Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for December 1, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- The future cometh: Science, technology and humanity at Singularity Summit 2011 (Part I)- Entomologists discover first instance of intact neurons without nucleus - in fairy wasps
- Japanese researchers turn a crab shell transparent
- Award-winning energy harvester brings practical applications closer
- Nokia showcases indoor 3-D mapping phone solution (w/ video)
- Like humans, the paper wasp has a special talent for learning faces
- Aggression prevents the better part of valor ... in fig wasps
- Study debunks 6 myths about electricity in the South
- Chrome overtakes Firefox globally for first time
- Livermore and Russian scientists propose new names for elements 114 and 116
- Archaeologists find new evidence of animals being introduced to prehistoric Caribbean
- Strange new 'species' of ultra-red galaxy discovered
- Researchers invent a switch that could improve electronics
- Moral dilemma: Would you kill 1 person to save 5?
- Researchers provide world's first view of Type 1 diabetes as it unfolds
Space & Earth news
Smog sparks debate over Beijing air standards
Officially, Beijing's air quality is improving. But in recent weeks, patients with respiratory problems have flooded hospitals, highways have closed and hundreds of flights have been grounded by thick smog.
Image: Astronaut tests SAFER backpack
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronaut Mark Lee tests the new backpack called Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER), a system designed for use in the event a crew member becomes untethered while conducting an EVA.
Growing knowledge in space
Plants are critical in supporting life on Earth, and with help from an experiment that flew onboard space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission, they also could transform living in space.
Newspapers lose their balance on climate coverage
The first of a two-part analysis of Australian press coverage of climate change, A Sceptical Climate, is based on a comprehensive review of 3971 media articles published in ten Australian newspapers on the topic of climate change policy from February to July this year.
Leicester set to fly high in India's first-ever national astronomy mission
Highly specialised equipment constructed at the University of Leicester for India's first national astronomy satellite- Astrosat – is to be handed over to a delegation from India in December.
Big challenges of inter-American seas region meet big idea at Florida State
Powered by interdisciplinary muscle and global vision, Florida State University is launching an ambitious research initiative focused on the rising tide of ecological, economic and cultural problems facing the Inter-American Seas and the severe deficit of research aimed at solving them.
Greenpeace hijacks oil firms' Greenland talks
Greenpeace activists on Thursday diverted oil executives from a meeting on prospecting possibilities off Greenland and instead gave them a 20-minute environmental lecture, the group said.
2012: Magnetic pole reversal happens all the (geologic) time
Scientists understand that Earth's magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times over the millennia. In other words, if you were alive about 800,000 years ago, and facing what we call north with a magnetic compass in your hand, the needle would point to 'south.' This is because a magnetic compass is calibrated based on Earth's poles. The N-S markings of a compass would be 180 degrees wrong if the polarity of today's magnetic field were reversed. Many doomsday theorists have tried to take this natural geological occurrence and suggest it could lead to Earth's destruction. But would there be any dramatic effects? The answer, from the geologic and fossil records we have from hundreds of past magnetic polarity reversals, seems to be 'no.'
Texas drought visible in new national groundwater maps
(PhysOrg.com) -- The record-breaking drought in Texas that has fueled wildfires, decimated crops and forced cattle sales has also reduced levels of groundwater in much of the state to the lowest levels seen in more than 60 years, according to new national maps produced by NASA and distributed by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
NASA's Apollo 13 checklist sells for $390,000
A checklist used to guide the wounded Apollo 13 spacecraft home after the explosion that led to the famed "Houston, we've had a problem" call sold at auction in Texas Wednesday for just under $390,000.
Japan nuclear meltdown 'maybe worse than thought'
Molten nuclear fuel at Japan's Fukushima plant might have eaten two thirds of the way through a concrete containment base, its operator said, citing a new simulation of the extent of the March disaster.
STAR TRAK for December
Venus will be at its dazzling brightest as December begins, appearing in the southwestern sky after sunset. This beautiful "evening star" will set two hours after the sun on Dec. 1 and an hour later at month's end.
Good and bad news comes with NASA's 2012 budget
On November 14, President Obama signed an Appropriations bill that solidified NASA’s budget for fiscal year 2012. The space agency will get $17.8 billion. That’s $648 million less than last year’s funding and $924 million below what the President had asked for. But it’s still better than the $16.8 billion proposed earlier this year by the House of Representatives.
Never before seen Russian snow leopards caught on camera
New WWF camera traps have captured the images of two rare snow leopards in Russia. The photographs are the first ever taken of snow leopards in Russia's Altai mountains. WWF camera traps last month also captured the first images of snow leopards in Nepal.
Ecotechnology for the smart cities
This alliance is generating a knowledge base on cities and ecotechnology; it will gradually be joined by various Basque and international organisations and companies capable of coming up with innovative solutions underpinned by sustainability criteria for the future development of cities.
Bobsled runs -- fast and yet safe
Lightning fast, the sled bolts down the icy run. Will the team make it to the finish faster than their competitors? The tension in the crowd depends partly on the run itself: the faster the sleds can travel on the run, the more thrilling the race. But the track mustn't be too fast: the crew still needs to be able to reach the bottom safely. So engineers have to calculate and simulate exactly how fast a sled can travel on specific sections of the track. The calculations are based on the friction levels between the runners and the ice. Up to now, the problem has been the difficulty of measuring these levels at such high speeds, and the data collected have been rather far from reality. This meant that the speed of the sleds was often estimated too high or too low, which could lead to accidents.
Half of greenhouse gases 'emitted by five nations'
More than half of all carbon pollution released into the atmosphere comes from five countries, according to a national ranking of greenhouse gas emissions released Thursday.
Stanford scientists subject rocks to hellish conditions to combat global warming
A team of Earth scientists at Stanford University is subjecting chunks of rock to hellish conditions in the laboratory – all in the name of curbing climate change.
Changes in krill abundance inferred from antarctic fur seal
It is possible to know a tree from its fruit, but is it possible to know a prey from its predator? The answer is YES with Antarctic krill and Antarctic fur seals. Scientists of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) detected changes in the number of krill from the hair of seals.
Listening to the stars
It is almost night on the island of Puerto Rico. Astronomer Joanna Rankin raises her head toward the sky. A few of the brightest stars shine through blue cracks in a ragged dome of gray clouds. To her back, a jungle throbs with the insistent call of frogs. In front of her, a giant bowl made of perforated metal dips steeply and rises on the other side of the valley, a thousand feet away. It looks like a colossal contact lens dropped from outer space.
Strange new 'species' of ultra-red galaxy discovered
In the distant reaches of the universe, almost 13 billion light-years from Earth, a strange species of galaxy lay hidden. Cloaked in dust and dimmed by the intervening distance, even the Hubble Space Telescope couldn't spy it. It took the revealing power of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to uncover not one, but four remarkably red galaxies. And while astronomers can describe the members of this new "species," they can't explain what makes them so ruddy.
Federal report: Arctic much worse since 2006
(AP) -- Federal officials say the Arctic region has changed dramatically in the past five years - for the worse.
Plunge in CO2 put the freeze on Antarctica
Plunge in CO2 put the freeze on AntarcticaAtmospheric carbon dioxide levels plunged by 40% before and during the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet 34 million years ago, according to a new study. The finding helps solve a long-standing scientific puzzle and confirms the power of CO2 to dramatically alter global climate.
NASA satellite confirms sharp decline in pollution from US coal power plants
A team of scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's Aura satellite to confirm major reductions in the levels of a key air pollutant generated by coal power plants in the eastern United States. The pollutant, sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain and can cause serious health problems.
Rise of atmospheric oxygen more complicated than previously thought
The appearance of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere probably did not occur as a single event, but as a long series of starts and stops, according to an international team of researchers who investigated rock cores from the FAR DEEP project.
Technology news
Time Warner picks Digitas CEO to run magazines
Time Warner on Wednesday named Laura Lang, chief executive of digital marketing agency Digitas, to run its extensive stable of magazines, which includes Time, People and Sports Illustrated.
Wastewater system generates energy, produces drinking water
A Michigan State University researcher is using a $1.92 million Department of Defense grant to develop a portable wastewater treatment system that could improve the military's efficiency.
Israeli public supports middle east nuclear free zone: UMD poll
Nearly two-thirds of Israeli Jews, 64 percent, favor establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East - even when it was spelled out that this would mean both Israel and Iran would have to forego nuclear weapons - finds a new University of Maryland poll. The research is a joint project of the Anwar Sadat Chair at the University of Maryland and the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).
Want to track Santa? There's an app for that
(AP) -- Want to keep track of Santa this Christmas? There's an app for that.
Review: Apps to make holiday shopping easier
Even if you love to shop, it can be a pain this time of year. Stores are crowded, gift options seem endless and it's hard to determine if you're getting the best prices.
Spotify opens up to app developers
Spotify announced Wednesday that outside developers can create applications for the popular online music service and unveiled partnerships with Rolling Stone, SongKick, TuneWiki and others.
Groupon distancing itself from rivals: CEO
Groupon chief executive Andrew Mason said Wednesday in his first comments since the online daily deals site went public that he believes the company is distancing itself from its rivals.
Toyota, BMW strike green-car technology pact
Automakers Toyota and BMW on Thursday struck a partnership to share eco-friendly technologies, including in the joint development of lithium-ion batteries for next-generation electric cars, the companies said.
Researchers develop "streamlined" approach to shipboard inspection process
Based on funds from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) under the Paint Center of Excellence Program, researchers in the Chemistry Division at the Naval Research Laboratory have developed a novel process to inspect the condition of exterior shipboard coatings that is faster, cheaper, and much less manpower intensive than current methods. The new "streamlined" process greatly reduces the time it takes to perform periodic inspections of exterior shipboard coatings that is expected to result in impressive savings to the U.S. Navy. In addition, the new process provides for a more accurate inspection by limiting the subjective results that occur with the current visual inspection process. This process can also be used for the inspection of civilian vessels with no procedural adjustments to the process.
Supercomputers take a cue from microwave ovens
As sophisticated as modern climate models are, one critical component continues to elude their precision—clouds. Simulating these fluffy puffs of water vapor is so computationally complex that even today's most powerful supercomputers, working at quadrillions of calculations per second, cannot accurately model them.
Manchester jet engine project takes FLITES
FLITES (Fibre-Laser Imaging of Gas Turbine Exhaust Species ) aims to establish a world-leading capability to map several exhaust species from aeroplanes using tomographic imaging.
Serendipitous news reading online is gaining prominence
Traditional media, such as newspapers and television news, require readers and viewers to intentionally seek out news by picking up a newspaper or turning on the television. The Internet and new technologies now are changing the way readers consume online news. New research from the University of Missouri shows that Internet users often do not make the conscious decision to read news online, but they come across news when they are searching for other information or doing non-news related activities online, such as shopping or visiting social networking sites.
Smule buys fellow music app creator Khush
(AP) -- Smule, maker of apps such as Glee Karaoke, is hoping to make beautiful music with fellow app creator Khush through an acquisition announced Thursday.
Sprint pledges support to Clearwire
(AP) -- Sprint Nextel Corp. is mending fences with independent subsidiary Clearwire Corp., pledging Thursday to use the data network Clearwire is planning to build and to participate if the company raises more capital.
KAIST's successful transfer of green technology
Daejeon, Republic of Korea, December 1, 2011—The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has reaped the fruits of its hard work in developing an innovative green technology that will benefit all industries, including public transit application. The technology is called "On-line Electric Vehicle (OLEV)," and not too soon, it will be a daily commuting transport in a city in the US.
New Nordic test center behind electric car charging standard
The new independent test center for electric car infrastructure named Nordic EV Interoperability Center (NEVIC), the first of its kind in the world, will ensure interoperability between electric cars and charging stations. The technology platform – the so-called technical roaming – will help create a more reliable and uniform market for consumers. The new test center will work to identify and address any technology issues in the market.
Research indicates China's demand for oil will equal US demand by 2040
Despite aggressive demand-management policies announced in recent years, China's oil use could easily reach levels comparable to today's U.S. levels by 2040, according to a new energy study by the Baker Institute.
New WikiLeaks 'spy files' show global surveillance industry
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange launched the website's new project Thursday, the publication of files it claims shows a global industry that gives dictatorships tools to spy on their citizens.
NYTimes.com friends Facebook in revamp
In a bid to elevate the debate, The New York Times is revamping reader comments on its website and joining a growing number of US newspapers in integrating Facebook into its commenting system.
Code-cracking puzzle for wannabe British spies
No longer content with simply approaching the brightest from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Britain's intelligence agency GCHQ has launched a code-cracking competition to attract new talent.
Foldable robot scooter wows at Tokyo Motor Show
A foldable robot scooter controlled by a smart phone wowed visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show on Thursday as its makers unveiled what they hope will be the future of urban driving.
Researcher finds snooping smartphone software
A smartphone security researcher is shining light on a hidden program that tracks activity on Android, BlackBerry and Nokia handsets.
Post-doctoral researcher makes strides in fuel cell technology
Liang Wang, a post-doctoral researcher in the University of Delaware's Center for Fuel Cell Research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is developing new materials and structures that can improve the quality of fuel cell technology by increasing the durability of the fuel cell membrane.
Enticing words on bags of potato chips have a lot to say about social class, researchers find
(PhysOrg.com) -- Like politicians who adopt regional accents to appeal to local audiences, the manufacturers of potato chips vary the wording on their bags to convey their products' authenticity in different ways to different buyers.
Affordable solar: It's closer than you think
It's time to stop thinking of solar energy as a boutique source of power, says Joshua Pearce.
Study debunks 6 myths about electricity in the South
Clean energy can help meet growing electricity demand and minimize pollution in the Southern United States, but progress to adopt renewable energy strategies has been hindered by a number of myths, according to a new study by Duke and Georgia Tech researchers.
Chrome overtakes Firefox globally for first time
Google's browser Chrome overtook Firefox for the first time globally on a monthly basis in November, according to StatCounter, the free website analytics company. The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that Chrome took 25.69% of the worldwide market (up from 4.66% in November 2009) compared to Firefox's 25.23%. Microsoft's Internet Explorer still maintains a strong lead globally with 40.63%.
Nokia showcases indoor 3-D mapping phone solution (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Nokia is showing off a prototype that location enthusiasts consider the next step in indoor mapping. Nokia has built a Location Extension Protocol on top of the Bluetooth 4.0 specification, which enables a phone user to see what Nokia says are highly accurate 3-D maps of indoor environments. While that kind of function may seem pointless when moving around in a small apartment, it is far more important for what Nokia has in mind.
Award-winning energy harvester brings practical applications closer
(PhysOrg.com) -- Although the idea of harvesting ambient energy from the environment and using it to generate electricity is alluring, most of the technology so far is capable of generating only very small amounts of power - on the order of microwatts to a few milliwatts with very low conversion efficiency. But a new piezoelectric energy-harvesting transducer shows that the technology is significantly improving. Researchers have predicted that 1-3 watts can be generated from a person walking when wearing a pair of shoes integrated with the new energy harvester, which is enough to power a soldier’s portable communication devices on the battlefield, among other applications.
The future cometh: Science, technology and humanity at Singularity Summit 2011 (Part I)
(PhysOrg.com) -- In its essence, technology can be seen as our perpetually evolving attempt to extend our sensorimotor cortex into physical reality: From the earliest spears and boomerangs augmenting our arms, horses and carts our legs, and fire our environment, we’re now investigating and manipulating the fabric of that reality – including the very components of life itself. Moreover, this progression has not been linear, but instead follows an iterative curve of inflection points demarcating disruptive changes in dominant societal paradigms. Suggested by mathematician Vernor Vinge in his acclaimed science fiction novel True Names (1981) and introduced explicitly in his essay The Coming Technological Singularity (1993), the term was popularized by inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil in The Singularity is Near (2005). The two even had a Singularity Chat in 2002.
Medicine & Health news
US approves India's Ranbaxy to make generic Lipitor
Indian pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy won US regulatory approval to make the first generic version of cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor, a Pfizer product whose patent expired Wednesday.
BAT challenges Australia cigarette packaging law
British American Tobacco on Thursday launched a High Court challenge against a law that will require plain packaging on cigarettes in Australia, claiming it infringes intellectual property rights.
MAKS: Drug-free prevention of dementia decline
There are many different causes of dementia and, although its progression can be fast or slow, it is always degenerative. Symptoms of dementia include confusion, loss of memory, and problems with speech and understanding. It can be upsetting for both the affected person and their relatives and carers. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine shows that a regime of behavioral and mental exercises was able to halt the progression of dementia.
Vaccine targeting latent TB enters clinical testing
Statens Serum Institut and Aeras today announce the initiation of the first Phase I clinical trial of a new candidate TB vaccine designed to protect people latently infected with TB from developing active TB disease. The trial is being conducted by the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) at its field site in Worcester, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Dr. Hassan Mahomed is the principal investigator.
'Seena' clinical trials named for pancreatic cancer advocate
A son's passion to find a cure for the cancer that claimed the life of his mother has led to a new series of clinical trials under a Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) initiative to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.
Health gap has grown among young US adults, study finds
Levels of health disparity have increased substantially for people born in the United States after 1980, according to new research.
Push-ups no match for combat
Presenting at the 2011 Defence Human Sciences Symposium, DSTO researcher Greg Carstairs outlined that current generic fitness assessments (including push-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups) are often poor predictors of performance in strength based job tasks.
New test could help thousands of patients with high blood pressure
A new test developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge could help doctors diagnose thousands of people with the most common curable cause of high blood pressure (hypertension). Research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), showed a high-tech PET-CT scan could detect Conn’s syndrome, which causes up to five per cent of hypertension cases.
Blood clot risk halved for patients checking their own Warfarin dose
(Medical Xpress) -- Patients who monitor their own treatment with warfarin or other blood-thinning drugs reduce their risk of developing blood clots by half, an Oxford University study has found.
Researchers develop blood test to detect membranous nephropathy
Research conducted by a pair of physicians at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) has led to the development of a test that can help diagnose membranous nephropathy in its early stages. The test, which is currently only offered in the research setting and is awaiting commercial development, could have significant implications in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Currently, the only way to diagnose the disease is through a biopsy.
Obama to announce new steps to combat AIDS
(AP) -- President Barack Obama is renewing the U.S. commitment to ending AIDS Thursday, setting new goals for getting more people access to life-saving drugs and boosting spending on treatment in the U.S. by $50 million dollars.
New study finds timely acute care could cut the cost of stroke cost
New research published in the journal Age and Ageing suggests that timely acute care immediately after a stroke reduces the level of disability in stroke survivors and the associated need for long-term care, therefore reducing aftercare costs.
Danish HIV patients can live as long as the general population when treated optimally
Researchers who have been following Danish HIV patients for more than fifteen years now see that the patients may live as long as other Danes if they take their medicine.
Transplant candidates seek 'best quality' livers despite having to remain on waiting list
New research reveals that liver transplantation candidates want to be involved in decisions regarding quality of the donor organ, and many are reluctant to accept organs with a higher risk of failure. In fact, more than 42% of patients would choose to remain on the waiting list rather than accept a "lower quality" liver according to the study appearing in the December issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Green tea flavonoid may prevent reinfection with hepatitis C virus following liver transplantation
German researchers have determined that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)—a flavonoid found in green tea—inhibits the hepatitis C virus (HCV) from entering liver cells. Study findings available in the December issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, suggest that EGCG may offer an antiviral strategy to prevent HCV reinfection following liver transplantation.
HIV uncertainty pushes Malawians to want children earlier
People in Malawi who are uncertain about their HIV status are more eager to start families than those who are certain of their HIV status, according to researchers.
MU researchers recommend exercise for breast cancer survivors, lymphedema patients
Lymphedema, a chronic swelling condition common in breast cancer survivors, affects three million people in the U.S. In the past, most people believed that exercise might induce or worsen lymphedema. After reviewing the literature, University of Missouri researchers say the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for breast cancer survivors and patients with lymphedema.
Studies of patients with cirrhosis uncover limitations in liver cancer screening
Two studies available in the December issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, have uncovered limitations in screening for primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The first study found that, if given the choice during a clinical trial, most patients with cirrhosis prefer surveillance over the possibility of non-screening, therefore making a randomized study of HCC screening not feasible. A second study determined that ultrasonographic screening at three monthly versus six monthly intervals did not improve the detection of small liver cancers.
Children with HIV/AIDS falling through the cracks of treatment scale-up efforts
Less than one-quarter (23%) of children with HIV/AIDS who need treatment are getting it, according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the occasion of World AIDS Day (1 December 2011). Although treatment coverage for adults has been steadily climbing and has now reached approximately half of those in need, coverage for children is lagging far behind, highlighted the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit research and development organization that has recently launched a new paediatric HIV drug development programme.
2 out of 3 medical students do not know when to wash their hands
Only 21 percent of surveyed medical students could identify five true and two false indications of when and when not to wash their hands in the clinical setting, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Salads you can trust -- safe farm practices get major test
Ever since 2006, when a deadly batch of spinach killed three people and sickened hundreds, U.S. farm producers, packers and others along the distribution line have argued over how best to protect consumers and assure them that leafy greens and tomatoes are safe.
South Africa unveils plan to halve HIV infections
President Jacob Zuma on Thursday unveiled a plan to halve the number of HIV infections over the next five years, cementing South Africa's turnaround from years of deadly denialism.
US governors seek federal marijuana clearance
A pair of US governors have filed a petition asking the US federal government to allow wider use of medical marijuana by authorizing doctors to prescribe it and pharmacies to provide it.
Newly established neuroscience clinical trials center could bring treatments to patients faster
In a development that could pave the way for treatment for rare neurological diseases and clues to more common ones, physician-scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein, have secured a grant to establish a clinical site for the Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials (NeuroNEXT). One of only 25 such federally-funded centers in the country, the Einstein-Montefiore site was created in partnership with Einstein affiliates Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan and the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. The NeuroNEXT network and its centers were established with grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Risk factors for CCSVI are similar to risk factors for developing MS, study shows
The first study to investigate risk factors for the vascular condition called CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency) in volunteers without neurological disease has identified what the researchers call a remarkable similarity between this condition and possible or confirmed risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS).
New approach to graft-versus-host treatment results in improvement for some patients
In a study that seems to pivot on a paradox, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have used an immune system stimulant as an immune system suppressor to treat a common, often debilitating side effect of donor stem cell transplantation in cancer patients. The effect, in some cases, was profound.
NYC recommends AIDS drugs for any person with HIV
Health officials said Thursday they are recommending that any person living with HIV be offered AIDS drugs as soon as they are diagnosed with the virus, an aggressive move that has been shown to prolong life and stem the spread of the disease.
Prior hospitalization for mental illness increases death risk in patients with chest pains
New research from Scotland has shown that the rate of death in men and women hospitalised for chest pain unrelated to heart disease is higher in those with a history of psychiatric illness than without.
Food served in children's hospitals rated largely unhealthy
Given the obesity epidemic among the nation's young, one would hope that children's hospitals would serve as a role model for healthy eating. But hospitals in California fall short, with only 7 percent of entrees classified as "healthy" according to a new study published in Academic Pediatrics.
Hearing theory music to MP3 generation ears
The revival of a 150-year-old theory on how the human ear protects itself from damage caused by loud sounds could lead to better noise protection says a researcher from The Australian National University.
Internet interventions beat depression
(Medical Xpress) -- A new study from The Australian National University shows that online therapy programs can play a major and long-lasting role in treating depression.
Blood cell test for HIV treatment monitoring is cheaper but just as effective
(Medical Xpress) -- A cheaper laboratory test that helps guide anti-retroviral drug treatment for people with HIV/AIDS may be just as effective as a more sophisticated test, a group of international researchers has found – a discovery that could be particularly important in rural Africa.
Suggested link between The Pill and prostate cancer
AN international study published in BMJ Open has recently suggested the existence of a casual link between the use of the contraceptive pill and the increase incidence of prostate cancer, due to men’s abnormal exposure to low levels of oestrogen in the environment.
Popping pills not the best way to get rid of insomnia
Taking sleep medication or calling in sick the next day is not always the best way to deal with insomnia in the long run, say Ryerson sleep researchers in a new study to be published next month. Pictured left to right: Andrea Harris, graduate psychology student, Heather Hood, PhD clinical psychology student and first author, and Dr. Colleen Carney, director of Ryerson's Sleep and Depression Laboratory.
Socially active older adults have slower rates of health declines
Staying connected to other people through a wide variety of social activities can yield important health consequences as you age.
Study shows medication improves performance in college students with ADHD
College students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who take a prostimulant medication can improve attention and organization and planning skills, according to results of the first study to look at the medical treatment of ADHD among this population.
Language may be dominant social marker for young children
Children's reasoning about language and race can take unexpected turns, according to University of Chicago researchers, who found that for younger white children in particular, language can loom larger than race in defining a person's identity.
New 'Achilles' heel' in breast cancer: tumor cell mitochondria
Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have identified cancer cell mitochondria as the unsuspecting powerhouse and "Achilles' heel" of tumor growth, opening up the door for new therapeutic targets in breast cancer and other tumor types.
Study breaks new ground in understanding drug-induced deafness
Peter Steyger's research on hearing is very personal.
When the ladybug has to count her spots
About two percent of all children suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which consists of obsessive thoughts and acts. Obsessive thoughts are intrusive thoughts such as fear or contamination, injury or violent notions that are perceived to be pointless or distressing. Obsessive acts are ritualized acts that have to be repeated frequently, such as washing one's hands, asking questions, counting, touching, checking or collecting. Without treatment, OCD often has serious consequences, such as children no longer being able to go to school on account of their symptoms.
Where does my beer come from?
Researchers at the University of Seville (Spain) have developed a technique based on chemical patterns for identifying the country of origin of beer. The content of iron, potassium, phosphates and polyphenols is found to be determining components. German, Spanish and Portuguese beers have been detected with 99% accuracy thanks to the model.
Diametric shift in 2 protein levels spurs Alzheimer's plaque accumulation
A diametric shift in the levels of two proteins involved in folding, moving and cutting other proteins enables accumulation of the destructive brain plaque found in Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.
Mistaken identity: New report highlights the global impact of medical misdiagnosis
Researchers have discovered that over a million people worldwide diagnosed with TB go on to develop an incurable but manageable fungal infection which is usually left untreated because it is mistaken for a recurrence of the disease.
University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center tests novel drug that makes brain tumors glow hot pink
Just 24 hours after Lisa Rek sang at her niece's wedding, her husband Brad was driving her to a local hospital.
Cell surface mutation protects against common type of malaria
A mutation on the surface of human red blood cells provides protection against malaria caused by the parasite Plasmodium vivax, research led by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine shows.
New insights come from tracing cells that irreversibly scar lungs
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is an incurable disease in which the delicate gas exchange region of the lung fills with scar tissue, which interferes with breathing. Now researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered that commonly held ideas about the origins of the scar-forming (fibrotic) cells were incorrect.
'Just chill?' Relaxing can make you fatter
Conventional wisdom says that exercise is a key to weight loss — a no-brainer. But now, Tel Aviv University researchers are revealing that life as a couch potato, stretched out in front of the TV, can actually be "active inactivity" — and cause you to pack on the pounds.
New molecular candidates for treatment of asthma and allergies
(December 1, 2011) La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology scientists have identified the histamine releasing factor (HRF) molecule as a promising target for developing new treatments for a number of allergic reactions including asthma.
Study finds amplification of multiple cell-growth genes in some brain tumors
A small percentage of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas, which usually resist treatment with drugs targeting mutations in cell-growth genes, appears to contain extra copies of two or three of these genes at the same time. The surprising discovery by a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)-based research team has major implications for the understanding of tumor biology – including the evolution of tumor cell populations – and for targeted cancer therapies.
Newly discovered heart stem cells make muscle and bone
Researchers have identified a new and relatively abundant pool of stem cells in the heart. The findings in the December issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, show that these heart cells have the capacity for long-term expansion and can form a variety of cell types, including muscle, bone, neural and heart cells.
FDA examines level of arsenic in apple juice
(AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration is considering tightening restrictions for the levels of arsenic allowed in apple juice after consumer groups pushed the agency to crack down on the contaminant.
Siri's abortion info flap: Blame it on Beta, says Apple
Siri is the intelligent iPhone personal assistant smart enough to give you an answer just by asking—unless your question is where to find the closest abortion clinic. In a fast and furious go-round this week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), abortion rights supporters, bloggers, and Apple itself traded notes about Siri’s inability to provide an answer to questions about where to go for birth control and abortion.
Outsiders on the front lines
Women have a long history of protesting war, but anti-war protest by women who've served as soldiers is a relatively new phenomenon. While there's a growing rate of women serving in western militaries (with some women in combat roles), little is known about how military service shapes the political attitudes of women and connects them with larger antiwar movements.
New study shows surprise regarding important hormone level
Cortisol may be the Swiss Army knife of hormones in the human body -- just when scientists think they understand what it does, another function pops up. While many of these functions are understood for adults, much less is known about how cortisol operates in babies and toddlers, especially when it comes to an important phenomenon called the cortisol awakening response, or CAR.
Tumor-targeting compound points the way to new personalized cancer treatments
One major obstacle in the fight against cancer is that anticancer drugs often affect normal cells in addition to tumor cells, resulting in significant side effects. Yet research into development of less harmful treatments geared toward the targeting of specific cancer-causing mechanisms is hampered by lack of knowledge of the molecular pathways that drive cancers in individual patients.
Vegetables, fruits, grains reduce stroke risk in women
Swedish women who ate an antioxidant-rich diet had fewer strokes regardless of whether they had a previous history of cardiovascular disease, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Super athletic mice are fit because their muscles burn more sugar
Muscle performance and fitness are partly determined by how well your muscle cells use sugar as a fuel source. In turn, exercising improves the muscle's ability to take up sugars from the bloodstream and burn them for energy. On the flip side, conditions that reduce physical activity -- such as obesity or chronic disease -- reduce the muscle's capacity to burn sugar. A new study by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) unravels a mechanism that re-programs metabolic genes in muscles in a way that increases their capacity to use sugar. When activated in mice, this metabolic re-programming dramatically improves exercise performance.
Why do some people never forget a face?
(Medical Xpress) -- “Face recognition is an important social skill, but not all of us are equally good at it,” says Beijing Normal University cognitive psychologist Jia Liu. But what accounts for the difference? A new study by Liu and colleagues Ruosi Wang, Jingguang Li, Huizhen Fang, and Moqian Tian provides the first experimental evidence that the inequality of abilities is rooted in the unique way in which the mind perceives faces. “Individuals who process faces more holistically” -- that is, as an integrated whole -- “are better at face recognition,” says Liu. The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science.
Moral dilemma: Would you kill 1 person to save 5?
Imagine a runaway boxcar heading toward five people who can't escape its path. Now imagine you had the power to reroute the boxcar onto different tracks with only one person along that route.
Researchers provide world's first view of Type 1 diabetes as it unfolds
A war is being waged in the pancreases of millions of people throughout the world. The siege leads to the development of type 1 diabetes and has been a battlefield largely hidden from view-- until now. Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have created the first cellular movies showing the destruction underlying type 1 diabetes in real-time in mouse models. This detailed, dynamic view will provide the worldwide scientific community insights into this disease process as never before possible and may profoundly affect future directions in type 1 diabetes research.
Adult stem cells use special pathways to repair damaged muscle (w/ Video)
When a muscle is damaged, dormant adult stem cells called satellite cells are signaled to "wake up" and contribute to repairing the muscle. University of Missouri researchers recently found how even distant satellite cells could help with the repair, and are now learning how the stem cells travel within the tissue. This knowledge could ultimately help doctors more effectively treat muscle disorders such as muscular dystrophy, in which the muscle is easily damaged and the patient's satellite cells have lost the ability to repair.
Biology news
Using radiation to sterilize insect pests may protect California fruits and vegetables
A new study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology shows that radiation can be used to effectively sterilize the light brown apple moth (LBAM), an insect pest found in Australia, New Zealand, California, Hawaii, Sweden, and the British Isles. The light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker), feeds on apples, pears, stonefruits, citrus, grapes, berries and many other plants. A native of Australia, it has been found in California since 2007. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has spent more than $70 million in CDFA and USDA funds to eradicate the LBAM, and estimates that failure to eradicate it could cost California growers over $133 million per year.
World's first captive breeding of Ozark hellbenders at Saint Louis Zoo
The Saint Louis Zoo's Ron Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation and the Missouri Department of Conservation announced on Nov. 30, 2011, that Ozark hellbenders have been bred in captivity—a first for either of the two subspecies of hellbender. This decade-long collaboration has yielded 63 baby hellbenders.
U Arizona Wild Cat Research Center to study jaguar presence in the Southwest
The recent sighting of an adult male jaguar in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona came as a reminder that even though the big spotted cat usually is associated with dense rainforests in central and southern America, it has been known to occasionally wander the dry mountain ranges of the American Southwest.
Chemical warfare of stealthy silverfish
A co-evolutionary arms race exists between social insects and their parasites. Army ants (Leptogenys distinguenda) share their nests with several parasites such as beetles, snails and spiders. They also share their food with the kleptoparasitic silverfish (Malayatelura ponerophila). New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Ecology shows that the silverfish manage to hide amongst the ants by covering themselves in the ant's chemical scent.
Biologist discovers new and wider varieties of frog species in amazon basin than previously recorded
The diversity of frogs in the Amazon Basin is much greater than previously recorded, according to a new paper by Colorado State University and Ecuadorian biologists that could lead to greater understanding of how to save the frogs from extinction.
Flood-ravaged turtles released in Moreton Bay
(PhysOrg.com) -- A University of Queensland biological researcher has led the Moreton Bay release of four turtles that suffered starvation and illness from the January floods.
Creative Commons 'non-commercial' licenses impede the re-use of biodiversity information
Open access to information about biodiversity is of crucial importance to society, directly affecting areas such as conservation and climate change research and education. "Non-Commercial" restrictions on the reuse of this information are a major barrier to addressing these problems, says a review paper published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Parental controls on embryonic development?
When a sperm fertilizes an egg, each contributes a set of chromosomes to the resulting embryo, which at these very early stages is called a zygote. Early on, zygotic genes are inert, so embryonic development is largely controlled by parental factors. The activation of the zygotic genome therefore represents an important transition toward a more autonomous mode of embryonic development, and has been the subject of much speculation and scrutiny. Now, a new study published by Cell Press on December 1st in the journal Developmental Cell suggests that the reach of parental control in the embryo may be longer than we thought.
Populations of invasive ants die out naturally, saving millions in control and eradication
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research shows populations of an invasive species of ants frequently collapse without human involvement, potentially saving millions of dollars on control and eradication.
Scientists discover fish using tools may be wide spread
Dr. Culum Brown, who recently made headlines publishing the first photographic evidence of a tusk fish using tools to smash open shells says, “There is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that fish have been largely underestimated in terms of their abilities.”
Bush embryonic stem cell lines different from newly derived cell lines
Established human embryonic cell lines, including those approved for federal research funding under former President George W. Bush, are different than newly derived human embryonic stem cell lines, according to a study by UCLA stem cell researchers.
Study finds savanna chimps exhibit sharing behavior like humans
Sharing food has widely been considered by scholars as a defining characteristic of human behavior. But a new study by Iowa State University anthropology professor Jill Pruetz now reports that chimpanzees from her Fongoli research site in Senegal also frequently share food and hunting tools with other chimps.
Aggression prevents the better part of valor ... in fig wasps
Published online in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, the study confirms that placid male pollinator fig wasps work together to chew an escape tunnel for their females, before crawling back into the fig to die – the non-pollinating variety are too busy fighting each other to help.
Not all cellular reprogramming is created equal
Tweaking the levels of factors used during the reprogramming of adult cells into induced pluriopotent stem (iPS) cells greatly affects the quality of the resulting iPS cells, according to Whitehead Institute researchers.
Study of wolves will help scientists predict climate effects on endangered animals
Scientists studying populations of gray wolves in the USA's Yellowstone National Park have developed a way to predict how changes in the environment will impact on the animals' number, body size and genetics, amongst other biological traits.
Like humans, the paper wasp has a special talent for learning faces
Though paper wasps have brains less than a millionth the size of humans', they have evolved specialized face-learning abilities analogous to the system used by humans, according to a University of Michigan evolutionary biologist and one of her graduate students.
Entomologists discover first instance of intact neurons without nucleus - in fairy wasps
Fairy wasps are really tiny; so tiny, they can barely be seen with the naked eye. They’re so tiny that they’re the smallest organism when shown on a slide alongside an amoeba and a Paramecium. And because of this, a group of researchers from Moscow State University began wondering how a neurological system in such a tiny insect could work at all. As it turns out, as they describe in their paper published in Science Direct, the fairy wasp (M.mymaripenne), the third smallest of all insects, has a lot of neurons without any nucleus.
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