Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 8, 2012:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Wires turn salt water into freshwater- Researchers take big step to develop nuclear fusion power
- Physicists discover mechanisms of wrinkle and crumple formation
- Synthetic cells used to bioengineer new forms of silica
- 3-D self-assembling structures could lead to new microchips, other devices (w/ Video)
- Laptop juices smartphone in Intel demo at Computex (w/ Video)
- Einstein was right, neutrino researchers admit
- Unique microbes found in extreme environment
- WISE finds few brown dwarfs close to home
- Scientists develop new theoretical model on the evolution of cooperation
- Environmental benefit of biofuels is overestimated, new study reveals
- Psychologists find meditation increases awareness of subliminal messages
- Cars that avoid crashes by talking to each other
- Company solves gas nozzle dripping problem
- Research discovery: Near-complete set of templates for protein complexes exists today
Space & Earth news
UN climate watchdog backs new greenhouse gas protocol
A UN climate science task force urged on Thursday the adoption of new measures aimed at providing the broadest and most accurate snapshot of carbon emissions ahead of Rio+20.
Searching for exoplanets in the High Arctic
The Canadian High Arctic offers continuous darkness during the winter months -- an enormous advantage for astronomers searching for repeating events like planetary transits of stars. Exceptionally clear, arctic winter skies and calm atmospheric conditions also make for excellent conditions for astronomy. In February 2012, members of a team of astronomers and graduate students from the University of Toronto and the National Research Council braved -40 degrees Celcius temperatures to perform the first astronomical surveys, and continue measurements of atmospheric turbulence, at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) on Ellesmere Island. Since 2009, the National Research Council has been organizing observations at PEARL. The results confirm the observatory -- at 80 degrees North -- as among the best in the world; it is an excellent location from which to search for exoplanets, an excellent future home for the half-metre Dunlap Institute Arctic Telescope! , and an important opportunity to establish a unique astronomical facility in Canada.
Report: Hazardous Near Earth Objects - communicating the risk
To deal with potentially hazardous Near Earth Objects (NEOs) that could strike the Earth, there is need to establish an effective international communications strategy - but doing so is a daunting task, one that demands effective use of mass communication tools.
NuSTAR arrives at island launch site
(Phys.org) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, and its rocket flew above the palm trees to arrive at their launch location at the U.S. Army's Reagan test site at Kwajalein Atoll. Kwajalein, located midway between Hawaii and Australia, is one of the world's largest atolls -- coral islands with lagoons in the middle. The mission is scheduled to launch June 13 no earlier than 8:30 a.m. PDT (11:30 a.m. EDT).
Dancing among the stars: UMD space mission in final round for chance to 'Jitterbug' on comet
(Phys.org) -- Today a University of Maryland-led team of scientists made its final-round pitch to NASA for a robotic space mission proposal known as Comet Hopper that is one of three finalists vying for selection as a new planetary mission in NASA's Discovery Program.
Bird rest stops to be tracked by NASA rain radar
(Phys.org) -- At sunset on a spring night, tree-dwelling songbirds take off in a flurry of wings from the lower Delmarva Peninsula near Oyster, Va. The peninsula is a temporary home to hundreds of species of migratory birds. In spring they fly north to boreal forests of New England and Canada, returning from places as far south as Central and South America. Scientists are hoping to learn where the prime stopover spots are on this route with the help of ground radar set up by NASA to improve satellite measurements of rainfall.
Rocket sled tests are technology pathway to safely land humans, habitats and cargo on Mars
(Phys.org) -- Traveling 300 million miles through deep space to reach the planet Mars is difficult; successfully landing there is even harder. The process of entering the Red Planet's atmosphere and slowing down to land has been described as "six minutes of terror."
Instrument integration begins at Goddard on MMS spacecraft
The decks have arrived. Engineers working on NASA'S Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission have started integrating instruments on the first of four instrument decks in a newly fabricated cleanroom at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The MMS mission consists of four identical spacecraft, and each instrument deck will have 25 sensors per spacecraft.
Tropical Depression Keuna's rainfall weakens
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite called TRMM measures how much rain can fall per hour in storms. Between June 6 and 7, TRMM noticed the rainfall rate within Tropical Depression Kuena had lessened.
US scientists host 'bake sale for NASA'
Could some really great cupcakes be enough to send Americans back to the Moon?
WISE finds few brown dwarfs close to home
(Phys.org) -- Astronomers are getting to know the neighbors better. Our sun resides within a spiral arm of our Milky Way galaxy about two-thirds of the way out from the center. It lives in a fairly calm, suburb-like area with an average number of stellar residents. Recently, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has been turning up a new crowd of stars close to home: the coldest of the brown dwarf family of "failed" stars.
Technology news
Japan PM renews plea for nuclear restart
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday renewed his call for the re-firing of idle nuclear reactors, saying Japan could not do without atomic energy, but stopped short of ordering a restart.
Olympus whistleblower wins millions in settlement
(AP) — Former Olympus Corp. Chief Executive Michael Woodford will receive 10 million pounds ($1.2 billion yen, $15.4 million) in a settlement over his dismissal from the Japanese camera and medical equipment maker. Olympus also announced it will cut nearly 3,000 jobs.
ICECool to crack thermal management barrier, enable breakthrough electronics
The continued miniaturization and the increased density of components in today’s electronics have pushed heat generation and power dissipation to unprecedented levels. Current thermal management solutions, usually involving remote cooling, are unable to limit the temperature rise of today’s complex electronic components. Such remote cooling solutions, where heat must be conducted away from components before rejection to the air, add considerable weight and volume to electronic systems. The result is complex military systems that continue to grow in size and weight due to the inefficiencies of existing thermal management hardware.
A future vision for media
New technologies to support the rapidly evolving world of media and communications are big business. Creating successful image recognition software is a key area of research, since multimedia relies heavily on the power of imagery and customers are demanding more information more rapidly.
Brussels offers 'smart' tourists 600 tagged sites
In what it described as a world first, the city of Brussels on Friday launched a hi-tech system that enables tourists or anyone else with a smartphone to scan tags for information at 600 sites.
Cyber experts warn of 'intelligent weapons'
Quick advances in cyber war technologies could soon lead to a new generation of so-called "intelligent cyber weapons" which top global IT defence experts warn could be virtually unstoppable.
Facebook rolling out central location for apps
(AP) — There's more to Facebook apps than "Angry Birds" and Pinterest, but many users wouldn't know that because there hasn't been a good, central way to find them.
China to tighten Internet control with new rules
China said Thursday it planned to extend nationwide a requirement for microblog users to register with their real names as part of a sweeping update of rules governing the Internet.
Ubisoft plays hard at E3 videogame conference
Ubisoft flexed its muscles, embracing new trends in digital play while rolling out blockbuster titles for consoles and handheld gadgets at the E3 industry extravaganza that ended here Thursday.
Apple facing $2.22 mn fine over Australian '4G' iPad
Apple agreed Friday to a Aus$2.25 million (US$2.22 million) fine for misleading Australian customers about the local 4G capability of its next-generation iPad, in a case brought by regulators.
Phones, tablets transform handheld game market
Smartphones and tablet computers are expanding the market for handheld video games and challenging traditional devices, forcing game developers to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape.
Music choice reflects mood
(Phys.org) -- What kind of music are you in the mood for? A new smartphone app designed to recommend music according to how listeners feel could provide insight into teen mental health.
A solar sandwich to power future buildings
All in one: A new electricity generating building component is being developed at EPFL.
Kinect launches a surgical revolution
Medical imaging today gives surgeons an ability to obtain a virtual peek inside the human body in a way that rivals the campy 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage, in which a team of physicians is miniaturized and injected into a wounded diplomat to save his life.
Information processing: Adding a touch of color
Creating a high-quality realistic color image from a grayscale picture can be challenging. Conventional methods typically require the user’s input, either by using a scribbling tool to color the image manually or by using a color transfer. Both options can result in poor colorization quality limited by the user’s degree of skill or the range of reference images available.
2013 Chevrolet Volt boosts EV range to 38 miles
The all-electric vehicle range of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt will be 38 miles on a single charge, providing owners with a three-mile EV range increase from the 2012 model. The miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) will increase from 94 miles to 98 miles and the total range, including extended range operation, will be 380 miles.
E3 console roundup: Xbox upstages Nintendo at E3, Sony does its thing
You don't have to introduce a new game platform to create a big buzz at E3. A clever app or novel piece of software can still do the trick at the annual video gaming conference, as first Microsoft and then Sony demonstrated Monday in Los Angeles.
Video conferencing steps out of the office
Video conferences have largely been confined to offices. Not anymore. New technologies developed by Polycom and other video-conference vendors let employees use smartphones and tablet devices join in no matter where they are.
Research In Motion woes worry BlackBerry users
The darkening prospects for Research in Motion Ltd. are conjuring a nightmare scenario for its nearly 80 million users: What if they woke up one morning to find their BlackBerry phones had become paperweights?
More people staying connected on vacation
Scanning smartphones, tablets and laptops is as much a part of vacations as slathering on sunscreen, according to a Michigan State University study.
Gamemakers flip focus to multiple screens at E3
(AP) — If the gaming industry agreed on one idea at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo, it's that playing video games on just one screen is no longer enough.
Google wins Swiss Street View privacy appeal
Google welcomed on Friday a ruling by Switzerland's highest court that it does not have to blur all faces and car registrations on its Street View service in the country.
Obama hits back at 'offensive' leak allegations
US President Barack Obama hit back Friday at accusations that the White House was somehow involved in leaking classified national security secrets, labeling the allegations "offensive."
Boost in Facebook stock, easing post-IPO decline
(AP) — Facebook's stock got a boost Friday, easing a decline that has followed the company's initial public offering last month.
Japan's Sharp, Hon Hai to make China smartphones: reports
Japanese electronics firm Sharp will expand ties with its Taiwan-based partner Hon Hai Precision, including plans to jointly tap China's smartphone market, reports said Friday.
Company solves gas nozzle dripping problem
(Phys.org) -- One of the hallmarks of the human race has been the myriad ways that single individuals or small groups respond when noting problems big and small. They may see something as a challenge or a glitch in the status quo, or simply as a way to improve on what currently exists using their intellect, their time and of course their energy, and because of that, things improve for everyone else. In just that vein comes a new kind of nozzle or nozzle attachment that solves the problem of dripping after the flow of a liquid has been stopped. We see it with our various types of water taps, but more often when transferring fuel from one container to another, especially when filling the gas tank of our cars and trucks.
Cars that avoid crashes by talking to each other
The future of automotive safety is coming this summer to the U.S.: Cars that to talk to each other and warn drivers of impending collisions.
Environmental benefit of biofuels is overestimated, new study reveals
Two scientists are challenging the currently accepted norms of biofuel production. A commentary published today in GCB Bioenergy reveals that calculations of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions from bioenergy production are neglecting crucial information that has led to the overestimation of the benefits of biofuels compared to fossil fuels.
Laptop juices smartphone in Intel demo at Computex (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- Intel sees a future where you simply, wirelessly, use your laptop to charge your phone. To prove its point, Intel pulled off a proof-of-concept charging feat this week at Computex where a laptop wirelessly powered a smartphone positioned alongside the computer. To demonstrate its action, Intel used an Acer Aspire laptop with a Samsung smartphone. The computer was shown as having a plug-in transmitter module on its right side, for the charging. The compatible phone, with its receiver placed alongside the laptop transmitter, started charging. A ping sound and notification confirm the connection has been made and the process is in effect.
Medicine & Health news
Patients with PsA treated with ustekinumab are twice as likely to achieve acr20 vs. placebo
A new Phase III study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with Ustekinumab (UST) 90mg were more than twice as likely to achieve the study's primary endpoint, ACR20* at 24 weeks, than those treated with placebo (49.5% vs 22.8%). 42.4% of patients treated with UST 45mg were also more likely to achieve ACR20 at 24 weeks compared to placebo.
Early menopause predicts a milder form of rheumatoid arthritis
A new study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that early menopause predicts a milder form of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). New insights on factors influencing RA are good news for sufferers of the chronic inflammatory disease that currently affects over 2 million women in Europe. 1,2
Obesity negatively predicts minimal disease activity achievement in patients with PSA
According to a study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who are starting anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment and adhere to a hypocaloric diet have a significantly greater chance of achieving minimal disease activity (MDA, an important measure of disease activity) at six months compared to those on a standard diet.
Rabbit risk score can help rheumatologists identify patients at high risk of infection
Results of a study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, suggest that the newly developed RABBIT Risk Score, which calculates the risk of serious infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs (anti-TNFs) or conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is a valid and effective tool for rheumatologists to predict risk of serious infection.
76 percent of patients on oral JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor plus DMARDS achieve ACR20 response at week 12
Data from a Phase IIb study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, show that 76% of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving either 4mg or 8mg of baricitinib, an oral JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, plus stable methotrexate (MTX) achieved ACR20* response compared with 41% of placebo-treated patients (p≤0.001) at 12 weeks. The 4mg and 8mg doses of baricitinib demonstrated statistical superiority to placebo in all clinical outcomes measured, including ACR20/50/70*, DAS28**-CRP and DAS28-CRP
13.7 million young adults stayed on or joined their parents' health plans in 2011
In 2011, 13.7 million young adults ages 19 to 25 stayed on or joined their parents' health plans, including 6.6 million who would likely not have been able to do so before passage of the Affordable Care Act, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report.
Lung changes are present in nearly half of ACPA positive RA patients at disease onset
A new study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that lung changes in association with anti-citrullinated protein autoantibody (ACPA) status are a primary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Smoking negatively affects response to anti-TNF treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
A new study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, reinforces current thinking that smoking negatively affects treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs.
Mexican man gets double arm transplant
(AP) — A Mexican man whose arms were severely burned by electricity became the first patient in Latin America to receive a double arm transplant, doctors said Thursday.
US House votes to repeal tax on medical devices
The US House of Representatives ignored a White House veto threat and voted Thursday to repeal a tax on medical devices, an element of President Barack Obama's health care law which Republicans say kills jobs and hinders innovation.
Bariatric surgery works, we just need to ensure it's safe
Around 2.6 million Australians are obese. Obesity causes contribute to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnoea, infertility, depression and cancer. The strength of the causal link between obesity and these diseases means that obesity is now considered at least equal to smoking as a preventable cause of premature death.
Outdoor grills need attention too
Now that it’s outdoor grilling time again, many people are eager to fire up their grills and get cooking. But before grilling those steaks, burgers, hot dogs or chicken breasts, remember to thoroughly clean the grill to make it safe for cooking, said Dr. Connie Sheppard, Texas AgriLife Extension Service family and consumer sciences agent for Bexar County.
Detecting early dementia in Parkinson's disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Doctors will soon be able to identify the early stages of dementia in the 40 per cent of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients in Australia who later develop the illness.
Use of patient centered medical home features not related to patients' experience of care
Providing patient care using key features of a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), a model of health care delivery promoted by major physician groups, may not influence what patients think about the care they receive, reports a new study in Health Services Research.
One in two Austrians suffers from periodontitis
Around one in two middle-aged Austrians suffers from periodontitis, a disease that can lead to irreversible damage of the periodontium and, as a result, increase the risk of secondary complications such as diabetes or cardiovascular conditions. This will be stressed by Corinna Bruckmann of the Bernhard Gottlieb University Clinic of Dentistry at MedUni Vienna during Europerio 7, world's largest periodontology conference, which will be held from 6th to 9th June 2012 at the Vienna Exhibition Centre. Prevention is all the more important. There is now a prophylaxis centre at the dental clinic, where even more intensive preventative measures for dental health are to be carried out, including, and most importantly, prevention of periodontitis.
The balancing act to regulate the brain machinery
Molecular imbalance lies at the root of many psychiatric disorders. Current EU-funded research has discovered a major RNA molecular player in neurogenesis and has characterised its action and targets in the zebrafish embryo.
Poisoning 'Can happen to anyone'
(HealthDay) -- It's easy to think that a poisoning won't happen to you or someone you love, especially if you've taken precautions like locking up your cleaning products and other chemicals.
Danger at home lurks in pills, plants, chemicals and more
(HealthDay) -- If you have children or pets, you've probably looked around your house to see what potential hazards you need to lock up or move, like the cleaning products under the sink. But it's easy to overlook something a child might find appealing.
Quebec sues tobacco industry for Can$60 bn (Update)
The Canadian province of Quebec announced Friday that it is suing tobacco giants for more than $60 billion dollars in a bid to recover health care costs associated with smoking-related illnesses.
Legionnaires' outbreak brings Scottish distillery to a halt
A Scottish whisky distillery at the centre of an investigation into an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has infected up to 74 people has temporarily halted production, it said Friday.
Preterm birth rate drops in just 3 countries over past 20 years
Nearly 15 million babies were born prematurely in 2010—more than one in ten of all births. Sixty percent of these premature babies were born in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, but this is not just a problem of the poorest nations: the USA (517 000 preterm births) and Brazil (279 300) ranked in the top ten countries with the highest number of premature births in 2010. Worse still, over the past 20 years preterm birth rates have decreased in just three countries, according to the first ever national level estimates and time series published in this week's Lancet.
Re-defining future stroke risk among pre-diabetics
Millions of pre-diabetic Americans may be at increased risk of future stroke, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in a new meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, but the precise degree of that threat is confounded by differing medical definitions and factors that remain unknown or unmeasured.
Should spinal manipulation for neck pain be abandoned?
The effectiveness of spinal manipulation divides medical opinion. On BMJ today, experts debate whether spinal manipulation for neck pain should be abandoned.
Suicides are surging among US troops
(AP) — Suicides are surging among America's troops, averaging nearly one a day this year — the fastest pace in the nation's decade of war.
Pneumonia, diarrhea are top killers of kids: UNICEF
Pneumonia and diarrhea are among the top causes of childhood deaths around the world, particularly among the poor, said a report out Friday by the UN Children's Fund.
Japan team create liver from stem cells: report
Japanese researchers have created a functioning human liver from stemcells, a report said Friday, raising hopes for the manufacture of artificial organs for those in need of transplants.
Venous thromboembolism up in adult hospitalizations
(HealthDay) -- Every year, more than half a million hospitalized U.S. adults acquire venous thromboembolism (VTE), a growing public health concern that is often preventable, according to research published in the June 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
Rule combo accurately predicts organ failure in pancreatitis
(HealthDay) -- A series of 12 predictive rules that combines existing scoring systems in patients with acute pancreatitis improves the accuracy of predicting persistent organ failure, according to a study published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
Cystic fibrosis breakthrough reveals why females fare worse than males
(Medical Xpress) -- Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening inherited disease in Ireland with the highest incidence of this disease globally seen on this island. Females with CF have a poorer outcome as a result of serious bacterial infections in their respiratory tract. Collaborative research conducted in Dublin between the Royal College of Surgeons, Beaumont Hospital and the School of Medicine, Trinity College has furthered our understanding of this phenomenon and was recently published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.
McGill discovery: Alzheimer's drugs make bones stronger
(Medical Xpress) -- The drugs commonly used to treat memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients can make bones stronger, according to a recent study led by Faleh Tamimi, assistant professor at McGill University's Faculty of Dentistry. The findings, published in Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and highlighted in Nature Reviews: Endocrinology, could help further research into the idea that bone strength is controlled centrally within the brain.
Researchers developing drug to combat west nile virus, other related viruses
(Medical Xpress) -- Professors at Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado are developing a drug that can stop replication of West Nile, dengue and yellow fever viruses that continue to plague two-thirds of the world's population with no clinically useful antiviral drugs available.
Researchers launch website that monitors the tobacco industry
(Medical Xpress) -- A ground-breaking new online resource, called TobaccoTactics.org, has been launched by researchers at the University Tobacco Control Research Group.
Car crash victims more likely to survive if taken directly to a trauma centre
People who are seriously injured in a car accident are more than 30 per cent more likely to survive at least 48 hours if they are taken directly to a trauma centre than those who are taken first to a non-trauma centre, new research has found.
Procedure to freeze fat cells helps woman avoid more surgery
Breast cancer, a double mastectomy and kidney cancer - in all, nine surgeries in three years - left Kathleen Bindyke feeling like a battered warrior. But she decided to put herself into better shape than when the ordeal began.
Study highlights significant dairy shortfall
(Medical Xpress) -- Australian researchers have called for a focus on public health interventions that increase dairy food consumption following a new study published this week.
Officials probe E. coli outbreak in US (Update)
(AP) — A mysterious and scattered outbreak of the E. coli bacteria is linked to 14 illnesses in America, including a child's death, health officials say.
Higher risk of VTE in CKD surgical patients on enoxaparin
(HealthDay) -- For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who undergo total hip replacement (THR), the rate of major venous thromboembolism (VTE) is significantly higher in those treated with enoxaparin compared to those treated with desirudin, according to a study published online June 4 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Prevalence, predictors of interval colorectal cancer ID'd
(HealthDay) -- A variety of procedural and biologic factors contribute to the development of interval colorectal cancers, seen in 7.2 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of Cancer.
Link between vascular disease and disc height loss examined
(HealthDay) -- The association between vascular disease, as measured by abdominal aortic calcifications (AACs), and disc height loss is independent of cardiovascular disease and is largely explained by patient age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), according to a study published in the April issue of The Spine Journal.
Marker helps predict thrombotic risk of hormonal contraceptives
(HealthDay) -- For women taking hormonal contraceptives, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a useful marker to estimate the risk of venous thrombosis, according to research published in the June issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Elimination diet can treat eosinophilic esophagitis in adults
(HealthDay) -- A six-food elimination diet can successfully treat adults with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), according to a study published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
Researchers develop and test new anti-cancer vaccine
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have developed and tested in mice a synthetic vaccine and found it effective in killing human papillomavirus-derived cancer, a virus linked to cervical cancers among others. The research was published in a recent issue of Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy.
Anthropologists finds high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in breast milk of Amerindian women
– Working with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, anthropologists at UC Santa Barbara have found high levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in the breast milk of economically impoverished Amerindian woman as compared to women in the United States. Their research appears in the current issue of the journal Maternal and Child Nutrition.
Probing the mechanism of ADAM28-mediated cancer metastasis
ADAM28, a metalloproteinase belonging to the ADAM gene family, cleaves the von Willebrand factor (VWF) and inhibits VWF-mediated cancer cell apoptosis, thereby enhancing lung metastases, so inhibiting its expression gives a substantial reduction in lung metastases, according to a study published June 8 in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute.
US wants 9/11 health program to include 50 cancers
(AP) — First responders and New York-area residents who were stricken with cancer after being exposed to the toxic ash that exploded over Manhattan when the World Trade Center collapsed would qualify for free treatment for the disease and potentially hefty compensation payments under a rule proposed Friday by federal health officials.
Novel brain imaging technique explains why concussions affect people differently
Patients vary widely in their response to concussion, but scientists haven't understood why. Now, using a new technique for analyzing data from brain imaging studies, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have found that concussion victims have unique spatial patterns of brain abnormalities that change over time.
Psychologists find meditation increases awareness of subliminal messages
(Phys.org) -- In our busy world most rarely have time to ponder the intricacies of subliminal messaging, despite the fact that it goes on all around us every day, in many cases as a direct means to incite us to buy an advertised product. Advertisers use hidden images embedded in photographs, for example, to cause reactions that we are generally unaware of, until we’re walking the aisles of a supermarket and suddenly find ourselves desiring a certain product. Now, new research by a team of psychologists and anthropologists from the Netherlands and Britain have found that practitioners of meditation appear to be more susceptible to subliminal messages than are those who don’t practice the ancient art. They have, as they describe in their paper published in Consciousness and Cognition, found through running two experiments, that engaging in meditation appears to open the mind to new insights which allows people to better remember subliminal messages they have recei! ved.
Biology news
Penn and Cornell researchers spearhead the development of new guidelines for veterinary CPR
For nearly 50 years, the American Heart Association, with the help of researchers and physicians from across the nation, has developed and disseminated guidelines on how best to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on patients experiencing cardiac arrest. But no such evidence-based guidelines existed in the veterinary world. Perhaps as a result, while more than 20 percent of human patients who suffer cardiac arrests in the hospital survive to go home to their families, the equivalent figure for dogs and cats is less than 6 percent.
A new tool for studying insect-plant warfare
(Phys.org) -- When an insect pierces the surface of a plant to feed, much of the action takes place in the plant's interior. A device called the Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) is a critical tool for peering into the process.
Molecularly imprinted polymers and bio-engineering
Biorecognition at the molecular level is a rapidly advancing technology that has enlisted the help of synthetic polypeptides to come up with the ultimate antibody.
Living fossils reveal secrets of evolution
An ancient group of African fish known as bichirs were examined by scientists seeking a better understanding of the development of early vertebrates.
Overexpression of proteins 14-3-3 related to chemotherapy resistance
Certain proteins, such as 14-3-3, conserve their basic functions of cell cycle control in diverse organisms, from worms to humans. In a study led by Julián Cerón and Simó Schwartz Jr, researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the Research Institute of Vall d'Hebron (VHIR) respectively, have described germ line functions of par-5, which is one of the two 14-3-3 proteins existing in Caenorhabditis elegans, worms used as experimental model in genetic studies. The overexpression of the 14-3-3 proteins is related to the resistance of tumors to chemotherapy, which could have implications for clinical practice.
No sea change for European fishing
An ambitious reform of Europe's fishing sector to help replenish shrinking fish stocks appears likely to be watered down substantially by European Union nations, diplomats said Friday.
Algal proteins light the way
Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are remarkable proteins that respond to specific wavelengths of light by allowing ions to cross the cell membrane, a mechanism that makes them useful for manipulating ion-driven processes in the brain. Akin to cellular-scale power switches, ChRs allow scientists to selectively switch on individual neurons or neural circuits with a flash of laser light, even in live and alert animals. These valuable tools could soon become even more useful thanks to an international collaboration at the RIKEN SPring-8 Center in Harima that has unveiled the fundamental structure of these proteins.
Red tomatoes thanks to meteorite
(Phys.org) -- The meteorite which crashed into the Earth 60 to 70 million years ago, wiping out dinosaurs, had probably given us nice red tomatoes as well. This can be deduced from a tomato genome analysis, published on 30 May in Nature.
Herbivores select on floral architecture in a South African bird-pollinated plant
Floral displays, such as the color, shape, size, and arrangement of flowers, are typically thought to have evolved primarily in response to selection by pollinators—for animal-pollinated species, being able to attract animal vectors is vital to an individual plant's reproductive success. But can herbivores also exert similarly strong selective forces on floral characters? New research on two sister species in South Africa suggests that this may indeed be the case for inflorescence architecture in the rat's tail plant, Babiana ringens. By modifying the primary location of its floral display in response to pressure from mammalian herbivores, B. ringens may have not only reduced floral herbivory, but may also have enhanced pollination by providing a specialized perch for its principal pollinator.
Research discovery: Near-complete set of templates for protein complexes exists today
(Phys.org) -- Visualize trying to finish a jigsaw puzzle where each individual piece keeps changing shape. If that sounds like an impossible task, imagine the vexing job scientists have faced in computer modeling of interactions between tens of thousands of proteins that are fundamental to biology.
Unique microbes found in extreme environment
Researchers who were looking for organisms that eke out a living in some of the most inhospitable soils on Earth have found a hardy few. A new DNA analysis of rocky soils in the martian-like landscape on some volcanoes in South America has revealed a handful of bacteria, fungi, and other rudimentary organisms, called archaea, which seem to have a different way of converting energy than their cousins elsewhere in the world.
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