Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 31, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Hubble shows Milky Way is destined for head-on collision with Andromeda galaxy- Enceladus plume is a new kind of plasma laboratory
- X-ray 'echoes' map a supermassive black hole's environs
- Ultrafast laser helps to better understand high-temperature superconductors
- Nanoscale protein containers could aid drug, vaccine delivery
- On early Earth, iron may have performed magnesium's RNA folding job
- New small solid oxide fuel cell reaches record efficiency
- Nimbus Lab sends up quadrotors for wireless charging (w/ Video)
- Livermorium and Flerovium join the periodic table of elements
- High-temperature superconductivity starts at nanoscale
- Researchers restore walking ability after spinal cord injury in rats
- Genetic discovery unlocks biosynthesis of medicinal compound in poppy
- New molecular structure offers first picture of a protein family vital to human health
- SLAC X-ray laser used to probe biomolecules to individual atoms
- Alzheimer's protein structure offers new treatment directions
Space & Earth news
Rainforest regeneration in Indonesia slower than expected
Research conducted by Tyas Basuki at University of Twente’s Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) shows that felled tropical rainforest in Indonesia (of the Dipterocarp species) is growing back much slower than expected. Based on the available knowledge at the time, the Indonesian government stipulated that an area may be logged only once every 35 years. Basuki's research, however, shows that in order to guarantee genuine sustainable forest management, countries must adhere to a minimum logging cycle of 120 years. Basuki defended her PhD thesis on 24 May.
Peru girds for the worst: a killer quake in the capital
Peru is gearing up for a huge safety drill to see how Lima authorities respond to a cataclysmic 8-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, a devastating one-two punch they fear could claim 50,000 lives.
Earthquakes without frontiers
Understanding the threat posed by unanticipated earthquakes in continental interiors is the focus of a new study led by the University of Cambridge.
Rare meteorite fragment donated to UC Davis geologist
UC Davis alumnus Gregory Jorgensen ’90, Ph.D. ’95, presented UC Davis geologist Qing-Zhu Yin with a donation today, May 30, of a meteorite piece that fell beside his driveway in Coloma, Calif.
Image: Whitewater-Baldy complex fire
This image of the Whitewater-Baldy fire, in western New Mexico, was taken on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 2000 UTC (4:00 p.m. EDT) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument that flies onboard NASA's Aqua satellite.
The first pilot wastewater treatment plant with integrated wood production opened in Mongolia
Long winters with low temperatures of -40°C and extended hot and dry periods with sand storms are significant challenges for people and infrastructure in Mongolia. Funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) the MoMo - project (Integrated Water Resource Management in Central Asia: Model region Mongolia (MoMo) is focused on identifying appropriate water management solutions to the vast and sparsely populated and resource rich nation.
UNH to analyze 'bellwether' solar event data from European satellite
When the sun launched a moderate, or M-class, solar flare May 17, 2012, it was still one of the largest eruptions seen since late January when our star began to rouse from an anomalously long quiet period. But the event was not just an additional solar wake-up call; it produced something that has the solar physics community puzzled and scientists from the University of New Hampshire poised to analyze a singular dataset gathered during the event by a European satellite called PAMELA – short for Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics.
The environment and pharmaceuticals and personal care products: What are the big questions?
Researchers at the University of York headed a major international review aimed at enhancing efforts to better understand the impacts of chemicals used in pharmaceuticals or in personal care products, such as cosmetics, soaps, perfumes, deodorants and toothpastes (PPCPs), on the natural environment.
US grants experimental permit to Virgin Galactic
(AP) — Virgin Galactic says it expects to make rocket-powered test flights of its passenger spaceship later this year.
SpaceX Dragon capsule detaches from ISS (Update)
The US company SpaceX's Dragon cargo vessel was released by the robotic arm of the International Space Station early Thursday at the start of its return to Earth from an historic mission.
Venus transit may boost hunt for other worlds
Astronomers around the world will be using advanced telescopes to watch Venus cross in front of the Sun on June 5 and 6 in the hopes of finding clues in the hunt for other planets where life may exist.
Greenhouse gas levels hit 'troubling milestone'
(AP) — The world's air has reached what scientists call a troubling new milestone for carbon dioxide, the main global warming pollutant.
'Like a jet through solid rock': Volcanic arc fed by rapid fluid pulses
In the depths of the earth, it is anything but peaceful: large quantities of liquids carve their way through the rock as fluids, causing magma to form. A research team led by the University of Münster, has shown that the fluids flow a lot faster through solid rock than previously assumed. In the Chinese Tian Shan Mountains, fluids pushed their way to the earth's mantle from great depths in just 200 years rather than in the course of tens or even hundreds of thousands of years.
Highway through Amazon worsens effects of climate change, provides mixed economic gains
Paving a highway across South America is providing lessons on the impact of road construction elsewhere.
SpaceX cargo ship leaves orbit on way back to Earth
The unmanned Dragon cargo vessel operated by US company SpaceX on Thursday completed its deorbit burn, one of the final steps in its return to Earth for an ocean landing, NASA said.
Standing trees better than burning ones for carbon neutrality
The search for alternatives to fossil fuels has prompted growing interest in the use of wood, harvested directly from forests, as a carbon-neutral energy source.
Wildfire and an example of its important link to the ecosystem
Traveling the western U.S. state of Nevada in the 1860s, a young American writer named Mark Twain heard a "world of talk" about the beauty of Lake Tahoe and so set out one August day to see the lake perched high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Determined to make the 11-mile journey on foot, Twain and his companions became briefly discouraged after toiling up one mountain and then another to no avail. But they trudged on until "at last the Lake burst upon us," Twain wrote in his 1872 book, Roughing It.
Astronomers probe 'evaporating' planet around nearby star with Hobby-Eberly telescope
(Phys.org) -- Astronomers from The University of Texas at Austin and Wesleyan University have used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at UT Austin’s McDonald Observatory to confirm that a Jupiter-size planet in a nearby solar system is dissolving, albeit excruciatingly slowly, because of interactions with its parent star. Their findings could help astronomers better understand star-planet interactions in other star systems that might involve life.
Research team uses a laser frequency comb to calibrate spectrographs
(Phys.org) -- In the never ending quest to find out if there is life out there beyond our own planet, astronomers, astrophysicists and other researchers use all manner of tools to scan the sky looking for likely places; the most likely of course, being on a planet that is similar to our own. The problem thus far though, is that instruments used to look for so called exoplanets are relatively good at finding large planets that are close to their star, but not so much at finding those that are smaller, more rocky and more distant. That problem appears to be solved now though as a combined team of researchers from Germany and Spain have applied a new kind of calibration to spectrographs used to measure the wobble of stars due to planetary tugging. The team describes their work in their paper published in the journal Nature.
Mars methane linked to meteorites
Tiny amounts of methane in the Martian atmosphere may come not from living things, but from meteorites on the red planet's surface, the latest findings suggest.
Zircon crystals reveal onset of plate tectonics
(Phys.org) -- We're familiar with the theory that the Earth's crust is composed of tectonic plates that move, sometimes dramatically to create earthquakes and tsunamis - but until recently, nobody knew how long this movement has been going on.
Geoengineering: A whiter sky
One idea for fighting global warming is to increase the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere, scattering incoming solar energy away from the Earth's surface. But scientists theorize that this solar geoengineering could have a side effect of whitening the sky during the day. New research from Carnegie's Ben Kravitz and Ken Caldeira indicates that blocking 2% of the sun's light would make the sky three-to-five times brighter, as well as whiter. Their work is published June 1st in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.
ALMA turns its eyes to Centaurus A
(Phys.org) -- A new image of the galaxy Centaurus A, made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), shows how the observatory allows astronomers to see through the opaque dust lanes that obscure the galaxy's center, with unprecedented quality. ALMA is currently in its Early Science phase of observations and still under construction, but is already the most powerful of its kind. The observatory has just issued the call for proposals for its next cycle of observations.
SpaceX Dragon capsule splash lands in Pacific
US company SpaceX's cargo vessel Thursday splash landed in the Pacific Ocean, capping a successful mission to the International Space Station that blazed a new path for private spaceflight.
Science nugget: Catching solar particles infiltrating Earth's atmosphere
(Phys.org) -- On May 17, 2012 an M-class flare exploded from the sun. The eruption also shot out a burst of solar particles traveling at nearly the speed of light that reached Earth about 20 minutes after the light from the flare. An M-class flare is considered a "moderate" flare, at least ten times less powerful than the largest X-class flares, but the particles sent out on May 17 were so fast and energetic that when they collided with atoms in Earth's atmosphere, they caused a shower of particles to cascade down toward Earth's surface. The shower created what's called a ground level enhancement (GLE).
Cosmic calculations: Advance will help astrophysicists explore where stars are born
A University of Delaware-led research team reports an advance in the June 1 issue of Science that may help astrophysicists more accurately analyze the vast molecular clouds of gas and dust where stars are born.
Enceladus plume is a new kind of plasma laboratory
(Phys.org) -- Recent findings from NASA's Cassini mission reveal that Saturn's geyser moon Enceladus provides a special laboratory for watching unusual behavior of plasma, or hot ionized gas. In these recent findings, some Cassini scientists think they have observed "dusty plasma," a condition theorized but not previously observed on site, near Enceladus.
X-ray 'echoes' map a supermassive black hole's environs
(Phys.org) -- An international team of astronomers using data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton satellite has identified a long-sought X-ray "echo" that promises a new way to probe supersized black holes in distant galaxies.
Hubble shows Milky Way is destined for head-on collision with Andromeda galaxy
(Phys.org) -- NASA astronomers announced Thursday they can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy.
Technology news
CEO: Lawuit could kill Internet TV startup
(AP) — News Corp.'s Fox and other broadcasters went to court on Wednesday to try to pull the plug on a startup that takes live TV programming and sends it to mobile devices in New York for a monthly fee.
Canadian tech group CGI says buys Logica for 1.7bn
Canadian technology services firm CGI Group Inc. has agreed to buy London-listed Anglo-Dutch rival Logica for £1.7 billion ($2.6 billion, 2.1 billion euros), the pair announced on Thursday.
Developing technologies to protect security and privacy of electronic health information
Information sharing requires that partners establish broad electronic trust among the caretakers of critical information and those who need and are authorized to use that information.
Lady Gaga hits 25 million follower mark on Twitter
Pop diva Lady Gaga set a social media record Thursday when she became the first person on Twitter to amass more than 25 million followers, more than anyone else on the micro-blogging website.
Google tips China searchers to hot-button terms
Google on Thursday tuned its search engine in mainland China to tip people off when they try to use characters that evidently prompt censors to derail queries.
RIM sinks, but patents, network have value
(AP) — Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry, is in steep decline. The company, once the crown jewel of the Canadian technology industry, is now worth 1 percent of Apple's market capitalization. One way for RIM to stop the downward tailspin: It could sell itself to a competitor or financial firm. But who would step up to buy RIM —and why?
Review: A mapping contender emerges in MapQuest
(AP) — The summer travel season has arrived in the U.S., and with gas prices going down, it's time to plan a road trip.
Flame virus a new age cyber spy tool
The Flame computer virus that smoldered undetected for years in Middle Eastern energy facilities confirmed fears that the world has entered a new age of cyber espionage and sabotage.
Oracle aims to dethrone IBM in business hardware
Oracle boss Larry Ellison said that he is out to dethrone IBM in the realm of business network hardware, including high-end computer servers.
Mobile Internet to shine despite dim Facebook IPO
Silicon Valley stars on Wednesday argued that the mobile-focused Internet startups will shine despite the dim stock market debut by leading social network Facebook.
Facebook underwriter Morgan Stanley defends IPO
The chief executive of Morgan Stanley on Wednesday defended his company's lead role in the disastrous IPO of Facebook, which has lost investors billions of dollars.
Cartel web presence could be used against them: experts
Experts from 20 countries gathered Wednesday at the Mexican resort town of Cancun to discuss a strategy for battling organized crime, in an effort mandated by the recent Summit of the Americas.
Apple moves closer to iPad 3 sales in China
(AP) — Chinese regulators have approved Apple's iPad 3, possibly moving the company closer to launching the latest version of its tablet in the fast-growing Chinese market.
Sharp develops concentrator solar cell with world's highest conversion efficiency of 43.5%
Sharp Corporation has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 43.5% using a concentrator triple-junction compound solar cell. These solar cells are used in a lens-based concentrator system that focuses sunlight on the cells to generate electricity.
Twitter usage soars in US: survey
One out of seven Americans who go online use Twitter and eight percent do it every day, a survey showed Thursday.
Rice students invent slingshot-driven test for Air Force
What do you get when you combine a slingshot, a fish tank, a stack of 2-by-4s and five engineering students determined to help the United States Air Force?
Under Microsoft, Skype aims for one billion users
Microsoft's Skype Internet telephone service hopes to quadruple the number of users to get to one billion, division president Tony Bates said Thursday.
Google files patent claim against Microsoft, Nokia
(AP) — Google is accusing Microsoft and Nokia of abusing mobile patents in a way that will drive up the prices of cellphones and other wireless devices.
Finding good music in noisy online markets
In 2004, a trio of researchers at Columbia University began an online experiment in social-media marketing, creating nine versions of a music-download site that presented the same group of unknown songs in different ways. The goal of the experiment was to gauge the effect of early peer recommendations on the songs’ success; the researchers found that different songs became hits on the different sites and that the variation was unpredictable.
New eyeglasses allow you to adjust prescription yourself
(Phys.org) -- A new kind of eyeglasses is now available from a British company that allows the wearer to adjust the prescription anytime, anywhere, via small thumb-dials on the sides. Called, Eyejusters, the glasses make use of a technology called a Slidelens, which very aptly describes how these glasses do their magic. Each lens is actually two lenses that have slightly different shapes; turning the thumb-dial causes one lens to move slightly left or right and that changes the focal point for the wearer. The lenses are moved until the person doing the focusing finds the sweet spot; which is exactly how users focus a pair of binoculars.
Robot uses 3-D imaging and sensor-based cutting technology to debone poultry
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a prototype system that uses advanced imaging technology and a robotic cutting arm to automatically debone chicken and other poultry products.
Unique approach to materials allows temperature-stable circuits
(Phys.org) -- Sandia National Laboratories researcher Steve Dai jokes that his approach to creating materials whose properties won’t degenerate during temperature swings is a lot like cooking — mixing ingredients and fusing them together in an oven.
US rejects proposal to put Internet under UN control
US officials, lawmakers and technology leaders voiced firm opposition Thursday to efforts to bring the Internet under UN control, saying it could hurt free expression and commerce.
Final test version of Windows 8 released (Update)
Microsoft on Thursday released the final test version of its next-generation Windows software crafted to power devices ranging from tablets to desktop computers.
New small solid oxide fuel cell reaches record efficiency
Individual homes and entire neighborhoods could be powered with a new, small-scale solid oxide fuel cell system that achieves up to 57 percent efficiency, significantly higher than the 30 to 50 percent efficiencies previously reported for other solid oxide fuel cell systems of its size, according to a study published in this month's issue of Journal of Power Sources.
Medicine & Health news
Dubai bans selling tobacco for 24 hours: reports
Nearly 300 stores in the Gulf emirate of Dubai will ban the sale of cigarettes for 24 hours on Thursday to mark the World No Tobacco Day, local media reported.
US denies name change for disputed sweetener
US regulators Wednesday denied a request to change the name of high-fructose corn syrup to merely "corn sugar," in a high-profile dispute between two industries.
Gov't expanding E. coli tests in meat
(AP) — The government is expanding E. coli testing in some raw meat, a move expected to prevent more people from contracting the bacteria that can cause severe illness or death.
Is coconut oil a miracle cure for Alzheimer's?
Millions of people around the world, including thousands of scientists, are desperately seeking a good treatment for Alzheimer’s disease—or, almost beyond hope, a cure. So it’s no wonder that many readers have been asking us about a new book enticingly called Alzheimer’s Disease: What If There Was a Cure? by Dr. Mary Newport (a pediatrician), which has gotten lots of media coverage. The proposed cure is not one of those expensive Alzheimer’s drugs (which have marginal benefits), but rather a simple food that’s supposed to have dramatic effects on people with the disease. The food is coconut oil.
URMC offers new implantable heartburn 'ring'
The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is one of just 13 U.S. surgery sites chosen to offer the LINX Reflux Management System, a new implantable magnetic “ring” that promises relief to the estimated 25 million American adults who suffer daily heartburn. The device won FDA-approval in late March.
Looking for clues from frogs, fish, and snails to fight off disease
In their effort to fight cancer and other threats to human health, researchers look to the birds, the bees – and to frogs, fish, and any number of species, studying how their natural defenses help protect them and what we might learn from them.
Can an adult be held responsible for a parent's nursing home costs?
Can an adult be held responsible for a parent’s medical bills? In Pennsylvania, the answer is yes, according to a dramatic new ruling by the Pennsylvania Superior Court explained by elder law expert Katherine Pearson at Penn State Law in this recent interview.
Breast cancer and smoking: It's always a good time to stop
(Medical Xpress) -- The number of people within our community who have survived cancer is increasing. But a recent Victorian study has shown that not all survivors are embracing good health.
NY proposes ban on sale of oversized sodas (Update)
(AP) — New York City's mayor is proposing a ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks in the hopes of combating obesity — an expansion of efforts to encourage healthy behavior that have led to shouts that America's largest city is becoming a "nanny state."
Liver metastases and its prognostic significance in men with metastatic prostate cancer
Liver metastases predicts shorter overall survival in men with metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer (mCRPC), according to data being presented at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Dementia care model that reduces hospitalizations successfully translated into practice
An innovative model of dementia care that significantly reduces emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and encourages use of medications that are not harmful to older brains, has now been used to treat over 1,000 patients. The Aging Brain Care model was developed by researcher-clinicians from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine.
The Women's Health Initiative: An unforgettable decade
The 10-year anniversary of the historic Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Hormone Therapy Trial report, which radically changed the practice of women's health, will be commemorated in July 2012. In anticipation of this event, two of the world's leading experts in women's health, menopause, and hormone therapy are releasing an editorial in the journal Menopause, providing their perspective on this epic study and the lessons learned over the past 10 years.
SHSU professor investigates trends for elderly and crime
While the elderly represent the fastest growing segment of the population, too little is known about the nature and scope of crime impacting this generation. Victoria Titterington of Sam Houston State University is trying to change that with a series of studies that examine the elderly and crime.
US House rejects sex-selection abortion ban
(AP) — The House on Thursday fell short in an effort to ban abortions based on the sex of the fetus as Republicans and Democrats made an election-year appeal for women's votes.
Caring for patients with fecal incontinence costs more than $4,000 per person each year
Care for patients with fecal incontinence costs $4,110 per person for both medical and non-medical costs like loss of productivity, according to new research from the University of Michigan.
Antioxidant beta-carotene use safe during radiation treatment for prostate cancer
Despite past safety concerns, the antioxidant supplement beta-carotene, is safe to use during radiation therapy treatments for prostate cancer and does not increase the risk of prostate cancer death or metastases, according to a study in the May issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, the official scientific journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
Do low-carb diets damage the kidneys?
Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets—like the Atkins diet—have been popular among dieters for years. For just as long, experts have worried that such diets might be harmful to the kidneys. A study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) looks into these safety concerns.
Innovative scoliosis treatment: A back brace that can measure how long it is worn for
Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) affects three or four per thousand children and as many as seven out of ten older adults. While there is still controversy about the efficacy of back braces for children this is often considered a problem of compliance – if the children do not wear their braces the treatment does not work. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Scoliosis demonstrates that a brace that contains a tiny heat sensor and is able to monitor how long it is worn, and that kids are also happy to wear, means that overall compliance with doctors recommended prescription was over 90%.
Juvenile arthritis patients may have issues maintaining employment as adults
As children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) grow into adulthood, disability due to disease may adversely affect their ability to achieve educational success. Findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggest that functional disability impacts educational attainment, which is key to successful employment in adulthood.
High levels of activity aid arterial functioning, might help women more than men
Indiana University researchers found that the highly active middle-aged subjects in their study appear to avoid the arterial stiffening -- when arteries become less compliant as blood pumps through the body -- that typically comes with aging.
Who says girls can't compete athletically with boys?
An Indiana University study that looked at performance differences between male and female childhood athletes found little difference in certain age groups, even though boys and girls rarely compete against each other in the U.S.
Pathologic response prediction of survival aided by tumor type
(HealthDay) -- Pathologic complete response (pCR) is more highly predictive of recurrence-free survival (RFS) when specific breast cancer tumor type is factored in, according to a study published online May 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Glucose levels at admission predict death in pneumonia
(HealthDay) -- For patients with community-acquired pneumonia without preexisting diabetes, serum glucose levels at admission are predictive of death at 28 and 90 days, according to a study published online May 29 in BMJ.
Pre-op treatments boost survival for esophageal cancer patients: study
(HealthDay) -- Patients with esophageal cancer who receive chemotherapy and radiation before surgery have better outcomes, Dutch researchers report.
Obesity may raise odds for painful leg condition
(HealthDay) -- The health risks associated with being overweight and obese are well publicized, but new research may add another condition to this list: leg lymphedema, pain and swelling due to blockage of the lymph nodes in the groin area.
U.S. program targets antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes
(HealthDay) -- U.S. health officials said Wednesday that they're hoping to reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs among nursing home residents by 15 percent before year's end.
New research shows runners can improve health and performance with less training
The new 10-20-30 training concept can improve both a person's running performance and health, despite a significant reduction in the total amount of training. This is the conclusion of a study from University of Copenhagen researchers just published in the renowned scientific Journal of Applied of Physiology.
Dose of zinc boosts recovery chances for sick babies
A simple, cheap dose of zinc helps the recovery of newborns suffering from bacterial infections such as pneumonia and meningitis, according to an Indian study reported on Thursday in The Lancet.
AIDS treatment in S.Africa send baby infections plunging
One-year-old Katakane laughs and coos in the arms of her HIV-positive mother as a doctor tries to examine her at South Africa's largest public hospital, in Soweto township.
Study: Many genes of small effect influence economic and political attitudes
(Medical Xpress) -- Unrelated people who are more similar genetically tend to have more similar attitudes and preferences, reports a new Cornell study published May 7 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings suggest that genetic data -- taken as a whole -- could eventually help predict economic and political preferences.
Is hypertension in your family?
(Medical Xpress) -- If your parents have a history of high blood pressure, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing the disease through moderate exercise and increased cardiovascular fitness, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.
Study provides better terminology for diagnosing restless legs syndrome
(Medical Xpress) -- A study by Wits researchers has come to the aid of health practitioners who have previously had difficulty in diagnosing one of the most common neurological, but difficult to describe conditions, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).
Scientists discover how common treatment-related cancer develops
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists in a team at Newcastle University have identified a mechanism by which treatment-related leukaemia develops, raising hopes that this side effect of toxic chemotherapy could be prevented.
Half a unit of alcohol a day best for health: study
(Medical Xpress) -- Cutting the amount we drink to just over half a unit a day could save 4,600 lives a year in England, according to a modelling study by Oxford University researchers published in the journal BMJ Open.
Injection offers hope for treating auto-immune disease
Australian researchers have uncovered a potential new way to regulate the body’s natural immune response, offering hope of a simple and effective treatment for auto-immune diseases.
Eyewitness identification reforms may have unintended consequences
(Medical Xpress) -- New research by a University of California, Riverside psychologist raises serious questions about eyewitness identification procedures that are being adopted by police departments across the United States.
Prostate cancer early warning protein detected
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists at the University have discovered a protein, only present in prostate cancer cells, that could be used as a marker to detect early signs of the disease.
Family matters when it comes to a good night's sleep
Sound, restful sleep may be just a dream for millions of Americans with strained family relationships.
1 in 5 americans has untreated cavities: CDC
(HealthDay) -- More than one in every five Americans has untreated cavities, a new government report shows.
Repeat CT scan urged for head trauma patients on warfarin
(HealthDay) -- Minor head trauma patients taking warfarin should have a repeat computed tomography (CT) scan prior to discharge to detect delayed hemorrhage, particularly in those with an initial international normalized ratio (INR) higher than 3, according to research published in the June issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Pre-op chemoradiotherapy ups survival in esophageal cancer
(HealthDay) -- For patients with esophageal or esophagogastric-junction cancer, treatment with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection is associated with improved survival compared with surgery alone, according to a study published in the May 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B may exceed 2 million, higher in US than previously reported
The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the U.S. may be as high as 2.2 million cases according to a new study now available in Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Findings suggest the higher prevalence of chronic HBV can be attributed to foreign-born persons who were infected in their country of origin prior to arrival in the U.S. Emigrants from Asia and Africa, where infection with hepatitis B is highly endemic, represent close to 70% of the 1.32 million foreign-born persons living with chronic HBV in the U.S. in 2009.
Dual effect on tumor blood vessels
Angiogenesis is considered to be a major target of new cancer treatments. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is one of the key regulators of angiogenesis. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, have now discovered that Ang-2 even has a dual effect on angiogenesis: Firstly, it affects the sprouting of new capillaries and, secondly, it impacts the maturation of the newly formed vessels. Therapies targeting Ang-2 might therefore attack angiogenesis from two angles at once.
Fantasizing about your dream vacation could lead to poor decision-making
Summer vacation time is upon us. If you have been saving up for your dream vacation for years, you may want to make sure your dream spot is still the best place to go. A new study has found that when we fantasize about such trips before they are possible, we tend to overlook the negatives – thus influencing our decision-making down the line.
Health benefits of vitamin D dependent on type taken
New research has shown that vitamin D3 supplements could provide more benefit than the close relative vitamin D2. The findings published in the June edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition could potentially lead to changes in the food industry when it comes to fortification.
Bitter taste receptors for Stevia sweeteners discovered
Stevia is regarded as a healthy alternative to sugar. Yet there are drawbacks to the Stevia products recently approved as sweeteners by the European Union. One of these is a long-lasting bitter after-taste. Scientists at Technische Universitaet Muenchen and the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke have now identified the receptors on the human tongue mediating the bitter sensation.
Memory training unlikely to help in treating ADHD, boosting IQ
Working memory training is unlikely to be an effective treatment for children suffering from disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity or dyslexia, according to a research analysis published by the American Psychological Association. In addition, memory training tasks appear to have limited effect on healthy adults and children looking to do better in school or improve their cognitive skills.
Hepatitis C 'switch' offers target for new drug research
Scientists have discovered a 'switch' in the Hepatitis C virus which could be used as a target for new kinds of drug treatment.
Scientists identify possible drug target for acute pancreatitis
Scientists from the Universities of Illinois and California have found that the inflammatory protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in the duration of acute pancreatitis in animal models with this condition. Their report, in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, describes experiments in lean and obese mice that identify the presence of high IL-6 as one of the reasons why the disease is more devastating in obese people.
Researchers call for obesity prevention efforts to focus on community-wide systems
National data show that currently more than 10 percent of preschoolers in the United States are obese, and an additional 10 percent are overweight. In a recently published article, a researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with peers and colleagues from across the nation, says that effective strategies to target pregnancy, infancy, and toddlers are urgently needed to stop the progression of childhood obesity. The call to action comes just weeks after the release of a recent report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and an HBO documentary, "The Weight of the Nation," both of which focused on the nation's growing obesity epidemic. The full text of the article is available in the June issue of Childhood Obesity.
Listening in, researchers learn about end-of-life communication
What is the best way to talk to someone about prognosis and quality of life when serious illness strikes? It turns out that no one had studied that question through direct observation, until the University of Rochester Medical Center audio-recorded 71 palliative care discussions.
Advanced visualization techniques could change the paradigm for diagnosis and treating heart disease
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine are pioneering new ultrasound techniques that provide the first characterization of multidirectional blood flow in the heart. By focusing on fluid dynamics – specifically, the efficiency with which blood enters and exits the heart's left ventricle – the researchers believe they can detect heart disease even when traditional measures show no sign of trouble.
Study finds delayed side effects of head and neck cancer treatments go unreported
New data from an Internet-based study show that patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) may be at risk for significant late effects after their treatment, but they're unlikely to discuss these and other survivorship care issues with their doctors. The findings, from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will be presented Monday, June 4, at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago. The research team says the study reinforces the need to improve survivorship care for patients as they complete their active treatment, better educate patients about late effects they may experience, and encourage them to report these problems to their healthcare providers so they can be addressed.
'Intelligent medicine' erases side effects
Scientists at Aarhus University, Denmark in collaboration with the biotech company Cytoguide now publish a key to use glucocorticoid steroids in a kind of intelligent medicine that specifically hits the relevant cells. Data are based on rodent studies but if this principle is translated to humans it may greatly improve todays hazardous treatment with this type of potent steroids.
Binge drinking drops, drug use levels off in Europe: report
European teens cut back on binge drinking and showed no increase in illegal drug use in recent years, while cigarettes remained as popular as in 2007, an EU agency said Thursday.
Genetic cause for CLOVES syndrome identified
Using advanced technologies for rapidly sequencing and analyzing DNA from clinical and pathologic samples, a multidisciplinary research team consisting of geneticists, pathologists and surgeons at Boston Children's Hospital has identified the genetic basis for CLOVES syndrome, a rare congenital malformation and overgrowth disorder.
Intravenous kidney cell transplant experiments raise hope for future human kidney failure treatments
Indiana University School of Medicine scientists have successfully transplanted primary kidney cells intravenously to treat renal failure in rats, pointing the way to a possible future alternative to kidney transplants and expensive dialysis treatments in humans.
Study reports first success of targeted therapy in type of non-small cell lung cancer
A novel compound has become the first targeted therapy to benefit patients with the most common genetic subtype of lung cancer, an international clinical trial led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other institutions will report at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) June 1-5 in Chicago.
Smoking during pregnancy linked to severe asthma in teen years
African-American and Latino children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from acute asthma symptoms in their teens than asthma sufferers whose mothers did not smoke, according to a new study led by a research team at UCSF.
Researchers identify promising biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for kidney cancer
Using blood, urine and tissue analysis of a unique mouse model, a team led by UC Davis researchers has identified several proteins as diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for kidney cancer. Subject to follow-up validation testing, inhibition of these proteins and several related pathways holds promise as a form of therapy to slow the growth of kidney tumors.
Sex and trauma research is less upsetting to college students than previously assumed
Research on sex and trauma faces an ethical dilemma: how can we find out more about the effects of such psychologically sensitive topics without hurting the people who participate in the study?
Is there a 'healthy' obesity gene?
Why is it that some obese people are healthier than others? This was one of the main questions Dr. Chaodong Wu of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences — Texas A&M University System — and a group of researchers tried to answer in a recent study.
Vena cava filters do not lower mortality rate in most embolism cases
A filter used to block clots from passing from the veins in the legs to the arteries of the lung does not improve mortality rates for most patients suffering a pulmonary embolism. However, if a patient is unstable – in shock or requires a ventilator – filters can save lives.
Weather patterns can be used to forecast rotavirus outbreaks
Monitoring weather factors like temperature, rain, and snowfall is one way to predict the timing and intensity of rotavirus, a disease that causes extreme diarrhea, dehydration and thousands of death annually, particularly among children.
'Safe' levels of arsenic in drinking water found to compromise pregnant/lactating mothers, offspring
Exposure to arsenic in drinking water at the level the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently deems as safe in the United States (10 parts per billion) induces adverse health outcomes in pregnant and lactating mice and their offspring, concludes a study led by Joshua Hamilton of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Courtney Kozul-Horvath at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. The team is part of the Dartmouth Superfund Research Program on Toxic Metals.
Gout flare-ups rise sharply with certain foods: study
(HealthDay) -- Meat, seafood and other foods rich in compounds called purines are associated with a fivefold increased risk of immediate gout flare-ups, a new study shows.
Ohio mail-order hatchery now linked to salmonella in 23 states
(HealthDay) -- Live chicks and ducklings from a mail-order hatchery in Ohio have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that had sickened 93 people in 23 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an update Thursday.
Even non-sexual social contact can raise body temperature
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers at the University of St Andrews found that non-sexual social interactions with men caused a noticeable rise in the temperature of a woman's face, without them even noticing.
Fruit flies with Restless Legs Syndrome point to a genetic cause
When flies are made to lose a gene with links to Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), they suffer the same sleep disturbances and restlessness that human patients do. The findings reported online on May 31 in Current Biology strongly suggest a genetic basis for RLS, a condition in which patients complain of an irresistible urge to move that gets worse as they try to rest.
New molecular structure offers first picture of a protein family vital to human health
The 20 proteins in the Wnt family are some of the most important proteins in controlling how an organism develops and grows, but for 30 years scientists have not known what these vital proteins actually look like. The proteins have eluded standard visualization techniques, in large part because they do not dissolve well in the water-based liquids normally used for biochemical studies. But once Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator K. Christopher Garcia, and Claudia Janda, a post-doctoral fellow in his Stanford University School of Medicine lab, thought of an approach to make the proteins behave better, they succeeded in solving the first structure of a Wnt protein.
Alzheimer's protein structure offers new treatment directions
The molecular structure of a protein involved in Alzheimer's disease – and the surprising discovery that it binds cholesterol – could lead to new therapeutics for the disease, Vanderbilt University investigators report in the June 1 issue of the journal Science.
Researchers restore walking ability after spinal cord injury in rats
Rats with spinal cord injuries and severe paralysis are now walking (and running) thanks to researchers at EPFL. Published in the June 1, 2012 issue of Science, the results show that a severed section of the spinal cord can make a comeback when its own innate intelligence and regenerative capacity—what lead author Grégoire Courtine of EPFL calls the "spinal brain"—is awakened. The study, begun five years ago at the University of Zurich, points to a profound change in our understanding of the central nervous system. It is yet unclear if similar rehabilitation techniques could work for humans, but the observed nerve growth hints at new methods for treating paralysis.
'Liquid Biopsy': Blood test gives 'real-time' picture of cancer
(Medical Xpress) -- A simple and cost-effective blood test could be used to monitor how a patient is responding to treatment and detect genetic faults in their cancer as they happen, according to a Cancer Research UK study.
Protein pathways provide clues in leukemia research
Scientists at Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have successfully profiled protein pathways found to be distinctive to leukemia patients with particular variants of the disease.
Biology news
Blanch your weeds
You don't need to spray weedkiller to remove the weeds between your paving stones. Six treatments throughout the summer with either boiling water, steam or flaming will dispatch even the hardiest of unwanted plants. This is the conclusion of a new PhD project from the University of Copenhagen.
Grazing snails rule the waves: marine study
(Phys.org) -- Coral reefs and seashores largely look the way they do because large fish and urchins eat most of the seaweed that might otherwise cover them, but a major new study has found that the greatest impact of all comes from an unexpected quarter – small marine snails.
DNA discovery key to drought resistant crops
(Phys.org) -- Scientists have pinpointed the ‘stay green' DNA in barley in new research that may help farmers to grow better crops in areas of drought, heat and salinity.
Monkey lip smacks provide new insights into the evolution of human speech
Scientists have traditionally sought the evolutionary origins of human speech in primate vocalizations, such as monkey coos or chimpanzee hoots. But unlike these primate calls, human speech is produced using rapid, controlled movements of the tongue, lips and jaw. Speech is also learned, while primate vocalizations are mostly innately structured.
Singing in the rain: Technology improves monitoring of bird sounds
Researchers at Oregon State University have created a new computer technology that can listen to multiple bird sounds at one time to identify which species are present and how they may be changing as a result of habitat loss or climate change.
UCLA life scientists view biodiversity through a whole new dimension
(Phys.org) -- How can blue whales, the largest animals on the planet, survive by feeding on krill, shrimp-like creatures that are the size of a penny? According to UCLA life scientists, it's all a matter of dimensions.
Where have all the hummingbirds gone?
(Phys.org) -- The glacier lily as it's called, is a tall, willowy plant that graces mountain meadows throughout western North America. It flowers early in spring, when the first bumblebees and hummingbirds appear.
New technology speeds up DNA 'rewriting' and measures the effects of the changes in living cells
Our ability to "read" DNA has made tremendous progress in the past few decades, but the ability to understand and alter the genetic code, that is, to "rewrite" the DNA-encoded instructions, has lagged behind. A new Weizmann Institute study advances our understanding of the genetic code: It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes. The study is being reported in the June issues of Nature Biotechnology and Nature Genetics.
Mystery of monarch migration takes new turn
During the fall, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies living in eastern North America fly up to 1,500 miles to the volcanic forests of Mexico to spend the winter, while monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains fly to the California coast. The phenomenon is both spectacular and mysterious: How do the insects learn these particular routes and why do they stick to them?
Researchers identify mechanism that maintains stem cells readiness
An immune-system receptor plays an unexpected but crucially important role in keeping stem cells from differentiating and in helping blood cancer cells grow, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report today in the journal Nature.
We need to talk: How cells communicate to activate notch
During formation of multi-cellular organisms, cells need to talk to each other to make critical decisions as to what kind of cell to become, as well as when and where to become that cell type. The Notch signaling system allows cells to directly talk to each other to program almost every cell type in the body.
A post-coital switch: Mapping the changing behaviors in the female fruit fly's mind
If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then it shouldn't be surprising that their neural circuits differ. In research published today in the journal Current Biology, researchers have used dramatic changes in the behaviour of the female fruit fly after sex to help map these often very different circuits.
Vertebrates share ancient neural circuitry for complex social behaviors: study
Humans, fish and frogs share neural circuits responsible for a diversity of social behavior, from flashy mating displays to aggression and monogamy, that have existed for more than 450 million years, biologists at The University of Texas at Austin found.
Genetic discovery unlocks biosynthesis of medicinal compound in poppy
Scientists at the University of York and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Australia have discovered a complex gene cluster responsible for the synthesis of the medicinal compound noscapine.
Researchers determine structure of 'batteries' of the biological clock
Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists have determined the three-dimensional structure of two proteins that help keep the body's clocks in sync. The proteins, CLOCK and BMAL1, bind to each other to regulate the activity of thousands of genes whose expression fluctuates throughout the course of a day. Knowing the structure of the CLOCK:BMAL1 complex will help researchers understand the intricacies of how this regulation is carried out and how mutations in each protein lead the biological clock to go awry.
A 'B12 shot' for marine algae? Scientists find key protein for algae growth in the ocean
Scientists have revealed a key cog in the biochemical machinery that allows marine algae at the base of the oceanic food chain to thrive. They have discovered a previously unknown protein in algae that grabs an essential but scarce nutrient out of seawater, vitamin B12.
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