Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 14, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Last Week's Best—Quantum mechanics breakthrough, 3-D printed human heart, and paraplegia therapy- Lashing out at your spouse? Check your blood sugar
- Ferns borrowed genes to flourish in low light
- Researchers find that the extremes in Antarctic ozone holes have not been matched in the Arctic
- Switchable material could harness the power of the sun—even when it's not shining
- Babies prefer fairness—but only if it benefits them—in choosing a playmate (w/ video)
- Transplanting interneurons: Getting the right mix
- Land Rover demos invisible bonnet / car hood (w/ video)
- Device turns flat surface into spherical antenna
- Shiny quantum dots brighten future of solar cells
- MIT Transform project gives shape to human-object interplay
- Scientists gain new insight into mysterious electronic phenomenon
- Researchers develop single cell genomics technique to reverse engineer developing lung
- Symbiosis between beewolves and their protective bacteria originated millions of years ago, study shows
- Probing metal solidification nondestructively
Astronomy & Space news
Space station launch Monday despite dead computer (Update)
The International Space Station is about to get some fresh groceries and material for an urgent repair job.
Veggie will expand fresh food production on space station
A plant growth chamber bound for the International Space Station inside the Dragon capsule on the SpaceX-3 resupply mission may help expand in-orbit food production capabilities in more ways than one, and offer astronauts something they don't take for granted, fresh food.
SpaceX's Dragon headed to space station to create astronaut farmers
"Enter the Dragon" takes on a whole new meaning this month as SpaceX's Dragon capsule heads to the International Space Station for its third commercial resupply mission on April 14. During the SpaceX-3 mission, the Dragon capsule not only will deliver cargo to the orbiting laboratory, but it also will return science samples and hardware to Earth.
NASA's Orion spacecraft powers through first integrated system testing
(Phys.org) —NASA's Orion spacecraft has proven its mettle in a test designed to determine the spacecraft's readiness for its first flight test—Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1)—later this year. EFT-1 will send the spacecraft more than 3,600 miles from Earth and return it safely.
International Space Station to beam video via laser back to Earth
(Phys.org) —A team of about 20 working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., through the lab's Phaeton early-career-hire program, led the development of the Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) investigation, which is preparing for an April 14 launch to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. The goal? NASA's first optical communication experiment on the orbital laboratory.
Researchers use supercomputers to understand and predict signs of black holes swallowing stars
Somewhere out in the cosmos an ordinary galaxy spins, seemingly at slumber. Then all of a sudden, WHAM! A flash of light explodes from the galaxy's center. A star orbiting too close to the event horizon of the galaxy's central supermassive black hole has been torn apart by the force of gravity, heating up its gas and sending out a beacon to the far reaches of the universe.
Image: Multiple protostars within IRAS 20324+4057
(Phys.org) —A bright blue tadpole appears to swim through the inky blackness of space. Known as IRAS 20324+4057 but dubbed "the Tadpole", this clump of gas and dust has given birth to a bright protostar, one of the earliest steps in building a star.
Rocket leak delays space station delivery launch (Update)
A space station cargo ship will remain Earthbound for a while longer.
Technology news
Gaza cops trade bullets for laser-tech in training
Security forces in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip are using technology to practice shooting on laser simulators, saving money spent on ammunition in the cash-strapped Palestinian territory.
Fujitsu develops technology enabling high-speed search while accumulating data at 40-gbps
Fujitsu Laboratories announced the development of industry's first software technology that can perform high-speed searches on information even as it is being accumulated at a speed of 40-Gbps. While this has been difficult to do in the past without specialized network analysis hardware, Fujitsu Laboratories' new technology can be implemented entirely through software and conventional hardware.
Smart sensor technology to combat indoor air pollution
Indoor air quality (IAQ) influences the health and well-being of people but for the last 20 years there has been a growing concern about pollutants in closed environments, the difficulty in identifying them and their critical levels.
Twitter executives meet Turkish officials amid free speech row
Twitter executives met Turkish government officials for talks Monday amid accusations of tax evasion by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a row over content on the social media site.
Wash Post, Guardian share Pulitzer for NSA coverage (Update)
The Guardian and the Washington Post shared a Pulitzer Prize Monday for reporting on leaks from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that revealed a global surveillance network monitoring millions of Americans and foreigners.
Lions Gate partners with online outfit RocketJump
Another Hollywood studio is tying up with a video creator that has made it big on YouTube.
Uber meets local lookalikes in Asia taxi-app wars
Riding on its startup success and flush with fresh capital, taxi-hailing smartphone app Uber is making a big push into Asia. There's a twist, though: Instead of being the game-changing phenomena it was in the U.S., Uber faces a slew of competitors using similar technology.
Many home computer users "too lazy" to protect online security
Nicole Braun, who will be graduating in May with a PhD in Information Systems, set out to understand why many home users do not adequately protect themselves online, despite extensive media coverage about the risks.
Microscope camera to shed light how living cells behave
A powerful camera is being developed that will enable scientists to examine living cells in unprecedented detail.
Enabling dynamic prioritization of data in the cloud
IBM inventors have patented a cloud computing invention that can improve quality of service for clients by enabling data to be dynamically modified, prioritized and shared across a cloud environment.
Swedish city introduces payment by hand scanning
Hand scanning has become an alternative payment method for people in a city in southern Sweden, researchers at Lund University said Monday.
Invention loves collaboration at Milan show
Collaboration drove invention during Milan's annual International Furniture Show and collateral design week events, yielding the promise of homes without mobile phone chargers, and with more ergonomic seating, table settings fit for Italy's most demanding chefs and sculptures that double as furniture.
Twitter founders, CEO to keep shares after 'lockup'
Twitter co-founders Jack Dorsey and Evan Williams and chief executive Dick Costolo have no short-term plans to sell their shares in the social network, according to documents released Monday.
Netflix's Comcast deal improves quality of video
Netflix's videos are streaming through Comcast's Internet service at their highest speeds in the past 17 months now that Netflix is paying for a more direct connection to Comcast's network.
Google buys solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace
Google Monday announced that it is acquiring Titan Aerospace, a maker of solar-powered drones that could be used to boost Internet access to remote areas.
Using robots to study evolution
A new paper by OIST's Neural Computation Unit has demonstrated the usefulness of robots in studying evolution. Published in PLOS ONE, Stefan Elfwing, a researcher in Professor Kenji Doya's Unit, has successfully used a colony of rodent-like robots to watch different mating strategies evolve. The work not only generated interesting and unexpected results, but it has also helped validate the use of robots in the study of evolution.
A homemade solar lamp for developing countries
(Phys.org) —The solar lamp developed by the start-up LEDsafari is a more effective, safer, and less expensive form of illumination than the traditional oil lamp currently used by more than one billion people in the world. An integral part of this young start-up from Lausanne is an educational three-day workshop organized locally and led by globetrotters trained by the start-up to educate and train the beneficiaries.
Review: Siri-like Cortana fills Windows phone gap
"Yay, it's Nick! How can I help?" Thanks for asking, Cortana. And thanks for making the Windows phone software better, Microsoft.
18% of US Internet users had data stolen, survey finds
Some 18 percent of US Internet users have had important personal data such as bank account information stolen and the problem appears to be getting worse, a survey showed Monday.
Canadians' tax data stolen in Heartbleed breach
Personal data for as many as 900 Canadian taxpayers was stolen after being made vulnerable by the "Heartbleed" bug, officials in Ottawa said on Monday.
New design for mobile phone masts could cut carbon emissions
A breakthrough in the design of signal amplifiers for mobile phone masts could deliver a massive 200MW cut in the load on UK power stations, reducing CO2 emissions by around 0.5 million tonnes a year.
Study: Samsung phone durable, but iPhone has edge
Samsung's new Galaxy S5 smartphone is more durable than last year's model and other leading Android phones, but the iPhone 5s outperformed all of them in part because of its smaller size, a new study finds.
'Heartbleed' hits 1.5 million users of UK parenting website
British parenting website Mumsnet is the latest organisation to have been hacked due to the "Heartbleed" bug, founder Justine Roberts revealed on Monday.
MIT Transform project gives shape to human-object interplay
(Phys.org) —Making still objects come alive is more than poetic metaphor at the MIT Tangible Media Group. They have a project called Transform that seeks to turn a static furnishing into a dynamic stream of motion through human interplay. Their motion design is inspired by dynamic interactions among wind, water and sand in nature. Their work was shown at the Lexus Design Amazing exhibition in Milan this month.
Land Rover demos invisible bonnet / car hood (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —Land Rover has released a video demonstrating a part of its Discover Vision Concept—the invisible "bonnet" or as it's known in the U.S. the "hood" of the car. It's a concept the automaker is planning to show off at the New York International Auto Show later this month.
Medicine & Health news
S. Korea state insurer sues three tobacco makers
South Korea's state health insurer said Monday it had filed a lawsuit against three domestic and foreign tobacco makers, seeking damages of 53.7 billion won ($51.6 million) for payouts over smoking-related illnesses.
Preserving patients' sanity in the hospital
Last year, 62-year-old Mark Halliday, a student in the Master of Social Work program at Rutgers, was hospitalized with a diabetes-related leg infection. Within 24 hours Halliday's heart rhythm became irregular, he developed sepsis – an infection that spread throughout his body – and he wound up in intensive care, where he was intubated to help him breathe and sedated to make it all more tolerable.
Greater occupational therapy emphasis needed for palliative care patients
Local researchers are calling for a greater role for Occupational Therapists (OTs) in end-of-life palliative care in Western Australia.
Treatment of complex developmental trauma in children and youth
Children and adolescents in foster care and institutional settings often face complex developmental trauma related to multiple or continuous traumatic experiences. However, successful clinical interventions are difficult to implement because of barriers to accessibility, time constraints, insufficient diagnostic criteria, and other limitations. A new, open access study in Child & Youth Services explores the benefits of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), a program designed for caregivers working closely with traumatized children.
Guinea Ebola outbreak under control: foreign minister (Update)
Guinea's Foreign Minister Francois Fall said on Monday the west African country had brought the spread of the deadly Ebola virus under control after more than 100 people have died.
Foreigner dies of MERS in Saudi Arabia (Update)
A foreigner has died from MERS in the western Saudi city of Jeddah, where authorities have sought to calm fears over the spreading respiratory illness, the health ministry said Monday.
Report projects health care costs to dip slightly
A new government report says the Affordable Care Act's health insurance subsidies will cost a little less than previously thought.
Website information on colon cancer too complex, fails to address key concerns
Popular web information on colorectal cancer is too difficult for most lay people to read and doesn't address the appropriate risks to and concerns of patients, a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center gastroenterologists suggests.
Dozens of dead babies found in Brazil hospital horror
The bodies of 40 newborn babies and fetuses have been found abandoned in a Brazilian hospital morgue, some forgotten for years, authorities said Monday, comparing it to a horror movie.
Rare bone diseases and their dental, oral and craniofacial manifestations
The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published a paper titled "Rare Bone Diseases and Their Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Manifestations." The complete review by researchers Sunday O. Akintoye, Andrea B. Burke, Alison M. Boyce, Michael Collins, Brian L. Foster, Rachel I. Gafni, Janice S. Lee, Mary Scott Ramnitz, Martha J. Somerman and J. Timothy Wright is published in the OnlineFirst portion of the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research (JDR).
New study finds closing gap in diarrhea care of African children could save 20,000 lives
Young children suffering from diarrheal diseases are less likely to receive life-saving oral rehydration therapy (ORT) if they seek treatment at private, for-profit clinics, according to the first-ever, large-scale study of child diarrhea treatment practices in sub-Saharan Africa. The stark difference in treatment between public and private clinics may be unnecessarily costing tens of thousands of lives each year from diarrheal diseases that are effectively treatable with inexpensive oral rehydration salts, researchers conclude in the report, published online today in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
CBO: Deficits to drift lower on lower health costs
A congressional report predicts slightly smaller deficits both this year and over the coming decade, with lower spending on federal health care spending being the main reason.
Central Ohio mumps outbreak tops 200 cases
Public health officials say a mumps outbreak in central Ohio has grown to more than 200 confirmed cases.
Reduction in HPV in young women in England seen, following national immunization program
Each year around 2,000-2,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England, the most common cancer in women under 35. Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) types 16 and 18 is responsible for around 70-80% of cervical cancers. A study conducted by Public Health England and presented today at the Society for General Microbiology's Annual Conference shows a reduction in these two HR HPV types – which are included in the HPV vaccines used – in sexually active young women in England.
Young people with epilepsy significantly more at risk of injury
Children and young adults with epilepsy are more likely to suffer broken bones, burns and poisonings compared to those without the neurological disorder, new research has found.
Women who gain too much or too little weight during pregnancy at risk for having an overweight child
Gaining both too much or too little weight during pregnancy appears to increase the risk of having an overweight or obese child, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Empowerment program greatly decreases incidence of rape, study finds
A low-cost empowerment program for adolescent girls in Kenyan slums sharply curtails rape and sexual harassment of these girls, who live in an environment where women have low status and are frequently attacked, a large new study shows.
New clinical definition for epilepsy improves diagnosis accuracy
An expert task force has created a new definition for epilepsy that refines the scope of patients diagnosed with this brain disease. The study published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), provides a greater level of detail to diagnose epilepsy by including individuals with two unprovoked seizures, and those with one unprovoked seizure and other factors that increase risk of seizure recurrence.
Chemotherapy before or after surgery for high-risk bladder cancer improves survival, but is not routinely administered
Contrary to treatment guidelines for high-risk bladder cancer, chemotherapy before or after surgery is not commonly used in routine clinical practice. The findings are published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
Study supports detrimental effects of television viewing on sleep in young children
A study following more than 1,800 children from ages 6 months to nearly 8 years found a small but consistent association between increased television viewing and shorter sleep duration. The presence of a television in the room where a child sleeps also was associated with less sleep, particularly in minority children. Investigators from MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) report their results – the first to examine the connection between television and sleep duration over several years – in the May issue of Pediatrics.
Glaucoma can actually be the diabetes of the brain, say researchers
Researchers at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, Delhi, India have proposed a new mechanism of glaucoma suggesting that diabetes can occur in the brain and may be the cause of many neurodegenerative disorders including glaucoma. Muneeb Faiq and his co-investigators at All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research have attempted to explain the secrets of this disorder through their new theory which may open door for a new era of research on this disease and other related disease of the eyes and brain. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversibly blinding disorders and affects millions worldwide. There is no known cure for glaucoma. The disease is considered as one of the most complex human diseases.
Longer nurse tenure on hospital units leads to higher quality care
When it comes to the cost and quality of hospital care, nurse tenure and teamwork matters. Patients get the best care when they are treated in units that are staffed by nurses who have extensive experience in their current job, according to a study from researchers at Columbia University School of Nursing and Columbia Business School. The study was published in the current issue of the American Economics Journal: Applied Economics.
Confirmation of the neurobiological origin of attention-deficit disorder
A study, carried out on mice, has just confirmed the neurobiological origin of attention-deficit disorder (ADD), a syndrome whose causes are poorly understood. Researchers from CNRS, the University of Strasbourg and INSERM have identified a cerebral structure, the superior colliculus, where hyperstimulation causes behavior modifications similar to those of some patients who suffer from ADD. Their work also shows noradrenaline accumulation in the affected area, shedding light on this chemical mediator having a role in attention disorders. These results are published in the journal Brain Structure and Function.
Congressional report presses for e-cigarette rules
A new Congressional report says concerns about electronic cigarettes underscore the need to regulate the fast-growing industry.
Electronic "safety net" for medical tests delivers positive results
(Medical Xpress)—In a step forward for patient safety, UNSW research has shown that a new electronic "safety net" for medical tests has had significant success, with no results going missing under the new system.
Help for seniors battling depression
(Medical Xpress)—Three years ago Evelyn Burns-Weinrib attempted suicide. She was 78 years old.
A stable model for an unstable target
A study in The Journal of General Physiology provides new insights about singlet oxygen and sets the stage for better understanding of this highly reactive and challenging substance.
Regenerating muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Age matters
A team of scientists led by Pier Lorenzo Puri, M.D., associate professor at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham), in collaboration with Fondazione Santa Lucia in Rome, Italy, have published details of how a class of drugs called "HDACis" drive muscle-cell regeneration in the early stages of dystrophic muscles, but fail to work in late stages. The findings are key to furthering clinical development of HDACis for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an incurable muscle-wasting disease.
Small retail grocers, improved transit might be key to shrinking 'food deserts'
Food deserts—a term used for geographical areas where healthy food is inaccessible or prohibitively expensive—are connected to high rates of obesity and diet-related diseases. A new University of Georgia study says that smaller and mid-sized retail stores may be the best solution to shrinking these deserts.
Skate parks get a good behaviour tick
If you think kids at skate parks are likely to be getting up to no good, think again.
New potential treatment opportunities for leukemia patients
(Medical Xpress)—The long-term survival of people suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) could be increased with the development of new therapeutic strategies.
The negative effect of period pain is greater than you think
(Medical Xpress)—Menstrual pain causes regular suffering for many women, and its effects are often overlooked and poorly understood, according to pain psychologists.
Low birth weight, less breastfeeding create later health risks
Lower weight babies and babies who aren't breastfed or not breastfed for long are at greater risk of developing chronic inflammation and related health problems later in life, according to a new study.
Study links domestic abuse to mental health problems in new mothers
A new study shows that domestic abuse is closely linked to postpartum mental health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in mothers. The research also found that specific types of abuse are associated with specific mental health problems. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University, Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.
Study identifies a likely key driver of colorectal cancer development and progression
A new study identifies a molecule that is a probable driving force in colorectal cancer and suggests that the molecule could be an important target for colorectal cancer treatment and a valuable biomarker of tumor progression.
Young dads at high risk of depression, too
Depression can hit young fathers hard—with symptoms increasing dramatically during some of the most important years of their children's lives, a new Northwestern Medicine study has found.
Pharmacists can significantly improve blood pressure, cholesterol in stroke patients
Stroke patients managed by a pharmacist had a 12.5% improvement in blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol levels compared with a control group, according to a clinical trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Antibiotics alone are a successful treatment for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in kids
Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery that leads to less pain and fewer missed school days, according to a pilot study. The research, led by a team at Nationwide Children's Hospital and published online April 12 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, is the first prospective study on nonoperative management of acute appendicitis in pediatric patients in the United States.
Irrational health beliefs linked to skipping cardiac rehab sessions
Heart patients with beliefs about health that aren't based on medical evidence are more likely to skip sessions of cardiac rehabilitation, new research suggests.
Osteoporosis drugs appear to impede cell membrane repair
A class of drugs widely used to treat osteoporosis appears to impede a cell's ability to repair a protective outer membrane that helps determine what enters and exits, researchers report.
Dietary supplement use among US adults more prevalent than previously thought
Dietary supplement use by U.S. adults is more prevalent than indicated by published data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), according to a new article in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of Nutrition (JACN). The review article is based on five consecutive years of online market research studies, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
Long-term antibiotic treatment for Q fever causes weight gain
Scientists have unearthed still more evidence that antibiotics can contribute to obesity. Research published ahead of print in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy suggests that patients on long-term antibiotic treatment gained weight and had significant changes in their gut microbiota.
'MicroRNA' could be key target for bowel cancer treatment
Scientists found that the molecule, called microRNA 135b, is a vital 'worker' employed by several important cancer genes to drive the growth of bowel cancers.
US lawmakers: No e-cigarette sales or ads to youths
US lawmakers want electronic cigarettes to be treated just like tobacco products when it comes to barring the sales and marketing of the controversial devices to children.
Blood clue to prostate cancer recurrence
Men with blood group O are far less likely to suffer a recurrence of cancer after prostate tumour surgery than men with other blood types, researchers reported on Monday.
Shared decision making improves patient satisfaction during radiation therapy
Taking an active role in their radiation treatment decisions leaves cancer patients feeling more satisfied with their care, and may even relieve psychological distress around the experience, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report in the journal Cancer.
Researchers identify children with emotional behavior difficulties
Research on children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in South Africa may provide insight on how to identify and help children with emotional behavior issues in other areas of the world, which may have limited access to healthcare and further research that could lead to successful interventions.
Dog ownership benefits families of children with autism, researcher finds
Many families face the decision of whether to get a dog. For families of children with autism, the decision can be even more challenging. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has studied dog ownership decisions in families of children with autism and found, regardless of whether they owned dogs, the parents reported the benefits of dog ownership included companionship, stress relief and opportunities for their children to learn responsibility.
Henry Ford Hospital hits new heart valve surgery milestone
Doctors at Henry Ford Hospital reached a medical milestone April 3, performing the 25th successful transcatheter valve replacement using a novel way to access the heart.
Plague alters cell death to kill host
Northwestern Medicine scientists are continuing to unravel the molecular changes that underlie one of the world's deadliest and most infamous respiratory infections.
Study links severe sleep apnea to increased risk of stroke, cancer and death
A new study shows that moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with an increased risk of stroke, cancer and death.
Pelvic exercises may help HIS sex life
(HealthDay)—Pelvic exercises can benefit men with chronic premature ejaculation, according to a new study.
Gene panels may be useful, cheaper alternative to whole-genome sequencing, study finds
As many as 10 percent of women with a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer have at least one genetic mutation that, if known, would prompt their doctors to recommend changes in their care, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Seniors and sleeping pills: Empowered patients choose wisely
The US Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act encourages patients to act as their own advocates for reducing unnecessary prescriptions that increase the risk of harm. The American Board of Internal Medicine Choosing Wisely campaign echoes this message by asking older adults to refrain from using sleeping pills. According to the American Geriatrics Society, these medicines have been linked to memory problems, falls, fractures and motor vehicle accidents. "Many people believe that involving patients in the decision to curtail medical treatments is expecting too much," says Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Pharmacy Research Chair and geriatrician at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal and professor at the University of Montreal. "On the contrary: we now have evidence that patients who are better informed make smarter choices."
Study ties antidepressant use in pregnancy to autism risk in boys
(HealthDay)—Boys with autism were three times more likely to have been exposed to antidepressants known as SSRIs in the womb than typically developing children, according to new research.
As african ebola outbreak spreads, hopes for vaccine remain years away
(HealthDay)—As a major outbreak of deadly Ebola virus spreads through the West African nations of Guinea and Liberia, public health officials are struggling to contain the horror-movie pathogen before it slips into neighboring countries.
Crankier babies may get more TV time
(HealthDay)—Fussy and demanding babies are likely to spend slightly more time plopped in front of a TV or computer screen when they're toddlers than are "easier" babies, new research finds.
Video-based info increases men's skin health awareness
(HealthDay)—Exposure to video-based education increases men's skin awareness and attendance at whole-body clinical skin examinations (CSEs), according to a study published in the April issue of JAMA Dermatology.
AAFP provides tips to address patients' vaccine concerns
(HealthDay)—Physicians remain the biggest influence on whether patients get vaccinated, and must be prepared to address patients' reservations, according to an article published in the March/April issue of Family Practice Management.
Serum potassium levels linked to long-term mortality post-MI
(HealthDay)—For patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), serum potassium levels are associated with long-term mortality risk, according to a study published in the April 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Boston-area researchers develop new delirium severity measure for older adults
A new method for measuring delirium severity in older adults has been developed by researchers from Harvard, Brown, and UMASS. The new scoring system, CAM-S, is based on the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and standardizes the measurement of delirium severity for both clinical and research uses. Details of this study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Gene variant puts women at higher risk of Alzheimer's than it does men, study finds
Carrying a copy of a gene variant called ApoE4 confers a substantially greater risk for Alzheimer's disease on women than it does on men, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Everest trek shows how some people get type 2 diabetes
Scientists have gained new insights into the molecular process of how some people get type II diabetes, which could lead to new ways of preventing people from getting the condition.
Chinese herbal remedy as good as methotrexate for treating rheumatoid arthritis
A traditional Chinese herbal remedy used to relieve joint pain and inflammation works as well as methotrexate, a standard drug treatment that is frequently prescribed to control the symptoms of active rheumatoid arthritis, reveals research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Study says we're over the hill at 24
(Medical Xpress)—It's a hard pill to swallow, but if you're over 24 years of age you've already reached your peak in terms of your cognitive motor performance, according to a new Simon Fraser University study.
New finding suggests a way to block stress' damage
Ketamine, an anesthetic sometimes abused as a street drug, increases the synaptic connections between brain cells and in low doses acts as a powerful antidepressant, Yale researchers have found. However, stress has the opposite effect, shrinking the number of synaptic spines, triggering depression.
A single switch dictates severity of epileptic seizures, researchers find
A switch in the brain of people with epilepsy dictates whether their seizures will be relatively mild or lead to a dangerous and debilitating loss of consciousness, Yale researchers have found.
Brain activity may mark the beginning of memories
By tracking brain activity when an animal stops to look around its environment, neuroscientists at the Johns Hopkins University believe they can mark the birth of a memory.
Transplanting interneurons: Getting the right mix
(Medical Xpress)—Despite early optimistic studies, the promise of curing neurological conditions using transplants remains unfulfilled. While researchers have exhaustively cataloged different types of cells in the brain, and also the largely biochemical issues underlying common diseases, neural repair shops are still a ways off. Fortunately, significant progress is being made towards identifying the broader operant principles that might bear on any one disease work-around. A review just published in Science focuses on recent work on transplanting interneurons—a diverse family of cells united by their mutual love of inhibition and their local loyalty. The UCLA-based authors, reach the conclusion that the fate of transplanted neurons ultimately depends less on the influences of the new host environment, and more on the early upbringing of the cells within the donor embryo.
Babies prefer fairness—but only if it benefits them—in choosing a playmate (w/ video)
A couple of years ago a University of Washington researcher who studies how children develop social behaviors like kindness and generosity noticed something odd. The 15-month-old infants in her experiments seemed to be playing favorites among the researchers on her team, being more inclined to share toys or play with some researchers than others.
Lashing out at your spouse? Check your blood sugar
Lower levels of blood sugar may make married people angrier at their spouses and even more likely to lash out aggressively, new research reveals.
Biology news
Fur flies as US gets to grips with feral cats
It's Friday night in Eckington, a quiet residential corner of Washington, and the back alley is crawling with feral cats—rich pickings for seasoned cat-trapper Marty King.
Keep cats away from Easter lilies
Emergency Room veterinarians at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University are warning pet owners that Easter lilies can cause kidney failure – and often death – in otherwise healthy cats. Tiger lilies, Japanese Show lilies and various day lilies can also harm cats in the same way.
Genetically modified tobacco plants as an alternative for producing bioethanol
Tobacco, a high-density crop which is mown several times throughout its cycle, can produce as much as 160 tonnes of fresh matter per hectare and become a source of biomass suitable for producing bioethanol. As Jon Veramendi, head of the plant Agrobiotechnology research group, explained, "tobacco plants as a source of biomass for producing bioethanol could be an alternative to traditional tobacco growing which is in decline in the USA and in Europe because it cannot compete with emerging countries like China".
Efficient analysis of small quantity of cells improves chances to understand disease
For more than a decade Chang Lu, associate professor of chemical engineering at Virginia Tech, has worked on the development of tools to efficiently analyze living cells. The long-term goal is to gain a better understanding of a range of diseases.
Japan says no decision on 2015-16 whaling
Japan on Monday insisted it had made no decision on whether to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean next year, after a militant environmental group said Tokyo intended to evade an international court ruling.
Poplars designed for deconstruction: A major boon to biofuels
(Phys.org) —What began 20 years ago as an innovation to improve paper industry processes and dairy forage digestibility may now open the door to a much more energy- and cost-efficient way to convert biomass into fuel.
Wolves at the door: Study finds recent wolf-dog hybridization in Caucasus region
Dog owners in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia might want to consider penning up their dogs more often: hybridization of wolves with shepherd dogs might be more common, and more recent, than previously thought, according to a recently published study in the Journal of Heredity.
On the trail of fire ant pheromones
The painful sting of the red imported fire ant is not easily forgotten. Delivered in large numbers, the stings can kill small animals. Humans that develop hypersensitivity to the ants' venom are at risk as well.
Researchers identify terrain likely to attract wasting disease-infected deer
(Phys.org) —A study of the spread of chronic wasting disease among white-tailed deer in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania found that infected deer tend to cluster in low-lying open and developed areas. These results suggest that state wildlife management agencies should concentrate surveillance efforts in such topography and landscapes, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Beneficial organisms react differently to parasite drug
The substance ivermectin has been used for more than thirty years all over the world to combat parasites like roundworms, lice and mites in humans, livestock and pets. The active ingredient belongs to the chemical group of avermectins, which generally disrupt cell transport and thus attack pests. When ivermectin is excreted in the faeces of treated animals, at overly high doses it also harms dung-degrading beneficial insects like dung beetles and dung flies. This impairs the functioning of the ecosystem. In extreme cases the dung is not decomposed and the pasture is destroyed.
New research makes migrant species a conservation priority
Global conservation could be bolstered by new research that maps migratory species' impacts on eco-systems, food web dynamics and community processes.
Three new species of yellow-shouldered bats discovered in museum collections
Scientists at Chicago's Field Museum and international collaborators have reconstructed the phylogeny and biological history for the Yellow-shouldered bats in the New World tropics, the region of the Earth surrounding the equator. In-depth analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences uncovered three species new to science, each having previously been confused with another species. Since 1960, when modern studies on this group began, Sturnira has grown from eight species to 22. The newest additions were described in a new study, published online in ZooKeys.
Disease threatens world's bananas, says UN
The United Nations warned on Monday of the potential "massive destruction" of the world's $5.0-billion (3.6-billion euro) a year banana crop as a plant disease spreads from Asia to Africa and the Middle East.
Making dams safer for fish around the world
Think of the pressure change you feel when an elevator zips you up multiple floors in a tall building. Imagine how you'd feel if that elevator carried you all the way up to the top of Mt. Everest – in the blink of an eye.
Bizarre parasite may provide cuttlefish clues
(Phys.org) —University of Adelaide research into parasites of giant Australian cuttlefish, and other related species, has uncovered details of the parasites' astonishing life cycles, and shown how they may help in investigating populations of their hosts.
Cod may serenade females with rhythmic grunts
Male cod may 'sing' to females during mating, suggests a new study investigating the sounds cod and pollack produce during the spawning season.
Does germ plasm accelerate evolution?
Scientists at The University of Nottingham have published research in the leading academic journal Science that challenges a long held belief about the way certain species of vertebrates evolved.
Researchers describe four new species of 'killer sponges' from the deep sea
Killer sponges sound like creatures from a B-grade horror movie. In fact, they thrive in the lightless depths of the deep sea. Scientists first discovered that some sponges are carnivorous about 20 years ago. Since then only seven carnivorous species have been found in all of the northeastern Pacific. A new paper authored by MBARI marine biologist Lonny Lundsten and two Canadian researchers describes four new species of carnivorous sponges living on the deep seafloor, from the Pacific Northwest to Baja California.
Scientists pinpoint when harmless bacteria became flesh-eating monsters
Bacterial diseases cause millions of deaths every year. Most of these bacteria were benign at some point in their evolutionary past, and we don't always understand what turned them into disease-causing pathogens. In a new study, researchers have tracked down when this switch happened in a flesh-eating bacteria. They think the knowledge might help predict future epidemics.
Researchers develop single cell genomics technique to reverse engineer developing lung
Consider the marvel of the embryo. It begins as a glob of identical cells that change shape and function as they multiply to become the cells of our lungs, muscles, nerves and all the other specialized tissues of the body.
Ferns borrowed genes to flourish in low light
During the age of the dinosaurs, the arrival of flowering plants as competitors could have spelled doom for the ancient fern lineage. Instead, ferns diversified and flourished under the new canopy—using a mysterious gene that helped them adapt to low-light environments.
Symbiosis between beewolves and their protective bacteria originated millions of years ago, study shows
Like humans, many animals depend on beneficial microbes for survival. Although such symbioses can persist for millions of years, the factors maintaining their long-term stability remain, in most cases, unknown. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Regensburg, in collaboration with researchers in the USA, now discovered that certain wasps tightly control mother-to-offspring transmission of their bacterial symbionts. This stabilizes the symbiotic alliance and contributed to its persistence over the past 68-110 million years.
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