Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 22, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Bright lights, small crystals: Scientists use nanoparticles to capture images of single molecules- Low-cost 3D printed hand suits man for daily needs (w/ video)
- Teens who gain pleasure from helping others could be less prone to depression, research shows
- Unique pair of supermassive black holes in an ordinary galaxy discovered
- Researchers achieve higher solar-cell efficiency with zinc-oxide coating
- Volitional control from optical signals
- Engineering students invent virtual fitting room for online shoppers (w/ video)
- High-performance, low-cost ultracapacitors built with graphene and carbon nanotubes
- Rainbow trout genome sequenced
- Mantis shrimp stronger than airplanes
- Mysteries of nearby planetary system's dynamics solved
- Study shows rhesus monkeys able to add numbers together for a reward
- Like a hall of mirrors, nanostructures trap photons inside ultrathin solar cells (w/ Video)
- Til' death do us part – in the plant world
- Cloaked DNA nanodevices survive pilot mission
Astronomy & Space news
Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) launched to space station
When the SpaceX-3 cargo resupply mission launched to the International Space Station April 18, an experiment designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., was among the cargo headed to space.
The Lyrids meteor shower should put on a show overnight
If you're willing to rise early tomorrow morning then there's the chance to see a meteor shower, known as the Lyrids, which may been responsible for a bright light seen recently over Russia.
Image: X-raying the cosmos
When we gaze up at the night sky, we are only seeing part of the story. Unfortunately, some of the most powerful and energetic events in the Universe are invisible to our eyes – and to even the best optical telescopes.
Previewing the bizzare April 29th solar eclipse
Will anyone see next week's solar eclipse? On April 29th, an annular solar eclipse occurs over a small D-shaped 500 kilometre wide region of Antarctica.
How far are the planets from the Sun?
The eight planets in our solar system each occupy their own orbits around the Sun. They orbit the star in ellipses, which means their distance to the sun varies depending on where they are in their orbits. When they get closest to the Sun, it's called perihelion, and when it's farthest away, it's called aphelion.
Red stars and big bulges: How black holes shape galaxies
(Phys.org) —The universe we can see is made up of billions of galaxies, each containing anywhere from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of billions of stars. Large numbers of galaxies are elliptical in shape, red and mostly made up of old stars. Another (more familiar) type is the spiral, where arms wind out in a blue thin disk from a central red bulge. On average stars in spiral galaxies tend to be much younger than those in ellipticals.
Mysteries of nearby planetary system's dynamics solved
Mysteries of one of the most fascinating nearby planetary systems now have been solved, report authors of a scientific paper to be published by the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in its early online edition on 22 April 2014. The study, which presents the first viable model for the planetary system orbiting one the first stars discovered to have planets—the star named 55 Cancri—was led by Penn State University graduate student Benjamin Nelson in collaboration with faculty at the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds at Penn State and five astronomers at other institutions in the United States and Germany.
Unique pair of supermassive black holes in an ordinary galaxy discovered
(Phys.org) —A pair of supermassive black holes in orbit around one another have been discovered by an international research team including Stefanie Komossa from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany. This is the first time such a pair could be found in an ordinary galaxy. They were discovered because they ripped apart a star when ESA's space observatory XMM-Newton happened to be looking in their direction.
Technology news
Communities can drive urgent switch to clean energy
Australia will continue to lag behind countries like the United States and Germany in heeding the UN's latest call to urgently switch to clean sources of energy unless the burgeoning community energy sector is allowed to thrive, according to a UTS researcher.
NIST removes cryptography algorithm from random number generator recommendations
Following a public comment period and review, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has removed a cryptographic algorithm from its draft guidance on random number generators. Before implementing the change, NIST is requesting final public comments on the revised document, Recommendation for Random Number Generation Using Deterministic Random Bit Generators (NIST Special Publication 800-90A, Rev. 1).
Comcast 1Q earns beat Street on upbeat NBC result
Comcast's first-quarter net income rose by nearly a third as ad revenue surged at broadcast network NBC, helped by the Winter Olympics in Sochi and Jimmy Fallon's elevation as host of "The Tonight Show."
'Russian Facebook' founder flees country after being pushed out (Update)
The maverick founder of Russia's top social network, Pavel Durov, said Tuesday he had fled the country after selling his share in the company under pressure from the security services.
AT&T earnings unchanged, but revenue grows in 1Q
AT&T says its first quarter earnings were unchanged from the first three months of last year, but revenue grew as the wireless business added more than 1 million subscribers.
Netflix poised to raise prices after strong 1Q (Update 2)
Netflix is preparing a sequel unlikely to be a hit with its subscribers. The Internet video service is about to raise its prices for the first time in three years to help pay for more Internet video programming such as its popular political drama "House of Cards."
Streaming TV case before Supreme Court on Tuesday
The U.S. Supreme Court is taking up a dispute between broadcasters and an Internet startup company that has the potential to bring big changes to the television industry.
Computer-assisted accelerator design
Stephen Brooks uses his own custom software tool to fire electron beams into a virtual model of proposed accelerator designs for eRHIC. The goal: Keep the cost down and be sure the beams will circulate in this proposed next-generation machine.
Solar research group on quest for affordable solar fuels (w/ video)
Solar panels are becoming a familiar site in communities across the United States, but what about solar fuels? A solar fuel is produced from sunlight through artificial photosynthesis, mimicking what Mother Nature has been doing for billions of years. Many chemists and chemical engineers are working to make solar fuels a viable option in the future. In fact, there's even a worldwide "Solar Army" on the job, and California Institute of Technology chemistry professor Harry Gray is known as their commanding general!
A smart prosthetic knee with in-vivo diagnoses
The task was to develop intelligent prosthetic joints that, via sensors, are capable of detecting early failure long before a patient suffers. EPFL researchers have taken up the challenge.
Material scientist exploring ways to improve efficiency of solar cells
Sunlight is the earth's most abundant source of energy and if harvested efficiently could be a source of clean, unlimited, renewable energy. According to the United States Department of Energy, world demand for energy is projected to more than double by 2050 and to more than triple by the end of the century. Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity and have tremendous potential to help meet the world's future energy needs but the cost and efficiency of current solar cells hinders them from being a feasible mainstream source of energy.
Google challenges nonprofits on ideas to use Glass
Google has a challenge for U.S. nonprofits.
Full power: Alternative energy partnerships flourish in Asia
As President Barack Obama begins a trip to Asia to coordinate with allies and reconfirm America's strategic pivot to the Pacific, officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) emphasized today the Asia-Pacific Technology and Education Partnership (APTEP) as an example of strong and growing ties between the United States and its allies in the region.
AT&T joins crowded field with online video plans
AT&T and an investment firm run by former News Corp. executive Peter Chernin have formed an online video venture that could rival Netflix and Hulu.
Top US court wrestles with TV, copyright and 'cloud' (Update)
A startup that threatens to shake up the television industry with mini antennas for Internet viewing and recording was the object of heated debate Tuesday at the US Supreme Court.
Bloomberg invests $5M in solar-powered lamp
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's foundation has announced a $5 million investment in an artsy-looking solar-powered lamp designed for use in off-grid populations in Africa.
Old tires become material for new and improved roads
(Phys.org) —Americans generate nearly 300 million scrap tires every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Historically, these worn tires often end up in landfills or, when illegally dumped, become breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents. They also pose a potential fire hazard.
Tesla delivers first China cars, plans expansion
Tesla Motors Inc. delivered its first eight electric sedans to customers in China on Tuesday and CEO Elon Musk said the company will build a nationwide network of charging stations and service centers as fast as it can.
Carnegie Mellon system lets iPad users explore data with their fingers
Spreadsheets may have been the original killer app for personal computers, but data tables don't play to the strengths of multi-touch devices such as tablets. So researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a visualization approach that allows people to explore complex data with their fingers.
Research shows impact of Facebook unfriending
Two studies from the University of Colorado Denver are shedding new light on the most common type of `friend' to be unfriended on Facebook and their emotional responses to it.
Cyber risks can cause disruption on scale of 2008 crisis, study says
Organisations must dramatically improve their response to cyber risks to avoid a new global shock on the scale of the financial crisis that rocked the world in 2008, a study showed Tuesday.
Low-cost 3D printed hand suits man for daily needs (w/ video)
(Phys.org)—Jose Delgado, Jr., a 53-year-old man born without most of his left hand, has given positive feedback about a $50 3D prosthetic hand. He talked about all it can help him do in a video that was presented by the person who helped make the hand. Delgado's account, praising the hand for enabling good day to day functionality, made the rounds of tech sites this week. The story drew interest not only because this is a 3D-printed prosthesis but also because he said that, in a number of ways, he liked it better than his $42K myoelectric prosthesis. (A myoelectric-controlled prosthesis is an artificial limb that you control with the electrical signals generated naturally by your own muscles.) Delgado's myoelectric hand tapped into muscle signals on his arm to trigger the closing or opening of the fingers.
Engineering students invent virtual fitting room for online shoppers (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —One blessing of the Internet: shopping conveniently online for clothes. One curse of the Internet: shopping conveniently online for clothes.
Medicine & Health news
Eli Lilly to buy part of Novartis for $5.4 bn
US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to acquire the animal health division of Novartis of Switzerland for $5.4 billion (3.9 billion euros).
Saudi Arabia reports two more deaths from MERS virus
Saudi Arabia's health ministry says two more patients who contracted a potentially fatal Middle East virus related to SARS have died as the kingdom detected 17 new cases of the disease.
Indigenous elders speak out on tragic self-harm and suicide epidemic
Thirty-one Elders and community representatives from 17 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia have contributed to a powerful report into self-harm and suicide in which they offer ways in which to address the tragedy.
Valeant, Ackman make $45.6B Allergan bid
Valeant Pharmaceuticals and activist investor Bill Ackman have unveiled details of their offer to buy Botox maker Allergan, proposing a cash-and-stock deal that could be worth about $45.6 billion.
Drug-related morbidity in more than ten percent of adults
Twelve percent of adults in Sweden have diseases related to their use of medicines. But in four cases of ten it would have been possible to avoid the undesired effects. These are the conclusions of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
Routine blood glucose measurements can accurately estimate hemoglobin A1c in diabetes
Hemoglobin A1c is the standard measurement for assessing glycemic control over time in people with diabetes. Blood levels of A1c are typically measured every few months in a laboratory, but now researchers have developed a data-based model that accurately estimates A1c using self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) readings, as described in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (DTT).
US medical innovation needs smarter incentives to cut health spending, study finds
To help rein in massive health care spending, a new RAND study concludes that U.S. policy makers should urgently find ways to incentivize pharmaceutical companies and device makers to develop products that produce more value.
Grant for research that could lead to new therapies for Parkinson's Disease
A team of scientists led by researchers at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, has received a grant from the Medical Research Council (MRC) for work which could lead to new and effective therapies for those with Parkinson's Disease.
Turoctocog alfa in patients with hemophilia A: Added benefit not proven
Turoctocog alfa (trade name: NovoEight) has been approved since November 2013 for the prevention and treatment of bleeding in patients with haemophilia A. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether this new active ingredient offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.
AMP publishes curriculum recommendations for medical laboratory scientists
The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) released a report today in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics on recommendations for a molecular diagnostics curriculum at both the baccalaureate and master's levels of education. The report was prepared by the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) Curriculum Task Force of the AMP Training and Education Committee. "Our goal was to address the critical need of educating future medical laboratory scientists appropriately in order to manage the rapidly growing and changing realm of molecular diagnostic testing," said Sara Taylor, PhD, Task Force Co-Chair and a first author on the paper.
Amgen misses 1Q views as higher costs cut profit
Despite higher sales, biotech drugmaker Amgen's first-quarter profit fell 25 percent as production and research costs rose sharply, while the year-ago quarter enjoyed a tax benefit. The company badly missed Wall Street's expectations for both earnings per share and revenue, sending down its shares.
Pre-HPV vaccine, most oropharyngeal cancers HPV+
(HealthDay)—Most oropharyngeal cancers in the United States diagnosed between 1995 and 2005 were positive for human papillomavirus (HPV), specifically HPV 16 or 18, according to a study published in the May issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome: Study IDs surgical patients at risk
Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a leading cause of respiratory failure after surgery. Patients who develop the lung disorder postoperatively are at higher risk of dying in the hospital, and those who survive the syndrome may still bear its physical effects years later. A Mayo Clinic-led study is helping physicians better identify patients most at risk, the first step toward preventing this dangerous and costly surgical complication. They found nine independent risk factors, including sepsis, high-risk aortic vascular surgery, high-risk cardiac surgery, emergency surgery, cirrhosis of the liver, and admission to the hospital from a location other than home, such as a nursing home.
CT measures potentially dangerous arterial plaque in diabetic patients
Imaging of the coronary arteries with computed tomography (CT) angiography provides an accurate assessment of arterial plaque and could have a dramatic impact on the management of diabetic patients who face a high risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events, according to a new multicenter study published online in the journal Radiology.
Cyramza approved for stomach cancer
(HealthDay)—Cyramza (ramucirumab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer of the stomach or of the area where the esophagus joins the stomach (the gastroesophageal junction).
Start tornado preparation now, expert advises
(HealthDay)—Tornado season is here, and it's important to have an emergency plan in case your home is threatened, an expert says.
New muscular dystrophy drug's chances for approval improve
(HealthDay)—A new drug to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy may be closer to becoming the first approved treatment for the disease.
Task force recommends ways to improve price transparency
(HealthDay)—Price transparency frameworks, which provide price information presented in the context of other relevant information, should be developed to meet patients' needs, according to recommendations presented in a report from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Primary care doctors must influence lifestyle changes
(HealthDay)—Primary care physicians (PCPs) are increasingly called upon to manage circulatory and circulatory-related diseases among their patients, according to an article published April 10 in Medical Economics.
No connection between induced labor, autism
(HealthDay)—There is no connection between inducing labor in childbirth and autism, according to a new statement released Monday by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
First brain images of African infants enable research into cognitive effects of nutrition
Brain activity of babies in developing countries could be monitored from birth to reveal the first signs of cognitive dysfunction, using a new technique piloted by a London-based university collaboration.
Sleep disorder linked to brain disease
Researchers at the University of Toronto say a sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams is the best current predictor of brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Multiple sclerosis: A review of current treatments for physicians
A review of the literature on treating multiple sclerosis (MS) aims to provide physicians with evidence-based information on the latest treatments for this chronic disease. The article, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) looks at the latest pharmacologic research as well as disease-modifying agents and the benefits and risks of various treatments.
Almost one-third of Canadian adults have experienced child abuse
Almost one-third of adults in Canada have experienced child abuse—physical abuse, sexual abuse or exposure to intimate partner (parents, step-parents or guardians) violence in their home. As well, child abuse is linked to mental disorders and suicidal ideation (thoughts) or suicide attempts, found an article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Health-care aid for developing countries boosts life expectancy, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—Foreign aid for health care is directly linked to an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in child mortality in developing countries, according to a new study by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.
First findings of virtual reality exposure therapy for PTSD
(Medical Xpress)—A randomized controlled clinical trial of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found that shorter doses of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) reduces PTSD diagnoses and symptoms. The study was published in the April 18, 2014 online edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
The ABC's of managing your medications
If you take several prescription medications, over-the-counter products, or herbal supplements for various medical conditions, it can be difficult to manage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 82 percent of American adults take at least one medication and 29 percent take five or more medications.
Childhood obesity survey finds creative solutions
(Medical Xpress)—Ask public officials, as Cornell social scientists did: What's to be done about childhood obesity? Creative solutions, as it turns out, outnumber lame excuses.
Pregnancy risk may be higher with newer method of female sterilization
(Medical Xpress)—Women who used a new method of sterilization called hysteroscopic sterilization had a 10 times greater risk of pregnancy after one year than those who used the older laparoscopic sterilization method. This new finding by Yale School of Medicine researchers is published in the April 21 issue of the journal Contraception.
Local study to examine paleo diet for protective effects
Potentially groundbreaking research comparing palaeolithic and traditional healthy diets is the focus of a new Edith Cowan University study investigating whether the paleo diet can help protect against heart disease and diabetes.
Study finds smoke-free communities associated with fewer hospitalizations for emphysema
(Medical Xpress)—In a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers from the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and College of Public Health found that individuals living in a community with comprehensive smoke-free workplace laws or regulations are 22 percent less likely to be hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or emphysema.
Scientists link environmental, disease data to help combat malaria in Ethiopia
Dealing with malaria is a fact of life for more than 91 million Ethiopians. Each year four to five million contract malaria, one of the biggest health problems in this poor country.
Suicide rates soar in Greece as economic cuts bite
(Medical Xpress)—The effect of economic cuts on debt ravaged Greece included a dramatic rise in the number of men committing suicide, according to new research.
'Tween' television programming promotes some stereotypical conceptions of gender roles
The term "tween" denotes a child who is between the ages of 8 and 12 and is used to describe a preadolescent who is "in between" being a child and a teen. This demographic watches more television than any other age group and is considered to be a very lucrative market. Tween television programming consists of two genres: "teen scene" (geared toward girls) and "action-adventure" (geared toward boys). Researchers at the University of Missouri found that these programs could lead tweens to limit their views of their potential roles in society just as they begin to shape their future.
New tool helps doctors better predict, prevent deadly respiratory failure
A new prediction tool can help doctors better identify patients who are at highest risk for respiratory failure after surgery and therefore prevent the often deadly condition, suggest data from a large multi-center study published in the May issue of Anesthesiology.
Researchers identify a mechanism linking bariatric surgery to health benefits
Bariatric surgery has positive effects not only on weight loss but also on diabetes and heart disease. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy and University of Cincinnati have shown that the health benefits are not caused by a reduction in the stomach size but by increased levels of bile acids in the blood. These findings, reported in Nature, indicate that bile acids could be a new target for treating obesity and diabetes.
Greece reports 1st MERS case, patient critical
Greece has recorded its first case of the potentially fatal respiratory disease known as MERS, and the patient is in critical condition.
Child's autism risk accelerates with mother's age over 30
Older parents are more likely to have a child who develops an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than are younger parents. A recent study from researchers from the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia and Karolinska Institute in Sweden provides more insight into how the risk associated with parental age varies between mothers' and fathers' ages, and found that the risk of having a child with both ASD and intellectual disability is larger for older parents.
Gym culture likened to McDonalds
Visit a typical gym and you will encounter a highly standardised notion of what the human body should look like and how much it should weigh. This strictly controlled body ideal is spread across the world by large actors in the fitness industry. A new study explores how the fitness industry in many ways resembles that of fast food. One of the authors is from the University of Gothenburg.
Novartis reshapes business with GSK, Lilly deals (Update)
Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis AG launched a major overhaul of its business Tuesday, unveiling a series of multibillion-dollar deals with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline PLC and the U.S.'s Eli Lilly & Co. that heralds more restructuring in the fast-changing industry.
Two genes linked to inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the intestine that result in painful and debilitating complications, affects over 1.4 million people in the U.S., and while there are treatments to reduce inflammation for patients, there is no cure.
Speed-reading apps may impair reading comprehension by limiting ability to backtrack
To address the fact that many of us are on the go and pressed for time, app developers have devised speed-reading software that eliminates the time we supposedly waste by moving our eyes as we read. But don't throw away your books, papers, and e-readers just yet—research suggests that the eye movements we make during reading actually play a critical role in our ability to understand what we've just read.
Neurotics don't just avoid action: They dislike it
That person we all seem to know who we say is neurotic and unable to take action? Turns out he or she isn't unable to act but simply doesn't want to.
Scientists alter fat metabolism in animals to prevent most common type of heart disease
Working with mice and rabbits, Johns Hopkins scientists have found a way to block abnormal cholesterol production, transport and breakdown, successfully preventing the development of atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks and strokes and the number-one cause of death among humans. The condition develops when fat builds inside blood vessels over time and renders them stiff, narrowed and hardened, greatly reducing their ability to feed oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle and the brain.
More than two-thirds of Americans support mandated coverage of birth control in health plans
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans support mandated coverage of birth control medications, according to a new national survey by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System.
Report recommends insurers use prescription monitoring data to reduce opioid abuse, deaths
The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Center of Excellence at Brandeis University has issued a ground-breaking report recommending that medical insurers use prescription monitoring data to reduce the overdoses, deaths and health care costs associated with abuse of opioids and other prescription drugs.
How the body fights against viruses
Scientists of the Max F. Perutz Laboratories of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, together with colleagues of the ETH Zurich, have now shown how double stranded RNA, such as viral genetic information, is prevented from entering the nucleus of a cell. During the immune response against viral infection, the protein ADAR1 moves from the cell nucleus into the surrounding cytoplasm. There it modifies viral RNA to inhibit reproduction of the virus. But how is the human genome protected from inadvertent import of viral RNA into the nucleus?
Life stressors trigger neurological disorders, researchers find
When mothers are exposed to trauma, illness, alcohol or other drug abuse, these stressors may activate a single molecular trigger in brain cells that can go awry and activate conditions such as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and some forms of autism.
Applying math to biology: Software identifies disease-causing mutations in undiagnosed illnesses
A computational tool developed at the University of Utah has successfully identified diseases with unknown gene mutations in three separate cases, U of U researchers and their colleagues report in a new study in The American Journal of Human Genetics. The software, Phevor (Phenotype Driven Variant Ontological Re-ranking tool), identifies undiagnosed illnesses and unknown gene mutations by analyzing the exomes, or areas of DNA where proteins that code for genes are made, in individual patients and small families.
Scientists identify a new variant of Ebola virus in Guinea
In an article which appeared in The New England journal of Medicine on 16 April, researchers from Inserm (Jean Mérieux-Inserm BSL-4 Laboratory, Lyon) and the Institut Pasteur have published their initial findings on the characteristics of the Ebola virus discovered in Guinea. Initial virological investigations enabled them to identify Zaire ebolavirus as the pathogen responsible for this epidemic.
Scientists pinpoint protein that could improve small cell lung cancer therapies
Approximately 15 percent of all lung cancers are small cell lung cancers (SCLC), which grow rapidly and often develop resistance to chemotherapy. However, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center have revealed new insights into the mechanisms leading to this resistance that may lead to improved therapies.
Clinics not bogged down by red tape can ease health cost burdens
Health clinics that can provide primary care for low-income patients may ease the financial burden on both hospitals and insurance companies while improving patient health, researchers have concluded.
Bioinformatics profiling identifies a new mammalian clock gene
Over the last few decades researchers have characterized a set of clock genes that drive daily rhythms of physiology and behavior in all types of species, from flies to humans. Over 15 mammalian clock proteins have been identified, but researchers surmise there are more. A team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania wondered if big-data approaches could find them.
Scientists identify critical new protein complex involved in learning and memory
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a protein complex that plays a critical but previously unknown role in learning and memory formation.
Depressed? Researchers identify new anti-depressant mechanisms, therapeutic approaches
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center are making breakthroughs that could benefit people suffering from depression.
FDA panel rejects combination pain pill
Federal health advisers have unanimously rejected an experimental pain pill that combines two common opioids, oxycodone and morphine.
Stroke treatment, outcomes improve at hospitals participating in 'Target: Stroke' initiative
Administering a clot-dissolving drug to stroke victims quickly—ideally within the first 60 minutes after they arrive at a hospital emergency room—is crucial to saving their lives, preserving their brain function and reducing disability.
Glaucoma drug helps women with blinding disorder linked to obesity
An inexpensive glaucoma drug, when added to a weight loss plan, can improve vision for women with a disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
New drugs offer hope for migraine prevention
Two new studies may offer hope for people with migraine. The two studies released today will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.
Researchers identify link between fetal growth and risk of stillbirth
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network have identified a link between stillbirth and either restricted or excessive fetal growth. Findings from the study are online in the April 22 issue of PLOS Medicine.
Pain curbs sex drive in female mice, but not in males
"Not tonight, dear, I have a headache." Generally speaking, that line is attributed to the wife in a couple, implying that women's sexual desire is more affected by pain than men's.
Study examines effectiveness of medications for treating epileptic seizures in children
Although some studies have suggested that the drug lorazepam may be more effective or safer than the drug diazepam in treating a type of epileptic seizures among children, a randomized trial finds that lorazepam is not better at stopping seizures compared to diazepam, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Specialized ambulance improves treatment time for stroke
Using an ambulance that included a computed tomography (CT) scanner, point-of-care laboratory, telemedicine connection and a specialized prehospital stroke team resulted in decreased time to treatment for ischemic stroke, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Study examines patient preferences for emergency treatment of stroke
The majority of adults surveyed indicated they would want administration of clot-dissolving medications if incapacitated by a stroke, a finding that supports clinicians' use of this treatment if patient surrogates are not available to provide consent, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Medication helps improve vision for patients with neurological disorder
In patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and mild vision loss, the use of the drug acetazolamide, along with a low-sodium weight-reduction diet, resulted in modest improvement in vision, compared with diet alone, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Conservative management of vascular abnormality in brain associated with better outcomes
Patients with arteriovenous malformations (abnormal connection between arteries and veins) in the brain that have not ruptured had a lower risk of stroke or death for up to 12 years if they received conservative management of the condition compared to an interventional treatment, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Quality improvement program helps lower risk of bleeding, death following stroke
In a study that included more than 71,000 stroke patients, implementation of a quality initiative was associated with improvement in the time to treatment and a lower risk of in-hospital death, intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), and an increase in the portion of patients discharged to their home, according to the study appearing in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue.
Single motherhood does not make women unhappy
(Medical Xpress)—Raising a child outside of marriage poses many challenges – but does not have a negative impact on women's happiness, according to new research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Newly approved brain stimulator offers hope for individuals with uncontrolled epilepsy
A recently FDA-approved device has been shown to reduce seizures in patients with medication-resistant epilepsy by as much as 50 percent. When coupled with an innovative electrode placement planning system developed by physicians at Rush, the device facilitated the complete elimination of seizures in nearly half of the implanted Rush patients enrolled in the decade-long clinical trials.
Biting vs. chewing: Biting into whole foods can make children rowdy
There's a new secret to get your child to behave at the dinner table—cut up their food and they'll relax.
Spouse's sunny outlook may be good for your health
(HealthDay)—Marriage vows often include the promise to stick together for better or for worse, and research now suggests that when it comes to your health, having an optimistic spouse is better.
Low blood sugar may affect heartbeat in people with diabetes
(HealthDay)—Low blood sugar levels—known as hypoglycemia—in people with diabetes may cause potentially dangerous changes in heart rate, according to a small new study.
Considerable sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
(HealthDay)—Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) without traditional risk factors and with no or mild symptoms have a considerable rate of sudden cardiac death, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Scientists discover a new way to enhance nerve growth following injury
New research published today out of the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) uncovers a mechanism to promote growth in damaged nerve cells as a means to restore connections after injury. Dr. Doug Zochodne and his team have discovered a key molecule that directly regulates nerve cell growth in the damaged nervous system. His study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, with lead authors Drs. Kim Christie and Anand Krishnan.
Protein expression gets the heart pumping
Most people think the development of the heart only happens in the womb, however the days and weeks following birth are full of cellular changes that play a role in the structure and function of the heart. Using mouse models, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have now been able to categorize the alternative splicing (the process in which genes code proteins, determining their role) that takes place during these changes and what mechanisms they affect.
For an immune cell, microgravity mimics aging
(Medical Xpress)—Telling someone to "act your age" is another way of asking him or her to behave better. Age, however, does not always bring improvements. Certain cells of the immune system tend to misbehave with age, leaving the elderly more vulnerable to illness. Because these cells are known to misbehave similarly during spaceflight, researchers are studying the effects of microgravity on immune cells to better understand how our immune systems change as we age.
Fast way to measure DNA repair
Our DNA is under constant attack from many sources, including environmental pollutants, ultraviolet light, and radiation. Fortunately, cells have several major DNA repair systems that can fix this damage, which may lead to cancer and other diseases if not mended.
Commonly available blood-pressure medication prevents epilepsy after severe brain injury
Between 10 and 20 percent of all cases of epilepsy result from severe head injury, but a new drug promises to prevent post-traumatic seizures and may forestall further brain damage caused by seizures in those who already have epilepsy.
Male health linked to testosterone exposure in womb, study finds
Men's susceptibility to serious health conditions may be influenced by low exposure to testosterone in the womb, new research suggests.
People pay more attention to the upper half of field of vision, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—A new study from North Carolina State University and the University of Toronto finds that people pay more attention to the upper half of their field of vision – a finding which could have ramifications for traffic signs to software interface design.
Neuroimaging: Live from inside the cell
A novel imaging technique provides insights into the role of redox signaling and reactive oxygen species in living neurons, in real time. Scientists of the Technische Universität München and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München have developed a new optical microscopy technique to unravel the role of 'oxidative stress' in healthy as well as injured nervous systems. The work is reported in the latest issue of Nature Medicine.
Teens who gain pleasure from helping others could be less prone to depression, research shows
(Medical Xpress)—Happiness derived from tasks that help others, like raising money for a charity, could be better for teen mental health than happiness derived from selfish activities, like eating chocolate or listening to music, according to research by Adriana Galvan of the University of California and her colleagues. Galvan and her team studied how teens' brains respond to these two different ways of finding happiness. They found that teens who are more likely to gain pleasure from helpful tasks are less likely to develop depressive symptoms than teens who are more likely to gain pleasure from selfish ones. The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Volitional control from optical signals
(Medical Xpress)—In their quest to build better BMIs, or brain-machine-interfaces, researchers have recently begun to look closer at the sub-threshold activity of neurons. The reason for this trend is that with only a limited number of recording sites availible in any practical interface, researchers want to get the most complete signal possible from each one. The problem with only using spikes from the output pyramidal cells of the cortex, is that relatively speaking, these guys only put out a spike every once in a blue moon. The real story emerges over much shorter timescales within the dendritic networks of these cells. Efforts to use these smaller potentials as indicators of volitional intent, recorded in the guise of calcium signals, has gotten under way by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley.
Biology news
Sixty percent of Japanese support whale hunt
Sixty percent of Japanese people support the country's whaling programme, but only 14 percent eat whale meat, a new poll showed Tuesday.
Extrusion technology improves food security in Africa
In the April issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), contributing authors write about how extrusion technology is a powerful food processing technique that can produce a variety of products made from locally grown grains, cereals and legumes while maintaining nutrient content and fighting off unsafe contaminants.
Hairballs are the natural result of your cat's grooming behavior
Believe it or not, April 25 is Hairball Awareness Day, one of the pet-health awareness events recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Queuing theory helps physicist understand protein recycling
We've all waited in line and most of us have gotten stuck in a check-out line longer than we would like. For Will Mather, assistant professor of physics and an instructor with the College of Science's Integrated Science Curriculum, studying lines, or queues, has been crucial in trying to understand how cells deal with bottlenecks that limit the recycling of proteins.
Peru probes killing of endangered penguins
Peruvian authorities announced an investigation Tuesday into the killing of five penguins found slashed to death at a center for endangered species.
Getting at the root of the mountain pine beetle's rapid habitat expansion and forest
The mountain pine beetle has wreaked havoc in North America, across forests from the American Southwest to British Columbia and Alberta, with the potential to spread all the way to the Atlantic coast. Millions of acres of forest have been lost, with severe economic and ecological impacts from a beetle outbreak ten times larger than previous outbreaks.
Maine baby lobster decline could end high catches
Scientists say the number of baby lobsters settling off the rocky coast of Maine continues to steadily decline—possibly foreshadowing an end to the recent record catches that have boosted New England's lobster fishery.
Humpback protections downgrade clears way for pipeline
Environmentalist activists on Tuesday decried Canada's downgrading of humpback whale protections, suggesting the decision was fast-tracked to clear a major hurdle to constructing a pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.
Some cows' infertility linked to Y chromosome
In the beef industry, if a cow does not get pregnant after breeding, she becomes an economic liability in the herd. Lack of calf production can significantly reduce annual revenue for producers.
Perth metro lakes surveyed for introduced fish
Fisheries officers are attempting to eradicate introduced fish from some Perth waterways following research that suggests less than five per cent contain only native species.
Wildlife response to climate change is likely underestimated, experts warn
Analyzing thousands of breeding bird surveys sent in by citizen scientists across the western United States and Canada over 35 years, wildlife researchers report that most of the 40 songbird species they studied shifted either northward or toward higher elevation in response to climate change, but did not necessarily do both.
New electric fish genus and species discovered in Brazil's Rio Negro
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Brazil, this week report that they have discovered a new genus and species of electric knifefish in several tributaries of the Negro River in the Amazonia State of Brazil.
What gave us the advantage over extinct types of humans?
In parallel with modern man (Homo sapiens), there were other, extinct types of humans with whom we lived side by side, such as Neanderthals and the recently discovered Denisovans of Siberia. Yet only Homo sapiens survived. What was it in our genetic makeup that gave us the advantage?
New patenting guidelines are needed for biotechnology
Biotechnology scientists must be aware of the broad patent landscape and push for new patent and licensing guidelines, according to a new paper from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Researchers discover the most effective animal signal strategies
There are all sorts of signaling strategies in nature. Peacocks puff out their feathers and spread their colorful tails; satin bowbirds build specialized stick structures, called bowers, and decorate them with blue and shiny objects; and European bitterling males show off bright nuptial coloration during spawning season. Each species has evolved a unique method to communicate with others.
Cow manure harbors diverse new antibiotic resistance genes
Manure from dairy cows, which is commonly used as a farm soil fertilizer, contains a surprising number of newly identified antibiotic resistance genes from the cows' gut bacteria. The findings, reported in mBio the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, hints that cow manure is a potential source of new types of antibiotic resistance genes that transfer to bacteria in the soils where food is grown.
Til' death do us part – in the plant world
(Phys.org) —A landmark study from The University of Queensland has described the ultimate act of sacrifice and survival, in the plant world.
New critter discovered on whale carcass
A new species of bug, similar in appearance to the common woodlouse, has been found plastered all over a whale carcass on the floor of the deep Southern Ocean.
Rainbow trout genome sequenced
Using fish bred at Washington State University, an international team of researchers has mapped the genetic profile of the rainbow trout, a versatile salmonid whose relatively recent genetic history opens a window into how vertebrates evolve.
Study shows rhesus monkeys able to add numbers together for a reward
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers working at Harvard Medical School has found that it is possible to teach rhesus monkeys to perform simple addition. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes studies they undertook to teach lab monkeys to add symbols together in order to receive a reward, the results of which have shown that other primates besides humans are capable of performing simple math.
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