Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 20, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- For neurons to work as a team, it helps to have a beat- Nano antenna concentrates light: Intensity increases 1,000-fold
- 'Keyless keyboards' coming for mobile computing (w/ Video)
- Scientists using lasers to cool and control molecules
- USC lab releases smartphone app that measures particulate air pollution
- Team finds cellular structural molecule can be toxic: Makes pneumonia worse
- Compound boosts marijuana-like chemical in the body to relieve pain at injury site
- Nanocatalyst is a gas: New formula could make fuel production better, greener
- Vigilant camera eye
- Looking for loopholes in microchip security
- Learning from lizards: Geckos inspire new method to print electronics on complex surfaces
- BP's broken well in Gulf of Mexico is 'dead'
- Food for thought, er, well... Study finds brain wolfs energy to stop thinking
- New pathway regulates immune balance and offers promising drug development target
- Scientists uncover process enabling toxoplasmosis parasite to survive homelessness
Space & Earth news
Russia to boost Arctic research efforts
(AP) -- The Kremlin's pointman for the Arctic says Russia is boosting its research efforts to support its claims for parts of the Arctic continental shelf.
NASA inspector general faults space agency boss
(AP) -- NASA's inspector general is criticizing the head of the space agency for his contact with an oil company.
NASA to ship fuel tank for the last planned shuttle flight
(PhysOrg.com) -- The external fuel tank that will power the last planned space shuttle into orbit will be shipped Tuesday to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Manganese in drinking water: Study suggests adverse effects on children's intellectual abilities
A team of researchers led by Maryse Bouchard, adjunct professor at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Health, Environment and Society (CINBIOSE) of the Université du Québec à Montréal and a researcher at Sainte-Justine University Hospital, recently completed a study showing that children exposed to high concentrations of manganese in drinking water performed worse on tests of intellectual functioning than children with lower exposures. Their results are published in the prestigious scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives, in an article entitled "Intellectual Impairment in School-Age Children Exposed to Manganese from Drinking Water".
Hurricane Igor, unchained, in NASA satellite images
While its intensity has dropped slightly, massive Hurricane Igor remains a powerful Category Three storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 105 knots (115 miles per hour) as it continues on a projected collision course with Bermuda this weekend. The storm is bringing large swells to the Lesser Antilles, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Bahamas and the east coast of the United States.
Taking the pulse of coral reefs
Healthy reefs with more corals and fish generate predictably greater levels of noise, according to researchers working in Panama. This has important implications for understanding the behaviour of young fish, and provides an exciting new approach for monitoring environmental health by listening to reefs.
NASA satellites and aircraft studied Hurricane Karl before it faded
Hurricane Karl made landfall near Veracruz, Mexico on Friday, Sept. 17 and moved inland over Mexico's rugged terrain, which took the punch out of the storm. As Karl was moving into Mexico, NASA aircraft and NASA satellites were gathering data from this storm that jumped from a tropical storm to a Category 3 hurricane the day before.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Julia getting 'dusted'
Dust has been blowing into the Eastern Atlantic Ocean from Africa's Saharan Desert, and a NASA satellite captured some of that dust east of Tropical Storm Julia.
NASA captures very heavy rain in Typhoon Fanapi and 2 landfalls
Taiwan experienced a landfall and a soaking from Typhoon Fanapi, and NASA and JAXA's TRMM satellite noted a large area of very heavy rain in the system before it made landfall this weekend. NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites also captured impressive visible images of Fanapi just before the Taiwan landfall, and as it was making landfall in eastern China very early today.
NASA's MODIS and AIRS instruments watch Igor changing shape, warming over 3 days
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS, is an instrument that flies on NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites and provides incredible views of tropical cyclones like Hurricane Igor, from its vantage point in space. Imagery from the MODIS instruments on these two satellites captured from Sept. 18 to 20 showed that powerful Hurricane Igor in the Atlantic Ocean is morphing from a rounded storm to more of a comma-shaped storm.
Firefly Satellite to study lightning
Satellites are big. They cost a lot of money. At least that's the impression a couple of University of Maryland-College Park students had when they applied for an internship to help construct a satellite instrument with scientists at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. As the pair quickly discovered, nothing could have been farther from the truth.
BP's broken well in Gulf of Mexico is 'dead'
US officials have finally declared BP's broken well in the Gulf of Mexico "dead", five months after a deadly oil rig explosion set off one of the costliest and largest environmental disasters ever.
Team restoring Mars orbiter after reboot
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter put itself into a precautionary standby mode after experiencing a spontaneous computer reboot on Sept. 15. The mission's ground team has begun restoring the spacecraft to full operations.
Earth's highest coastal mountain on the move
(PhysOrg.com) -- The rocks of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta—the highest coastal mountain on Earth—tell a fascinating tale: The mountain collides and then separates from former super-continents. Volcanoes are born and die. The mountain travels from Peru to northern Colombia and finally rotates in a clockwise direction to open up an entirely new geological basin. Smithsonian scientists were part of a four-year project to study Santa Marta's geological evolution. Their findings are published in the October 2010 special issue of the Journal of South American Earth Sciences.
Windborne dust on high peaks dampens Colorado River runoff
On spring winds, something wicked this way comes--at least for the mountains of the Colorado River Basin and their ecosystems, and for people who depend on snowmelt from these mountains as a regional source of water.
Water on Moon is bad news for China's lunar telescope
The discovery of water on the Moon could affect a telescope that will be installed on China's first lunar lander, scheduled in 2013, a Chinese astronomer was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
Technology news
Spanish scientists are working on mechanical transmission without contact between parts
Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid are coordinating an international project to develop a new concept of mechanical transmission without contact between parts, based on magnetic forces, which prevents friction and wear as well as making lubrication of the parts unnecessary.
New Oak Ridge homes are laboratories for energy efficiency
Four East Tennessee homes completed this month showcase how scientific research can make dramatic changes in the cost of heating and cooling our homes.
Multi-university collaboration to re-engineer internet
Dr. Antonio Nicolosi, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stevens Institute of Technology is part of the interdisciplinary Nebula Project, a multi-university collaboration led by the University of Pennsylvania, which has recently been awarded a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of the Future Internet Architecture (FIA) program.
'Hacktivity 2010' tackles computer security
A major anti-hacking conference wrapped up in Hungary Sunday after higlighting protection against increasingly sophisticated computer piracy as the Internet becomes ever more present in daily life.
Google defends shrinking China market share
(AP) -- Google is hiring dozens of marketing and technical employees in China to defend a shrinking market share against local rivals after closing its Chinese search engine six months ago this Wednesday in a dispute over censorship.
India handset maker Micromax sells stake
Indian handset maker Micromax, which is taking on Nokia and other foreign brands in its home market, has sold a stake to investors in a deal that values the group at more than 440 million dollars.
RFID could revolutionize the supply chain
Imagine you're at the grocery store the week before Thanksgiving and many of the items you're looking for are sold out. The employees restocking the shelves can't keep up with consumer demand. To make matters worse, you arrive at the checkout counter and every line is long. A new automated data collection (auto-ID) system may be able to help stores work out these kinks.
IBM to acquire analytics firm Netezza for 1.7 billion dlrs
IBM announced Monday it will acquire business analytics firm Netezza in a cash transaction valued at 1.7 billion dollars.
Citizen scientist: Helping scientists help themselves
We are all scientists now, thanks to SETI@home, Galaxy Zoo, The Great Sunflower Project, Folding@home and counltess other projects that allow individuals to take part in scientific research directly or indirectly. In the case of SETI@home and Folding@home one shares one's computer CPU with the researchers, whereas Galaxy Zoo is more about active involvement with the classification of stellar objects in images of the night sky, for instance.
Spain approves country's largest biomass plant
Spain's government Monday approved the construction of the country's largest biomass plant, the renewable energy group Ence announced Monday.
Computer scientists to develop smart vision machines
Five years ago, Laurent Itti of the University of Southern California presented groundbreaking research on how humans see the world. Now, he is heading a $16-million Defense Advanced Research Project Agency effort to build machines that see the world in the way he discovered humans see.
Image sensors for extreme temperatures
Image sensors which are used as electronic parking aids in cars or for quality control in production systems have to be able to withstand the often very high temperatures that prevail in these environments. Research scientists have produced a CMOS chip which functions even at a temperature of 115 degrees Celsius.
India's Bharti taps Nokia, others to roll out 3G
India's top mobile firm Bharti Airtel said Monday it had awarded contracts to establish its third-generation (3G) networks in the country to Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei Technologies Co.
Germany demands privacy charter from Google, rivals
The German government told Google and its competitors in online map services Monday to come up with their own guidelines on data protection by December or face new regulations on the market.
India networks told to be able to monitor Blackberry: source
India has told telecom service providers to make sure security agencies can monitor messages sent on BlackBerry phones through their networks, a domestic mobile phone company executive said Monday.
Hurd shows new Oracle machine; silent on scandal
(AP) -- Former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Mark Hurd made his public debut as a co-president at Oracle Corp. Monday, showing off a new data-storage computer at the company's annual conference.
Google says over 30 million people using Google Apps
Google said Monday that more than 30 million people are using Google Apps, as the company unveiled enhanced security features for the Web-based suite of office tools.
US Senate bill seeks to crack down on online piracy
A bill introduced in the US Senate on Monday would give US law enforcement authorities more tools to crack down on websites engaged in piracy of movies, television shows and music.
Hewlett-Packard and former CEO Hurd reach truce
(AP) -- Mark Hurd, the ousted CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co., has settled a lawsuit brought by his former employer that sought to stop him from working at rival Oracle Corp.
Researchers help make silent electric vehicles safer but UFO reports could rise...
(PhysOrg.com) -- A little green van called ELVIN is whizzing around the University of Warwick as part of a major research project aimed at tackling the safety issues linked to the lack of sound from electric vehicles. However ELVIN (Electric Vehicle with Interactive Noise) faces a risk of being perceived as a little green man rather than as a little green van.
Technology in the extreme
Radio transmitters that can withstand temperatures of up to 900 C could soon be dropped into the depths of the earth to provide early warning of a volcanic eruption.
Lightweight true random number generators a step closer
The widespread use of true random number generators (TRNGs) has taken a step closer following the creation of the most lightweight designs to date by researchers at Queen's University Belfast's Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT).
Oracle reaches for the business computing 'cloud'
Oracle on Sunday reached for the business computing "cloud," taking an unabashed shot at Salesforce.com's winning way of selling applications as services on the Internet.
Google adds extra security step to e-mail, apps
(AP) -- Google is making it tougher for computer hackers and other imposters to break into e-mail accounts and other password-protected services.
Vigilant camera eye
An innovative camera system could in future enhance security in public areas and buildings. Smart Eyes works just like the human eye. The system analyzes the recorded data in real time and then immediately flags up salient features and unusual scenes.
USC lab releases smartphone app that measures particulate air pollution
University of Southern California computer scientists have found a way to combine smartphone resources with a novel application that allows the phones' users to help monitor air quality.
Looking for loopholes in microchip security
(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to making sure our information is secure, sometimes researchers have to think like hackers. This is true of Avishai Wool, a professor at Tel Aviv University. Along with Ph.D. student Yossi Oren, Wool has come up with a way to extract information from microchips that are thought to be secure. Wool and Oren created a special computer program that is designed to reduce the noise that limits hackers from identifying information on chips through the use of power source tracing.
'Keyless keyboards' coming for mobile computing (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new Israeli company, SnapKeys, has developed a keyless keyboard that promises to make mobile computing on tablets or devices such as Apple's iPad simpler. Instead of an on-screen keyboard taking up much of the room, the user types on invisible keys.
Medicine & Health news
The correlation between acne and social and mental health problems
Researchers have looked into the association between acne and mental health in teenagers and report their findings online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Their work suggests adverse events including suicidal ideation and depression that have previously been associated with therapies for acne may reflect the burden of substantial acne rather than the effects of medication.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage more commonly caused by environmental factors than genes
The large Nordic twin study investigating the heritability of subarachnothe role of genetic factors underlying the development of SAH suggests that the role of genetic factors underlying the development of SAH is less than previously believed.
GUMC researcher publishes book on psychosocial aspects of genomic advances for family health
As genomic advances reveal new insights into what underlies human health and disease, important questions emerge about the meaning of this information for entire families--especially children and their parents. Now, a new professional handbook is available to help researchers, practitioners, and policy makers understand the impacts of these discoveries on child and family well-being.
How to control massive bleeding from the hepatic artery
A research team from China investigated the minimal invasive techniques to stop the life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreaticoduodenectomy. They found that placement of stent-grafts is an effective and safe procedure for acute life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm.
New options for enteral nutrition in patients with severe acute pancreatitis
A research team from Italy assessed the rate of spontaneous tube migration and compared the effects of naso-gastric and naso-intestinal (beyond the ligament of Treitz) feeding in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). They found that spontaneous distal tube migration is successful in 40 percent of SAP patients, with higher computed tomography severity index predicting intragastric retention; in such cases enteral nutrition by nasogastric tubes seems to provide a pragmatic alternative opportunity with similar outcomes.
Effects of chemoradiation therapy by using capecitabine on gastric cancer patients
A research team from Singapore reviewed the outcome of patients with resected gastric cancers treated with capecitabine and radiation compared to 5-fluorouracil with radiation or fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy only. They found that survival of patients treated with capecitabine and radiation was comparable to the other two conventional treatments
Passion for premature babies leads to groundbreaking research
Terrie E. Inder, MD, PhD, learned the meaning of hard work at a young age. She and her siblings often helped out on their grandfather's New Zealand farm, tossing freshly dug potatoes into sacks they carried on their backs.
Serious hockey injuries among young children skyrocketing, study finds
The incidence of hockey-related injuries among children aged 9 to 14 leading to emergency department visits more than doubled between 1990 and 2006, according to a new nationwide study.
Preserving nerve cells in motor neuron disease
A team of researchers, led by Scott Oakes, at the University of California, San Francisco, has identified a way to prevent symptom onset, weight loss, and paralysis and extend survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), providing a new avenue of research for the development of therapeutics for ALS and other motor neuron diseases.
Paper highlight: New driver of T cell leukemia growth
NKX3.1, a protein that suppresses the development of prostate tumors, promotes the growth of a different type of tumor in the blood, according to an article published online on September 20 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
In pregnancy, a large waistline and high triglycerides: Early screen for gestational diabetes
A large waistline and high triglyceride levels in pregnant women could be an early screening tool for gestational diabetes, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Seasonal flu vaccine lowers risk of first heart attack
The seasonal flu vaccine is associated with a 19% reduction in the rate of first heart attack and early vaccination in the fall further increases the benefits, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Drug to treat alcoholism goal of UH professor's research
With the ultimate goal to discover a drug that one day treats alcoholism, a University of Houston (UH) pharmacy professor is working on pinpointing the mechanisms in the brain that respond to alcohol.
New resource to explain the health care law
Today, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and AARP launched an online guide to help inform consumers about the health care law. The guide is written and organized in a way that clearly explains what the law has changed, why these changes were made and when the changes will take effect.
Investigational eye treatment: Corneal collagen crosslinking research study
The Cornea and Laser Eye Institute, with Principal Investigator, Peter S. Hersh M.D., is conducting a research study to study the safety and effectiveness of corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) using Riboflavin/Dextran and Hypotonic Riboflavin in patients with progressive keratoconus and corneal ectasia.
Botulinum toxin may offer temporary drooling relief in children with neurological disorders
Botulinum toxin treatment appears to offer a temporary, short-term solution to relieve drooling in children diagnosed with certain neurological disorders, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery.
Delay in performing appendectomy not associated with adverse outcomes
Delays of 12 hours or more before surgery do not appear to adversely affect 30-day outcomes among patients undergoing appendectomies for acute appendicitis, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery.
Patients seek revision plastic surgery to correct asymmetric nasal tips, breathing obstructions
Patients who seek a second surgery to revise their rhinoplasty often do so because they are dissatisfied with the symmetry of their nasal tip and because they experience nasal obstructions, according to a report in the September/October issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. Surgeons who examine revision rhinoplasty candidates cite slightly different findings than patients, suggesting that communication about nasal aesthetics could be improved.
Studies identify complications in women undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction
About half of women who require radiation therapy after they have had a mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction develop complications that necessitate a return to the operating room, but pre- or post-mastectomy chemotherapy does not appear to be associated with the need for additional procedures, according to two reports in the September issue of Archives of Surgery.
Postoperative high blood sugar appears to be associated with surgical site infection
High blood glucose levels after surgery may be an important risk factor for infection at the surgical site in patients having general surgery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery.
Childhood viral infection may be a cause of obesity
The emerging idea that obesity may have an infectious origin gets new support in a cross-sectional study by University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers who found that children exposed to a particular strain of adenovirus were significantly more likely to be obese.
Higher incidence of seizures seen in children with H1N1 virus compared to seasonal flu
A recent study by researchers at the University of Utah determined that the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) caused a higher rate of neurological complications in children than the seasonal flu. The most common complications observed were seizures and encephalopathy. Full details of the study, the most extensive evaluation of neurological complications following H1N1 flu in children, are published in the September issue of Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association.
Childhood anxiety can be prevented with early intervention
A team of researchers from Macquarie University has found that early intervention with parents of children at risk for anxiety and related disorders can potentially make the difference in whether a child will go on to develop anxiety-related illnesses later.
Violent video games increase aggression long after the game is turned off
Playing a violent video game can increase aggression, and when a player keeps thinking about the game, the potential for aggression can last for as long as 24 hours, according to a study in the current Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Protein behind development of immune system sentinels identified
A protein called PU.1 is essential for the development of dendritic cells, the sentinels of the immune system, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers in Melbourne, Australia, have shown.
18% drop in child asthma admissions since Scottish smoking ban
The rate of hospitalisations for children with asthma in Scotland has dropped by more than 18 per cent year-on-year since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places in 2006, according to scientists.
Study gets measure of how best to prevent blood clots
Treating hospital patients with thigh-length surgical stockings, rather than knee-high socks, can reduce life threatening blood clots, a new study suggests.
Kids and diabetes risk: Do chromosomes hold new clues?
Children who have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes might be identified earlier by way of tell-tale genetic indicators known as biomarkers. Some of those new biomarkers might be pinpointed in research led by Nancy F. Butte and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's National Institutes of Health.
Cholesterol drug may have role in treating prostate cancer
A drug commonly prescribed for people with high cholesterol may also be effective in treating prostate cancer, according to new research by Dr. Xiao-Yan Wen at St. Michael's Hospital.
Returning troops face both physical and mental challenges
Is the US health system comprehensively meeting the needs of returning veterans? With the recent attention to mental illness in returning soldiers, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in particular, little research has focused on the medical care needs of those returning from Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to Dr. Susan Frayne, from the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and Stanford University, and colleagues.
Study: Privacy key obstacle to adopting electronic health records
The United States could achieve significant health care savings if it achieved widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), but insufficient privacy protections are hindering public acceptance of the EHR concept, according to a new paper from researchers from North Carolina State University. The paper outlines steps that could be taken to boost privacy and promote the use of EHRs.
Chronic skin inflammation alleviated with lymphatic vessel growth stimulation
ETH Zurich pharmacists have discovered an astonishing mechanism that could help alleviate the suffering of patients with chronic skin inflammation, by stimulating lymphatic vessel growth.
Study challenges anecdotal evidence of diagnostic delay in ovarian cancer
Most women with ovarian cancer in Australia are investigated and diagnosed promptly, despite anecdotal suggestions to the contrary, according to research published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Research shows US teen hearing loss is much lower than has been widely reported
New research from University of Minnesota hearing scientists shows that fewer than 20 percent of teenagers in the United States have a hearing loss as a result of exposure to loud sounds, thus offering a different analysis of data reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in August.
Too much TV, video and computer can make teens fatter: study
Too much television, video games and Internet can increase body fat in teens. A five-year study from the University of Montreal and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, has found teenagers have four different patterns of screen use: increasers, decreasers, consistently high and consistently low users.
Elderly might not benefit from TB vaccines in development
Elderly people might not benefit from some of the tuberculosis vaccines currently in development, recent research suggests.
Pollution takes its toll on the heart
The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study conducted by a team from Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center and The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.
'Low' risk of thyroid cancer from French nuclear tests
Polynesians exposed to fallout from France's atmospheric nuclear tests in the South Pacific face only a low risk of developing thyroid cancer, researchers said on Monday.
Psychological pain of Holocaust still haunts survivors
Holocaust survivors show remarkable resilience in their day-to-day lives, but they still manifest the pain of their traumatic past in the form of various psychiatric symptoms, according to an analysis of 44 years of global psychological research.
Scientists show Six3 gene essential for retinal development
New research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators adds to evidence that the Six3 gene functions like a doorman in the developing brain and visual system, safeguarding the future retina by keeping the region where the eye is forming free of a signaling protein capable of disrupting the process.
Swallowing disc batteries can cause severe injury in children
Severe injury to the esophagus can occur after a child swallows a disc battery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Millions with voice problems don't know treatment available
Two-thirds of Americans with voice problems don't seek medical care either because they don't know treatment is available or because they think the problem will just go away, according to a new study conducted at the Duke Voice Care Center.
New study indicates higher than predicted human exposure to the toxic chemical bisphenol A or BPA
Researchers have discovered that women, female monkeys and female mice have major similarities when it comes to how bisphenol A (BPA) is metabolized, and they have renewed their call for governmental regulation when it comes to the estrogen-like chemical found in many everyday products.
Study: Giving aspirin via IV is safe and effective for severe headache
A new study shows that aspirin, given intravenously (IV), may be a safe and effective option for people hospitalized for severe headache or migraine, undergoing medication withdrawal. The research will be published in the September 21, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Use of sunless tanning products common in teens, may encourage sun safety in women
About one in ten U.S. adolescents uses sunless tanning products, and an intervention promoting these products as an alternative to regular tanning may reduce sunbathing and sunburns among adult women, according to two reports in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology.
Study examines HIV treatment response in men and women, finds overall similarities
A new landmark study, which demonstrated it is possible to recruit large numbers of women into a clinical trial evaluating treatments for HIV infection, found no significant gender-based differences in response to the anti-HIV drugs darunavir and ritonavir — at least among those who remained in the trial to the end.
Prototype vaginal gel fails to block HIV: study
A vaginal gel failed to protect women against the AIDS virus, doctors said on Monday, reporting on a major clinical trial that enrolled more than 9,000 women.
Understanding brain function could lead to breakthrough Alzheimer's treatment
Synaptic plasticity, one of the neurochemical foundations of learning and memory, is predominantly controlled by NMDA receptors. One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is a neurological dysfunction caused by nerve cell damage, which in turn is caused by the over-activation of NMDA receptors.
Child rearing practices of distant ancestors foster morality, compassion in kids, research says
Ever meet a kindergartener who seemed naturally compassionate and cared about others' feelings? Who was cooperative and didn't demand his own way? Chances are, his parents held, carried and cuddled him a lot; he most likely was breastfed; he probably routinely slept with his parents; and he likely was encouraged to play outdoors with other children, according to new research findings from the University of Notre Dame.
Compound boosts marijuana-like chemical in the body to relieve pain at injury site
American and Italian researchers have found that a novel drug allows anandamide - a marijuana-like chemical in the body - to effectively control pain at the site of an injury.
Team finds cellular structural molecule can be toxic: Makes pneumonia worse
A structural molecule and the cellular pump that regulates its levels influence the severity of pneumonia and could provide new ways of treating the lung infection, which is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, according to scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Iowa. Their findings are available online in Nature Medicine.
Food for thought, er, well... Study finds brain wolfs energy to stop thinking
Ever wonder why it's such an effort to forget about work while on vacation or to silence that annoying song that's playing over and over in your head?
New pathway regulates immune balance and offers promising drug development target
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a new pathway that helps control the immune balance through reciprocal regulation of specialized T lymphocytes, which play very different inflammatory roles.
Scientists uncover process enabling toxoplasmosis parasite to survive homelessness
The parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis requires a stress response system that helps it survive the move to infect new cells, Indiana University School of Medicine scientists have reported, a discovery that could lead to new treatments to control the disease.
Study examines men's priorities when looking for mates
(PhysOrg.com) -- Men who are looking for short-term companionship are more interested in a woman's body than those looking for a long-term relationship, who focused on a woman's face, according to new research from psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin.
For neurons to work as a team, it helps to have a beat
(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to conducting complex tasks, it turns out that the brain needs rhythm, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
Biology news
Rotating high-pressure sodium lamps provide flowering plants for spring markets
When consumers visit garden centers in spring they will most likely buy flowering ornamental plants that are ready for their home gardens. Studies have shown that consumers favor plants that are already in flower rather than those that are "vegetative"—a preference that can present multiple challenges for commercial growers.
Introducing 'Champagne', new disease-resistant fig
The ancient fig tree, first imported to the United States during the 16th century, thrives in areas of California and the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast areas of the U.S. One of the most popular trees grown in Southern backyards, fig is favored for its versatile fruit and low-maintenance production.
'Wyldewood,' first release from Elderberry Improvement Project
The American elderberry is showing promise as a profitable commercial fruit crop. Traditionally used for making jelly, juice, and wine, elderberry is becoming increasing important in North America's burgeoning "nutraceutical" industry. Historically, elderberries have mostly been harvested from the wild; researchers have made recently made efforts to select or develop improved cultivars. Increased interest and emerging markets are encouraging scientists to develop improved elderberry cultivars that yield consistent, superior production. Scientists from the University of Missouri have introduced a new variety named 'Wyldewood', a tall, vigorous elderberry plant that consistently produces heavy yields, is efficient to harvest, and produces fruit well-suited for processing.
Winter drought stress can delay flowering, prevent fruit loss in orange crops
Successful mechanical harvesting of perennial fruit crops requires efficient, economical harvesting systems that do not reduce trees' production life or diminish fruit quality. Most of the world's citrus is now harvested manually, but the use of efficient and lower-cost mechanical harvesting techniques is expected to increase in the next few years, especially in the large citrus plantations in Florida and Brazil. The citrus industry is ramping up efforts to extend the harvest season past June, when the following year's crop becomes large enough to be susceptible to mechanical harvesting; discovering techniques that improve late-season harvesting will give growers better tools to minimize damaging impacts on the next year's fruit yield.
'Blue Suede' premiers: New blueberry recommended for home gardeners
Blueberry aficionados will soon have a tasty, colorful new variety for their backyard gardens. Blueberry experts D. Scott NeSmith and Mark K. Ehlenfeldt introduced 'Blue Suede' in a recent issue of HortScience. The new southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium hybrid) was released by the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service. 'Blue Suede' is targeted for sales to the home gardener market.
Sub-zero seed freezes aim to save orchids from extinction
Scientists from around the world gathered in Costa Rica this month to exchange ideas on ways to make sure orchids, among the world's most popular flowers, will still be around for the next generation to enjoy.
Female fish abandoned by males to raise offspring on their own
Caring for children can be a tough job, particularly if you are a female cichlid fish.
Fish or frankenfish? FDA weighs altered salmon (Update)
(AP) -- Fish or frankenfish? A Massachusetts company wants to market a genetically engineered version of Atlantic salmon, and regulators are weighing the request. If approval is given, it would be the first time the government allowed such modified animals to join the foods that go onto the nation's dinner tables.
Protein may advance Parkinson's by preventing neurons from clearing debris
A protein linked to Parkinson's disease may cause neurodegeneration by inhibiting autophagy -- the process in which cells digest some of their contents -- according to a study in the September 20 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology.
Tigers found at record altitude in boost for survival hopes
A television crew filmed a "lost" population of tigers living at a higher altitude than any others known, raising hopes of linking isolated groups of the big cats across Asia, the BBC said Monday.
Grasping the tree of life: There is an app for that, too
Towering over the mightiest sequoia, nature's tree of life holds the totality of the living world on its bountiful branches and limbs. Now, an innovative new application lets anyone with an iPhone tap into this astonishing abundance of life. Download it from Apple Store for free by using TimeTree as a search term.
Making movies within cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- Biologist Barbara Mellone uses tiny cameras to study what happens when a dividing cell makes a mistake.
Anglers and Stanford scientists track marlins' unusual migration routes
An annual collaboration of Stanford researchers and sport anglers in Hawaii is revealing the long migration paths of the Pacific blue marlin, a large, spectacular fish with a snout shaped like a spear. Electronic tags placed on marlins reveal surprising behavior, including three fish that swam from Hawaii to the Marquesas Islands, a 3,000-kilometer journey south across the equator. Such trans-equatorial migrations are unusual, say researchers, who are eagerly awaiting the data from this summer's tagging.
Shake your tail feather: Sexual signaling in birds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Patterned feathers, previously thought to be used only for camouflage in birds, can play an important role in attracting a mate and fending off rivals, a University of Melbourne study reveals.
Marine scientists unveil the mystery of life on undersea mountains
They challenge the mountain ranges of the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas in size yet surprisingly little is known about seamounts, the vast mountains hidden under the world's oceans. Now in a special issue of Marine Ecology scientists uncover the mystery of life on these submerged mountain ranges and reveal why these under studied ecosystems are under threat.
Magnetic attraction for fish, crabs?
Super-sized electromagnetic coils are helping explain how aquatic life might be affected by renewable energy devices being considered for placement along America's coastal waters and in the nation's rivers.
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