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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for November 3, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Extraordinary light enhancement technique proposed for nanophotonic devices- Phantom images stored in flexible network throughout brain
- Transparent conductive material could lead to power-generating windows
- When size matters: Yttrium oxide breaking down under pressure
- Identity of Pompeii's mystery horse revealed
- Moving holograms: From science fiction to reality (w/ Video)
- Fossil finger records key to Neanderthals' promiscuity
- PET scans reveal estrogen-producing hotspots in human brain
- Compounds from periwinkle plant could become more effective cancer drugs
- Researchers shine light on congenital heart disease 'hot spots'
- Neutron stars may be too weak to power some gamma-ray bursts
- Study reveals why brain has limited capacity for repair after stroke, IDs new drug target
- Simple blood test may diagnose deadly Niemann-Pick type C disease (w/ Video)
- Autism study reveals how genetic changes rewire the brain
- Cosmic Curiosity Reveals Ghostly Glow of Dead Quasar
Space & Earth news
Tropical Storm Anggrek is tightly wrapped in NASA satellite imagery
Bands of strong thunderstorms are wrapping around the center of Tropical Storm Anggrek in the Southern Indian Ocean, according to satellite imagery. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared look at those strong thunderstorms today.
New eruption at Indonesian volcano (Update)
(AP) -- Indonesia's deadly volcano erupted Wednesday with its biggest blast yet, shooting searing ash miles into the air as soldiers forced hasty new evacuations of people from villages and emergency shelters.
The man behind Comet Hartley 2
Over the last 40 years, Malcolm Hartley has done just about every possible job for Siding Spring Observatory's UK Schmidt telescope in New South Wales, Australia. The British-born, Scottish-educated Hartley has logged time as the 1.2 meter (3.9 foot) telescope's observer, processor, copier, hypersensitization expert, and quality controller.
Tracing the history of Earth
Although scientists have a general idea of when major events occurred during Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, geologists would like to be able to pinpoint the exact dates of those events. Precise dates for the sequence and duration of geological events provide insight into fundamental questions about Earth’s history, such as when and why mass extinctions occurred, how long it takes for mountain ranges to form, and the age of Earth’s oldest fossils and crust.
Cometary poison gas geyser heralds surprises
As NASA's Deep Impact (EPOXI) probe approaches Comet Hartley 2 for a close encounter on Nov. 4th, mission scientists are certain of only one thing:
EU bids to lock down radioactive waste forever
Europe sought Wednesday to lock away forever lethal radioactive waste, but a European Commission warning of hopelessly inadequate disposal facilities itself drew a stinging rebuke.
Californians reject proposal to repeal greenhouse gas law
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger welcomed late Tuesday voters' rejection of a proposal to backtrack on a law limiting greenhouse gas emissions in the most populous US state.
NASA satellite sees Tomas weaken to a tropical depression ... for now
NASA infrared satellite data from this morning revealed that Tropical Storm Tomas has weakened into a tropical depression.
Most river flows across the US are altered by land and water management
The amount of water flowing in streams and rivers has been significantly altered in nearly 90 percent of waters that were assessed in a new nationwide USGS study. Flow alterations are a primary contributor to degraded river ecosystems and loss of native species.
Earth's climate change 20,000 years ago reversed the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean
An international team of investigators under the leadership of two researchers from the UAB demonstrates the response of the Atlantic Ocean circulation to climate change in the past. Global warming today could have similar effects on ocean currents and could accelerate climate change.
Weather outlook worsens for space shuttle launch
(AP) -- NASA has yet to decide whether space shuttle Discovery is safe to lift off on its final mission Thursday. The weather, though, is getting worse.
Cold skies: Researchers increase our understanding of how ice clouds form
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of atmospheric researchers designed a new computational module that helps scientists better understand how ice crystals form in the atmosphere. The team, including Dr. Xiaohong Liu and Dr. Steve Ghan of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, showed that ice crystal formation depends on both aerosols and humidity.
NASA's TRMM satellite sees Tomas' power fluctuate
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite traveled over Tomas twice on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The second time was at 2005 UTC (4:05 p.m. EDT) when it was still classified as a tropical storm. During TRMM's second overpass, Tomas' center of circulation wasn't evident. Today, Nov. 3 that center is reforming.
What will Webb see? Supercomputer models yield sneak previews
As scientists and engineers work to make NASA's James Webb Space Telescope a reality, they find themselves wondering what new sights the largest space-based observatory ever constructed will reveal. With Webb, astronomers aim to catch planets in the making and identify the universe's first stars and galaxies, yet these are things no telescope -- not even Hubble -- has ever shown them before.
NASA gives 'go' for Thurs. launch as storms loom
(AP) -- NASA will try to launch space shuttle Discovery on Thursday.
Searching for alien earths with planet colors
Earth is invitingly blue. Mars is angry red. Venus is brilliant white. Astronomers have learned that a planet's "true colors" can reveal important details. For example, Mars is red because its soil contains rusty red stuff called iron oxide. And the famous tint of our planet, the "blue marble"? It's because the atmosphere scatters blue light rays more strongly than red ones. Therefore the atmosphere looks blue from above and below.
Volcanoes have shifted Asian rainfall
Scientists have long known that large volcanic explosions can affect the weather by spewing particles that block solar energy and cool the air. Some suspect that extended "volcanic winters" from gigantic blowups helped kill off dinosaurs and Neanderthals. In the summer following Indonesia's 1815 Tambora eruption, frost wrecked crops as far off as New England, and the 1991 blowout of the Philippines' Mount Pinatubo lowered average global temperatures by 0.7 degrees F -- enough to mask the effects of manmade greenhouse gases for a year or so.
Neutron stars may be too weak to power some gamma-ray bursts
A gamma-ray burst is an immensely powerful blast of high-energy light thought to be generated by a collapsing star in a distant galaxy, but what this collapse leaves behind has been a matter of debate.
Cosmic Curiosity Reveals Ghostly Glow of Dead Quasar
(PhysOrg.com) -- While sorting through hundreds of galaxy images as part of the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project two years ago, Dutch schoolteacher and volunteer astronomer Hanny van Arkel stumbled upon a strange-looking object that baffled professional astronomers. Two years later, a team led by Yale University researchers has discovered that the unique object represents a snapshot in time that reveals surprising clues about the life cycle of black holes.
Purdue unveils 'Impact: Earth!' asteroid impact effects calculator
(PhysOrg.com) -- Purdue University on Wednesday (Nov. 3) unveiled ''Impact: Earth!'' a new website that allows anyone to calculate the potential damage a comet or asteroid would cause if it hit the Earth.
Water flowing through ice sheets accelerates warming, could speed up ice flow
Melt water flowing through ice sheets via crevasses, fractures and large drains called moulins can carry warmth into ice sheet interiors, greatly accelerating the thermal response of an ice sheet to climate change, according to a new study involving the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Technology news
Bringing smart textile to industrial manufacturing level
Imec and its project partners announce the launch of the European FP7 (Framework Program) project PASTA (Integrating Platform for Advanced Smart textile Applications) aiming at developing large-area smart textiles. Large-area manufacturability is an essential aspect in bridging the gap between lab prototyping and the industrial manufacturing of smart textiles for sports and leisure wear, technical textiles for safety and monitoring applications, and textiles for healthcare monitoring purposes.
UM dorms will go 'off the water grid'
A $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will allow the University of Miami (UM) College of Engineering to develop an autonomous net-zero water dormitory at UM. The project will make it possible for the residents to go "off the water grid," by using a sustainable approach to water collection, treatment and reuse.
Video-game technology may speed development of new drugs
Parents may frown upon video games, but the technology used in the wildly popular games is quietly fostering a revolution in speeding the development of new products and potentially life-saving drugs. That's the topic of an article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).
Andreessen's venture fund nears $1 billion
(AP) -- A venture capital fund run by Internet browser pioneer Marc Andreessen and his longtime business partner, Ben Horowitz, has raised another $650 million as the firm looks for opportunities in technology startups.
Discounts offered in Facebook check-in 'Deals'
(AP) -- If you use Facebook to "check in" to your favorite restaurants or shops, you can now expect to see rewards and discounts from companies looking to drum up business and lure in loyal customers.
Grant to help researchers build better search engines
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two UT Arlington computer science engineering faculty are developing a new Internet search engine that treats the Web more like a massive database.
Geothermal heat pumps reduce energy costs at wastewater plants
(PhysOrg.com) -- Can sinking geothermal heat pumps into waste water treatment plant aeration ponds provide heating and cooling to lower the plant's energy costs?
AOL posts higher 3Q net income on gains, cost cuts
(AP) -- AOL Inc.'s profit grew in the third quarter thanks to gains on investments it sold during the quarter, but revenue declined sharply as online ad sales fell and its and its dial-up Internet access business continued to falter.
Wireless broadband coming to the bush
A major CSIRO breakthrough in wireless technology designed to bring broadband to people living beyond the optical fibre network, will be unveiled in Sydney tomorrow.
Apple to lengthen music previews to 90 seconds
(PhysOrg.com) -- It was speculated in late August that iTunes would double the length of its audio clips from 30 seconds to 60. But starting soon, songs that aren’t shorter than two minutes and 30 seconds will be tripled to 90 seconds of listening time. For the songs that don't fit the length requirement, the clips will remain 30 seconds in length.
T-Mobile renames upgraded 3G network '4G'
(AP) -- Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Wireless are building wireless data networks using new technologies that the industry calls fourth-generation, or 4G. Not to be outdone, T-Mobile USA launched a campaign this week that calls its own upgraded network "4G."
Don't put us on the Google map, says German village
A day after a small town became the first in Germany to welcome Google's controversial Street View service with open arms and cake, a tiny northern village responded Wednesday with a resounding "nein."
Candidates with more Facebook fans won 70 percent of races
Candidates with a greater number of Facebook fans than their opponents won more than 70 percent of races for the US Congress, according to figures released on Wednesday.
News Corp. net profit up 36 percent
News Corp. said Wednesday that its net profit rose 36 percent in the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year to 775 million dollars, beating the expectations of Wall Street analysts.
News Corp. puts Myspace on notice
News Corp. put Myspace on notice on Wednesday, saying the losses at the ailing social network were not sustainable.
Airliners fly in face of cyber attack scares
Around the world, around the clock, circles of flickering screens keep aircraft apart in the air, ease them gently down to the ground and guide their precious human cargoes off the runway.
UK: Google was in 'significant breach' of data law
Google violated Britain's data protection laws when its Street View mapping service recorded data from private wireless networks, the country's information commissioner said Wednesday.
Google agrees to settle Buzz class action for $8M
(AP) -- Google Inc., the top Web search provider, will allocate about $8.5 million to Internet privacy and policy organizations as part of a class action settlement involving its Buzz social hub.
Will Google resurrect the smartbook?
(PhysOrg.com) -- The idea of a smartbook has been tantalizing, but first generation attempts have fallen prey to their own immaturity. Now, though, there is a chance that Google could resurrect the smartbook with the Chrome operating system. Later in November, smartbooks running on the Chrome OS are expected to hit the shelves. On top of that, Google is expected to release its own Chrome notebook computer. (It will be interesting to see how this turns out, since the Nexus One smartphone from Google pretty much just faded away.)
Facebook steps into middle of smartphone lifestyles
Facebook on Wednesday moved to become the heart of smartphone lifestyles by making it easy for people to find deals at nearby shops and connect with mobile software applications.
Medicine & Health news
Hidden costs of applying to medical school will deter poorer students
The costs of a medical school application may deter young people from poorer backgrounds from applying to medical school, argue a father and daughter in an article published in the British Medical Journal today.
Parental infertility and cerebral palsy in children born spontaneously or after IVF/ICSI
Doctors have known for some time that children born after fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are at increased risk of cerebral palsy. However, it was not known whether this risk was due to the treatment itself, the higher frequency of preterm or multiple births, or a mechanism associated with couples' underlying infertility.
BMJ investigation raises concerns about the post-approval surveillance of medical devices
A British Medical Journal investigation published today raises concerns about the ability of the US Food and Drug Administration to monitor the ongoing safety of medical devices through post-approval surveillance.
Study finds bortezomib to be promising treatment for rheumatoid arthritis
A new study by Greek researchers suggests that the biologic drug bortezomib (Velcade), a proteasome inhibitor used to treat multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer), may represent a promising treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, bortezomib displayed favorable effects in an animal model of inflammatory arthritis that mimics RA, in reducing disease severity and inflammation, and promoting bone healing. Full findings of this study are published in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Etanercept helps restore normal growth in children with juvenile arthritis
Researchers from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center observed a statistically significant increase in mean height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) percentiles in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who were treated with etanercept or etanercept plus methotrexate (MTX). JIA patients treated with MTX alone did not display an increase in growth percentiles. Results of the 3-year study are available online and in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.
Researchers expand cyberspace to fight chronic condition in breast cancer survivors
Lymphedema is a chronic condition that causes swelling of the limbs and affects physical, mental and social health. It commonly occurs in breast cancer survivors and is the second-most dreaded effect of treatment, after cancer recurrence. Every day, researchers throughout the world learn more about the condition and how it can be treated. Now, University of Missouri researchers are developing a place in cyberspace where relevant and timely information can be easily stored, searched, and reviewed from anywhere with the goal of improving health care through the availability of up-to-date, evidence-based research.
Mom in Spain happy that her 10-year-old gave birth
(AP) -- A Romanian Gypsy woman whose 10-year-old daughter just gave birth in Spain says she's delighted to have a new granddaughter and doesn't understand why the birth has shocked anyone - let alone become an international sensation.
The medical minute: Hip and knee joint arthroplasty
Hip and knee replacements are among the most reliable and effective surgeries performed today. Patients with arthritis can expect excellent pain relief with a low risk of complications. Most current hip and knee replacement systems have proven track records of longer than 10 years. When an experienced surgeon uses a proven implant with standard surgical techniques, at least 80 percent of implants will last more than 20 years.
Taking the fear factor out of cancer
It is the second most deadly disease in the Western world and one of the most feared diagnoses a patient can face. Now, a new book penned by a Nottingham academic is aiming to improve our understanding of cancer so we can better deal with its often devastating consequences.
New research shows disparities in hospice enrollment are not likely related to access
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that 98 percent of the U.S. population lives in communities within 60 minutes of a hospice provider, suggesting that disparities in use of hospice are not likely due to a lack of access to a hospice provider. The results are published in the current issue of the Journal of Palliative Medicine.
Medication adherence improves blood pressure control in chronic kidney disease
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center have found that about one-third of chronic kidney disease patients who are prescribed therapies for high blood pressure do not often adhere to treatments.
Experts: Did UN troops infect Haiti?
(AP) -- Researchers should determine whether United Nations peacekeepers were the source of a deadly outbreak of cholera in Haiti, two public health experts, including a U.N. official, said Wednesday.
Could 'low risk' pregnancies in the Netherlands be more dangerous for newborn babies?
Infants in the Netherlands born to mothers who have been classified as low risk, are more than twice as likely to die during or shortly after birth than babies born to high risk mothers, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
Prognostic markers for prostate cancer patients who receive radiation after surgery
Removal of the prostate gland often eradicates early-stage cancer. But patients whose cancer has spread may need to follow up with what is known as salvage radiation therapy. Researchers at Fox Chase have now determined a better way to monitor outcomes after this procedure.
Curbing depression in adults with epilepsy
A telephone- and Internet-delivered mindfulness-based depression treatment has been shown to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in adults with epilepsy, according to a study by Emory University public health researchers, published in the November 2010 issue of Epilepsy & Behavior.
Antibiotic could be the key to treating heart ailments
A researcher at the University of Alberta has discovered that treating basic heart ailments could be as simple as using a well-known antibiotic.
Prospect of better bone disease diagnosis with new technology
Scientists and medics are set to test a unique technology which could help in the early diagnosis of conditions such as the painful brittle bone disease. The technology, which uses a novel technique devised by STFC's Central Laser Facility (CLF), is to be tested for the first time with NHS hospital patients.
Specific changes in the brain associated with sleep deprivation described in new study
November 3, 2010—Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and SRI International have published the most systematic study to date of the effects of sleep deprivation on gene expression in the brain. The findings have implications for improving the understanding and management of the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on brain function.
Researchers discover new genetic factors associated with successful aging in the Amish
Avoiding disease, maintaining physical and cognitive function, and continuing social engagement in late life are considered to be key factors associated with what some gerontologists call "successful aging." While conducting studies of Amish families in Indiana and Ohio, a group of researchers led by William K. Scott, PhD, Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, began to notice that a significant number of people over age 80 in these communities demonstrated the three main factors associated with successful aging.
Headgear, mouth guards have little or no impact on reducing concussions in rugby players
Existing headgear and mouth guards have limited or no benefit in reducing concussions in rugby players, according to Dr. Michael Cusimano, a neurosurgeon at St. Michael's Hospital.
Does adolescent stress lead to mood disorders in adulthood?
Stress may be more hazardous to our mental health than previously believed, according to new research from Concordia University. A series of studies from the institution have found there may be a link between the recent rise in depression rates and the increase of daily stress.
Researcher finds public support for HPV vaccine wanes when linked to controversy
The vaccine that protects against the potentially cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) enjoys wide support in the medical and public health communities. Yet state laws to require young girls to be vaccinated as a requirement for middle school attendance have aroused controversy with parents, politicians, and even medical and public health experts disagreeing about whether such laws are appropriate.
Gladstone scientists identify process by which Alzheimer's disease creeps through the brain
Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) have offered new information about the events that underlie the "spread" of Alzheimer's disease (AD) throughout the brain. The research, published in the November 4th issue of the journal Neuron, follows disease progression from a vulnerable brain region that is affected early in the disease to interconnected brain regions that are affected in later stages. The findings may contribute to design of therapeutic interventions, as targeting the brain region where AD originates might be simpler than targeting multiple brain areas.
Penn State researchers take on the epidemic of diabetes and obesity
Michelle Obama is worried, and she’s not alone. On Feb. 9, the First Lady kicked off a national initiative called "Let's Move" that aims to end childhood obesity within a decade. "The truth is we don’t have a moment to waste," Obama noted, "because a baby born today could be less than a decade away from showing the first signs of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, if he or she is obese as a child."
Combining radiation therapy, chemotherapy safely treats head and neck cancer patients
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a radiation therapy procedure pioneered at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) that precisely delivers a large dose of radiation to tumors, may effectively control and treat head and neck cancers when combined with the chemotherapy Cetuximab, according to researchers from UPCI. The results of the research will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in San Diego.
Prostate cancer's multiple personalities revealed
Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have taken an important step toward a better understanding of prostate cancer by uncovering evidence that it is not one disease, as previously believed, but rather several factors which can be measured and, in the future, destroyed by targeted therapy.
New lymphoma therapy may be more effective with fewer side effects
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a type of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that accounts for approximately 40 percent of lymphomas among adults. If left untreated, it is fatal. The existing treatments have a cure rate that is slightly over 50 percent but destroy healthy cells along with the cancer cells.
Half of those travelling internationally not aware of potential health risks
More than 30 million people in the United States travel to resource-limited areas of the world each year. This global mobility may contribute to the spread of infectious diseases – such as influenza, measles, and meningitis – and may also put individual travelers at risk for malaria, typhoid, dengue fever and hepatitis. Despite these potential risks, a recent study conducted by the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in the Journal of Travel Medicine found that 46 percent of travelers to resource-limited countries did not seek health advice or vaccinations prior to departure.
Asthma drug prevents spread of breast cancer: study
A drug commonly used in Japan and Korea to treat asthma has been found to stop the spread of breast cancer cells traditionally resistant to chemotherapy, according to a new study led by St. Michael's pathologist Dr. Gerald Prud'homme.
Armed antibody triggers remissions for Hodgkin's lymphoma
An antibody loaded with an anti-cancer agent produced complete or partial remissions in 38 percent of patients with relapsed or therapy-resistant Hodgkin lymphoma enrolled in a phase I clinical trial, investigators report in the Nov. 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Higher medication spending doesn't indicate better prescribing quality
Medicare patients in regions that spend the most on prescription medications are not necessarily getting better quality care, according to a new study of spending practices from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH). The findings, published in the Nov. 3 Online First issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, reveal great variation across the country in both drug spending and the rate of inappropriate prescriptions for the elderly.
Study shows drop in unnecessary care after Medicare reimbursement cut
When Medicare policy changes led to reductions in reimbursement for hormonal treatment of prostate cancer, there was a sharp decline in its use among patients not likely to benefit from the treatment. But among patients for whom the therapy is clearly beneficial, doctors continued to prescribe it at the same rate, according to a new study.
Recombination hotspot stacks the DNA deck in finding a new diabetes susceptibility gene
The autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes (T1D), also known as juvenile diabetes, is diagnosed in approximately 70,000 children worldwide per year. Genetics is increasingly being recognized as playing a significant role in susceptibility to the disorder, but outside a handful of genes, a clear understanding of the genetic architecture that underlies T1D has remained elusive. In a study published online today in Genome Research, scientists have identified a novel gene associated with diabetes in mice that is revealing new clues about genomic mechanisms that could underlie T1D susceptibility.
'Educational' DVDs don't expand baby vocabulary: study
Toddlers exposed to DVDs and videos marketed as "educational" showed no greater improvement in their vocabularies than children not exposed to such programming, a study said Wednesday.
Light fantastic: Retinal implant brightens future for blind
German doctors on Wednesday announced a breakthrough in retinal implants, the fledgling technology that aims to restore sight in people cursed by a form of inherited blindness.
Responses shift when changing languages
The language we speak may influence not only our thoughts, but our implicit preferences as well. That's the finding of a study by Harvard psychologists, who found that bilingual individuals’ opinions of different ethnic groups were affected by the language in which they took a test probing their biases and predilections.
New compounds may treat both alcohol and cigarette addictions
Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and Pfizer Inc., have determined that two new compounds may be effective in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence at the same time.
PET scans reveal estrogen-producing hotspots in human brain
A study at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has demonstrated that a molecule "tagged" with a radioactive form of carbon can be used to image aromatase, an enzyme responsible for the production of estrogen, in the human brain. The research, published in the November issue of Synapse, also uncovered that the regions of the brain where aromatase is concentrated may be unique to humans.
Study reveals why brain has limited capacity for repair after stroke, IDs new drug target
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, due to the brain's limited capacity for recovery. Physical rehabilitation is the only current treatment following a stroke, and there are no medications available to help promote neurological recovery.
Researchers shine light on congenital heart disease 'hot spots'
Using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia has shed light on the ryanodine receptor, a structure within muscle cells that has been linked to life-threatening congenital heart conditions.
Simple blood test may diagnose deadly Niemann-Pick type C disease (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- A fatal genetic disorder that frequently takes years to diagnose may soon be detectable with a simple blood test, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report this week in Science Translational Medicine.
Autism study reveals how genetic changes rewire the brain
Many gene variants have been linked to autism, but how do these subtle changes alter the brain, and ultimately, behavior?
Positive psychological changes from meditation training linked to cellular health
(PhysOrg.com) -- Positive psychological changes that occur during meditation training are associated with greater telomerase activity, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the University of California, San Francisco. The study is the first to link positive well-being to higher telomerase, an enzyme important for the long-term health of cells in the body.
Luminous jellyfish cells help with early cancer diagnosis
(PhysOrg.com) -- It sounds like an idea plucked from the realms of science fiction writing. But in this case, there is nothing fictional about it. Scientists in Yorkshire have developed a process that uses the luminous cells from jellyfish to diagnose cancers deep within the human body.
Phantom images stored in flexible network throughout brain
(PhysOrg.com) -- Brain research over the past 30 years has shown that if a part of the brain controlling movement or sensation or language is lost because of a stroke or injury, other parts of the brain can take over the lost function – often as well as the region that was lost.
Biology news
Psyllid identification key to area-wide control of citrus greening spread
At least six psyllid species have been found in the citrus-growing areas of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist who is working to control the spread of the psyllid-transmitted citrus greening disease.
Micro-frog springs toxic surprise
A "robber frog" whose body is just 10 millimetres (three-eighths of an inch) long eats toxic mites and exudes their poison on its skin to deter predators, scientists reported on Wednesday.
How some plants spread their seeds: Ready, set, catapult
Catapults are often associated with a medieval means of destruction, but for some plants, they are an effective way to launch new life. Dispersing seeds greater distances by catapulting can provide selective advantages, including the establishment of populations in new environments and escape from certain threats.
Discovering water's role within a protein
A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University has identified a way to probe water molecules deep inside proteins, exposing a communication network mobilized when proteins are turned "on."
Moving animals not a panacea for habitat loss, study finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- New University of Georgia research suggests moving threatened animals to protected habitats may not always be an effective conservation technique if the breeding patterns of the species are influenced by a social hierarchy.
Australia's threatened species need more protection, study shows
A new article in the international scientific journal Conservation Biology shows that Australia's most endangered species are extremely poorly represented in the nation's protected area system.
Honey bees: Genetic labeling decides about blue blood
Queen bees and worker bees share the same genome, but they are different in the chemical labeling of about 550 genes. This has been discovered by scientists of the German Cancer Research Center jointly with colleagues in Australia. The researchers tried to understand how development can be so different in organisms with identical sequence of genetic material. After all, healthy cells and cancer cells also share the same genome, but they develop diverging properties.
E. coli thrives near plant roots, can contaminate young produce crops
E. coli can live for weeks around the roots of produce plants and transfer to the edible portions, but the threat can be minimized if growers don't harvest too soon, a Purdue University study shows.
The developmental dynamics of the maize leaf transcriptome
Photosynthesis is arguably the most impressive feat of nature, where plants harvest light energy and convert it into the building blocks of life at fantastically high efficiency. Indeed modern civilization became possible only with the cultivation of plants for food, shelter and clothing.
Atlanta zoo welcomes birth of baby giant panda
Lun Lun, a 13-year old giant panda at the Atlanta Zoo, gave birth Wednesday to a cub, the only giant panda born in the United States this year.
Researchers discover potential new virus in switchgrass
University of Illinois researchers have confirmed the first report of a potential new virus belonging to the genus Marafivirus in switchgrass, a biomass crop being evaluated for commercial cellulosic ethanol production.
Bees reveal nature-nuture secrets
The nature-nurture debate is a "giant step" closer to being resolved after scientists studying bees documented how environmental inputs can modify our genetic hardware. The researchers uncovered extensive molecular differences in the brains of worker bees and queen bees which develop along very different paths when put on different diets.
Plight of farmland birds identified with new research
Farmland birds that are poorer parents and less "brainy" are faring worse than other farmland bird species, a study at the University of Bristol has found.
Girl power: Female boa constrictor doesn't need a male
In a finding that upends decades of scientific theory on reptile reproduction, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that female boa constrictors can squeeze out babies without mating.
Chromosome imbalances lead to predictable plant defects
Physical defects in plants can be predicted based on chromosome imbalances, a finding that may shed light on how the addition or deletion of genes and the organization of the genome affects organisms, according to a study involving a Purdue University researcher.
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