Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 13, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Simulating how the Earth kick-started metabolism- Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do
- Unraveling a mystery in the 'histone code' shows how gene activity is inherited
- Volvo explores road-integrated magnets for autonomous cars
- Researchers describe oxygen's different shapes
- Researchers devise new, lower cost method to create more usable fuels
- Researchers develop new kind of internal combustion microengine
- A brake for spinning molecules
- Soft robotic fish moves like the real thing (w/ video)
- More to biological diversity than meets the eye
- Self-assembling nanocages are the largest standalone 3-D DNA structures yet
- Team discovers a better way to make unnatural amino acids
- Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential to sensing joint position
- An equation to describe the competition between genes
- UCLA study yields more accurate data on thousands of years of climate change
Astronomy & Space news
What is the cosmic microwave background radiation?
The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is the afterglow of the Big Bang; one of the strongest lines of evidence we have that this event happened. UCLA's Dr. Ned Wright explains.
ESA to certify first Galileo position fixes worldwide
To mark the first anniversary of Galileo's historic first satnav positioning measurement, ESA plans to award certificates to groups who picked up signals from the four satellites in orbit to perform their own fixes.
Boosters for Orion spacecraft's first flight test arrive at Port Canaveral, Florida
A barge arrives at the U.S. Army Outpost wharf at Port Canaveral in Florida, carrying two of the three United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy boosters for NASA's upcoming Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) with the Orion spacecraft. The core booster and starboard booster will be offloaded and then transported to the Horizontal Integration Facility, or HIF, at Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The port booster and the upper stage are planned to be shipped to Cape Canaveral in April. At the HIF, all three boosters will be processed and checked out before being moved to the nearby launch pad and hoisted into position.
Explainer: How astronomers find exoplanets
Astronomers didn't know, 20 years ago, whether planets existed around any stars other than the Sun. All that changed in 1995 with the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting the star 51 Pegasi. And by the beginning of 2014, more than 1,000 exoplanets had been found. As a result, astronomers are now closer than ever to answering the question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.
Up, up and away for a live TV special from space
National Geographic Channel is targeting a subject that's literally over our heads, bringing it down to Earth in an ambitious two-hour special.
Mid-level solar flare seen by NASA's SDO
The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 6:34 p.m. EDT on March 12, 2014, and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, captured an image of it. 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.
SpaceX supply run to space station postponed
The next supply run to the International Space Station has been delayed.
Lobster-shaped extrasolar oceans
Alien planets circling the most common stars in the universe may often have strange lobster-shaped oceans on their surfaces, researchers in China now say.
The dusty heart of an active galaxy
(Phys.org) —An international research team led by Konrad Tristram from the Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, obtained the most detailed view so far of the warm dust in the environment of a supermassive black hole in an active galaxy. The observations of the Circinus galaxy show, for the first time, that the dust directly illuminated by the central engine of the active galaxy is located in two distinct components: an inner warped disk and a surrounding larger distribution of dust. Most likely, the larger component is responsible for most of the obscuration of the inner regions close to the supermassive black hole. Such a configuration is significantly more complex than the simple dusty doughnut, which has been favoured for the last few decades.
Study on lunar crater counting shows crowdsourcing is accurate tool
If Galileo was still alive and kicking, he might want to take a selfie with some of the thousands of citizen scientists all around the world for their surprisingly accurate work of counting craters on the pock-marked moon.
Technology news
Bouygues lifts bid for French mobile operator SFR
French conglomerate Bouygues is raising the stakes in a bidding war to take control of France's number-two mobile phone operator SFR.
Difficulty makes Candy Crush so addictive
It's been said that in a city, you're never more than two metres away from a rat. But it seems more likely that you're never more than two metres from someone playing the puzzle game Candy Crush Saga.
Toshiba's lithium-ion battery energy storage systems make renewable energy more practical
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has delivered battery energy storage systems integrating the company's SCiB, an innovative lithium-ion secondary battery to Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc., for a demonstration project to expand introduction of renewable energy sources on remote islands. The systems have been installed in substations on Tanegashima Island and Amamioshima Island, in Kagoshima prefecture, and will be used to demonstrate the integration and optimum control of battery energy storage systems deployed to manage frequency regulation and maintain stable power supply on remote islands, which are increasingly turning to renewable energy sources. The demonstration program will run for three years to fiscal 2016.
Heated ion implantation technology realizes low resistance of an ultra-thin fin
Japanese researchers at AIST led by Meishoku Masahara have developed a low-resistance source/drain formation technology that can be applied in the finFETs of 14-nm generation and beyond.
'Tactile internet' presented at CeBIT
The coordinator of the Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, Professor Gerhard Fettweis, is heading a common initiative by German research institutes and industrial companies presented at the German computer fair CeBIT in Hannover on March 10th, 2014. Globally, multi-billion amounts are invested in this area of research - e.g. by the notion of 5th Generation of Mobile Communications.
Robotic fish designed to perform escape maneuvers
A soft-bodied, self-contained robotic fish with a flexible spine that allows it to mimic the swimming motion of a real fish also has the built-in agility to perform escape maneuvers. The innovative design and capabilities of this complex, autonomous robot is described in Soft Robotics (SoRo).
After 6 days, Malaysian jet mystery still unsolved
An oil slick on the sea. A purported wrong turn to the west seen on military radar. Questionable satellite photos. Passengers boarding with stolen passports.
Tech review: LG G Flex all about the curve
I've been carrying the new LG G Flex smartphone for a few days, and the first word I want to use is "wow."
Wearable tech makers look to push boundaries
Will your clothes and accessories change how you live your daily life? Wearable devices like smart watches, glasses and activity monitors were a big topic of conversation at South By Southwest Interactive this week - specifically their potential in the future.
US suspects missing plane flew on for hours
US investigators suspect a missing Malaysian airliner was in the air for four hours after its last confirmed contact, and may have been diverted to an unknown location, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Can satellites help find missing flight MH370?
China has released several satellite images its officials say could be wreckage from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 with 239 people onboard.
Integrating the physical and digital worlds
University of Adelaide computer scientists are investigating the relationships between people and the things around them to advance the development of the 'Internet of Things'.
Innovative solar-powered toilet developed by CU-Boulder ready for India unveiling
(Phys.org) —A revolutionary University of Colorado Boulder toilet fueled by the sun that is being developed to help some of the 2.5 billion people around the world lacking safe and sustainable sanitation will be unveiled in India this month.
How the air crash investigation for flight MH370 is conducted
The longer it takes, the harder it gets to find the lost Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Laser and radar unveil the secrets of Roman bridges
Discovering hidden arches, visualising the sloped outline characteristic of the medieval period, finding a Renaissance engraving on a roman arch or detecting restorations: these are some of the results that have been obtained by researchers at the University of Vigo (Spain) in their study of more than 80 roman and medieval bridges. The assessment was carried out with the help of a ground-penetrating radar, a laser scanner and mathematical models, technology that benefit conservation.
The structural insecurities underlying the internet
Most people would agree with the principle that good foundations are essential to any structure that is intended to last. But what if when you started building, you didn't envisage how large, complex or essential your structure would become? As we celebrate 25 years of the world wide web, the extraordinarily accurate science of hindsight brings to light just such a situation.
Snowden and Berners-Lee's campaign for an open internet
You might have seen this week that there's a campaign regarding the future of the internet. Its chief proponents? NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, inventor of the web Tim Berners-Lee, journalist Glenn Greenwald and privacy researcher Christopher Soghoian.
Student researchers developing realistic prosthetic finger
We use our hands so often during the day, it's easy to take for granted just how complex our fingers are. Graduate students in the University of Hartford's prosthetics and orthotics program understand these complicated mechanics. Now one of them is using her knowledge to develop what she hopes will be the most realistic prosthetic finger on the market.
DNA fix school timetables
Scientists in Russia plan to use DNA - our genetic material - to help them solve one of the perennial "back to school" problems faced by school administrators the world over: how to match up students, with classes and available teachers. Writing in the International Journal of Bioinformatics Research and Applications, the team explains how DNA's ability to store information can be used to encode the timetabling problem and then a solution read out using enzymes.
India's Infosys sees weaker sales, shares tank
Shares of Indian outsourcing giant Infosys slid almost nine percent Thursday after the firm warned that quarterly revenues may be weaker-than-expected following project cancellations.
Amazon boosts price of 'Prime' membership to $99 in US
Amazon is boosting the price of its "Prime" membership to $99 a year, a 25 percent jump for US customers seeking free delivery and access to the streaming video service.
Judge orders preservation of phone data
A federal judge has directed the government to preserve phone data gathered under a National Security Agency surveillance program beyond a five-year limit.
NYC transit agency has data breach
The personal information of approximately 15,000 New York City Transit Authority workers has been found on a compact disc inside a refurbished computer sold by a retailer.
London makes new push to rival Silicon Valley
Maybe this time Silicon Valley will have to move over—London made a fresh bid Thursday to become a world centre for high-tech and start-ups.
EU ready to plug in to 'universal' mobile phone charger
The European Union took another step on Thursday towards the mandatory introduction of a common mobile phone charger, which could power-up all makes of handsets.
Facebook airs TV-style ads
Facebook on Thursday began weaving video ads into people's news feeds at the leading online social network in a move to grab revenue from the lucrative television market.
Zuckerberg says US government threat to Internet
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday he had called President Barack Obama to complain that the US government is undermining confidence in the Internet with vast, secret surveillance programs.
Google cameras take rafting trip at Grand Canyon
Google has taken its all-seeing eyes on a trip that few experience: the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
AT&T wins clearance to buy Leap Wireless
US regulators conditionally cleared AT&T's $4 billion deal for Leap Wireless on Thursday which gives the telecom giant more spectrum and the Cricket prepaid phone franchise.
Move over '123456': passwords to go high-tech
Internet users may soon have a secure solution to the modern plague of passwords, in which they can use visual patterns or even their own body parts to identify themselves.
Research demonstrates long reach of phone record surveillance
(Phys.org) —Two computer science graduate students have found that the NSA's mass collection of phone records can yield much more information about people's private lives than the U.S. government claims. New research shows how "metadata" surveillance can be used to identify information about callers including medical conditions, financial and legal connections, and even whether they own a gun.
'Super circles' to lessen rush-hour headaches
While Mother Nature continues to challenge drivers across the country, a team of traffic engineers is working hard on a new way to make rush-hour commutes safer and faster in any weather.
Google redesigns search results on PCs (Update)
Web surfing through the Internet's main gateway now looks slightly different on personal computers, thanks to a few cosmetic changes to Google's search engine this week.
Soft robotic fish moves like the real thing (w/ video)
Soft robots—which don't just have soft exteriors but are also powered by fluid flowing through flexible channels—have become a sufficiently popular research topic that they now have their own journal, Soft Robotics. In the first issue of that journal, out this month, MIT researchers report the first self-contained autonomous soft robot capable of rapid body motion: a "fish" that can execute an escape maneuver, convulsing its body to change direction in just a fraction of a second, or almost as quickly as a real fish can.
Researchers develop new kind of internal combustion microengine
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers with members from Russia, The Netherlands and Germany has developed a new kind of microengine, based on the possible combustion of oxygen and hydrogen. In their paper published in Scientific Reports, the team describes how they built the new engine, how they think it works, and what it could mean for the development of future microsystems.
Volvo explores road-integrated magnets for autonomous cars
(Phys.org) —Volvo has been testing the efficacy of magnets to keep self-driving cars moving safely on the road. The idea is for magnets to help the cars identify where they need to be in lanes. The Volvo Car Group tested how well the road magnets in the roadway can actually support accurate positioning. Project leaders described the magnets as serving up an invisible railway for position accuracy. By detecting the magnets a car can constantly adjust its path.
Medicine & Health news
UK seeing significant rise in older people living and being diagnosed with HIV
A new paper published online today in the British Geriatrics Society journal Age and Ageing argues that despite a year-on-year increase in the number of people over the age of 50 being diagnosed with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), there is a reluctance of healthcare professionals to offer HIV tests to older people. This results in high rates of "late presentation" and therefore significantly increased mortality.
Cuddlers soothe babies too sick, tiny to go home
At the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital and several other hospitals around the U.S., strangers offer a simple yet powerful service for newborns too tiny or sick to go home.
Aid groups fill health care gaps in failed states, WHO says
Humanitarian workers are scrambling to fill a void left by the collapse of governments in three of the world's hotspots amid an unprecedented demand for help in the past year.
Army tests both women, men in combat fitness study
Army researchers are studying how hard soldiers—both women and men—have to work at battlefield tasks as the scientists strive to define gender-neutral fitness standards for troops in combat units.
Macau culls 7,500 chicken over bird flu scare
Macau culled 7,500 chicken after discovering the H7-type avian influenza in live poultry for the first time in the city, authorities said Thursday, adding the birds had been imported from mainland China.
New online database tracks wellbeing of US children
The Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy (ICYFP) at Brandeis University's Heller School for Social Policy and Management has launched the first nationally comprehensive, interactive online database for tracking and analyzing the wellbeing and equity of U.S. children across racial and ethnic groups.
Targeting bacterial cell division to fight antibiotic resistance
New research has found some compounds effective in blocking the proliferation of certain bacteria, raising hopes of a new class of drugs to combat antibiotic resistant infections.
Performing cardio- and resistance training during the same session: Does the order matter?
Although the remarkable benefits of combined training have been clarified by numerous investigations, fitness enthusiasts struggle with the same question: Does the order of cardio- and resistance training influence the effectiveness of a training program?
Lifestyle interventions can improve health outcomes in patients at risk of colorectal cancer
Direct interventions in diet and physical activity among patients at risk of colorectal cancer can lead to significantly improved weight reduction, helping tackle a major risk factor for the disease, a new study led by the University of Dundee has shown.
Standardized evaluation consent forms for living liver donors needed
New research reveals that 57% of liver transplant centers use living donor evaluation consent forms that include all the elements required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and 78% of centers addressed two-third or more of the items recommended by the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). The study published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, reviewed the living donor evaluation consent forms from 26 of the 37 transplant centers that evaluate living liver donors in the U.S.
Gene variants protect against relapse after treatment for hepatitis C
Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have identified a gene, which explains why certain patients with chronic hepatitis C do not experience relapse after treatment. The discovery may contribute to more effective treatment.
One out of two parents do not see their child's weight problems
One out of two parents of children with overweight feel that their child's weight is normal. Four out of ten parents of children with overweight or obesity are even worried that their child will get too thin. These are the findings of a European study of parents of more than 16,000 children, including 1,800 children from Sweden.
Colorado launches 'Drive High, Get a DUI' pot campaign
Colorado has launched a "Drive High, Get a DUI" ad campaign to deter motorists from taking the wheel after consuming marijuana in the US state, which legalized recreational pot in January.
Many US oncologists not satisfied with work-life balance
(HealthDay)—About one-third of U.S. oncologists report being satisfied with work-life balance (WLB), which is lower than for other medical specialties, according to a study published online March 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Religious beliefs of American Muslims influence attitudes toward organ donation
American Muslims who interpret negative events in life as punishment from God are less likely to believe that donating organs after death is ethical than those with a more positive outlook, according to a survey conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago's Program on Medicine and Religion.
Study: Surgery helps some prostate cancer patients
Surgery to remove the prostate saves lives compared to "watchful waiting" for some men whose cancers were found because they were causing symptoms, long-term results from a Scandinavian study suggest.
Heart risks of glucose-lowering drugs being overlooked in clinical trials
Why is heart failure not more rigorously assessed in clinical trials of antidiabetes drugs? In a Personal View, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, Professor John McMurray of The University of Glasgow and colleagues review evidence that hospitalization for heart failure is one of the most common and prognostically important complications of diabetes. Moreover, increasing evidence shows that some glucose-lowering drugs increase the risk of heart failure. Yet, heart failure is rarely considered as a key outcome, or even part of composite cardiovascular outcomes, in clinical trials of glucose-lowering drugs.
Side effects reported in those taking statins are not actually attributable to the drugs
At a time when the wider prescription of statins is under renewed public scrutiny, a substantial analysis of placebo-controlled randomised trials of statins has found that only a small minority of side effects reported by those taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs are actually attributable to them. Almost all the side effects reported in these trials "occurred anyway when patients were administered placebo", say the investigators.
'Love hormone' could provide new treatment for anorexia
Oxytocin, also known as the 'love hormone', could provide a new treatment for anorexia nervosa, according to new research by a team of British and Korean scientists.
Trauma center closures linked to higher odds of death for injured patients, study shows
Injured patients who live near trauma centers that have closed have higher odds of dying once they reach a hospital, according to a new analysis by UC San Francisco researchers.
Genomic testing links 'exceptional' drug response to rare mutations in bladder cancer
A patient with advanced bladder cancer in a phase I trial had a complete response for 14 months to a combination of the targeted drugs everolimus and pazopanib, report scientists led by a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researcher, and genomic profiling of his tumor revealed two alterations that may have led to this exceptional response.
Hypertension going untreated in US Hispanic community
There is a significant deficit in recognition and control of hypertension in the Hispanic population of the United States, according to a new study published in American Journal of Hypertension (AJH).
Purified fish oils could help treat rare disease affecting newborn babies
A rare and potentially lethal disease of newborn babies whose bodies make too much insulin may be treatable with fish oils, according to researchers from The University of Manchester.
Study identifies genetic differences in female athletes with ACL injuries
Female athletes are two-to-eight times more likely to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than males. And while there have been reports about possible anatomic, hormonal and neuromuscular factors that may place females at greater risk for these injuries, little research has looked specifically at the role of genetics.
Patients should wait 6-to-12 weeks before driving after shoulder surgery
More than 53,000 Americans have total shoulder joint replacement (SJR) surgery each year, and yet the effects of this surgery on a patient's ability to safely drive a vehicle, and the appropriate recovery time before patients should return to driving, have yet to be determined. In a new study, "Driving Performance after Total Shoulder Arthroplasty," presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the driving skills of 28 shoulder replacement patients, with a mean age of 65 ±10 years, were tested at four distinct time points before, during and after surgery using a driving simulator.
Study generally finds comparable outcomes for outpatient, inpatient orthopaedic surgeries
As the effectiveness of anesthesia, pain management and rehabilitation continues to improve, more orthopaedic procedures are being done on an outpatient basis. In a new research study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), same-day total joint replacement (TJR) patient outcomes were comparable to those of patients admitted to the hospital and staying at least one night following surgery. However, readmission rates, although statistically "non-significant," were higher for outpatient procedures. In a related study, a very low complication rate (.23 percent) was found in a review of more than 28,737 hand and upper extremity surgeries at an outpatient specialty clinic.
Could grapefruit be good for your kidneys?
Scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London, have discovered that a natural product found in grapefruit can prevent kidney cysts from forming.
Witnessing ritual pain exhausting for loved ones
Witnessing the ritualistic suffering of loved ones may be more exhausting than actually experiencing extreme pain, according to a study involving Victoria University of Wellington researchers.
Married women less likely to die from heart disease
(Medical Xpress)—Married women are 28% less likely to die from heart disease than unmarried women, a new study has found. This is despite the fact that marriage makes no difference to women's chances of developing heart disease in the first place.
Autism and intellectual disability incidence linked with environmental factors
(Medical Xpress)—An analysis of 100 million U.S. medical records reveals that autism and intellectual disability (ID) rates are correlated at the county level with incidence of genital malformations in newborn males, an indicator of possible congenital exposure to harmful environmental factors such as pesticides.
National survey finds colleges want more guidance on how to best handle cases of student sexual misconduct
(Medical Xpress)—Colleges and universities across the nation would welcome additional support and assistance in creating appropriate sanctions or interventions with students who are found responsible for sexual misconduct.
The health benefits of texting
Communication between physicians and other health care providers and their patients may be taking on an entirely new dimension through text messaging, according to David Finitsis, a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology and lead author of a recently published article in the journal PLOS ONE.
Heart scans only useful in prescribing statins under certain conditions
(Medical Xpress)—As long as inexpensive statins, which lower cholesterol, are readily available and patients don't mind taking them, it doesn't make sense to do a heart scan to measure how much plaque has built up in a patient's coronary arteries before prescribing the pills, according to a new study by researchers at UC San Francisco.
Research reveals promising strategy for treating tuberculosis
(Medical Xpress)—Research at Colorado State University reveals that even the most intractable cases of tuberculosis might be effectively battled with a new drug cocktail combining conventional antibiotics and nontoxic compounds that mimic those found in some sea sponges.
Depression costs European businesses $130 billion
(Medical Xpress)—Employers need to take a more proactive approach to employees with depression in the wake of figures showing the illness now costs European workplaces an estimated £77 ($130) billion a year.
Blood sugar testing with no sharps
Measuring blood sugar when you have diabetes usually involves pricking your finger and using a glucose monitor for the test. While this approach can give people with diabetes vital information about whether they need to take insulin or eat something sugary, it is nevertheless painful and inconvenient. Now, an international research team is one step closer to an entirely non-invasive blood sugar test. They report details in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology.
New research reveals how perceptions of risk influence decisions about where to give birth
New research published in a special issue of Health, Risk & Society looks at perceptions of risk around pregnancy and how this influences decisions about where to give birth. Despite childbirth in the UK being increasingly considered safe, the article by Kirstie Coxon and colleagues show that childbirth is still seen as 'risky'. This is reflected in decisions about where to give birth, with hospital obstetric unit (OU) births remaining the choice for the majority. Proportions of home-births over the past two decades remaining virtually static at 2.5% and a further 5% take place in Freestanding Midwifery Units (FMUs) or Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMUs).
A brain signal for psychosis risk
Only one third of individuals identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis actually convert to a psychotic disorder within a 3 year follow-up period. This risk assessment is based on the presence of sub-threshold psychotic-like symptoms.
Treadmill workstation benefits employees, employers, study says
Employees who use treadmill workstations not only receive physical benefits but also are more productive at work, according to a recently published study by researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.
Study: Response to emotional stress may be linked to some women's heart artery dysfunction
Researchers at the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have found that emotional stressors – such as those provoking anger – may cause changes in the nervous system that controls heart rate and trigger a type of coronary artery dysfunction that occurs more frequently in women than men.
Stem cell therapy may help severe congestive heart failure
Researchers want to know whether patients with debilitating heart failure can benefit by having their own stem cells injected into their ailing heart muscle.
Science app brings clarity on vaccination and climate
The answers to six pivotal questions on immunisation and vaccines have been addressed by a panel of 12 Australian experts in the field.
Same-day double knee replacement safe for select rheumatoid arthritis patients
Same-day bilateral knee replacement surgery is safe for select patients with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery in New York have found.
Novel marker and possible therapeutic target for cardiovascular calcification identified
Cardiovascular calcification (deposits of minerals in heart valves and blood vessels) is a primary contributor to heart disease, the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A versatile mouse that can teach us about many diseases and drugs
Scientists from the UK and Australia have created a mouse that expresses a fluorescing 'biosensor' in every cell of its body, allowing diseased cells and drugs to be tracked and evaluated in real time and in three dimensions.
Research findings link post-heart attack biological events that provide cardioprotection
Heart attack and stroke are among the most serious threats to health. But novel research at UT Southwestern Medical Center has linked two major biological processes that occur at the onset of these traumatic events and, ultimately, can lead to protection for the heart.
Researchers discover reversible mechanism that increases muscle elasticity
How does yoga improve your flexibility? In the Mar 13 cover story of Cell, Columbia University biological sciences professor Julio Fernandez and team report the discovery of a new form of mechanical memory that adjusts the elasticity of muscles to their history of stretching. Using highly sensitive atomic force microscopes, the researchers detected a chemical reaction that increases the elasticity of muscle proteins. Crucially, this reaction targets molecules that have been exposed to a stretching force. This finding changes our understanding of how muscles respond to stretching and may lead to new treatments of muscle disorders.
Scientists discover how Marburg virus grows in cells
A protein that normally protects cells from environmental stresses has been shown to interact Marburg virus VP24, allowing the deadly Marburg virus to live longer and replicate better, according to a cell culture study led by scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The investigators say that deciphering the molecular details of how Marburg virus and the host protein interact may help in developing inhibitors of the virus. Results from the study are published online March 13 in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Reports.
Researchers identify gene that helps fruit flies go to sleep
In a series of experiments sparked by fruit flies that couldn't sleep, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have identified a mutant gene—dubbed "Wide Awake"—that sabotages how the biological clock sets the timing for sleep. The finding also led them to the protein made by a normal copy of the gene that promotes sleep early in the night and properly regulates sleep cycles.
Sociologist examines the ubiquity of shame and its role in aggression and depression
Shame on you. These three simple words can temporarily—or, when used too often, permanently—destroy an individual's sense of value and self-worth.
FDA chief defends approval of hydrocodone drug
The head of the Food and Drug Administration says the much-debated painkiller Zohydro fills an "important and unique niche" for treating pain.
Prostate specific antigen screening declines after 2012 USPSTF recommendations
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Case Medical Center have assessed the impact of the 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations against routine prostate specific antigen (PSA) cancer screenings, which cited evidence that the risks of screening outweigh the benefits. Results of the current study indicate that the USPSTF recommendations have resulted in a decrease in the number of PSA screenings ordered by doctors, with the greatest decline seen among urologists. The findings are published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
Deficient protein GM-CSF production found to impair gut's immune tolerance
The protein GM-CSF plays a critical role in maintaining immune tolerance in the gut, with defects in the protein increasing the susceptibility to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), according to a new mouse study by a team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. IBD is a severe intestinal disease characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation that results from a dysregulated immune response to microbes and food antigens. Writing in the peer reviewed journal Science published online March 13, 2014, the research team writes that this advances our understanding of how commensal microbes can regulate intestinal immunity and should pave the wave for identifying new drug targets.
New ovarian cancer targets proposed
(Medical Xpress)—In the complex genomic and molecular conspiracy that gives rise to ovarian cancer, what if researchers have been missing a whole set of suspects because they've been hiding in plain sight? That's the argument made by Brown University biologists in a new paper that combines evidence from original research and prior studies to raise new suspicions about a set of proteins that assist in regulating gene expression.
US reports rare case of woman-to-woman HIV transmission (Update)
A rare case of suspected HIV transmission from one woman to another was reported Thursday by US health authorities.
One in five older Americans take medications that work against each other
About three out of four older Americans have multiple chronic health conditions, and more than 20 percent of them are being treated with drugs that work at odds with each other – the medication being used for one condition can actually make the other condition worse.
Some racial disparities in childbirth more environmental than genetic
A new study investigating racial disparities in birth outcomes shows that contrary to some theories Vitamin D is unlikely to play a role in differences in preterm birth and low birth weight between African-Americans and whites.
These boosts are made for walkin': Study reveals that movement kicks visual system into higher gear
Whether you're a Major League outfielder chasing down a hard-hit ball or a lesser mortal navigating a busy city sidewalk, it pays to keep a close watch on your surroundings when walking or running. Now, new research by UC San Francisco neuroscientists suggests that the body may get help in these fast-changing situations from a specialized brain circuit that causes visual system neurons to fire more strongly during locomotion.
Study suggests potential association between soy formula and seizures in children with autism
A University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher has detected a higher rate of seizures among children with autism who were fed infant formula containing soy protein rather than milk protein.
Time running out to sign up for Obamacare this year
(HealthDay)—Still thinking about signing up for insurance under the new U.S. health care law? You'd better act quickly because the enrollment deadline to obtain coverage this year is March 31.
High blood pressure common, often untreated in U.S. hispanics: study
(HealthDay)—High blood pressure often is untreated in U.S. Hispanics, putting them at risk for heart disease and stroke, new research finds.
Most alcohol-linked deaths occur among working-age adults, CDC says
(HealthDay)—Americans' excessive alcohol use contributes to thousands of deaths each year, and the majority who die are working-age adults, according to a new government report.
Multiple 60-minute massage sessions effective for neck pain
(HealthDay)—Multiple 60-minute massage sessions are effective for neck dysfunction and pain among patients with chronic neck pain, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Blood test might help spot, monitor concussions
(HealthDay)—When someone suffers a concussion, it can be hard to tell how serious it is and how long recovery will take, but a new blood test might help answer those questions.
A gene family that suppresses prostate cancer
Cornell University researchers report they have discovered direct genetic evidence that a family of genes, called MicroRNA-34 (miR-34), are bona fide tumor suppressors.
Spain patient gets pneumonia by e-cigarettes: hospital
A patient in Spain caught pneumonia from smoking an electronic cigarette too much, the second ever recorded case of lung illness from the devices, the hospital treating him said Thursday.
Simple EMG classification can improve outcome of nerve transfer surgery
A study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) finds that electromyography (EMG) testing to determine the quality of donor nerves can improve the outcome of nerve transfer surgery to restore function in patients with a brachial plexus injury. EMG is a sophisticated test used to objectively measure muscle and nerve function.
Falls among elderly reduced by state program
A low-cost program reduced falls in the elderly by 17 percent statewide, illustrating the value and effectiveness of using existing aging services, such as senior centers, in preventing falls, a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study determined.
Mexican-Americans suffer worse outcomes after stroke
Mexican-Americans had worse neurologic, functional and cognitive outcomes 90 days after stroke compared to non-Hispanic whites, in a study reported in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Stroke survivors may lose month of healthy life for 15-minute delay in treatment
Every 15-minute delay in delivering a clot-busting drug after stroke robs survivors of about a month of disability-free life, according to a new study in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Microorganism shows promise in inhibiting thrush
Scientists at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center have discovered how the beneficial fungal yeast, Pichia, holds at bay a harmful fungal yeast, Candida. The hope for this finding is that components in Pichia could one day become therapeutic agents to stave off not only thrush, but also other life-threatening systemic fungal infections. Research findings about the effect of oral Pichia on Candida appear in the March 13 edition of PLOS Pathogens.
Cancer patients with insulin-treated diabetes have four times higher mortality
People who have diabetes at the time they are diagnosed with cancer are more likely to die early than those without diabetes, concludes research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes). The research is by Kristina Ranc, University of Copenhagen and Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark, and colleagues. The researchers conclude that patients with both diabetes and cancer constitute a particularly vulnerable group, and efforts are needed to reduce cancer-related mortality among these patients.
Halting immune response could save brain cells after stroke
A new study in animals shows that using a compound to block the body's immune response greatly reduces disability after a stroke.
Negative effects of joining a gang last long after gang membership ends
Imagine two children, both with the exact same risk factors for joining a gang. As teenagers, one joins a gang, the other doesn't. Even though the first teen eventually leaves the gang, years later he or she is not only at significantly higher risk of being incarcerated and receiving illegal income, but is also less likely to have finished high school and more likely to be in poor health, receiving government assistance or struggling with drug abuse.
New research reveals the secret to making a good first impression
How long do you have to make a good first impression? About half a second, new research has revealed. Scientists have discovered that humans make judgements on someone's trustworthiness within the first 500 milliseconds of hearing their voice.
CDC warns that gonorrhea on verge of being untreatable
(Medical Xpress)—The CDC has issued a report detailing its findings in attempting to trace the increasing difficulty in treating gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can cause severe discomfort, serious medical problems (such as sterility) for both genders and in very rare cases, death.
Forgetting is actively regulated
In order to function properly, the human brain requires the ability not only to store but also to forget: Through memory loss, unnecessary information is deleted and the nervous system retains its plasticity. A disruption of this process can lead to serious mental disorders. Basel scientists have now discovered a molecular mechanism that actively regulates the process of forgetting. The scientific journal Cell has published their results.
New view of tumors' evolution
Cancer cells undergo extensive genetic alterations as they grow and spread through the body. Some of these mutations, known as "drivers," help spur cells to grow out of control, while others ("passengers") are merely along for the ride.
Study links Africans' ability to digest milk to spread of cattle raising
Babies are born with the ability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk, but most humans lose this ability after infancy because of declining levels of the lactose-digesting enzyme lactase. People who maintain high levels of lactase reap the nutritive benefits of milk, however, offering a potential evolutionary advantage to lactase persistence, or what is commonly known as lactose tolerance.
Scientists catch brain damage in the act (w/ video)
Scientists have uncovered how inflammation and lack of oxygen conspire to cause brain damage in conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential to sensing joint position
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered an important mechanism underlying sensory feedback that guides balance and limb movements.
When big isn't better: How the flu bug bit Google
Numbers and data can be critical tools in bringing complex issues into crisp focus. The understanding of diseases, for example, benefits from algorithms that help monitor their spread. But without context, a number may just be a number, or worse, misleading.
Stirring the simmering 'designer baby' pot
From genetic and genomic testing to new techniques in human assisted reproduction, various technologies are providing parents with more of a say about the children they have and "stirring the pot of 'designer baby' concerns," writes Thomas H. Murray, President Emeritus of The Hastings Center, in a commentary in Science.
Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do
Your brain's ability to instantly link what you see with what you do is down to a dedicated information 'highway', suggests new UCL-led research.
Biology news
Heritable variation discovered in trout behaviour
Populations of endangered salmonids are supported by releasing large quantities of hatchery-reared fish, but the fisheries' catches have continued to decrease. Earlier research has shown that certain behavioural traits explain individual differences in how fish survive in the wild. A new Finnish study conducted on brown trout now shows that there are predictable individual differences in behavioural traits, like activity, tendency to explore new surroundings and stress tolerance. Furthermore, certain individual differences were observed to contain heritable components.
'Virtual fish' research aims to reduce the requirement for live animal testing
The effectiveness of 'virtual fish' in establishing the toxicity and concentration of man-made chemicals is to be investigated by biological scientists at Plymouth University in collaboration with multinational pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca.
Genetic languages guide the design of synthetic biological systems
(Phys.org) —Researchers at Virginia Tech and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have used a computer-aided design tool to create genetic languages to guide the design of biological systems.
Parasites in humans influence each other via shared food sources
Over 1,400 species of parasites – viruses, bacteria, fungi, intestinal worms and protozoa – are able to infect humans. In most cases, the right medicine against a parasite cures the patient. If he or she suffers from an infection by two or more species of parasite at the same time, however, it soon becomes more difficult to diagnose and treat. Medication can even exacerbate the medical condition if one pathogen is killed off but the second flourishes. One reason is the little-understood interactions between the parasites that reside in the same host.
Bighead carp evolve from 5 to 150 centimeters in 37 million years
During excavations in the open lignite-mining pit Na Duong in Vietnam, a joint team from the University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment Tübingen discovered the world's oldest bighead carp. With a length of only 5 centimeters, Planktophaga minuta is also the smallest known fossil representative of this East Asian group. Modern bighead carp are among the largest members of the carp family, reaching a length of up to 1.5 meters and a weight of 50 kilograms.
A novel battleground for plant-pathogen interactions
Scientists at The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, with collaborators at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois, have unveiled a new way in which plants perceive pathogens to activate immunity.
Fire-blight resistant apples
Researchers from ETH Zurich and the Julius Kühn Institute in Germany have created the first fire-blight-resistant apple. With the aid of so-called cis-genetic engineering, they transfered a resistance gene from a wild apple into the genome of a Gala apple. Tests in the greenhouse indicate that the gene is effective in protecting the tree against the disease.
Researchers suggest wild animals avoid power lines due to UV light emittance
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers from several institutions in the U.K. and Norway has published a paper in the journal Conservation Biology suggesting that the reason wild animals avoid power lines is because they are bothered by visible UV light. Humans cannot see UV light, and have thus been mystified as to why deer and other animals avoid power lines and the sometimes large frameworks that hold them.
'Velcro protein' found to play surprising role in cell migration
Studying epithelial cells, the cell type that most commonly turns cancerous, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that causes cells to release from their neighbors and migrate away from healthy mammary, or breast, tissue in mice. They also found that deletion of a cellular "Velcro protein" does not cause the single-celled migration expected. Their results, they say, help clarify the molecular changes required for cancer cells to metastasize.
Saving large carnivores in the ecosystem requires multifaceted approach
Carnivore management is not just a numbers game, Virginia Tech wildlife scientists assert in response to an article in the Jan. 10 issue of the journal Science that urged "minimum population densities be maintained for persistence of large carnivores, biodiversity, and ecosystem structure."
An equation to describe the competition between genes
In biology, scientists typically conduct experiments first, and then develop mathematical or computer models afterward to show how the collected data fit with theory. In his work, Rob Phillips flips that practice on its head. The Caltech biophysicist tackles questions in cellular biology as a physicist would—by first formulating a model that can make predictions and then testing those predictions. Using this strategy, Phillips and his group have recently developed a mathematical model that accounts for the way genes compete with each other for the proteins that regulate their expression.
Plant biology discovery furthers understanding of plant growth and development
Auxin, a small molecule, is a plant hormone discovered by Charles Darwin about 100 years ago. Over the years that followed it became understood to be the most important and versatile plant hormone controlling nearly all aspects of plant growth and development, such as bending of shoots toward the source of light (as discovered by Darwin), formation of new leaves, flowers, and roots, growth of roots, and gravity-oriented growth. Just how a small molecule like auxin could play such a pivotal role in plants baffled plant biologists for decades.
Unraveling a mystery in the 'histone code' shows how gene activity is inherited
Every cell in our body has exactly the same DNA, yet every cell is different. A cell's identity is determined by the subset of genes that it activates. But how does a cell know which genes to turn off and which to turn on? While the genetic code carried in our DNA provides instructions for cells to manufacture specific proteins, it is a second code that determines which genes are in fact activated in particular cell types.
More to biological diversity than meets the eye
Most of us already imagine the tropics as a place of diversity—a lush region of the globe teeming with a wide variety of exotic plants and animals. But for researchers Andrew Forbes and Marty Condon, there's even more diversity than meets the eye.
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