Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for September 26, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Physicists discover 'magnetotoroidic effect'- Copper nanowire films could lower touch screen, LED and solar cell costs
- Study finds benefits of plug-in vehicles depend on battery size
- How graphene's electrical properties can be tuned
- Study of Congress: To tweet, or not to tweet, is unrelated to being in the hot seat
- Researchers develop complete map of mouse genetic variation
- New views of an ancient asteroid
- Researchers working on vaccine for acne
- A faster, cheaper method for making transistors and chips
- Glow-in-the-dark millipede says 'stay away'
- New mathematical model to enable web searches for meaning
- Research reveals how dynamic changes in methylation can determine cell fate
- Researchers map genome of advanced, lethal prostate cancers and discover 'hypermutation'
- Gene regulatory networks in the bee brain linked to behavior
- Calif quake project aimed to ID future hotspots
Space & Earth news
Major river basins have enough water to sustainably double food production in the coming decades
While water-related conflicts and shortages abound throughout the rapidly changing societies of Africa, Asia and Latin America, there is clearly sufficient water to sustain food, energy, industrial and environmental needs during the 21st century, according to two special issues of the peer-reviewed journal, Water International (Volume 35, Issue 5 and Volume 36, Issue 1), released today at the XIV World Water Congress.
The fate of the big rain
Climate change affects people both globally and regionally. Pankaj Kumar, for example, who works at the Climate Service Center and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg, is investigating the interplay of dry season and monsoon in India. He wants to discover the future outlook for water resource availability on the subcontinent. Aiding him in this quest is the REMO software program developed by Daniela Jacob and her team at the Hamburg-based institute.
Patented method transforms digital cameras for aerial color infrared photography
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and David Linden, a technical consultant currently serving as a chief scientist at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in McLean, Va., have jointly patented technology that transforms commercial digital cameras to color infrared cameras for aerial photography.
Relationship between two recent New Zealand earthquakes
The relationship between two earthquakes that took place near Christchurch, New Zealand, in September 2010 and February 2011 is examined in a paper published in Scientific Reports. The findings suggest that the first earthquake contributed to the occurrence of the second by loading the fault along which the second event occurred with stress, bringing it closer to failure.
Life after NASA: Shuttle suppliers chase new business
Business is steady these days at Aero Industries Inc., a small metal-parts operation in Orlando. Once heavily dependent on NASA's space-shuttle program, the company now has a mix of new clients, in industries ranging from energy and aviation to health care.
Sunspot 1302: It's big. It's bad. And it's coming our way
(PhysOrg.com) -- Behemoth sunspot 1302 unleashed another strong flare on Saturday morning--an X1.9-category blast at 5:40 am EDT. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash.
Climate change affects marine animals on Antarctica's seabed
A rapid increase in the frequency of icebergs pounding the shallow seafloor around the West Antarctic Peninsula — as a result of shrinking winter sea ice — has caused the life expectancy of a tiny marine creature (bryozoans) to halve over the last 12 years. This is the first evidence of regional climate warming affecting marine animals living on the Southern Ocean seabed. The results are published this month in the journal Nature Climate Change and are being presented this week at the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB) in Aberdeen.
Research points to regional strategies to reduce urban air pollution
Records were destined to fall at the 2008 Olympics, but Chinese officials didn't want the gold medal for "most polluted air." Reducing air pollution in an urban area like Beijing will require large, regional strategies according to scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Peking University. They studied the effects of emission reduction efforts at the Beijing Olympics. The results were published in Environmental Science & Technology.
Uranium adsorption in sediments varies with respect to grain size
Using experimental and modeling resources at EMSL, scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory determined the equilibrium and kinetic properties of uranium(VI) adsorption to subsurface grains, which ranged in size from tiny clay particles to larger pieces of gravel. They found that the kinetics or the rate of adsorption onto the grains varies with respect to the grain size. Specifically, the larger-size grains adsorbed less uranium and did so at a slower rate than smaller grains. After determining the size-specific equilibrium and kinetic properties, the team created a series of mathematical formulas that allowed them to calculate uranium adsorption in a heterogeneous subsurface sample from the Hanford Site, a plutonium production complex in southeastern Washington State.
Star formation laws
Take a cloud of molecular hydrogen add some turbulence and you get star formation – that’s the law. The efficiency of star formation (how big and how populous they get) is largely a function of the density of the initial cloud.
NASA's infrared eyes examine Tropical Depression Haitang as it nears Vietnam
Very cold temperatures in NASA infrared satellite imagery of tropical cyclones tell meteorologists that cloud tops are high, and the thunderstorms they're associated with have a lot of punch. Some of those strong storms are evident in Tropical Depression Haitang as it heads for landfall in Vietnam where cloud-top temperatures exceed -63 Fahrenheit.
MAVEN mission primary structure complete
NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission has reached a new milestone. Lockheed Martin has completed building the primary structure of the MAVEN spacecraft at its Space Systems Company facility near Denver.
NASA sees Hurricane Hilary's heaviest rain in northwest quadrant
Hurricane Hilary pulled away from the western Mexico coastline this weekend, and NASA's TRMM satellite has monitored its rainfall. Hilary's heaviest rainfall is in its northwest quadrant, and falling over open ocean today, but Hilary may be headed back toward land.
NASA sees Typhoon Nesat nearing landfall in northern Philippines
NASA's Terra satellite saw the western edges of Typhoon Nesat brushing the eastern Philippines yesterday as Luzon prepares for a landfall today. Warning Signals are in effect throughout the northern Philippines as the typhoon nears.
Plant body clock observed in tropical forest research
(PhysOrg.com) -- Predictions of the ground-level pollutant ozone will be more accurate in future according to research published today by environment scientists at research centres including the University of Birmingham in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Salty water and gas sucked into Earth interior helps unravel planetary evolution
An international team of scientists has provided new insights into the processes behind the evolution of the planet by demonstrating how salty water and gases transfer from the atmosphere into the Earth’s interior.
Existence of exoplanet 'Fomalhaut b' called into question
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fomalhaut b, thought to be the first exoplanet photographed directly, has come under increased scrutiny due to evidence of an unexpected divergence from its expected orbit. Paul Kalas, James Graham and their colleagues identified the planet in 2008 while studying photographs taken by the Hubble telescope in 2004 and 2006. At that time it appeared Fomalhaut b orbited just inside a dust cloud that circles around Fomalhaut, the star at the center of that solar system. Now however, new photographs of Fomalhaut b show that it actually crosses into the dust cloud, causing Toronto astronomer Ray Jayawardhana, at a recent exoplanet conference, to suggest that Fomalhaut b may not be an exoplanet after all.
New views of an ancient asteroid
Using the Herschel Space Telescope, astronomers are set to obtain the first-ever images of asteroid 1999 RQ36 in far infrared light, a wavelength that the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will not be able to see once it approaches the charcoal-black chunk of rock floating in space.
Calif quake project aimed to ID future hotspots
In the ongoing quest to better anticipate future earthquakes, scientists embarked on an ambitious experiment: Identify the likeliest places where magnitude-4.9 quakes or stronger would occur in seismically active California over a five-year period.
Researchers find impact of oil spill in marsh fish species
A research team led by LSU Associate Professors of Biological Sciences Fernando Galvez and Andrew Whitehead has published the results of a combined field and laboratory study showing the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on fish living in Louisiana marshes.
Technology news
Silent nozzle extinguisher does not harm hard disks
Siemens has developed a very quiet nozzle for gas extinguishing systems. The system is especially suitable for use in computer centers that store sensitive data. That’s because loud noise can cause hard disk drives to fail. However, the noise created by the Sinorix Silent Nozzle remains below the level that would endanger hard disk drives.
Empowering power systems: Researchers light up possibilities with solar panel based design
A team of eight researchers at Kansas State University is using renewable energy to generate an agile power distribution system and transform the industry.
Cell phone signals help manage traffic
In a pilot project in Texas, Siemens is developing intelligent transportation technology for the fast and orderly evacuation of citizens. In this project, traffic light timing systems register traffic flow and adjust the phases of red and green light accordingly. The traffic density data collected by the systems is also incorporated into digital road maps, which drivers can download onto their smartphones or navigation systems in order to find the quickest routes out of town. In an emergency, the system can centrally control all traffic lights. The U.S. Department of Transportation supports the project in its IntelliDrive program, a research initiative focused on networking vehicles and infrastructure.
Netflix signs streaming deal with Dreamworks: report
Netflix has reached a deal with DreamWorks Animation, the company behind the hit "Shrek" movies, to stream its films and television specials, The New York Times reported.
Apple argues iPad case in Australia tablet row
American computer giant Apple claimed on Monday that Samsung Electronics' latest tablet computer infringes on patents relating to touch screen technology.
Mobile-security services take off
The prospect of consumers and employees physically losing information-packed mobile devices, or getting them hacked, has become the driver for a red-hot sector of the tech industry: supplying mobile security.
Missouri lawmakers vote to repeal Facebook limits
Missouri lawmakers passed and sent to the governor Friday a bill designed to refriend Facebook and other electronic media for thousands of Missouri's teachers and students.
Retailers angle for presence in social media's virtual worlds
Best Buy Co. Inc. may be building fewer big-box stores in malls and shopping centers nationwide. But when it comes to the virtual world, the Richfield, Minn.-based consumer electronics giant is looking to grab some digital real estate.
EU probes online payment market
European regulators launched on Monday an antritrust investigation into the Internet payments market, the system used by consumers to buy products online.
USA Today Twitter feed hacked
The Twitter account of USA Today has been hacked in the latest cyberattack on a US media outlet by a group calling itself the "Script Kiddies."
Investors pour $85 million into Tumblr
Tumblr on Monday announced a fresh round of funding that poured $85 million into the fast-growing online service for sharing pictures, videos, written musings and other digital snippets.
At two universities, pedaling produces electrical power
As four women stepped onto exercise machines and began their workouts at Drexel University's recreation center, a small neon sign nearby began to glow.
Federal probe of eBay may turn on quest for rival's 'secret sauce'
With eBay Inc. and Craigslist entrenched in a scorching legal feud last year, a Delaware judge observed that eBay's "curious" decision to partner with the San Francisco online classified ad power back in 2004 was "an opportunity to learn the 'secret sauce' of Craigslist's success."
Volt: GM's car of the future?
The Chevrolet Volt is many things: an attention grabber, a potential cure for an oil dependent nation - the list goes on.
Zynga's CityVille spreads to Google+
Zynga on Monday added its most popular title -- CityVille -- to games that can be played at the Google+ social network recently launched in a challenge to Facebook.
Half-million Germans addicted to Internet: official study
More than half a million Germans are addicted to the Internet including a full five percent of mid-teen girls, the government said Monday following an unprecedented study.
'E-gate' adds face recognition to airline security
Silicon Valley-based AOptix on Monday introduced new "e-gates" that recognize faces as well as irises of passengers before opening to let them board flights.
Microsoft files patent for interchangeable-devices phone
(PhysOrg.com) -- Microsoft has filed for a patent featuring slider smartphones designed to also carry interchangeable modules such as game controller, a spare battery or keyboard. The Microsoft patent is entitled "Mobile communication device having multiple, interchangeable second devices." The patent describes Microsoft’s handheld mobile communication device with interchangeable parts. The key advantage is that the phone would allow a user to make fuller use of technical capabilities in a single mobile device.
Python bindings snake into global arrays toolkit
While many of us don't want anything to do with snakes, for some, a certain kind of Python—the computer programming language, that is—is the preferred option. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have expanded the Global Arrays (GA) Toolkit to include full support for Python and make it easier for programmers to write codes and take advantage of GA features.
Amazon teams with Fox ahead of tablet launch
Amazon is beefing up its movie and television catalog ahead of the expected launch of a tablet computer on Wednesday.
Researchers develop optimal algorithm for determining focus error in eyes and cameras
University of Texas at Austin researchers have discovered how to extract and use information in an individual image to determine how far objects are from the focus distance, a feat only accomplished by human and animal visual systems until now.
Study finds benefits of plug-in vehicles depend on battery size
Thinking about buying a new plug-in vehicle? You may want to check the size of its battery first.
Medicine & Health news
Women with strong family history of breast cancer, no genetic link, are not fully utilising services to their reduce ris
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, but no genetic link, are not consistent in how they perceive their risk or in their efforts to manage the risk, leading some women to not adequately access breast cancer services, a University of Melbourne study has found.
Pregnant at 61: late-in-life choice stirs debate in Brazil
A woman who at 61 is expecting not a pension check but her first baby has stirred some controversy in Brazil over just when it might be too late to give birth.
Australian alarm over child asylum-seeker suicide bid
Asylum-seekers as young as nine have attempted suicide in Australian immigration lock-ups, the top medical body said Monday, as it slammed detention of youngsters as akin to "child abuse".
People hospitalized with asthma 'less likely to die from swine flu'
People with asthma who are admitted to hospital with pandemic influenza H1N1 (swine flu) are half as likely to die or require intensive care than those without asthma, according to new research.
Study shows decisions over life-sustaining treatment are likely to change
Patients with chronic conditions are likely to change their preferences for receiving emergency procedures in the event of cardiac arrest, according to new findings.
New hope for advanced post-menopausal breast cancer patients resistant to hormonal therapy
Results from a phase III clinical trial have shown that combining two existing cancer drugs to treat post-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer resistant to hormonal therapy significantly improves outcome. Researchers told the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress that women treated with a combination of everolimus and exemestane had an improved progression-free survival of nearly seven months compared to women who were treated only with exemestane.
New evidence highlights risk of comorbidities for COPD patients
A new study has shown that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or people with reduced lung function are at a serious risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Smaller, faster trials can improve cancer patient survival
With the advent of personalised medicine, gains in cancer survival over the long term could be improved by running smaller, faster trials with less stringent evidence criteria, a researcher told the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress today (Monday 26 Sept).
Unequal access to cancer care can no longer be tolerated
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide, and its economic burden grows year by year. In 2008, the worldwide cost of cancer due to premature death and disability, excluding direct medical costs, was estimated to be US$895 billion.
Preschools shut as virus outbreak rages in Vietnam
(AP) -- More than a dozen kindergartens in Vietnam have closed to deal with an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease that has killed 109 children and sickening more than 52,000 this year, an official and state-run media said Monday.
Not enough sleep gets in the way of success
Berkeley senior Jeff Wayland spent the past two years living in an off-campus apartment, dubbed “The Percussion House,” with five to eight other Cal Band musicians. So he’s well-versed in the late-night routine observed in many student quarters: ordering pizzas at 11 p.m., playing music or video games long past midnight, or studying through dawn before midterms and finals.
Award-winning research points toward Alzheimer's vaccine
An accomplice to the protein that causes plaque buildup in Alzheimer's disease is the focus of a potential new treatment, according to research by a Georgia Health Sciences University graduate student.
A treatment for one form of albinism?
Individuals with oculocutaneous albinism, type 1 (OCA1) have white hair, very pale skin, and light-colored irises because they have none, or very little, of the pigment melanin in their skin, hair, and eyes. Affected individuals have impaired eyesight and a substantially increased risk of skin cancer. Current treatment options are limited to attempts to correct eyesight and counseling to promote the use of sun protective measures. A team of researchers, led by Brian Brooks, at the National Eye Institute, Bethesda, has now generated data in mice that provide hope for a new treatment for a subset of patients with OCA1.
Increased risk of bleeding with combined use of SSRIs and antiplatelet therapy after heart attacks
Heart attack patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in combination with antiplatelet therapy -- acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), clopidogrel or both (dual antiplatelet therapy) -- are at higher risk of bleeding than patients taking ASA alone, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
New website eases clinical research trials -- and tribulations
The medical school has launched a new website that guides and supports biomedical researchers through the complex process of managing translational and human-subject research studies.
Keep your kids properly secured while traveling
Child Passenger Safety Week is celebrated every year to remind parents and other caregivers of the need to keep children of all ages properly restrained in a seat that meets their weight and height requirements.
What can magnetic resonance tractography teach us about human brain anatomy?
Magnetic resonance tractography (MRT) is a valuable, noninvasive imaging tool for studying human brain anatomy and, as MRT methods and technologies advance, has the potential to yield new and illuminating information on brain activity and connectivity. Critical information about the promise and limitations of this technology is explored in a forward-looking review article in the groundbreaking new neuroscience journal Brain Connectivity, a bimonthly peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
IMRT has less harmful rectal side effects than 3D-CRT for prostate cancer patients
Men with localized prostate cancer treated with a newer technology, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), have more than a quarter (26 percent) fewer late bowel and rectal side effects and a statistically improved lower dose of radiation to the bladder and rectum, compared to those who undergo 3D-CRT, according to a randomized study presented at the plenary session October 3, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
Chemo plus radiation before surgery increases tumor response for rectal cancer
Rectal cancer patients who use a new combination of the chemotherapy, Capecitabine, together with five weeks of radiation (50 Gy) before surgery have an 88 percent chance of surviving the cancer three years after treatment, according to randomized trial presented at the plenary session, October 3, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
Shorter radiation course for prostate cancer is effective in long-term follow-up
A shorter course of radiation treatment that delivers higher doses of radiation per day in fewer days (hypofractionation) is as effective in decreasing intermediate to high-risk prostate cancer from returning as conventional radiation therapy at five years after treatment, according to a randomized trial presented at the plenary session, October 3, 2011, at the 53rdAnnual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
Interactive mobile app teaches people how to manage diabetes
A new interactive mobile phone app called DiabetesIQ, released this week, challenges people to test their knowledge of diabetes and to compete with one another as they learn about the complexities of the disease, which affects more than 25 million Americans, including 4 million Californians.
Aesthetician reports on the beauty benefits of oils
Oils can have several protective benefits for all skin and body types. However, deciphering which oils to use for which skin type can be confusing. Aimee Masi of the Loyola Center for Aesthetics works with her patients to tailor a beauty regimen that is appropriate for their skin. She recommends both common and essential oils that repair the skin and restore the body without clogging pores.
Stronger tobacco control policy in the Netherlands would save thousands of lives
A new study shows that 145,000 deaths could be averted in the next 30 years in the Netherlands by implementing stronger tobacco control policies. This set of policies, as recommended by the MPOWER report of the World Health Organisation, consists of increasing tobacco taxes to 70% of the retail price, bans on smoking in workplaces and public places, a complete marketing ban, well-funded tobacco control campaigns, graphic health warnings, youth access laws, and comprehensive cessation treatment.
Is gallows humor in medicine wrong?
Doctors and other medical professionals occasionally joke about their patients' problems. Some of these jokes are clearly wrong, but some joking between medical professionals is not only ethical, it can actually be beneficial, concludes an article in the Hastings Center Report.
Study examining large-scale data of double balloon enteroscopy shows it is safe and effective
A large-scale data review by researchers in China of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) over the last decade showed the endoscopic procedure to be safe and effective for detection of diseases of the small intestine. DBE had a pooled detection rate of 68.1 percent for all small intestinal disease. Suspected mid-gastrointestinal bleeding was found to be the most common indication, with a relatively high detection rate. Inflammatory lesions and vascular lesions were the most common findings in patients with suspected mid-gastrointestinal bleeding. The study appears in the September issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Company stock prices before public announcements of oncology trial results
Prior knowledge of phase III clinical trials of new drugs and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory decisions may affect the price of a drug company's stock according to a study published September 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
More frequent office visits associated with improvements in risk factors for patients with diabetes
Visiting a primary care clinician every two weeks was associated with greater control of blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels among patients with diabetes, according to a report in the September 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Prevention of bedsores in long-term care homes cost-effective, study shows
For all long-term care residents, pressure reduction foam mattresses were cost-effective 82% of the time compared to standard mattresses, with average savings of $115 per resident, the researchers showed. Foam cleansers for incontinence care would be cost-effective 94% of the time compared to soap and water, saving an average of $179 per resident.
Elderly patients may be undertreated for prostate cancer
It's an ongoing debate: Should men over a certain age be treated for prostate cancer? Should these patients be submitted to treatments that may result in significant side effects if they may not live very much longer?
Researchers discover genetic risk factor for skin, prostate and brain cancers
Scientists at deCODE Genetics and academic collaborators from Iceland, The Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, the USA, the UK and Romania today report the discovery of a variant in the sequence of the human genome associated with risk of developing basal cell carcinoma of the skin (BCC), as well as prostate cancer and glioma, the most serious form of brain cancer. The study was done in collaboration with Illumina, Inc., and is published today in the online edition of Nature Genetics.
Do hospitals' freebies undermine breast-feeding?
(AP) -- Jessica Ewald brought more than a new baby boy home when she gave birth earlier this year. Like many new moms, she got a hospital goody bag, with supplies including free infant formula and formula coupons.
Non-verbal clues guide doctor-patient relationships, clinical judgments, study finds
Subtle and unspoken clues exchanged by patients and doctors exert an influence on medical care, according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System. Researchers analyzed video recordings of routine checkups and conducted follow-up interviews with participants to help elucidate signals sent and received on both sides of the examination table.
Fruits and vegetables reduce risks of specific types of colorectal cancers
The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by site of origin, according to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers found that within the proximal and distal colon, brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) were associated with decreased risk of these cancers. A lower risk of distal colon cancer was associated with eating more apples, however an increased risk for rectal cancer was found with increasing consumption of fruit juice.
A mother's occupation while pregnant can cause asthma in children
Mothers who are exposed to particular agents during pregnancy could give birth to children with a higher risk of asthma, according to new research.
Not all women choose reconstruction after mastectomy; the options are many
It had taken some years for Nicole McLean to embrace her God-given breasts, ample at size H cups. So when, at 39, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and told, despite her adamant protests, that mastectomy was the best option, McLean never hesitated to pursue reconstruction.
Target heart rates should be recalculated, cardiologist says
Target heart rates for fitness and heart health need a change, says Ohio State University Medical Center cardiologist Martha Gulati.
Dyslexia independent of IQ
About 5 to 10 percent of American children are diagnosed as dyslexic. Historically, the label has been assigned to kids who are bright, even verbally articulate, but who struggle with reading — in short, whose high IQs mismatch their low reading scores. On the other hand, reading troubles in children with low IQs have traditionally been considered a byproduct of their general cognitive limitations, not a reading disorder in particular.
A doctor's words can enforce weight stigma
The language that health care providers use when discussing a child's weight with parents can reinforce negative weight-based stigma and jeopardize discussions about health, finds a study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University. The study, which is the first to asses parents' perceptions of common terms used to describe excess weight in children, shows that parents prefer that doctors use the terms "weight" and "unhealthy weight" rather than "fat," "obese," and "extremely obese." The study appears in the October issue of Pediatrics.
Cell dysfunction linked to obesity and metabolic disorders
By measuring the radioactive isotope carbon-14, scientists at Karolinska Institutet have revealed an association between lipid cell dysfunction and diseases such as obesity, diabetes and blood lipid disorders. The study, which is presented in the journal Nature, can lead to new approaches to combating metabolic diseases.
Study shows positive results for herpes vaccine
(Medical Xpress) -- A therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of genital herpes has shown positive results in studies in a number of animal models and in a small randomized clinical study. The results are published in two back-to-back articles in the current issue of the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine.
Young people having more unprotected sex: study
The number of young people having unprotected sex in the West has risen sharply over the past two years, a survey said Monday, with health professionals concerned the safe sex message is falling on deaf ears.
Study connects gene variant to response to asthma drugs
A genetic variant may explain why some people with asthma do not respond well to inhaled corticosteroids, the most widely prescribed medicine for long-term asthma control. Researchers found that asthma patients who have two copies of a specific gene variant responded only one-third as well to steroid inhalers as those with two copies of the regular gene.
Pregnant women who exercise protect their offspring against long-term neurodegenerative diseases
If you are pregnant, here's another reason to work out: you will reduce the chances of your new baby developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, later in life. A new research report published online in The FASEB Journal shows that mice bred to develop a neurodegenerative disease roughly equivalent to Alzheimer's disease showed fewer signs of the disease and greater brain plasticity later in life when their mothers exercised regularly than those whose mothers did not exercise.
Two-dimensional learning: Viewing computer images causes long-term changes in nerve cell connections
Viewing two-dimensional images of the environment, as they occur in computer games, leads to sustained changes in the strength of nerve cell connections in the brain. In Cerebral Cortex, Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan and Anne Kemp of the RUB Department for Neurophysiology report about these findings. When the researchers presented rats with new spatial environments on a computer screen, they observed long-lasting changes in the communication between nerve cells in a brain structure which is important for long-term memory (hippocampus). Thus, the researchers showed for the first time that active exploration of the environment is not necessary to obtain this effect.
Boys and their bodies
Male bodies are increasingly objectified by mass media. Consider Michael 'The Situation' Sorrentino, a cast member of MTV's Jersey Shore reality show, who garnered fame by flashing his chiseled abs before cameras.
Researchers identify new genes that determine breast cancer prognosis
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have made a discovery that brings them one step closer to being able to better predict which patients have the best chance of surviving breast cancer.
Modified vaccine shows promise in preventing malaria
Continuing a global effort to prevent malaria infections, Michigan State University researchers have created a new malaria vaccine – one that combines the use of a disabled cold virus with an immune system-stimulating gene – that appears to increase the immune response against the parasite that causes the deadly disease.
African-American women develop functional challenges earlier than others
African-American women develop functional health challenges earlier than their fellow seniors, researchers say
Researchers find possible cardiovascular risk with NSAID use
A new study from Rhode Island Hospital researchers suggests that controlling cholesterol may be important for heart health in patients who are taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen. The findings are based on a study on the safety of NSAID medications in clinically relevant animal models when high cholesterol is a factor. The study is published in the current issue of the journal Surgery.
Could targeting a virus treat a common pediatric brain tumor?
Medulloblastomas are the most common cancerous (malignant) brain tumors in children. Although survival rates have improved over the years, medulloblastoma remains associated with substantial mortality, and long-term survivors often suffer debilitating effects from the intensive treatments. A team of researchers, led by Cecilia Söderberg-Nauclér and John Inge Johnsen, at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, has now identified a potential target for a more cancer-specific approach to treating medulloblastoma that they hope could improve patient outcome.
Diabetics' coronary calcium levels strongly linked to heart attack risk
Notable levels of calcium buildup in coronary arteries can be strong predictors of heart attacks and strokes in people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome, according to a study led by UC Irvine's Heart Disease Prevention Program.
Robot legs helping stroke patients
(Medical Xpress) -- When it comes to recovering from a stroke, one of the major goals or rehabilitation is learning how to walk again. Researchers in the Netherlands are working with a prototype device called the LOwer Extremity Powered ExoSkeleton, or LOPES, to help retrain the mind and body of stroke patients and help them regain the ability to walk with a natural step.
Arm yourself against colds and flu this fall
The first few breezes of fall bring with them not only the promise of a welcome change in season, but also the threat of colds and flu.
The stigma of obesity
Obesity stigma exists within many workplaces and cultural settings, often having a negative impact on individuals’ health, social behaviours and outcomes.
New hidden heart attack culprit identified in women
Researchers at the Cardiac & Vascular Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified a hidden culprit in the battle against women's heart disease. Plaque disruption, a rupture or ulceration of cholesterol plaque in a coronary artery, has been discovered as the mechanism behind myocardial infarction (heart attack) in some women without significant coronary artery disease (CAD) - that is, open rather than closed arteries on an angiogram. The study is published in the September 27th issue of the journal Circulation.
New study adds further guidance on when to start antiretroviral therapy for HIV
One of the key decisions faced by people living with HIV, and by their health-care providers, is when to start treatment.
Low vitamin B12 levels may lead to brain shrinkage, cognitive problems
Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood may be more likely to lose brain cells and develop problems with their thinking skills, according to a study published in the September 27, 2011, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, especially liver, milk, eggs and poultry, are usually sources of vitamin B12.
Cardiac rehabilitation improves heart rate recovery, boosts survival
For the first time, researchers have discovered cardiac rehabilitation can train the heart to quickly return to its normal rate after exercise.
Researchers find new insight into spinal muscular atrophy
Researchers at the University of Missouri have identified a communication breakdown between nerves and muscles in mice that may provide new insight into the debilitating and fatal human disease known as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
Women who break a hip at increased risk of dying within a year
Women ages 65-69 who break a hip are five times more likely to die within a year than women of the same age who don't break a hip, according to a Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published online today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Childless men more at risk of death from cardiovascular disease
The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease is higher for childless men than for fathers, according to a large study led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Study shows keys to why people start and stop smoking
Mike Johnston has no idea what he was thinking when he took up cigarettes at age 15.
Survey shows many US physicians believe their own patients are receiving too much care
A survey of US primary care physicians shows that many believe that their own patients are receiving too much medical care and many feel that malpractice reform, realignment of financial incentives and having more time with patients could reduce pressures on physicians to do more than they feel is needed, according to a report in the September 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Increased caffeinated coffee consumption associated with decreased risk of depression in women
The risk of depression appears to decrease for women with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee, according to a report in the September 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Decade after anthrax attacks, worry over stockpile
(AP) -- Anthrax vaccine - check. Antibiotics - check. A botulism treatment - check. Smallpox vaccine - check.
Scientists reveal molecular sculptor of memories
Researchers working with adult mice have discovered that learning and memory were profoundly affected when they altered the amounts of a certain protein in specific parts of the mammals’ brains.
Scientists discover an organizing principle for our sense of smell
The fact that certain smells cause us pleasure or disgust would seem to be a matter of personal taste. But new research at the Weizmann Institute shows that odors can be rated on a scale of pleasantness, and this turns out to be an organizing principle for the way we experience smell. The findings, which appeared today in Nature Neuroscience, reveal a correlation between the response of certain nerves to particular scents and the pleasantness of those scents. Based on this correlation, the researchers could tell by measuring the nerve responses whether a subject found a smell pleasant or unpleasant.
Newly identified DNA repair defect linked to increased risk of leukemia relapse
A newly identified defect in a DNA repair system might leave some young leukemia patients less likely to benefit from a key chemotherapy drug, possibly putting them at greater risk of relapse. The problem was identified in a study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists.
Researchers working on vaccine for acne
(Medical Xpress) -- With 85 percent of teenagers and some 40 million Americans suffering with acne, researchers from the University of California and the vaccine company Sanofi-Pasteur announced they are coming together to develop a vaccine and treatment for acne.
Researchers develop complete map of mouse genetic variation
For decades, laboratory mice have been widely used in research aimed at understanding which genes are involved in various illnesses. But actual variations in past gene sequences of mice were unknown. While researchers were able to determine that a variant affecting disease was in a certain region, they couldn't pinpoint the exact set of variants in that region.
Researchers map genome of advanced, lethal prostate cancers and discover 'hypermutation'
A team of researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington has conducted the first comprehensive assessment of every gene in the genome of advanced, lethal prostate cancer. Until now, the genetic composition of such tumors had been poorly defined.
Stereotypes and status symbols impact if a face is viewed as black or white
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Tufts University, Stanford University and the University of California, Irvine has found that the perception of race can be altered by cues to social status as simple as the clothes a person wears.
Marker for Alzheimer's disease rises during day and falls with sleep
A marker for Alzheimer's disease rises and falls in the spinal fluid in a daily pattern that echoes the sleep cycle, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
Discovery of insulin switches in pancreas could lead to new diabetes drugs
Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered how a hormone turns on a series of molecular switches inside the pancreas that increases production of insulin.
Biology news
New flavors emerge from Peruvian cacao collection trip
New cacao types with unique flavors that are distinctly Peruvian have been identified by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. These new flavors could one day be marketed like wine, by geographical provenance.
Structure of a molecular copy machine: How mitochondrial genes are transcribed
Mitochondria are compartments within cells and have their own DNA. The key protein required for the expression of the genetic information in this DNA is the mitochondrial RNA polymerase enzyme. Its three-dimensional structure has now been determined in atomic detail.
DNA confirms existence of NZ bird thought extinct
(PhysOrg.com) -- An examination of ancient and modern DNA by the University of Otago has confirmed that the New Zealand storm-petrel, once thought to be extinct, is a bird which continues to fly our southern skies.
Cell Transplantation study shows bone growth from implanted tooth and dental pulp stem cells
Researchers in Japan have completed a study showing that stem cells derived from deciduous canine teeth and dental pulp can be grafted and produce bone regeneration between parents and offspring. Their results are published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:7), now freely available on-line.
Monkeys also reason through analogy
Recognizing relations between relations is what analogy is all about. What lies behind this ability? Is it uniquely human? A study carried out by Joël Fagot of the Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive (France) and Roger Thompson of the Franklin & Marshall College (United States) has shown that monkeys are capable of making analogies. Their results are just published in the journal Psychological Science.
Hemlocks still abundant despite adelgid infestations
A recent analysis of two decades of USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data shows the live volume of hemlocks in the eastern United States still increasing despite spreading infestations of hemlock woolly adelgid. FIA scientists from the Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) and Northern Research Station (NRS) published the information as an SRS e-Science Update in early August.
Feathered friends are far from bird-brained when building nests
Nest-building is not just instinctive but is a skill that birds learn from experience, research suggests.
CT scanning shows how ants build without an architect
Ant nests are some of the most remarkable structures in nature. Their relative size is rivalled only by our own skyscrapers but there is no architect or blueprint. Instead they are built collectively, through self-organization and the local interactions of ants with one another and their environment. So, how do ants decide what and where to build?
New plant ecology study challenges conventional wisdom
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of 58 ecologists, including UC Davis researcher Louie Yang, has found that habitat productivity does not predict the quantity or diversity of plant species, as has been assumed for several decades.
'Heat-proof' eggs help turtles cope with hot beaches
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sea turtles face an uncertain future as a warming climate threatens to reduce their reproductive viability. However, new research led by the University of Exeter and published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B shows that some turtles are naturally heat-tolerant.
Location matters: For invasive aquatic species, it's better to start upstream
Researchers have found that a species invasion that starts at the upstream edge of its range may have a major advantage over downstream competitors, at least in environments with a strong prevailing direction of water or wind currents.
Glow-in-the-dark millipede says 'stay away'
As night falls in certain mountain regions in California, a strange breed of creepy crawlies emerges from the soil: Millipedes that glow in the dark. The reason behind the glowing secret has stumped biologists until now.
Research reveals how dynamic changes in methylation can determine cell fate
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and the University of Southern California (USC) have uncovered intriguing new evidence helping to explain one of the ways in which a stem cell's fate can be determined.
Gene regulatory networks in the bee brain linked to behavior
A new study reveals that distinct networks of genes in the honey bee brain contribute to specific behaviors, such as foraging or aggression, researchers report.
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