Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 7, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers improve efficiency of low-cost solar cells- How to make graphene with a pencil and sticky tape (w/ Videos)
- Life thrives in porous rock deep beneath the seafloor, scientists say
- Optical lifting demonstrated for the first time (w/ Video)
- Plan to reintroduce giant pandas to the wild
- Google delays market debut of Chrome OS computers
- Invisible invasive species
- Eliminating tooth decay: Breakthrough in dental plaque research
- Mechanism that controls cell movement linked to tumors becoming more aggressive
- No apparent Stuxnet impact in US: cyber official
- Nanoparticle gives antimicrobial ability to fight Listeria longer
- Stem cell advance a step forward for treatment of brain diseases
- 35,000 new species 'sitting in cupboards'
- Think multitasking is new? Our prehistoric ancestors invented it
- How rare is that fingerprint? Computational forensics provides the first clues
Space & Earth news
Towards an efficient, effective and equitable REDD+
An exclusive focus on forests -- as opposed to the entire landscape -- could lead to inequitable and destructive outcomes for the poor in developing countries, said a Nairobi-based agroforestry research organization today.
Compromise spirit at climate talks in last days
(AP) -- It may not last, but a spirit of compromise seems to have settled over the annual U.N. climate conference as negotiators enter its final days looking for agreements on secondary tools for coping with global warming.
The future of reefs
In a world first, a new 'state of the art' climate change experimental facility has been completed at the University of Queensland's (UQ) Heron Island Research Station.
Toxicologist says urgent action needed on dioxins
The environmental scientist whose work on dioxins last year prompted governments around the world to suspend the use of some pesticides says there is more to the problem and authorities need to act urgently.
Space Image: Inception
Backdropped by a sunset, the Canadarm2 was operated by the crew of the International Space Station.
Japan's first Venus probe struggling to enter orbit
Japan's first space probe bound for Venus was struggling on Tuesday to enter the planet's orbit, the space agency said.
Carbon capture and storage technologies could provide a new green industry for the UK: research
The UK has the capacity to develop new green industries for capturing harmful carbon dioxide emissions from industry and storing them deep underground, but more investment is needed to further develop the relevant technologies and infrastructure, say scientists in new research published today.
Scientists identify new concerns for antibiotic resistance, pollution
When an antibiotic is consumed, researchers have learned that up to 90 percent passes through a body without metabolizing. This means the drugs can leave the body almost intact through normal bodily functions.
Could Santa Claus be toxic?
The exact location of Santa’s Workshop has long been kept secret, but one thing every child knows is that he lives somewhere up by the North Pole. It’s a place that has seen great changes in recent years with melting sea ice and warmer summer temperatures attributed to global warming.
Russia probes navigation system spending after crash
Russia launched a probe Tuesday into whether the money assigned to create a satellite navigation rival to the US GPS system was being wisely spent, prosecutors said, after the latest launch ended in failure.
Pavement sealant identified as major pollutant
A black sealant sprayed on parking lots, driveways and playgrounds turns out to be the largest contributor to the rise of a toxic pollutant in urban lakes and reservoirs across America, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study.
NASA satellites see heavy rainfall and displaced thunderstorms in System 94B
System 94B has not been classified as a tropical depression, but NASA satellite data has shown that it is creating heavy rainfall near India's southeastern coast. A second NASA satellite revealed that strong wind shear is continuing to push convection to the northwest of System 94B's center of circulation.
US space capsule launch set for Wednesday
A US company has received the go-ahead to launch its first space capsule into orbit Wednesday, in a key test for the future of commercial space flight as NASA looks to end its shuttle program.
Japan probe reaches Venus but shuts itself down (Update)
(AP) -- A Japanese space probe sent to the thick clouds of Venus shut itself down, and its future looks as hazy as the planet it was built to study.
Geminid meteor shower defies explanation
The Geminid meteor shower, which peaks this year on Dec. 13th and 14th, is the most intense meteor shower of the year. It lasts for days, is rich in fireballs, and can be seen from almost any point on Earth.
Double vision: New instrument casts its eyes to the sky
The Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer has taken its first images of the star Beta Peg in the constellation Pictor -- an encouraging start for an instrument designed to probe the cosmic neighborhoods where Earth-like planets could exist.
NASA ejects nanosatellite from microsatellite in space
(PhysOrg.com) -- On Dec. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EST, NASA for the first time successfully ejected a nanosatellite from a free-flying microsatellite. NanoSail-D ejected from the Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite, FASTSAT, demonstrating the capability to deploy a small cubesat payload from an autonomous microsatellite in space.
Undersea methane could be contributor to increased ocean acidity, researchers find
(PhysOrg.com) -- A North Carolina State University researcher is part of a team which has found that methane from “cold seeps” – undersea areas where fluids bubble up through sediments at the bottom of the ocean – could be contributing to the oceans’ increasing acidity and stressing already delicate undersea ecosystems.
'Greener' climate prediction shows plants slow warming
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new NASA computer modeling effort has found that additional growth of plants and trees in a world with doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide levels would create a new negative feedback – a cooling effect – in the Earth's climate system that could work to reduce future global warming.
Life thrives in porous rock deep beneath the seafloor, scientists say
Researchers have found compelling evidence for an extensive biological community living in porous rock deep beneath the seafloor. The microbes in this hidden world appear to be an important source of dissolved organic matter in deep ocean water, a finding that could dramatically change ideas about the ocean carbon cycle.
Technology news
NY website owner accused of threatening hundreds
(AP) -- An eyewear website operator left dozens and possibly hundreds of customers fearing for their lives as he bullied them into accepting his counterfeit and inferior products and encouraged them to complain online to boost his Internet ranking and drive more customers his way, a prosecutor said as she argued against bail Monday.
Apros software is renewed to simulate clean power plants of the future
The increased requirements on efficient production of clean energy have introduced the necessity to develop new power plant concepts. The basic functionality of the new ideas is tested in small scale pilot plants. Advanced ICT tools based on numerical calculations are, however, needed to evaluate the application to full scope plants in advance. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the energy company Fortum have for these purposes released a new version 5.09 of Apros (advanced process simulation software).
Notre Dame receives TARDEC grant for next-generation batteries
Faculty from the University of Notre Dame’s Colleges of Engineering and Science have been awarded more than $1.3 million from the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in collaboration with research being conducted by Mississippi State University on the development of novel materials for improved battery technology.
Infineon launches SOLID FLASH technology
Infineon Technologies AG today at the "Cartes & Identification" Trade Show in Paris announced the introduction of 90nm SOLID FLASH technology for its new generation of security ICs. With SOLID FLASH, Infineon is the worldwide first supplier of security products combining the advantages of highly flexible and reliable Flash with outstanding and secure contactless performance, targeting applications like payment, government ID, high-end mobile communications and transport. Leveraging its proven, longstanding expertise in automotive Flash and the comprehensive history from selling more than three billion chip card devices using EEPROM/Flash-based non-volatile memory, Infineon now offers its customers a variety of SOLID FLASH products with both high flexibility and ROM-like security. Dedicated security features enable a secure and reliable product usage, which has already been officially acknowledged by EMVCo and Common Criteria EAL 5+ (high) certifications for the first SOLID! FLASH products.
Student's product helps bands make websites
Sarah Sprague '11 isn't really a music fanatic, but thanks to her work this summer, many fledgling bands now have an easier way to promote their work.
Assange's may surrender to British police
(AP) -- Julian Assange's lawyer was arranging to deliver the WikiLeaks founder to British police for questioning in a sex-crimes investigation of the man who has angered Washington by spilling thousands of government secrets on the Internet.
Chase for India's rural rupee inspires tech innovations
India's hunger for new technology is as sharp in its countless small villages as in its shiny office towers or shopping malls -- and businesses are waking up to an area of massive potential growth.
Disney's 'Tron' movie reverse-ages Jeff Bridges
(AP) -- Hollywood has famously had better luck using makeup to make young actors look old - like Russell Crowe in "A Beautiful Mind" - than making old actors look young. But the ability to manipulate images digitally could prove to be a fountain of youth for actors getting long in the tooth.
Doctor Who's trusty invention is anything but sci-fi
Television's favourite Time Lord could not exist without his trusty sonic screwdriver, as it's proved priceless in defeating Daleks and keeping the Tardis in check. Now Doctor Who's famous cure-all gadget could become a reality for DIY-ers across the world, say engineers.
Intel strongarmed Russia into concession: WikiLeaks
US computer chip maker Intel won a vital concession from the Russian government by threatening to pull its operations from the country, a leaked diplomatic cable claimed Tuesday.
ONR's record-setting test to showcase railgun's military relevance
Senior Navy leaders will be on hand Dec. 10 at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), a tenant command to Naval Support Facility (NSF), Dahlgren, Va., for a record-setting test of the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) experimental Electromagnetic Railgun, the service's effort to evolve surface ship weapons.
Panasonic, Imec present new thin film packaged MEMS resonator
Panasonic and imec present at the International Electron Devices Meeting in San Francisco an innovative SiGe (silicon germanium) thin film packaged SOI-based MEMS resonator featuring an industry-record Q factor combined with a low bias voltage. The high Q factor was achieved by implementing a resonator that operates in a torsional vibration mode, and, by vacuum encapsulation of the resonator in a thin film package. This groundbreaking resonator paves the way towards miniaturization and low power consumption of timing devices used in a variety of applications such as consumer electronics and automotive electronics.
Spotify to launch in US, but CEO won't say when
(AP) -- Streaming music service Spotify will launch in the U.S., but its CEO won't say when.
ND Expert: WikiLeaks points out danger of insider threats to information security
Even as WikiLeaks faces increasing public outcry over security breaches, potential prosecution of its founder and crippling cyber-attacks, there are probably more information leaks to come, says information security expert John D’Arcy, assistant professor of information technology management at the University of Notre Dame.
Strategy, court specialization driving increase in smart-phone litigation
The flurry of smart-phone patent suits at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is being driven by technology companies eager to capitalize on the speed and expertise of the specialized venue, says a University of Illinois patent strategy expert.
Microsoft VP: iPhone, Android offered mobile cues
(AP) -- A Microsoft executive says the company has tried to take advantage of the fact that it's playing catch up.
Internet body meets on domain names, IP addresses
ICANN, the international regulatory body for Web architecture, met here Monday to discuss expanding the list of top level domain names and a new generation of Internet protocol addresses.
Alliance heralds era of smartphone wallets
The mobile phone may soon be someone's ticket to board any transit system in the world.
No apparent Stuxnet impact in US: cyber official
Computer software targeted by Stuxnet is used in US infrastructure but the virus does not appear to have affected any systems in the United States, a US cybersecurity official said Tuesday.
How rare is that fingerprint? Computational forensics provides the first clues
(PhysOrg.com) -- Crime scene forensic analysis has long functioned on the premise that a person's unique identity is hidden in the tiny loops and swirls of their fingerprints, but teasing that information out of the incomplete prints left at crime scenes is still an inexact science, at best.
Microsoft unveils new privacy feature for IE
An upcoming version of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer browser will let users add lists of sites that they don't want tracking them, a peace offering amid uproar over the sneaky ways that websites watch their users as they bounce around the Internet.
Medicine & Health news
Color test predicts response to hypnotherapy
When people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were asked to relate their mood to a color, those choosing a positive color were nine times more likely to respond to hypnotherapy than those who chose a negative color or no color at all. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggest that these findings could be used to predict responders to treatment.
Influenza virus strains show increasing drug resistance and ability to spread
Two new studies raise public health concerns about increasing antiviral resistance among certain influenza viruses, their ability to spread, and a lack of alternative antiviral treatment options. The findings are published in the January 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Sheathless transradial intervention highly successful in treating complex lesions
Cardiologists from the Mayo Clinic performed sheathless transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to remedy complex lesions, achieving a 90% success rate with no radial complications. Standard guiding catheters were used during the procedure. Details of this novel approach—overcoming the last hurdle to greater adoption of transradial PCI in the U.S.—are published in the December issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention, the official journal of The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
Walk places, meet people and build social capital
People who live in walkable communities are more civically involved and have greater levels of trust than those who live in less walkable neighborhoods. And this increase in so-called 'social capital' is associated with higher quality of life, according to Shannon Rogers and her team from the University of New Hampshire in the US. Their research, looking at the social benefits of walkability in communities, is published online in Springer's journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.
Rocking the cradle after 45
Career women who put babies on hold until after 40, or even 45, will be reassured by new research from Tel Aviv University. Even though there are associated risks for babies when postponing child-bearing, the neonates can overcome them, says Prof. Yariv Yogev of Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine and the Hospital for Women at Rabin Medical Center.
Largest study of therapeutic cooling to reduce brain injury after stroke is now underway
The largest clinical trial of therapeutic brain cooling (hypothermia) after stroke has launched, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
'Vast majority' of acoustic tumor patients benefit from surgery
Surgery to remove tumors under the brain known as acoustic neuromas produces favorable outcomes in the "vast majority" of patients, according to one of the largest studies of its kind.
New trial studies link between stroke and atrial fibrillation
One evening last March, Larry Ambrose left his bed in the middle of the night to check the time. Much to the 71-year-old’s surprise, he was only able to see three out of the four glowing numbers on the digital clock in his kitchen. Ambrose returned to bed, but within days was hospitalized for what was later diagnosed as a stroke. After extensive testing, his physicians told him they could not determine the cause.
Life of poisoning and poverty for Victorian children revealed in online database
Family historians and academics from around the world can now access almost 12,000 records detailing the treatment of children admitted to the Glasgow Hospital for Sick Children from 1883, when the first patients were admitted, to 1903.
Cognitively-impaired human research subjects need better protection
(Garrison, NY) Practices for protecting human research subjects with Alzheimer's disease and other conditions that make them incapable of giving informed consent are widely variable and in need of more concrete ethical and legal guidance, according to a study in IRB: Ethics & Human Research.
Haiti cholera likely from UN troops, expert says
(AP) -- A French disease expert says there is strong evidence linking U.N. peacekeepers to a cholera outbreak in Haiti that has killed more than 2,000 people.
Even with helicopter EMS, hospital transfer can delay treatment for heart attacks
Helicopter emergency medical services can be a life saver for patients needing immediate care. But, according to a University of Cincinnati study, the process of activating them often delays treatment beyond recommended times.
Swiss agency approves clinical trial of UCI-created neural stem cell therapy
A therapy developed by Aileen Anderson and Brian Cummings of UC Irvine's Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center in collaboration with researchers at StemCells Inc. will be the basis of the world's first clinical trial using human neural stem cells to treat spinal cord injury.
For some, laparoscopic technique not always better
(PhysOrg.com) -- If skin is the body’s fortress against germ invaders, shouldn’t minimally invasive surgeries – operations guided by camera probes, conducted entirely within the abdomen – carry less risk for serious infection than procedures that slice the same cavity wide open?
Controlling uncertainty: Decision making and learning in complex worlds
(PhysOrg.com) -- In her latest book Controlling Uncertainty: Decision Making and Learning in Complex Worlds Dr Magda Osman (University College London Psychology & Language Sciences) discusses current research about how we can control the uncertain world around us.
Use of low-dose aspirin associated with improved performance of test for detecting colorectal cancer
Use of low-dose aspirin prior to a newer type of fecal occult blood test is associated with a higher sensitivity for detecting advanced colorectal tumors, compared to no aspirin use, according to a study in the December 8 issue of JAMA.
Including smoking cessation program with treatment for PTSD shows higher rate of quitting
Among smokers with military-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), integrating smoking cessation treatment with mental health care for PTSD resulted in higher rates of prolonged smoking abstinence, compared to referral for assistance with quitting smoking, according to a study in the December 8 issue of JAMA.
Tobacco cessation medication may reduce hospitalization for heart attacks
The use of tobacco cessation medication in a population may lead to reduced hospital admissions for heart attacks and for coronary atherosclerosis within the two years after use according to a study by Thomas Land and colleagues from the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston, USA, and published in this week's PLoS Medicine. The study found no reduction in hospitalizations for other diseases, in the same two year period.
Second-hand smoke increases risk of invasive meningococcal disease in children
Children exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to get invasive meningococcal disease than children who are not exposed, reports a study from Chien-Chang Lee at the Harvard School of Public Health (Boston, USA) and colleagues published in this week's PLoS Medicine.
UBC formulation of leishmaniasis drug shown to be stable, effective in tropical temperatures
A new formulation of Amphotericin B (AmB) developed by University of British Columbia researchers has been shown to be stable in tropical climates and effective in treating Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in mouse models.
Peer pressure can keep you healthy
Hanging out with healthy friends could be the best way to keep fit. A study of 3610 Australian women, published in BioMed Central's open access International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that physical activity and healthy eating behavior were both strongly affected by social norms.
Ban electronic cigarettes until safety concerns are addressed, say researchers
Regulatory authorities should consider banning electronic cigarettes until safety concerns have been addressed, concludes research published online in Tobacco Control.
New study raises questions about genetic testing of newborns
Mandatory genetic screening of newborns for rare diseases is creating unexpected upheaval for families whose infants test positive for risk factors but show no immediate signs of the diseases, a new UCLA study warns.
Flu vaccination disparities exacerbated by supply problems
The gap in flu vaccination rates between elderly whites, African-Americans and Hispanics is amplified when vaccine supply is limited or delayed. That is the conclusion of a study out today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
New national study highlights dangers of exertional heat-related injuries
A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined exertional heat-related injuries that were treated in emergency departments between 1997 and 2006. Exertional heat-related injuries are injuries that occur as a result of exercise or physical activity during warm or hot temperatures. The study found that an estimated 54,983 exertional heat-related injuries, an average of 5,500 cases each year, were treated in emergency departments during the 10-year study period. Overall, half (48 percent) of the injuries were sustained by children and adolescents 19 years of age and younger.
Scientists set to calculate individuals' exposure to traffic pollution
Researchers at King's College London are developing ways of working out a person's individual exposure to traffic pollution when travelling to, from, and around London.
Shanghai teenagers are world's smartest
Teenagers from the Chinese city of Shanghai have the best education in the world, according to a major international study of standards in in maths, science and literacy released Tuesday.
Medicaid-funded ADHD treatment for children misses the mark
The enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 expands Medicare benefits to scores of previously uninsured individuals including many of our nation's children. While access to treatment is laudable, the quality of such treatment is the subject of an article in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Social tools prove powerful for online health programs
In an era when social networking sites and blogs are visited by three quarters of online users, it's only natural that the medical profession would also tap into the power of social media tools.
Bioactive peptides found to promote wound healing
Newly-created bioactive peptides promote wound healing through the growth of new blood vessels and epithelial tissue, such as skin. These wound-healing peptides, synthesized by researchers at the Tufts Center for Innovations in Wound Healing Research, increased angiogenesis in vitro by 200 percent. The discovery, reported online in advance of print this week in Wound Repair and Regeneration, provides a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating wound healing and may lead to new therapies for acute and chronic wound healing.
Ultraviolet light helps skin cancer cells thrive, researchers report
The sun's ultraviolet light activates an enzyme that helps skin cancer cells survive and proliferate, researchers report.
Let's not sleep on it: Sleep deprivation eliminates fear generalization
We commonly think of sleep as a healing process that melts away the stresses of the day, preparing us to deal with new challenges. Research has also shown that sleep plays a crucial role in the development of memories.
In the lab, engineer's novel liquid provides a solid fix for broken bones
A bone-healing fluid that can be injected into breaks with a syringe shows such strong promise in lab testing, that it has been licensed from Brown by a Massachusetts biotech startup for further development.
Study suggests private insurers control health care spending better than Medicare
Private insurers appear to be more effective in controlling health care spending differences between two Texas cities than Medicare, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. Researchers found that sharp disparities in per-capita Medicare healthcare spending between McAllen and El Paso were significantly diminished when private insurance paid for health care costs in the under-65 population.
Overweight children outside Edmonton region heavier than city counterparts
Children referred for weight management who live outside the metropolitan Edmonton region are more overweight than Edmonton kids, researchers with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry suggest in a recently published a paper.
High levels of toxic particles found in fireworks
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fireworks can be spectacular. However, the gas and smoke produced by the colorful explosions carry extremely high levels of toxic particles, according to a study by Audrey Smargiassi, a professor at the Universite de Montreal Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.
More ear infections in teens with smoker at home
Family members who smoke are more apt to feel it is OK to smoke indoors as their children get older. But in households with secondhand smoke, children between 12 and 17 are 1.67 times more prone to have recurrent ear infections compared to adolescents who live in a smoke-free environment, a large new study reveals.
Heat injuries on the rise
Outdoor exercise and physical activity increase the risk for heat-related injuries, including dangerous heat stroke. A new study finds that heat-injury rates are on the rise for all age groups, and football-playing boys are among the most vulnerable.
Novel compounds show early promise in treatment of Parkinson's, Huntington's, Alzheimer's
Investigators at Southern Methodist University and The University of Texas at Dallas have discovered a family of small molecules that shows promise in protecting brain cells against nerve-degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's, which afflict millions.
Tests between colonoscopies could be lifesaver for high-risk patients
Among patients with a family or past history of colorectal cancer (CRC), testing between colonoscopies helps detect CRC and advanced tumors that are either missed or develop rapidly, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.
Milestone in fight against deadly disease
Scientists at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (Seattle BioMed) and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have reached a major milestone in the effort to wipe out some of the most lethal diseases on the planet. As leaders of two large structural genomics centers, they've experimentally determined 500 three-dimensional protein structures from a number of bacterial and protozoan pathogens, which could potentially lead to new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to combat deadly infectious diseases. Some of the structures solved by the centers come from well-known, headline-grabbing organisms, like the H1N1 flu virus.
Are all movie viewing experiences enjoyable?
We've all been there: we are watching a movie with a parent or relative when a steamy love scene appears. A new study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that all of that squirming and averting of eyes is normal, especially when you are accompanied by your parents. The authors of the study assert that not all movie-watching experiences are enjoyable or positive. Some movies make us feel downright uncomfortable or disturbed in their content and delivery, while others are inspirational, touching, or have us rolling on the floor. However, your movie watching companion also determine how much you will enjoy a particular film; this includes your parents, your first date, or someone you do not know very well.
Chewing tobacco maker agrees to $5M settlement
(AP) -- The maker of Skoal and Copenhagen smokeless tobacco has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a man who died of mouth cancer in what is believed to be the first wrongful-death settlement won from a chewing tobacco company.
School-based program helps adolescents cope with asthma
A school-based intervention program designed for adolescents with asthma significantly improves asthma management and quality of life for the students who participate, and reduces asthma morbidity, according to researchers in New York City, who studied the effect of the program aimed at urban youth and their medical providers. The Asthma Self-Management for Adolescents (ASMA) program is an eight-week intervention geared toward helping adolescents learn more effective ways of managing their symptoms and controlling their asthma.
Smokers with depression less likely to stay tobacco free
Depressed smokers want to quit the nicotine habit just as much as non-depressed smokers, but a new study suggests that depression can put a kink in their success.
Drug companies to pay 421 million USD for price scam
Three pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay 421 million dollars for reporting inflated drug prices to the US government, officials said Tuesday.
Are depressed people too clean?
In an effort to pinpoint potential triggers leading to inflammatory responses that eventually contribute to depression, researchers are taking a close look at the immune system of people living in today's cleaner modern society.
Small molecule may disarm enemy of cancer-fighting p53
A pioneering clinical trial is testing the effectiveness in leukemia of a small molecule that shuts down MDM2, a protein that can disable the well-known tumor suppressor p53.
Feeling chills in response to music
Most people feel chills and shivers in response to music that thrills them, but some people feel these chills often and others feel them hardly at all. People who are particularly open to new experiences are most likely to have chills in response to music, according to a study in the current Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Low-dose aspirin reduces death rates from range of cancers by between 20 and 30 percent
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has contributed to a study showing that a low dose of aspirin reduces the occurrence of several common cancers. The study is published in today's Lancet.
Video games get kids to eat more veg, fruit: study
After being fingered as a key cause of the rising rate of US childhood obesity, video games got a reprieve Tuesday as a new study showed they can be used to encourage kids to eat healthier foods.
Exposure to mobile phones before and after birth linked to kids' behavioral problems: study
Pregnant mums who regularly use mobile phones may be more likely to have kids with behavioural problems, particularly if those children start using mobile phones early themselves, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Researchers reverse stroke damage by jumpstarting nerve fibers
A new technique that jumpstarts the growth of nerve fibers could reverse much of the damage caused by strokes, researchers report in the Jan. 7, 2011 issue of the journal Stroke.
Forget everything you thought you knew about memory
Research may shed light on why dementia sufferers have memory difficulties.
Stem cell advance a step forward for treatment of brain diseases
Scientists have created a way to isolate neural stem cells – cells that give rise to all the cell types of the brain – from human brain tissue with unprecedented precision, an important step toward developing new treatments for conditions of the nervous system, like Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases and spinal cord injury.
New blood test could detect heart disease in people with no symptoms
A more sensitive version of a blood test typically used to confirm that someone is having a heart attack could indicate whether a seemingly healthy, middle-aged person has unrecognized heart disease and an increased risk of dying, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
Brain's visual circuits do error correction on the fly
The brain's visual neurons continually develop predictions of what they will perceive and then correct erroneous assumptions as they take in additional external information, according to new research done at Duke University.
Biology news
Economist: Climate change could reshape crop agriculture
Midwest farmers could get a permanent dose of southern-style weather if future climate change projections are accurate, says a Purdue University agricultural economist.
Mountain gorilla population grows
The population of mountain gorillas in their main central African habitat has increased by a quarter in seven years, regional authorities said Tuesday.
Montana governor says wolf deal dead
(AP) -- Negotiations to remove Northern Rockies gray wolves from the endangered species list hit an impasse Monday, after Wyoming and Idaho refused to go along with an Interior Department proposal on the issue, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said.
Secrets of water bug wings shed light on heart beats
A research, led by R.J. Perz-Edwards, Ph.D., of Duke University Medical Center, explains how insect flight muscle works, in particular how insects accomplish something called 'stretch activation,' which has been a scientific mystery for more than 60 years.
Bird call database nests online
A growing online library of bird sounds, photos and information offers a new resource for backyard birders and seasoned ornithologists alike.
Sewage water bacteria helps fill 'missing link' in early evolution
(PhysOrg.com) -- A common group of bacteria found in acid bogs and sewage treatment plants has provided scientists with evidence of a ‘missing link’ in one of the most important steps in the evolution of life on earth - the emergence of cells with a nucleus containing DNA (eukaryotic cells).
New discovery about how flowering time of plants can be controlled
Researchers at Umeå Plant Science Center in Sweden discovered, in collaboration with the Syngenta company, a previously unknown gene in sugar beets that blocks flowering. Only with the cold of winter is the gene shut off, allowing the sugar beet to blossom in its second year. The discovery of this new gene function makes it possible to control when sugar beets bloom. The new findings were recently published in the prestigious journal Science.
Plants 'remember' winter to bloom in spring with help of special molecule
(PhysOrg.com) -- The role a key molecule plays in a plant's ability to remember winter, and therefore bloom in the spring, has been identified by University of Texas at Austin scientists.
Mechanism that controls cell movement linked to tumors becoming more aggressive
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered a central switch that controls whether cells move or remain stationary. The misregulation of this switch may play a role in the increased movement of tumor cells and in the aggressiveness of tumors themselves.
Invisible invasive species
While Asian carp, gypsy moths and zebra mussels hog invasive-species headlines, many invisible invaders are altering ecosystems and flourishing outside of the limelight.
35,000 new species 'sitting in cupboards'
(PhysOrg.com) -- Of 70,000 species of flowering plants yet to be described by scientists, more than half may already have been collected but are lying unknown and unrecognised in collections around the world, Oxford University research suggests.
Melanopsin looks on the bright side of life
Better known as the light sensor that sets the body's biological clock, melanopsin also plays an important role in vision: Via its messengers-so-called melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells, or mRGCs-it forwards information about the brightness of incoming light directly to conventional visual centers in the brain, reports an international collaboration of scientists in this week's issue of PLoS Biology.
Plan to reintroduce giant pandas to the wild
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists in China have been so successful at breeding giant pandas in captivity that they are now planning for their reintroduction to the wild with 15 years.
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