New study to develop personalised treatments for psoriasis
A world-leading taskforce led by The University of Manchester has begun work to create a new test to help medics work out which treatment plan is most likely to improve the disabling skin condition psoriasis, based on a patient's individual biological make-up.
Round-the-clock A&E cancer doctors revolutionise treatment for patients
Having on-site cancer consultants in hospitals with Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments improves diagnosis and treatment of patients and reduces their hospital stay, according to data presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in Liverpool, today.
Online, on site, in the field
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Dean Julio Frenk unveiled a new vision for public health education Friday, one that blends online, in-person, and in-the-field learning into a "modular" experience that individuals access at different times in their lives.
New treatment for African sleeping sickness comes closer
Researchers at Umeå University have identified drugs targeting infections of the parasite Trypanosoma brucei and are thereby well on the way to find a cure against African sleeping sickness. This is the kernel of a thesis, which will be publicly defended on 8 November 2013.
Epidemiologic methods improve assessment of fatal injuries
Epidemiological methods used during the investigation of fatal injuries makes the results more accurate, and allows for greater legal certainty of conclusions. Michael Freeman will address this as he defends his thesis at Umeå University, Sweden, on November 6.
Row over euthanasia for minors intensifies in Belgium
A heated debate on proposals to legalise euthanasia for minors in Belgium, one of the few countries to allow it for adults, intensified on Wednesday with supporters and opponents pressing their case.
Novartis to cut more than 440 jobs in Britain
Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis said Wednesday it aimed to slash more than 440 jobs in Britain, blaming industry-wide difficulties.
Natura Therapeutics product shown to improve decision making skills in older adults
A human clinical study of older adults has demonstrated that participants who took NutraStem Cardio, a natural dietary supplement created by Natura Therapeutics, Inc., showed a significant increase in cognition when compared to age-matched individuals taking a placebo. Cognition includes processes such as attention, decision making, and memory.
Nuclear medicine therapy increases survival for patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases
For patients who fail to respond to current first-line and second-line treatments for colorectal cancer liver metastases (also known as salvage patients), radioembolization with Y-90 microspheres could extend survival according to new research published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. A systematic review conducted by researchers showed that approximately 50 percent of salvage patients have an overall survival of more than 12 months after this nuclear medicine therapy.
Hoping to help heart attack patients, MU signs agreement with Global PET
Following a heart attack, many patients consult with their doctors about the necessity of heart bypass surgery. However, the active ingredient for a test that helps determine the need for surgery could be in short supply in the near future. Now, an agreement signed by officials from the University of Missouri and Global PET Imaging LLC (GPI) could lead to a solution to that shortage.
SGO issues top five Choosing Wisely recommendations
(HealthDay)—The top five gynecologic oncology-related issues that physicians and patients should question have been released by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign.
Annual car crash deaths in England and Wales have fallen 40 percent in 50 years
The annual number of car crash deaths in England and Wales has plunged by 41% over the past 50 years, despite the increase in drivers on the road, reveals research published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.
US health chief sees low early 'Obamacare' enrollment
US senators unloaded fresh attacks on the Obama administration's handling of the new health care law Wednesday, as the official overseeing the debut predicted "very low" early enrollment due to online sign-up troubles.
Conversations between lovers about STIs are important in theory but difficult in bed
Having sex can be fun; and talking about sex can be fun. Talking about sexually transmitted infections with a sexual interest, however, is a totally different matter, according to new research from Indiana University's Center for Sexual Health Promotion.
Ditty bag of condoms, home-use instructions lead to improved comfort and consistency with condom use
A new and successful strategy for combating the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV draws from an old idea: Practice is fundamental to learning, even when it involves using condoms correctly.
Surge in ADHD diagnoses gets a red flag
Doctors sounded a warning Tuesday over a rise in ADHD diagnoses, saying some children may be needlessly taking powerful drugs intended to correct a poorly understood disorder.
Philippine elite fight ageing with stem cell therapy
Cynthia Carrion-Norton flits high-heeled around the Philippine capital with energy levels belying her years, thankful for a controversial treatment she highly recommends to fellow sixty-somethings.
Health benefits of wild blueberries abound
Wild blueberries are a rich source of phytochemicals called polyphenols, which have been reported by a growing number of studies to exert a wide array of protective health benefits. A new study by researchers at the University of Maine adds to this growing body of evidence.
Addicts may be seeking relief from emotional lows more than euphoric highs
(Medical Xpress)—Cocaine addicts may become trapped in drug binges – not because of the euphoric highs they are chasing but rather the unbearable emotional lows they desperately want to avoid.
Different regions, different genetic risk factors
A genetic study of Chinese patients reveals a prevalent risk factor for certain blood cancers not detected in European patients.
Audio processing: Following the brain's lead
When designed to process sound based on familiar patterns, sound recognition by computers becomes more robust.
Unlocking a secret of stem cell stability
Proper embryonic development depends on a signaling pathway that helps to preserve stem cell "immaturity."
Genetics of addiction: Twin studies
Twin studies offer a critical method to studying questions of nature and nurture in addiction research. Identical twins arise from the same fertilized egg, so they share 100 percent of their genes. If a trait is entirely genetic, identical twins strongly resemble one another in that trait. Think of hair color, eye color, height. Fraternal twins, on the other hand—people born from the same mother at the same time, but formed from separate eggs—share just 50 percent of their genes, like regular siblings. Two unrelated people, in contrast, are far less alike from a genetic perspective.
Inside the brains of addicts
Eating a good meal, a compliment on a new outfit, your team winning the football game – all these things make you feel good, and that's thanks to your brain's reward system.
People, places and adolescent substance use: Multiple dimensions of drug use
Addiction is not just biological – there is a social dimension to understand. And how a teenager's friends, favorite hangouts and feelings and moods all interact to influence substance use can say a lot.
Research asks: What type of drinker are you?
RMIT University researchers have studied thousands of alcohol drinkers to reveal four "drinking types", in a project funded by VicHealth.
Researchers help design easy-to-open, child-resistant medicine bottle
Opening prescription medicine bottles can be a struggle for individuals with arthritis. When the medicine inside the bottle is supposed to relieve the pain, but opening the bottle causes additional pain, the experience can be even more frustrating.
Nail keratin is reliable test for arsenic exposure from water
Millions of people worldwide consume drinking water that contains potentially unsafe levels of arsenic. Identifying those at greatest risk can be a challenge, especially in remote regions where water-quality testing and health assessments are difficult.
Reversing key precursors to diabetes
Yale researchers have found a way to disrupt the biological underpinnings of disorders that predispose a person to type 2 diabetes (T2D), raising the possibility of developing therapies to reverse these conditions. The study appears in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Stem cells hold hope for Hurler's syndrome
University of Adelaide research using special adult stem cells is promising new hope for better treatments for the devastating genetic disease Hurler's syndrome.
Researchers find brain activity related to individual differences in reading comprehension
What makes a good reader? First, you have to know how to read the words on a page and understand them—but there's a higher-level step to reading comprehension. You have to tie together the words over time, maintaining their order and meaning in your memory, so that you can understand phrases, sentences, paragraphs and extended texts.
Personal reflection triggers increased brain activity during depressive episodes
Research by the University of Liverpool has found that people experiencing depressive episodes display increased brain activity when they think about themselves.
Research helps identify young people with type 1 diabetes at risk of heart and kidney disease
Using a simple urine test, researchers can now identify young people with type 1 diabetes at risk of heart and kidney disease. The new research, funded by JDRF, Diabetes UK, and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), was published today, 06 November, in the journal Diabetes Care.
Touch may alleviate existential fears for people with low self-esteem
As human beings, we all know that we are going to die some day. Most of us deal with this knowledge by trying to live meaningful lives, but people with low self-esteem tend not to see their lives as particularly meaningful. Now, research suggests that touch may help people with low self-esteem in confronting their own mortality.
World first pre-eclampsia test could save hundreds of babies
(Medical Xpress)—The lives of hundreds of babies a year in the UK could be saved thanks to a rapid blood test that can accurately diagnose pre-eclampsia for the first time.
Redirecting our immune cells to help fight children's cancer
Immune cells, known as Natural Killer T cells, could be redirected to help fight the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, according to research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool (Tuesday).
Metabolomics: Wine and cheese, curing disease ... no doping please
Rapid developments in tools to study complex interactions are transforming biology and biomedical research.
Hitting inflammation in the guts
Researchers in UCD Conway Institute and Systems Biology Ireland have identified a way that a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
How visual representations are improved by reducing noise in the brain
Neuroscientist Suresh Krishna from the German Primate Center (DPZ) in cooperation with Annegret Falkner and Michael Goldberg at Columbia University, New York has revealed how the activity of neurons in an important area of the rhesus macaque's brain becomes less variable when they represent important visual information during an eye movement task. This reduction in variability can improve the perceptual strength of attended or relevant aspects in a visual scene, and is enhanced when the animals are more motivated to perform the task.
Food-borne tropical disease outbreak strikes the US
A food-borne illness is spreading quickly through the United States, an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed. The disease, called cyclosporiasis, is common to tropical and subtropical regions. While occasional outbreaks have been recorded since early 1990s in the US, the current spread of the disease has been swift and wide.
Postoperative pain may increase risk of temporary problems with learning, memory
The pain caused by a surgical incision may contribute to the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, a sometimes transient impairment in learning and memory that affects a small but significant number of patients in the days following a surgical procedure. An animal study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers, appearing in the November 6 Journal of Neuroscience, also identifies a probable mechanism for pain-induced cognitive impairment, suggesting pathways that may be targeted by potential preventive measures.
Research reveals possible cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered one of the pathogenic components of diabetes in the heart, as published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Osteoarthritis medicine delivered on-demand
Scientists are reporting development of a squishy gel that when compressed—like at a painful knee joint—releases anti-inflammatory medicine. The new material could someday deliver medications when and where osteoarthritis patients need it most. Their study appears in the ACS journal Biomacromolecules.
'Don't get sick in July': Real dangers for high-risk patients when trainees take on new roles
With almost no experience, newly graduated medical students enter teaching hospitals around the country every July, beginning their careers as interns. At the same time, the last year's interns and junior residents take a step up and assume new responsibilities.
Hormone levels in women using contraception affect nerve activity involved in vessel constriction
After menopause, women's levels of estrogen and progesterone fall. Their formerly lower risk for heart disease equals, even surpasses, men's risk. One possible contributing explanation for the change in risk is that sex hormones affect the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which controls constriction of blood vessels and participates in the fight or flight response.
CDC suggests ways to increase CRC screening rates
(HealthDay)—Various approaches should be implemented to increase the use of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests, according to the November issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vital Signs.
Study finds too few with hepatitis C start or stick with treatment
(HealthDay)—A new study suggests that only a quarter of people with hepatitis C are willing to start the standard treatment for the serious viral infection.
In CAD, many don't get optimal secondary prevention med combo
(HealthDay)—About one-third of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients fail to receive their optimal combination of secondary prevention medications, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Provider reminder tool can improve screening rates
(HealthDay)—A care coordinator and clinical reminder tool can enhance providers' ordering of preventive health screenings, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Journal for Healthcare Quality.
Interventions can cut children's smoke exposure at home
(HealthDay)—Intensive interventions aimed at reducing children's exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) at home are effective, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Pediatrics.
Strength training may combat children's decreasing activity
(HealthDay)—Strength training increases strength in boys and girls, and increases daily spontaneous physical activity (PA) behavior in boys, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Pediatrics.
Factors in long-term HCV morbidity, mortality analyzed
(HealthDay)—For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), achieving an undetectable viral load correlates with reductions in the risk of clinical end points and death, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Personal history of prostate cancer linked to melanoma risk
(HealthDay)—History of prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with an increased risk of melanoma, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Hyperglycemia may increase myocardial infarction mortality
(HealthDay)—Hyperglycemia is common among patients presenting with myocardial infarction and is associated with a higher risk of death, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Hospitals with neurology residency programs more likely to administer life-saving clot-busting drugs
Stroke patients treated at hospitals with neurology residency programs are significantly more likely to get life-saving clot-busting drugs than those seen at other teaching or non-teaching hospitals, new Johns Hopkins-led research suggests.
Researchers help make pediatric eye cancer easier to detect
Can parents use digital cameras and smart phones to potentially screen their children for the most common form of pediatric eye cancer? Baylor University and Harvard Medical School researchers believe so.
Mothers' relationships can influence adolescent children's relationships, study finds
Until now, little research has been conducted on the association between parents' friendships and the emotional well-being of their adolescent children. A new study from researchers at the University of Missouri suggests that mothers' friendships with other adults can impact their adolescent children's relationships with their own friends, particularly the negative aspects of these relationships such as conflict and antagonism.
'Please feed me': The power of putting a human face on social causes
Companies often put a personal face on products in an attempt to reach a deeper connection with consumers. New research suggests the same idea can be applied to social causes: Putting a human face on the campaign for a social cause actually increases support for it.
Study finds mending ruptures in client-therapist relationship has positive benefits
In order for prolonged exposure therapy, an evidence-based psychotherapy for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to reach its full potential, any misperceptions or ruptures in trust and communication between therapist and client need fixing, according to a new Case Western Reserve University study.
Spain reports first case of deadly MERS coronavirus
Spain said Wednesday that a woman who just returned from Saudi Arabia has been infected by the MERS coronavirus in the country's first case of the deadly disease.
Speaking a second language may delay dementia, study shows
People who speak more than one language and who develop dementia tend to do so up to five years later than those who are monolingual, according to a study.
Early childhood educators hold the key to children's communication skills
Researchers at UNC's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute have completed a new examination of peer-reviewed science that reveals how early childhood educators can ignite the growth of language and communication skills in infants and toddlers. Earlier today, Nicole Gardner-Neblett and Kathleen Cranley Gallagher published the FPG team's research-based recommendations online.
New research shows clear association between ACE inhibitors and acute kidney injury
Cambridge scientists have found an association between ACE inhibitors (and similar drugs) and acute kidney injury - a sudden deterioration in kidney function. The research is published today, 06 November, in the journal PLOS ONE.
Children who have autism far more likely to have tummy troubles
Children with autism experience gastrointestinal (GI) upsets such as constipation, diarrhea and sensitivity to foods six-to-eight times more often than do children who are developing typically, and those symptoms are related to behavioral problems, including social withdrawal, irritability and repetitive behaviors, a new study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found.
'Diabetic flies' can speed up disease-fighting research
In a finding that has the potential to significantly speed up diabetes research, scientists at the University of Maryland have discovered that fruit flies respond to insulin at the cellular level much like humans do, making these common, easily bred insects good subjects for laboratory experiments in new treatments for diabetes.
Crime associated with higher mortality rates
The new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE shows that people with drug-related criminal records in Norway have a mortality rate that can be up to 15 times higher than people with no criminal record. Also, people with a police record of driving under the influence of alcohol have significantly shortened life-spans compared to the overall population.
Lower education levels linked to unhealthy diets
People with lower levels of education may eat larger amounts of unhealthy, calorically dense food than those with a higher education level, possibly because they are more physically active, according to new research published November 6th in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, by Jonas Finger and colleagues at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, Germany.
Findings announced from landmark study on safety of adolescent bariatric surgery
Initial results of a first and largest of its kind study focusing on the safety of adolescent bariatric surgery were published this week in JAMA Pediatrics. The "Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery" (Teen-LABS) study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is being conducted at five sites in the U.S., including Nationwide Children's Hospital. Thomas H. Inge, MD, PhD, with Cincinnati Children's Hospital, is the study's principal investigator.
Study finds more accurate method to diagnose pancreatic cancer
Researchers from the University of Missouri have found a more accurate laboratory method for diagnosing pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The disease causes more than 38,000 deaths each year in the United States, and kills 94 percent of people with the illness within five years, according to the National Cancer Institute.
First foods most: Buffet dish sequences may prompt healthier choices
When diners belly-up to a buffet, food order matters. When healthy foods are first, eaters are less likely to desire the higher calorie dishes later in the line, says a new Cornell University behavioral study in PLOS ONE, Oct 23.
Breastfeeding as a possible deterrent to autism—a clinical perspective
In an article appearing in Medical Hypotheses on September 20, a New York-based physician-researcher from the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine has called for the testing of umbilical cord blood for levels of a growth protein that could help predict an infant's propensity to later develop autism.
Anticipation and navigation: Do your legs know what your tongue is doing?
(Medical Xpress)—To survive, animals must explore their world to find the necessities of life. It's a complex task, requiring them to form them a mental map of their environment to navigate the safest and fastest routes to food and water. They also learn to anticipate when and where certain important events, such as finding a meal, will occur.
Not just a pretty face: Bodies provide important cues for recognizing people
(Medical Xpress)—Computer recognition of people has focused almost exclusively on faces, but a new study suggests it may be time to take additional information into consideration. A study* published online Sept. 25, 2013 in the journal Psychological Science by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) describes a series of experiments that demonstrates there is potentially more valuable information for biometrics-based identity recognition in images of people than the face alone.
Breakthrough in retinal implants expected to restore sight to the blind
Researchers at the University of Arizona and University of Tübingen have made a breakthrough in retinal implant technology that could help people who have lost their sight see more than just light and vague shapes.
Discovery of HIV 'invisibility cloak' reveals new treatment opportunities
Scientists have discovered a molecular invisibility cloak that enables HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to hide inside cells of the body without triggering the body's natural defence systems.
Study uncovers new explanation for infection susceptibility in newborns
Cells that allow helpful bacteria to safely colonize the intestines of newborn infants also suppress their immune systems to make them more vulnerable to infections, according to new research in Nature.
New study identifies signs of autism in the first months of life
Researchers at Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine have identified signs of autism present in the first months of life. The researchers followed babies from birth until 3 years of age, using eye-tracking technology, to measure the way infants look at and respond to social cues. Infants later diagnosed with autism showed declining attention to the eyes of other people, from the age of 2 months onwards. The results are reported in the Nov. 6, 2013 advanced online publication of the journal Nature.
Brain may play key role in blood sugar metabolism and development of diabetes
A growing body of evidence suggests that the brain plays a key role in glucose regulation and the development of type 2 diabetes, researchers write in the Nov. 7 issue of the journal Nature. If the hypothesis is correct, it may open the door to entirely new ways to prevent and treat this disease, which is projected to affect one in three adults in the United States by 2050.
Researchers surprised to find how neural circuits identify information needed for decisions
While eating lunch you notice an insect buzzing around your plate. Its color and motion could both influence how you respond. If the insect was yellow and black you might decide it was a bee and move away. Conversely, you might simply be annoyed at the buzzing motion and shoo the insect away. You perceive both color and motion, and decide based on the circumstances. Our brains make such contextual decisions in a heartbeat. The mystery is how.
An artificial blood substitute from Transylvania
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, have recently made some significant advances in developing artificial blood substitutes. Their formulation is based not on synthetic hemoglobins, but rather on hemerythrin protein extracted from marine worms. Led by Professor Radu Silanghi-Dumitrescu, from Babes-Bolyai University, the team has been testing their blood substitute in both mice and in cultured cells. Their initial results suggest that many of the adverse effects normally associated with either perfluorocarbon (PFC) or hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) substitutes can be eliminated, or at least minimized by using hemerythrin.
Brain-machine interface lets monkeys control two virtual arms (w/ Video)
In a study led by Duke researchers, monkeys have learned to control the movement of both arms on an avatar using just their brain activity.
Biology news
EU execs back OK for genetically modified corn (Update)
The European Union moved closer to approving the cultivation of a second genetically modified corn on the continent despite years of objections by environmental groups and widespread apprehension about GMO food among European consumers.
Green groups concerned over Ghana whale deaths mystery
Decomposed whale carcasses have been washing up on beaches in Ghana's oil-producing west, raising the ire of environmental groups worried the country's growing petroleum industry may be killing marine life.
Three days, three wild finds
he house-size boulder looked like a good landing site, at least viewed from the maps and satellite images Tim Laman and Conrad Hoskin found online.
New report calls for sustained public endorsement and funding for human stem cell research
A strategic report from the European Science Foundation examines the key scientific questions for human stem cell research in the context of the rapidly emerging field of regenerative medicine. In parallel to the potential new treatments for incurable diseases resulting from stem cell research, heated ethical and legal debates have arisen across the world. This report presents a comparative view of the legislative framework on human stem cell research across Europe and provides a selection of success stories in frontier research and clinical trials that underpin the advances achieved in Europe to date.
Learning from algae sex
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) are delving into the mysterious world of algae to find better ways to put these organisms to use.
Japanese superfood prevents flu infection
Scientists have discovered that bacteria found in a traditional Japanese pickle can prevent flu. Could this be the next superfood?
Bushmeat a safety net for West African farmers
Cocoa farmers in West Africa are using bushmeat as a back-up source of food and income in times of hardship, according to new research.
Targeting evolution: Could this be the next strategy to stop superbugs?
A Penn Medicine researcher is among the winners of a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) "academic drug hunter" competition that will help fast track his lab's work to stop drug-resistant bacteria.
High flying birds at greater risk of collision with offshore wind turbines
New research reveals that most seabirds fly near the sea surface, avoiding collision with wind turbines by flying under the blades. Those birds that fly higher above the sea are at greater risk of collision. Building offshore turbines higher above the sea surface, or installing fewer large turbines instead of several smaller turbines, would reduce the number of seabirds colliding with turbines.
Genetic engineering: Workhorse bacteria deliver in an acidic environment
A technique that simultaneously modifies multiple genes in fermentation bacteria could aid lactic acid production for industry.
Study of newborn fawns seeks insight into population declines
[VID=15787]In the past three decades, mule deer populations have been declining throughout the western U.S., in some areas by as much as 50 percent. Brigham Young University wildlife biologists are working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on a large-scale, four-year project to identify reasons for this decline.
Nature's great diversity: Remarkable 277 new wasp species from Costa Rica
Costa Rica reveals astonishing biodiversity of braconid wasps, with 277 new species of the tribe Heterospilini described in the latest special issue of the open access journal ZooKeys.
Marine scientists track spread of sea star wasting disease
(Phys.org) —A mysterious disease that causes sea stars to decay and fall apart within a few days has become widespread along the U.S. west coast over the past several months. First reported off the coast of Washington in June, the disease known as "sea star wasting syndrome" has now been observed as far north as southeast Alaska and as far south as Orange County, California.
Infected butterflies lead geneticists up the garden path
For animal species that cannot be distinguished using their external characteristics, genetic techniques such as DNA barcoding can help to identify cryptic species. An international team of researchers led by the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) has brought out an article in the open-access journal PLOS ONE demonstrating how a bacterial infection can mimic cryptic speciation in butterflies. To avoid false results in the future, scientists recommend more in-depth genetic studies.
Earliest record of copulating insects discovered
Scientists have found the oldest fossil depicting copulating insects in northeastern China, published November 6th in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Dong Ren and colleagues at the Capital Normal University in China.
The presence of human settlements has a negative impact on tiger connectivity
Human settlements and roads place greater barriers on tiger dispersal than distance, according to new research published November 6th in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, by Uma Ramakrishnan and colleagues at the National Center for Biological Sciences in India.
Creatures of influence: New model identifies critical species in food webs and social networks
In the children's game "Jenga", removing the wrong block from a tower of wooden blocks can cause the entire tower to collapse. In the same way, removing certain species from an ecosystem can cause a collapse in ecological function. A common scientific question has been to identify these critical species in different ecosystems and an international research team has developed mathematical tools that can estimate which species are most influential in a food web.
Male lizards prefer more-feminine lizards to 'bearded ladies,' study finds
Which females do male lizards find to be the sexiest? Tracy Langkilde, an associate professor of biology at Penn State University, and Lindsey Swierk, a graduate student in Langkilde's lab, tackle this question by examining the mating behavior and blue-color patterns of fence lizards in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi. The results of their research, which offer a snapshot into the evolution of male-female differences, will be published in the early online edition of The Royal Society journal Biology Letters on November 6, 2013.
Scientists solve major piece in the origin of biological complexity
Scientists have puzzled for centuries over how and why multicellular organisms evolved the almost universal trait of using single cells, such as eggs and sperm, to reproduce. Now researchers led by University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences postdoctoral fellow William Ratcliff and associate professor Michael Travisano have set a big piece of that puzzle into place by applying experimental evolution to transform a single-celled algae into a multicellular one that reproduces by dispersing single cells.
Enhancing microalgae growth to boost green energy production
(Phys.org) —A groundbreaking nanoparticle system which stimulates the growth of microalgae – a valuable resource used in the production of biofuels and medical compounds – has been developed by a team of Australian scientists, including Flinders University clean technology expert Professor Colin Raston.
The big birds came to Tassie by sea, scientists find
Researchers have found that the Tasmanian sub-species of Australia's largest bird of prey, the wedge-tailed eagle, probably flew to the island in the past 100-plus years and did not develop separately when Tasmania was cut off from the mainland.
RNA controls splicing during gene expression, further evidence of 'RNA world' origin in modern life
RNA is the key functional component of spliceosomes, molecular machines that control how genes are expressed, report scientists from the University of Chicago online, Nov. 6 in Nature. The discovery establishes that RNA, not protein, is responsible for catalyzing this fundamental biological process and enriches the hypothesis that life on earth began in a world based solely on RNA.
Snail study reveals that stress is bad for memory
New research on pond snails has revealed that high levels of stress can block memory processes. Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Calgary trained snails and found that when they were exposed to multiple stressful events they were unable remember what they had learned.
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