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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 14, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- GE to take next leap in magnetocaloric refrigeration (w/ video)- Childhood's end: ADHD, autism and schizophrenia tied to stronger inhibitory interactions in adolescent prefrontal cortex
- Researchers at Tokai J-PARC report solar neutrino signal is slightly stronger at night
- Nanostructured capsules could bring about paints and electronic displays that never fade
- Motion and muscles don't always work in lockstep, researchers find in surprising new study
- Reinventing wireless, pCell aims for full-speed mobile data (w/ video)
- Researchers turn a nickel-rich nanoparticle into a platinum-rich "nanoframe"
- In the lab, scientists coax E. coli to resist radiation damage
- Tension triggers muscle building
- KickSat nearing launch date despite another delay
- New stratigraphic research makes Little Foot the oldest complete Australopithecus
- New cell line should accelerate embryonic stem cell research
- An experiment recreates the crust of the moon Europa
- New technique to analyze conformations of complex molecular machines
- Critical role of one gene to our brain development
Astronomy & Space news
Reducing debris threat from satellite batteries
(Phys.org) —Across a satellite's working life, batteries keep the craft's heart beating whenever it leaves sunlight. But after its mission ends, those same batteries may threaten catastrophe.
Project MERCCURI 'crowdsourced' space station samples take flight
Host Natalie Morales from the Today Show wiped Al Roker's weather wall, as well as a camera and teleprompter with a cotton swab back in October. But just what did she and her co-host Willie Geist expect to find? They were citizen scientists looking for microbes—the tiny invisible, bacteria, viruses and fungi that may live on the sampled surfaces. Once captured, these televised swabs joined the Project MERCCURI collection that includes samples from museums, historical monuments and sporting venues. This massive "crowdsourced" gathering effort's full name is Microbial Ecology Research Combining Citizen and University Researchers on the International Space Station, which references its mission to send the litany of microbes to the space station for research.
Robonaut 2 set to move freely about space station
Legs—yes, legs—are on the manifest for the next SpaceX Dragon flight. The commercial spacecraft is expected to blast off March 16 with appendenges for Robonaut 2 on board, allowing the humanoid to move freely around station. After some initial tests in June will come R2′s first step, marking a new era in human spaceflight.
How do you jumpstart a dead star?
It's a staple of science fiction, restarting our dying star with some kind of atomic superbomb. Why is our sun running out of fuel, and what can we actually do to get it restarted?
NASA's latest smartphone satellite ready for launch
(Phys.org) —NASA's preparing to send its fifth in a series of smartphone-controlled small spacecraft into orbit. PhoneSat 2.5 will ride into space as part of the SpaceX-3 commercial cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. SpaceX-3 is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 4:41 a.m. EDT Sunday, March 16.
China's Jade Rabbit lunar rover rouses from latest slumber
China's troubled Jade Rabbit moon rover "woke up" again early Friday, though the mechanical troubles that have plagued it remain unfixed, the government said.
An experiment recreates the crust of the moon Europa
Water, salts and gases dissolved in the huge ocean that scientists believe could exist below Europa´s icy crust can rise to the surface generating the enigmatic geological formations associated to red-tinged materials that can be seen on this Jupiter's satellite. This is confirmed by the experiment carried out in the laboratory with water, carbon dioxide and magnesium sulfate by researchers at Centro de Astrobiología (CAB).
KickSat nearing launch date despite another delay
(Phys.org) —The KickSat project is getting very close to a launch date. Originally scheduled to go up Sunday March 16th, the Kickstarter project organized by Zachary Manchester, has been postponed. It is now scheduled to be boosted into space by a SpaceX rocket sometime between March 30 and April 2.
Technology news
Chinese messaging service shuts politics accounts
A popular Chinese instant messaging service has removed at least 40 accounts with content about political, economic and legal issues in a possible sign communist authorities are tightening control over discussion of sensitive topics.
Optimizing cloud environments over a wide-area network
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced, in an industry first, it has developed distributed service platform technology that automates system architecture and operations in line with changes in service conditions, and conducts distributing deployment of cloud-based processing and data to servers within a wide-area network.
Crowdsourcing for creating 3D videos
Advanced graphics processors, new algorithms and advanced mathematics will soon make a new 3D video technology gathering feed from multiple sources possible.
Energy efficient building in the public eye
Building showcase projects must guide public building to become more energy efficient.
Crackdown hits popular China messaging platform WeChat
Chinese Internet giant Tencent has shut several accounts on its popular instant messaging platform WeChat, users said Friday, in what appeared to be part of a broader government crackdown on political content.
Toshiba sues South Korean rival for corporate spying
Japan's Toshiba has slapped South Korean rival SK Hynix with a lawsuit seeking damages claiming that it received sensitive trade secrets from a Japanese engineer.
Search for missing jet expands toward Indian Ocean
The international search for the missing Malaysian jetliner expanded westward Friday toward the Indian Ocean amid signs the aircraft may have flown on for hours after its last contact with air-traffic control nearly a week ago.
New report finds people willing to share personal health data with researchers, companies
A new report from the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, suggests that many people who track health-related data with wearable devices and smartphone apps are interested in sharing that data with researchers in medical and public health—provided adequate privacy controls exist.
Kalgoorlie residents to trial 'rammed earth' houses
Houses made out of soil, water and lime are becoming a viable and environmentally-friendly option for remote communities of Western Australia.
3D printing is now for patients, not patents
Dr Chris Sutcliffe from the University of Liverpool School of Engineering reacts to the news of a facial reconstruction carried out using 3D printing:
Rocking robot pays tribute to Robyn
When a team of mechatronics students built a robot dedicated to Robyn, they didn't expect the pop star to become personally involved. The dancing "Robyt" makes its world debut this week and earns props from its inspiration.
Trapped by an avalanche, saved by an app
An app developed at Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology makes it possible for skiers with smartphones to find people buried in the snow after an avalanche.
Easy to use robots are future colleagues in small businesses
Small, mobile robots will learn to take over the tasks in the automotive industry that have not yet been possible to automate. This challenge is part of a 47 million kroner EU funded research project aimed at making robots available to small and medium-sized companies without the need of robotics expertise.
Volunteers and algorithms need training to find MH370
It has been nearly a week since flight Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappeared some time after taking off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Despite searches led by the Malaysian authorities, there is still no trace of the plane.
Nose jobs and turbo boosts: Formula 1 car redesign in 2014
The big race of the annual Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix is coming up this Sunday at Albert Park, Melbourne – and it marks the beginning of a new era as a new set of rules and regulations are adopted this season.
If the web wants rules, who will make them?
Web founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee wants an online "Magna Carta" to protect and ensure the independence of the internet.
Target says it ignored early signs of data breach
Target Corp. is acknowledging its security software picked up on suspicious activity after a massive cyberattack was launched, but it decided not to take immediate action.
UK holds cyberwar game in Churchill's WW2 bunker
Under London's streets in Winston Churchill's World War II bunker, young techies are fighting a new kind of war.
US defends surveillance before UN rights panel
The United States defended its controls on mass surveillance on Friday before a UN watchdog body amid a sweeping review of Washington's record on civil and political rights.
Emotion detectors could make driving safer
Irritation, in particular, can make drivers more aggressive and less attentive. EPFL researchers, in collaboration with PSA Peugeot Citroen, have developed an on-board emotion detector based on the analysis of facial expressions. Tests carried out using a prototype indicate that the idea could have promising applications.
Lab tests made cheaper with chips
(Phys.org) —University of New South Wales PhD candidate Ryan Pawell hopes a manufacturing technique he created will cut the cost of medical diagnostics to a few dollars per experiment or test.
Small scale, large potential: An expert weighs in on the future of microfluidics
(Phys.org) —More than a decade ago, David Beebe wrote that the field of microfluidics had the potential to significantly change modern biology. Now Beebe, an expert in the field, has written a high-level perspective on the state of microfluidics for the journal Nature.
Amsterdam canal house built with 3-D printer
Hundreds of years after wealthy merchants began building the tall, narrow brick houses that have come to define Amsterdam's skyline, Dutch architects are updating the process for the 21st century: fabricating pieces of a canal house out of plastic with a giant 3-D printer and slotting them together like oversized Lego blocks.
Widest band amplifier ever at 235 GHz opens door to ultrafast broadband
(Phys.org) —An exciting collaboration between University College London, UCL, and Chalmers University of Technology has led to a world breakthrough in wide band amplifier circuit design.
Reinventing wireless, pCell aims for full-speed mobile data (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —A new mobile network technology is called pCell. Think of it as wireless reinvented. Hyperbole? The company behind pCell, Artemis Networks, is convinced that the technology, presented last month for faculty and graduate students at Columbia University, is a viable solution for an always-on connected world that is running out of capacity.
GE to take next leap in magnetocaloric refrigeration (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —Before the microwave gained fame as a kitchen wonder, there was the, gasp, refrigerator, a kitchen wonder that could freeze meat and keep ice cream from melting on top, while preserving the life of leftovers and milk, juice and eggs below. For Americans, GE became an entrenched brand name in owning the modern fridge. Now GE wants to write the second chapter in home refrigeration. This week GE announced its research focus on magnetic (magnetocaloric) refrigeration, which uses no refrigerants or compressors and is 20 percent more efficient than what is used today. The technique involves the use of a water-based fluid and magnets. Rotating magnets change the magnetic field back and forth and pump water-based cooling fluid between the cold side to the hot side.
Medicine & Health news
Pancreatic cancer surgery findings presented at SSO
Despite the benefits of surgery for early stage pancreatic cancer, it remains under-utilized for patients with this deadly disease, according to a new national analysis of trends and outcomes. Physician-scientists at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine presented their findings and strategies to increase rates at the Society of Surgical Oncology Cancer Symposium in Phoenix.
Sleep disturbance following acute fractures not related to injury
Sleep disturbance is an extremely common complaint following orthopaedic trauma. In a new study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers assessed the functional status of 1,095 patients following acute fractures to the proximal humerus (shoulder), distal radius (wrist), ankle and tibial plateau (shinbone), using standard orthopaedic tests and assessments.
Significant head, neck injury risk associated with extreme sports
A new study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that the thrill of extreme sports comes at a price: a higher risk for severe neck and head injuries.
Most Charnley total hip replacements viable after 35 years
In a new study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers sought to evaluate the clinical, radiographic and functional outcomes of a Charnley total hip replacement (THR)—a traditional hip prosthesis consisting of a polyethylene acetabular (plastic) cup and a metal femoral head—in patients under age 50 at a minimum of 35 years after the initial surgery.
Obese children more likely to have wrist fractures, complications related to healing
Children considered obese are more likely to suffer a distal radius fracture, a bone break near the wrist, and more likely to experience complications related to the healing of the fracture, according to research presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Greater risk for surgical intervention, longer hospital stays in obese trauma patients
Approximately one-third of the American population is obese and the number is rising, as is the number of obese individuals involved in high-energy accidents with multiple injuries.
Gastric bypass surgery may diminish knee pain in obese patients
There is a known link between elevated body mass index (BMI) and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). While patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery (GBS)—a procedure that closes off much of the stomach and causes food to bypass a portion of the small intestine—typically lose weight, the comparative impact of this weight loss on knee pain and function has not been measured.
Platelet-rich plasma treatment more effective than cortisone for severe hip bursitis
Chronic hip bursitis is a common yet difficult condition to treat successfully. A recent study, presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), compared the results of PRP and cortisone injections in patients with severe chronic hip (greater trochanteric) bursitis.
Dannon to reduce sugar in yogurt for kids
Dannon says it will cut back the amount of sugar in its yogurts intended for children.
Saudi Arabia reports one more death from new virus
Saudi Arabia says a man has died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing to 63 the deaths in the kingdom at the center of the outbreak.
Lab findings put patients on sound footing
Imagine being able to look inside the body in motion, and see not only the biomechanics of bones and joints, but also their interaction with the outside world.
Bone lengthening technique proves useful in patients with cleft palate
A technique called distraction osteogenesis can create increased length of the upper jaw in patients with cleft lip and palate deformities, reports a study in the March issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, edited by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.
Stroke patients may benefit from new routines
People who have suffered a stroke often experience severe fatigue. But doctors find it hard to help these patients as their experiences of fatigue may not necessarily be caused by physiological problems. New research from University of Copenhagen suggests that dreams of returning to everyday life as it was before the stroke may contribute to the patients' experiences of fatigue and that it may be a help to establish new routines instead of trying to regain old ones.
Education and culture affect children's understanding of the human body
Experiences of life and death can help children's understanding of the human body and its function, according to research by psychologists at the University of East Anglia.
Mindfulness-based meditation helps teenagers with cancer
Mindfulness-based meditation could lessen some symptoms associated with cancer in teens, according to the results of a clinical trial intervention led by researchers at the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital.
Study finds no link between years of football play and cognitive function in adolescent athletes
A new study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found no link between neurocognitive function and years of football play in adolescent athletes.
Universal neuromuscular training reduces ACL injury risk in young athletes
As youth participation in high-demand sports such as football, basketball and soccer has increased over the past decade, so has the number of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in teens and young adults. New research presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that universal neuromuscular training for adolescent athletes—which focuses on the optimal way to bend, jump, land and pivot the knee—is an effective and inexpensive way to avoid ACL sprains and tears.
2.5 million Americans living with an artificial hip, 4.7 million with an artificial knee
More than 7 million Americans are living with an artificial (prosthetic) knee (4.7 million) or hip (2.5 million), which may have significant future implications in terms of the need for ongoing patient care, according to new research presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Two related studies also found a growing incidence of adults younger than age 65 undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) and total hip replacement (THR) surgeries, and a potential underutilization of these procedures in some segments of the population.
Building muscle reduces incidence of premature death in older adults
(Medical Xpress)—New UCLA research suggests that the more muscle mass older Americans have, the less likely they are to die prematurely. The findings add to the growing evidence that overall body composition—and not the widely used body mass index, or BMI—is a better predictor of all-cause mortality.
New trial of personalised cancer treatment begins in Oxford
(Medical Xpress)—The first human trial of a pioneering personalised cancer treatment developed at Oxford University will begin this week, with the potential to tackle a wide range of late-stage cancers.
How a small worm may help the fight against Alzheimer's
(Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne have found that a naturally occurring molecule has the ability to enhance defense mechanisms against neurodegenerative diseases. Feeding this particular metabolite to the small round worm Caenorhabditis elegans, helps clear toxic protein aggregates in the body and extends life span.
Scientists create new technique to study how disease is inherited
(Medical Xpress)—Human reproduction is simple. A sperm cell carries the man's genome into the egg. There, during fertilization, male and female genomes comingle in a way that fuses different traits from each parent into the DNA blueprint for a new human being.
Study links depression to arterial stiffness during stress
(Medical Xpress)—According to a study by researchers at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, symptoms of depression are associated with an increase in arterial stiffness induced by mental stress. Arterial stiffness indicates a reduced capability of an artery to expand and contract in response to blood pressure change. It is an important indicator of future cardiovascular events and has been shown to worsen during stressful conditions.
Young women more affected than men by emotional stress after heart attack
(Medical Xpress)—Younger women with a recent heart attack are more likely than men of the same age to experience myocardial ischemia, or inadequate blood flow to the heart, in response to emotional stress according to researchers at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health.
Beating cancer can come with new health risks
(Medical Xpress)—Completing that final round of chemotherapy and being declared cancer-free is an unquestionable personal health milestone. But it also can mark the start of an uncertain new chapter in a cancer survivor's life story.
Vitamin supplements may prevent drug-induced hearing loss
(Medical Xpress)—The drug gentamicin can provide effective treatment for people with bacterial infections that are resistant to other antibiotics, but this medication can cause a serious side effect, too: hearing loss.
Research reveals new therapeutic targets for Huntington's and Parkinson's disease
(Medical Xpress)—Research from Western University has revealed a possible new target for treating movement disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD) and Parkinson's disease. Stephen Ferguson, PhD, a scientist at Western's Robarts Research Institute, and Fabiola Ribeiro, PhD, of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil found a definite improvement in motor behaviours in a HD mouse model when one of the major neurotransmitters in the brain, called Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 (mGluR5) was deleted. The research is published online in Human Molecular Genetics.
Heads up, phones down when walking
(Medical Xpress)—Cellphone usage while driving is a widely known danger which has led to bans across the globe. Using a cellphone while walking, however, initially seemed to be an innocuous behavior … until cellphones became mobile devices used for sending texts, checking emails and downloading video.
Older Chinese adults with dementia and depression have a significantly higher risk of mortality
(Medical Xpress)—Older adults with dementia and depression living in rural China have a significantly higher risk of mortality than their urban counterparts, according to a new report by UK and Chinese scientists.
Prenatal growth could play key role in South Asians' predisposition to non-communicable diseases
A new study in mothers and children of Pakistani origin suggests non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes could be programmed prior to birth.
Targeting symptoms of psychosis
(Medical Xpress)—A novel psychological treatment to reduce the severity of delusional episodes experienced by people with psychosis is being trialled in a new Flinders University study.
If you become poor can you ever be happy again?
(Medical Xpress)—Becoming poor makes people feel unhappy immediately due to the loss of income and status and this does not improve, even over the long term. This was the key finding of research* by University of Luxembourg Economics Professor Conchita D'Ambrosio and colleagues from France and Italy.
Convalescing at home after a stroke
Once every three seconds, somewhere in the world, someone suffers what's commonly referred to as a stroke: a haemorrhage or infarction of the brain. Circa 75% of the people who survive a stroke are left with temporary or permanent motor limitations in the arm or hand. Ard Westerveld, doctoral candidate at the University of Twente, has developed a (prototype) system that will allow patients to convalesce at home in the future, without the need for a therapist. Westerveld will obtain his doctoral degree next 13 March. He is affiliated with the University of Twente's MIRA research institute.
New research offers rehabilitation hope for stroke sufferers
(Medical Xpress)—A University of Reading research team has made a huge step forward in understanding in one of the rarest language disorders caused by strokes.
New method for prostate cancer detection can save millions of men painful examination
Each year prostate tissue samples are taken from over a million men around the world – in most cases using 12 large biopsy needles – to check whether they have prostate cancer. This medical procedure, which was recently described by an American urology professor as 'barbaric', shows that 70% of the subjects do not have cancer. The examination is unnecessarily painful and dangerous for these patents, and it is also costly to carry out. A patient-friendly examination method which drastically reduces the need for biopsies, and may even eliminate them altogether, has been developed at TU/e, together with AMC Amsterdam. At 10 March there was a conference on the results.
Why expanding flu vaccination is good public policy
The elderly are often hit hardest during flu season, and their vulnerability means that they tend to be targeted by vaccination programs. But is this always the best strategy?
Cost of health care a burden for most US households
Since 2001, health care costs have become more burdensome for almost all Americans, at every income level and in every geographic area, finds a new study published in The Milbank Quarterly.
Research team discovers molecule that may help fight cancer drug resistance
(Medical Xpress)—There are no popularity contests for proteins, but a prevalent protein called ubiquitin drew quite a following after three scientists received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering its role in mediating protein degradation.
Drivers with hemianopia fail to detect pedestrians
A diagnosis of hemianopia, or blindness in one half of the visual field in both eyes as the result of strokes, tumors or trauma often means the end of driving.
New findings show link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer
In a new study published today in Annals of Surgical Oncology, clinicians worked with mathematicians to review data from 1973 to 2013 to conclude there was a time-dependent link between being diagnosed with diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
Blood poisoning increases the risk of blood clots
Every year, almost 10,000 Danes are admitted to hospital with blood poisoning, while more than 3,000 patients become infected while they are hospitalised. New research shows that Danes suffering from blood poisoning risk an extra challenge in the form of an increased risk of suffering a blood clot:
Patient requests for specific drugs have major impact on prescribing
Patient requests for specific medications—including requests for brand-name drugs spurred by direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising—have a substantial impact on doctors' prescribing decisions, suggests a study in the April issue of Medical Care.
Researchers develop new approach to chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment
Dartmouth researchers have developed a novel and unique approach to treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), a form of blood cancer that often requires repeated chemotherapy treatments to which it grows resistant. The researchers, led by Alexey V. Danilov, MD, PhD, assistant professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Hematologist-Oncologist at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, modeled the lymph node microenvironment where CLL cells are found in the laboratory. They were able to disrupt the activity of a pathway (NF-kappaB) that ensures the survival and resistance of the CLL cells in such microenvironments.
Genes may thwart seniors' exercise gains
Keeping strong and physically fit is crucial to maintaining independence among the elderly. Exercise has repeatedly been shown to reduce or slow age-related declines in physical function and is a widely recommended for seniors, but the way that older people respond to exercise varies widely. A new study by Thomas W. Buford et al. examines the ACE I/D gene and whether its variations—the ID, DD, and II genotypes—impact some seniors' ability to fully reap the benefits of exercise.
Losing or gaining weight after joint replacement affects how well patients do
While many overweight patients have the best intentions to lose weight after joint replacement, a study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) finds that although some are able to achieve this goal, equal numbers of patients actually gain weight after hip or knee replacement. Researchers also determined that patients who lose weight do better in terms of function and activity level two years down the road.
Researchers find significant increase in painkillers prescribed to US adults visiting emergency departments
(Medical Xpress)—George Washington University (GW) researchers report dramatic increases in prescriptions of opioid analgesics, such as Percocet, Vicodin, oxycodone and Dilaudid, during U.S. emergency department visits from 2001 to 2010. These findings were not explained by higher visit rates for painful conditions, which only increased modestly during the time period. This report was published today in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine.
Older age at onset of Type 1 diabetes associated with lower brain connectivity
Children and adolescents older than age 8 at the onset of type 1 diabetes had weaker brain connectivity when tested later in life relative to those who had earlier ages of diagnosis, University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences researchers discovered.
Offering healthy foods at high school concession stands
Pep-rallies, the marching band, cheers and chants, and savory, indulgent foods sold at the concession stand are all beloved features of the American high school sports tradition.
Specialized care improves treatment outcomes in patients with sleep apnea
A new study of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) found that treatment outcomes were better when patients received care from sleep specialists and accredited sleep centers.
Parents receiving heart disease diagnosis for infants need better information
Based on a survey of parents of children with congenital heart disease, physicians delivering the diagnosis need to do a better job of showing compassion, ensuring parents understand all their options and providing easily understandable information, according to a new study published in the February edition of the journal, Pediatric Cardiology.
When a parent dies, what helps a child cope?
(HealthDay)—It's hard to imagine what a child may feel when a mother or father dies. Studies have found this crisis can pose serious psychological and developmental problems for years. Now new research suggests kids' academic performance can also suffer.
High serum 25(OH)D linked to lower breast cancer mortality
(HealthDay)—Higher concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) are associated with lower mortality from breast cancer, according to a meta-analysis published in the March issue of Anticancer Research.
Critical role of one gene to our brain development
(Medical Xpress)—New research from the University of Adelaide has confirmed that a gene linked to intellectual disability is critical to the earliest stages of the development of human brains.
Brain mapping confirms patients with schizophrenia have impaired ability to imitate
According to George Bernard Shaw, "Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery – it's the sincerest form of learning." According to psychologists, imitation is something that we all do whenever we learn a new skill, whether it is dancing or how to behave in specific social situations.
Tension triggers muscle building
Skeletal muscles are built from small contractile units, the sarcomeres. Many of these sarcomeres are connected in a well-ordered series to form myofibrils that span from one muscle end to the other. Contractions of these sarcomeres result in contraction of the entire muscle. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry in Munich-Martinsried (Germany) recently identified a key mechanism how this basic muscle architecture is built during development.
Childhood's end: ADHD, autism and schizophrenia tied to stronger inhibitory interactions in adolescent prefrontal cortex
(Medical Xpress)—Key cognitive functions such as working memory (which combines temporary storage and manipulation of information) and executive function (a set of mental processes that helps connect past experience with present action) are associated with the brain's prefrontal cortex. Unlike other brain regions, the prefrontal cortex does not mature until early adulthood, with the most pronounced changes being seen between its peripubertal (onset of puberty) and postpubertal developmental states. Moreover, this maturation period is correlated with cognitive maturation – but the physical neuronal changes during this transition have remained for the most part unknown. Recently, however, scientists at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC recorded and compared prefrontal cortical activity peripubertal and adult monkeys.
Biology news
Linking traditional values and conservation of threatened habitats and species
A new video made by a team of Ugandan conservationists hopes to illustrate the link between traditional values and conservation of some of the world's threatened habitats and species
Carcinogenic mechanism of incomplete cell reprogramming in vivo
A research team led by the group of Professor Yasuhiro Yamada, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, has discovered that when cells are subjected to incomplete reprogramming in vivo, epigenetic modifications take place which promote carcinogenesis.
Researchers find high acceptability of 3-colored raspberry jelly
Raspberries are among the most popular berries in the world and are high in antioxidants that offer significant health benefits to consumers. The red raspberry is most commonly used in processed products like juices, jams, jellies and preserves because of its short shelf life. A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that the production of a mixed raspberry jelly with black and yellow raspberries could be a good alternative to just one-colored jelly.
Global powers sign declaration on sustainable fishing
Officials from some of the world's top fishing powers signed a declaration in Greece on Friday to promote sustainable management of fish stocks.
Japan institute says 'landmark' cell study should be quashed (Update)
A Japanese research institute said Friday that a study which promised a revolutionary way to create stem cells should be quashed after claims its data was faulty, dealing a huge blow to what was touted as a game-changing discovery.
Seizures show scale of pangolin peril
(Phys.org) —Pangolins, insect-eating mammals that live in tropical parts of Africa and Asia, are under threat from a growing inter-continental illegal trade in the animals and their scales, according to a new report.
Disinfecting honey comb with ozone
Sometimes even honey bees need help with "housekeeping," especially when it comes to cleaning their honeycombs once the honey's been removed. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research has shown that fumigating honeycombs with ozone gas can eliminate pests and pathogens that threaten honey bee health and productivity. Now, ozone fumigation may also help reduce pesticide levels in honeycombs.
Mass spectrometry provides more accurate picture of cells at work
(Phys.org) —Scientists are gaining valuable new insights into the basic processes of cells thanks to research at the University of Cincinnati.
Dieback devastates south-west bird communities
In the first study of its kind, researchers have investigated how dieback negatively impacts bird communities in south-western Australia by altering the structure of vegetation and causing the loss of flower species they use as food.
Rangeland management is key to surviving drought
Improved management adapted to changing rangeland conditions will be a key to surviving three back-to-back years of drought, according to Tim Steffens, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service rangeland management specialist in Canyon.
Good parasite, bad parasite: Nature has a job for everyone
Parasites are thought of as free-loaders, but many contribute as much as they take. They service the ecosystem. From an ecological perspective, they are more like tiny, hidden architects that are overlooked by most people.
Plant hormone strigolactone plays key role in response to drought stress
Under environmental stresses such as drought and salinity, plants may experience restricted growth and productivity—stress responses that are mediated by complex molecular signaling networks. An international team of researchers led by Lam-Son Tran and colleagues at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science has now identified a previously unknown signaling pathway that plays a key role in stress tolerance.
Lurking in the darkness of Chinese caves five new species of armored spiders come to light
Armored spiders are medium to small species that derive their name from the complex pattern of the plates covering their abdomen strongly resembling body armor. Lurking in the darkness of caves In Southeast China, scientists discover and describe five new species of these exciting group of spiders. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
San Diego Zoo performs rare C-section on gorilla
Veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo have performed a rare cesarean section on an 18-year-old gorilla.
New cell line should accelerate embryonic stem cell research
Researchers at the University of Washington have successfully created a line of human embryonic stem cells that have the ability to develop into a far broader range of tissues than most existing cell lines.
Motion and muscles don't always work in lockstep, researchers find in surprising new study
(Phys.org) —Animals "do the locomotion" every day, whether it's walking down the hall to get some coffee or darting up a tree to avoid a predator. And until now, scientists believed the inner workings of movement were pretty much the same—the nerves send a message to the muscles and there is motion.
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