Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 13, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Understanding secondary light emission by plasmonic nanostructures may improve medical imaging- Tiktaalik roseae fossil analysis provides new details on the origin of vertebrate legs
- Fast spiking axons take mitochondria for a ride
- Little, low-priced 3-D scanner from Toronto part of CES draw
- High levels of molecular chlorine found in Arctic atmosphere
- Weighing nanoparticles at the attogram scale
- Microbes buy low and sell high
- Researchers capture video of freshwater fish grabbing birds out of the air
- Measuring electrons: Precise computations of their shape support Standard Model of physics
- Researchers bulldoze desert to learn how sand dunes form
- New cyber-attack model helps hackers time the next Stuxnet
- By blocking key signal, researchers maintain embryonic stem cells in vital, undifferentiated state
- Green tea may interfere with a blood pressure medicine
- Obesity declines among rich US teens, rises in poor
- Scientists develop promising drug candidates for pain, addiction
Astronomy & Space news
Image: Janus from afar
Cassini's narrow angle camera captures Saturn's tiny irregular moon Janus surrounded by the vast, dark expanse of the outer solar system.
Suit up for Skinsuit
The Space Medicine Office of ESA's European Astronaut Centre is managing a project that could help astronauts overcome back problems in space, simply by wearing a high-tech tight-fitting 'skinsuit'.
Starting fire with water
When firefighters want to extinguish a blaze, they often douse it with water. Astronauts on board the ISS, however, are experimenting with a form of water that does the opposite. Instead of stopping fire, this water helps start it.
Technology news
New GM CEO hopes to inspire science students
The incoming CEO of General Motors hopes her appointment as the first woman to lead a global automaker will inspire young women and men to pursue careers in science.
Steam of hot flue gases saves energy at steel mills
A new solution from Siemens takes advantage of hot flue gases from arc furnaces to generate steam. This steam can then be used for other steel mill processes or for generating electricity. In the past, flue gases were usually not utilized, so the energy they carried was lost. The system consists of steam boilers, pipes, water tanks, and pumps and can be directly integrated into the existing flue gas cooling system. Theoretically, the system could entirely replace conventional cooling. A feasibility study carried out at a steel mill in Turkey revealed potential savings of 44.5 kilowatt hours of electricity per ton of steel produced. That corresponds to around ten percent of the electrical energy that is normally required. If the steam were used to preheat the feed water for the steel mill's power plant, for example, the mill would save 45,000 tons of coal per year.
Fisker bankruptcy bidding heats up quickly
A group led by Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li is offering $55 million at auction for Fisker Automotive, just days after a judge rejected a private sale of the failed electric-vehicle manufacturer.
What's on YouTube? 'YouTube Nation' lets you know
How do you cope with an exploding world of YouTube video? Starting Tuesday, you can get help by visiting "YouTube Nation."
Portable telemedicine device for medics
A robust portable device for monitoring vital signs and providing communications for medics developed with the support of ESA offers a lifeline even in the remotest areas on Earth via satcoms.
Robots learn from each other on 'Wiki for robots'
Now it's not just people – robots are also connected by internet thanks to RoboEarth. Next week, after four years of research, scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Philips and four other European universities will present this online platform through which robots can learn new skills from each other worldwide – a kind of 'Wikipedia for robots'. This brings the development of robots that can carry out caring or household tasks a big step closer.
Planning extremely cost-effective solar parks
From now on, photovoltaic facility construction firms besides Siemens can benefit from the layout planning software PVplanet. Siemens offers technical consulting along with the software in order to help customers plan customized and optimally cost-effective photovoltaic facility layouts.
Using 3D printers to create prosthetic limbs for Ugandans
A University of Toronto lab is partnering with an international NGO and a Ugandan hospital to use 3-D scanning and printing to speed the process of creating and fitting sockets for artificial limbs.
A new, more economical sonification prototype to assist the blind
Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have developed an assistive technology system that works by sounds which contributes to the autonomy of persons with visual impairments.
PayPal testing easier checkout for online shoppers
EBay's payments service PayPal has redesigned its online checkout process to let shoppers complete their payment on merchants' websites, rather than go to a separate PayPal site.
Hybrid offers $55M for bankrupt Fisker in bid war
Hybrid Technology, led by Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li, has bid $55 million for Fisker Automotive's assets, just days after a bankruptcy judge in Delaware rejected Hybrid's plan to take over the failed electric-vehicle maker in a private sale.
Facebook grabs social network Branch
Facebook on Monday confirmed that it has grabbed a hold of Branch, a social network that focuses providing online forums for insightful conversations.
SimCity coming down from the "cloud"
Hugely popular SimCity will be coming down from the cloud, letting fans play the rich world simulation game without needing to be connected to the Internet.
The hottest gadgets of CES: 3-D printers to 4K TVs
The biggest gadget trade show in the Americas wrapped up on Friday in Las Vegas after swamping the city with 150,000 attendees. This year, "wearable" computing was big, along with various 3-D technologies, especially 3-D printing.
Philips eases switching fluorescent tubes with LED replacements
(Phys.org) —Philips is offering a new deal in tube lighting that can save on energy, installation time and ease labor costs. Philips' new development, announced earlier this month, offers supermarkets and large stores a proposition difficult to turn down. Philips has announced a drop-in LED bulb design that offers 40,000 hours of life. Called the InstantFit LED T8, the replacement tube is, according to Philips, the world's first LED replacement tube that requires no rewiring. The company said the InstantFit lamps were tested with a variety of ballasts to make sure there was compatibility with most Instant Start ballasts. Philips noted how this replacement involves a simple switch that cuts considerably the time it takes to replace the old fluorescent lights. "We studied the process for replacing fluorescent tubes with LED technology step by step to tackle those issues that dissuade facility managers and installers from making the switch," said Rene van Schooten, CEO, lig! ht sources and electronics at Philips Lighting "We found speed and simplicity were key."
Building 'belt' offers cheap, quick repair of earthquake damage
Four years after the January 2010 earthquake, 145,000 people still remain homeless in Haiti. A cheap and simple technology to repair earthquake damaged buildings – developed at the University of Sheffield – could help to reduce these delays by quickly making buildings safe and habitable.
Video game players can check out Toyota concept (Update)
Video game players will get a chance to try out a virtual version of Toyota's new concept sports car that was unveiled in Detroit as a symbol of the automaker's design future, the company said Monday.
Google buys 'smart' thermostat maker Nest for $3.2 bn
Google on Monday announced that it is buying smart thermostat start-up Nest in a deal valued at $3.2 billion.
Little, low-priced 3-D scanner from Toronto part of CES draw
(Phys.org) —Toronto-based Matterform showcased a 3D scanner at this year's CES with two attention-drawing features: It is easy to use for designers, hobbyists and consumers and it is priced below $600. The company promotes the scanner as requiring no assembly, ready to use out of the box. The goal is to get the user's target object from scanning platter to 3D printer as easily as possible. "Unfold it, plug it in, place an object on the scan bed and press go! It's that simple. Really," says the company site. After a successful crowdfunding campaign last year, the scanner team, Adam Brandejs and Drew Cox along with Trevor Townsend, are preparing to launch the $579 3D scanner next month. The team showed their scanner at CES earlier this month.
New cyber-attack model helps hackers time the next Stuxnet
Of the many tricks used by the world's greatest military strategists, one usually works well – taking the enemy by surprise. It is an approach that goes back to the horse that brought down Troy. But surprise can only be achieved if you get the timing right. Timing which, researchers at the University of Michigan argue, can be calculated using a mathematical model – at least in the case of cyber-wars.
Medicine & Health news
Chinese drug company targeted in corruption case
China's biggest drug distributor says two former executives are the target of a corruption investigation, widening a graft probe that has focused on foreign pharmaceutical makers.
US boy whose premature aging inspired film dies
A teenager whose battle with a rare genetic condition that accelerates the aging process became the subject of an HBO documentary has died. Sam Berns was 17.
Pakistan region to extend polio drive despite threats
Health officials in a Pakistani tribal region Monday hailed the success of an anti-polio drive that had been threatened by a vaccinator boycott and said the programme would be extended.
Tips for quitting smoking in 2014
Many smokers make kicking the habit their top New Year's resolution. It's a popular goal, so much so that there are more former smokers in the U.S.—nearly 50 million—than current smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Barriers to care for resettled refugees
Barriers to health care for refugees who have been resettled in the Australian community remains an issue that requires a health service overhaul, a Monash University-led report has found.
Natural substance studied for future treatment of possibly incurable childhood cancer
In a recent doctoral thesis submitted at Karlstad University, Christina Fjæraa Alfredsson shows how the substance ellagic acid found in red berries and nuts, for instance, can stop cell division in cultivated cells from the childhood cancer neuroblastoma and induce cell death.
How can vaccination be improved to eradicate avian influenza H5N1 in Indonesia?
To answer this question, Okti Nadia Poetri researched the effect of vaccination to stop the spread of avian influenza in Indonesia. On January 21 Poetri will defence her thesis of this research.Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also known as 'bird flu', is considered to be a major threat to both poultry farming and to public health. In Thailand and in Europe HPAI H5N1 is eradicated, mainly because of stamping out and practicing stringent biosafety measures. When HPAI H5N1 occurred in Indonesia in 2004 farmers were not prepared to adhere to stamping out among others because of the lack of a compensation regime, causing the virus to spread further. Not only poultry is frequently infected with avian influenza in Indonesia, so far no other country has had as many cases of human infections with bird flu.
India's last reported polio victim 'leads normal life'
When her friends, brother and sisters run around playing in their village in eastern India, four-year-old Rukshar Khatoon simply watches.
US schools struggle with mental health screening
School officials around the U.S. are searching for the best way to offer mental health services in an underfunded system.
Spain transplants hit record despite crisis
Surgeons in Spain transplanted a record number of organs in 2013, the government said Monday, keeping the country world leader in the field despite heavy health spending cuts.
US top court rejects Arizona abortion ban
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Arizona's attempt to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
CMS: New rule proposed for contract year 2015
(HealthDay)—A proposed rule has been issued that will strengthen protections, improve health care quality, and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries with private Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription plans, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
US state judge: Doctors can aid in dying (Update)
Competent, terminally ill patients have a fundament right under the New Mexico Constitution to seek a physician's help in getting prescription medications if they want to end their lives on their own terms, a state district judge ruled Monday.
School drug tests don't work, but 'positive climate' might
School drug testing does not deter teenagers from smoking marijuana, but creating a "positive school climate" just might, according to research reported in the January issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Brief mental training sessions have long-lasting benefits for seniors' cognition and everyday function
Older adults who received as few as 10 sessions of mental (cognitive) training showed improvements in reasoning ability and speed-of-processing when compared with untrained controls participants as long as 10 years after the intervention. These gains were even greater for those who got additional "booster" sessions over the next three years. Older adults who received brief cognitive training also reported that they had less difficulty in performing important everyday tasks. The findings are published today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Study finds more targeted form of radiation improves survival in patients with head and neck cancers
Patients with cancers of the head and neck who received intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) - a technology designed to more precisely target cancer cells and spare nearby tissue - experienced improved outcomes, as well as reduced toxicities, compared to patients receiving conventional radiation therapy, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Fear of being too skinny may put teen boys at risk for depression, steroid use
Teenage boys who think they're too skinny when they are actually a healthy weight are at greater risk of being depressed as teens and as adults when compared to other boys, even those who think they are too heavy, according to findings published by the American Psychological Association.
White parents more likely to use age-appropriate car seats than non-whites
White parents reported higher use of age-appropriate car seats for one- to seven-year-old children than non-white parents, according to a new University of Michigan study published today in Pediatrics.
India marks three years since last polio case reported (Update)
India marked three years Monday since its last reported polio case, putting the country on course to being formally declared free of the disease later this year.
Swedish doctors transplant wombs into nine women (Update 3)
Nine women in Sweden have successfully received transplanted wombs donated from relatives in an experimental procedure that has raised some ethical concerns. The women will soon try to become pregnant with their new wombs, the doctor in charge of the pioneering project has revealed.
Gruber outlines key upcoming moments in Affordable Care Act rollout
Gruber, a health-care expert who worked with the Obama administration in developing the program, pointed to the March 31 enrollment deadline, when he expects large numbers of Americans to sign up for health insurance plans, as one good moment for evaluating the success of the act.
Targeted treatment is better than chemotherapy in some lung cancer patients
(Medical Xpress)—Patients with lung cancer who also have a specific gene rearrangement do better on a new targeted therapy compared with standard chemotherapy, according a study by University of Manchester scientists.
Researchers use big big data to prevent common infections
OhioHealth and IBM today announced a collaboration to aid in the prevention of infections using a first-of-a-kind network of wireless sensors and real-time Big Data analytics that measure hand-washing practices. OhioHealth will use the technology to provide hospital administrators with real-time data that can be used to reduce healthcare associated infections (HAIs) like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile, which affect 1 in every 20 patients in U.S. healthcare facilities.
Study: Attention to ethics needed in creating health care policy
Just as the ethical standards for medical research require that scientists be aware of the effects their research has on persons in the study, researchers from the University of Georgia and Armstrong Atlantic State University argue that attention to ethical issues should be a critical component of health care policy development.
Study: Understanding immunity as we age
(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson have found a key to understanding the aging immune system's decreased response to infectious diseases, which remain among the leading causes of death in older adults.
Study: Interventions help women's reluctance to discuss accomplishments
(Medical Xpress)—A study published by Jessi L. Smith, professor of psychology at Montana State University, and Meghan Huntoon, who was Smith's student at MSU when research was conducted, has found that gender norms about modesty help explain why women don't feel comfortable bragging about their own accomplishments. However, intervention techniques can help women to communicate more effectively about their successes.
Scapegoating steroids is harmful
Scott Griffiths is a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney's School of Psychology who is currently conducting research on muscle dysmorphia, appearance and performance-enhancing drug use.
Fight against organ failure advances
(Medical Xpress)—The findings of a 20-year project undertaken by scientists committed to developing improved treatments for chronic kidney disease reveal a significant advance in our understanding of organ failure.
Bacterial food web may be key to cystic fibrosis
(Medical Xpress)—Cystic fibrosis patients suffer from chronic bacterial infections and thick mucous in their lungs, due largely to a combination of microbial infections and resulting inflammation. A common pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can lay dormant in healthy individuals, becomes virulent in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, and Cornell biological engineers think they might know why.
Study: Prolonged sitting jeopardizes older women's health
(Medical Xpress)—A human body at rest will remain at rest – and that means health woes for older women.
Need relief from asthma? Communicating with your allergist is key
Can't find relief from your asthma symptoms? The way you communicate with your allergist can be the root of your problems. According to two papers published in the January issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in order for treatment to be effective, asthma sufferers need to ask questions and feel as if they have open communication with their allergist.
Autism spectrum disorder: A guide for physicians to help families
Increased awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is placing huge demands on health care systems and health care professionals to help children and their families cope with the disorder. A comprehensive evidence-based review published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to help physicians provide appropriate medical support to families of children with ASD, from detection to treatment.
Effects of endogenous anticancer oestrogen metabolite on biological activity
A publication on anti-cancer drug candidates designed by University of Bath researchers in the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology has been awarded Very Important Paper status by the medicinal chemistry journal ChemMedChem.
Why some players can't keep their cool when the tennis heats up
Over the next two weeks, Melbourne Park will host the world's best tennis players for the Australian Open. We expect the best to perform under the watchful gaze of millions of fans around the world, so why do some athletes take pressure in their stride while others seem to blow their top?
Scientific study suggests an association between physical doping and brain doping
Physical doping and brain doping apparently often go hand in hand. A study from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Eberhard Karls University in Tubingen revealed that people who engage in physical doping often also take drugs for brain doping. The study was the first of its kind to survey simultaneously the two categories of doping and brain doping. Around 3,000 hobby triathletes were anonymously surveyed using a questionnaire at sporting events in Frankfurt, Regensburg, and Wiesbaden. "The results correlated with earlier findings about doping in leisure and popular sports and brain doping in society as a whole. The findings also illustrated for the first time that physical doping and brain doping often go together, at least for recreational triathletes," said Mainz University Professor of Sports Medicine Dr. Dr. Perikles Simon.
Stem cell replacement for common age-related blindness
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness. Scientists at the Department of Ophthalmology at the Bonn University Hospital and from the Neural Stem Cell Institute in New York (USA) have developed a method for using stem cells to replace cells in the eye destroyed by AMD. The implants survived in rabbit eyes for several weeks. Additional research is needed for clinical application. The results are now presented in the journal Stem Cell Reports.
Epigenetics: A new link between nutrition and cancer
In "Epigenetics: A New Link Between Nutrition and Cancer", a recent article from Nutrition and Cancer: An International Journal, a publication of Routledge, researchers explore the possible effects that diet can have on gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. Explaining the impact of nutrition on epigenetic mechanisms may help to predict an individual's susceptibility to cancer, provide dietary recommendations, or provide therapeutic applications of natural compounds to fight against cancer.
Navel gazing: Healthy gut bacteria can help you stress less
Striking new evidence indicates that the gut microbiome, the ecological community of microorganisms that share our body, has a huge effect on brain function – much larger than we thought.
RCSI research breakthrough in understanding hereditary emphysema
Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Beaumont Hospital have made an important breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of hereditary emphysema. Their research findings were published in this month's edition of Science Translational Medicine, a prestigious journal that highlights medical advances resulting from scientific research, thus bridging the research-to-treatment gap. Their exciting findings show how the protein Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) plays an important role in controlling inflammation from white blood cells and its importance for good health.
Children and adolescents with eating disorders clinically distinct
NEW paediatric research suggests that children and adolescents with eating disorders display significant differences in clinical presentation, lending further support to research which has found eating disorders differ across age groups.
Trans fats backlash pushes US butter consumption to a 40-year-high
For generations, butter got a bad rap. It was thought to be cloying, fattening, dangerous for your arteries, and it took a creaming from oil-based substitutes like margarine.
Do fast workouts really work?
Finding time to work out in our harried lives can be one of the greatest barriers to making exercise a habit.
Study finds MTV's '16 and Pregnant' and 'Teen Mom' contributed to record decline in US teen childbearing
Despite concerns that turning teen moms into reality TV stars has glamorized teen pregnancy, a new study shows that MTV's 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom have had a more powerful impact in the opposite direction: the series has significantly reduced births to teens.
Study shows that high-blood pressure medicine also prevents migraines
Candesartan is just as effective as more the commonly prescribed propranolol when it comes to preventing migraine attacks, according to a new study from St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Postpartum depression improves with time, but for many women, depressive symptoms linger
Research evidence shows that symptoms of postpartum depression decrease over time—but depression remains a long-term problem for 30 to 50 percent of affected women, according to a report in the January Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
Flu forecasting website posts first predictions
Infectious disease experts at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health have launched a website that reports weekly predictions for rates of season influenza in 94 cities in the United States based on a scientifically validated system.
Shoulder replacement eases pain, improves motion in rheumatoid arthritis patients, study finds
Shoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients: pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult. If medication and physical therapy aren't enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step. Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves range of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.
Two players produce destructive cascade of diabetic retinopathy
The retina can be bombarded by reactive oxygen species in diabetes, prompting events that destroy healthy blood vessels, form leaky new ones and ruin vision.
One question may gauge the severity of unhealthy drug and alcohol use
Primary care physicians seeking to determine whether a patient's drug or alcohol use is problematic often have to rely on lengthy questionnaires containing dozens of items with multiple response options.
Heart attack survivors paint a complex picture of adhering to medicine
Heart attack survivors of different races and genders are about equally likely to be on medications that reduce the risk of another heart attack and other potentially life-threatening cardiovascular problems. But according to a new study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that's not the case a year later. The odds that an patient is still taking the medications as prescribed within a year vary significantly depending on race and gender, and black and Hispanic women are the least likely to adhere to their regimens.
Hong Kong reports second H7N9 death
A Hong Kong man infected with the deadly H7N9 bird flu died late Monday, less than a week after he was confirmed to be infected with the deadly virus, authorities said.
Study: Kidney cancer patients preserve kidney function with robot-assisted partial nephrectomy
Patients with chronic kidney disease who received robot-assisted partial nephrectomy to treat kidney cancer have minimal loss of kidney function—a smaller amount even than patients with normal kidney function, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute.
Parents accidentally confuse their children's names more often when the names sound alike
When choosing baby names, parents often want something that is pleasing to the ear. Some even turn to alliteration when naming multiple children. But according to a new psychology study from The University of Texas at Austin, parents set themselves up for speech errors when they give their children similar-sounding names.
New test could simplify the diagnosis of coeliac disease
A new blood test being developed by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers can rapidly and accurately diagnose coeliac disease without the need for prolonged gluten exposure.
Most students exposed to school-based food commercialism
Most students in elementary, middle and high schools are exposed to food commercialism (including exclusive beverage contracts and the associated incentives, profits and advertising) at school, although there has been a decrease in beverage vending, according to a study by Yvonne Terry-McElrath, M.S.A., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues.
Study examines probiotic use in preventing gastrointestinal disorders in infants
Giving an infant a probiotic during the first three months of life appears to reduce the onset of gastrointestinal disorders and result in lower associated costs, according to a study by Flavia Indrio, M.D., of the Aldo Moro University of Bari, Italy, and colleagues.
Researchers identify key proteins responsible for electrical communication in the heart
Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute researchers have found that six proteins – five more than previously thought – are responsible for cell-to-cell communication that regulates the heart and plays a role in limiting the size of heart attacks and strokes.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia traced from genetic roots to physical defect
A team including researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered that a specific gene may play a major role in the development of a life-threatening birth defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH, which affects approximately one out of every 3,000 live births.
Viral microRNAs responsible for causing AIDS-related cancer
For the first time, scientists and engineers have identified a critical cancer-causing component in the virus that causes Kaposi's sarcoma, the most common cancer among HIV-infected people. The discovery lays the foundation for developing drugs that prevent Kaposi's sarcoma and other related cancers.
Small molecule shows promise as anti-cancer therapy
Johns Hopkins scientists say a previously known but little studied chemical compound targets and shuts down a common cancer process. In studies of laboratory-grown human tumor cell lines, the drug disrupted tumor cell division and prevented growth of advanced cancer cells.
Passing bowls family-style teaches day-care kids to respond to hunger cues, fights obesity
When children and child-care providers sit around a table together at mealtime, passing bowls and serving themselves, children learn to recognize when they are full better than they do when food is pre-plated for them, reports a new University of Illinois study of feeding practices of two- to five-year-old children in 118 child-care centers.
Study demonstrates need to change scoring system for heart disease
A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that one of the most widely used systems for predicting risk of adverse heart events should be re-evaluated. A surprise finding was that coronary artery calcium (CAC) density may be protective against cardiovascular events. The study of CAC will be published in the January 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Obamacare signs up 2.2 million, a quarter young adults (Update)
About 24 percent of people who signed up online for President Barack Obama's trouble-plagued signature health care plans in 2013 were young adults, the group key to keeping the system balanced, officials said Monday.
Assaults at schools send 90,000 kids to ER each year, study finds
(HealthDay)—Children and teenagers who are assaulted at school account for nearly 90,000 emergency-room visits in the United States each year, new research finds.
Hospital quality adds to disparities in cardiac surgery
(HealthDay)—Hospital quality contributes to the racial disparities in outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, according to research published online on Jan. 8 in JAMA Surgery.
Risk factors identified for incidence of vulvodynia
(HealthDay)—The incidence of vulvodynia varies with age, ethnicity, and marital status, and is associated with previous symptoms or intermediate symptoms not meeting criteria for vulvodynia, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Disease severity factors ID'd for human rhinovirus
(HealthDay)—Human rhinovirus (HRV) infection is a common pathogen seen in young children with respiratory infection symptoms, with severe disease caused mainly by presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in coinfections, prematurity, congenital heart disease, and noninfectious respiratory disease, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in Pediatrics.
Patterns of shoulder injuries vary in high school sports
(HealthDay)—Rates and patterns of shoulder injuries vary by sport and gender in high school athletes, according to research published online Jan. 13 in Pediatrics.
Team finds factors that trigger ALT-ernative cancer cell growth
Highly diverse cancers share one trait: the capacity for endless cell division. Unregulated growth is due in large part to the fact that tumor cells can rebuild protective ends of their chromosomes, which are made of repeated DNA sequences and proteins. Normally, cell division halts once these structures, called telomeres, wear down. But cancer cells keep on going by deploying one of two strategies to reconstruct telomeres.
At-home test can spot early Alzheimer's
The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE test), which takes less than 15 minutes to complete, is a reliable tool for evaluating cognitive abilities. Findings by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center confirming the feasibility and efficiency of the tool for community screening large numbers of people are published in the January issue of The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.
Chemical signaling simulates exercise in cartilage cells
Cartilage is notoriously difficult to repair or grow, but researchers at Duke Medicine have taken a step toward understanding how to regenerate the connective tissue. By adding a chemical to cartilage cells, the chemical signals spurred new cartilage growth, mimicking the effects of physical activity.
Study questions anti-cancer mechanisms of drug tested in clinical trials
The diabetes drug metformin is also being tested in numerous clinical trials for treating different cancers, and several studies point to its apparent activation of a molecular regulator of cell metabolism called AMPK to suppress tumor growth.
Research discovers chromosome therapy to correct a severe chromosome defect
Geneticists from Ohio, California and Japan joined forces in a quest to correct a faulty chromosome through cellular reprogramming. Their study, published online today in Nature, used stem cells to correct a defective "ring chromosome" with a normal chromosome. Such therapy has the promise to correct chromosome abnormalities that give rise to birth defects, mental disabilities and growth limitations.
Researchers investigating how to make PET imaging even sweeter
An international research team led by Mount Sinai Heart at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is testing its novel sugar-based tracer contrast agent to be used with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to help in the hunt for dangerous inflammation and high-risk vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque inside vessel walls that causes acute heart attacks and strokes.
Multiple myeloma study uncovers genetic diversity within tumors
The most comprehensive genetic study to date of the blood cancer multiple myeloma has revealed that the genetic landscape of the disease may be more complicated than previously thought. Through results published in Cancer Cell today, a team of Broad researchers has shown that an individual patient's tumor can harbor populations of cancer cells equipped with different mutations. These findings could have therapeutic implications for patients in the future.
Obesity declines among rich US teens, rises in poor
In the past decade, obesity has declined among US teenagers from rich families but has risen among their impoverished counterparts, a gap driven by lack of exercise, said a study Monday.
How the immune system fights off malaria
The parasites that cause malaria are exquisitely adapted to the various hosts they infect—so studying the disease in mice doesn't necessarily reveal information that could lead to drugs effective against human disease.
Tricky protein may help HIV vaccine development
Duke scientists have taken aim at what may be an Achilles' heel of the HIV virus.
Green tea may interfere with a blood pressure medicine
(HealthDay)—Drinking green tea may lessen the effects of the medication nadolol (Corgard), used to treat high blood pressure, a new small study suggests.
Fast spiking axons take mitochondria for a ride
(Medical Xpress)—One of the most incredible instruments you might ever get to play with is a fiberoptic imaging wand that you hold against the underside of your tongue. Through a semi-mysterious optical arrangement, the device lets you see your own red blood cells squeezing through tiny capillaries on a screen in front of you—live and in real time. It is now fairly well established that to understand the function of neurons, we need to understand their mitochondria. To be able to watch them inside living creatures in the same way we can now watch our blood cells would be a remarkable advance. Marija Sajic, and her collegues at University College London have now done just that. In a recent paper in Plos Biology, they use their technique to dispel some of the confusion surrounding one of the most pressing issues in neurobiology: what is the effect of spiking activity on mitochondria?
Biology news
Sperm whale body stuns, draws crowd in Uruguay
Authorities in Uruguay on Sunday recovered the body of a 16-meter sperm whale, normally at home in deep waters, after it beached near the capital.
Cod's mysterious defence strategies
There may be entirely new vaccines in the offing for the aquaculture industry, if Monica Hongrø Solbakken can figure out cod's unconventional ways of resisting infection.
Good vision for a good appetite
The incidence of cataracts in farmed salmon is on the rise due to vegetable-based feeds, a strong focus on fish growth and warm waters. "This is a condition we can do something about," asserts Sofie Charlotte Remø.
Raising efficiency, sustainability in salmon farming
Increasingly, plant-based ingredients are being substituted for marine ingredients in fish feed. Is there a limit to how much of a vegetarian diet salmon can tolerate? Marta Bou Mira is seeking answers.
Simple test for resistance in lice
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority adopted a field test developed by Kari Olli Helgesen for testing salmon louse resistance to the most common treatments. The method is now being used in Chile as well.
"Pressured" for a solution
A simple five-minute pressure treatment makes farmed salmon sterile. Florian Sambraus may have found the solution to a highly controversial issue in Norwegian salmon production.
Controlling puberty onset in salmon
Studies of 3-cm-long medakas (also known as Japanese rice fish) are generating new insight into how to delay the onset of puberty in farmed salmon.
India scrambles to save tigers from deadly virus (Update)
India is scrambling to protect its beleaguered tiger population after several big cats tested positive for a virus common among dogs but deadly to other carnivores, experts said.
Local eucalypts resist crossbreeding with introduced species
Botantists recently conducted a study in Perth's Kings Park and Bold Park to ascertain if indigenous Eucalyptus trees are under threat due to hybridisation with introduced species.
Mushrooms and earthworms work as 'silviculture'
A model, developed by a research group of the School of Forestry at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), has shown how some types of mushrooms (such as truffles, boletus or chanterelles) associated with earthworms can develop a mechanism of environmental engineering. The use of this model can increase the levels of calcium and salts among tree roots which can result in an increase in mycorrhizas and to enhance the development of forests. This phenomenon seems to happen in temperate forests at large scale and this can have a strong impact on carbon fixation and forest management.
Enforcement and anti-poaching measures set to fail
In a paper published in Conservation Letters, researchers from the University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) argue that despite record levels of funding being invested in enforcement and anti-poaching measures, many species are already on the path of extinction and bold strategies are needed to protect them.
US 'superweeds' epidemic shines spotlight on GMOs
The United States is facing an epidemic of herbicide-resistant "superweeds" that some activists and researchers are blaming on GMOs, an accusation rejected by industry giants.
Soil bacterium causes biofuel breakdown
(Phys.org) —Biofuels made from plant materials—also known as lignocellulosic biofuels—have promise as a source of sustainable alternative fuels thanks to soil bacterium known as Enterobacter lignolyticus SCF1. SCF1 degrades lignin and decomposes plant cell walls, allowing access to the cellulose sugars that plants use for energy. However, much remains to be learned about the processes and functions of SCF1 in breaking down lignin for use in biofuels.
Even among ants, size matters more than shape
Worker ants are a funny old bunch, of many shapes and sizes. But they tend to get bigger and smaller much more often than evolving entirely new shapes, according to a new study.
How fruit flies detect sweet foods: Research opens door for investigations into taste receptors of mosquitoes
Insects represent remarkable diversity and have adapted to all sorts of ecological nooks and crannies. For example, they have taste receptors—novel proteins—with which they taste chemicals and make important choices about not only foods but also mates and where to deposit their eggs. These receptors are widely seen as being at the leading edge of behavioral adaptations.
'Milking' algal cells proves efficient alternative
Biofuel researchers have dramatically improved microalgae hydrocarbon productivity by using non-destructive extraction, akin to 'milking' algal cells as opposed to the conventional harvest and destruction.
New discovery could stimulate plant growth and increase crop yields, researchers say
Scientists led by experts at Durham University have discovered a natural mechanism in plants that could stimulate their growth even under stress and potentially lead to better crop yields.
By blocking key signal, researchers maintain embryonic stem cells in vital, undifferentiated state
In a paper published in this week's Online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine identify a key gene receptor and signaling pathway essential to maintaining human embryonic stem cells in an undifferentiated state.
Primates: Now with only half the calories
New research shows that humans and other primates burn 50% fewer calories each day than other mammals. The study, published January 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that these remarkably slow metabolisms explain why humans and other primates grow up so slowly and live such long lives. The study also reports that primates in zoos expend as much energy as those in the wild, suggesting that physical activity may have less of an impact on daily energy expenditure than is often thought.
Researchers capture video of freshwater fish grabbing birds out of the air
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers with North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa has for the first time captured on video, a freshwater fish leaping out of the water and into the air to grab a flying bird. The video was part of research the team was conducting on tigerfish in African lakes—their paper has been published in Journal of Fish Biology.
Tiktaalik roseae fossil analysis provides new details on the origin of vertebrate legs
The discovery of well-preserved pelves and a partial pelvic fin from Tiktaalik roseae, a 375 million-year-old transitional species between fish and the first legged animals, reveals that the evolution of hind legs actually began as enhanced hind fins.
Microbes buy low and sell high
The idea that people make calculated decisions that allow them to obtain the most goods with the smallest amount of effort—a complex hypothesis called 'economic man' for short—often has been challenged. People sometimes make irrational decisions, they rarely possess sufficient information to make the best decision, and they sometimes act against their own economic self-interest, critics say.
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