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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 30, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Cascade solar concentrator greatly reduces solar cell footprint- Entire star cluster thrown out of its galaxy
- Optical traps on chip manipulate many molecules at once
- Field study shows glassfrog embryos hatch early if not well cared for by parent
- Study of gamma-ray bursts afterglow surprises scientists
- Study shows men find women with more feminine faces more attractive, but less so in harsh environments
- Researchers track ripples in freestanding graphene for first time
- New polymer can be used to map sweat droplets in fingertips for identification purposes
- Harnessing magnetic vortices for making nanoscale antennas
- Stem cell therapy regenerates heart muscle damaged from heart attacks in primates
- Length of exoplanet day measured for first time
- New material for flat semiconductors
- Study questions Neandertal inferiority to early modern humans
- Researchers find young galaxies not behaving as expected
- Physicists discover how to change the crystal structure of graphene
Astronomy & Space news
Commercial liftoff for Europe's smallest launcher
The third launch by Europe's new small launcher, Vega, has delivered Kazakhstan's first satellite for high-resolution Earth observation into its planned orbit.
Image: Phobos occults
Mars' moon Phobos has already been extensively observed – this image is just one example, taken in 2009 – so its occultation of Mars Express on 28 April 2014 is not expected to yield dramatic discoveries.
Making light work of orbit and attitude control
Microsatellites have to be very light – every gram counts. The same applies to the gyroscopes used to sense the satellite's orientation when in orbit. A novel prototype is seven times lighter and significantly smaller than earlier systems.
Spectrum of gamma-ray burst's afterglow indicates beginning of re-ionization process
A research team, led by Professor Tomonori Totani (School of Science, the University of Tokyo) and composed of scientists from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and others, has discovered an indicator of when re-ionization of the primordial Universe began. The team used the Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph (FOCAS) mounted on the Subaru Telescope to thoroughly study the visible wavelength spectrum of the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, which is a violent explosion of a massive star. Direct measurement of the absorption features in the spectrum of the afterglow toward GRB 130606A, located at a great distance, revealed the proportion of neutral hydrogen gas absorbing the light in its vicinity. This finding provides the best estimate of the amount of such neutral gas in the early Universe. The team's research means that scientists can now narrow down the time when the Universe was beginning to re-ionize after its dark age.
How do we clean up the junkyard orbiting Earth?
The biggest-sized junkyard in the world orbits it, and a University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) aerospace systems engineering graduate student says it's time to get active about reducing the debris field before we reach a tipping point beyond which we may not be able to do much.
Image: The unilluminated side of Saturn's rings
(Phys.org) —Saturn's rings cast shadows on the planet, but the shadows appear to be inside out! The edge of Saturn's outermost A ring can be seen at the top left corner of the image. Moving towards the bottom of the page, one can see the faint Cassini Division, the opaque B ring and the innermost C ring, which contains several ringlets that appear dark against Saturn in this geometry. The bottom half of the image features the shadows of these rings in reverse order superposed against the disk of the planet: the C ring, the B ring, the Cassini Division and the inner half of the A ring.
BRIC carries big science in small canisters
Four tiny canisters which arrived to the International Space Station April 20 are carrying scientific experiments that could lead to better prevention and treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, and make it easier to grow plants in space.
Space Station study seeks how plants sense 'up' and 'down'
On Earth, we take for granted that a plant grows up and its roots grow down. In space, however, this seemingly predictable formula is upended. How do plants sense "up" and "down" where those relative positions don't exist?
Target on Mars looks good for NASA rover drilling
(Phys.org) —The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover plans to proceed in coming days with the third-ever drilling into a rock on Mars to collect a sample for analysis.
Researchers find young galaxies not behaving as expected
(Phys.org) —New Herschel Space Observatory findings have given scientists a remarkable insight into the internal dynamics of two young galaxies. Surprisingly, they have shown that just a few billion years after the big bang, some galaxies were rotating in a mature way, seemingly having completed the accumulation of their gas reservoirs.
Study of gamma-ray bursts afterglow surprises scientists
Research from an international team of scientists led by the University of Leicester has discovered for the first time that one of the most powerful events in our universe – Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) – behave differently than previously thought.
Length of exoplanet day measured for first time
Observations from ESO's Very Large Telescope have, for the first time, determined the rotation rate of an exoplanet. Beta Pictoris b has been found to have a day that lasts eight hours. This is quicker than any planet in the Solar System. This result extends the relation between mass and rotation seen in the Solar System to exoplanets. Similar techniques will allow mapping exoplanets in detail with the European Extremely Large Telescope.
Entire star cluster thrown out of its galaxy
(Phys.org) —The galaxy known as M87 has a fastball that would be the envy of any baseball pitcher. It has thrown an entire star cluster toward us at more than two million miles per hour. The newly discovered cluster, which astronomers named HVGC-1, is now on a fast journey to nowhere. Its fate: to drift through the void between the galaxies for all time.
Technology news
Fujitsu swings back into the black
Japan's Fujitsu said Wednesday it swung back into the black, posting an annual net profit after aggressive cost-cutting and stronger demand at home for its computer offerings.
Ceramic screws are corrosion and heat resistant
Most screws are made of steel. But high temperatures or acidic environments take their toll on this otherwise stable material. The alternative is ceramic screws. Researchers can now accurately predict their stress resistance.
Study introduces a "security responsible" approach to technology innovation
ELUS and the Rotman School of Management at The University of Toronto today released the 2014 TELUS-Rotman Security Study. Now in its sixth year, the annual survey tracks industry trends and documents the state of IT security in Canada. The 2014 report focuses on how enterprises can stay secure while making progressive innovation decisions by taking a "security responsible" approach.
Why ultra-precision manufacturing is such a big deal
Are you happy with your smartphone? Bill O'Neill, Professor of Laser Engineering and Director of the Institute for Manufacturing's Centre for Industrial Photonics isn't.
What is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft?
Any conversation about Australia's commitment to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter refers to it as a fifth-generation fighter aircraft. But what exactly is a fifth-generation aircraft, and why is it important?
Report: Washington 911 calls got stuck in Colorado
A report to regulators on the statewide 911 outage in Washington says emergency calls failed because they were stuck in a processing center in Colorado.
Disney adding Marvel heroes to 'Infinity' game
Buzz Lightyear, meet Captain America.
California jury has questions in smartphone case
Silicon Valley jurors deciding a patent-infringement lawsuit involving smartphone giants Apple and Samsung have submitted questions Wednesday to a judge just a few hours after beginning their first full day of deliberations.
Widespread hydrogen fueling infrastructure goal of H2FIRST project
As hydrogen fuel cell vehicles continue to roll out in increasing numbers, the infrastructure for fueling them must expand as well. To this end, a new project launched by the Energy Department and led by Sandia National Laboratories and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will work in support of H2USA, the public private partnership introduced in 2013 by the Energy Department and industry stakeholders to address the challenge of hydrogen infrastructure.
Direct current, another option to improve the electrical power transmission
Even though today most of the electricity transmission lines are alternating current ones, in some cases direct current lines are also used.And researchers are becoming aware that in some cases direct current lines are more suitable than alternating current ones.In this area, the GISEL research group of the Department of Electrical Engineering of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country has been working to improve the technology needed for this conversion.The aim has been that this transmission should be done in a more straightforward, smoother and consequently less expensive way.
Apple versus Samsung case goes to California jury (Update)
After listening to a month's worth of testimony from expert witnesses hired by Apple and Samsung as well as executives from each company, a Silicon Valley jury of four men and four women will resume deliberations Wednesday to sort out the latest legal dispute over technology between the world's two largest smartphone makers.
Microsoft sets Xbox launch for China (Update)
Microsoft said Wednesday it would launch the Xbox One in China in September, the first game console to be announced after Beijing lifted a ban on the devices.
Microstructures embedded in materials using combined laser and plasma beams
Miniscule microstructures can be embedded in materials with laser beams. But a lot of energy is needed for this when it comes to transparent materials like glass. So, researchers sought out a more efficient solution: they combined the laser with a plasma beam.
Automated assembly of aircraft wings
Even today, aircraft wings are still assembled manually; but this process could soon be automated thanks to a novel snake-like robot capable of tightening bolts in even the most difficult-to-access cavities of the wing structure.
Circuits and sensors direct from the printer
Printers are becoming more and more versatile. Now they can even print sensors and electronic components on 2D and 3D substrates. A new, robot-assisted production line allows the process to be automated.
Retinal scanner that fits in a purse
A person can be identified unambiguously based on his or her retina. Researchers are working to make it possible for anyone to use this technology. With the prototype of a compact, portable retinal scanner, they are one step closer to this vision.
Google to shield students from digital ads
Google will no longer try to sell ads based on personal information collected about students using a suite of products tailored for schools.
Survey: 'Heartbleed' spooks 39 pct of Web surfers
A new survey has found that most Americans who recently learned about a major breakdown in Internet security have been trying to protect themselves but a group nearly as large is unaware of the threat.
Surveying African cities using Twitter
Researchers are using Tweets to monitor the vital statistics of African cities. A first case study zooms in on the capital of Kenya, Nairobi.
Magnetic tape technology with the world's highest areal recording density
Sony today announced that by independently developing a soft magnetic underlayer with a smooth interface using sputter deposition, it has succeeded in creating a nano-grained magnetic layer with fine magnetic particles and uniform crystalline orientation. This enabled Sony to successfully develop magnetic tape technology that achieves the world's highest areal recording density for tape storage media of 148 Gb/in2 (gigabits per square inch). This areal recording density is equivalent to approximately 74 times the capacity of current mainstream coated magnetic tape storage media, and makes it possible to record more than 185 TB (terabytes) of data per data cartridge.
Which phone is most vulnerable to malware?
As each new computer virus attack or vulnerability comes to light, millions instinctively check their computer to see if their anti-malware application is up to date. This is a good idea and they are wise to do it but a large number of us still forget about their smartphone.
Twitter shares sink to historic low on weak user data (Update)
Twitter shares plummeted to their lowest level since the company's November Wall Street debut after the company added fewer new users than expected.
Social media users need help to adjust to interface changes
Social media companies that give users a greater sense of control can ease them into interface changes, as well as curb defections to competitors, according to researchers.
HP, Foxconn team up for cloud servers
US computer giant Hewlett Packard and Taiwan's Foxconn unveiled plans Wednesday to join forces to produce servers optimized for the Internet cloud.
Samsung on top in growing smartphone market
South Korea's Samsung remained at the top of the rapidly growing smartphone market in early 2014 as Chinese rivals gained ground, a survey showed Wednesday.
Many in US believe the were hit by Heartbleed
Many Americans scrambled to protect their personal information online after learning of the Heartbleed Internet flaw, and some believe their data was stolen, a survey showed Wednesday.
Wheeler says FCC won't allow Internet 'slow lane'
The nation's top telecommunications regulator defended his latest proposal to protect an open Internet, warning cable companies that manipulating data traffic on their networks for profit would not be tolerated.
Facebook adds anonymous login, in move to build trust (Update)
Facebook moved Wednesday to bolster the trust of its more than one billion users by providing new controls on how much information is shared on the world's leading social network.
Molecular networks provide insights for computer security
The robust defenses that yeast cells have evolved to protect themselves from environmental threats hold lessons that can be used to design computer networks and analyze how secure they are, say computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University.
Automated-grading skeptic uses Babel to expose nonsense essay
(Phys.org) —The good news: A former MIT instructor and students have come up with software that can write an entire essay in less than one second; just feed it up to three keywords. The bad news: The essay is gibberish. Oh, wait, more news: The nonsense essay was fed through an online writing product using essay-scoring technology. Perelman pasted the essay into the answer field, clicked "submit," and the paper got a score of 5.4 out of 6. The essay, after all, had good grammar and impressive vocabulary words. The end result was nonsense, nonetheless.
Robots may need to include parental controls
Older adults' fears that companion robots will negatively affect young people may create design challenges for developers hoping to build robots for older users, according to Penn State researchers.
Team uses unused iPhone energy for case lights
(Phys.org) —The Lunecase is a more interesting departure from the run of the mill snap-on phone case as it has the distinction of sending off glowing alerts that feed off electromagnetic radiation; the alerts are fed by the electromagnetic energy sent out by the iPhone. Electromagnetic waves from around the phone power the notifications on the back of the case with the help of LEDs. You catch the glow when there is a call or a text message.
As Facebook matures, it looks to grow mobile reach (Update)
Mark Zuckerberg, like Facebook, is maturing. The soon-to-be 30-year-old CEO of the decade-old social networking company grew reflective as he stood before hundreds of app developers to announce a host of mobile features designed to put "people first."
Medicine & Health news
New health system scorecard shows little progress among states from 2007-2012
States made little progress in improving health care access, quality, and outcomes and lowering costs in the five years preceding implementation of the major coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act (2007-2012), according to the Commonwealth Fund's third state health system scorecard. The majority of states declined or failed to improve on two-thirds of the 34 scorecard indicators that could be tracked over time.
A key to communication for locked-in syndrome patients
For the past seven years, one man receiving care from LifeStream, a Massachusetts-based human services organization, has only been able to communicate by blinking his eyes in response to yes-or-no questions. He has cognitive awareness but is paralyzed with respect to nearly all of his voluntary motor muscles due to severe injuries he suffered in a car accident.
Patients looking to connect with physicians through technology
With the answers to most medical questions easily available at our fingertips, it only makes sense that researchers are beginning to consider how communication technologies can help patients manage their health.
Hospital reforms have changed transfer behaviour
People with more complicated health conditions are being transferred from smaller regional hospitals to the larger tertiary hospitals less often since the health reforms of 2003, according to research from Massey University's School of Economics & Finance.
The overlap of research and clinical practice is finding new ways to successfully treat mental illness
Linda (not her real name) was living a model life. An executive overseeing 300 staff with a supportive family, the 46-year-old was flying high. Then one day everything changed. Seemingly out of the blue she could not focus, could not concentrate and before long could not even get out of bed.
Teen childbearing in California costs taxpayers $956 million annually
Teen childbearing in California cost taxpayers at least $956 million in 2010, according to an updated analysis from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy; for the nation overall, teen childbearing cost taxpayers $9.4 billion.
Heat regulation dysfunction may stop MS patients from exercising
Exercise can be beneficial for patients with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nerve disease that progressively impairs central nervous system function. However, for some patients, a rise in body temperature, which occurs during exercise and/or exposure to hot and humid conditions, can make symptoms temporarily worse. Researchers at Southern Methodist University collaborating with colleagues from University of Sydney set out to explore how moderate exercise affected patients with MS compared with healthy control subjects. Mu Huang, will present the research team's findings in a poster session on Tuesday, April 29, at the Experimental Biology meeting.
Prematurity linked to altered lung function during exercise, high blood pressure in adults
Advances in medicine have greatly contributed to the survival of extremely preterm infants in the US. However, the picture of long-term health effects related to prematurity is still unclear. Researchers at the University of Oregon compared lung function among adults who were born extremely preterm (at less than 28 weeks), very preterm (at less than 32 weeks), and full term (~39–40 weeks). Steven Laurie, PhD, will present the research team's findings in a poster session on Tuesday, April 29, at the Experimental Biology meeting.
Improving whiplash diagnosis
A team of researchers from ANU, the University of Aarhus in Denmark and Canberra Hospital want to know whether new technology can help identify whiplash injuries in the neck that could lead to better treatment of chronic neck pain and disability.
Greater surgeon experience increases likelihood of mitral valve repair vs. replacement
A new study presenting data from 17 cardiac surgical centers in Virginia, representing 100 surgeons and 99% of cardiac operations performed in the state, demonstrates that, even today, significant variations – among surgeons and hospitals - still exist in the performance of mitral valve repair vs replacement for moderate to severe mitral regurgitation. Significant associations were observed between the propensity for MV repair and both institutional and surgeon annual volume, although increasing surgeon volume appears to be the much stronger predictor.
CT in the operating room allows more precise removal of small lung cancers
A new technique that brings CT imaging into the operating room will allow surgeons to precisely demarcate and remove small sub-centimeter lung nodules, leaving as much healthy tissue as possible, according to Raphael Bueno, MD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. His team is presenting the results of this late-breaking research at the 94th AATS Annual Meeting in Toronto, ON, Canada on April 30, 2014.
Probe-hit GlaxoSmithKline announces profits slump
GlaxoSmithKline, the British drugs giant facing a series of probes into alleged staff corruption, announced sliding profits on Wednesday, one week after unveiling a group makeover.
Automated link to national intervention guidance helps doctors interpret FRAX results
The fracture risk assessment tool FRAX, promoted and supported by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), has become an important aid in the clinical assessment of osteoporotic fracture risk in patients aged 40 to 90 years. However, while a FRAX calculation is quick and simple, interpretation of the results in order to make treatment decisions can be a challenge for physicians.
Throwing injuries no longer just for the pros
Baseball season is back and so are the injuries. But, elbow injuries, once seen as a problem for professional athletes, are becoming more prevalent among high school and middle school athletes due to increased play and competition at the youth level. Repetitive stress to a pitcher's ulnar collateral ligament (UCL)—an important stabilizing ligament of the elbow joint—can lead to pain and eventually to the inability to pitch and throw.
DNA repair gene provides new ideas for disease treatment
A gene known to repair DNA damage in healthy cells may also provide new insights about treating a genetic disorder of the bone marrow, Caltech researchers say.
Lymph node ultrasounds more accurate in obese breast cancer patients
Mayo Clinic research into whether ultrasounds to detect breast cancer in underarm lymph nodes are less effective in obese women has produced a surprising finding. Fat didn't obscure the images—and ultrasounds showing no suspicious lymph nodes actually proved more accurate in overweight and obese patients than in women with a normal body mass index, the study found. The research is among several Mayo studies presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons annual meeting April 30-May 4 in Las Vegas.
J&J halts sale of electric fibroid removal devices
Johnson & Johnson is halting sales of devices used to remove growths in the uterus following a government warning that the electronic surgical tools can inadvertently spread cancer to other parts of the body.
Brain and cognitive reserve protect long-term against cognitive decline
Multiple sclerosis researchers have found that brain reserve and cognitive reserve confer a long-term protective effect against cognitive decline. The study has been published in Neurology.
Ebola outbreak under control, says Guinea president
Guinea's Ebola outbreak is under control, but the death toll could rise above the current 74 because sick patients remain in hospital, the president said Wednesday.
Like puzzle pieces, 3D genomics holds a key to classifying human diseases
To solve a puzzle, you need to recognize shapes, patterns and a particular kind of order. In much the same way, researchers at McGill University have discovered that the 3D shape of a leukemia cell's genome holds a key to solving the puzzle of human diseases. The researchers report their findings in the open access journal Genome Biology.
Eplerenone reduces primary endpoint in acute myocardial infarction patients
A drug known to reduce mortality rate in patients with heart failure has now been found significantly effective when administered early in patients following an acute (ST elevated) myocardial infarction. This effect,say the investigators, was consistent across all study sub-groups, but was "particularly obvious in patients undergoing reperfusion within six hours of symptom onset".
Babies recognize real-life objects from pictures as early as nine months
Babies begin to learn about the connection between pictures and real objects by the time they are nine-months-old, according to a new study by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the University of South Carolina.
MRI shows disrupted connections in the brains of young people with ADHD
A new study has found that children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have disrupted connections between different areas of the brain that are evident on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI). The results of this research are published online in the journal Radiology.
Working memory differs by parents' education; effects persist into adolescence
Working memory—the ability to hold information in your mind, think about it, and use it to guide behavior—develops through childhood and adolescence, and is key for successful performance at school and work. Previous research with young children has documented socioeconomic disparities in performance on tasks of working memory. Now a new longitudinal study has found that differences in working memory that exist at age 10 persist through the end of adolescence. The study also found that parents' education—one common measure of socioeconomic status—is related to children's performance on tasks of working memory, and that neighborhood characteristics—another common measure of socioeconomic status—are not.
Want a young child to 'help' or 'be a helper'? Choice of words matters
How do you get a preschooler to help with chores and other household tasks? A new study suggests that adults' word choice can make a big difference.
Study finds that debt for the middle-aged and seniors to be associated with increased depression
(Medical Xpress)—In addition to making you poor, debt might also be increasing your risk for depression. Many middle-aged and older Americans are finding that the debt they carry, from maxed out credit cards to crippling medical bills, may lead to depression and a lower sense of well-being, in addition to a financial squeeze.
Key factor in neonatal zinc deficiency may impact lactation and breast cancer
(Medical Xpress)—It started when her son was just two months old with a diaper rash that would not go away. The blisters eventually spread across his body, including his face. He soon began to suffer from chronic ear infections, unusual for an exclusively breastfed infant who was not in day care. By the time he was six months old, his mother noticed that he was not as active as other babies his age, and he was also failing to gain weight.
A cup of coffee a day may keep retinal damage away
(Medical Xpress)—Coffee drinkers, rejoice! Aside from java's energy jolt, food scientists say you may reap another health benefit from a daily cup of joe: prevention of deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes.
Obesity linked with malnutrition and poverty
Being thin used to be linked with poverty while obesity was associated with affluence but now that has turned on its head, according to a University of Aberdeen study.
More study needed on interrogation techniques that measure brain waves
(Medical Xpress)—When police in Spain tried to locate two murder victims last year, they sought assistance on places to search from a tool that measured the brain activity of the convicted and confessed killers.
Researcher exploring how to best use music to help premature infants develop
(Medical Xpress)—Neonatal intensive care units are armed with ventilators and incubators to support a premature baby's early arrival into the world. But one University of Kansas researcher believes music can serve as another tool to aid in the infant's still developing neurological system.
Study asks if recovery tales help those with anorexia
Many mental health organisations, including those treating people with anorexia nervosa, feature testimonials on their websites from survivors and sufferers who describe the road to recovery.
Antibiotic resistance giving killer diseases free rein, WHO says (Update 2)
The rise of superbugs, stoked by misuse of antibiotics and poor hospital hygiene, is enabling long-treatable diseases to once again become killers, the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday.
Brain at rest yields clues to origins of mental illness
While at rest, multiple regions of the brain remain engaged in a highly heritable, stable pattern of activity called the default mode network.
Study uncovers how 'good cholesterol' levels may influence pregnancy
(Medical Xpress)—University at Albany epidemiologist Michael Bloom and three fellow researchers have released a study on how the "good cholesterol" may play a role within the ovarian follicle in pre-programming an egg for successful pregnancy or failure.
Online therapy could improve student mental health
(Medical Xpress)—A new approach to treating university students' mental health problems, using an online intervention, has been tested by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London. The intervention reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improved self-esteem.
Treatment could offer protective effect against kidney damage
Treating patients with a hormone or administering a simple medical procedure pre-operatively could help to prevent irreversible kidney damage commonly sustained during surgery, Nottingham researchers have found.
Fruit and vegetables best protection for pancreas
(Medical Xpress)—A University of Auckland research team has found that people who eat both fruit and vegetables will have the best protection against common pancreatic diseases.
Mining data for the history of pharmaceutical development
(Medical Xpress)—Yale's Michael Kinch spent his spare time in the last year creating a massive database that encompasses the entire history of drug development in the United States. In a series of 20 articles scheduled to be published over the next year in the journal Drug Discovery Today, Kinch mines the data and provides historical tidbits about the history of drug development and reveals trends on how—or whether—we will get new medicines in the future.
How a health care plan quickly lowered infant mortality
Few problems in developing countries are as gut-wrenching as high infant mortality—and yet it is a problem that has solutions. A policy change in Thailand's health care system has quickly led to significantly lower infant mortality rates among less-wealthy citizens, as a study co-authored by MIT economists shows.
US execution drugs harm breathing, heart function
Oklahoma changed its execution protocols twice this year. State officials have five options for lethal injections, including a new three-drug mixture. That combination was used for the first time Tuesday, resulting in a botched execution that left an inmate writhing and clenching his teeth, leading prison officials to halt the proceedings before his eventual death from a heart attack.
Deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder releases dopamine in the brain
Some have characterized dopamine as the elixir of pleasure because so many rewarding stimuli - food, drugs, sex, exercise - trigger its release in the brain. However, more than a decade of research indicates that when drug use becomes compulsive, the related dopamine release becomes deficient in the striatum, a brain region that is involved in reward and behavioral control.
Using memories to motivate behavior
We all know that thinking about exercise isn't the same as doing it. But researchers from the University of New Hampshire have confirmed what may be the next best thing: just thinking about a past exercise experience can motivate us to actually do it.
Depression is detectable in the blood
Researchers at the MedUni Vienna have demonstrated the possibility of using a blood test to detect depression. While blood tests for mental illnesses have until recently been regarded as impossible, a recent study clearly indicates that, in principle, depression can in fact be diagnosed in this way and this could become reality in the not too distant future.
Discovery of anti-appetite molecule released by fibre could help tackle obesity
(Medical Xpress)—New research has helped unpick a long-standing mystery about how dietary fibre supresses appetite. In a study led by Imperial College London and the Medical Research Council (MRC), an international team of researchers identified an anti-appetite molecule called acetate that is naturally released when we digest fibre in the gut. Once released, the acetate is transported to the brain where it produces a signal to tell us to stop eating.
Minorities face disparities in treatment and outcomes of atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition where the heartbeat speeds up or becomes irregular, is not usually life-threatening but can lead to complications such as stroke and heart failure. Even though minorities historically have more risk factors for AF, they represent a smaller number of those diagnosed. A new study in Ethnicity and Disease finds significant differences in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of AF between black and white patients.
Eating organic food significantly lowers pesticide exposure
Eating an organic diet for a week can cause pesticide levels to drop by almost 90% in adults, research from RMIT University has found.
SDSC resources, expertise used in genomic analysis of 115 year-old woman
A team of researchers investigating the genome of a healthy supercentenarian since 2011 has found many somatic mutations – permanent changes in cells other than reproductive ones – that arose during the woman's lifetime. Led by Erik Sistermans and Henne Holstege from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, the team recently published its findings in the journal Genome Research.
Even routine housework may help stave off disability
(HealthDay)—Daily physical activity as light as pushing a shopping cart, vacuuming the house or strolling through a museum can dramatically reduce a person's risk of disability, a new study reports.
Candid 'insider' views in the NHS could help detect reasons for poor care
Asking NHS staff about what affects whether they would recommend their organisation for family and friends is an important source of intelligence for improving quality and safety of care, says a new study.
Whey beneficially affects diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors in obese adults
New evidence shores up findings that whey protein, which is found in milk and cheese, could have health benefits for people who are obese and do not yet have diabetes. The study, which appears in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, examined how different protein sources affect metabolism.
Coached extracurricular activities may help prevent pre-adolescent smoking and drinking
Dartmouth researchers have found that tweens (preadolescents aged 10-14) who participate in a coached team sport a few times a week or more are less likely to try smoking. Their findings on the relationship between extracurricular activity and health risk behaviors are reported in "The relative roles of types of extracurricular activity on smoking and drinking initiation among tweens," which was recently published in Academic Pediatrics.
Watch out: Children more prone to looking but not seeing
Children under 14 are more likely than adults to be 'blinded' to their surroundings when focusing on simple things, finds a new UCL study. It explains a somewhat frustrating experience familiar to many parents and carers: young children fail to notice their carer trying to get their attention because they have little capacity to spot things outside their area of focus.
Surgeons and health care settings influence type of breast cancer surgery women undergo
Breast cancer is one of the few major illnesses for which physicians may not recommend a specific treatment option. North American women are more likely to opt for precautionary breast surgery when physicians don't specifically counsel against it, according to a new study.
Children's TV time is closely linked to parents' viewing habits
The amount of time children spend in front of TV, phone and computer screens is closely associated with their parents' own habits, with much higher weekend viewing than during the week, a new study has found.
Two new MERS deaths bring Saudi toll to 107
Saudi health authorities announced Wednesday two new deaths from the MERS coronavirus in the kingdom, where 16 more infections were also detected.
Parents just as likely to use cell phones while driving, putting child passengers at risk
Despite their precious cargo, parents are no less likely to engage in driving distractions like cell phone use than drivers from the general population, according to a new University of Michigan study published in Academic Pediatrics.
Prostate cancer and blood lipids share genetic links
Numerous studies have suggested a relationship between cardiovascular disease risk factors and prostate cancer. A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Norway, significantly refines the association, highlighting genetic risk factors associated with low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides as key players and identifying 17 related gene loci that make risk contributions to levels of these blood lipids and to prostate cancer
Spinal fx complications, mortality up with ankylosing spondylitis
(HealthDay)—Spinal fracture patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) disorders have higher complication and mortality rates, compared with control patients, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Modafinil doesn't improve NSCLC-related fatigue
(HealthDay)—The central nervous system stimulant modafinil is not effective in treating non-small-cell lung cancer-related fatigue, according to a study published online April 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Afternoon exercise may up overnight/next-day hypoglycemia
(HealthDay)—Afternoon moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) increases the risk of overnight and next-day hypoglycemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, according to research published in the May issue of Diabetes Care.
Nongroup insurance market lacked stability before ACA
(HealthDay)—The nongroup insurance market has been characterized by frequent disruptions in coverage before implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to research published online April 23 in Health Affairs.
Spanking may be more common than parents admit
(HealthDay)—Ask any busy parent of preschool children: Early evening can be a stressful time. Now a small new study that audiotaped families soon after they returned home from work and day care suggests that spanking is surprisingly common.
Study challenges concept of 'healthy' obesity
Obese individuals who have no signs of cardiovascular disease show a much higher prevalence of early plaque buildup in the arteries compared to healthy normal weight individuals, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study challenges the idea of "healthy" obesity, and researchers recommend all obese individuals be counseled about their risks for cardiovascular disease and receive tips for achieving a healthy weight.
Dispatcher-assisted CPR increases survival among children
Children who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital are more likely to survive and have good brain function if dispatchers instruct bystanders on CPR, according to a large Japanese study published in Journal of the American Heart Association.
Study examines UV nail salon lamps, risk of skin cancer
Using higher-wattage ultra violet (UV) lamps at nail salons to dry and cure polish was associated with more UV-A radiation being emitted, but the brief exposure after a manicure would require multiple visits for potential DNA damage and the risk for cancer remains small.
Damage control: Recovering from radiation and chemotherapy
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that a protein called beta-catenin plays a critical, and previously unappreciated, role in promoting recovery of stricken hematopoietic stem cells after radiation exposure.
Diagnosis of childhood TB could be improved by genetic discovery
A distinctive genetic 'signature' found in the blood of children with tuberculosis (TB) offers new hope for improved diagnosis of the disease.
New version of old multiple sclerosis drug performs well in clinical trial
Tests of a new long-acting version of one of the oldest multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs on the market show it worked significantly better than placebo in reducing the number of patient relapses and developments of new or active lesions, researchers report. Most important, they add, the updated version was effective even though injections were given every two weeks instead of every other day, and it appears that fewer patients develop resistance to it.
Infertile women want more support
Many women coping with infertility count on relatives or close friends for encouragement and assistance. But according to research at the University of Iowa, when it comes to support, women may not be receiving enough—or even the right kind.
Study identifies novel regulator of key gene expression in cancer
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified a key genetic switch linked to the development, progression and outcome of cancer, a finding that may lead to new targets for cancer therapies.
Stem cells from teeth can make brain-like cells
(Medical Xpress)—University of Adelaide researchers have discovered that stem cells taken from teeth can grow to resemble brain cells, suggesting they could one day be used in the brain as a therapy for stroke.
Merely observing stressful situations can trigger a physical stress response
(Medical Xpress)—Stress is contagious. Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol. This is the conclusion reached by scientists involved in a large-scale cooperation project between the departments of Tania Singer at the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and Clemens Kirschbaum at the Technische Universität Dresden. Empathic stress arose primarily when the observer and stressed individual were partners in a couple relationship and the stressful situation could be directly observed through a one-way mirror. However, even the observation of stressed strangers via video transmission was enough to put some people on red alert. In our stress-ridden society, empathic stress is a phenomenon that should not be ignored by the health care system.
Mouse study points to potentially powerful tool for treating damaged hearts
A type of cell that builds mouse hearts can renew itself, Johns Hopkins researchers report. They say the discovery, which likely applies to such cells in humans as well, may pave the way to using them to repair hearts damaged by disease—or even grow new heart tissue for transplantation.
New experimental vaccine produces immune response against MERS virus
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) and Novavax, Inc. today announced that an investigational vaccine candidate developed by Novavax against the recently emerged Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) blocked infection in laboratory studies. UM SOM and Novavax also reported that a vaccine candidate against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) developed by Novavax on a similar platform also inhibited virus infection. Researchers reported these findings in an article published in the April 13, 2014 issue of Vaccine.
Better drugs to treat stroke, heart attacks: Team decodes central receptor for blood coagulation
An international team of researchers in cooperation with the University of Bonn has taken two "snapshots" of a receptor which are of critical importance for blood coagulation. The scientists now hope to be able to develop novel drugs using these results. These include tailor-made blood-thinning substances for heart attack and stroke patients whose effects are reversible and better controllable than those of current therapies. The researchers are presenting their results in the journal Nature.
Water-based 'engine' propels tumor cells through tight spaces in the body
Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a new mechanism that explains how cancer cells spread through extremely narrow three-dimensional spaces in the body by using a propulsion system based on water and charged particles.
In recognizing speech sounds, the brain does not work the way a computer does
How does the brain decide whether or not something is correct? When it comes to the processing of spoken language – particularly whether or not certain sound combinations are allowed in a language – the common theory has been that the brain applies a set of rules to determine whether combinations are permissible. Now the work of a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigator and his team supports a different explanation – that the brain decides whether or not a combination is allowable based on words that are already known. The findings may lead to better understanding of how brain processes are disrupted in stroke patients with aphasia and also address theories about the overall operation of the brain.
Columbia engineers grow functional human cartilage in lab
Researchers at Columbia Engineering announced today that they have successfully grown fully functional human cartilage in vitro from human stem cells derived from bone marrow tissue. Their study, which demonstrates new ways to better mimic the enormous complexity of tissue development, regeneration, and disease, is published in the April 28 Early Online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Experiment grows new muscle in men's injured legs
Scientists implanted thin sheets of scaffolding-like material from pigs into a few young men with disabling leg injuries—and say the experimental treatment coaxed the men's own stem cells to regrow new muscle.
Study shows men find women with more feminine faces more attractive, but less so in harsh environments
(Medical Xpress)—A large team made up of researchers from around the globe has found that men are less attracted to a feminine female face if they are living in under harsh conditions. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes how they showed male volunteers pictures of altered female faces while asking which they found more sexually attractive, and what they learned as a result.
Stem cell therapy regenerates heart muscle damaged from heart attacks in primates
Heart cells created from human embryonic stem cells successfully restored damaged heart muscles in monkeys. The results of the experiment appear in the April 30 advanced online edition of the journal Nature in a paper titled, "Human embryonic-stem cell derived cardiomyocytes regenerate non-human primate hearts."
Biology news
Researchers believe ants can lead to human-disease insights
What can ants teach us about the transmission and spread of human disease? Perhaps a lot, according to a team of researchers who recently received a grant of more than $1.8 million from the National Science Foundation to explore this question.
South Australia's citizens make koalas count
Results from South Australia's Great Koala Count have been published with researchers giving "citizens' science" the thumbs up for helping determine koala distribution and abundance through the State's first koala database.
Embedded microscopes for deep-tissue imaging could see reduction in animal use in research
Scientists are aiming to implant a tiny microscope into a rat that could monitor cellular changes and reduce the number of animals used in medical research over time.
Researchers study the effects of climate change on Tempranillo grape wines
Climate change is set to affect the quality of the wines of the Tempranillo grape variety, according to the conclusions of a piece of research conducted by the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development Neiker-Tecnalia, in collaboration with the University of Navarre and the Aula Dei (EEAD) Experimental Station of the National Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). Scientists from these bodies have studied the behaviour of the vines in conditions of climate change; in other words, higher temperature, increased presence of CO2 and greater environmental aridity. The result is a must with a lower anthocyanin content, which leads to wines with less colour and therefore lower quality. The results of the research, led by the agricultural engineer Urtzi Leibar, have been presented at the conference of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), held in Vienna (Austria).
Researchers discover 18 new species of molluscs
Molluscs are invertebrates that make up one of the most numerous groups in the animal kingdom. They are everywhere, from great heights of over 3,000m above sea level to ocean profundities of over 5,000m deep, in polar and tropical waters and they tend to be common elements on coastlines around the world. Within this animal group are found the nudibranchs, characterized among other things, for not having shells and being brightly coloured. This colouring alerts their predators to their toxicity. Within this group, in turn, we can find the Aeolidiidae family.
Neiker-Tecnalia studies the effects of climate change on Tempranillo grape wines
Climate change is set to affect the quality of the wines of the Tempranillo grape variety, according to the conclusions of a piece of research conducted by the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development Neiker-Tecnalia, in collaboration with the University of Navarre and the Aula Dei (EEAD) Experimental Station of the National Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). Scientists from these bodies have studied the behaviour of the vines in conditions of climate change; in other words, higher temperature, increased presence of CO2 and greater environmental aridity. The result is a must with a lower anthocyanin content, which leads to wines with less colour and therefore lower quality. The results of the research, led by the agricultural engineer Urtzi Leibar, have been presented at the conference of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), held in Vienna (Austria).
APNewsBreak: Isle Royale wolf decline boosts moose
A scientific report says the wolf population of Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior is dangerously low for the third consecutive year, while moose numbers are steadily rising.
Iconic Galapagos bird suffering population decline
One of the iconic birds of the Galapagos Islands, the blue-footed booby, has suffered a sharp population decline, authorities in the Ecuadoran archipelago said Wednesday, blaming overfishing.
Safe(bee) in numbers
Bumblebees can distinguish between safe and dangerous environments, and are attracted to land on flowers popular with other bees when exposed to perilous situations, according to new research from Queen Mary University of London.
Wool quality reduced with sheep weight loss
A new study into wool production has found that seasonal weight loss can cause reduced wearability and appearance retention.
Ravens have social abilities previously only seen in humans
Humans and their primate cousins are well known for their intelligence and social abilities. You hear them called bird-brained, but birds have demonstrated a great deal of intelligence in many tasks.
The gene that helps plant cells finding the right direction
Plant physiologist Stefano Pietra shows in his doctoral thesis that the SABRE gene is necessary for plants to coordinate the polarity of their cells. The gene "tells" all cells in a certain region what is up and what is down and how they should modify their form accordingly.
'Charismatic' organisms still dominating genomics research
Decades after the genomics revolution, half of known eukaryote lineages still remain unstudied at the genomic level—with the field displaying a research bias against 'less popular', but potentially genetically rich, single-cell organisms.
Putting the endoparasitic plants Apodanthaceae on the map
The Apodanthaceae are small parasitic plants living almost entirely inside other plants. They occur in Africa, Iran, Australia, and the New World. Bellot and Renner propose the first revision of the species relationships in the family based on combined molecular and anatomical data. They show that Apodanthaceae comprise 10 species, which are specialized to parasitize either legumes or species in the willow family.
Frogs help researchers find genetic mechanism for mildew susceptibility in grapevine
A princess kisses a frog and it turns into a prince, but when a scientist uses a frog to find out more information about a grapevine disease, it turns into the perfect tool narrowing in on the cause of crop loss of Vitis vinifera, the world's favorite connoisseur wine-producing varietal.
Should the EU ban on the import of seal products stand?
Next month, following an appeal by Canada and Norway to overturn the EU ban on the import of seal products, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is expected to announce whether the 2013 decision will be upheld. In an editorial article, a University of Bristol academic, whose research on the animal welfare of the seal hunt has been used in the case, explains why the ban should stand.
Sample of a frog's slimy skin predicts susceptibility to disease
A simple sample of the protective mucus layer that coats a frog's skin can now be analyzed to determine how susceptible the frog is to disease, thanks to a technique developed by a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder.
New fluid fats fuel frozen flies
When goldenrod gall flies embark on their winter hibernation, they freeze solid and have only the fats that they carry on board to sustain them. However, scientists from Western University, Canada, have discovered that the insects produce a new and extremely novel low calorie fat that remains fluid at the super cold temperatures experienced by the larvae to sustain them through to spring.
Simple sequence repeats for population-level studies of pines
Simple sequence repeats, abbreviated SSRs and frequently referred to as microsatellites, are highly variable sections of the genome. 'Sequence repeat' refers to the fact that a nucleotide motif is repeated. 'Simple,' because the repeated sequence often consists of only a couple of nucleotides—for example, ATAT.
Females prefer lovers not fighters, horned beetle study finds
It's official (in the horned beetle world at least), females prefer courtship over competitiveness – and it doesn't matter about the size of your mandibles either.
The big bad wolf was right: Among wasps, bigger eyes evolved the better to see social cues
Some wasps have developed bigger eyes, and thus better vision, to read the social cues written on the faces of their sister wasps, according to a new University of California, Berkeley, study.
Bigger is not always better, but it helps, says new research on beetles
Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that the probability of a burying beetle winning fights, for the small animal carcasses it needs, depends on a combination of early life experiences and the competition it faces as an adult.
Predators predict longevity of birds
(Phys.org) —Ageing inevitably occurs both in humans and in other animals. However, life-span varies widely across species. Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen have now found a possible general mechanism explaining differences in longevity. They investigated life history data of nearly 1400 bird species and found that avian life span varies considerably across the entire Earth, and that much of this variation can be explained by the species' body mass and clutch size and by the local diversity of predator species. With their data the researchers were able to confirm a key prediction of the classical evolutionary theory of ageing that had been proposed more than 50 years ago.
Aluminum tolerance fix could open arable land
(Phys.org) —With as much as 40 percent of the world's potentially arable land unusable due to aluminum toxicity, a solution may be near: Cornell agricultural scientists report that a gene – and the protein it expresses – play a major role in allowing rice to tolerate the toxic metal in acid soils.
Mite sets new record as world's fastest land animal
Move over, Australian tiger beetle. There's a new runner in town.
Competition for ecological niches limits the formation of new species
The rate at which new species evolve is limited by competition for ecological niches, report scientists from the University of Chicago in Nature on April 30. The study, which analyzes the evolutionary and genetic relationships between all 461 songbird species that live in the Himalayan mountains, suggests that as ecological niches within an environment are filled, the formation of new species slows or even stops.
Ground breaking technique offers DNA 'Sat Nav' direct to your ancestor's home 1,000 years ago
Tracing where your DNA was formed over 1,000 years ago is now possible due to a revolutionary technique developed by a team of international scientists led by experts from the University of Sheffield.
Field study shows glassfrog embryos hatch early if not well cared for by parent
(Phys.org) —A trio of researchers has found that glassfrogs (Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni) tend to hatch early if their male parent doesn't keep them hydrated. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, the team describes how they studied glassfrogs in the wild and what happened when they removed some of the males to see how the embryos would respond.
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