Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 30, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Scientists move objects across meter-scale distances using only light (w/ Video)- Knot in the ribbon at the edge of the solar system 'unties' (Update)
- Study finds small groups demonstrate distinctive 'collective intelligence' when facing difficult tasks
- Researchers sequence genome of mosquito that spreads West Nile virus
- Fossilized giant penguin feathers reveal color, feather structure of ancient birds (w/ Video)
- Dinosaurs significantly taller than previously thought, researchers find
- How plants drove animals to the land
- Multi-component nano-structures with tunable optical properties
- Catalyst sandwich: Synthetic PCR mimic could lead to highly sensitive medical, environmental diagnostics
- Researchers engineer microbes for low-cost production of anticancer drug Taxol
- New method for generating human stem cells is remarkably efficient
- Researchers achieve major breakthrough in cell reprogramming
- Underwater robot swims free thanks to newly-designed wireless controller (w/ Video)
- Women's study finds longevity means getting just enough sleep
- Plants that move: How New Zealand species disperses seeds in high alpine, wet environment
Space & Earth news
Lesson learned: BP oil spill could help prepare for future emergencies
If the lessons of this year's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are heeded, it should be possible to drastically reduce the chances of a repeat occurrence, according to MIT faculty members and other experts who spoke on Tuesday at an MIT symposium on the oil spill. And if there is another such occurrence, they said, responders should be able to deal with it much more rapidly and effectively.
Scientists to map offshore San Andreas Fault and associated ecosystems
For the first time, scientists are using advanced technology and an innovative vessel to study, image, and map the unexplored offshore Northern San Andreas Fault from north of San Francisco to its termination at the junction of three tectonic plates off Mendocino, Calif.
Remote Hawaii atoll corals suffer some bleaching
(AP) -- Corals at remote atolls northwest of the main Hawaiian islands suffered some bleaching this summer as ocean temperatures rose to higher-than-normal levels for a couple of weeks, but they were spared the large-scale mass bleaching observed this year in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia, scientists said Wednesday.
China to launch second lunar probe this weekend
(AP) -- China's space ambitions are forging ahead with plans to launch the country's second unmanned lunar probe this weekend.
NASA's EPOXI mission sets up for comet flyby
Earlier yesterday, navigators and mission controllers for NASA's EPOXI mission watched their computer screens as 23.6 million kilometers (14.7 million miles) away, their spacecraft successfully performed its 20th trajectory correction maneuver. The maneuver refined the spacecraft's orbit, setting the stage for its flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4. Time of closest approach to the comet was expected to be about 10: 02 a.m. EDT (7:02 a.m. PDT).
Image: Comet Hartley 2 approaches Earth
A pale green interloper among the stars of Cassiopeia, Comet Hartley 2 shines in this four-minute exposure taken on the night of Sept. 28, 2010, by NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.
Researchers find renewable energy leftovers could fertilize, cut carbon emissions
(PhysOrg.com) -- For hundreds of years, farmers in Brazil's Amazon Basin have hunted through dense jungles for what is called "terra preta" — mysterious plots of super-fertile black soil amid otherwise nutrient-stripped earth.
NASA satellites see Nicole become a remnant, another low soaking US East Coast
Tropical Storm Nicole was a tropical storm for around 6 hours before it weakened into a remnant low pressure area and is now off the Florida coast. NASA Satellite imagery captured different views of Nicole's clouds as the system weakened back into a low pressure area.
Congress backs Obama plan on NASA's future
(AP) -- Congress approved a blueprint for NASA's future Wednesday that extends the life of the space shuttle program for a year while backing President Barack Obama's intent to use commercial carriers to lift humans into near-Earth space.
Plan to use submarines to subdue typhoons/hurricanes
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Japanese hydraulic manufacturing company has unveiled plans to use submarines to downgrade the force of typhoons. The company, Ise Kogyo, from Mie in Central Japan, has had patents approved in Japan and India for its geo-engineering plan to use submarines to subdue typhoons, which are known elsewhere in the world as hurricanes, tropical storms, cyclonic storms and cyclones.
Atmosphere checked, one Mars year before a landing
(PhysOrg.com) -- In preparation for NASA's next rover landing on the Red Planet, one Mars year away, an instrument studying the Martian atmosphere from orbit has begun a campaign.
Knot in the ribbon at the edge of the solar system 'unties' (Update)
(PhysOrg.com) -- The unusual "knot" in the bright, narrow ribbon of neutral atoms emanating in from the boundary between our solar system and interstellar space appears to have "untied," according to a paper published online in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Technology news
Star Wars saga to go 3-D in new release
George Lucas' cult sci-fi saga Star Wars is being reworked for re-release in three dimensions starting in 2012, Lucas Films announced Wednesday.
Printable solar cells within reach?
Victorian researchers have welcomed a $5 million grant from the State Government to help commercialise their revolutionary technology that uses printable light-sensitive ink to convert sunlight into energy, potentially opening the door to inexpensive, mass produced solar panels.
Inertial measurement unit with quartz gyro-sensors developed by Epson Toyocom
Epson Toyocom Corp. today announced that it has begun commercial development of a highly compact, accurate, and stable inertial measurement unit (IMU). The IMU employs technology the company has accumulated in the development of QMEMS quartz gyro-sensors. Epson Toyocom plans to make engineering samples available in April 2011.
French music industry reaches deal with YouTube
(AP) -- YouTube and France's leading music industry group have announced a deal that makes sure musical artists get paid when their videos are seen on the online video sharing site.
Google pays tribute to Flintstones
Google paid tribute to the Flintstones on Thursday, devoting the celebrated logo on its home page to Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty on their 50th anniversary.
Boston Globe to launch paid website
Taking a page from its parent company The New York Times Co., The Boston Globe will begin charging for full access to its website next year, the newspaper announced on Thursday.
New report on street lighting technologies available from NLPIP
The National Lighting Product Information Program (NLPIP) released its latest Specifier Report, designed to provide objective performance information on existing street lighting technologies -- including light-emitting diode (LED), induction, and high pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights. This report comes at a critical time when many municipalities, some with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, are in the process of replacing HPS streetlights with LED and induction models.
Planning the world's largest water tunnel research facility
The University of Miami College of Engineering has received funding from the Corporacion Andina de Fomento to undertake a feasibility study for a new experimental facility located in Panama. The proposed Water Tunnel of the Americas at the Panama Canal (WTAPC) would be the largest water tunnel facility in the world.
WikiLeaks chief lashes out at media during debate
(AP) -- WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange lashed out at the mainstream media during a debate at a London university Thursday, fighting back at a string of unfavorable stories that have appeared since his organization's publication of a cache of U.S. intelligence documents.
World Cyber Games kickoff in Los Angeles
(AP) -- The Olympics of the video game world opened Thursday with gamers from 58 countries marching through the Los Angeles Convention Center holding their nations' flags.
Diller bearish on future of Ask.com
IAC chief executive Barry Diller said Wednesday he does not expect Ask.com, the Internet search engine bought for 1.85 billion dollars five years ago, to ever be more than a "niche" service.
Review: New search partners aren't identical twins
(AP) -- Just because Yahoo Inc.'s U.S. website and Microsoft Corp.'s Bing are using the same technological ingredients for searching the Internet doesn't mean they're slicing and dicing the results the same way, too.
US cyber exercise providing valuable lessons: officials
US cybersecurity experts will learn valuable lessons from an ongoing exercise that simulates a massive cyberattack on the United States, US officials said Wednesday.
Skype eyes US business customers, Facebook
Skype announced an agreement Wednesday with corporate telephone provider Avaya to bring the Internet communications service to US business customers.
Intel to invest in S.Korea wireless broadband venture
The investment unit of US technology giant Intel said Thursday it would pump 20 million dollars into a South Korean wireless broadband joint venture.
'Levytator': Scientist unveils world's first freeform curved escalator (w/ Video)
Jack Levy, an Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at City University London, has developed and patented the 'Levytator', and is now seeking to take it to market.
Nokia research lab working on nanowire sensing, stretchable electronic skin
Getting into a Nokia Research Center laboratory isn't easy. The security doors remain open long enough for one or two people to enter and if held open too long, will sound what we're told is an exceptionally loud alarm. Lucky then that we were part of a group taken around NRC's Cambridge laboratory to see some of the latest scientific problems being solved there. We were treated to demoes of three different strands of research; Nanowire Sensing, Stretchable Electronic Skin and Electrotactile Experience. Each one as amazing and eye-opening as the next. Read on after the jump for a lowdown including pics and video.
Dozens charged in NY in global computer virus scam
(AP) -- Hackers in eastern Europe who used computer viruses to steal usernames and passwords teamed up with foreign students who opened bank accounts in the U.S. to snatch at least $3 million from American bank accounts, authorities said Thursday in announcing charges against more than 80 people.
EU takes Britain to court over Internet privacy
The European Commission said Friday it was taking the British government to court for failing to protect Internet user privacy.
Ford plans five electric cars, wants technology to improve
US auto giant Ford Motor said it was on track to deliver five electric cars in Europe over the next five years but warned the technology needed to improve dramatically for the market to expand.
Three top executives to leave Yahoo!: report
Three top executives are poised to leave Yahoo! in the latest management turmoil at the Internet company, a leading Silicon Valley technology blog reported.
HP picks ex-software exec Leo Apotheker as new CEO
(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. has hired recently discarded software executive Leo Apotheker to steer the world's largest technology company as it tries to prove it can thrive without its previous leader, Mark Hurd.
House Democrats shelve net neutrality proposal
House Democrats have shelved a last-ditch effort to broker a compromise between phone, cable and Internet companies on rules that would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading online traffic flowing over their networks.
Multicore may not be so scary: Linux will keep up with addition of more processing units
Computer chips have stopped getting faster. To keep improving chips' performance, manufacturers have turned to adding more "cores," or processing units, to each chip. In principle, a chip with two cores can run twice as fast as a chip with only one core, a chip with four cores four times as fast, and so on.
World's first 'cyber superweapon' attacks China
A computer virus dubbed the world's "first cyber superweapon" by experts and which may have been designed to attack Iran's nuclear facilities has found a new target -- China.
Japan develops vehicle motor free of rare earths
Japanese researchers said Thursday they had developed a hybrid vehicle motor that is free of rare earths, the minerals that are now almost exclusively produced by China.
Underwater robot swims free thanks to newly-designed wireless controller (w/ Video)
A waterproof controller designed and built by York University researchers is allowing an underwater robot to go "wireless" in a unique way.
Free speech group fights lawsuits vs. news sharers
(AP) -- A San Francisco group that defends online free speech is taking on a Las Vegas company it says is shaking down news-sharing Internet users through more than 140 copyright infringement lawsuits filed this year.
Medicine & Health news
Study finds women with triple negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations have lower risk of recurrence
Patients with triple negative breast cancer that also have mutations in the BRCA gene appear to have a lower risk of recurrence, compared to those with the same disease without the deleterious genetic mutation, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In-country OB/GYN training programs contributed to retention of doctors in Ghana, study shows
Ghanaian Obstetrics and Gynecology residents say in-country training programs contributed to their decision to remain in their home country to practice medicine, new University of Michigan research shows.
Child nutrition bill stalls in House
(AP) -- First lady Michelle Obama's campaign for healthier school lunches has stalled in Congress after anti-hunger groups and more than 100 Democrats protested the use of food stamp dollars to pay for it.
Faith in God associated with improved survival after liver transplantation
Italian researchers report that liver transplant candidates who have a strong religious connection have better post-transplant survival. This study also finds that religiosity—regardless of cause of death—prolongs the life span of individuals who underwent liver transplantation. Full findings are now available online and in the October issue of Liver Transplantation. a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Popular Mechanics award given to artificial retina team
The team that helped to develop the Argus II retinal implant, including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has been recognized with a Popular Mechanics 2010 Breakthrough Award.
Public awareness campaign lowers male suicides in German city
A recent study revealed that men might connect strongly to publicity campaigns about depression and suicide, particularly when they have options for anonymous help. In Regensburg, Germany, a two-year intervention campaign resulted in a marked drop in male suicides.
Virtual environment tool helps patients with balance issues
Since 2006, Temple's Virtual Environment and Postural Orientation (VEPO) Laboratory has been helping patients with balance and spatial orientation issues find other ways to walk and stand upright using virtual reality.
Age 50 as mammography screening threshold proven unfounded
The landmark breast cancer screening study of women 40-49, published online in Cancer, has proven that annual mammography screening of women in their 40s reduces the breast cancer death rate in these women by nearly 30 percent. The results of this largest study ever conducted on women in this age group confirm that the use of the age of 50 as a threshold for breast cancer screening is scientifically unfounded. Women should begin getting annual mammograms at age 40.
Why do some dialysis centers have higher survival rates?
Characteristics such as patient engagement, physician communication, and staff coordination may help to explain why some dialysis centers achieve higher patient survival rates than others, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
SAfrican AIDS orphans aging
(AP) -- When the Mohau children's home opened in 1997, orphans with AIDS died every other day. But these days, not one child has been lost in seven years - and as they age with the help of drugs they face the teen complexities of dating and sex.
Bioethics scholars fault requirement that all women in clinical drug trials use contraception
(Garrison, NY) Research ethics review committees often require all women of childbearing age who enroll in clinical trials to use contraceptives to protect against a developing fetus being exposed to potentially harmful drugs. A mandatory contraceptive policy is often imposed even when there is no evidence that a trial drug could harm a fetus or when women have no chance of becoming pregnancy. This requirement is excessive and can safely be relaxed in many cases, according to a report in IRB: Ethics & Human Research.
Testing African couples for HIV is cost-effective prevention strategy
As researchers and policymakers work toward an effective HIV vaccine in a constrained global economy, cost-effective prevention strategies such as Couples Voluntary Counseling and Testing (CVCT) must take a larger role in efforts to decrease the rates of HIV/AIDS in Africa, says Emory University HIV/AIDS vaccine researcher Susan Allen, MD, MPH.
Cholera in Africa spreading at 'alarming' rate
(AP) -- An alarming number of new cholera cases have been reported in the West African nations of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, an international aid agency said Thursday.
'Great strides' in treatment of stroke, headache, epilepsy
The latest advances in treating neurologic disorders such as stroke, headache, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and sleep disorders are detailed in a special issue of the journal Neurologic Clinics.
OHSU Toxicology Research Center issues public alert on popular hair salon treatment
Oregon Health & Science University's Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) is responding to concerns raised by Portland-area hair salons about a product used for hair straightening. CROET has issued two public alerts describing its findings on the possible negative health impacts of this product.
Outpatient treatment just as safe for jaw fractures, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research by UC oral and maxillofacial surgeons suggests that treating isolated lower jaw fractures on an outpatient basis has the same outcome and significantly lowers health care costs.
Novartis fined $422.5M in marketing, kickback case
(AP) -- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. will pay $422.5 million in penalties for marketing an epilepsy medicine for unapproved uses and for paying kickbacks to doctors to prescribe it and five other drugs, federal officials announced Thursday.
J&J, FDA leaders take heat for 'phantom' recall
(AP) -- Johnson & Johnson executives and the Food and Drug Administration both shouldered the blame Thursday for a secret recall in which hired contractors quietly bought up defective painkillers to clear them from store shelves.
Poor kidney function linked to future heart and brain problems
People with impaired kidney function are at a higher risk of future stroke than people with normal kidney function, concludes a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
New strategy could reduce twin rate after IVF
A strategy to encourage single embryo transfer after in vitro fertilisation (IVF) could be an important tool to prevent multiple pregnancies and their associated complications, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Should athletes undergo mandatory ECG screening?
Should athletes have to undergo mandatory electrocardiographic screening (also known as ECG or heart trace) before competing? Doctors debate the issue in this week's British Medical Journal.
Dog ownership is associated with reduced eczema in children with dog allergies
Children with eczema, a chronic skin condition that often begins in childhood, have a greater risk of developing asthma and food allergies. The number of children with eczema is rising, but the reasons for this are unclear. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics examines the relationship between pet ownership and eczema. Researchers found that dog ownership among children with dog allergies may reduce the risk of developing eczema by age 4 years; cat ownership, however, may increase the risk among children with cat allergies.
Diet when young affects future food responses
A high protein diet during development primes the body to react unhealthily to future food binges. A study on juvenile rats, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism, suggests that lasting changes result from altering the composition of the first solid food that is consumed throughout growth into early adulthood.
Study finds women treated for breast cancer while pregnant have improved survival
Long associated with a worse outcome, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that women treated for breast cancer while pregnant, in fact, have improved disease-free survival and a trend for improved overall survival compared to non-pregnant women treated for the disease.
Drugs before surgery help women avoid mastectomies
(AP) -- Taking hormone-blocking pills for a few months before breast cancer surgery can shrink tumors and allow many women to have just the lump removed instead of the whole breast, a new study suggests.
Study discovers role of DNA methylation in multiple myeloma blood cancer
Sept. 30, 2010 — DNA methylation — a modification of DNA linked to gene regulation — is altered with increasing severity in a blood cancer called multiple myeloma, according to a study by Mayo Clinic and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
Researcher discovers way to overcome radiation resistance in leukemia
A team of researchers lead by Fatih M. Uckun, MD, PhD, of The Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has determined that radiation resistance in leukemia can be overcome by selectively attacking a molecular target known as SYK tyrosine kinase.
Most tension for caregivers of stroke survivors comes from family, friends
(PhysOrg.com) -- The biggest cause of stress for people who care for loved ones after a stroke may not be worrying about the affected family member.
Genetic epilepsy can originate in the embryo, study shows
A study of identical twins shows that a rare genetic form of epilepsy can be caused by a genetic mutation that occurs in the embryo, and not necessarily passed down from parents.
New tool 'cooks' cancer cells in inoperable brain tumors
Washington University neurosurgeons are tackling brain tumors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with a new laser probe.
With flu season approaching, learn how to protect your family and yourself
Flu season officially begins Friday, Oct. 1, and unlike last year's season when shortages led to rationing, there will be plenty of vaccine on hand for everyone who wants a flu shot.
Study finds genital herpes vaccine ineffective in women
An experimental vaccine intended to prevent genital herpes disease in women, although generally safe and well-tolerated, proved ineffective when tested in the recently concluded clinical study known as the Herpevac Trial for Women.
Scientists reveal important clues to how bacteria and viruses are identified as enemies
A new research report in the October 2010 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology sheds important light on how our immune systems detect invading organisms to be destroyed and removed from our bodies. The information from this research should ultimately help lead to the development of new drugs and treatments that allow health care providers to prevent runaway immune reactions that can have devastating consequences for people.
Scientists define molecular on-off switches for cancer and autoimmunity
A new report published in the October 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal offers a ray of hope in the search for new cancer drugs. By examining the seemingly conflicting roles of how oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes handle cellular stress, scientists from the Institute for Advanced Studies in New Jersey argue that each of these opposing systems could be potent drug targets in the effort to stop cancer. In addition, their hypothesis provides new insights into what contributes to immunological disorders such as chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
Scientists discover a new way our bodies control blood pressure: the P450-EET system
If you are one of the millions of Americans with high blood pressure, more help is on the way. That's because a new research study published in the October 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal shows that a protein, called P450, metabolizes arachidonic acid in our blood vessel walls to create a tiny molecule with a big name—epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET)—which in mice, turns off genes responsible for vascular inflammation and ultimately relaxes blood vessels to lower blood pressure. This protein and genes are also present in humans.
Researchers discover new TB pathogen
Kathleen Alexander, associate professor of wildlife in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment, has discovered a novel tuberculosis (TB) species in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, a group of pathogens that have adapted by using mammals as hosts. It has been nearly two decades since a new organism was identified in this group; the majority were discovered in the early and mid 20th century.
No sponge left behind
Using the same technology found in clothing tags used in retail store tracking systems, a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that surgical sponges with implanted radio frequency (RF) tags may be an effective adjunct to manual counting and X-ray detection in preventing sponges from being left behind in patients following a surgical procedure.
RD114 envelope proteins provide an effective and versatile approach to pseudotype lentiviral vectors
Therapeutic lentiviral vectors are emerging as vital tools for molecular medicine as evidenced by the growing number of clinical trials using these vector systems. From a basic research standpoint, lentiviral vectors are very intriguing substrates. On the one hand, the HIV-1 genome offers expanded cloning capacity and the capability to transduce nondividing cells such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and neurons. However, concerns associated with the potential risk of generating replication competent lentiviral particles require the removal of significant portions of the HIV genome, most notably the envelope protein (env).
Chromosomal break gives scientists a break in finding new puberty gene
A break in the two chromosomes has given scientists a break in finding a new gene involved in puberty, Medical College of Georgia researchers report.
URI professor warns: TV viewing likely to make you fear sickness
Watching television and its heavy dose of medical content in news and drama can lead to more concern about personal health and reduce a person's satisfaction with life according to a new study out of the University of Rhode Island.
Genetic alteration linked with human male infertility
One in seven couples worldwide has difficulty conceiving a child, and male infertility is thought to account for nearly half of those cases. Although the cause of male infertility is often unknown, scientists have now discovered a genetic alteration that disrupts sperm production in otherwise healthy men. The research, published by Cell Press on September 30th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, provides new insight into one cause of male infertility.
Bedouin tribe reveals secrets to McGill's GA-JOE
Van Den Ende-Gupta syndrome (VDEGS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder that is characterized by distinctive head and facial features, such as unusual eyelids, narrow and beaked noses, flat nasal bridges, jaw deformities, and a turned out lower lip. As part of McGill's "RaDiCAL" project (Rare Disease Consortium for Autosomal Loci), collaborators in Qatar conducted field research with three patients from biologically interrelated Bedouin families, and sent samples to Canada for analysis by GA JOE - a high-tech genome analyzing machine.
Bisphenol-A chemical used in baby bottles safe: EU agency
Bisphenol-A, a chemical used in baby bottles that is banned in Australia, Denmark, Canada and France, poses no health risks, the European Food Safety Authority said Friday.
CDC chief picks 6 'winnable battles' in health
(AP) -- Where would you start if you were charged with keeping the nation healthy? Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has chosen six priorities - winnable battles, he calls them.
HPV screen-and treat-intervention effective in cervical cancer prevention
Women in South Africa who underwent human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA-based testing or visual inspection of the cervix followed by treatment of test-positive women with cryotherapy had a statistically significant reduction in high grade cervical cancer precursors, compared with women in a control group, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Nearly one in 10 in US depressed, employment a factor: study
Nearly one in 10 Americans is depressed, and one in 30 meets the criteria for major depression, with the rate higher among the unemployed or those who can't work, a study said Thursday.
South Asians at twice the risk of heart attack and death after transplant: study
South Asian men and women have more than twice the risk of suffering a heart attack after a kidney transplant, according to a study led by St. Michael's nephrologist Dr. Ramesh Prasad.
Health care law may hamper limited insurance plans
(AP) -- The new health care law could make it difficult for companies like McDonald's to continue offering limited insurance coverage to their low-wage workers.
Drugs for low libido raise concerns over industry 'construction' of new diseases
Drug companies have not only sponsored the science of a new condition known as female sexual dysfunction, they have helped to construct it, in order to build global markets for new drugs, reveals an article in this week's British Medical Journal.
Study finds first direct evidence that ADHD is a genetic disorder (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research published today provides the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a genetic condition. Scientists at Cardiff University found that children with ADHD were more likely to have small segments of their DNA duplicated or missing than other children.
Calories can burn at rest with regular exercise
It is widely known that weight gain is due to an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure, and that exercise is vital for maintaining a healthy weight by burning calories as a result of muscular activity.
Patterned pulses boost the effects of deep brain stimulation, research shows
Electrical stimulation has been used as a sort of defibrillator of consciousness, rousing a victim of traumatic brain injury to at least partial awareness, after years in a coma. The procedure, termed deep brain stimulation, has also been used to treat Parkinson's disease and has shown some promise for use in epilepsy, cluster headaches and treatment-resistant depression. But new research shows that the even, equally spaced electrical pulses typically used in the procedure now are not necessarily the most effective. Complicating the temporal pattern, Rockefeller University researchers say, may improve outcomes by more closely mimicking the dynamic signals that comprise the natural traffic of neurons.
Brain chemical finding could open door to new schizophrenia drugs
New research has linked psychosis with an abnormal relationship between two signalling chemicals in the brain. The findings, published in tomorrow's edition of the journal Biological Psychiatry, suggest a new approach to preventing psychotic symptoms, which could lead to better drugs for schizophrenia.
Milkshake like cocaine for overeaters: Imaging shows the powerful impact food has on the brain
Millions of overweight Americans consider food the enemy. And according to new research, this enemy plays devious mind games.
Women's study finds longevity means getting just enough sleep
A new study, derived from novel sleep research conducted by University of California, San Diego researchers 14 years earlier, suggests that the secret to a long life may come with just enough sleep. Less than five hours a night is probably not enough; eight hours is probably too much.
Scientists describe how salmonella bacteria spread in humans (w/ Video)
New findings by National Institutes of Health scientists could explain how Salmonella bacteria, a common cause of food poisoning, efficiently spread in people. In a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers describe finding a reservoir of rapidly replicating Salmonella inside epithelial cells. These bacteria are primed to infect other cells and are pushed from the epithelial layer by a new mechanism that frees the Salmonella to infect other cells or be shed into the intestine.
Biology news
Progress being made in stem-cell therapy, scientist says
For the past two decades, scientists have been trying to fulfill the promise that stem-cell therapy holds for treating diseases such Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and many others. Their ultimate goal is to be able to remove healthy cells from a patient, reprogram them to stem cells, and induce them to differentiate into the type of cells the patient needs to treat a disease.
Key nutrient found to prevent cataracts in salmon
The role of a key nutrient which prevents cataracts in salmon has been revealed by eye specialists at the University of East Anglia.
Black aspergilli species responsible for infecting corn identified
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Athens, Georgia, have reported for the first time that several species of Aspergillus niger, or black aspergilli, are capable of infecting corn and peanuts as endophytes. The researchers also showed that, under laboratory conditions, these species produced mycotoxins.
Camel-crazy UAE pioneers cutting-edge breeding technology
Cutting-edge camel breeding technology, including embryo transfers and cloning, is being pioneered in the United Arab Emirates to reproduce the prized desert beasts that now fetch staggering sums.
Hunting affects wolves more strongly than expected, study shows
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using data from 21 North American wolf populations, two Montana State University researchers have found that the recently proposed levels of hunting for Montana and Idaho wolves are likely to have larger effects on wolf numbers than has been suggested.
Epigenomics discovery yields new information about fat cells
By creating a "map" of histone modifications in fat cells, investigators have discovered two new factors that regulate fat formation, a key step on the road to better understanding obesity, diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Broad Institute, the study appears in the October 1 issue of the journal Cell.
New method for generating human stem cells is remarkably efficient
The ability to efficiently generate patient-specific stem cells from differentiated cells and then reliably direct them to form specialized cells (like neurons or muscle) has tremendous therapeutic potential for replacing diseased or damaged tissues. However, despite some successes, there have been significant limitations associated with existing methods used to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Researchers achieve major breakthrough in cell reprogramming
(PhysOrg.com) -- A group of Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers has made so significant a leap forward in reprogramming human adult cells that HSCI co-director Doug Melton, who did not participate in the work, said the Institute will immediately begin using the new method to make patient and disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells, know as iPS cells.
Plants that move: How New Zealand species disperses seeds in high alpine, wet environment
High in an alpine meadow, Gesine Pufal, from the University of Wellington, New Zealand, crouched low to the ground and splashed some water from her water bottle on a low green plant cushion, then sat back waiting to see if something would move. Sound crazy? Many hikers passing by her may have thought so, but Pufal was trying to find potential plant species that possess a type of plant movement called hygrochasy.
Researchers sequence genome of mosquito that spreads West Nile virus
Last year, 720 people in the United States became infected with West Nile virus, a potentially serious illness that is spread through the bite of a mosquito - the Culex mosquito - that has first fed on infected birds. Such mosquitoes have the virus eventually located in their salivary glands and transmit the disease to humans and animals when they bite to draw blood.
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