Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 28, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Physicists may have observed Hawking radiation for the first time- Early sunflower family fossil found in South America
- Stroke damage to brain may not be permanent, study finds
- Geologists find parts of Northwest Houston sinking rapidly
- Researchers find differences between Galapagos and mainland frigatebirds
- Why we fight: Men check out in stressful situations
- Wind energy can power much of East Coast, study says
- Brand loyalty an expression of self-worth, just like religion
- Rescue services at the cellular level: How stem cells help brain to regain its functions after stroke
- Researchers use stem cells to create disease models
- NASA team obtains the 'unobtainium' for next space observatory
- Tiny generators turn waste heat into power
- Predicting divorce: Study shows how fight styles affect marriage
- Finding a buckyball in photovoltaic cell
- Amazon launches 'Kindle for the Web'
Space & Earth news
Pharmaceutical substances found in waters of Donana
Researchers from the University of Seville (US) have detected active pharmaceutical substances for the first time in the waters of the Doñana National Park and its surrounding areas. The results suggest eco-toxicological risks for aquatic organisms. The scientists recommend that advanced technologies should be used to treat urban waste water in order to remove these compounds.
Earth, Venus lightnings produced by similar mechanisms
Despite the great differences between the atmospheres of Venus and Earth, scientists have discovered that very similar mechanisms produce lightning on the two planets. The rates of discharge, the intensity and the spatial distribution of lightning are comparable, thus scientists hope to be able to better understand the chemistry, dynamics and evolution of the atmospheres of the two planets. These results were presented by Dr. Christopher Russell at the European Planetary Science Congress, on Thursday 23d September.
LA bakes in record heatwave
Los Angeles baked in record temperatures on Monday, bringing sweltering scenes to the West Coast metropolis nearly a month after the end of the main August heat.
China could launch lunar probe on Friday: state media
China is making final preparations to launch its second lunar probe, possibly as soon as Friday, when the nation marks 61 years of communist rule, state media reported Tuesday.
Could air travel be linked to deaths on ground?
The atmosphere is full of natural and man-made chemicals, including emissions from fuel combustion and byproducts of living organisms. Many of these chemicals combine in the atmosphere to form tiny solid and liquid particles known as "fine particulate matter" that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller (the average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter, by comparison). While it's not clear whether all of these particles may be harmful, some are; the danger to humans comes when they are inhaled and trapped in the lungs, where they can then enter the bloodstream.
Australia's inner cities still contaminated with lead
A research article published this week in the international journal Environmental Pollution contends that large tracts of land in the older inner-city suburbs of Australia's cities remain contaminated with above-acceptable levels of lead.
Cassini begins new chapter on brink of Saturn summer solstice
Turning a midsummer night's dream into reality, NASA's Cassini spacecraft begins its new mission extension -- the Cassini Solstice Mission -- today. The mission extension will take Cassini a few months past Saturn's northern summer solstice (or midsummer) through September 2017. It will enable scientists to study seasonal changes and other long-term weather changes on Saturn and its moons.
Shuttles carried to the pad by slow-motion giants
For more than 40 years, the twin crawler-transporters at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have traveled the gravel track between the massive Vehicle Assembly Building and the two launch pads at Launch Complex 39. These mammoth beasts that first carried all the Apollo Saturn V rockets have since borne every space shuttle on the last Earth-bound leg of their journeys to space.
The dual nature of dew: Study measures the effect of dew on desert plants
When the scientific and spiritual worlds collide, they do so in the most surprising ways. Classical meteorological and plant science has, in the last century, insisted that dew negatively affects plant life, leading to rot and fungus. But in the Judeo-Christian tradition, dew is most welcomed as an important source of vegetative and plant life, celebrated in poetry and prayer.
Understanding Missouri River's sediment dynamics key to protecting endangered species
A new report from the National Research Council says that more organized and systematic procedures for gathering and evaluating data on Missouri River sediment are required to improve decisions and better manage the river's ecosystem, including protecting endangered species and developing water quality standards. In addition, the report finds that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' projects to restore habitats along the Missouri River are not significantly changing the size of the oxygen-depleted "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, nor will options for reintroducing sediment to the system be able to substantially re-establish historic volumes of sediment that were transported downstream to the Louisiana delta.
Northern Lights hit 100-year low point: Finnish researchers
The Northern Lights have petered out during the second half of this decade, becoming rarer than at any other time in more than a century, the Finnish Meteorological Institute said Tuesday.
Phosphorus runoff can be slowed by changing farming practices, researchers say
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two recent studies by Iowa State University researchers show that phosphorus runoff into Iowa's rivers, streams and lakes can be slowed by farmers changing how they plant and fertilize their crops.
NASA sees colder cloud-top temps in new Tropical Depression 16, warnings up
NASA's Aqua satellite has peered into the cloud tops of System 96L in the western Caribbean early this morning and noticed that they've become colder and higher, which indicated the storms was strengthening and organizing. Just over eight hours later, the new Tropical Depression 16 was born, and now has the potential to become a tropical storm before it merges with an elongated area of low pressure near the Florida late on Wednesday.
New Australian footage of Neil Armstrong's moon walk
Long-lost footage of Neil Armstrong descending the ladder of the Apollo 11 lunar module will be screened in public for the first time in Sydney next week, a prominent astronomer told AFP.
Magnetic anomalies shield the Moon
Scientists have discovered a new type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system. Magnetized regions called magnetic anomalies, mostly on the far side of the Moon, were found to strongly deflect the solar wind, shielding the Moon's surface. This will help understand the solar wind behaviour near the lunar surface and how water may be generated in its upper layer. Observational evidence for these findings were presented by Drs. Yoshifumi Futaana and Martin Wieser at the European Planetary Science Congress in Rome, on Friday 24th September.
Astronomers track long, strange voyage of distant planet
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Pittsburgh planet hunters based at the Allegheny Observatory were one of nine teams around the world that tracked a planet 190 light-years from Earth making its rare 12-hour passage in front of its star. The project resulted in the first ground-based observation of the entire unusually drawn out transit and established a practical technique for recording the movement of other exoplanets, or planets outside of Earth's solar system, the teams reported in The Astrophysical Journal.
Geologists find parts of Northwest Houston sinking rapidly
A large section of northwestern Harris County - particularly the Jersey Village area - is sinking rapidly, according to a University of Houston (UH) geologist who has analyzed GPS data measuring ground elevation in the Houston area.
NASA team obtains the 'unobtainium' for next space observatory
Imagine building a car chassis without a blueprint or even a list of recommended construction materials. In a sense, that's precisely what a team of engineers at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., did when they designed a one-of-a-kind structure that is one of 9 key new technology systems of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM). Just as a chassis supports the engine and other components in a car, the ISIM will hold four highly sensitive instruments, electronics, and other shared instrument systems flying on the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA's next flagship observatory.
Technology news
Wikipedia co-founder slams Wikileaks over Afghan documents
The co-founder of online encyclopedia Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, on Tuesday slammed whistleblower WikiLeaks over its release of Afghan war documents which he said could "get people killed".
Making beautiful music, on a microscopic scale
Strings a fraction of the thickness of a human hair, with microscopic weights to pluck them: researchers and students from the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology of the University of Twente, The Netherlands, have succeeded in constructing the first musical instrument with dimensions measured in mere micrometres - a 'micronium' - that produces audible tones. A composition specially written for the instrument was performed in Enschede on Sunday 26 September.
Japan: China rare-earth ban could hurt economy
(AP) -- China's ban on shipments to Japan of rare-earth metals that are crucial for advanced manufacturing threatens to undermine the Japanese economy, a top finance official said Tuesday amid a territorial row between the rival Asian powers.
Web founder warns of Internet disconnect law 'blight'
Tim Berners-Lee, the man credited with inventing the world wide web, warned Tuesday of the "blight" of new laws being introduced across the globe allowing people to be cut off from the Internet.
No Facebook IPO until 2012 'at the earliest': board member
Peter Thiel, a member of the board of directors of Facebook, said Monday he does not expect the booming social network to go public for at least two years.
To build or to buy: Electric vehicle fans can convert gas-guzzlers or head to the sales lot
Watch out Chevy Volt. A new ride nicknamed Sparks gets a charge out of cruising up and down Route 17 in Yorktown, Va., without ever stopping at a gas pump.
Spend a little, save a lot on utility bills
Being an early adopter isn't cheap. If you have to have the latest gadget to save money on utilities, you've already spent thousands on a solar water heater or a geothermal heat pump.
S.Korea raises privacy concerns on smartphone apps
Seoul prosecutors said Tuesday they have charged a South Korean company with illegally collecting customers' personal information via a smartphone application in a rare legal case.
Pirate Bay filesharing appeal opens in Sweden
Four founders and financiers of filesharing site The Pirate Bay, who last year were sentenced to a year in prison, opened their appeal bid to get the verdict overturned in Stockholm on Tuesday.
New oil detection technique developed
CSIRO scientists have developed a revolutionary technique for the rapid on-site detection and quantification of petroleum hydrocarbons (commonly derived from crude oil) in soil, silt, sediment, or rock.
AOL to buy tech blog TechCrunch
(AP) -- AOL Inc. said Tuesday that it will buy technology blog TechCrunch and its sister sites for an undisclosed amount in a bid to expand its news production.
AOL acquires Web video company 5min Media
AOL, the once high-flying Internet portal which is seeking to make a comeback as a content company, announced Tuesday it has acquired Web video syndication firm 5min Media.
Model aims to reduce disaster toll on city's social, economic fabric
Researchers have created a computer model that predicts how a disaster's impact on critical infrastructure would affect a city's social and economic fabric, a potential tool to help reduce the severity of impacts, manage the aftermath of catastrophe and fortify infrastructure against future disasters.
Hulu Plus to play on Roku, TiVo set-top boxes
(AP) -- Hulu Plus, the $10-per-month online TV subscription service, will soon be available for users of Roku Inc. set-top boxes and Tivo Inc. subscribers who purchase its newest Premiere digital video recorders.
'Cyber Storm III' tests US on cyber attack
Keyboard warriors from the United States and a dozen other nations were battling a simulated cyber attack Tuesday on government and private networks that undermines basic trust in the Internet.
Truthy.indiana.edu to search, identify smear tactics, Twitter-bombs through election runup
Astroturfers, Twitter-bombers and smear campaigners need beware this election season as a group of leading Indiana University information and computer scientists today unleashed Truthy.indiana.edu, a sophisticated new Twitter-based research tool that combines data mining, social network analysis and crowdsourcing to uncover deceptive tactics and misinformation leading up to the Nov. 2 elections.
Wind energy can power much of East Coast, study says
The strong winds off the Atlantic Ocean could become a cost-effective way to power much of the East Coast -- especially North and South Carolina, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia, a new study released Tuesday says.
Amazon launches 'Kindle for the Web'
Amazon unveiled Tuesday a program that allows Kindle electronic books to be sampled in a Web browser.
Medicine & Health news
The hazards of headphones
When it comes to hearing loss, a tiny iPod seems much less threatening than a rock concert but it actually may be more dangerous.
Novel biomarker may predict response to new VEGF receptor inhibitor
Researchers believe there may be a way to predict, based on individual tumors, those patients that are more likely to respond to the investigational new drug tivozanib.
More developing countries show universal access to HIV/AIDS services is possible
Significant progress has been made in several low- and middle-income countries in increasing access to HIV/AIDS services, according to a new report released today. The report Towards Universal Access by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is the fourth annual report for tracking progress made in achieving the 2010 target of providing universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
WMS endorses emergency treatment of anaphylaxis by trained non-medical professionals
The Epinephrine Roundtable was convened during the 25th Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) in 2008 to explore areas of consensus and uncertainty in the field treatment of anaphylaxis. The panel endorsed the administration of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis in the field under emergency conditions by trained non-medical professionals. Anaphylaxis, an acute allergic reaction, is sudden in onset and requires immediate treatment. The recommendations of the panel are published in the September issue of Wilderness & Environmental Health.
Scientists find more health benefits from starting HIV treatment early
HIV-infected individuals who begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after acquiring the virus may have stronger immune responses to other pathogens than HIV-infected individuals who begin ART later, a new study from the National Institutes of Health has found. This finding suggests that early initiation of ART may prevent irreversible immune system damage and adds to the body of evidence showing significant health benefits from early ART.
New book examines how ordinary women revolutionized health care in America
As 40th anniversary celebrations get underway surrounding the book, 'Our Bodies Ourselves,' a new history examines the battles of ordinary women in demanding equality, choice and respect in medical treatment and education about their own bodies.
Pet allergies worsen hay fever symptoms, study finds
Being allergic to dogs or cats may worsen your ragweed allergies, according to a study from Queen's University.
Abatacept found ineffective in treatment of non-life threatening lupus
Results from a 12-month multi-center clinical trial did not show therapeutic benefit of abatacept over placebo in patients with non-life threatening systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Abatacept failed to prevent new disease flares in SLE patients tapered from corticosteroids in an analysis where mild, moderate and severe disease flares were evaluated together. Full details of the phase IIb clinical trial are published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Circulating tumor cells can provide 'real-time' information on patient's current disease state
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may be a promising alternative, noninvasive source of tumor materials for biomarker assessment, according to data presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.
Noise and chemicals: Workers are losing their hearing
A study carried out by Spanish researchers has shown that the presence of chemical contaminants can interact with noise and modify, for good or for bad, the way in which work-related "deafness" - which is increasingly common among young people - manifests itself. Noise-related hearing loss is the most common occupational disease in Europe.
Microbiomes may hold key to better understanding of preterm birth
A team of scientists from Mayo Clinic, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the J. Craig Venter Institute are leveraging a long-standing research relationship to apply results from the Human Microbiome Project to help identify microbial risk predictors for preterm birth.
Study finds language barriers may play role in health care disparities
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) have found that individuals who do not speak English at home are less likely to receive colorectal cancer screenings (CRC) as compared to those who do speak English at home. The findings, which currently appear on-line in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, suggest that patient-provider language barriers play a role in health-care disparities, and that providers should promote the importance of CRC screening to non-English speaking patients.
Triple-negative breast cancers may have unique therapeutic target
Patients with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the hardest subtypes to treat, may have a unique biomarker that would enable them to receive more targeted therapy, according to data presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.
Leading practitioners recommend global PTSD treatment guidelines
In recent years, several guidelines in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder have been put into practice globally. Practice guidelines across the health sphere are very important in guiding the care people receive. Although there is a high level of consensus on these guidelines among practitioners, there are also differences that can lead to confusion among providers, patients, and purchasers of mental health services for people affected by trauma. A new article in the Journal of Traumatic Stress written by the international leaders in PTSD treatment, compares and contrasts the various guidelines, and explain the reasons for the differences.
African-Americans equally likely to benefit from erlotinib and other targeted lung cancer therapy
African-American patients with non-small cell lung cancer are just as likely to display an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in tumors as Caucasians, which suggests they are as likely to benefit from targeted therapies such as erlotinib.
c-Met may be a biomarker for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma
Targeting c-Met may be a promising personalized treatment method for approximately 45 percent of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have c-Met-positive tumors, according to study results presented at the Fourth AACR International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.
Mining the 'wisdom of crowds' to attack disease
Crowdsourcing, the act of contracting out problems to large groups rather than tapping individual experts, has solved puzzles in fields such as marketing, engineering and computer software. But can the wisdom of crowds help cure disease?
Varying CRP levels in ethnic groups may affect statin eligibility, heart risk prediction
Average C-reactive protein (CRP) values vary in diverse populations — possibly impacting how doctors estimate cardiovascular risk and determine statin treatment, according to a new study in Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.
Pharma must be held more accountable to its human rights responsibilities
In this week's PLoS Medicine, the Editors argue that drug companies should be held much more accountable for their human rights responsibilities to make medicines available and accessible to those in need.
Cost-effectiveness of routine use of pooled nucleic acid amplification testing
Detection of acute HIV infection (the stage of disease immediately after HIV acquisition but before HIV antibodies are detectable) with pooled nucleic acid amplification testing (that detects the presence of HIV genetic material in the blood before antibodies are detectable) is feasible but not cost-effective in all settings.
US says pomegranate juice firm made false health claims
US regulators Monday charged POM Wonderful, the maker of a brand of pomegranate juice, had made unsubstantiated health claims about its products.
Researchers use CT to predict heart disease
Using incidental findings from routine diagnostic CT, radiologists may be better able to identify people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study appearing online and in the November issue of Radiology.
First study of its kind finds children with food allergies are often victims of bullying
In the first-ever study to assess the social impact of food allergies in children, Mount Sinai researchers have found that approximately 35 percent of children with food allergies, who are over the age of five, were reported to have experienced bullying, teasing, or harassment as a result of their allergies.
Malaria vaccine for Africa closer than ever, scientists say (Update)
Scientists are closer than ever to rolling out the first malaria vaccine, which could be available in Africa by 2015, a co-inventor of the shot against the killer disease said Tuesday.
Hep C may benefit from genetic fingerprinting, research says
Genetic fingerprinting may predict who will benefit from early hepatitis C treatment and who will clear the virus spontaneously, new research shows.
How reasonable it is to deceive yourself?
Anyone who simply denies the facts is most certainly behaving unreasonably - aren't they? Bochum's philosophers Prof. Dr. Albert Newen and Christoph Michel expound that in some cases it may be useful to deceive yourself. The self-deception can be an important motivating factor and not entirely lacking reason. The reason may be locally restricted, however basic strategies of rational evaluation processes remain intact. The researchers have published their work in the international specialist journal Consciousness & Cognition.
The price of popularity: Drug and alcohol consumption
The consumption of drugs and alcohol by teenagers is not just about rebellion or emotional troubles. It's about being one of the cool kids, according to a study by led by researchers at the Université de Montréal.
Certain psychiatric disorders linked with risky sexual behavior in teens
Although research has shown that teens with mental health disorders are more likely to engage in high risk sexual behaviors, like unprotected sex, a new study from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center suggests there is an additional risk associated with certain psychiatric diagnoses.
DMARDs, glucocorticoids and biologics equally effective for rheumatoid arthritis
A study conducted at Copenhagen University Hospital showed that treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), glucocorticoids, biologic agents, or a combination of agents significantly reduced radiographic evidence of joint destruction, with a relative effect of 48%% as compared with placebo. A direct comparison between the combination of a biologic agent plus methotrexate and the combination of 2 DMARDs plus initial glucocorticoids revealed no difference. Study findings are published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
e-SMART technologies may help young adults self-manage mental illness
While many young adults will share the details of their daily lives with dozens - sometimes hundreds - of friends on Facebook, communicating with their health care providers about mental illness is another story.
Heartbreak puts the brakes on your heart
Social rejection isn't just emotionally upsetting; it also upsets your heart. A new study finds that being rejected by another person makes your heart rate drop for a moment. The study is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Ultrafine air particles may increase firefighters' risk for heart disease
Firefighters are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of ultrafine particulates at the time they are least likely to wear protective breathing equipment. Because of this, researchers believe firefighters may face an increased risk for heart disease from exposures during the fire suppression process.
Researchers confirm prenatal heart defects in spinal muscular atrophy cases
University of Missouri researchers believe they have found a critical piece of the puzzle for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - the leading genetic cause of infantile death in the world. Nearly one in 6,000 births has SMA, and it is estimated that nearly one in 30 to 40 people have the trait that leads to SMA.
Human clinical trial of DNA-MVA HIV vaccine candidate begins
A Phase I study, called RV262, recently began to evaluate a combination DNA prime/MVA vector boost vaccine regimen that was developed to protect against diverse subtypes of HIV-1 prevalent in North America, Europe, Africa and South America.
What next for the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic?
Now that the H1N1 influenza pandemic is officially over, what will happen to the virus? In a perspective article published today in the online open-access journal mBio, scientists from the National Institutes of Health delve into history and explore the fates of other pandemic influenza viruses in order to speculate on the future of the most recent pandemic virus.
Protein key to growth of pancreatic cancer
The protein could provide a target to develop new treatments for the disease or enable earlier diagnosis, say the researchers from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers due to its lack of symptoms in the early stages, late diagnosis and its resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Study finds gene associated with aggressive skin cancer
The loss of a gene known as INPP5A could predict the onset, and track the progression, of an aggressive type of skin cancer, according to a study published today by the Arizona Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
African-American seniors at twice the risk for mental abuse, 5 times for financial exploitation
In the first population-based survey to indicate a racial disparity in the psychological abuse of senior citizens, University of Pittsburgh researchers found that African American seniors could be twice as likely to be mistreated than elders of other races. The survey also revealed that African American elders could be up to five times more susceptible to being swindled. Reporting the survey results in The Gerontologist, the researchers urged that health care and social service workers be especially vigilant for the possible mistreatment of African American seniors.
Depression soars among Gulf residents after oil spill
The number of US Gulf coast residents who say they suffer from depression rose by more than 25 percent following the catastrophic BP oil spill that sullied their shorelines and devastated their livelihoods, a Gallup poll showed Tuesday.
Will monkeypox be the next smallpox?
Most vertebrate animal species have some sort of poxvirus capable of causing severe illness. These ancient pathogens have evolved within and among vertebrates since the dawn of life. In one of public health's greatest triumphs, our own orthopox virus -- smallpox, or Variola -- was eradicated by 1980. Because chickenpox isn't a true poxvirus, humans don't have a poxvirus of their own anymore.
Fighting obesity: Revisiting schoolyard games
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study in the Journal of Pediatrics systematically measured both energy expenditure and enjoyment in 30 different schoolyard games. Its findings offer a menu of effective games that could be played during gym and recess to address the growing child obesity problem.
New biomarkers discovered for pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma
Using a novel aptamer-based proteomics array technology, researchers and collaborators have identified biomarkers and protein signatures that are hallmarks of cancer at an early stage for two of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer — pancreatic and mesothelioma.
Biomarker panel identifies prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy
Researchers in England say they have discovered a set of biomarkers that can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostate disease and healthy tissue with 90 percent accuracy. This preliminary data, if validated in larger ongoing studies, could be developed into a serum protein test that reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies and identifies men who need treatment before symptoms begin.
Unique Henry Ford case offers cautionary cotton swab tale
The old saying, "never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear," couldn't be truer for a patient who experienced vertigo and severe hearing loss after a cotton swab perforated her eardrum and damaged her inner ear.
Key action of a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes identified
A research team led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine has identified the mechanism behind a single gene linked to the causes of both Alzheimer's disease and Type 2 diabetes. The data show that a gene for a protein called SorCS1, which can cause Type 2 diabetes, impacts the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in the brain. Abeta plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in the September 29th issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
Early life experience modifies gene vital to normal brain function
Early life stress, such as an extreme lack of parental affection, has lasting effects on a gene important to normal brain processes and also tied to mental disorders, according to a new animal study in the Sept. 29 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
Feds reopen probe into medical scanner approvals
(AP) -- Federal inspectors have reopened an investigation into complaints by Food and Drug Administration scientists who say they were pressured by their managers to approve high-tech medical scanners that could pose harm to patients.
Stroke damage to brain may not be permanent, study finds
Brain functions lost after a stroke might not be gone forever.
MicroRNA to combat cancer
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of California-San Francisco have found a new way to kill cancer cells, opening the way for a new generation of cancer treatments.
Some antidepressants alter peoples' moral judgement
(PhysOrg.com) -- The most common type of antidepressants, serotonin enhancers, alters peoples' moral judgement and leads to a reduction in aggressive behaviour, a study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has found.
Why we fight: Men check out in stressful situations
A new study by USC researchers reveals that stressed men looking at angry faces had diminished activity in the brain regions responsible for understanding others' feelings.
Curry cooking ingredient could provide recipe for fight against cancer
Scientists at the University of Leicester, funded by Hope Against Cancer, are pioneering the use of a common curry cooking ingredient to target cancer cells.
Individual mutations are very slow to promote tumor growth
Individual cancer-causing mutations have a minute effect on tumor growth, increasing the rate of cell division by just 0.4 percent on average, according to new mathematical modeling by scientists at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and other institutions.
Genetic differences in sense of smell identified through asparagus urine odor
Scientists at the Monell Center have used a well-known example of individual differences to identify a genetic contribution to the sense of smell.
Rescue services at the cellular level: How stem cells help brain to regain its functions after stroke
(PhysOrg.com) -- The aim of regenerative medicine is to repair or replace malfunctioning cells, tissues, and even organs. Stem cells, the multi-taskers and jacks-of-all-trades that can regenerate themselves indefinitely and transform themselves into various cell types, are seen as offering a promising solution in this context. Researchers have reported numerous cases of the successful use of stem cells to heal damaged tissue; however, the underlying physiological mechanisms at work here are still largely unknown.
Sparkling drinks spark pain circuits
You may not think of the fizz in soda as spicy, but your body does.
Sodium plays key role in tissue regeneration
Sodium gets a bad rap for contributing to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Now biologists at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences have discovered that sodium also plays a key role in initiating a regenerative response after severe injury. The Tufts scientists have found a way to regenerate injured spinal cord and muscle by using small molecule drugs to trigger an influx of sodium ions into injured cells.
Biology news
Lungworm more prevalent in young dogs not wormed regularly
Young dogs and those that are not wormed regularly are significantly more likely to be infected with the life-threatening, parasitic lungworm, Angiostrongylus vasorum, according to new research from the University of Bristol.
Digging deep for ways to curb ammonia emissions
Dairy farmers can greatly reduce ammonia emissions from their production facilities by injecting liquid manure into crop fields below the soil surface, according to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Marine viruses changing Earth's system: study
All but overlooked until the past decade, marine viruses far outnumber any other biological entity on the planet. Scientists are only beginning to discover the invisible particles that are the cogs of Earth's system, changing dynamics in food webs, fisheries, even climate.
Dicamba-glyphosate combo works well in resistant soybeans
Soybeans engineered to be resistant to the herbicides dicamba and glyphosate performed well in field tests with weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate alone.
Wasps wage war on behalf of wiliwili trees
A black, two-millimeter-long wasp from East Africa is helping wage war on one of its own kind—the Erythrina gall wasp, an invasive species that's decimated Hawaii's endemic wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) and introduced coral bean trees (Erythrina spp.).
Climate change hits southeast Australia fish species
Scientists are reporting significant changes in the distribution of coastal fish species in south-east Australia which they say are partly due to climate change.
Unlocking the secret of beauty: Scientists discover the complexities of attractive female bodies
Scientists in Australia and Hong Kong have conducted a comprehensive study to discover how different body measurements correspond with ratings of female attractiveness. The study, published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, found that across cultural divides young, tall and long armed women were considered the most attractive.
'Firefly' stem cells may help repair damaged hearts
Stem cells that glow like fireflies could someday help doctors heal damaged hearts without cutting into patients' chests.
Study finds potential climate change side effect: More parasites on South American birds
A Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) study on nesting birds in Argentina finds that increasing temperatures and rainfall—both side effects of climate change in some parts of the world—could be bad for birds of South America, but great for some of their parasites which thrive in warmer and wetter conditions.
How to still kill a resistant parasite
Scientists from the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, in collaboration with colleagues from several developing countries, were able to restore a sleeping sickness parasite's susceptibility to drugs. The parasite causes sleeping sickness in cattle. Because it has become resistant against all currently available drugs, it causes enormous economic losses. Until now, that is.
New findings next step to growing drought-resistant plants
New findings from Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists could lead to environmentally-friendly sprays that help plants survive drought and other stresses in harsh environments to combat global food shortages. The study is a follow-up to findings published in Nature last year that were named among the top breakthroughs of 2009 by Science magazine.
Researchers find 19 million-year-old genomic fossils of hepatitis B-like viruses in songbirds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Biologists from The University of Texas at Arlington have uncovered virus fragments from the same family as the modern Hepatitis B virus locked inside the genomes of songbirds such as the modern-day zebra finch.
'Birds of a feather' may need rewritten
(PhysOrg.com) -- The old proverb, "Birds of a feather flock together," might be in need of a rewrite, according to University of Alberta findings about chickadees. Researchers have divided chickadees into two personality types and their results could determine if they do, indeed, flock together.
Researchers find differences between Galapagos and mainland frigatebirds
Although the magnificent frigatebird may be the least likely animal on the Galapagos Islands to be unique to the area, it turns out the Galapagos population of this tropical seabird may be its own genetically distinct species warranting a new conservation status, according to a paper by researchers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and the University of Missouri-St. Louis published last week in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Researchers use stem cells to create disease models
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Connecticut researchers have used skin cells from patients with the genetic disorders Angelman Syndrome (AS) and Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) to generate induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Genome inversion gives plant a new lifestyle
The yellow monkeyflower, an unassuming little plant that lives as both a perennial on the foggy coasts of the Pacific Northwest and a dry-land annual hundreds of miles inland, harbors a significant clue about evolution.
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