Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for October 4, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- DNA art imitates life: Construction of a nanoscale Mobius strip- Your vital signs, on camera
- Multifunctional smart sensors and high-power devices on a computer chip
- Jaguar's new electric concept supercar -- the C-X75
- In vitro UK pioneer Edwards wins medicine Nobel (Update 4)
- Horizontal gene transfer in microbes much more frequent than previoulsy thought
- Bioenergy choices could dramatically change Midwest bird diversity
- Life threatening breathing disorder of Rett syndrome prevented
- Chemists design 'tunable,' cloaked, toxin delivery system to kill tumors from within
- Powerful supercomputer peers into the origin of life
- New insight into first life
- First-of-its-kind study finds alarming increase in flow of water into oceans
- What mimicking one's language style may mean about the relationship
- Saving tropical forests: Value their carbon and improve farming technology
- New clue to sepsis as more aggressive care urged
Space & Earth news
Delegates told to ID achievable goals on climate
(AP) -- The U.N. climate chief urged countries Monday to search faster for common ground on battling climate change so that a year-end meeting in Mexico can produce results in that fight.
New quake rattles New Zealand's Christchurch
A moderate earthquake measuring 5.2 struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Monday, exactly a month after the country's worst quake in nearly eight decades, US scientists said.
Disappearing glaciers enhanced biodiversity
Biodiversity decreases towards the poles almost everywhere in the world, except along the South American Pacific coast. Investigating fossil clams and snails Steffen Kiel and Sven Nielsen at the Christian-Albrechts-Universitat zu Kiel (Germany) could show that this unusual pattern originated at the end of the last ice age, 20.000 to 100.000 years ago. The retreating glaciers created a mosaic landscape of countless islands, bays and fiords in which new species developed rapidly – geologically speaking. The ancestors of the species survived the ice age in the warmer Chilean north.
What lies beneath: Study examines sediment movement during floods in rivers
Food disasters in many parts of the world have brought into sharp focus new research spearheaded by the University of Leicester on the behaviour of rivers during periods of high flow.
The sky is falling (less) onto Puget Sound
Most toxic pollution falling onto Puget Sound's waters has decreased – some by as much as 99 percent – below earlier estimates, according to a region-wide study. Despite the overall decline, the study found that industrial areas like Tacoma still have the Puget's Sound's highest air-deposited contamination levels.
TRMM satellite sees tropical moisture bring heavy rain, flooding to US East Coast
A deep, stationary trough of low pressure parked over the Ohio and Tennessee valleys west of the Appalachians drew a steady stream of tropical moisture, including the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole, up the East Coast. The results were heavy rain and flooding from Florida to the coastal Carolinas up into the Chesapeake Bay region and NASA's TRMM satellite captured rainfall from the event.
WISE mission warms up but keeps chugging along
After completing its primary mission to map the infrared sky, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has reached the expected end of its onboard supply of frozen coolant. Although WISE has 'warmed up,' NASA has decided the mission will still continue. WISE will now focus on our nearest neighbors -- the asteroids and comets traveling together with our solar system's planets around the sun.
Ancient Colorado river flowed backwards
(PhysOrg.com) -- Geologists have found evidence that some 55 million years ago a river as big as the modern Colorado flowed through Arizona into Utah in the opposite direction from the present-day river. Writing in the October issue of the journal Geology, they have named this ancient northeastward-flowing river the California River, after its inferred source in the Mojave region of southern California.
Researchers examine why some aurora displays flicker in the night sky
Look up into the night sky in Alaska, Northern Canada, or Russia just before dawn, and you may able to make out a faint whitish glow of the northern lights. Watch for a few minutes, and the lights will blink on and off as if someone is flipping a light switch.
Bioenergy choices could dramatically change Midwest bird diversity
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ambitious plans to expand acreage of bioenergy crops could have a major impact on birds in the Upper Midwest, according to a study published today (Oct. 4) in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Combining data from bird surveys and land usage, two University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers calculated changes in the number of bird species after widespread planting of bioenergy crops.
First-of-its-kind study finds alarming increase in flow of water into oceans
(PhysOrg.com) -- Freshwater is flowing into Earth's oceans in greater amounts every year, a team of researchers has found, thanks to more frequent and extreme storms linked to global warming. All told, 18 percent more water fed into the world's oceans from rivers and melting polar ice sheets in 2006 than in 1994, with an average annual rise of 1.5 percent.
Saving tropical forests: Value their carbon and improve farming technology
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a warming 21st century, tropical forests will be at risk from a variety of threats, especially the conversion to cropland to sustain a growing population. A new report this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition shows that crop productivity improvements and carbon emission limits together could prevent widespread tropical deforestation over the next 100 years -- but if relying on either one alone, the world is at risk of losing many of its tropical forests.
Cluster helps disentangle turbulence in the solar wind
From Earth, the Sun looks like a calm, placid body that does little more than shine brightly while marching across the sky. Images from a bit closer, of course, show it's an unruly ball of hot gas that can expel long plumes out into space – but even this isn't the whole story. Surrounding the Sun is a roiling wind of electrons and protons that shows constant turbulence at every size scale: long streaming jets, smaller whirling eddies, and even microscopic movements as charged particles circle in miniature orbits. Through it all, great magnetic waves and electric currents move through, stirring up the particles even more.
Europa's hidden ice chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- The frigid ice of Jupiter's moon Europa may be hiding more than a presumed ocean: it is likely the scene of some unexpectedly fast chemistry between water and sulfur dioxide at extremely cold temperatures. Although these molecules react easily as liquids-they are well-known ingredients of acid rain-Mark Loeffler and Reggie Hudson at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., now report that they react as ices with surprising speed and high yield at temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing. Because the reaction occurs without the aid of radiation, it could take place throughout Europa's thick coating of ice-an outcome that would revamp current thinking about the chemistry and geology of this moon and perhaps others.
Technology news
Following film and TV, music takes stab at 3-D
(AP) -- At the beginning of the re-emergence of 3-D, the focus was on film, with movies like "Avatar" paving the way for the technology to become an integral part of the cinema experience.
An intelligent system for maritime surveillance has been created
Researchers at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain, have designed a real application for maritime surveillance that is able to integrate and unify the information from different types of sensors and data in context through artificial intelligence and data fusion techniques.
South Korea dominates World Cyber Games
(AP) -- South Korea retained the title of grand champion for the third straight year at the Olympics of the video game world.
Nations wary of dependence on China's rare earths
(AP) -- China's recent halt of exotic metal shipments to Japan amid a diplomatic spat has reverberated throughout the world's high-tech manufacturing hubs - now on heightened alert to the risks of relying on one country for materials that do everything from helping hybrid engines run to creating the color red in televisions.
Georgia looks to tap hydropower potential
Georgia is hoping to tap into its abundance of high mountains and fast-flowing rivers to transform a country that once suffered from repeated blackouts into a regional hydro-electric superpower.
Verizon Wireless plans $30M-$90M customer refunds
(AP) -- Verizon Wireless could pay out up to $90 million in refunds to cell phone customers who were improperly charged for inadvertent Web access or data usage over the past several years.
France launches warnings to web pirates
French Internet providers have begun sending email warnings to users caught illegally dowloading films and music under a new anti-piracy law, authorities said on Monday.
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams steps down as CEO
(AP) -- Twitter co-founder Evan Williams is stepping aside as the short-messaging service's CEO. He will turn the job over to Dick Costolo, who has been steering Twitter's operations for the past year.
Google lines up Internet TV programming partners
Google is entering the increasingly crowded Internet TV market with contributions from a variety of top television programmers and websites.
Skype getting new chief executive from Cisco
(AP) -- Skype is replacing its CEO with a Cisco Systems executive, a change that may indicate the Internet calling service is closer to announcing specific plans for an initial public offering.
Could solar wind power Earth?
(PhysOrg.com) -- As we strive to find sources of alternative energy, a number of researchers continue to look to what we consider the ultimate in renewable energy -- the sun. However, on earth creating efficient solar panels remains a challenge. While solar cells have been increasing in efficiency, and while new advances are made in solar technology on earth, there are some looking to harvest solar energy a little bit closer to the source by harvesting energy from the solar wind.
Jaguar's new electric concept supercar -- the C-X75
(PhysOrg.com) -- The new Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept model unveiled last week is primarily a plug-in electric car but with the added power and performance of micro gas turbines (jet engines) that would make it the fastest electric car on the road.
Your vital signs, on camera
You can check a person’s vital signs -- pulse, respiration and blood pressure -- manually or by attaching sensors to the body. But a student in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program is working on a system that could measure these health indicators just by putting a person in front of a low-cost camera such as a laptop computer’s built-in webcam.
Multifunctional smart sensors and high-power devices on a computer chip
Researchers from North Carolina State University have patented technology that is expected to revolutionize the global energy and communications infrastructure – and create U.S. jobs in the process.
Medicine & Health news
Can telemedicine improve geriatric depression?
Studies have shown a high rate of depression among elderly homebound individuals, and few patients receive adequate treatment, if any. To address this issue, researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and other organizations have developed a telemedicine-based depression care protocol in home health care. The early findings from their pilot study will be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice on October 3.
Black mothers cite lack of desire as top reasons for not breastfeeding
While more American mothers are breastfeeding today, non-Hispanic Black/African American women are less likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding, primarily due to a lack of desire and lack of self-efficacy, according to research presented Monday, Oct. 4, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
Medical home care approach improves efficiency and care at clinic for low-income families
Implementing a Medical Home practice model in a health clinic allows physicians and staff to provide comprehensive care to more patients, and to offer preventive programs and services. This can improve patients' compliance with their doctors' recommendations and reduce emergency room visits and hospital admissions, according to research presented Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
Postpartum intervention/support prevents smoking relapse, extends breastfeeding duration
New mothers who smoke are less likely to breastfeed. But those who quit smoking during or just prior to becoming pregnant were significantly more likely to remain smoke free and continue breastfeeding if they received support and encouragement during the first eight weeks following child birth, according to a study presented Monday, Oct. 4, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
Are we getting enough vitamin D?
Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) are on a mission to find out if we need to supplement our diet with vitamin D.
Effective methods for detecting early signs of tremor
Sensitive new quantitive methods could be used to detect small signs of increased tremor and impaired motor skills caused by exposure to certain metals, and to follow up the treatment of neurological disorders, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Girls with autism or ADHD symptoms not taken seriously
When girls with symptoms of autism or ADHD seek professional medical help, their problems are often played down or misinterpreted, and there is a real risk that they will not get the help or support they need. As such, more training is needed in this area, particularly in the public sector, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.
New approach to underweight COPD patients
Malnutrition often goes hand in hand with COPD and is difficult to treat. In a recent study researchers at the University of Gothenburg, have come up with a new equation to calculate the energy requirement for underweight COPD patients. It is hoped that
Interactive media improved patients' understanding of cancer surgery by more than a third
Patients facing planned surgery answered 36 per cent more questions about the procedure correctly if they watched an interactive multimedia presentation (IMP) rather than just talking to medical staff, according to research in the October issue of the urology journal BJUI.
It's time to phase out codeine
It is time to phase out the use of codeine as a pain reliever because of its significant risks and ineffectiveness as an analgesic, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Improving end-of-life care
Better psychological and spiritual support, better planning of care and stronger relationships with physicians are necessary to improve end-of-life care in Canada, states a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Pain of shingles (herpes zoster) significantly interferes with daily life
Acute herpes zoster, or shingles, interferes with all health areas for people with the condition, including sleep, enjoyment of life and general activities, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
New study aims to improve the outcomes of pregnancy for women with diabetes
Researchers at Newcastle University are to look at ways of reducing the risk of congenital amomalies developing in babies born to women with diabetes.
Researchers study sleep apnea and lack of oxygen
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the average sleep apnea sufferer stops breathing and loses oxygen between five and 30 times a night. This lack of oxygen leads to a host of complications, including high blood pressure, vascular disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, or even a fatal cardiac event. Now, a team of University of Missouri researchers is exploring the changes in distinct brain regions that contribute to these symptoms in hopes of combating this common health issue.
Teen drunkenness levels converge across cultures, by gender
In the past decade, cultural and gender-based differences in the frequency of drunkenness among adolescents have declined, as drunkenness has become more common in Eastern Europe and among girls and less common in Western countries and among boys, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Guidelines on using artery-closing devices: devices are ok, but more research needed
Re-opening a blocked heart artery isn't the only procedure that concerns doctors when they thread instruments through an opening in a thigh artery and into a heart artery. Closing up the thigh artery is also a concern.
African-Americans with high blood pressure need treatment sooner, more aggressively
According to a consensus statement by the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB), high blood pressure in African-Americans is such a serious health problem that treatment should start sooner and be more aggressive. The ISHIB statement is published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Child maltreatment investigations not associated with improvements in household risk factors
Household investigations for suspected child maltreatment by Child Protective Services may not be associated with improvements in common, modifiable risk factors including social support, family functioning, poverty and others, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
School-based program reduces risky sexual behaviors in South African teens
A school-based, six-session program targeting sexual risk behaviors appeared to reduce rates of unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners among South African sixth-graders, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Mental health courts appear to shorten jail time, reduce re-arrest for those with psychiatric illness
Special mental health courts appear to be associated with lower post-treatment arrest rates and reduced number of days of incarceration for individuals with serious psychiatric illnesses, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Researchers study afterbirth to learn what happens before birth and beyond
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are forging ahead with an important first step in the National Children's Study: Determining how to most accurately collect, preserve and analyze placentas to garner valuable information that may fuel new discoveries about children’s overall health and development. The National Children’s Study is the largest long-term study to better understand how children’s genes interact with the environment to influence their health.
No laps for warm laptops; skin damage is possible
(AP) -- Have you ever worked on your laptop computer with it sitting on your lap, heating up your legs? If so, you might want to rethink that habit.
Interactive video games can cause a broad range of injuries
Interactive gaming devices can cause a broad range of injuries, from abrasions and sprains to shoulder, ankle and foot injuries, according to research presented Monday, Oct. 4, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
Children, males and blacks are at increased risk for food allergies
A new study estimates that 2.5 percent of the United States population, or about 7.6 million Americans, have food allergies. Food allergy rates were found to be higher for children, non-Hispanic blacks, and males, according to the researchers. The odds of male black children having food allergies were 4.4 times higher than others in the general population.
Superbug detected in Taiwan
Taiwan said Monday a multi-drug resistant superbug that surfaced in South Asia had been found for the first time on the island in a cameramen shot and wounded while working in India.
X-rays linked to increased childhood leukemia risk
Diagnostic X-rays may increase the risk of developing childhood leukemia, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health.
Early exposure could prevent egg allergy in babies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Parents who delay giving their babies allergenic foods could be doing more harm than good, with a new Australian study showing the rate of egg allergy significantly increases among toddlers who are introduced to the food after 12 months of age.
Depression and distress not detected in majority of patients seen by nurses -- new study
New research from the University of Leicester reveals that nursing staff have 'considerable difficulty' detecting depression and distress in patients.
German researchers use light to make the heart stumble
Tobias Brugmann and his colleagues from the University of Bonn's Institute of Physiology I used a so-called "channelrhodopsin" for their experiments, which is a type of light sensor. At the same time, it can act as an ion channel in the cell membrane. When stimulated with blue light, this channel opens, and positive ions flow into the cell. This causes a change in the cell membrane's pressure, which stimulates cardiac muscle cells to contract.
Newly identified set of genomic loci selectively associated with prostate cancer in East Asian men
Prostate cancer represents a serious threat to men all over the world, especially those over the age of 65, and is the second leading cause of cancer death among males in both the United States and United Kingdom.
When docs counsel weight loss, it's style that makes a difference
Most doctors are spending a good deal of time counseling their patients about diet and weight loss, but for the most part, it isn't making any difference, according to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Robots help surgeons transcend human limits
At times, it's tough going for Whitney Hatchett. "I was born with three heart defects. Two were operated on when I was 11 days old," she tells us.
Human growth hormone shows promise in treating cystic fibrosis symptoms
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study finds that while the hormone can treat the symptoms, its impact on the disease is unclear.
Mental problems twice as likely for cannabis users: report
Cannabis users suffer mental health problems twice as often as non-users, a study published Monday by Statistics Netherlands said.
Mechanism involved in addictions and some forms of obesity discovered
A researcher from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta has discovered a mechanism underlying some forms of obesity and addictions which could lead to a treatment for both diseases.
Mayo Clinic finds upper, lower body gain weight differently
Using ice cream, candy bars and energy drinks to help volunteers gain weight, Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered the mechanisms of how body fat grows. Increased abdominal fat seems to heighten risk for metabolic disease, while fat expansion in the lower body -- as in the thighs -- seems to lower the risk. The findings, appearing in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), help explain why.
Discovery of a cell that suppresses the immune system
Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston have identified a new type of cell in mice that dampens the immune system and protects the animal's own cells from immune system attack.
Vatican: Nobel to IVF pioneer raises questions
(AP) -- The Vatican's top bioethics official said Robert Edwards, who received the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for developing in vitro fertilization, opened "a new and important chapter in the field of human reproduction" but is also responsible for the destruction of embryos and the creation of a "market" in donor eggs.
Researchers find possible biomarker to identify seizure-related stress
New research from Rhode Island Hospital found that reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein in the brain that encourages growth of neurons, may be a trait marker for individuals with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) (seizures that are psychological in origin). The findings are published in the October 4, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
New clues on why some people with Parkinson's die sooner
New research shows how old people are when they first develop Parkinson's disease is one of many clues in how long they'll survive with the disease. The research is published in the October 5, 2010, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Family therapy for anorexia twice as effective as individual therapy, researchers find
Family-based therapy, in which parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa are enlisted to interrupt their children's disordered behaviors, is twice as effective as individual psychotherapy at producing full remission of the disease, new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the University of Chicago shows. The study is the first head-to-head comparison of these two common treatment approaches for adolescents suffering from the eating disorder.
Children with ADHD at increased risk for depression and suicidal thoughts as adolescents
Children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at ages 4 to 6 are more likely to suffer from depression as adolescents than those who did not have ADHD at that age, according to a long-term study published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. Although it was an uncommon occurrence, the children with ADHD also were somewhat more likely to think about or attempt suicide as adolescents.
Deep brain stimulation may help patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder
Using electrodes to stimulate areas deep within the brain may have therapeutic potential for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder that is refractory to treatment, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
ADHD more common in offspring of mothers with genetic serotonin deficiencies
Children whose mothers are genetically predisposed to have impaired production of serotonin appear more likely to develop attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in life, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Maternal influenza vaccination may be associated with flu protection in infants
Babies whose mothers who receive influenza vaccines while pregnant appear less likely to be infected with flu or hospitalized for respiratory illnesses in their first six months of life, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the February 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Radiation pharmacogenomics identifies biomarkers that could personalize cancer treatment
Radiation therapy is used to treat more than half of all cancer cases, but patient response to therapy can vary greatly. Genetics is increasingly being recognized as a significant contributor to inter-individual response to radiation, but the biology underlying response remains poorly understood. In a study published online today in Genome Research, researchers employed a pharmacogenomics approach to find biomarkers associated with radiation response that could help to more effectively tailor individual cancer treatments in the future.
Sleep loss limits fat loss
Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a study published October 5, 2010, in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Gene test aims for better heart disease detection
It's not a perfect test. Yet researchers report a key step for the first gene test aimed at reducing unnecessary angiograms - expensive and somewhat risky procedures that hundreds of thousands of Americans have each year to check for clogged arteries. Most of these exams, done in hospital cardiac catheterization labs, turn out negative.
Canadian helps severely disabled speak through music
Children immured within their severely disabled bodies may soon be able to communicate thanks to a newly unveiled device that translates physiological signals into music.
What mimicking one's language style may mean about the relationship
People match each other's language styles more during happier periods of their relationship than at other times, according to new research from psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin.
New survey on sex in US, biggest since 1994
(AP) -- The male-female orgasm gap. The sex lives of 14-year-olds. An intriguing breakdown of condom usage rates, by age and ethnicity, with teens emerging as more safe-sex-conscious than boomers.
Walnuts, walnut oil, improve reaction to stress
A diet rich in walnuts and walnut oil may prepare the body to deal better with stress, according to a team of Penn State researchers who looked at how these foods, which contain polyunsaturated fats, influence blood pressure at rest and under stress.
Researchers discover 'inner compass' in the human brain
(PhysOrg.com) -- If you have ever lost your sense of direction in an unfamiliar place, then researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute may be able to help.
New research holds promise for development of new osteoporosis drug
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered a group of substances in the body that play a key role in controlling bone density, and on this basis they have begun development of a drug for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and other bone disorders.
Newly discovered DNA repair mechanism
Tucked within its double-helix structure, DNA contains the chemical blueprint that guides all the processes that take place within the cell and are essential for life. Therefore, repairing damage and maintaining the integrity of its DNA is one of the cell's highest priorities.
Surprise: Scientists discover that inflammation helps to heal wounds
A new research study published in The FASEB Journal may change how sports injuries involving muscle tissue are treated, as well as how much patient monitoring is necessary when potent anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for a long time. That's because the study shows for the first time that inflammation actually helps to heal damaged muscle tissue, turning conventional wisdom on its head that inflammation must be largely controlled to encourage healing.
Life threatening breathing disorder of Rett syndrome prevented
A group of researchers at the University of Bristol have sequestered the potentially fatal breath holding episodes associated with the autistic-spectrum disorder Rett syndrome.
New clue to sepsis as more aggressive care urged
(AP) -- It's one of the most intractable killers you've probably never heard of: Sepsis, an out-of-control reaction to infection that can start shutting down organs in mere hours.
Depression during pregnancy increases risk for preterm birth and low birth weight
Clinical depression puts pregnant women at increased risk of delivering prematurely and of giving birth to below-normal weight infants, according to a report published Oct. 4 in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Exercise may reduce Alzheimer's disease brain changes
(PhysOrg.com) -- Walking, jogging and other forms of regular aerobic exercise may actually ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in the brain, suggests newly published research from Washington University in St. Louis.
New vaccine extends survival for patients with deadly brain cancers
A new vaccine added to standard therapy appears to offer a survival advantage for patients suffering from glioblastoma (GBM), the most deadly form of brain cancer, according to a study from researchers at Duke University Medical Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In vitro UK pioneer Edwards wins medicine Nobel (Update 4)
Robert Edwards of Britain won the 2010 Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for developing in vitro fertilization, a breakthrough that has helped millions of infertile couples have children but also ignited an enduring controversy with religious groups.
Biology news
Allure of pineapple
Alluring dresses from pineapple? Scientists in Malaysia are looking into the potential of another 'cotton' – the pineapple. Jamil Salleh of UiTM, Shah Alam, Malaysia is to asses techniques to extract the long fibres of the pineapple leaves.
Averting the perfect storm for wild salmon
We hear so much about missing wild salmon and recently a record run. But Simon Fraser University scientists say a population explosion of hatchery and wild salmon in the North Pacific Ocean is leading hatchery fish to beat out their wild cousins for food.
Scientists complete two-year study on short-day onions
Texas AgriLife Research scientists have recently completed a two-year study on the impact of deficit irrigation and plant density on the growth, yield and quality of short-day onions.
Western lawmakers turn sights on endangered wolves
(AP) -- Two decades after the federal government spent a half-million dollars to study the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, lawmakers say it's time for Congress to step in again - this time to clamp down on the endangered animals.
The secret life of Ireland's smooth-hound sharks
They grow to over a meter in length, can weigh up to twelve kilos and each summer they swarm into the shallow waters of the Irish east coast. Despite this, the starry smooth-hound has remained Ireland's least well known shark species. However, thanks to researchers at University College Dublin, whose work is now published in the Journal of Fish Biology, this may be about to change.
Magnificent coral reefs discovered
The exploration vessel Nautilus, with a team of experts of the University of Haifa's Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, headed by Prof. Zvi Ben Avraham, discovered for the first time an area of reefs with deep-sea corals in the Mediterranean, offshore of Israel.
Climate change affects horseshoe crab numbers
Having survived for more than 400 million years, the horseshoe crab is now under threat – primarily due to overharvest and habitat destruction. However, climatic changes may also play a role. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg reveal how sensitive horseshoe crab populations are to natural climate change in a study recently published in the scientific journal Molecular Ecology.
Surprising genetics of the African butterfly fish
The African butterfly fish is a remarkable fish. Individuals in different populations look the same but they differ genetically by a huge amount, more than the difference between humans and chimpanzees, scientists report this week.
U-M announces its first human embryonic stem cell line
University of Michigan researchers have created the state's first human embryonic stem cell line, achieving a long-sought goal that provides the foundation for future efforts to develop innovative disease treatments.
Sanofi-Aventis launches Genzyme takeover battle
(AP) -- France's Sanofi-Aventis on Monday launched an $18.5 billion hostile takeover attempt for Genzyme Corp., escalating the battle after management of the U.S. biotech company twice rejected its offer.
Using cassava to address vitamin A deficiency
The roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta) serve as the primary source of carbohydrates in the diets of people in many arid regions of the world, including more than 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately the roots of commercial cassava cultivars are quite low in micronutrients, and micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in these regions. In addition to programs designed to deliver vitamin supplements, there has been considerable effort aimed at biofortification; that is, increasing the amounts of available micronutrients in staple crops such as cassava.
Protecting embryos against microbes
Headed by the Kiel zoologist Professor Thomas Bosch, a team of scientists from Germany and Russia succeeded in deciphering the mechanisms, for the first time, with which embryos of the freshwater polyp Hydra protect themselves against bacterial colonization. The paper will be published today in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
New map charts troubled status of ocean life
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new map provides the most detailed overview yet of life in the world's oceans. The two-sided, poster-sized map was developed by Duke University researchers in partnership with the Census of Marine Life and National Geographic Maps. The map, available online at http://comlmaps.org/oceanlifemap , is based on 10 years of data from the international Census of Marine Life and other scholarly sources.
Global marine life census charts vast world beneath the seas
Results of the first-ever global marine life census were unveiled Monday, revealing an unprecedented view of life beneath the waves after a decade-long trawl through the murky depths.
Identifying enzymes to explode superbugs
With the worrying rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs like MRSA, scientists from a wide range of disciplines are teaming up to identify alternative therapies to keep them at bay.
New insight into first life
(PhysOrg.com) -- New genome research at Oxford University could change the way scientists view our evolution.
Horizontal gene transfer in microbes much more frequent than previoulsy thought
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study suggests that genes are transferred from one micro-organism to another up to a hundred million times more frequently than previously thought.
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